So I am looking at getting into reloading, primarily .308 and .243. I see all of the manufactures have their own kit but I have been reading posts from people that say this is a great piece from this company but this is better from the other company. If you were going to assemble the best kit picking individual components from each manufacturer what would it be. Press, dies, trimmer, primer loader, etc.
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- Thread starter 51Vagabond
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Rifle brass pretty much has to be done one at a time. So I recommend RCBS. You can't go wrong with any of their stuff. A single stage press would work great for what you are looking to do.
Are you loading hunting rounds, or precision long range rounds?
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What
Jackie Graham
said x2.
Specifically Rockchucker for the press. 40 plus yrs. Great results with over 20 different calibers and 1,000's of rounds.
Jackie Graham
said x2.Specifically Rockchucker for the press. 40 plus yrs. Great results with over 20 different calibers and 1,000's of rounds.
3rd on that Rockchucker, love that RCBS stuff. Been using it for years with 0 issues.
Good books too - use the reloading manual constantly. Read - pay strict attention and take my time and the results are great.
Good books too - use the reloading manual constantly. Read - pay strict attention and take my time and the results are great.
I've used RCBS, Redding, Hornady, Lee, Lyman, and one or two others.... Bottom line is they all work. Typically people will go with what they learned on.
I started with a Lee Reloader press. It handles everything from the 308 on down. It didn't do as well with 30-06 and bigger, but most of that was me. It's a great place to start and I've kept that press even after upgrading. Decide what you want to do, connect with someone who's loading the way you want to shoot, and get a couple books. ABCs of Realoding and the Lyman manual are two good reads to start with. The Lee manual also has a good write-up.
I started with a Lee Reloader press. It handles everything from the 308 on down. It didn't do as well with 30-06 and bigger, but most of that was me. It's a great place to start and I've kept that press even after upgrading. Decide what you want to do, connect with someone who's loading the way you want to shoot, and get a couple books. ABCs of Realoding and the Lyman manual are two good reads to start with. The Lee manual also has a good write-up.
here is a link to some presses for sale on ODT. You might find what you are looking for here.
https://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/threads/fs-f-s-multiple-reloading-presses-and-equipment.1818218/
https://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/threads/fs-f-s-multiple-reloading-presses-and-equipment.1818218/
Press - for rifle rounds, Redding T7 or Lee Classic cast turret press. As much as I like the simplicity of a single stage press, sooner or later you are going to want to speed up production and a turret press gives you that versatility. Dies - They all work.
Trimmer - Little Crow Gunworks WFT2. I hate trimming brass, this speeds up the process but is a fraction of the c cost of a Giraud. If you shoot bolt guns, get a collet die then you wont need to trim your brass, as long as you shoot it out of the same rifle.
Priming System - All presses have one, you don't need to spend extra $ for this.
Beam Scales - they all work, but stay away from ones that have a plastic base.
Calipers - Starrett or Mitutoyo, but it seems the cheap ones are pretty accurate nowadays.
Powder Drop - RCBS (electronic), Lyman, RCBS, Hornady (mechanical)
Trimmer - Little Crow Gunworks WFT2. I hate trimming brass, this speeds up the process but is a fraction of the c cost of a Giraud. If you shoot bolt guns, get a collet die then you wont need to trim your brass, as long as you shoot it out of the same rifle.
Priming System - All presses have one, you don't need to spend extra $ for this.
Beam Scales - they all work, but stay away from ones that have a plastic base.
Calipers - Starrett or Mitutoyo, but it seems the cheap ones are pretty accurate nowadays.
Powder Drop - RCBS (electronic), Lyman, RCBS, Hornady (mechanical)
I like Lee for the balance between quality and value, and second what madcow said about the flexibility of turret presses. Over the course of about 10 years, I went thru a bunch of single stage and progressive presses, before I settled on the Lee Classic Cast Turret as the one press I could do everything I wanted with. I've loaded many 10's of thousands of rounds on it since, both rifle and pistol, and it just flat out works.
If I was going to have only a single stage press and never needed additional speed for high volume loading: Forster Co-ax would be my choice.
If I was going to have only a single stage press and never needed additional speed for high volume loading: Forster Co-ax would be my choice.
This is what I got $100 cheaper than midway and you get 500 free projectiles from hornady for buying press and 100 free for each set of dies you buy.
https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/5985
https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/5985
