what recommendations do you have for a press and dies? i am intending to reload mostly rifle calibers (22-250, 223, 2506, 3006) and maybe some handgun hunting loads for my 44 and 357. high volume is not a concern, i'm more interested in precise, accurate loads. ease of use is definitely a concern (turret press?). thanks for any pointers. i don't have anything yet.
kstockfo

RCBS Rockchucker press and the kit(s) to go with it will you all but one piece of the NEEDED universal hardware. The missing piece is a 6" steel caliper, either digital or dial.
Add dies & shellholders (2-3 of your cartridges listed use the same one BTW) and your good to go. Down the road (sooner or later) you may want to add a basic tumbler to polish your brass.
That kit comes with the Speer manual, add the manual by the manfacture of the bullets you intend to use to the order.
Come to think of it, buy the "extra" manual first, read, read and read again the introductory "how to" chapters, the load data tables will give you the information you need to select your initional powder types.

i think everyone on this board has been where you are, and in my opinion you cant go wrong with rcbs. Great stuff, priced right, and if you tear it up, they fix it or send you another one. Go for their Rock Chucker Supreme Master Kit, i bought mine on EBay. I wouldnt suggest a turret for starters, but if thats what you want so be it. I load everything from 22-250 to 300WSM to 40S&W on my single stage. BUT, first get a good reloading manual and read it front to back, about 3 times. Hell mine sits on the back of my toilet. Then enjoy the joy and aggravation that comes next.

The RCBS kit is a great value, but you may find that you will develop preferences for different pieces. If you do your homework, you could find that your own selection will provide greater satisfaction; you will also have learned a great deal in the process.

Take a look at Redding's presses. I find them to be better fitted than other brands. Their turret press is very popular if it appeals to you. Another approach to ease of use is using Hornady's LNL bushings in a press with the removable adaptor bushing (like the Big Boss or UltraMag).

Forster and Redding make the better dies.

The Redding 3BR powder measure is a preferred piece. The k version has both rifle and pistol metering chambers.

Wilson's case trimmer is considered to be the most accurate.

Scales from RCBS are made by Ohaus, as is the Dillon beam scale, and are the most popular. They are either two or three poise, depending on model. You also have the electric option of the RCBS ChargeMaster Combo, if you want accuracy in measuring the coarse powders.

A pair of Lee AutoPrime tools, one each for large and small primers, is a popular approach.

In the end, you will have anticipated your own needs and built your own loading process. While you will continually change and improve what you do, the equipment will more closely suit your needs.

Your choice of powders will have the greatest influence on your process.
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A single stage press is the way to go. As suggested, a reloading book might be a good first step. Ebay might be a good source for a "one issue out of current" edition reloading book which means it would be half price or less but would still have all the intro info you would need and considering the cartridges you're loading, all the loadings you would need.
You actually need very few tools to load good, accurate ammo so don't get too carried away by some of the laundry list of "must have" items that some folks will suggest. Get your book and remember the KISS system.
One of the problems of a beginning reloader is there are a lot of nice to have items and they only cost $10-$20. But you put several of them together and it's some money. I loaded for quite a few years with one of those RCBS white slidy thingies before I bought a legitimate caliber.

I agree with Win69 in that building your own kit is a better way to go than buying one manufacturer's kit with just their equipment. No one company makes the best of everything.

Which press is easy: Forster Co-Ax.

Forster Benchrest or Redding Competiton series FL Rifle die sets.

Lee Collet for Neck-sizing dies (get a Hornady or Forster lock ring, Lee lockless rings are useless)

Wilson case trimmer

RCBS Universal hand primer (if you don't want to prime on the co-ax, which I don't).


Andy

thanks so much for all the info. keep the tips coming!!
kstockfo

RCBS RC kit you can't go wrong there is nothing in the kit that is poorly built everything is top of the line and you don't need comp dies standard dies work just fine.

One last bit of advise and then you're on your own. Don't get sucked into the "I can spend more money for my stuff than you can" race. In the FWIW dept, I bought a used RCBS Jr single stage press 40 years ago that I am still using. It will load ammo as good as any of the presses you will hear touted in here. I bought a Lee Champion press just to see if it was the junque that the high dollar boys said it was. They lied!! It makes cartridges as good as any of my other presses. The same thing goes for dies. Putting a big knob with witness marks on it along with "competition" often doesn't justify doubling the price. Some folks think it does. Too often, when someone sez "it's the best", what they're really saying is "it's the most expensive".
Until you get your feet on the ground, you don't need specialty dies, you need common, ordinary full length dies. And avoid the gadgets until you know that you really need them.
I'm not a Bench Rest shooter but I compet in and win factory matches. My best group to date is a .111 And I do it reloading with pretty ordinary stuff and not a whole lot of gadgets.

