Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Reloading press questions

I want to start reloading, as 22 high power and 303 Savage will bankrupt a guy. Can you smart gentlemen reccomend a beginner press? Redding seems to be popular for dies but I dont know about their presses.

Redding makes a fine press and they are relatively expensive.
<br>
<br>Were I you, just starting out and not too sure of where I wanted to go with reloading or how many calibers I would ultamately choose to do I would do this.
<br>
<br>Buy a Lee Challenger press. They are around fifty bucks as opposed to the same type single stage Redding Boss at @ 140.
<br>
<br>The lee has an aluminum frame as oposed to Reddings cast iron but for the rounds you mentioned there would be no difference in use. They both use standard 7/8 - 14 dies. Cast iron is welcome if you are reforming brass
<br>but just for common reloading you don't really need all that strength.
<br>
<br>Used presses are a drug on the market no matter what they are made of and with a Lee you would not be out nearly as much should you decide in the future to upgrade to a turret or progressive.
<br>
<br>If you buy a kit most all the stuff that comes in it is still useable with what ever type of press you wind up with.
<br>
<br>That is the best advice I have to offer. Lyman and RCBS also make good presses but they too are expensive compared to the Lee.
<br>
<br>If you knew exactly what and where you wanted to go instead of just learning how and saving money reloading obsolete rounds I would give a different recomendation.
<br>
<br>Welcome to the fascinating world of reloading. Good luck.
<br>
<br>BCR

You'd never go wrong with the RCBS Rockchucker kit.
<br>
<br>Blaine

The Lee Anniversary Kit on the cheap side or the RCBS kit are both good choices. The RCBS kit will run you about $250.00 and the Lee kit is about $70.00. Both are at www.cabelas.com

Check out Midway at www.midwayusa.com. They are having a closeout sale on all their Midway brand stuff. Their press looks a lot like RCBS' Rockchucker press. It's regular price is $99.99 but it's on sale for $65. They also have a lot of other little things on clearance that you'll need to get started. Here's a link to the clearance page. Hope this helps.
<br>
<br>http://www.midwayusa.com/midwayusa/staticpages/Midway_Brand_Closeout/index.htm

I had forgotten abut ther Midway line. I agree with Medic--check them out.
<br>
<br>Blaine

I'd recommend against going with the "beginners" presses. I'm not rich enough to buy buy cheap stuff the first time around, then get the right stuff the second time around.
<br>
<br>Instead, I'd check out Ebay for used presses in new or excellent condition. Plenty of RCBS Rockchuckers are on sale there. Do not pay more than half of the new price. I'd also buy a measure via Ebay, but would want to get scales and dies brand new via Midway or Lock Stock and Barrel.
<br>
<br>In order of preference, my choices would be:
<br>
<br>1)Redding
<br>2)Redding
<br>3)RCBS
<br>4)Everyone else
<br>
<br>The one exception being the Lee Autoprime tool. Take one apart and polish then grease the contact surfaces and you have a very nice production priming tool.
<br>
<br>Scott

They are a little expensive, but you can't go wrong with a Forster Co-Ax press.

Natchez has the Rock Chucker Master Kit on sale right now for $229.95. Get it and don't look back!
<br>
<br>Good Luck,
<br>
<br>Bob
<br>Here is the link:
<br>http://search.cartserver.com/search...;amp;maxhits=20&keywords=RC09367

Thanks guys. I can see that there is no consensus, but is there a press that I should clearly avoid?