Posted this question on med. caliber page, sorry should have been here. For a novice, what brand reloading equip. should I buy to load a few hunting rounds each year?

I was wondering the same thing when I first started. I was just going to load a few rounds to hunt with and thats it. Someone recommended the RCBS starter kit, and it's still serving me well, I load everything from 223 Rem to 500 Jeffrey. Unless you are on a very tight budget, I would opt for the RCBS kit. If you can't swing that, the Lee anniversary kit might be the way to go.

Chad

I prefer RCBS but also use Lee dies.
You might try buying used- checking gunshows, Gun dealers or placing an add in the classified section.

Chuckle
Remember the old LAYS potato commercial..'Bet You can't eat just one'?
I started out with an old two station Dunbar press to load a few 243s and 45 Colts.........and a few 45-70s. The darn thing was made out of 3/4 in bar stock with 1 inch diameter columns, heavy as heck. That press could of reformed 50 BMG brass down to .223.
Then I bought Bonanza CoAX press because it was more accurate then the Dunbar and thought that all was well with the world. Then I saw Dillon had a semi progressive, the 300 for the 45 Colt and the 45 ACP.......and the 44 Spec. and the 357. Then they came out with the Square deal. I got tired of changing the press around so I got one set up for 45 ACP. Then I joined a 38/357 bullseye league and that required a second Square Deal.
Then Dillon came out with the 650 with auto case feed and such and I had several thousand 45 Colt cases that needed filling.
All of these presses required a steady flow of cast bullets so 4 cavity molds and a Star sizer found their way to my loading room.
All of the above is the result of just wanting to load a few rounds each year for hunting and plinking.
I wonder if there's a 12 program for reloaders.
Jim

I would recommend The RCBS Rockchucker press, and it comes in a kit with everything you will need except powder and primers. I started with that same kit, and have added the Dillon progressive, but still use the RCBS mostly. The Rockchucker press is top of the line, and is a good investment. Mine is certainly not worth any less now than when I bought it. RCBS is the brand everyone compares the other stuff to.

You're certainly not going to save any money if all you load is a FEW rounds for hunting so why bother?

Buying reloading gear only to load a few rounds is like buying a car to drive out to your mailbox and back!

If you are going to load from 20 to 40 cartridges a year, using them for hunting, look into a "Lee Loader" and an RCBS or Lyman powder scale.

Oh yes, and a set of good ear-protectors, because sometimes the primers talk back while being seated (a traditional Lee Loader quirk).

After doing a few boxes and shooting them, you're gonna be "hooked" and will then want to spend some extra to get an RCBS "Rockchucker" outfit --and put the Lee Loader on the shelf as a momentoe.

Yes, a Lee Loader WILL make useful ammo, enough so that you probably are going to join with the rest of us and reload (with a shop full of equipment) for the rest of your life.

Paladin

I bought the Rock Chucker Kit, my friend and I shoot a couple of hundred 45/70 rounds per pig hunting trip and at $54.00 Aus$ a pack for 20 factory 45/70 rounds there had to be a cheaper way and the factory stuff would not pull the skin off a rice custard

Loading certainly works out cheaper if you like big bore rifles and pay's for it'self in no time, and I enjoy it.

Regards PC

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