It's obvious that I'm new to the game. Looking for quality reloading equipment. Bare in mind that we do not have the same wide variety in South Africa! Which brand would you suggest? I'll be asking a lot of questions during the next few months!!!!

Cheers
Johan

RCBS for the most part but Lyman is usable if that is all you can get.

Johan, hard to go wrong w/ RCBS. I have some Lymna dies & they are fine too. I like the RCBS RockChucker or AmmoMaster for a single stage press. The Lyman turret has some advantages for loading larger volumns of ammo.

most of my equipment is rcbs. just for the fact that there customer service is in the top 2.

Johann, It's hard to go too far wrong using RCBS reloading equipment. Well, other than their progressive's but I think you are talking about the single stage stuff.
If you are starting to reload and you can get RCBS where you are at look into one of the RCBS Rockchucker reloading kits. It will have everything you need to get started save the dies, shellholder and components specific to the caliber you want to load.
A couple of internet freinds I've talked to started with this combination with excellent results.....................DJ

What RCBS and Lyman do, they do well, within their niches. If you are firmly committed to reloading, then I would suggest the RCBS kit as a starter. If you just want to see if reloading might be your game, then I'd suggest the Lyman equipment.
As you gain experience, you'll probably end up with a blend of equipment as no one company makes the best tool for every need.

Lyman presses are great! I've been using a T-Mag(turret) press since I started reloading as I got a screaming deal on a LNIB T-Mag starters kit. I probably would have bought a RCBS rockchucker or something similar from Redding, had I not stumbled on the Lyman deal. I've never used lyman dies though....Redding and RCBS get my money in that department.

I have both Lyman and RCBS presses. Ditto for several sets of dies. Neither brands tools are any better than the other. Both warranties are good but that might not be worth much in SA. And there are few equipment failures with either brand anyway.

In fact, if Lee tools are available, I'd suggest both their dies and (only) their new Classic Cast (iron) presses. Prices are much less and utility is equal to the others.

Design features between some individual tools from various makers are better suited to my loading tastes and methods but that does not include the presses and dies.

All brands of reloading tools will do good work for a long time. Don't get caught up by the "RGBYX stuff is the best you can buy, it's all I've ever used and don't even want to try anything else" mentality.

RCBS has a great reputation and so does their customer service, but I have to say I've had a few problems with their dies.

I have never bothered to contact thier customer service since the problem has always been the same and probably my fault - de-capping pin breaking and sometimes the whole shaft of the pin and button bending.

I guess this is caused by the shell not being properly centered in the shellholder but I've never had it happen with my LEE, Hornady Redding or Lyman dies.

I have been very impressed with the Hornady seating dies for small calibers like the .204Ruger and the Redding Equipment is top notch. LEE is also a reliable brand for simple solid gear at a very reasonable price.

I avoid RCBS now, but can't say that I've heard many people knock their equipment either.

Johan,

I see you live in Johannesburg. I'd like to make a suggestion / offer. I've been reloading for several rifle / handgun / shot calibres for a couple of decades, and have most of the kit I could reasonably need / want. Why don't you pop over one evening and we can sit in my den with a cold beer and discuss my set-up and a couple of my 'tricks and workarounds'. You might find that to be a good way to start planning your own set-up. It's also good (once you get started) to have a crusty old bugger around the corner, with whom you can discuss your problems and queries.

If you're interested, mail me at rikkies@dbsa.org

quote:

Originally posted by Rikkie:
Johan,

I see you live in Johannesburg. I'd like to make a suggestion / offer. I've been reloading for several rifle / handgun / shot calibres for a couple of decades, and have most of the kit I could reasonably need / want. Why don't you pop over one evening and we can sit in my den with a cold beer and discuss my set-up and a couple of my 'tricks and workarounds'. You might find that to be a good way to start planning your own set-up. It's also good (once you get started) to have a crusty old bugger around the corner, with whom you can discuss your problems and queries.

If you're interested, mail me at rikkies@dbsa.org

Thank you very much, I'll take you up on the offer!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Johanv:
It's obvious that I'm new to the game. Looking for quality reloading equipment. Bare in mind that we do not have the same wide variety in South Africa! Which brand would you suggest? I'll be asking a lot of questions during the next few months!!!!

