Hi Gentlemen

I am planning to start with my own re-loading of ammunition. what is the feeling on the LEE reloading anniversary set to start off with. I will be loading for my .338 winmag and hopefully in the near future a .243 will the LEE be able to do the job?

Thanx

Schmidie
"opie-knoppe"

The only Lee press I think well of is the Classic Cast press. I don't think that is the one included in the Lee Anniversary kit.

IMO you are on the right path looking for a starter set...just make sure you get a good press. FWIW, RCBS starter kit is probably the best in terms of price/performance for getting started.

Have fun!

Thanx for the input CDH,

I have seen the RCBS equipment and it is quality looking stuff. It was just the LEE kit seems to be a nice starter pack, and the press look's fine. I know you said IMO but have there been bad LEE press's?

Cheers
Schmidie
"opie-knoppe"

Buy the Lee stuff. Even if you decide to upgrade down the line, the press in that kit will definately be useful for many things when you have "better" tools. I have a 15 year old Lee kit that has served me well. I have upgraded some of my tools. But the Lee tools do exactly what they are designed to do at a great price. I still drift over to that original Challenger press for most of my rifle loading. The only part of the set I ever "wore" out was the powder measure. And that took many, many, many rounds to accomplish.
Lee also wrote some really good reloading manuals. I have 10 or so manuals on my shelves and I use those as much as any. And again, they cost half of what the "good" stuff does.

The lesser Lee presses are light and therefore somewhat springy. For rifle ammo a heavy, strong press is needed due to the high force of full length sizing. You are talking about .338WM and .243Win. The Challenger press is just not up to the task IMO. It might work, but I bet it will be the first thing you upgrade! The Classic Cast press (also from Lee) is only what, $60, if it isn't included in a different kit of theirs?

Keep in mind, though, that this hobby is addicting. You may find the desire for good equipment hitting you hard and fast! There are places to save money, and IMO the press is not one of them.

I started out with the lowest price Lee kit available two years ago and it's still running fine. I did add another Lee press, the Turret model, and it's been fine also(except the plastic bit that is supposed to make it index). When I got to the point of regularly reloading for 5-6 different rounds being able to set up the dies once and just change the whole set of dies really started to save some time. I still use the cheaper one, for example this weekend to resize a bunch of .223 to 6-223.

i use the challenger press with no problems; i would suggest buying a check weight set from rcbs or lyman for use with the scale. the scale would be my first upgrade; when using scale make sure surface is level, i use a bubble level, and make sure there are no air currents or vibrations when weighing powder.

I bought my LEE Challenger press in 1985 as a starter press. After 20 years and thousands of rounds of ammo it still works fine. I have an old Lyman press I inherited 5 years ago but have never used it. I keep it for a spare. I use alot of Lee products and the only thing I regret buying is my progressive press.

Granted I have never loaded .338WM on my challenger press, but all the .300WM, 7mmRM, .30/30, .243, .308, .45/70, .270, .30/06, 8mm, and several different pistol rounds never seemed any worse than those rounds loaded on presses that could handle rifle rounds without being springy. I guess I would need someone with more experience and better equipment to show me the difference a heavier press makes. But it is true that my Lee Press isnt as heavy as my RCBS. No doubt about that.

I would spend the extra nd get the RCBS master Kit with the Rock Chucker press it's good value for what you get and it's great gear.

I first bought a LEE Loader and then a Lyman Turret Press. Quickly graduated to a Rock Chucker ... which is still in use after 35 years (even though I have a number of progresive loaders).

Don't screw around ... get the Rock Chucker and be done with it. It'll literally serve you well for decades!

There's nothing wrong with the lee anniversary set, I started with one, and loaded from 218 mashburn bee to 458 lott, and many calibers in between, rimmed, rimless, belted and never had a problem with it. I did manage to finally break the linkage when I ran a hardcast bullet that was something like .020" oversize through a pushthrough sizer, but that was a bad move on my part.

I did end up selling that prass to a budy to get him started, and now use a Forster co-ax. I also have a rockchucker for larger dia die sets, but don't consider it the greatest press, the co-ax shares that distinction, the rockchucker is simply big.

If I were starting new, I'd get the RCBS master kit. My second choice would be a kit from Redding.

Why? Almost every sporting goods store with a gun department and reloading supplies carries RCBS and Redding equipment, and sometimes Lyman, tho not often. This is exactly what you need when you break something, and believe me, you'll break things!

Start off with the Lee, you WILL buy more goodies, or you WILL decide that loading is not for you. If you get into it, (it is an addiction) the Lee will serve you well as a dedicated primiming press, universal decapper, whatever.
I agree with the folk who suggested the better presses, but to start out on a new hobbie, the lee stuff is very functional.

