Reloading on a budget

The Lee Breech lock kit is a good inexpensive starter kit.
http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/7524

You'll want a calipers for measuring the ammo.
Reloading dies
Powder
Primers
Brass cases.

Try to find a local gun club.
I'd bet there are lotsa people that would enjoy helping out a new person.

Welcome to the High Road!

Welcome.

You'll want to have some reloading manuals on hand - Speer, Hornady, Lyman. Any of these (or all of them) will all do the trick.

Bare minimum?

Depending on caliber - - Lee Loader Approx $30.00 You will need one for every caliber just like you will need dies for every caliber.

Manual - - - - approx. $20.00

If loading only 1 caliber that is as low as you can go.

Here is an excellent article on Handloading on a Shoestring. http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/51 The prices quoted have gone up, but still way under $100.00. Manuals are a must and a beam scale to verify the dipper charges. Loading rifle rounds you'll need some tool to measure over all cartridge length (I'd suggest dial calipers). You could leave out the Lee Manual (I don't care for it and there are others that are better; Lyman 49th), the case lube (you can find some good replacements at your local drug store) and the cartridge box (replace it with a loading block and store your reloads in a zip-lok bag). I started with a bit less than the Bare Bones set (a Lee Loader and a mallet) and progressed quickly.

Even though I now own 3 presses, a dozen die sets, and 1.4 tons of tools and equipment for reloading I still have 5 Lee Loaders. Whenever I fee "retro" or don't want to re-set a press, I'll grab one and pound out a few rounds...

IMO a lee kit as it will have nearly everything you need except a decent deburring/champfering tool and no caliber and no dies. 2-300 ish will get you started realistically.

You'll need:
Press
Dies
Brass trimmer
caliper
scale
debur/champfer tool
book/load data
Some way to prime either on or off press
lube
Tumbler or some other way to clean brass (i've heard a mesh bag and a clothes washer works)
Probably missing something.

A lee loader works great, I use one sometimes for 44 mag just for kicks and giggles. But for Rifle they only neck size so you can really only shoot brass that was from your gun and at some point will want to full length resize. You can bang out ammo quicker than you would think and it's fun.

The bare minimum can be used RCBS kit. Have a look at what comes with the beginner's kits and add a Lyman manual(more versatile than any powder or bullet maker's book) plus a tumbler(that can be home made without much fuss), a trimmer and chamfer/deburring tool.
Buying used is not like buying a used car. It takes a great deal of abuse to damage modern reloading kit and RCBS' warrantee is valid for used kit.
Absolute bare minimum is the Lee Loader jcwit talks about. Don't use the silly scoops though. Buy a scale.

I have the breechlock press. I've loaded 2000ish .45 rounds, 100 or so 30-30 and a few hundred 9mm. Lee stuff works well.

This kit has everything you need to reload except for the dies.

https://fsreloading.com/lee-precision-breech-lock-challenger-50th-anniversary-kit-90050.html

1. SS press : $40-120?

2. Set of 25-06 dies for your rifle: $20-35?

3. Shellholder for that caliber (Lee dies come with the shellholder)

4. Scale that is accurate to about 0.1 grains is nice. And accurate at very small weights. (A grain is 1/7000th of a pound, and there are 15.4 grains in a gram). For rifle you could probably get away with 0.1 gram resolution IF you verify the accuracy and only use the scale to calibrate a dipper or a powder measure. And if you're ok with doing the conversions! Since you probably don't have any accurate weights in the 10-30 grain range, you could use, say, nickels to verify accuracy in the 75+ grain area of your scale, and then weigh only the sum of multiple charges to get into the verified range of your scale. A nickel weighs 5.0 grams. But that's even more inconvenient, lol. If you want to weigh every charge, you will need a good loading scale.

5. Calipers are almost necessary and they only cost $10.00. You might get by without them, if you use, say, a Lee trimmer that is already setup to the right length. And if you don't run into any problems with your reloads. But if you run into an issue, you will be in the dark, somewhat.

6. Some way to prime your cases. Most presses can also prime, but some of the cheaper ones can't. So it's a false economy, since you have to buy more stuff to prime the cases, such as a hand priming tool or a ram-priming setup.

7. For bottle neck rifle cases, such as 25-06, you need a way to trim the cases. I suggest a Lee trimmer and 25-06 guide/holder for your motives. Another $12.00 to $15.00 or so, for those two items. And you will want a cordless drill if you go with the Lee, so that's assuming you have one.

8. Some case lube for sizing your cases. But I've heard that ivory soap works.

9. Some way to get the powder into the little 25 caliber necks. If you buy a powder measure, you don't need a funnel. If you want to use a dipper, you are going to need one.

10. Powder measure. If you're handy, you can make dippers by cutting down spent cases. But you can buy a powder measure for $35 and up.

11. Definitely add a chamfer tool to your cart.

If you add it all up, a Lee Breechlock kit might be cheaper. I dunno.

As far as presses are concerned, and considering you'll be initially loading bottle neck, I would go with an "O" frame single stage. A used RCBS is fine, and even if it should need refurbishing, RCBS will take care of you.

Scale
FL Die set
Scoop kit for dispensing the powder into the scale
Powder funnel
Loading tray
Triimmer - Lee trimmer and case length gauge kit is very inexpensive, and a good trimmer.
Ream / Chamfer tool - RCBS makes a good one
Priming tool - If the press has an arm, you'll need nothing more. Other wise, you can use an RCBS priming die, and there are also various other priming tools available, I prefer the priming die myself.
Tumbler- Harbor Freight has some inexpensive one's
Dial caliper - HF also has this tool, very inexpensive also
Case Lube - I use Dillon Spray on, but there are lots of other options, all are good.
Books - It's wise to have at least a couple good reloading manuals. Focus on instructional types, Speer, Hornady, and Sierra are all good. Don't focus your choice so much on data, that is readily available online.

