Hi all, im looking at getting into reloading and was wondering how i could do it the cheapest yet still having quality components that i won't have to upgrade in the next few years. Im trying to spend under 200 dollars but i might be able to go a little more. The rcbs rockchucker kit and the lymann crusher 2 expert kit look good but my be a little expensive. Im a college kid looking to get into reloading so what do yall think is the best way to start.
Thanks,
Nick

You didn't say what you were going to relaod. Rifle or handgun, are you going to load for one caliber to start & are you trying to reload for accuracy or to try & save money.

I will be reloading for rifle currently as not being 21, i can't purchase pistols yet. I want to load for accuracy as well as being able to pick the components that i use.
Thanks,
Nick Radovich

Raado, I would recommend buying quality whatever you do. There no sense in throwing money away later to save a little now. That being said it is not overly expensive to get a quality set of equipment. I recently caught the Rockchucker supreme master reloader kit on sale at midway. Got the Kit, accessory kit, redding dies and a number of other things I thought I might need. ie powder trickler (don't get the hornady it's garbage and I used it once and replaced it with an rcbs) Also the powder funnel with the rcbs kit liked to dribble powder all over my 22-250 shells, so I replaced that too. Powder measurers, case lube, bullet puller, extra reloading trays, several 50 round cartridge boxs etc, etc and it all came in under $400 Other than components it will be a long time before I have to upgrade anything.

I would say If you can scrape up another 100 bucks, you could get the essentials and add on as you go. Get the Rockchucker kit and don't look back.

Ricky

The Rockchucker is THE press if you can swing it. The smaller RCBS Partner is a great little starter too, if you don`t load big cartridges like the Remington Ultra mag. I still use a RCBS jr my dad bought in the early `60 that makes just as good 30-06 sized case ammo as my Orange Crusher or Co-Ax do. The window to the ram is just a hair short for the longer cartridges.
Shop around and take a good look at the kits. You will end up needing the stuff in them in the end anyway so you might as well get them as cheap as possible. Don`t skimp on a scales though. Buy the best you can afford, beam types are cheaper then digital for like quality. Try calling gun clubs in your area or estate sales for stuff. I`ve seen some very good deals on presses, dies, and other tools at the clubs I belong to at times. You might even find someone willing to help get you set up.

There are a few things you can sub for a while. You don`t need a powder measure to load, get a set of Lee dippers and with the correct one dip and weight the charge you want. If you use the one under your desired wgt it`s easy to "tap" a few extra granuals into the scale pan to bring to wgr in place of useing a trickler. Tumblers are nice but you can just wipe the outside of your cases and run a nylon brush in the neck in place of them. Often load manuals or data sheets can be found on the web, down one or two in place of buying a stack of books to start.
Good luck

A good starter kit of decent (but not great) quality is the Lee Anniversary set (ping screams of outrage).

The hand primer is excellent, scale is ok, and the powder measure, well it is $20 of plastic that works (check you weights often). If you get one, you probably will be upgrading eventually. Lee makes sales by selling cheap stuff that works, not on quality.

Not the best quality, but is ok for starters. I bought a set when I first started up, and have been slowly upgrading as I go. You won't be making match grade ammo, but it will get you started on a limited budget.

I used the Lee press until this winter, when I bought a Hornady press for my birthday. While not the best quality, it made good servacable hunting ammo.

the kits may save money, but i bought each piece i wanted. a rcbs partner press, dies, shell holder, powder funnel, hornady magnetic scale, dillon case guage lee case trimmer. then i found out that ebay has a reloading section. gota very nice ohaus du-o- measure. you might find all you need if you want used, sometimes new equipment at a good price.

Can't go wrong with a kit but as others have said, you might be able to buy separate pieces off e-bay. I'm still using the RCBS Partner press I got for Christmas back in 1980 or so. If I was buying today I'd probably get the Rockchucker but I just can't justify giving up what still works OK.

Don't forget the potential of the Christmas/birthday/whatever gift route. If you can trust someone to either know what you want or find the circled item number in Cabelas, Midway, Natchez, etc., catalogs then you can maybe get the basics and be surprised Christmas morning with that oh-so-cool electronic scale or chronograph.

Which brings me to point last: A chronograph is an almost essential tool if you're going to handload. And it makes it more interesting, too. It should be on your list of must-haves, maybe not immediately but as soon as you get the basic tools. They're so reasonably priced these days you almost can't afford not to have one or at least part interest in one if you're a typical college student (mostly broke, as I recall).

Good luck. -WSJ

Rado 3003:
Run far and fast. The only things more addictive than reloading are Alabama Co-eds. First it will be dies for guns you have, Then guns for cal. you don't have. Then I may get a gun like that so I will buy the dies. And 20 powders just because the one you are using might not be the best. and oh yes there is casting bullets and swaging/lub dies, and powder measures and a gun club membersip so you can test yor loads as soon as you take them off the press. And I need another rifle because this one only shoots 1/8 moa at 600 yards and another one might so better. Your family might love to see you once in a while, and don't let your wife suck up good primers in the Hoover. This leads to a lot of peace offerings. Remember that you will need a room just for the reoading books just to be sure that the one you are using is the best.
Take my advice and take up drinking at strip clubs instead, or cave diving or car racing. You will see your famliy and friends just as much and not spend as much money.

As I said, run, run fast and run far, so you won't turn out like the rest of us old farts.

Judge Sharpe
I have all the money I'll ever need if I die before 4:00 this afternoon.

As a rule, I don't like a lot of Lee equipment as it is cheaply made often of "tin pot" monkey metal.

