I forgot about the tumbler. Mines made from a no name Tread Mill. RCBS doesn't make a tread mill yet so I had to find something....
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I forgot about the tumbler. Mines made from a no name Tread Mill. RCBS doesn't make a tread mill yet so I had to find something....
Maybe, maybe not. I'm part owner of the Angeles Ranges which includes the reloading store. This reloading store sells tons of dies, presses and everything else related to reloading, they sell no loaded ammo or guns, reloading tools & supplies only. They sell all the major brands including Dillon presses & dies, RCBS, Redding, LEE, Hornady etc.
LEE is far from their best selling in any category. They stopped selling Dillon presses for a time because they didn't sell though they were back in the store the last time I was in there.
In dies, presses & most other items the very best selling is RCBS. That is a fact beyond dispute.
Rick
REALLY? Well I'll be!
Even Good Will has supplies that I find useful. Nothing wrong with being frugal.
Local flea market supplied me with a Winchester model 52 single shot mag. adapter, and a vintage 5 shot mag, both like new. No they did not have the (W) on the bottom they were Winchester brand. Cost for the 2, $20.00 for both, check out that price on GunBroker.
Huffington Post is not a trade publication. In my practice, we use evidenced based practice and governing bodies as well as trade publications. Examples would be AORN, ANA, AMA, etc. we also search out peer reviewed publications from EABSCO HOST, Primo, etc.
A statement without validation is not truth, it is an opinion. I'm not in the industry of manufacturers but there must be someone on this forum who is that can validate your statement or not.
I'm not slamming you nor Lee. There must be a publication that both of us are not seeing. Statements coming from the manufacturer are statements.
Understand where I'm coming from? I work hard all day backing up subjective data with objective, evidence based practice, governing organizations, etc.
Take care
r1kk1
Being as Lee Precision is a family owned company it sorta hard to find their production or financial numbers.
I looked at a Rock Chucker master reloading kit, some nice stuff there. The Uniflow will be happiest with ball or short stick powder (I have at least 3 UPM). The chamfer tool is a basic design that many companies use. The 5-0-5 scale is good (leave the Chargemaster and other electric scales go for the time being). If you are handloading 20 or so cases at a time, then the dipper and UPM will do.
If you run into issues with stick powders, and you would rather not cut powder grains with the UPM, look at the Lee dipper set. I don't see a powder trickler, my druthers is the (heavy!) Redding. Sits tall and won't move. Other manual tricklers will work fine, can even put them on top of a book or something for height. RCBS? makes a trickler stand to raise the height.
I see no case prep, like a Forster, or Lyman, or RCBS, or Wilson case trimmer. Having turned the handle on my Forster like giving a prayer wheel a turn, I like the collets they use to hold the rim of the case. There are holy wars waged over the correct trimmer. If you want to get into LOTS of rounds downrange, the inner and outer chamfer heads will save you lots of time.
For checking headspace and seating depth, the (relatively) cheap Hornady LnL headspace and seating stuff will do what the (expensive) RCBS precision mic will do. Use the LnL with a good caliper.
I would suggest 3 additions to the RCBS kit that haven't already been mentioned. Check weights for the scale. Not a necessity but you may be happier with it, a powder measure stand. I like the Hornady one as it seems to have a little more reach. A square primer flip tray large enough for Federal primer containers. I use this for Federal primers, center the primers in it and then cover with the Lee (or whoever's) round tray and flip over. Viola! No muss, no fuss and not a single primer harmed in the process.
I agree with the suggestions for the Lee dippers and better loading trays. I too like the Franklin Arsenal reloading trays, but they're not perfect. There always seems to be at least one of the holes that are malformed, usual one on the perimeter. I know all I have to do is heat up the head of a case and push it in there, but I always forget about it until the next time I pull the tray out. Ugh.
When I started doing rifle, I got some of the Lee trimmer stuff but quickly tired of it. It works, just wasn't my cup of tea. After that experience and much research I wound up with the slick LE Wilson setup from Sinclair. Ahhhhhh. I figure that the Lee trimmer helped me to gain the knowledge that I needed to make a better more informed choice (for me) later on. For that, it was worth the price I paid for it.
To answer the op's question directly about what to avoid...if you're ever inclined to go for a progressive, avoid the load master like the plague. I started out with one I got for free. Like the trimmer, I guess it was worth the experience as I learned a lot. After a year of beating my head against the wall, I bought an LNL AP. Ahhhhh. I also have a Rock Chucker, LCT and Lee hand press. I like all for certain uses, except the load master.
+1 Most anything will or can be made to work. The exception being the dreck from Smart Reloader. Buy any color but yellow. The price will be tempting; but they can't seem to make even a cartridge case correctly IMHO.
