Hello all,
Looking to start reloading can any one help on a good press kit!

Buy a good and robust single stage press together with a kit from a good brand like RCBS.

The press will be your most important tool, together with the scale.

Redding T-7 if you're gonna be doing more than one caliber as you indicated in your 10mm/40SW post. Two sets of dies, set em up one time, rotate the turret. If it's not in the budget, go with DUK's advice, Redding or RCBS.

A heavy "O" frame single stage press (I like RCBS and/or Redding) to start with and learn the essentials. Whatever progressive you may buy afterwards, the former will always stay in service for loading serious rifle loads.
During several decades, 2 other presses have come and go between my Rockchucker and Dillon but the RCBS still sees a lot of action.

quote:

Looking to start reloading can any one help on a good press kit!

I don't like kits of any type, they are never complete so you will still need to buy several other items anyway. Why not pick and choose the better functioning tools from each brand and assemble your own tool collection?

The best press for beginners is a single stage. (For most of us, it remains the best for the rest of our lives!) Presses are simple devices, there are no secrets to making good ones, they tend to be designed pretty much the same, they look much the same and they all work pretty well. If that wasn't true they wouldn't have lasted long in the market. The differences are in the small details - and brand hype.

Lee's Classic Cast press is not only a bargain, it has the best user features of any of its type. It's big, exceptionally strong, will last two lifetimes, has a unique adjustable lever and the clean working spent primer catcher system actually works! (You would spend more on its competitors and end up with less!)

Lee's dies perform as well as any of their type and better than some highly hyped and much more costly sets.

A Redding 3 powder measure and the bench stand, and their powder trickler.

RCBS 505 OR a Dillon Determinator powder scale.

Lyman or Lee reloading manual.

Lyman's Universal Case Trimmer for ease of use and versatility.

MidwayUSA 6" dial Caliper; it's inexpensive but quite accurate.

Cabelas/Berry Vib. Case Tumbler (with cob OR nut media, there ain't enough difference to make a difference.)

Any brand of Powder funnel, loading blocks, case mouth deburr tools, etc

I agree with Jim C. With a kit, you do get some good stuff but you also get a bunch of "filler" junque.
Before you buy anything, go to a sports store and ask to look at a Lee Loader. Spread the few, simple tools out and know that is ALL you need to load good, safe ammo. Everything else is a whistle or bell. So when someone tells you that you can't possibly reload without a $200 set of calipers, just smile and go on. In reloading, "you get what you pay for" doesn't always prove true.

I agree that most kits contain some uneeded items. I'm not sure how well an RCBS Rockchucker will hold up. Only been using mine about 43 years, when I get it broke in, I'll let you know.

first press-
rcbs rock chucker supreme MASTER KIT

or -
rcbs rock chucker supreme press
hornady digital scale
frankfort digital calipers
tons of spare batteries
lyman 55 powder thrower +stand
deburring tool
frankfort case thumbler
powder funnel
lyman or RCBS hand primer -- OR RCBS APS BENCHMOUNT strip primer

NEVER bother using the on press primer on a single, for more than 3-5 cases...

any hammer style bullet puller


i WISH i had learned the basics with a friend on their gear, and then bought a hornady LNL AP, after learning HOW to reload ..

quote:

I'm not sure how well an RCBS Rockchucker will hold up. Only been using mine about 43 years,

Sure. Question is, how is that any different compaired to any other cast iron press? My "cheap" little Lyman Spar-T was bought in '65; it's also still working as well as ever so mentioning the long life of any iron press really doesn't prove anything, they all last virtually forever unless they are badly neglected or abused. ??

I think the press primer device on my friend's Lee Classic Cast (all iron) press works about as well as my hand priming tools, which I got because I didn't like priming on my 23 year old Rock Chucker OR the Spar-T.

Depends on your budget an how much you'll load. Get a single stage kit and you'll be fine for rifle. Get a progressive for pistol, single stage is too slow. I have a Reddin T-7, and RCBS Rockchucker and Lee Loadmaster. I posted this on another web site earlier this week. I haven't used Hornady but the kit looks pretty good and I've heard good things about them. Poster was on a $400-500 budget.

"Get a single stage press and a set of dies in .30-06 since that was the first caliber you mentioned. The Hornady LockNLoad set at Midway is $320 to $330 plus $35 for a die set and shell holder. Add a Hornady case trimmer for $61. Frankford Arsenal tumbler and seperator kit for $64. Add a good reloading manuals about $35. That's about $500 and gives you everything you need to prep cases and load one caliber. To add .223/5.56 you will need to buy another set of dies and a shell, about $35.

When you start adding pistol in the mix you'll find out that you can load pistol on a single stage but it gets really old, fast, because it is tedious and repetitive. When that happens add a progressive press, another $350.

