Thread: Wannabe reloader - gear advice please

Well I have finally decided to take the plunge and have a crack at reloading.
Know absolutely nothing about it except which end the projectile goes in...
So after some advice on starter kits to get me going.
I have not alot to spend so to that end I was considering the Lee Anniversary kit as a possible starting point.
Does anyone have any experience with this setup and is it a good way to get started with the basics.
I realize I will also need dies etc to suit whatever caliber and some handbooks for practical info as well and will need to add those to the bill as well as the powders, primers etc hence not wanting to spend any more than is necessary on the tools or it will end up costing more than I can afford.
Any input or suggestions would be appreciated....

Pretty sure that's the press I'm still using cant fault it I grabbed a trickle and and digital scales and a Lee hand primer as I didn't buy it as a kit still going strong being the success combo for many of great rounds and bagged animals

The lee kit is shit, the press is ok but the rest is junk, buy the press on its own with primimg kit then buy a lyman or hornady case chamfer tool, a trickler, primer pocket cleaner and the best scales you can afford. Oh and some good dye wax.
That will get you started.

I started with the lee kit and the press is the only piece of it I have left, and I'd love to upgrade that at some stage too

I learned to load on my old man's lee kit, after 2 odd years of use the handle had to be changed over as where it goes into the linkage had worn out. I think the current ones have changed design slightly to fix this. Can't really fault anything about the kit but when I set up my own gear I won't be buying one. I'd start with the Lee classic press. I also wouldn't bother buying any manuals, there's plenty of data and instructions from reputable sources available online for free.

Should be 20 years not 2

I've been at reloading on and off for more than 40 years. In that time I've sold and rebought three or four times and as a result tried a handful of different makes and have never experienced any surprises or worn any of it out. My advice is to buy used, decent stuff, at the best price. Any C press will do the job and Lee dyes are as good as you'll ever need for recreational shooting. Essentials include a decent beam scale and a chrony . The fact that actually seeing the results of your efforts over a chronograph and the safety aspect is addictive.

As well as a press , a decent manual such as but not limited to the hornady one, dies and decent scales I found a bullet puller of some description was an essential part of my early learning curve.
And untill I figured out not all sizing dies were like the lee collet neck die, a stuck case remover came in very handy as well.

If you can save a little longer go to the hornady lock n load kit. Alot of the gear in that kit is much better quality than the lee kit ie powder thrower and you'll end up replacing quite a bit of the lee kit anyhow.

The Lee press and the powder thrower go all right, the scales are shit so just see if you can get the press and powder thrower cheaper than the kit if you're gonna go that way cos you'll throw the scales away anyhow, they actually are pretty accurate they're just painful to use. I've still got my Lee press, and bought another one so I can have two on the go and not dick around changing dies out. Of interest is I decided for no other reason than "it must be better cos it costs more" to upgrade my press to a RCBS rockchucker a few years back and the complete press body cracked and broke right through after very minimal work and a ongoing battle with gun City then ensued trying to have it replaced - I still have it sitting in the box.
Lee dies are cheap and cheerful, they do just as good a job at reloading accurate ammunition as any of the more nicely finished brands do.

Originally Posted by Ftx325

Well I have finally decided to take the plunge and have a crack at reloading.
Know absolutely nothing about it except which end the projectile goes in...
So after some advice on starter kits to get me going.
I have not alot to spend so to that end I was considering the Lee Anniversary kit as a possible starting point.
Does anyone have any experience with this setup and is it a good way to get started with the basics.
I realize I will also need dies etc to suit whatever caliber and some handbooks for practical info as well and will need to add those to the bill as well as the powders, primers etc hence not wanting to spend any more than is necessary on the tools or it will end up costing more than I can afford.
Any input or suggestions would be appreciated....

