Budget Reloading Equipment

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  • Drillboss
    Warrior
    • Jan 2015
    • 894

    #16
    I'm gonna chime in on the Hornady Lock n Load kit, which I started with.



    One thing to consider is that they offer a rebate for 500 bullets, which knocks the effective price down quite a bit. Granted, they don't offer 6.5 mm bullets in the rebate offer (anyone need 500 7mm 139 gr SST's?).

    It comes with an electronic scale and it wasn't long before I got a beam scale. I actually don't use the powder measure that often, unless I'm loading large volumes. I actually like the Lee powder dippers, either trickling by hand or topping off with a powder trickler.

    It would be interesting to know if they are actually including the most recent volume of their manual with the kit.

    Comment

    • rwh
      Warrior
      • Jun 2014
      • 188

      #17
      Funny how this thread got from budget reloading setup to the forster coax. I got into reloading to save money. I need to load about 12 million rounds for all my reloading gear to pay for itself. I use a forster coax and keep a redding big boss around just in case. My scale is an A&D FX120i. Dies alone are a serious investment and then there's all the gadgets for case trimming, priming, and the list goes on. If you are thinking about reloading to save money then I should warn you that it's a trap. If you are careful about spending and get yourself a good scale, a decent powder measure, a good priming tool, sturdy press, a decent case trimmer, a vibrating brass tumbler, a decent set of calipers and quality dies then you might be able to avoid blowing your life savings on all the little things that you absolutely don't need but must have.

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      • Klem
        Chieftain
        • Aug 2013
        • 3509

        #18
        Originally posted by LR1955 View Post
        TG:

        Do as King 31 and Klem are recommending.

        If you buy that kit, you are buying the press and the powder measure. The scale works but is flaky. The Lee sizing die will overwork your dollar a piece brass, cutting its life in half if you are lucky. The hand primer seater will break easily and the trimmer will work if Lee makes it for the Grendel. It will just take a lot of time and won't be as good as the more conventional trimmer.

        Also, you want thousand dollar quality out of ten dollar equipment. You won't get it with anything and particularly not with Lee.

        You don't need a trickler if you are using ball powders. That is the beauty of ball powders. Except that I have found the Lee powder measures tend to gum up and may jam when using the ball powders most used for the Grendel. The powder measure you see in that kit is great for extruded powders though. It will take you a lot longer to get it set than any other measure I have used. And lets say you get it set on Monday then go back Tuesday for another loading session using the exact same load. My bet is you will be adjusting it again. Have no clue why, either.

        Get the Lee press if you want something you will never be able to sell when you realize it isn't as good as a Redding, Hornady, RCBS, etc. The powder measure will give you fits with ball powders. The rest is not worth the pot metal and plastic it is made from.

        Spend the money now and you will get gear that won't break, will produce better ammo in much less time, and you will be happy with it for your lifetime.

        LR55
        LOL, funny but true...Buy once, cry once.

        Comment

        • Sticks
          Chieftain
          • Dec 2016
          • 1922

          #19
          Regarding Lee - I've had nothing but good results with my Lee Loadmaster. 10's of thousands of rounds loaded through it (.40, .44mag, 5.56).

          Single stage quality may indeed bed another issue.

          About the only way to break even, or save money in reloading, is starting out with free brass. Thank the gods for competitions (IDPA) and training classes.
          Sticks

          Catchy sig line here.

          Comment

          • LR1955
            Super Moderator
            • Mar 2011
            • 3355

            #20
            One thing guys overlook is hitting the local gunshows for used reloading gear. Many times a person will find a used press for 1/4 the price of a new one. Or a old model powder measure, bench priming tool, and particularly trimmers.

            Another place to look is probably E Bay or one of the other on line places people sell things.

            I don't think you will see a Bonnanza CoAx or a Redding T-7 at a gunshow. More like the RCBS Rockchucker or JR, older Lyman single stage and turret presses, and hundreds of Lee presses.

            LR55

            Comment

            • Rickc
              Warrior
              • Aug 2016
              • 311

              #21
              Originally posted by LR1955 View Post
              One thing guys overlook is hitting the local gunshows for used reloading gear. Many times a person will find a used press for 1/4 the price of a new one. Or a old model powder measure, bench priming tool, and particularly trimmers.

              Another place to look is probably E Bay or one of the other on line places people sell things.

              I don't think you will see a Bonnanza CoAx or a Redding T-7 at a gunshow. More like the RCBS Rockchucker or JR, older Lyman single stage and turret presses, and hundreds of Lee presses.

              LR55
              I have several presses. My co-ax, a 45 year old.rockchucker, a little partner press i use outside for decapping, a Harrell combo press and a 21st century arbor press.

              The Co-Ax is my go to press but i really like the.Harrell combo. With the combo you can load anywhere you can use a threaded full length sizing die and then a wilson in-line seater. The best of.both worlds.



              You can never have too many reloading tools.

              Comment

              • wrex85
                Unwashed
                • Jan 2017
                • 2

                #22
                I was in the same boat as the OP last winter.

                For just a little over $200 I was able to snag a Lee Breech Lock Challenger kit, Lee 3 die set, some digital calipers, and all the misc. stuff that didn't come with the kit.

                Theres nothing fancy to it, it gets the job done, and so far it seems like a good entry level set up to learn the process with out spending an arm and a leg. So far I'm happy with it.

                Comment

                • Troutguide
                  Warrior
                  • Jan 2017
                  • 380

                  #23
                  I didn't expect such a great series of replies. Thanks everyone. I will be patient and wait till I can find a mid range press or better at a gun show, ... or can afford a new one. I tie fishing flies and a good vise makes all the difference I am sure the same applies here. I will distill down all the threads here and come up with a list to keep an eye out for used or on sale.
                  "I rarely give a definite answer" - TG

                  Comment

                  • babue
                    Warrior
                    • Mar 2011
                    • 135

                    #24
                    Originally posted by LRRPF52 View Post
                    I just broke my Lee press a few weeks ago sizing .308 brass for a friend.