Then you can figure out if you can reload rifle ammo on your progressive. I haven't done the math on these prices but if you reload all your ammo using the brass you have you'll pay off a press and components in a year or two, you'll spend about an hour a month loading maybe two if you have a permanent place to set up. You'll get better quality ammo and probably shoot more because you'll have ammo on hand.

PS. I picked Hornady to look up tonight and thought they had a good starter kit with their press. Their set comes with a Hornady manual. Good manual, but you'll probably add a second manual for a different brand of bullet or Lyman because they have multiple brands of bullets. Pretty much $500 to start and $850 if you add a progressive. Different brands will come up different, Lee is less expensive but their accesories aren't as good. RCBS has gone up in price, but is good equipment. Redding is really good equipment but higher price."

Single stage "O" type

I'd recommend you pay your money once and buy quality. A good "O" type press is what I'd go for. RCBS, Redding, etc. After you have experience you can then get a progressive for mass production.
Bear in Fairbanks

Jim C--You ask how is my Rockchucker holding up 43 years any different? To begin with, I didn't try any others for 43 years so I can't say nor did I imply anything about others. You mention your Lyman Spart T and I can tell you how using Lyman products and RCBS differs. I had a Lyman bullet mold that had lots of miles--fair wear and tear--not abuse. Lyman rebuilt it and charged me. RCBS has never charged me for anything--even when it was my fault. I bought a newer style RCBS cast bullet sizer/luber--the new style has a toggle lube feed where the older style had ratchet feed. I much prefer the ratchet. I called RCBS that I wanted to convert my toggle to ratchet--nothing broken--just my preference. Free of charge--to include postage RCBS sent the parts--That is how it is different.
You mention the Spart T which is a turret press. When I was selecting a press, I did consider a turret. Then I read that most turrets usually just become a place to store dies. Don't know. On different forums I have read that some do use the turret to place a case in and not remove until they finish the round. I'm sure that would save a little time, but it would preclude doing some things I like to do. For example, I like to size my cases, then tumble them to remove the lube. Then measure them and trim to length if needed. Clean primer pocket. This extra handling gives me another chance to look for problems--split necks etc. So back to your question of how is this different? A turret press would not be to my liking and again A Lyman would not be my brand of choice as mentioned above. Any more questions about my post that I might be able to answer for you?

Carpet, don't take offense where none was meant. I wasn't challanging you on the durability or suitability of your press. I was thinking of the OP; what you said about your RC is seen quite often on the web and no matter what you meant it tends to come across to the inexperienced reader as a suggestion that the mentioned press MUST be exceptional when that's really not true. So, however well intentioned, without qualifying what is really meant it's quite misleading to the inexperienced; my comment was to counter that perception in HIS mind, not yours.

I try very hard to make suggestions to noobs based on what my experiece suggests they really need, usually not even mentioning what I use or how long it's lasted. (As an aside, VERY few beginners need or will be well served with progressive presses, or even most turrets, so I avoid those recomendations.)

Seems most folks who highly praise one brand or model of anything above others of similar type actually have little or no experience with anything else! That sorta makes their suggestions to noobs trying to make a purchase choice virtually meaningless. I mean, IF I have never used any pick-up other than my Ford F-350 turbo-diesel 4x4, what good is my experience and advice to someone asking what brand/type of truck he should buy, especially if his real needs are not the same as mine?

I bought my first press, the Spar-T, because intuitively I saw it would be a "faster" press, right? Wrong. In fact, after I got my third set of dies it saved no time at all. I also learned that no turret can be as solid as a single stage, that turret has to have some slack or it couldn't rotate. Even so, I learned how to work around the extra slack and used it for everything for over 20 years before getting my Rock Chucker. (Still use the old press for handgun stuff, but just for old times sake!)

I can't really load any better on my RC but it is a little easier to do good rifle ammo work. However, if the Classic Cast had been available when I got my RC I would have gone with it; it IS a better press!

I now have five presses and over 50 sets of dies by some ten makers. Two different powder measures. Three different beam scales.
Two different hand-lathe case trimmers plus the Lee trimmer tools. About a dozen bullet molds of several different brands. Etc., and they all work fine. The only repair parts I've ever needed has been a few decap pins and one of the little "C" springs that secures shell holders in the ram. All meaning, to me anyway, paying high original prices to obtain "free" repair parts later is not cost effective; I can buy a LOT of decap pins and "C" springs for the cost difference in a single set of new dies!