Cheers
Johan

I have been using Lyman, RCBS, Forster, Redding, and a bunch of other brands of reloading tools, since about 1954. Started reloading with a Lyman 310 tong tool, which I STILL use on occasion!

While I believe that Redding and Forster stuff MAY be just a tad higher quality than the others, there is certainly nothing wrong with Lyman. I have never had a problem with Lyman dies, bullet moulds, bullet sizing equipment, presses, or powder scales. Just use them according to instructions, and you will have no problems either.

You're welcome. Just give me a little advance notice (Hunting season coming up, and all)

quote:

Originally posted by Rikkie:
You're welcome. Just give me a little advance notice (Hunting season coming up, and all)

Rikkie -what a small world this is! My father-in-law is a colleague of yours at the DBSA, Dr. Jan Olivier. Will contact you shortly!

Johan

Small world indeed. Looking forward to your mail

Talk to Kassie Kasselmann at QPS in Northern Pretoria (Montana value mart). He has everything you need in the Redding and Forster lines.

I have a 1978 RCBS Junior Rockchucker I'll let go for R600. What calibre are you loading for? I have a set of Lyman dies in 30-06 worth R300.

Basically you need a press, dies, lube pad, Lee Autoprime, a scale, a powder funnel, loading block. And a good solid bench to work from.

Get more sophisticated you need primer pocket cleaners and uniformers, case trimmers and chamfering tools, Powder dispensers and electronic scales, case neck turners and runout guages. Stoney point chamber and headspace guages, a micrometer, vernier....The list goes on and on....

It depends on what you want to reload and how many rounds.

I have lots of deer rifles that I try to get varmint accuracy.


Most of my gear gathers dust, but what is still getting used is:
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 comparitor

quote:

Originally posted by Johanv:
It's obvious that I'm new to the game. Looking for quality reloading equipment. Bare in mind that we do not have the same wide variety in South Africa! Which brand would you suggest? I'll be asking a lot of questions during the next few months!!!!

Cheers
Johan

Johan,

Welcome to the forum and welcome to reloading.

Advice #1

Get multiple reloading manuals and study them. I like Lyman's manual, Richard Lee's book (the guy who makes the Lee line of reloading equipment), the book "The ABC's of Reloading" and maybe Hornady's manual.

Reading multiple authors' texts gives you a wide variety of points of view and writing styles. You will get an even more varied exposure on the internet, but these books have been vetted thoroughly where internet postings are notoriously not so. Of course, many postings are excellent, accurate, reliable and safe, but many are not and sometimes it is hard to tell the difference.

Advice #2

Depending on what calibers you will load, your first press should be a single-stage press with a full enclosed ("O" type rather than "C" type) frame made of cast iron and compound leverage on the ram. Cast aluminum is quite good and serviceable, but iron is stronger. Purchase of a progressive press for loading in high volume or a turret press should wait until you have developed a sense of your own preferences.

A single stage press allows you to concentrate on the steps one at a time and slows you down so you will be forced to pay attention to all aspects of each step in turn. Plus, a good quality single stage press is stronger than any comparable progressive or turret press and will always be your "go to" press for new calibers (or something you can sell or give away when you become someone else's mentor).

Advice #3

Learn from a mentor. When I started loading (the same time I bought my first gun, when I knew after buying the gun I would not be able to afford ammunition if I did not reload, it cost 1/4 the cost of factory cartridges to load my own) the guy who sold me the gear took me in the back of the shop with six .357 magnum shells, loaded a couple while I watched and then watched me load the others. A small quantity of mentoring, but high quality. He explained each step, corrected my technique and expained why. Afterward, I experimented carefully, researched everything I did that was new or changed and listened to others whenever I could.

Your countryman's offer is kind and generous and you are wise to take him up on it.

Advice #3 and a half.

Mentor someone else. Not necessarily in reloading. Just something that increases the amount of goodness in the world.

Advice #4

Several reputable manufacturers have assembled decent "starter" kits. If you choose wisely, you will probably keep the press forever. The RCBS Rockchucker Master Kit is a good one. With it you can load anything you are likely to ever want to load (except the .50 Browning Machine Gun, which is too long for all but two or three presses). The rest of the components of any kit you get will serve until you decide whether or not to replace those ancillary parts with those of another design or manufacturer according to your (developing) taste and style.