We are here to help answer any questions you may have, and welcome to the world of reloading!

GS

You might check EBAY for a few good used presses and dies, check your LGS's for powder, primers, bullets, the rest you can generally find on e-bay.

If I were on a tight budget and wanted to get started I'd buy that kit that jcwit posted the link to. I have a Lee aluminum press and I actually use it as often as I do the RCBS press. It is a good inexpensive piece of equipment.

Lee dies are good too and cost less than the others.

I do not have any Lee presses, except several of the old Lee loaders that you use a mallet with, but I personally know of other reloaders that use them all the time.
Their reloads come out looking just like mine and work just as good.

So if lower cost reloading equipment is needed, the Lee presses should do just fine.
I also feel that it's more the operator and reloading procedures than the color of press you use.
Some presses have more gadgets for them or on them, I would not consider using any of the press mounted priming systems mainly because I like to FEEL as the primer is being inserted....I can tell if the primer is being installed correctly if I can feel how much pressure is being applied.
Thats why I like the short handled low leverage of the rcbs bench priming tool.
Plus it's easier on my bum hand and fingers than a hand primer.
But thats just me and my problems. YMMV

TxD

Take the average of what everyone said here, then add 150$.

Buy the rock chucked kit if you dont like reloading you can sell it for about $20.00 less then you paid or buy used and you can sell it for the price you paid.

^^^ Provided he can FIND a used press/tools within a reasonable length of time. But used was the way I got started a long time ago. I learned from my grandfather when I was grade school age and used his tools until I had a job and then bought things piecemeal over a few years to start on my own. The NRA magazines have a coupon for the Harbor Freight digital calipers for total cost of $10 or so in them often. IMHO If you enjoy applying yourself to a project and can follow basic instructions(assemble a model/or large puzzle/cook a good meal using a cookbook) without frustration reloading is for you. You will be able to make premium, accurate ammo (with a short learning curve) with your choice of components for less than factory even when factory is not available. OR you can shoot lots more for the same cost as buying factory made stuff. Either way you win.

Looking around on line I was not able to find a Lee Loader in 25-06 so that option may not be open to the OP at this time.

Hondo 60 said:

The Lee Breech lock kit is a good inexpensive starter kit.
http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/...productId/7524

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This is the kit I currently use. Got it a few years ago on sale for less than 100 during the holidays. I have replaced or added redundancies such as an electronic scale. Something that is great to have I haven't seen mentioned is a powder trickler. Very simple device and all the big names make their own version so find whatever is cheapest.

Another idea on the ultimate bare minimum - at your local range and gun stores ask if anyone loads .25-06. If you hit it off with someone maybe you can buy them some powder for payment and they will load you some. You could go watch and learn. You should bring your brass, powder, bullets, and primers. If they don't load .25-06 ask them what type of die they like to use and buy a die set and bring with you.

I bought the RCBS Rockchucker Supreme starters kit, came with most everything. Since I got it I bought:
Case Trimmer
Dies and shell holders
Calipers
Primer Pocket tool
Dillon Case gage for my two bottleneck cases (.223 and .30-06)
Bullet Puller
Powder Trickler

When I started reloading, I got into it for less than $200. I bought the Lee kit and a set of dies for the caliber that made me want to reload to begin with (8x56R), powder, and primers. I already had brass, so if you have to buy that too it adds a little bit of cost. It lasts for a long time though so the cost is well worth it (I'm on like the 8th or 9th load of my original 8x56R brass and I've only lost 1 to a split neck).

It is a hobby that draws people in though. I got started with the intention of loading only 8x56 because ammo was expensive and hard to get. I still bought everything else. Now I've branched out into 10 different calibers (soon to add 458 Socom as soon as I can find some brass), as well as casting my own boolits. If you keep it to one caliber, your costs are pretty low, outside of the initial investment. It does pay for itself pretty quickly if you shoot a lot though.

Lots of good advice. Thought we also had a Sticky here for beginners, but don't see it.

My favorite all around load for many years has been Hornady 120 HP, 52.8gr H4831.

Mike

You can get into a Lee loader setup for around $100.00. Then you will need a die set, and supplies so add another $150.00 for powder, primers, bullets, case lube and a case trimmer. If you find you really like to reload you will upgrade pretty fast. RCBS has a strater kit for around $300.00, but you still need supplies and accessories.

Small scale loading can be done on the cheap. The bare bones system for my bolt action is basically a neck sizer, bullet seater and an arbor press from harbor freight. Powder, primers and even finished rounds are stored neatly in a 5 gallon bucket with a can of damp-rid at 43% humidity. Naturally I've got a few extras like a primer pocket cleaning tool and chamfering tool, calipers, hex bullet comparator, stuff like that. The only area where I would I would NOT recommend skimping is a scale.

Hmmm. I guess my idea of "budget" entry level loading equipment is a lot different than most here ($$$$)...

Hmmm. I guess my idea of "budget" entry level loading equipment is a lot different than most here ($$$$)...

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Ain't that right!!!!

If these folks applied the same logic to their vehicles, Rolls Royce would need to build more plants and have one here in the U.S.