Your wife, by the way, will not be pleased with your new hobbie, as there is always another gaget, widget, or other expensive item you just "have to have"

Enjoy!
Happy Holidays!
Joe

Another vote for the RCBS kit. I have acquaintances that have the LEE, and it works OK, but they have all commented that the difference in price would have been worth it just to get the RCBS rockchucker press.

Regardless of which way you go, be prepared to be addicted!

Good Luck--Don

Hey Gentlemen

Thanx for the advice just what I needed.

buckshot: That is one of the reason's I am leaning towrds LEE product's as they have a great support base in South Africa, with most of our Gun and sport shops stocking LEE good's. I would say RCBS is the next most popular out here.

acsteele: My wife just doesnt know it yet but she is buying it for me for CHRISTMAS

Thanx again

Cheers
Schmidie
"opie-knoppe"

schmidie,

You'd be so much better served just to go ahead and buy the Classic Cast like some others said. It is a very sturdy press and IMO much more than alot of other brands costing twice as much.

I believe Cabelas still has them for around $60 or so.

If you want a good beam scale at a reasonable price, just shoot me a PM, I've got an LYman made by Ohaus that's harldy ever been used if your interested.

I guess the best advice I could give you on a good start up easy set-up would consist of:

Lee Dipper Kit for around 12-15 Bucks

Lee Classic Cast for around 60 Bucks

Lee Case Lube for around 2-3 Bucks

Lee Auto Prime for 10-12 Bucks

Lee AP shell holders should be 10 or less dollars

Lee Pacecetter dies for 25 or less

Lee cutter and lock stud for trimming for around 5 or less

Lee Case length mandrels and shell holders for the Cutter in the proper cart size for around 3-4 bucks.

Good Used scale off ebay or some classifieds for around 30 or so

That would get you going reloading one cart for around $160 then all you'll need is a new set of dies for around 25 and a new trimmer gauge for another 3 bucks for every new cart you decide to start loading.

Good Luck w/ your new found hobby and soon to be very expensive addiction .

Have a Good One

Reloader

Didn't even notice you weren't in the US. Those prices will probably be alittle more for you but, it'd still be a good start off set-up.

Good Luck

Reloader

Oh Yeah, Schmidie, don't forget to get yourself a good loading block to hold your rounds while your building them.

I make mine from a 2x4 block and my drill press but, you can find several for reasonable prices. I'm not real fond of the Plastic trays but they do get the job done.

Reloader

Reloader

Thank you for the offer on the scale, let me see what I can come right with in my area.

I appreciate the list of equipment you gave it give's me a good idea of what I need to start up.

I am busy designing myself a reloading workbench, I was planning to fit a SKIL drill I have onto the bench, this drill has a variable speed control so I can slow it right down and speed it up if necassary I am planning to use it for the cutter's. Do you think this will be OK?

Cheers
Schmidie
"opie-knoppe"

If your interested I'll give you a rockchucker if you cover postage. PM me

Waterrat

Thank you , I sent you a PM.

Schmidie
"opie-knoppe"

Ahhh....another one bites the dust.
I've been enjoying reloading since 1969.Started out by letting a gunstore owner talk me into a Rockchucker.
It's been an uphill battle ever since.Sorta like a drug dealer givin' ya the first one free.
I have more presses now than I'll ever be able to use,all four Herters,two Lee's,a Redding Turret,a junior RCBS(yard sale item,$4.00)an old Hollywood,and a Pacific(on loan from a friend 11 years now.
I am still continuing down the spiral with this E-bay addiction,powder dispensers,lead furnace,dippers,moulds,sizing presses,sizing dies,swaging dies,swaging press,half and three quarter length jackets,lead wire,lead wire cutter,case trimmers,outside neck turners,concentricty gauge(one of these will drive you mad),case/cartridge length gauges,headspace gauges,wood/plastic/aluminum loading blocks,sheetrock buckets of sizing dies,shoebox fulla shell holders,bullets,primers,empty cartridges that I have no firearms that they fit.
And then another vampire got hold of me,,,shotshell reloading. I think my better half cries herself to sleep now.

quote:

I am busy designing myself a reloading workbench, I was planning to fit a SKIL drill I have onto the bench, this drill has a variable speed control so I can slow it right down and speed it up if necassary I am planning to use it for the cutter's. Do you think this will be OK?

Yes, Schmidie, That sounds like a good idea. Matter of fact, I've been using my Skil Cordless drill for some time now w/ their cutter and lockstud set-up, Works like a charm.

Good Luck

Reloader