Jim C--No flame. Back in 1967 when the Air Force gave me orders to Alaska amongst the first thoughts were buying a pistol, hunting rifle and to take up reloading. I had those thoughts on the backburner already. So I bought a reloading book and a Lyman reloading manual. During the portion of the trip that my wife was driving, I read the books. Lyman was about the only brand of reloading equipment I had heard of, and that's what I thought I wanted. The Lyman manual also got my interest in bullet casting. When I moved into my house in Alaska, one of my neighbors had reloaded for years and gave me his recommendations on what to buy. I think he gave me good advice. I still appreciate it and that's my intent here. One thing he suggested was a Belding & Mull powder measure (which I had not heard of). I have never used any other brand, but I have read numerous reports of one measure or the other not metering some type powders. Never found any my B&M doesn't.

Jeffesso--I strongly disagree with the hammer type bullet puller for most uses. If pulling more than just one or two, the RCBS collet type is faster and easier. It doesn't work so great on cast bullets, so with those I remove the die place round in shell holder and run it up through where the die goes. Grab onto bullet with vise grips and when you start down bullet is pulled. Wadcutters with nothing to grip is only use I have for the hammer type puller.

quote:

Never found any my B&M doesn't.

Lordy, wish I had bought one of those funny looking things when the were easily available.

Jim C--They are pricey, but you can still find B&M measures on EBAY. Your comment of just minor parts going bad for you got me thinking. I spent more getting the Lyman mold I mentioned fixed than the difference of buying RCBS to begin with. Another area where I do buy Leupold has paid off versus what I spent on some cheaper junk. I have found that true of many things. Rockport shoes as one example use to be pretty good, but recent Chinese junk they now make and lack of customer service puts them on my never buy again list. Had a pair of bad Ecco shoes and they got replaced without costing me a penny so I do recommend them, but I'll spent my money on Whites boots from Seattle for the most part.

quote:

I strongly disagree with the hammer type bullet puller

About 10 years ago I bought a Lee anniversary kit for around $75 because money was tight. Later on I bought a Lyman crusher press, and using both for some time, most of my loading gets done with the Lee and the crusher is mostly used for priming ccases. Go figure. Both work well but the Lee seems easier to use. If I had to start over the RCBS rockchucker kit with the digital scale would top my list. I think any of the kit makers put out a pretty good product and it will come down to what suits your wants or needs. Hope this helps.
James

quote:

Originally posted by Bear in Fairbanks:
I'd recommend you pay your money once and buy quality. A good "O" type press is what I'd go for. RCBS, Redding,

+1

quote:

Originally posted by slonebo:
Hello all,
Looking to start reloading can any one help on a good press kit!

Almost all are good. How well they will serve your needs depends on what needs you have.

Give us a hint.

I enjoy a guessing game as much as the next guy, but it it's answers you want, give us a better question:

What calibers/cartridges do you intend to load?
What kind of quantities will you load?
How much room do you have for your loading activities?
Will you leave your setup set up, or will you put it away after each loading session?
How tight is your budget? ($30 to $100, $100 to $250, $250 to $500, $500 to $1500)

Thanks for asking our advice. Help us to help you by being more informative, please.

Lost Sheep

When I started reloading in 1963 I spent the money to buy a good press up front. I bought I CH-3, an "H" style press that I could use as either a single stage for rifle reloading or as a multi-stage where I physically moved the case and could have three dies working for pistol reloading every time I pulled the handle. CH no longer builds the CH-3 but does build a newer CH-4. http://www.ch4d.com/

I later used "O" style and "C" style presses but kept coming back to the CH-3 for its simplicity, ruggedness, and strength to form wildcat cases etc.

As others have stated. It depends on your budget and on you anticipate needs, but consider looking at presses not commonly sold at Midway, Southwest, Natchez etc.

Barstooler

RCBS Master kit.

Lee case length guages and cutter if for standard cases. Your pick if for wildcat cases.


Lee 3 Jaw Chuck if your'e trimming 30 rounds or more. Works great with a variable speed drill.

RCBS primer pocket cleaner. (brush type) Later you will get a pocket uniformer if you end up with shallow pockets and deep bodied primers, like I did just recently.

MTM Adapto Funnel Kit if your'e reloading WSMs and .20 cal or smaller.

The only thing I have seen in the RCBS Master Kit that I personally wouldn't use is the lube and pad. But to each his own.

Get a redding powder measuer.

Get a cheap lee press.

Get a good scale, I have Dillon.

Forster case trimmer with the power attachment.

Lee Auto prime.

Lyman manual.

Wait a year and see how much you like it, then get a Forster Co-Ax press. You will still use the Lee for a lot of stuff. I never like turret presses. I don't get in a hurry and like setting up everything. The package deals are allright if you don't ever get on ebay, otherwise you can get better things for a lower cost.

I am not a big fan of RCBS. I have only ever had one set of bad dies and they were RCBS. I think Lee is every bit as good as RCBS. If you have a rifle that shoots well and you want it to do even better, get a set of Forster dies.

Also, get yourself a good set of calipers. The newer digital ones are pretty nice and do not cost very much at all. Good luck.