Advice #5

For straight-walled cases (some rifle cartridges and most pistol cartridges), don't use dies made of tool steel. They require lubrication or they wear out. Use tungsten carbide dies or titanium nitride dies, neither of which normally require lubrication during the sizing step.

Advice (unnumbered)

Be safe. Wear eye protection, especially when working with primers. In 40 years I have never had a primer go off while loading, but safety is safety and eyes are irreplaceable. And save the beers and (distracting) stories until AFTER your loading session is over.

Good luck and good night and don't pinch your fingers in your press.

Lost Sheep (Larry)

Don't mean to hijack this post, but a have a predicament involving brands of presses as well. I bought out a guy who was getting out of loading RCBS rockcrusher with piggyback progressive attachment. 5 die sets and plates, casing bullets, scales, measuring tools etc, etc etc. In addition, a co-worker gave me a Lyman single stage press with 3 die sets, scales, power measure, etc, etc.

I have not started loading anything yet but another friend who has loaded with a Dillon 550 is encouraging me to sell the RCBS and Lyman presses, any duplicate or unwanted dies and equipment and buy a 550. He really bragged about the radiused Dillon dies and this and that.

Any advise appreciated. I could get enough for the excess stuff and presses to purchase the Dillon outright, and still use the RCBS and Hornady dies

quote:

Originally posted by jemezsam:
Don't mean to hijack this post, but a have a predicament involving brands of presses as well. I bought out a guy who was getting out of loading RCBS rockcrusher with piggyback progressive attachment. 5 die sets and plates, casing bullets, scales, measuring tools etc, etc etc. In addition, a co-worker gave me a Lyman single stage press with 3 die sets, scales, power measure, etc, etc.

I have not started loading anything yet but another friend who has loaded with a Dillon 550 is encouraging me to sell the RCBS and Lyman presses, any duplicate or unwanted dies and equipment and buy a 550. He really bragged about the radiused Dillon dies and this and that.

Any advise appreciated. I could get enough for the excess stuff and presses to purchase the Dillon outright, and still use the RCBS and Hornady dies

Personally I`d keep the single stage to learn on and, if you are not shooting a few hundred rds a week or more you likely will never miss the speed of the Dillon. That is the only thing a dillon does better then the competition is make ammo faster IMO .
The RCBS, ect diesI believe won`t fit the Dillon press. You will have to use their dies if you do go that route. Others will correct me I`m sure if I`m wrong there.

Dillon has been around awhile now, they still haven't put anyone else out of business. There's a reason for that.

Guess the stuf I have won't depreciate any further. Guess I'll fool around with the stuff I have before I go to the trouble of swapping it out

Thanks

If that's the older RockChucker, whatever you do you want to hang on to it.

The Dillon 550 will use others' dies. It's their Square Deal that uses proprietary dies, and they're for handgun calibers only.

Use what you have until you see a need to add to or replace. At that point, you will know better what you need and what its purpose will be.

Go RCBS great equip better than Lyman although Lyman works. Redding is really good and you cannot beat a Dillon 550B . Rcbs has great customer service. Ive been reloading for 25 years great to see all the RCBS fans!!! Love my Dillon 550b good luck. Phil from Kentucky

I've been told the new Rock Chucker press aren't as good as the old ones. Ever since they went to China.
The order of single stage presses he told me he would get was Redding, Hornady, and RCBS. He said that if RCBS was still making the press in the U.S. they would be his first choice. He did mention that the Lyman was ok.
I read good mention of Forester.
While were talking about RCBS.
Does anybody know when the last year was, that the Rock Chucker was made in the U.S.? Or how to spot one of the old ones?
Thanks

quote:

I've been told the new Rock Chucker press aren't as good as the old ones. Ever since they went to China.

From what I`ve heard the frame is cast overseas but the assembly and finish is done here. They are still top of the line and warrented forever.

I would personally still rank them right up with the Redding "Boss" or Lyman Orange Crusher. You won`t likely break or wear any of them out without major abuse in your life time.

The customer service if needed RCBS offers is better then both the others, IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by outdoors-man:
Or how to spot one of the old ones?

The newer presses have a large frame opening and the handle location can be changed left or right.
.