Thinking about reloading

[MMatt30]

Well guys I think I am about to purchase one of those Lee Classic Loaders.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1291650222.5015=/html/catalog/cleeloader.html

I know that this is going to be very slow and labor intensive but I don't want to jump headfirst into anything yet. I'll probably graduate to something more advanced later. I learned a little about reloading from my shooting/hunting mentor about 15 years ago. However, it has been years and I have forgot a good bit about it.

Anyway the plan is to get one in .38 Special which should be a good round to start with. These will be fired out of a 4 inch K frame .357 Mag.

I eventually plan to load .30-06 for a M1 Garand, .223 for an AR, and I would like to load for 12 gauge as well. I would like to load some non-toxic loads of my own for waterfowl hunting.

 

[hbrad3]

This is in the ammunition, accessories, etc. forum. I think there are several others as well. Might be worth looking into some of the deals on here.
http://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/sh...elux-Reloading-Kit-Extras&highlight=reloading

 

[rbstern]

Matt, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Lee Classic Loader. Aside from price, it's best attribute is portability. And it certainly can be used as a very basic learning tool.

However, to dip your toe in the water, a single stage press and a set of dies is about $30 more, is much more convienent to use when in a home/workshop/garage, and will give you a much better feel for what a typical reloading process is. I'd strongly recommend you get yourself the little Lee Reloader C-press and a set of Lee 38/357 dies.

In fact, I recommend you get this press/manual combo, which comes with Lee's Modern Reloading book. You'll need a reloading guide with some basic info and loads, and the Modern Reloading book fits the bill.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduc...Reloading Presses-_-PriceCompListing-_-480380

As a bonus, that little press is also quite portable. I used one many times, clamped to a shooting bench, for load development right at the range. If you get heavily into reloading and upgrade to better gear, you will always find a use for that little Lee press. They are incredibly handy to have around the loading bench.

EDIT: Sorry, one other tool you will need if you go with a the Lee Reloader press: Some sort of priming tool, either hand held, or the one that Lee makes that mounts in place of a reloading die (Lee Ram Prime).

 

[rasputin8]

+1 on skipping the Lee classic loaders. Not because they are inferior, but because I promise you will soon be adding other calibers once you take the jump into reloading.

I actually have the Lee hand press which is uber-portable. I use it for target loads in 223 and 308 and it is perfect in terms of accuracy and convenience. You use the same dies as a bench press. It's not high output, but I'm only spitting out max 50 rounds at each time.

 

[cygnusx1]

Matt, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Lee Classic Loader. Aside from price, it's best attribute is portability. And it certainly can be used as a very basic learning tool.

However, to dip your toe in the water, a single stage press and a set of dies is about $30 more, is much more convienent to use when in a home/workshop/garage, and will give you a much better feel for what a typical reloading process is. I'd strongly recommend you get yourself the little Lee Reloader C-press and a set of Lee 38/357 dies.

In fact, I recommend you get this press/manual combo, which comes with Lee's Modern Reloading book. You'll need a reloading guide with some basic info and loads, and the Modern Reloading book fits the bill.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduc...Reloading Presses-_-PriceCompListing-_-480380

As a bonus, that little press is also quite portable. I used one many times, clamped to a shooting bench, for load development right at the range. If you get heavily into reloading and upgrade to better gear, you will always find a use for that little Lee press. They are incredibly handy to have around the loading bench.

EDIT: Sorry, one other tool you will need if you go with a the Lee Reloader press: Some sort of priming tool, either hand held, or the one that Lee makes that mounts in place of a reloading die (Lee Ram Prime).

++++++1

 

[Cruisers460]

Your choice on that, I loaded my first rounds 40 years ago at age 12 with one of those. I will suggest you look at the link I'm adding if that is what you want to do, no need to pay what the link you posted had.
http://www.factorysales.com/html/xcart/catalog/dies-p4.html#LeeLoader

 

[greeneb]

I would look on E-bay....lot's of people inherit these from family members, not knowing what there worth will put rediculiously low buy it now prices, as I got my first reloading press(a Hornady),with everything I needed but the brass & bullets shipped to my door for 100bucks!!! that included 2 sets of rifle dies, about 150 primers & 2 lbs of powder!!!!