I’ve been on the fence for years and after two of my favorite factory loads were discontinued this past year I’ve decided that I’m going to start hand loading and not rely on factory ammo. I’m not 100% new to the hobby as I’ve watched others load before and have done my own minor gunsmithing, bow press work, and arrow building for years. I’m only going to load big game rifle calibers for hunting purposes, no handgun loads… .284, .277, and a .300. I wouldn’t expect I’d load more than 200 to 300 shells per year total. Once I find a recipe I like for a particular rifle, that’s all I’ll stick to and just load more shells on an as needed basis. I don’t want junk and want tools that are going to get the job done and last, if that means buying once and crying once, so be it. I like to keep things simple. I do not plan on buying a kit and will be purchasing all the tools separately. I’m looking for recommendations on brands and models for each of the following. I know some of these are more basic than others, but I decided to include them all. I just want good, reliable equipment that I can count on to produce accurate loads… I’m not partial to any red, green, etc. brands. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to add multiple recommendations per tool highlighting the Good, Better, and Best. Thanks guys.

(1) Press
(2) Dies
(3) Shell Holder
(4) Powder Scale
(5) Powder Measure
(6) Powder Trickler
(7) Calipers
(8) Case trimmer and chamfer tool
(9) Primer Pocket Cleaner
(10) Neck Brush

For only 2-300 rounds a year; all you need is a single station press; they all work. I use the original rock Chucker most, but also use a Lee, actually 3 of them, and a Bonanza co ax; then you don't need any shell holders. I also have a Hornady progressive but you do not need that for no pistol and the low production you want to load. Progressives are not for a few of this or that.
Dies, they all work; I have every make you can think of; nowadays mostly go to Hornady. Shell holders; all the same. BUT, the most important thing to do FIRST, is to get 2 or 3 reloading books, and READ them, a lot. BEFORE you buy anything. Those other tools are just tools. I use RCBS electronic scale, but for many years used the lyman. Powder measure, I use, Lee, 3 of them, Lyman, 2 of them, and Dillon, (I do not like their presses though; way over hyped). Anyway, do homework first, Then come back and we can talk. I would buy a Hornady, Lee, Nosler, Speer, books, and more if you can find them.

If you load 20 rounds a week = 1000/ year
Press= lyman Tmag set up and load 3 set of dies
Die= Lee collet dies load the straightest
shell holders=use as a set with you dies
powder scale= RCBS 505or1010
caliper= Starrett
powder scale= Lyman #55
trickler= any
I use a RCBS case prep machine it saved my hands I have carpal tunnel pretty bad.
To start simple hand tool will work just fine
You would save some money if you buy in a kit.
check ebay you can get a deal occasionally.
Dave

What DCPD said. Buy the books, do the homework before you buy anything. All of the presses work; all of the dies work. And price is not always an indication of quality as some seem to think.
I used a RCBS Jr press for about 40 years and then passed it along to a starting reloader. I bought a Lee press, that the boys that vote with their pocketbooks say is junk. Using it, I reloaded ammo that won me two state championships. So you see where I'm going.
Good luck and welcome to a fascinating hobby.

Right. You can get a Lee press kit for like $100 and it will do anything you need. For only 2-300 rounds a year, which is a good afternoon for me, that will work fine. Yes, some people slam Lee, but only because they never owned one. (does not apply to some of their progressives which can be finicky) but you don't need one of those anyway.

Hell, you could get a Lee Loader for ten bucks; I loaded about 3000 rounds on them back when I was young, in the 60s. And dipped powder charges are just as accurate as thrown ones.
Read first though. Not necessarily on the internet.

Easiest option would be to get a press and the Hornady Lock n Load bushings for your dies. Set the die once and you just twist out the bushing. Index mark the bushings to the press.

Dies and shell holders, I don't like Lee dies for rifle, opinions vary. RCBS makes good dies. I would recommend buying the shell holder and dies from the same company, it might help out with tolerances between the two.

For powder handling, I'd go with a beam scale, thrower and manual trickler. My first trickler was a .45 ACP shell. Electronics are convenient but if you are low volume they are over priced.