Reduced to three levels of entry for 4 die sets and a press:

1) Ford: Lee $100- $200
2) Cadillac: RCBS $200-$300
3) Rolls Royce: Forster $400

Reloading is more about what you know than about the tools.
The more you know the less equipment you require to produce good ammo.
The problem is you wind up going through a lot of equipment to learn that.
Like many other pastimes there is a lot of elitism connected with high priced equipment.
My most used equipment

A 1972 RCBS Rockchuck that is decades from looking new.
Lee Dippers for loading small lots.
Lyman Auto scale for loading large lots.(discontinued)
RCBS dies usually but I have about 8 or 10 other brands. Some are OK some stink.
Forster trimmers (I have Wilson too but rarely use them. The shell holders are expensive and too much trouble to buy for a lot of cases)
Flambeau loading blocks - Discontinued but I still buy them when I find them.
The screw in shell holder Lee hand priming tool (I have 6 or 7)
I decap with a Lee hand punch and a plastic hammer.
I clean primer pockets with a magnetic screwdriver bit.
I wash the cases after sizing with isopropyl alcohol.
I use micrometers and calipers continually.

I have a lot of other equipment that does not get used much.

If you don't need high volumn, nothing wrong w/ a good single stage press. Buy the RCBS RCII kit & it will have pretty much everything you need to get going. The accuracy of your ammo has more to do w/ technique than gear, but better quality stuff lasts longer.

"...you may find that you will develop preferences for different pieces. If you do your homework, you could find that your own selection will provide greater satisfaction; you will also have learned a great deal in the process. Take a look at Redding's presses. I find them to be better fitted than other brands."

I agree with the concept and an example of it is right in there, ie, "better fitted." What fits me may not fit you very well so I won't reccommend my favorite press, or dies. But I will say that the Lee Classic Cast single stage press is as strong and well built as any on the market and it has both length and angle adjustments for the lever - you find your own best fit with it.

Perhaps you should read Stillbeeman's post again, he has his head screwed on straight. What he is saying is that brand loyalty with little or no experience with others offers little in the way of helpful wisdom. He is right too.

All makers seem to stand behind their equipment pretty well. Only RCBS and Dillion hand out "free" replacemnt parts but if you aren't ham-fisted and don't break things you will be paying for others "freebies" anyway.

Get a loading manual, read it. You will want more than one anyway and Lyman's probably offers more and broader info than any other on the market.

Read the list of contents in the kits, know what each tool is for and ask questions if you are confused. Never accept anyone's recommendations for anything without a follow-up of "Why?" If you only get an answer of "Well, it works for me", or, more often, "It's the best", just ignore the recommendation as blind loyalty that may or may not be true. Then, after you know what you want and get GOOD, logical help, buy what you actually need, a component at a time, rather than a kit that locks you into a given color of tools.

quote:

Originally posted by ireload2:
Reloading is more about what you know than about the tools.
The more you know the less equipment you require to produce good ammo.
The problem is you wind up going through a lot of equipment to learn that.

I think you could say that about many things.
Part of life is letting go.

This is the stuff I still use for handloading:
1) Forster Co-ax press
2) Forster full length factory honed dies
3) RCBS uniflow powder measure
4) RCBS 505 powder scale
5) Redding Imperial die wax
6) Wilson case mouth chamfer
7) Forster priming tool
8) Lyman pocket uniformer [for cleaning]
9) Lyman moly vibrator kit
10) Berry's Bullets vibrator cleaner
11) Luxo magnifier lamp
12) Berry's Bullets ammo boxes
13) 3M post-its
14) Lee depriming die
15) Any $20 Chinese 6" dial caliper
16) Any Chinese pin gauge sets .060 to .500"
17) Sinclair concentricity gauge
18) Sharpie ultra fine point permanent marker
19) Sinclair bullet comparator
20) A radio to listen to when reloading
21) Quickload program on my computer
22) Donegan Opti-visor

Lee stuff works*...and priced right.

*I'm referring to presses, dies, shellholder, hand-held primer

quote:

Originally posted by tnekkcc:
Reduced to three levels of entry for 4 die sets and a press:

1) Ford: Lee $100- $200
2) Cadillac: RCBS $200-$300
3) Rolls Royce: Forster $400

Private LearJet: Redding

(however, I do like Forster just as well).

If a .223 autoloader is in your future, I suggest the RCBS small-base dies. These dies size the base of the cartridge down by about .001 inches below SAAMI spec, which ensures reliable chambering. I use only small-base dies in any autoloader. Nothing makes me madder out on the range than shells that won't chamber...

Hurry up and put down that shovel before you dig that hole!!! I am now in so deep in the reloading hole (hobby) I can't climb out to go shooting.

quote:

Originally posted by kstockfo:
what recommendations do you have for a press and dies? i am intending to reload mostly rifle calibers (22-250, 223, 2506, 3006) and maybe some handgun hunting loads for my 44 and 357. high volume is not a concern, i'm more interested in precise, accurate loads. ease of use is definitely a concern (turret press?). thanks for any pointers. i don't have anything yet.
kstockfo

Before you go out and start buying equipment buy a couple of videos and you will get the idead of what it involves. Its the most fun hobby around and it can turn into an obsession if you have an inquisitive mind:

http://learnreloading.com/

http://hornady.com/shop/?page=shop/browse&category_id=4...0690c8ce452562adce7b

Start with one Cartridge.

Give a try to the Hornady Lock and Load, that's my favorite single stage press.
No repeated adjustment of tools, quick change.
Heavy frame offset to the right, you see what you do.
Quick primer arm change
Primes on down position.
I like the color (Hornady (Pacific) red and Dillon blue are my favorite colors).

I'll give you a tip: learn to use this forum's search function. That way you'll get the opinions of posters who answered the very same question posted in the last 10 years instead of only those posted in June of this year. Make sense?