I, like others like (in no particular order) RCBS, Hornady, Dillon and Lyman. I like Lee molds, pots and push through sizers. I don't like the Lee scale. I have some Lee dies for lightly used calibers. The Lee dies work fine; but I find surface rust on the dies (doesn't affect function), that I don't find on my other dies.
I would start with a single stage. Even if you progress, you will find many uses for the single stage that will be difficult/impossible with the 550b (I have one). Lee push through sizers or the lead tester won't work on a 550b. Same with pocket swaging tools like the RCBS. If you find that you enjoy reloading, and need to up the volume, then consider the progressive. But you will still find uses for the single stage.
Unfortunately, in todays market, you may have to get what's available. As long as it's not yellow, you should be fine.
I have my favorites and some are different from the favorites of my friends who are very experienced. It's kind of like shoes, it about what fits you best when you need it.
As a side note my favorites have changed over time as I have improved my reloading style. It has caused me to buy and sell some equipment over the years as I find things that work better for me.
I no longer have much brand loyalty but rather design loyalty. I have one type of de-capper that I like best, three brands of threaded die seaters and two brands of arbor seaters I like best etc.
For one chambering I load a lot of on a progressive press, I have five different brand of dies to make it work optimally, the small base sizer for the parent case, a fl sizer for the actual cartridge I'm reloading, powder / bell die, seater and crimp die are all of different manufacture and the assembly works great.
Most products from reputable manufacturers will work, but you may develop preferences over time as I did. Use the tools you have a lot and you will find your way, the journey of learning and experimenting is the most fun for me anyway.
Happy Holiday!!!!
I have my favorites and some are different from the favorites of my friends who are very experienced. It's kind of like shoes, it about what fits you best when you need it.
As a side note my favorites have changed over time as I have improved my reloading style. It has caused me to buy and sell some equipment over the years as I find things that work better for me.
I no longer have much brand loyalty but rather design loyalty. I have one type of de-capper that I like best, three brands of threaded die seaters and two brands of arbor seaters I like best etc.
For one chambering I load a lot of on a progressive press, I have five different brand of dies to make it work optimally, the small base sizer for the parent case, a fl sizer for the actual cartridge I'm reloading, powder / bell die, seater and crimp die are all of different manufacture and the assembly works great.
Most products from reputable manufacturers will work, but you may develop preferences over time as I did. Use the tools you have a lot and you will find your way, the journey of learning and experimenting is the most fun for me anyway.
Happy Holidays!!!!
Only way to have a lee loadmaster is to go to mikesreloadingbench.com Then your just fine unless u want a 6 or 8 station. I have two loadmasters with magic mikes stuff and l have a super 1050 Dillon.
Are you a reloader or precision reloader? There is a big difference. When i first started reloading i purchased a RCBS video featuring David Tubb. He taught me alot about how to reload accurate ammunition.
I like the majority of RCBS stuff, but Redding, Lyman, Hornaday, Lee...they all make something that is a little better than the others.
Rattletrap
You did not say a word about what you actually use your progressive for did you? Please connect the dots - what exactly does shooting .22 rimfire have to do with a progressive loader? Is it just fill for your weak defense?
I shot tens of thousands of rounds of .22 LR before you and the Dillon presses were ever born and I do not think there is any connection.
I also have the same Dillon loader plus many other presses for metallic and shotshells and I have been loading since about the time you were born and before Dillion began marketing anything. Beginners should never start out on a progressive. You are welcome to your opinion but when it deserves comment to the contrary expect it. Since you did not start out on a single stage you really do not know what I am talking about.
Rattletrap
You did not say a word about what you actually use your progressive for did you? Please connect the dots - what exactly does shooting .22 rimfire have to do with a progressive loader? Is it just fill for your weak defense?
I shot tens of thousands of rounds of .22 LR before you and the Dillon presses were ever born and I do not think there is any connection.
I also have the same loader plus many others and I have been loading since about the time you were born and before Dillion began marketing anything. Beginners should never start out on a progressive. You are welcome to your opinion but when it deserves comment to the contrary expect it. Since you did not start out on a single stage you really do not know what I am talking about.
Avoid any equipment you can't afford, reloading is a hobby that supports your shooting needs. If Lee fits your budget, then by all means it works for you. Believe me, you can easily turn out crappy ammo on RCBS, Dillon, and all the rest as well. I purchased a new RCBS RC Supreme and sold it a few months later, the primer catcher is a joke, didn't fit well, missed half the primers, and when trying to remove it, spilled the other half. The next time you talk to RCBS, ask where the castings for their RC presses are made, you probably won't get a straight answer and will be told that their presses are all machined in the USA (machined, not made). If I were starting out today, I would probably look for an older RC press as pictured below, these served me well over the years.
