Lee loader

Why buy new brass when old brass is cheaper? Of course, you probably should tumble it to clean it so there's that upfront cost too.

Anyway, my shortlist:
1. Kinetic bullet puller (looks like a big hammer)
2. Vernier calipers
3. Tumbling equipment, won't need it till you have used brass.

A manual for sure. Or two...or three.

I would definitely pick up a set of scales. I believe you can pick up a Lee scale for around $25.

My brother isn't heavily into reloading and he is able to turn out decent handloads using only a Lee hand press w/dies and a scale.

If you're using just the lee scoops for powder measure you should be ok if you follow their instructions exactly. In fact, I would buy the kit first, go to your car, read the directions for the scoop and look for powder you can use with that scoop, then go back and buy that powder.

You could always pick up a cheap beam scale to verify your scoops too, hell if you lived close I would give you mine, happily so I didn't have to store it!

I would carefully consider your time in loading with the lee classic though and maybe consider going to at least the aniv. kit to a single stage press. It will be more worth your time and could serve you even if you upgrade to a bigger setup. Your classic loader though will have to be replaced if you intend to load more volume and it's just another thing you will store, forever.

I started reloading .38 spl. the same way - for me it was a great introduction to understanding the principles step by step.

I bought an inexpensive digital scale (figured it would be nice to have even if reloading was ultimately not for me) and weighed every charge just for my own peace of mind as a beginner.

The one addition not yet mentioned is a hand priming tool like the Lee Auto-Prime XR. I would consistently 'pop' about 10-20% of my primers seating them in once-fired brass with a hammer, and now ruin less than 2% when pushing them in. Also a Lee primer pocket cleaning tool is an inexpensive but useful tool.

Working on a tight budget, I tried to add items that would still be useful if and when I expanded my operation. It is hard to stop spending money once you get started with reloading, but the rewards of 'doing it yourself' are tangible. Always keep "Safety" in mind and enjoy your new hobby.

Get the Vernier calipers. Can get them sometimes for $12 at Harbor freight or northern. tools.

If you don't have those, you will be forced to use bullets always with cannelures and you have to crimp into the cannelures. Now that's pretty much what I always use anyway for 38 spc but it would be nice to have the option. You'll need them for other calibers

The kinetic bullet puller is an absolute must. Without it you'll be tempted to fire assembled rounds that you aren't really comfortable with.

For 38 special, I use win 231.

I use A lee loader set for Mosin-Nagant. I've never used one for a pistol cartridge yet, But I bet they work fine. Probably many others like me, have one or two lee beam scales still sitting around unused. You just offer somebody five bucks or so and you'll probably get a set. However I just got a little digital scale almost pocket-sized for 30 bucks, that I really really like.

The Lee loader will steer you towards safe, conservative loads. 38 special is real easy to reload.

Be careful, this is addictive! I reload about seven calibers now.

One other tip! Do Not Use a steel hammer. Buy a cheap mallet, many are available with tubber on one end and harder plastic on the other. If you have a Harbor Freight nearby you can pick one up foe 2/3 bucks.

If you get Lee dies you will have a shell holder. If anyother make sure to pick one up. Ibought a set of dies and got ready to load and RCBS does not come with shell holder. I only bought them because they was out of Lee dies and its a 1.5 round trip drive.
Didn't see or notice a priming tool. Not sure of classic press as I got anniversary kit. If you buy a priming tool (hand prime) get shell holders for that.
Lee beam scale was all I used for 1st 3 years till wife got me a digital. Worked great for me.
Lee powder dump. Have 2 myself.

Skip the Lee Loader and get the Hand Press. It's only $30 and loads literally everything. I use it for 9mm, 45acp, 223, x39 and 30-06.

The kit also comes with the excellent Ram Prime. I tried using a hand primer with terrible results.

You'll need a beam scale and dial calipers. I found a good old Redding beam scale on Ebay for $25.

Cabela's has the Lee 50th anniversary kit for 109.00, it includes the safety primer and scale + a few other things. That and a manual, powder, bullets, caliper will get you going (+ brass) . That's what I started with before I got my Dillon. Works well I still have it mounted to my bench for those trial loads.

