[stageman]

What would it take to put together a rig to hand load both .45acp and 8mm mauser? I am not looking for a high volume set up, just 50 rounds or so at a time?

[Hunterdad]

I've been looking at the LEE Anniversary set-up. Great reviews on it and has just about everything to get started.

[Centurian22]

I've been looking at starting to reload myself.
First: read all the sticky's in the reloading section.
Second: buy or borrow a copy of "ABC's of Reliading" and read it all the way through.
Third: try and find someone who can actually show you how the whole process works and let you use their equipment to get a feel for it.
Fourth: shop around ALOT and figure out just where YOUR balance of cost, value, quality, and longevity lies.

The lee kits look great but the press is aluminum, after trying out a cast iron and steel press I'm making myself save up to afford the better press to know it will last and stay solid (not to say the aluminum ones are bad in any way or wouldn't most likely last many many years themselves). If you're confident that 50 rds at a time will be enough you should be fine with a single stage. I was going to get a kit but have since leaned more towards piecing it all together myself so I get exactly what I want and nothing I don't. Piecing it together also let's me get started (very basically) at a slightly lower cost than the kit I was looking at.

My personal Minimum: Press, Scale, Dies, Calipers, case trimmer (at least for rifle and in the case of lee it will be two parts the 'cutter and lock stud' and the 'shell holder and length gage') and the chamfer deburring tool. Preferred optional equipment: bullet puller, powder measure, primer pocket cleaner (though I must say a thick stranded copper wire works really well), and more manuals.

Best of luck.

[ColtPythonElite]

The Lee Anniversary kit is tough to beat. I know several satisfied users.

[mgmorden]

Lee Aniversary Kit is what I started with. I've replaced and added a few pieces from that, but for the most part I'm still loading with that equipment 9 years later. That plus 2 die sets and a tumbler will have you well under $200 total to get started.

[nickn10]

I've been using the same Lee turret press for the last 25 years. The only changes I had to make was to replace the three hole set up with a 4 hole set up. The press works as good as it did when I bought it. I reload 223, 308 and 30-06 rifle, 38, 357, 40 S&W and 45ACP pistol. A very conservative guess is probably 25k- 30k rounds through this press. I usually re-load anywhere from 20 to 100 rounds at a time, no big hurry on my part. Now that I'm retired I shoot more often, usually twice a week and shoot 50 rounds each of the 40 and 45, maybe 50 a month with my Mini 14 and just check sight in on my 308, 5 rounds once a month. Sold the 06. I have a tumbler,scale and use the Lee auto powder measure as well, it's simple and works great.
Nick

[Steel Horse Rider]

As others have said, do your research first, then be patient in your search for equipment. I started with an older Pacific (now Hornady) press and powder measure that I found at a garage sale for $25 or so, and a RCBS trimmer and scale that I found at a flea market. My nephew wanted to get into reloading so I eventually bought myself a RCBS Rockchucker press and gave the Pacific to my nephew. The rest I am still using. I bought the Rockchucker mostly because I reload a lot of .30 caliber rifle stuff and I felt the extra stiffness was warranted. Good luck.

[stageman]

Wow! Thanks for all the responses. I tend to really over accessorize when I get into something so this information might help me keep it real.

[RandyP]

For the low volumes of pistol ammo and some rifle ammo you will NOT be able to beat the $$$ deal buying a Lee Anniversary breech lock single stage kit. Add some Harbor Freight calipers ($10), components, dies and extra bushings (I put a bushing on every die I used to keep the setting.) and you would be good to go. A reloading manual is good too but for just two calibers there is online data that is also valuable.

THe Lee is built to last a lifetime and is stronger than it needs to be to reload ammo. Single stage is a great way to learn without investing a lot of $$$ into a new hobby you may or may not end up enjoying.

[helotaxi]

If you break one of the Lee "O-frame" presses, you're doing something wrong. I just replaced mine after processing literally thousands of pieces of brass from .223 to 7mm WSM and other than the wooden knob coming off the handle (which was easily and permanently fixed with a little love from a large mallet) it never gave me a moments trouble. I replaced it simply because I wanted a nicer press that could give me a little more press stroke and more leverage for my upcoming foray into the .338LM and making setting the shoulder back on the WSM a little easier.

[jcwit]

Here is a good "kit" set up, you can use it as a single stage or a turrent as you gain experience.

https://fsreloading.com/lee-deluxe-4-hole-turret-press-kit-90928.html

Add a couple of die sets that you wish to reload for and you should be all set with quality equipment for much less than $200.

