I have read books and watched the forums for several weeks and have a few questions on starting reloading. (45acp-45 colt)I'd like to increase accuracy without having to buy the high priced commercial loads. Am looking for equipment to get the best job done economically. I'm looking for quality loads, not volume.
1.Have decided on a turret....Redding or Lee. Is the Redding worth an extra $100 for pistols only?
2.Am looking at the Redding BR3 pistol measure and scale. Is there another measure that you would trust to be as acccurate at a better price? Scale?
3.Am looking at RCBS carbide dies as a middle of the road. Understand these loads require different crimps. Any other recommendations? What are the advantages of the more expensive Redding dies and will it translate into accuracy?
4.Thinking about a small priming press for the bench or RCBS hand press. Or should I consider the a press mounted system to take advantage of the turret's simplicity.
5.At 200-400 rounds a month, I don't need a room full of powder. Is there a load that you would recommend for either or both and bullet types for target range. I'm only interested in accuracy at this stage. Really enjoy the 25 & 50 yard targets.
6.Is a trimmer needed for these loads?

Would appreciate any suggestions, opinions, etc. Thanks

lee is ok but i would choose the redding better quality in the long run.
carbide die is the only way to go
i would buy a trimmer as soon as you can you will need it a little later when the brass stretches.
45acp i like accurate #5 powder.
Powder throwers, harrel and sinclare make very good one lyman #55 pretty good i have no experience with lee or rcbs,
get down the basics then move to the more expensive loading accesories

interesting question and I'll give you my (largely) opinionated reply.
I'm not a fan of Lee for anything.....but some folks are and support Lee in their posts.....$100 more for a Redding is my advice however I'd prefer the Dillon above that.

For the traditional .45 ACP and .45 colt (revolver I assume) the largest component of accuracy will be in choosing a bullet that fits your gun best. Your equipment will be a minor played in such measure.

Hornady dies with the carbide ring actually work very well and I'd not hesitate to get the die set from them.....rifle dies are another thing.....

If you think you'll also reload for a rifle someday look at the RCBS Rockchucker as it will do both.....a little slow on the pistol cases but it'll work nicely and you can decide on a progressive later.

Glen--Welcome to the board--San Angelo here--what town are you in?
I have reloaded for 38 or so years and you ask some questions I'm surely not qualified to address. Progressive reloaders for the most part came along after I started and I have never used them. I started with a single stage tool and never advanced. Doing everything one step at a time,there is plenty of room for error and if something was wrong,the hope is you notice it. In my mind,where several operations are going on with each stroke,would seem the chances would increase of and I not getting dotted or T crossed. That's probably showing my age and the state of the art is perhaps such that is obsolete thinking.
Like you,I had done a fair amount of reading before I bought my equipment. I had it in my mind that a turret press would be the thing. I was then told by an experienced reloader that it really doesn't save that much time and becomes a place to store dies??? Some people do like them,but from my standpoint,his assessment was accurate. He recommended an RCBS press and I have found no reason to disagree,it's still kicking.
Someone elses load probably wont be the best in your gun--darn,that's part of the reason for reloading---tailoring a load for your gun. If someone elses load was the best,then we couldn't improve on factory stuff could we?
You didnt mention the actual bullet. For the purposes you describe and the rounds you'll be shooting,I'd highly recommend you take up bullet casting as well as reloading. There are some initial costs of casting,but it will save you as much as the actual reloading--isn't that part of the reason for reloading? If you consider this,I highly suggest you get A Lyman reloading manual. That manual has lots of info about the actual casting as well as data for cast loads. You'll hear lots of myths about using cast bullets--but how many .22 rimfires have you seen with shot out barrels--and thats all they use?
I had a Redding scale for years and never a problem. I have never used any powder measure except a Belding&Mull and it was new when I bought it,but looked antique. Many times I have heard and read about a measure not metering a certain type powder. I have never ran across a problem powder with my Belding&Mull. I use to prime on my press. Then I bought the RCBS hand held. One friend swears by the bench mounted RCBS--but I have never used one.
With RCBS customer service the way it is,you can't go wrong buying their stuff.

Either press, the Redding or Lee will produce quality ammunition just realize that no matter how innocently you start reloading you will wind up doing more.

I have a Lee (3 hole) turret press that I now have five extra turrets for. I also have a Dillon progressive press because I found that the 45 ACP seems to require much more frequent feeding after I started reloading.

Saying that, I have a Lyman turret press so I can't give an opinion on the Redding. The Lyman press seems to hold the dies more rigidly than the Lee and I've heard that the Redding press is similarly of higher quality than the Lee, so I'd be inclined to start with it.

Whichever powder measure that you get, makes sure it's one that you can mark for different loads, as that saves a lot of set up time when switching between calibers. I have a couple of RCBS uniflows that I bought years ago that work fine.

Any of the name brand carbide dies should work fine. I like a taper crimp die for 45 ACP loads as the case headspaces off of the mouth and a conventional crimp die or the Lee factory crimp die for the 45 LC.

For volume priming in a non-progressive press, I like the Lee handheld priming tool myself. It's fast and doesn't have to be mounted to, and take up room on the bench. I've used one for over 20 years and can instantly feel any difference in primer seating with it. The primer seating tool on the Lee turret is simplicity itself and works fine but you have to handle each primer individually which gets to be a pain sometimes.

For powders it's hard not to recommend Unique if you're only going to use one powder. It's a good utility infielder that will play any position. It's a little slow for the 45 ACP and tends to burn dirty there but it will work and it will also work well in the 45 LC. I like W-231 in my 45 ACP now but shot Bullseye in it for years.

A trimmer is required later, if you start out with uniform brass because neither cartridge is a real brass stretcher. It's used more for getting the cases uniform when you first start reloading them, I wouldn't even check them again for another dozen reloads.