I lack the experience to offer advice on specific equipment but...
Several experienced people have told me to avoid a digital scale unless I was willing to spend enough money to get a good one.
One of the best pieces of "equipment" advice I ever received was about photography but applies to a lot of other endeavors. Buy equipment when you can look at what you have already done and know what you require to do what you actually do better. Buying "more" only makes sense if you are being held back in your endevors by what you have.
Only through research and assessment of your own needs can you decide if more costly is worth it to you. It is worth noting that most major reloading manufactures make good products of known value, if turns out you don't like a piece of equipment you can sell it. resale value is something you can research before purchase and that is a good way to assess "equipment to avoid", if typical used selling price is really poor compared to purchasing new there is a reason for it. Find out that reason before purchasing.
There is generally a reason the paying public will shell out more money for a product. Sometimes it is twice as costly for 20% better quality, which may make sense if you need that enhanced quality. Mechanics pay a premium price for Snap-On tools not because the warranty is better than Craftsman but because even with hard constant use they can't afford the tool failing so they pay for that 20% better quality to avoid ever needing the warranty. Most of us are just fine with Craftsman tools. With equipment it makes a difference if your going to use it 60, 600, 6000, or 60,000 times a year.
People with knowledge and experience often have very different methods or opinions based on that experience. Hard to tell someone that has done it well for several years or thousands of times that their approach or choice of tool is "wrong". Learn why they do what they do from the divergent opinions. Never hurts to know more than one way to skin a cat and why you might want to use a specific tool or approach for that skinning. People put a different values on different aspects.
On reloader vs handloader divergence in this thread, seems to me that fits the definition of distinction without a difference. If I'm not mistaken both are trying to put a little thing that goes pop in one end, a projectile in the other end, with the correct powder load in the middle. Some people may put more emphasis on consistent quality in quantity and others more emphasis on limited production for development or perfection. But clearly both contribute back to the same community, and many do both activities.
Well, I'll jump in where angels fear to tread, I guess. Using the $30 FA digital with success. Do I trust it completely? No, I check it regularly with check weights and a balance beam RCBS. Don't really use a scale much as most of my loading is for handgun with a Little Dandy. Love that thing, BTW. Anyway, used judiciously the digital does it for me. Devil take the hindmost.
If it says Lee Perfect, dont buy or use it, Chinese plastic junk. Well the scale is part metal, but still junk.
My 1958 redding powder drop, and 10-10 scale have outlasted everything Lee makes to date.
These are my experiences FWIW:
Stuff I've bought and returned:
Lee Load-All
Lee Challenger, Reloader, Aluminum Turret Press, some production moulds, Lee Perfect Powder Measure, Lee Safety Scale
Stuff I don't care for personal reasons:
Dillon SDB
Stuff I would buy again:
Dillon 550, CH4D Champion, Redding Ultramag, Forster CO-AX, P/W 375c, a little early to judge my new RCBS Summit press.
Lee custom services stuff like moulds, rifle FCDs, bullet sizers.
JDS Quick Measure and RCBS Charge Master.
RCBS 10-10 scale
K&M tools
Wilson trimmer
Some Sinclair stuff.
Forster dies (I wish they made a larger variety than they carry).
A short list.
Tools are a very personal thing. I have pet peeves against Hornady and RCBS for dropping certain presses over the years like the Big Max and Apex. I miss those. I don't care to tweak, modify or Leementing any tool to work for me. I don't own a turret but I own two presses that accept LNL bushings for case forming duties or the easy to swap die station on the COAX. Lee updated the linkage on the Challenger press. That a good thing as that was the weakest link. The frame withstood tons of duties and the spent primer thing was a joke. Vastly improved on the CC single stage and turret. Not so I see on the Breechlock version. :sigh: Speaking of primer disposal features I like, enter the Champion, COAX, and Ultramag. The Lee universal decapper die I like but limited. Can't decap subcalibers or 475 Linebaugh and the like. Sinclair does it for me.
It's your money folks. I take reviews with a grain of salt and a critical eye. Some of the Midway reviews are pretty far out there and I don't share the same experiences. There is nothing really new, original or innovative in the reloading world. The same basic tools with a twist and a lot of advertising. I want new and exciting. How about a CC shotshell turret press with easy to remove heads like the PW 375 but height of shell can easily be set using a pin on the ram or someway to make it easy. It may have already been done in the past and I'm reinventing the wheel.
Take care and enjoy reloading or handloading, well enjoy the hobby
r1kk1