                    I ordered a replacement piece, which Lee only charged shipping for, but I'm looking at the Forster Co-Ax press now after seeing all that it does.

                    I have a Redding Big Boss too that I'm trying to decide what to do with it.

                    One thing that I have really liked about the Lee is the quick change bushings for my dies, so die installation takes maybe 2 seconds. The press is flimsy though, with cast parts that aren't up for the job of sizing larger brass than .223 and 6.5 Grendel in volume. I think it flexes too much axially, causing non-uniform necks when sizing.

                    I've been able to still get sub-MOA rapid-fired groups at 1000yds though, but I turn my cases when seating bullets to reduce runout.
                    Run, do not walk, and get that Co-Ax press ordered. You will never have to think about another press again. No shell holders to buy, dies slide in and out as fast as you can move your hands and you do not touch the shell holder. My press is 40 years old and
                    I have never broken a part or needed to replace anything. Just do not plan on priming with the press, that part has never been a feature to try and use. I have a Forester bench priming tool that works perfectly for all my rifle priming work. The buy once cry once does really apply to getting a top line press.

                    The idea of getting into reloading with all budget equipment always sounds like a great idea and buying used stuff can be a great way to get started. Used equipment was how I first got into reloading. Nothing I had then do I still have. Starting at the far bottom of the quality scale just means in the future you are going to replace a bunch of
                    that low end stuff. Saving up a few dollars more and buying more mid grade equipment will probably serve a beginning reloader best. Just my thought on the subject.

                    Comment

                    • Klem
                      Chieftain
                      • Aug 2013
                      • 3509

                      #25
                      Originally posted by tazman5150 View Post
                      wouldn't using your fingers contaminate the powder? the skin has a natural oil to it.
                      Probably, but I can't see it contaminating the powder to the point of affecting accuracy. I am just guessing here and I don't do it. Just saying, if the OP is too tight-fisted to buy a trickler then needs must. A McDonalds drinking straw or a cement pourer made out of cardboard will keep his fingers off the powder.

                      Comment

                      • Rickc
                        Warrior
                        • Aug 2016
                        • 311

                        #26
                        Originally posted by Klem View Post
                        Probably, but I can't see it contaminating the powder to the point of affecting accuracy. I am just guessing here and I don't do it. Just saying, if the OP is too tight-fisted to buy a trickler then needs must. A McDonalds drinking straw or a cement pourer made out of cardboard will keep his fingers off the powder.
                        For the economy minded

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                        • rwh
                          Warrior
                          • Jun 2014
                          • 188

                          #27
                          I use a metal quarter teaspoon that I pulled from a drawer in my kitchen. With practice you can come really close on the first scoop and hit the target weight on the second or third scoop. Tried a trickler and never got it to go faster than the spoon.

                          Watch out handling double base powder with bare fingers. Nitro glycerine can give you a headache.
                          Last edited by rwh; 04-16-2017, 06:20 AM.

                          Comment

                          • Klem
                            Chieftain
                            • Aug 2013
                            • 3509

                            #28
                            Originally posted by rwh View Post

                            Watch out handling double base powder with bare fingers. Nitro glycerine can give you a headache.
                            Worked as a Shotfirer years ago. At the time the industry was still using AN Gelignite but changing over to the more inert Powergel. Standard introduction for newbies was to rub a stick of gelly on the inside head-band of their hard hat. It comes on fast and they spend the next hour with a splitting headache. Then the next week figuring out how to do it to someone else. The thing is, you become de-sensitised to 'NG Head' if you work around it all the time. Probably not going your body any good but you are less affected by it the more you use it.

                            Never heard in related to gun powders, but it makes sense if there is a percentage of nitroglycerine in it.

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                            • montana
                              Chieftain
                              • Jun 2011
                              • 3209

                              #29
                              Originally posted by Klem View Post
                              Worked as a Shotfirer years ago. At the time the industry was still using AN Gelignite but changing over to the more inert Powergel. Standard introduction for newbies was to rub a stick of gelly on the inside head-band of their hard hat. It comes on fast and they spend the next hour with a splitting headache. Then the next week figuring out how to do it to someone else. The thing is, you become de-sensitised to 'NG Head' if you work around it all the time. Probably not going your body any good but you are less affected by it the more you use it.

                              Never heard in related to gun powders, but it makes sense if there is a percentage of nitroglycerine in it.
                              We used a lot of dynamite and ANFO in the 80's and early 90's building roads for Champion International and the Forest service. I then earned my blasting license when it became a requirement, "not the best way to do it LOL". The only headache that was worse than a nitro headache was after my spinal for one of my knee surgeries didn't plug and I had to be re hospitalized. I learned quickly to use rubber gloves when handling any dynamite. I don't think I would have appreciated anyone rubbing that sh@t on my hard hat head band.

                              Comment

                              • Sticks
                                Chieftain
                                • Dec 2016
                                • 1922

                                #30
                                What is the gripe about shell holders? I load 3 different flavors of ammo. I don't know about anyone else here, but I don't jump back and forth between calibers during a reloading session. I'd think you would have more of an issue mixing up dies if swapping them in and out of a single stage than handling shell plates.

                                I get that there is no love for Lee here, but for me, when I get done with one caliber, I pull out the turret insert, set it in the holder, with it's shell plate, then grab the next one and go. I typically will take a day off to let my mind reset from the previous session. It does not bug me in the least that I have to take about 15 minutes to set the press back up (verifying all the measurements on several cases), before I go into production.
                                Sticks

                                Catchy sig line here.

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