From here up you might find a kit that covers everything except dies. I started with an RCBS Rockchucker that had the press, scale, hand crank trimmer, and miscellaneous hand held prep tools. A Hornady single stage kit may be set up with what you need.

As for calipers, a good analog micrometer is best. I have a Starrett and a couple of cheap Harbor Freight digitals. I can compare the digitals to the Starrett if I question them, even a good digital can go on the fritz.

Case Trimmer, I would go with the RCBS Trim Pro Powered Trimmer with three way heads. Buy a head in each caliber you load. From your description, this is probably the only item I'd recommend that isn't manual.

Neck brushes, primer pocket cleaners, etc.. Buy something that mounts to a real handle or maybe one of the powered base units. All of my stuff in that area mounts to plastic screw driver style handles. They'll make your hands happy. I have no.experience with the "Case Prep Stations" on the market.

http://www.midwayusa.com/produ...age-press-deluxe-kit

$430 without a trimmer.

http://www.midwayusa.com/produ...trimmer-kit-110-volt

Trimmer is $255.

You can easily price shop, Midway is easy to search.

I have presses from RCBS, Redding (2), Dillon, and Lee I'm selling. Dies from RCBS, Lee, Hornady, and Redding. Trimmers from RCBS (2) and Dillon.

For your low volume you do not need a power case trimmer; depends on how much money you want to spend. If you just want to have fancy stuff, ok. If you want to save money, ok too. Lee dies? I have at least 12 sets; all perfectly as good as any other make.

What in the world would you need a power trimmer for???? Heck you can even turn your lee trimmer with a drill.

You don't have to go high $$ to load quality.

Here's what I currently use. I've culled through a bunch of other stuff in the past 50 years.
(1) Press - RCBS Rockchucker
(2) Dies - Redding or RCBS but all the rest work well
(3) Shell Holder - RCBS but Lee furnishes shell holder with dies
(4) Powder Scale - RCBS 10-10
(5) Powder Measure - Lyman #55
(6) Powder Trickler - I use a baby food spoon
(7) Calipers - cheap plastic ones work good enough. I now use RCBS battery operated one.
(8) Case trimmer - Lee Case Length Gauge & Cutter and Lock Stud w/ battery operated drill
chamfer tool - any of them work well
(9) Primer Pocket Cleaner - RCBS
(10) Neck Brush - RCBS
U didn't ask but:
Lee Auto Primer works well but needs special shell holders
MTM plastic loading tray
STOS case lube, 1 can almost lasts a lifetime & U don't need a lube pad, just use a towel to clean them.
I use the Lyman case vibrator & corn cob media to clean brass. (Clean before resizing.)
Hope this helps.

I forgot books. U need a GOOD one if not several. Everybody prints 'em and I have a library of them, old to new. They are the most important tool on my loading bench.

Yes, there are different trimmers out there, started with the hand crank version. Now I trim on my Dillon 650. You can get the WFT, and several others that chuck in to a cordless drill. Around $180 for 3 different calibers. Or does that you run a file over the top of.

You can also buy a Lee kit for $114.

http://www.midwayusa.com/produ...ngle-stage-press-kit

The OP asked for a recommendation, could have went with a T-7 and three Redding Full length sizing dies and Competition seaters. Depends on how much you want to spend.

For your small volume loading, the Lee hand trimmers will work fine, BUT, for your small volume loading, you probably won't need to trim for a few years anyway. Get the books I recommended and read a bunch first before you jump into the deep end. Guys always like to recommend the fancy stuff, when much of it is not needed. I sense your loading will be a few rounds at a time, maybe a box of 20. Once you start, you will learn by doing.

great deal for a beginner.
http://www.midsouthshooterssup...oading-Kit-115-Volt-

Dcpd mentioned a lee loader. After you read a couple of books, go to your reloading store and ask to see a Lee Loader kit. It comes in a little box about twice the size of a pack of cards. Open it up and look at the few simple tools inside. That is all you really need to load good accurate ammo. Everything else is a whistle or bell.