Skip the Lee Loader and get the Hand Press. It's only $30 and loads literally everything. I use it for 9mm, 45acp, 223, x39 and 30-06.

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Only true after you buy the dies for each caliber, for an additional $33 to $42 dollars. Prices from Midway.

I tried using a hand primer with terrible results.

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What possible problems could you have with a hand primer? Please explain.

I can confidently claim I can reload as fast with a Lee Loader than I can fumbling around with a hand loader. Especially when trying to reload 30/06 or 30 cal. carbine.

Nothing at all wrong with a Lee Loader to start out with, I only wish I had one for each caliber I reload for.
BTW I reload 42 different calibers at present, that may all change at the next gun show.

In fact, I would buy the kit first, go to your car, read the directions for the scoop and look for powder you can use with that scoop, then go back and buy that powder.

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This!!!!

Without a powder scale & a reloading manual, you are at the mercy of whatever kind of powder the Lee scoop scoops.

And it may or may not be Unique.
And it won't be right, even if it is.

You really need a set of scales to find out what the scoop is really scooping.
And how consistent you can scoop it the same each time.

rc

Item for Your List

I would get the Book/Manual written by Richard Lee, the title is
Modern Reloading Second Edition Richard Lee
The reason I think you should consider this book is he goes into detail about how the Lee Reloading equipment was designed to work and why the Lee Dies are made like they are. In my opinion this is a good read with a lot of insight of the evolution of Lee stuff in general.
I also believe that the RCBS collet bullet puller is a requirement!! It will cost a bit more than the kinetic bullet pullers, but it is well worth the money.
Also you should consider more Reloading Manuals, all will contain valuable information about powder selection and safe practices involved in reloading safely. If you read the Lee Modern Reloading, you will have more than enough information as to what is necessary and what is a luxury like electronic scales and such.
I started with 2 calibers I wanted to reload, I am now up to 7 calibers and considering more. But this will go a long way in getting started safely reloading.

I use Lee Classic Loader kits in .38 spl., .45 Auto Rim, .223, .30-30, .30-06, and .303. I think they're great.

I did buy a scale when I started, checked my scooped loads, and have relied on the scoops ever since.

Agree that the Lee Modern Reloading book is a must...read it front to back, and then when you've been loading for a year, go back and read it again. You'll be amazed how much of it went over your head the first time. A lot of good sense.

Agree with getting the Lee Auto Prime hand priming tool. I never got comfortable with whacking primers.

Agree with getting a good caliper and a bullet-puller.
You'll need a case trimming tool, and a primer pocket cleaning tool, too.

One of the great advantages of the Classic Loader is you can fit your whole reloading setup into an ammo box. I take mine outside and load on my truck tailgate when the weather's nice, in a breeze under a shade tree when it's hot, down in the cellar when it's raining or snowing, and on the dining room table when my wife's working the evening shift at the hospital.

Compare the COMPLETE setup

The Lee Loader is inexpensive, all right. All you need to add is a mallet (wood, rubber, plastic, rawhide, even brass, but not steel).

But with only the one dipper to mete powder, you are SEVERLY limited in flexibility of choosing powders or power level. Add a set of dippers for $15

Without a scale to verify the amount of powder you are actually getting from your dippers, you are at the mercy of the table that is supposed to tell you the weigh of what powder each dipper drops. But the table is notorious for under-reporting the weight. But you can't count on it. Add a scale for $25 for the Lee Safety Scale andup to $100 for one that is easier to operate.

Add a manual for $30. Without one you are playing with fire, literally. You can get by with the $10 "One book, one caliber" book for 38 Special, but it is better to have a manual which also describes the loading process. Better to have both.

So, your $30 Lee Loader has turned into an investment of

$30 Loader
3 mallet
$15 Dippers
$25 Scale
$40 2 Manuals
$17 Hand primer (not necessary, but good to have)
$130

Or you could get a Lee Press $30
Set of dies $30
Scale $25
Manuals $40
carriage bolts to mount the press on a piece of wood $3
Dippers $15
Hand Primer $17 (only necessary with the cheapest Lee presses. Other Lees can primer on-press)
$170.

