need opinions on a reloading kit before i buy it

Dependable? Oh yes.

Quality? Definitely.

Let me also add they have amazing customer service.

As far as the price, I have no idea.

Most beginner kits are pretty similar. Really depends on what color you want to decorate your garage. (RCBS and Redding are green, Hornady and Lee are red, Dillon is blue, etc).

I would suggest a load manual if it doesn't come with one.

Awesome setup! They are quality tools that will last a lifetime. I have a RCBS Model A2 press that is about 60 years old that was my Dad's. I still use it!

Is it available online? or in a brick & mortar store?

The reason I ask is, if it's online, posting a link might help everyone else here to evaluate what it comes with, and doesn't come with. If it's a local store deal, post the components you remember/know, and everyone can fill you in on what else you might need, and also what you might want. A wise person on this forum once remarked that "You can make this as simple or complex a hobby as you want to", and I've pretty much come to accept that as the gospel truth ( as I continue to add various tools and gadgets to my cave!)

The necessities are posted in a sticky at the top of the forum. I think the majority of the folks here would recommend either buying or checking out from the library a copy of "The ABC's of Reloading". It will guide you in not only what you need, but why you need it, and why you perform certain steps, in certain order.

If I could add one book to the list, it would be "The Precision Shooting Reloading Guide".

ENjoy!

-tc

Not to take over the OP's thread, D.C. here is a link to the kit from Midway. I have posted a thread recently about starting to reload and this kit was highly recommended.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=646599

RCBS is great stuff, and I have a few friends that use it. I however think there are brands out there that are just as good, for less money. Personally, I got my Lee startup kit, .223, and 9mm die sets, and a couple more little things for about $209 shipped. I got it all off *gasp* eBay. I found a great seller with 100% feedback, and never looked back. I have made two more orders from them since then.

http://stores.ebay.com/the4sportsmen <-- give 'em a look.

Also, manuals, manuals, manual. I get quie a few off Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Abcs-Reloadin...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291003281&sr=8-1

That is the kit I got a little over a month ago. I love it, simple as that. I also am a newbie when it comes to reloading.

I'm sure it'll do dandy for you, especially with rifle ammo. But if you're wanting to load a lot of pistol rounds, you'll most likely find yourself wanting a turret or progressive press in the near future. I do rifles on my turret, but tend to do a lot of them single-stage style. But pistol rounds get cranked out as fast as I can go. I'd scare myself with a progressive, I don't shoot up the ammo that I can load now with my Lee Turret. With a Dillon I'd end up with more ammo than I could shoot in a lifetime. Wife already thinks I'm nuts.

I have one, and I like it quite a bit. People that have other brands like them too, FWIW. All the companies seem to have great service.

Not sure on the price - I think I just saw one for 279 or thereabouts. I don't recall from where though. Maybe Midsouth or Natchez. ETA: price seems good for a local store.

ETA: Yes, provided you follow the rules, reloading is safe indoors. If you have young kids, it may be wise to lock that door, just in case they decide to see what spent primers taste like.

Regarding the press, as already said, RCBS makes good stuff, as do many others.

On the price, I'd consider the $20-40 premium for a local purchase a wash, considering shipping, and the good will with the shop that you buy it from, if it's a local store where you plan on picking their brains for tips occasionally.

For new guys I recommend the Lee Turret. Easy to learn on and can put out a fair amount of ammo quickly. You can use it as a single stage to learn the process. Probably best to get a manual first and study it. They are all good but the Lyman is best for a new guy, IMHO. You cant go wrong with the RCBS stuff either. I used a single stage for many years and still have the Rock Chucker I bought in 1972. One thing I did not see with the kit was a case trimmer. Lee has an inexpensive one that works OK.

The RCBS stuff is good stuff... had that same basic setup since 1969.

Jimmy K

heres another big consern i have

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i dont have a garage or shop.will it be safe for me to convert one of our spare rooms into a reloading room?we dont smoke in the house,and every thing is total electric.

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Fear not. The biggest danger is you'll have a powder measure full of powder, but setting fire to it would take a serious effort. Primers very rarely go off by accident, never happened to me and I've literally crushed quite a few of them by getting in a hurry. Keep the powder jug lid on, no smoking or open flames nearby, you'll be fine.

Gunpowder doesn't explode either, it just burns real fast. Put some in a pile in a metal pie pan sometime and light it with a match, it's kind of anti-climactic really. Black powder and Pyrodex is a different story though.