Thank you for all the very insightful information everybody. I figured that reloading equipment was like a lot of things in life, where you get what you pay for as far as quality and price. I have no problem not getting the fancy, high priced stuff and hear you on reading and learning as much as I can before jumping off the deep end. Thank you all for the responses and I'm sure I'll have more questions along the way.

Happy New Year.

I started reloading about 10 years ago. I'm still using my single stage RCBS press. I'm still using my manual case trimmer. I don't even use a powder trickler any more as I have a little yellow plastic scoop and just tap that until I get the right weight.
I've reloaded thousands of rifle rounds and thousands of pistol rounds with this set up.

Really, on everything you listed, you could go with any brand. The only thing that I might spend more for is dies. My best dies have been Redding and RCBS, followed by Lee. I will never buy Hornady rifle dies again. I've had nothing but problems with them as they have a friction clamp on their neck expander and it slips. get dies with nuts for adjustments. I've also had Hornady dies where the expander was not the correct size causing crushed cases or too little neck tension.

spray lube or a lube pad for sizing both work. I still have my pad and gel and I still have half my bottle of lube left from 10 years ago.
A lube pad goes a long way, but spray is quicker.

My balance scale still works great, but I've gone to a RCBS Chargemaster 1500 and it was worth the investment. I can dump one charge into a case and it will start measuring out the next charge while I seat the bullet. It's a real time saver if you weigh every charge.

You will need to clean your brass after firing. Any vibratory tumbler and some tumbling media will work. With a vibratory cleaner, the media will degrade with time and you will have to replace it every so often.

I've switched to a Rotary Drum with soap, water, and steel pins and it makes the dirtiest, oldest, most tarnished brass come out like brand new. And steel pins don't wear out so I never have to buy more media.

You can also hand wash brass with dish soap and water, but it will look like crap, but still function fine.

It would probably be cheaper to buy a kit. I bought mine as a used kit off EBAY for $150 and it's still working just fine.

Powder measure--Belding & Mull--they are slower, but accurate and will consistently throw accurate charge with any type powder. It looked liked a caveman antique when I got it fifty years ago, but still kicking. By all means get some reloading manuals. RCBS for pretty much everything else and you wont go wrong.

get the rcbs supreme reloader kit or the hornday big iron LNL kit...

find someone who reloads and learn from them or buy the NRA training

and watch tons of videos on youtube

and NEVER , EVER, take advice off the interwebs
(irony intended)

Thanks again guys for all the very good information. Much appreciated.

I’m only planning on loading for 2 different calibers and no more than a couple hundred rounds per year for each. Once I find a good load, I plan on sticking to it for basically forever as long as it stays accurate.

My question is rather than buy a bunch of different bullets, powders, primers, brass, etc. and try different combinations until I find the right recipe, are there other options for me…? Like maybe sending my rifle to someone who already has everything needed and has other uses for the excluded components?

I’m trying not to spend a bunch of money and end up with a bunch of components that I’m not going to use.

I just want to find that one great all-purpose hunting recipe and just stick with it and only load it.

Thanks again for all the info.

You mention the bullet diameters, but what cartridges are you intending to load?

quote:

I’m trying not to spend a bunch of money and end up with a bunch of components that I’m not going to use.

Ain't gonna happen, Grover. Just about the time you think you've got the best possible load combination, some buddy will say, " that ain't nothing, you need to try some XXXX." So, of course, you have just got to try it.
Half the fun of reloading is tinkering with the loads to best suit your rifle. And tinkering with the rifle. So one of your first "nice to have" items is a chrony.

Sprucebog, I hear you. One of the praises of the 30-06 often sung is the vast variety of bullet weights. That means about nothing to me. I chose the 150 grain and that's all I use. I'm not going to be re-zeroing my scope every time I change bullet weight. Besides it's not a varmint round, for example and if that would be my reason for going to a lighter bullet, I'll go to my smaller rifle. When I first started reloading for it, for whatever reason, I selected 4064 powder. Over and over I was told 4350 is THE powder. I finally tried it and the 4064 worked better in my rifle. When you buy a kit, most times you do pay for some bells and whistles not really needed. I already said get a Belding & Mull powder measure and RCBS for everything else. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. By all means at least, two reloading manuals.