For $40 more you are set up to load much more comfortably (if not for you, for the people who have to put up with all the banging and the unnerving experience of watching someone whacking live ammunition with a "hammer")

I used to wedge a 30" piece of 2x6 on which my press was mounted into the drawer of an end table. The scale sat on the coffee table and I could load 50 rounds an hour quietly and comfortably.

The difference in storage space is not that much. A medium size toolbox 24" x 10" x 10" will hold press, scale, dippers, dies and the 2x6 (cut short enough)easily. Mounting the thing with a belt or a "C" clamp onto a (padded) coffee table or onto a folding workbench is easy.

Just a thought. $40 difference on a $130 to $170 investment is cheap in the long run. Adding another caliber is only another $35 for the dies, everything else works with any caliber.

Lost Sheep

Its a great way to start out.
I started reloading wiht a .45acp loader and maybe 2 months later I was comfortable enough with the steps I ponied up for the aniversery kit (well worth the 120$) and a set of .45 dies and have not looked back. Now i just gotta work up the guts to try my hand at reloading .223

If you try it and decide reloading isnt for you your only out the better part of 80 bucks instead of 150$+

Wow. I have been reloading for a while now having started from scratch with a soup to nuts LCT setup. But reading this thread gives me a whole new appreciation of the caliber of reloaders on the forum and reminds me why I came here first when I was starting out. Great advice all.

Loader vs Press

Despite having a press and dies, I also have a Lee Loader for almost every caliber I shoot.

You will be happy. I also predict you will keep it no matter what else you add.

Enjoy.

I forgot to add earlier; Welcome to reloading and thanks for asking our advice.

Lost Sheep

I also own a LOT of the Lee loaders but they are severely limited when you do not have a set of scales to be able to make custom loads IMHO. Still they will make limited spec accurate ammo for a great price. The lee loader, properly selected propellant, primers, bullet mold, lead, brass, and small melting pot with spoon would make a great ammo resupply for minimal space/weight. I always picture in my mind the cowboys sitting around the campfire after eating at night making their replacement ammo before ending their days work

Now would you let us know when you get dies and such for the press you were given?? I will be interested in how long you wait to do it.

As someone who just got into reloading this year, I'll pass along advice that I got:

Buy a reloading manual that is very complete. Buy two. (I got Speer and Hornady manuals, but lots of others are good.)

Read them. Read every word before the specific cartridge sections, and then read a bunch of the cartridges. Read the one(s) you're planning to load about 15 times.

Then, and only then, buy or open or set up your reloading gear. Begin by reading and rereading the instructions for each piece of gear a bunch of times. Be especially thorough in reading the die instructions, since (at least with Lee), that's where the step-by-step stuff comes in.

Get the components you want to use. The EXACT components called for in the manual. Don't substitute brands. Do it BY THE BOOK.

Then take samples of those components. Measure the brass. Weigh the brass. Understand the weight variance of the brass, and the length variance. Same with the bullets. Knowing this will help you do QC on your loaded ammo, because you will be able to know the "window" of weights that a finished round ought to fall within.

GO SLOW. It may take you all night to make your first .38 round. (It did for me.) Make perfection with each cartridge. If it doesn't look right, feel right, etc., pay attention to your instincts. Stop or start over.

(BTW, the instructions won't necessarily tell you to back out the bullet-seater adjustment screw all the way when you install the bullet seater die. If you don't do this, you may end up seating your first bullet flush with the case mouth, like I did! That round was garbage, obviously, and part of why it took me all night to make my first cartridge!)

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the Lee Loader except that they don't cost $9.95 like they did when I got mine.
And there isn't the variety made now that there used to be. Too bad.
Good safe loads can be done just with what's supplied, but most guys will start adding stuff. Scales, trimmers, hand primers, etc; but to get started they aren't needed.
From some of the replies here it also sounds like a lot of people don't even know what the tool is.