Greetings Ftx325,
Welcome to the world of handloading. This is an addictive but highly rewarding pastime. The main piece of advice I can offer is to see if you can find a mentor to start with, something I did not have when I started close to fifty years ago. Try to find someone with grey hair. These tend to have more experience and time and will know what kit you need for a start and will help you to set it up properly. You may also be able to start loading on their kit while you get used to the process. First purchase should be a loading manual. One from the manufacturer of the projectiles you are likely to use would be ideal. Read it several times, especially the opening chapters. Plan on getting a chronograph early on, the grey haired handloader mentioned above will likely have one. Finally, join a club. Your local NZDA Branch is into target shooting with their own range and likely well stocked with grey haired handloaders as well.
Happy to answer any specific questions on gear. Grandpamac.

second hand press, most of the stuff you need can be brought second hand.

If you are patient, you will slowly pick up all the stuff you need second hand and save a bundle.

I have a lee press it is the classic cast press which is much better than the newer light weight one and a mate of mine has been using one for 30 + years and its still going strong.

thanks much for the input guys , really appreciate the advice. I think I will do as suggested and try and build up a kit piece by piece as that will also help spread out the cost. There have already been a few bits and pieces mentioned I hadn't factored in such as a chrony for example.
The reason for deciding to finally have a go is I don't appear to be able to purchase the rounds I use in my second favourite rifle anymore .... the 338 lap mag.
(as a side note if anyone knows where I can get a box or two of 338 lap mag in the federal american eagle 250 gr I would be eternally grateful ... i'm down to 7 rounds total left...)
So I would be looking at 338 to reload primarily but I also have but have five other calibres from 357 , 7.62x 39 through to the mighty 45/70
I am guessing should probably look at starting with a smaller less powerful cartridge to 'practice' before stepping up to the big boys toys in the interest of not blowing my face off?
And another possibly silly question , do the dies have a standard thread so different brands work in different presses or do hornady dies require a hornady press and so on ?

yes I am left handed - but I could probably work around that disability if I had too ... lol

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Greetings Ftx325,
Welcome to the world of handloading. This is an addictive but highly rewarding pastime. The main piece of advice I can offer is to see if you can find a mentor to start with, something I did not have when I started close to fifty years ago. Try to find someone with grey hair. These tend to have more experience and time and will know what kit you need for a start and will help you to set it up properly. You may also be able to start loading on their kit while you get used to the process. First purchase should be a loading manual. One from the manufacturer of the projectiles you are likely to use would be ideal. Read it several times, especially the opening chapters. Plan on getting a chronograph early on, the grey haired handloader mentioned above will likely have one. Finally, join a club. Your local NZDA Branch is into target shooting with their own range and likely well stocked with grey haired handloaders as well.
Happy to answer any specific questions on gear. Grandpamac.

+1

Everyone needs a reloading sensei, was lucky enough to make friends with someone like this who I still ask for help and consult on a regular basis.

Odds are if you are about to make a fuck up they will have been there, done it and paid a bill to have it fixed, so listen!

Originally Posted by Ftx325

thanks much for the input guys , really appreciate the advice. I think I will do as suggested and try and build up a kit piece by piece as that will also help spread out the cost. There have already been a few bits and pieces mentioned I hadn't factored in such as a chrony for example.
The reason for deciding to finally have a go is I don't appear to be able to purchase the rounds I use in my second favourite rifle anymore .... the 338 lap mag.
(as a side note if anyone knows where I can get a box or two of 338 lap mag in the federal american eagle 250 gr I would be eternally grateful ... i'm down to 7 rounds total left...)
So I would be looking at 338 to reload primarily but I also have but have five other calibres from 357 , 7.62x 39 through to the mighty 45/70
I am guessing should probably look at starting with a smaller less powerful cartridge to 'practice' before stepping up to the big boys toys in the interest of not blowing my face off?
And another possibly silly question , do the dies have a standard thread so different brands work in different presses or do hornady dies require a hornady press and so on ?

A 1,2,3 here to help.

1- Richard Lee's Modern Reloading, read cover to cover first then reference again later (full PDF here, free):http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Manu...%20-%20ocr.pdf

2-Buy a Lee Loader first. They only make them in sensible chamberings so if you can't find a Lee Loader for your rifle's cartridges...

and watch the inventor (Richard Lee, probably around 80 here, now passed RIP) knock out a round: https://youtu.be/UeEl9wZyabc

3- Test fire

If still alive after 3 then you can buy a press and dies... and regret starting after you are down $5k in gear