JMHO

I really appreciate all the inputs. You're exactly right about the turrets being used for a storage place for dies. I just thought it would save time keeping me from needing to reset them each time. I may get into casting later but would like to start with 185-200 gr JSWC bullets. You don't hear much about the B&M powder measures but they seem to have a good reputation of accuracy. Thanks for you opinions on the powders. It give a good starting point.

Glen,
I have some 45 ACP Carbide dies (RCBS) that I don't use. They are in very good condition. There's 3 die pieces and the bullet seating plugs are marked "AR" on one, "RN" on another and there's a 3rd one marked "SWC".

I think Retail on this set is $30-35, and I'll take $25 shipped or trade for .260 Rem dies or .204 Ruger dies.

I am in DFW, TX if that is anywhere near you, we can meet and save shipping.

My email is mlambeth@sbcglobal.net

I use a Lee turret press to reload 44mag. I find it is all right. It works well and for the money is a good deal, but I could see where other presses could be better. I do like it and don't plan on getting a new press in the near future. So if money is an issue then I would recomend the Lee press. But if you can afford it, and plan on doing alot of reloading, then you might want to look at getting a different press. But what ever you decide to get, turret press are the way to go for reloading pistol rounds

As for loading primers. I like the Lee auto primer, it came as part of the kit. Im sure that handles the same as the RCBS hand priming tool. If i have alot of brass to prime I can do it in front of the TV or else where and dont have to be in my work shop. Handy little tool

I started with an RCBS Jr press in.... well, a long time ago. I have since had a Lee Pro1000, and a Lee turret press. I have used the turret pretty much exclusively for the last 12 yrs or so... I don't load a huge amount... sorta fluctuates, but I've probably loaded 5 or 6 thousand rounds on it.. maybe not quite that many... it's still going strong.. still tight.. a little rusted in places, but still loads good ammo. I would REALLY like to have one of their new cast iron presses...
On dies, I've used nearly all of them... my preference is now pretty much Redding, but you can get pretty good results with nearly any of them. The fit and finish is just better with Redding...
...My suggestion for priming? Get the hand held Lee priming tool.... very simple, fast, and you have GREAT control of the seating operation.

If you are only going to load pistol ammo I'd seriously consider a Square Deal press from Dillon precision.It will load pistol ammo only and caliber converion kits were about $60.00 from Dillon the last time I checked,but it comes with a lifetime warranty.I've loaded over 100k rounds on mine in the last 12 years and it has broken once in that time frame.
www.dillonprecision.com

Glen,
If budget is an issue, virtually everything you will need in the way of equipment is regularly available on Ebay, often at a very good price.

George

Maybe instead of using a turret press as a place to store my dies, I should get a good single stage and use the quick change Hornady adapters. Has anyone had any experience with them? It may give you the best of both worlds. Thanks

I'll chime in here too.

Regarding pistol dies, just make sure whatever you get is carbide and you'll be OK.

As far as a press, my suggestion is to first get a single stage press and use it for a while to learn about the various stages of reloading, as each step has some hang-ups and that way you can deal with them one at a time. Especially for 2-400 rds a month. After a while you will know better what you want.

The redding powder measure you will never be sorry about, you'll use it for the rest of your life.

Buy a Lee case trimmer, it is a cheap way to get things uniform and if you get deeper into reloading you can get a proper case trimmer later.

Any of the hand held primers are nice to have, you can get a bowl of brass and prime while watching TV.

With dies, I think they are all pretty much the same, I have a bunch of lee dies and the only thing I do not like about them is the lock-ring. Hornady makes the best lock ring IMHO. With a single stage press if you get the dies set with a proper lock ring you can just screw them in and out, really not much slower than a turret.

Don't forget a mechanical scale too.

And as has been said already, I'd start doing the ebay thing but also start checking the monthly specials from Midway, Natchez, Midsouth, etc.

Glen,

You say you'd "like to increase accuracy without having to buy the high priced commercial loads." You're after quality, not volume. And, after doing research, settled on a turret press to make this happen. I'm curious as to how you came to that conclusion, especially seeing as the Redding is a high end tool and Lee is at the very low end.

Here's my 34 years worth of handloading opinion:

Unless you are hedging your bet that one day you'll need the turret press to load rifle ammo, buy a simple to use Square Deal B from Dillon or a used one from eBay. [Also, Brianenos.com sells Dillon stuff at a discount.] And the most inexpensive powder scale available. That's all the big ticket hardware you'll need. Plus a caliper to measure bullet over-all-length and a primer flip tray. Straight wall target pistol cases hardly ever need trimming.
You could use something like VihtaVuori N320 powder for both loads but I don't think you'll be able to use only one kind of bullet. 185 grain FMJ semi wadcutter is perfect for the 45 Auto but way too lightweight for the Colt. The pistol will use .451 or .452 diameter bullets; the Colt may require up to .454 diameter depending on how big your cylinder is cut.

And finally, making pistol ammo isn't rocket science or brain surgery; it's akin to shotshells. You mass produce them on a little production line. There is no need to agonize over each and every round of ammo like you're producing a miniature space shuttle. Measuring every powder charge to the 'nth' degree isn't going to give you any better accuracy.

As long as your reloads are AS good as the high-priced factory ammo, you're doin' good. It's very hard to improve on factory target loads these days such as the Remington 45 Auto R45AP2 185 grain target load. You WILL save money by loading your own, however.
Do yourself a favor and give the folks at Dillon a call even if only to pick their brains. The expert info is free and so is the phonecall.

Sometimes I think folks are actually scared at the thought of using a progressive press. As the commercial used to say, "They've come a long way, baby!" They're not the Rube Goldberg contraptions they used to be. My Dillon SDB is easy, accurate, and fast. What's not to like?