Having said that, take a look at their newish Cast Classic Press...its every bit as good as the RockChucker, maybe a little better with some of its features. Unlike earlier Lee presses, this is a solid cast iron affair not cheap monkey metal. Its about the same size as the RockChucker, but has a third mounting hole to bolt it to your bench, there by spreading the load. Best of all it is considerably cheaper than the Rochchucker..

At the end of the day, if you use it as a primary press for a couple of years and then decide to go on to something really upmarket like a Co-AX press, the Lee would still make a great secondary press to have on the bench with very little money invested in it..

Regards,

Pete

Sonds like a lot of good info on the reloading items to get. When I started several years ago the old RCBS was about all I could aford. Still using it today. Let me tell you a secret about reloading. You can buy dillon, rock cruckers, etc, but if you don,t take the time to get with a real good helpful reloader and get started right off the get go, noe of it will be any good to you. Go slow and take your time at each step. Listen and learn why something is done or not done. Get only those things that are really needed as there ae plenty of pricks out there that will sell you a lot of junk that you will never use and some that don't work either. I have been using an old RCBS press for about 20 years now. They have improved the presses a lot since I got mine. I just never needed to replace it because I don't reload a 1000 rounds a day. Get good quality things because they have been proven to be just that-quality. Good luck!

Another vote for the Rockchucker. I bought the kit when I started reloading, and still use the press. I've upgraded in other areas over the years, (electronic dispenser/scale, Wilson trimmers, etc...) but that press has been my one and only. A great value for the money, and aside from shell holders, you are good to go.

I have the lee 4 hole turret press and I load for .45 .38 special and 30-06.

works for me fine. infact I just found a load that gets my stock rem 700 shooting 1" @ 100yd groups.

not saying lee is the end all be all of reloading but it will perform good enough for you till you can start going for the high quality.

go for something like the press Pete was saying and pick up either a set of lee dies or if you can swing it a better set. pick up a good scale (the lee saftey scale is servicable but not the greatest... still its what I use due to budget)

oh... and judge is also right... I started loading .45 to save money..... heh.. yeah that worked... now I just shoot 10 times as much and have so much brass lying around I can shoot till the end of time and still not wear it all out.

I'll second the Lee Classic cast press, I've been using one for about 6 months now, it's working great for me for everything from 22 hornet to 45-120 Sharps straight. $68 shipped from Cabelas....

http://leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1115769156.5029=/html/catalog/classic.html

Lee Classic cast press

I bought my first Rockchucker set 29 years ago when I was 14. I still use the stuff in that kit. Buy quality and you'll never regret it. I figured back then that the whole set paid for itself in about 600rds it's probably close the the same now.
I would strongly reccommend the Rockchucker set as your first purchase. As you gain experience you'll add different stuff but you just can't go wrong buying the RCBS set off the bat, with some of the cheaper stuff you can get some stuff the just won't hold up.........DJ

JUDGE SHARPE SAID IT
It is addictive. It will come to a point where you will come across a set of dies in a trade that you dont have a rifle for then must go shopping for a gun. Believe me I know. been at it over fifty years.
Lyle

When shopping for stuff, use that internet to your advantage. I've found Midway USA and Cabela's to be very useful when price comparing. Make sure you Google search once you have decided on what particular item you want to buy. You might sometimes find something for less at a small rinky-dink web site. Also E-Bay, but sometimes I wonder where these people get all that stuff they are selling. At times you'll find the same guy is selling the same type of item a thousand times. It's like he stole one of those containers off a ship or something! But I digress, good luck, I'm only about 2 months into reloading myself. It's addicting. I hope you have a range close by for shooting. I'm waiting on word for admission to one a few miles from my house. Then the experimentig and testing can truly begin!

quote:

Originally posted by rado3003:
Hi all, im looking at getting into reloading and was wondering how i could do it the cheapest yet still having quality components that i won't have to upgrade in the next few years. Im trying to spend under 200 dollars but i might be able to go a little more. The rcbs rockchucker kit and the lymann crusher 2 expert kit look good but my be a little expensive. Im a college kid looking to get into reloading so what do yall think is the best way to start.
Thanks,
Nick

Rado3003,

If you decide to take the plunge and don't buy a kit, I have a Hornady deluxe scale, new in box, a Hornady case trimmer and some other odds and ends. I'll make you a great deal to help you get into reloading. An old friend who stopped reloading gave me a box of stuff.

PM me if you're interested.

Roger

I would suggest saving up for the RCBS master kit it has everything you need to start and has good quality stuff that will hold you in good stead. Thats what I was reccomended and it makes loading good.

Well I know this may sound a little crazy but if I had to do it all over again I would cut to the chase and go progressive with a Dillon RL 550B or XL 650 Reloader basic, and build from there. Most everything I run now days goes through the 650 or 550 anyway. I got 3 Rockchucker and a couple of juniors that hardly every get used.

You could buy rogerinneb Hornady deluxe scale and case trimmer and a deburing tool and be in business!

I found that the progressive does an adequate job for accurate, probably better than I can shoot!

Nick,

I second the vote to start with some purchases on ebay.

And I still think the best, most afordable first press is the RCBS Rockchucker (which often pops up on ebay).

The press, a balance beam scale, one set of dies and a hand priming tool will get you started, and you can keep adding some necessary doo-dads as you go (neck deburrer, weights to check your scale, etc.)

You don't have to start expensive at all.

Garrett

quote:

Originally posted by N. Garrett:
Nick,

I second the vote to start with some purchases on ebay.

And I still think the best, most afordable first press is the RCBS Rockchucker (which often pops up on ebay).

The press, a balance beam scale, one set of dies and a hand priming tool will get you started, and you can keep adding some necessary doo-dads as you go (neck deburrer, weights to check your scale, etc.)

You don't have to start expensive at all.

Garrett

Just make sure you know what your buying, sure as hell someone will try to sell you a Jr. for a Rockchucker!