I second the cautions about kids, don't leave powder & primers out where they can get to them. Kids will hit primers with hammers, and experiment with gunpowder and fire....bad juju. My grandson decided to "help me out" once and made some .45 rounds for me when I wasn't in the room. But I had the powder measure turned off, so a couple of rounds had no powder in them. Two squibs and two ruined 1911 barrels later, I figured it out. Now I keep a bike lock cable wrapped around the press when it's set up.

I also recommend the Lee Classic Cast Turret, that's what I use and it's great! I load many different calibers though, and being able to have all my dies setup in turrets for quick changes is very handy. The press you're looking at, you can only use one die at a time and only do one operation at a time. This is perfectly fine if you're after precision rifle ammo, or only want to do small quantities. But it's a slow way to go for larger quantities. Even if you get a Dillon progessive later on, you'll always have a use for the single-stage press, trust me!

Beware that reloading can be just as addictive as shooting itself! It doesn't take much space to do it either, a spare room will be dandy. Most important is comfort and good lighting, stay away from breezes (they'll mess with your scales), and some storage space is very nice. I use an old 4-drawer filing cabinet that locks, you can put a LOT of stuff in one of those! And I'm a redneck, I can re-use just about any discarded crap for shelving or storage. Here's my little corner "gun shop".

Mr Welding -

I usually try to avoid naming or recommending press brands, but since you've already spotted this one locally, I have to tell you the RCBS is truly one of the better kits. You can get a cheaper press kit, but over the next 10 years you'll be replacing all the plastic accessories that come with those type kits. So over time you actually end up spending more when you buy the lower cost kit.

If you're convinced that reloading is for you, then you probably can't do better than the Rock Chucker for several reasons...
• As others have said, you'll be using that setup for the next 25+ years. The press is that robust and comes with the highest grade accessories possible. They'll be no costly upgrades down the road. I'm still using a 1973 Uniflow and 5-0-5 scale.
• By buying locally your dealer can steer you to other reloaders that can mentor you. Reloading is not "hard" but there are several places where you need to know "tricks" that you can best learn by seeing. So a "reloading buddy" is very handy. And then, you'll always need something on Sunday evening after all the stores close. It never fails.

All the best.

I got a rockchucker kit 10 years ago.

I still use the scale, powder measure, and chamfering tool.

The rest of the stuff gathers dust.

I recently purchased the same kit and I don't have any complaints, but I'm a noob to reloading so that probably isn't saying much

One thing I will say is that Cabela's has that same kit on sale for $269

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shooting/Reloading/Presses-Dies|/pc/104792580/c/104761080/sc/104516280/RCBS-RC-Supreme-Master-Reloading-Kit/728426.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fshooting-reloading-presses-dies%2F_%2FN-1100195%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104516280

My Rockchuck kit hails from about 30 years ago. I've never had to replace a part, any part, ever. It has reloaded: .32acp, 380acp, 9mm Luger, .38s spl, .357 S&W Mag, 40 S&W, .45acp, .45 Colt, .222 rem, .308 Win, .30-06 Spr & 8mm Mauser (7.92). I might'a forgotten one or two, but you get the picture.

Roger

Santa is bringing one for Christmas to reload .223 and .308.

bds said:

Santa is bringing one for Christmas to reload .223 and .308.

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Wait a darn minute. How do you know what santa is bringing you for Christmas? Did you sleep with one of his elfs?

Looks like a great starting kit.

A calipers isn't included. You absolutely want one to check the Over All Length (OAL).

Wait a darn minute. How do you know what santa is bringing you for Christmas? Did you sleep with one of his elfs?

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I am building a "woman cave" for my wife for Christmas and I guess it earned enough "good boy" credit! It's framed, sided and roofed.
Rudolph hinted that if I get the room wired, insulated, drywalled, and painted by Christmas, Santa may toss in a Hornady LNL AP too!

As to OP, it is a great kit. I highly recommend it.

Ya ain't responded yet GP (?). Unless you found contrary advise somewhere else I'm guessing you're either on your way back from Anderson or sitting in a corner counting pennies .
If you do head over to Grady's give me a shout. I want to ask you a favor of scouting their powder selection for me. Maybe even picking up a pound for me if you're going to combine trips and swing through here on your drive.

ETA: bds- best of luck on that LNL. I'm really happy with mine. And the red would be so "seasonal", how could she not?!?

You are right, green and red are the perfect seasonal colors.