Thread: Best Reloading kit to start with?

Originally Posted by Shamus

Yup Julian is a top guy

+1 ... hes a good bloke .. and gives excellent customer service

Workshop Innovation doesnt have that RCBS starter kit though, I looked.

yep, workshop Innovation, are good to deal with IMHO.

If you have contact in USA, this one is a deal hard to beat:
Bullets.com

Originally Posted by Friwi

If you have contact in USA, this one is a deal hard to beat:
Bullets.com

I would buy that on a heart beat if I had someone to send it to me

Originally Posted by Kscott

Some people swear by *their* set up but I feel a lot does come down to how much $$ you're willing to spend.

people do swear by their set up ...

I swear by mine because it fits my purpose ... you need to figure out why you're doing this ..

If you're doing it to churn out ammo, then maybe a multi stage press is what you need.

Or maybe you're in it for the accuracy - or to produce a load you cant buy off the shelf.

You may not know yet exactly what your purpose in doing this is ...

regards

Tim

Originally Posted by 10-Ring

8><----

I personally prefer Redding and Forster dies.

What surprises me is I see nothing on say youtube doing real comparisons on dies.

What I'd like to do at some stage is a group of us each with different dies get together and do some 600~1000yd loads and shoot to see if there is discernible difference between brands of dies. I know I am one of a few using the Lee neck die at my club V others using way more expensive bush dies and only necking 1/3rd the neck at that. Currently I have LEE dies and an expensive Redding bush die for my 303brit, no bush yet though, hoping to do some tests fairly soon once Ive fire formed the new privy brass and got the no4 shooting well, and/or the no3.

Originally Posted by kiwi39

8><---

you need to figure out why you're doing this ..

If you're doing it to churn out ammo, then maybe a multi stage press is what you need.

Or maybe you're in it for the accuracy - or to produce a load you cant buy off the shelf.

You may not know yet exactly what your purpose in doing this is ...

regards

Tim

Yep, agree, economically for instance you need to be looking at 2000 rounds of say winchester 308w for it to make sense to buy a reloading kit. I figured out 2 to 2.5 years/seasons to do it. Then its incrementally about $150 per caliber, just dies and maybe a prep die for the quick trim. What I did find was, it is fun to do. I just wish I had more time....

Actually in the last 2 years I think that reloading kit has got cheaper relative to ammo. Gunshops do seem to be struggling however 3? closed in Wellington so far in 12months and I dont think Petone will last long.

Originally Posted by small_caliber

The only reason they have gotten cheaper is our $ has been quite strong and the profit margins have been cut, a lot of businesses are struggling out there and the Kiwi mentality of "it's cheaper overseas" is going to kill our economy and put a lot of people out of work.
Once that happens our tax rates will go up to support the people out of work, after all we are a welfare state.
It will eventually happen where every overseas purchase on your credit card will incur GST which will be collected by the credit card company and passed onto the government, no escaping the GST then.

I couldn't agree more. The worst example of that is the people who go to a NZ retailer to try something for size and then order it from overseas.

Actually I dont agree. In effect you are saying NZers should be forced to pay up or do without and more and more it is the doing without I am seeing. Sure components have gone up as has ammo but I think many NZers simply cant afford these prices as they are struggling. We have had 6 not so good years IMHO that's telling in the shops. Some justification of this view is a) interest in archery to hunt with. b) multiple and many comments Ive received, c) observations and economic data trawling I do. As an example, have a look at the prices of Ar15s, in the region of $700~1000US (and that is retail pricing). Sorry but $2300NZ+ seems rather over the top for a basic AR, times change. Like computers we have moved on line to cheaper, no excessive commercial rents with online presences. NZar15 and gunsnz, workshop inovation are examples of the new businesses selling guns and kit at a price that looks far more reasonable. As a business you have to move with the times, I have had to for 35 years being made redundant 3 times and had to move jobs and careers that many as well. I mean look at the tariffs we used to have, on say shoes. When I came here 20 years ago I was gob smacked at the price of decent trainers etc. Was it fair that the many NZers who earned/earn little are forced to pay an excessive amount for the basics just to keep a few un-skilled in work? So $180NZ for a basic NZ made shoe or $40 from china? that is a huge thing/problem for some.

Hi Josh,I've always reloaded since the early1970's with a single stage press with excellent results & have Lee, Hornady, Redding, Rcbs,Lyman & Simplex dies all of which work great. I've used an old Lee set of dies for the 303 Brit for years with no problems although I did break a decapping pin when resizing a Berdan primed shell once by mistake which I now use to resize military brass anyway. Get a decent reloading manual, especially one that has a picture of the cartridges with it's dimensions ( eg; Lyman) & a bullet puller just in case you make a mistake, A set of scales as well, & perhaps later a vernier caliper & case trimmer to trim any cases. the list is almost endless depending on what you're reloading for. then there's bullet casting etc etc etc.

Originally Posted by steven

Actually I dont agree. In effect you are saying NZers should be forced to pay up or do without and more and more it is the doing without I am seeing. Sure components have gone up as has ammo but I think many NZers simply cant afford these prices as they are struggling..........

Well one thing is for certain and that is that gun shops as we know them in NZ will eventually disappear and be replaced by online businesses. Where most kiwis get bitter and twisted is when they compare NZ prices to US prices. The reality is that NZ just hasn't got the population to support online businesses let alone brick and mortar stores with the low margin high turnover low prices that are available in the U.S. with it's massive 300 million population.

Anyway, this is getting off track.

This might help. There is part 2 as well.

The Rifleman's Journal: Basics: A Few Reloading Hints and Tips Part 1

There is a complete reloading set up for sale on the fishnhunt forum for $695, got everything you need plus some - a bargain. And there is another complete set up on the buy sell on here, $775, well worth looking at. You shouldnt need to buy anything else for years except dies.

So i took a bit of a different track to the norm when i started reloading. I just started pistol shooting, and had a 223 as well. So instead of learning on a single stage, a brought a dillon 650. My view ( right or wrong) was that i would get pay back for the kit over time, and the learning would be easy ( it was).

The best thing for me was the guys from the pistol/shooting club. They helped out with advice and came around to show me the ropes, plus also the guys that sold me the press ( dixs - muzr and gary) also help me set up my tool head on garys press, and let me load a few, show me the 650's issues/issues to be aware of, etc.

Now i load 9mm and 223 on it and its been worth every cent to me. I value my time and dont have alot to spend adjusting dies etc for every step, etc...

I have brought a single lee for loading other calibres and also to prep the 223 as then i can just load on the 650 without having to mess around after cleaning cases etc... As i full length size with lube

For 9mm though, the 650 rocks! The only better i think would be a 1050 with motor drive( or maybe a 650 with motor drive and a projectile feeder - only have the case feeder)


Any way, the press depends on what you are loading for. Volume get a progressive. Low volume get a single.
I dont think making a accurate round is dependant on single or progresive - that comes down to knowledge, prep and repeatablity