I have been reloading for many years. I started off with an RCBS Rockchucker and have never regretted it. I think it is still the standard by which all others are judged. But if you just want to try out reloading, I think the Lee kit would be fine. If you want to move up to better equipment, you will not be out much. It will produce accurate loads; they just take longer to produce. As others have said: be safe. Don't be tempted to try to soup up your loads. The scoops for the Lee loader are pretty conservative, but if you want hotrod loads, buy a strong bolt action that is built to handle the pressure.

For most people, it is addictive, but the nice part is that you can find many forums of likeminded people on the internet who are just as helpful as the people on this forum. Brady

 

Thanks alot for the great replies guys! I'm thinking I'm probably going to step up to a single-stage press of some kind. From the consensus on here, I'll be looking at RCBS and Dillon. As far as my .30-30 shooting, I want to fine-tune these loads for better-than-factory accuracy, and eventually work up to adding some more velocity. This reloading will be about quality, not quantity. I'm getting a Kel-Tec in .223 for blasting fun, and have already picked up 1200 rounds of NATO-spec 5.56mm. Good times ahead

 

look into reloading 45 longcolt. shoot em in a pistol and in a rifle. and you can load it up or down depending on what you like. plus you can shoot some awesome cowboy stuff. like the 1860

 

I WANT TO KNOW HOW THA KEL-TEC WORK OUT. They look like a very functional item at a reasonable enough price.

 

If you want a gun that is fun to shoot, and you can buy ammo cheaper than you can reload, get a SKS. I have shot atleast 100,000 rounds into the hill sides in south west Wyoming over the past several years. I have found the gun to be as accurate as the shooter can hold it.
Edited you could buy ammo for $86.00 a case of 1200 rounds. It went up to over double that price, but now that they have moved on to pilfer NY, the price has come down to around .10 a round for Russan hollow point ammo.

 

Fordmarshall111 lives in CA, so there is a potential for trouble: the SKS is on the CA's list of "Assault Rifles" -- when it's equipped with detachable mags. Very few SKSs came from the factory with detachable mags, but it is a cheap, easy, reversible, and popular modification. (Just remove the original mag, put the trigger group back in, and the "detachable" mags snap in and out in place of the stock one.) MD has similar wording in their laws, but the regulations only cover the point of sale - modifying one you own carries no legal ramifications. CA doesn't see things that way at all and running afoul of their gun laws will ruin more than your day. All of that to say, if you get an SKS, make sure you know and follow the laws.

If you are interested in inexpensive additions to your arsenal, pick up a copy of /Shotgun News/. /SN/ is a classified ads mag for the gun & surplus market and all of the big importers advertise their monthly specials there, both in guns and ammunition. You can find a lot of "military history" items - all the great guns of the world's infantries - for short money: sometimes even under $100. All you'd need to do is talk to your local dealer and get him to do the transfer for you (should be about $25 per gun).

If we're voting, I'd spend $100-$150 and get a very nice Yugoslavian M-48 8MM Mauser. My partner and I just split a case of 8MM Mauser ammo that ran us $120 for 1000 rds. Can't reload that cheap!

Be safe!
-Sam

 

I have a RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme. I like doing everything with precision, so this is a good setup for me. Its very solid, and upgradeable with the piggyback 4 progressive mounts.

Lee and Lyman are like bad words. They have cheaply made products that are made overseas. RCBS are made in the USA, and they have a great warranty as well.

I just got a .357 Mag today, and I have the dies and some bullets. I did get a couple boxes of factory stuff just to see if it likes a particular combination, but I am probably only going to buy factory stuff once.

Next gun is gonna be a .41 Mag, since I can't find a decent 10MM here.

 

To me, some of the Lyman stuff is really good. Lee, too.
I've used the Lee "Auto-Prime" since shortly after starting to reload.
I get a good 'feel' for seating the primers with this.
(Kinda abandoned it, since getting the Dillon machine, though. Use it a little, still.)
I've used the Lyman 'Turbo-Tumbler 1200' since they came out. I've got two of 'em, and can't wear 'em out!!!!!!

I had an RCBS case trimmer (1st or 2nd generation) and NEVER had the same size .357s when trimming. It was JUNK! It's at the bottom of the Potomac River.

I went to the Lyman case trimmer, and LOVE it.

For .223s I have the Lyman 'adapter' that mounts to a table-top drill press. (Can't remember the proper name.)
Nothing in the world like it. I LOVE it! I have the drill press set up with a (shop-built) foot pedal. Insert the .223 case, move the locking lever to the side - step on the pedal; presto, the case is 1.750". Fast.
(The trick is to run the drill press REAL slow.) Hands are free to insert/remove cases.
This drill press NEVER changes. I have 2. One for .223, the other I will change settings.

Maybe the loading press is not so good, but, some of the other products are worthwhile.

.357. . . I have 3 of 'em. Which one did you get?
The .41 mag. . . thought about it. Went with .44 mag instead. Didn't used to be too many different bullet choices for the 41.
A good friend is nuts over the .41 mag. He 'drilled' a wild boar at 15 yds. with one, and the daggone bullet went through the front shoulder, did it's job, then went out the other side. I was there. Impressive. The boar dropped like it had been hit by a freight train.
Hornady 210 gr. JHP and WW-296 powder. That's all he shoots.
??? grains of powder. He's got a Marlin 1894 in .41, too. Accurate. REAL accurate.