Need a reloading list rundown

Get the Lee Hand Press and a set of dies for each caliber you want to reload. If you buy Lee dies, you will get a shell holder for each caliber with the dies. If you buy another brand, you will need to buy a shell holder for each separately.
I have had a Lee Hand Press for years and still use it for some reloading, though I have a fully equipped bench. It's a good tool.

A case trimmer for the 7.62x39.

Case sizing lube.

A scale. Lee dies come with a dipper, which will work fine, but have a limited powder range, (for the weight of powders vs powder brands). If you have a scale you can load any weight of powder you need.

Get at least one reloading manual. More if you can afford it. If you only get one, by all means make it the Lyman #49.

Bullets.
Powder.
Primers.

These last three will be dictated by the cartridge and the recommendations of the powder manual.

A chamfer tool.

A Lee Auto Prime, RCBS primer, or Ram Prime if you want to prime on the press. (Ram Prime is slow but works fine.)

Dial calipers, to check case length (7.62X39) and OAL (all cartridges).

Probably some other stuff I'm forgetting.

Lee handloader. It will be primarily for 9mm, 45 and possibly 7.62x39,

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The Lee Handloader tool is not capable of full-length sizing. It would be unsuitable for the 7.62x39 for use in a semi-auto rifle.

You need some means to use real reloading dies to full-length size cases.

rc

Just so I didn't confuse the OP, the press I'm referring to is the Lee Hand Press:


It takes regular rifle and pistol dies.

I think rcmodel is talking about the Lee Loader, which as far as I know they do not make, or no longer make, for 7.62X39 anyway.

First purchase:

Eye protection

I bought the Lee Reloader from Midway USA for $23.99. It is a very inexpensive press which will do what you need. However by the time you order one thing at a time, forgetting something in each order, you might be farther ahead to just order one of the reloading kits that each manufacturer sells. Get the big box, open it up, and be ready to go instead of buying individual things like I did.

Craig

before you buy anything,check your area for availability of primers,powder,and maybe bullets.Powder and primers are scarce as hen's teeth in some parts of the ****ry,not so bad in others frome what I have read lately.
I believe there is a 'sticky' at the top of the page for cost calcs on reloading,do the math and decide for your self on savings.A press like you're thinking of is gonna be a slow way to reload compared to some othes,so if your time is limited for reloading,buying ammo might work best for you.Just be sure to save all the brass you can,for 'that day' you decide to reload.

Hey chris in va,
In my opinion, if you're looking for range plinking ammo, I can tell you right now that the hand press is the wrong tool for the job. I would want a bare minimum of a good single-stage press, Lee Classic Cast is a good start. The Lee turret would be a better choice.

I have lots of free time right now, but if I had to load only on a hand press, I'd never make it to the range.

Off the bat, your biggest savings are in casting your own bullets. Your username suggests you're in va; if you are, PM me and I can help you there. I make pistol ammo at the cost of primers and powder; brass and lead are free to me. Given the price of the components when I bought them, I load most pistol rounds between $3 and $4 a box of 100, be it 9mm, 45acp, 44mag, 45colt, what have you.

The Lee starter kit is a great starting point.

Edit: To cut cost, look at prices of bulk powder and primers, even online. Bulk buy is a reloaders friend. My last order was 70 lbs. Buy in bulk when you can.

The bullet puller is your friend. Mine is RCBS. They recently replaced a broken part - no questions asked.



This book is a good start. You should also have at least one loading manual. If you will be using one powder to start, most makers publish recipes on line.

Good luck.

Tom

P.S. Under the heading of "FWIW"... I would go nuts making pistol ammo on a single stage press.....

If you happen to be close to south-central VA PM me. I'm in NC, but I'm only a couple of miles from VA, and I'd be happy to help with ideas and learning the process.

I know your profile says KY, but if the name is more correct than the profile let me know if I can help.

For loading a fair amount of handgun ammo I'd go with some kind of bench mounted press, but there are options, it doesn't have to be a fixed mount in a fixed location.

I would get the LEE challenger kit. It hs most of teh stuff that will be required to load. If you don't want ot have a designated reloading area, then you can mount it to a small peice of wood (2X10X10 would probably be great) then you shold be OK. I use that kit and it works well. I used to just mount hte press to the bench and it didn't work well. I mounted it to a small peice of wood, but I think a bigger peice would be better. I would not load 7.62X39, as there is not a large amount of brass available at a low price, so the cost to reload does not outweigh the factory cost(unless you have brass laying around).