[Centurian22]

Be sure to look at the difference between the anniversary kit and the regular challenger breech lock kit. The only difference is that the anniversary kit primes on the press with the 'safety prime' system and the non-anniversary primes off the press with a hand primer (the 'auto prime'). Again I thought I was leaning towards priming on press until I got to try it out and learned I much prefer the feel of 'hand priming'. Plus by having the hand primer I can trim, chamfer, deburr, prep and prime my brass all while sitting in the livingroom with my wife instead of "exiling" myself to the basement.

Just wanted you to be aware of the two different methods if you were not already.

[stageman]

Centurian- Good to know, Thanks.

[Lost Sheep]

A single stage press will let you load 50 per hour easily, but once you start loading you may want to raise your production rate. If so, jcwit's suggestion of a turret is a good one, but the Lee Deluxe Turret used in the kit to which he linked is inferior the the Lee Classic Turret. The Classic's opening is a full inch taller, which you will appreciate with your rifle round.

Check the kit offered by Kempf's Gun Shop online. It includes dies. But not the Lee scale (which some find a challenge to use and wind up swapping out later).

The Challenger kit meets your needs ideally, but the Classic press is cast iron (where the Challenger is aluminum) so I would go for that, despite the slightly higher cost. You have your lifetime to recoup the price difference.

Good luck and thanks for asking our advice.

Lost Sheep

[Steve CT]

I was ready to go single stage, but went with this instead:

http://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/23840/inline/1

Lee Classic Turret Kit,for several reasons:

1) Very strong and durable, many people have reloaded thousands of rounds for quite a few years
2) I like setting up my dies once, locking them into the turret plate, and switching out easily for caliber changes
3) I batch load, so the auto index is usually disabled, but I CAN auto index for production loading if I want to
4) This is a good starter kit for under $200, with lot's of flexibility for the future

[stageman]

Once again, I am reminded how awesome HighRoad members are. Thanks for all of the advice (keep it comin' :) )

[Ex]

I got a Dillon RL 500B (used) with tons of accessories for $350. LOVE this press!

With the quick change avail in Dillon press's, it's tough to beat. Takes me 30 secs to change from 9mm to 10mm, or .40 to .45 etc.

Watch this short video from Hickok45
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irC3NuIKDm4&feature=related

[blarby]

I've been looking at the LEE Anniversary set-up. Great reviews on it and has just about everything to get started.

Right there. ^^^

I added a decent tumbler, an RCBS trim mate, and various hand tools....in that order.

Don't let anyone knock it if ya choose it- you can turn out great stuff with what comes in that box.

That set paid for itself the first day I used it....

[oneounceload]

Look on Craigs List, and Ebay and similar places for good USED equipment - you'll get better equipment for equal or less money

[ArchAngelCD]

I use a Lee 4 hole Classic Turret press and I'm very happy with it. You can pump out 180-200 rounds/hour of handgun ammo and remove the auto-index rod and use it as a single stage press when loading rifle ammo.

Post #11 makes a good suggestion on which to buy if you follow the link. Be sure to buy the Classic, not Deluxe press because the Classic is a much better press made with a cast iron base for not a lot of additional cost.

[GLOOB]

Another +1 on the Lee Anniversary kit. I've been using mine for almost two years, in 8 calibers, and I have no problem keeping all my firearms fed. When I'm not using it, it disappears on a shelf. My die sets take up more space.

[Nappers]

I see a lot of reloading stuff on EvilBay and Craigslist.

Get a press cheap, the dies you need then the componets you need.

But the above suggestions are great too!

[FROGO207]

If you are patient you can pick up all the things that you want used through the various swap and sell forums. Almost everything I have is purchased used at less than 1/2 the regular price on average. I did buy some stuff new mainly because I did not want to wait for it to come up. Mostly this was the dies and Lee case trimmer kits so I could load that caliber right then.:D Do not let anyone fool you there are a ton of things you CAN purchase over time to HELP you reload with less effort/more accuracy but the basics will always be what you require to do it safely and accurately. That said I reload from .25 ACP to 500 NE and there are 38 different calibers in between. Try to find some ammo for a 33 Winchester, 45-120, or a 25-20 Single Shot anywhere.:eek: I have no problems with those.:) I can reload a box of full house 44 MAG for around $8.00 per 50 with 240 grain JHP's. I started reloading on my grandfathers press in 1968 and now have more than 15K conservatively estimated in reloading and casting gear/supplies and STILL do not own or want a progressive press.:D
Good luck keeping the reloading monster in check.:evil: