New to reloading- help me buy

[GLOOB]

Difference:

Autoprime = hand primer
Safety Prime = ram priming accessory

I looks like one of those kits comes with the Lee Autoprime XR. This is a hand primer. It comes with a special shellholder kit, just for the priming tool. You put the appropriate shellholder in it, load it up with primers, and then you stick each case in there to prime it by squeezing the handle.

The other kit comes with Small and Large Safety Prime. This attaches to the press and dispenses primers into the ram priming arm, like a little woodpecker Pez dispenser. You raise the ram. A little priming arm drops out of a slot on the right side of the press, by gravity. At the very top of your stroke, you stop and press the Safety Prime, and it places a primer in the cup. Then you lower the ram to seat.

Note that both kits should come with the ram priming arms, and you don't need a Safety Prime to prime on the ram. You can put the primer in by hand. So either choice has just an extraneous bit of optional kit. You can't really go wrong with either.

Personally, I bought the same kit, but back when it only came with the Lee Autoprime (original, not the XR). And I don't use it. I prime on the ram. But I don't think I'd use the Safety Prime, either.

Upgrades?
To this day I haven't upgraded anything, except the powder funnel. But I didn't like any of the others, either; had to make my own. I still use the press, the trimming system, powder dispenser, and scale. Have made something like 6 thousand rds on it, so far. Well, I guess I upgraded the Lee trimmer shellholder with a Lee Zip trim chuck and spindle.

3 die vs 4 die:
Personally, I have only really used the FCD on my 40SW set. That was to debulge brass, and it was very good for that.

 

[Lost Sheep]

"New to reloading- help me buy"

A loading manual is NOT optional. And no noob needs, or will benefit, from more than one; the confusion factor of the differences in mulipule books vastly out weighs any illusions of "help". I used ONE manual fot the first five years I loader amd never felt I needed another until new powders and cartridges were introduced. I have about two dozen NOW but I have enough experience that the ever present differences don't bother me.

I won't tell you "what I use and love" because your needs are different from mine and I know it. I will tell you some things to cut through the fog of conflicting advise tho.
(edited for brevity)

I agree with every point you made (post #15) but one.

Multiple manuals. Yes, the different load data can be confusing until you realize they are being tested in different chambers/barrels and using different brass and primers, not to mention the bullets may be made of different hardnesses, too.

I recommend multiple manuals ESPECIALLY for beginners because the early chapters of most manuals have descriptions of the loading process. Reading descriptions from different authors, with different writing styles and different areas of emphasis, in my opinion, makes the student of reloading more well-rounded. Also, some writing styles may "speak" to the reader better than others.

Thanks for reading and for considering my opinion.

Lost Sheep

 

[Warp]

I will get the Speer manual and I have The ABC's of Reloading, 6th edition (bought it way back when I first realized I would want to reload some day, lol), is there any manual that would make a good second purchase given those two?

/small thread detour

 

[Lost Sheep]

Modern Reloading by Richard Lee. The load data is on the light side, mostly and the prose is self-aggrandizing but there is a LOT of deep information that will provide you with food for thought for years in the early chapters, devoted to describing the process.

Lyman's Loading Manual. Good load data with good writing in the early chapters describing the process.

One Book, One Caliber. Data compiled from most of the other manuals. This has no chapters devoted to describing the loading process. But only $10 and bound so that it can lay flat on your loading bench.

Lost Sheep

p.s. I know you only asked for one, but I decided to be an over-achiever.

 

[mje]

I like the Lee Turret, too. Faster than single stage, and cheaper than a progressive. Fewer things to keep track of for newbies. But I don't prime on the press. I deprime and resize my cases, clean them, hand prime, and then run the primed cases through the Turret press.

I also have an inexpensive Lee single stage press I can use for resizing/depriming and small runs of various cartridges.

But I hate the Lee scale. Invest in a Hornady or RCBS electronic scale. They're so fast and easy to use that you'll use it more, and regularly checking the powder charge you're throwing is a great way to keep your reloading safe and reliable.

BTW, the best deals on Lee are at http://fsreloading.com

 

[joecil]

I'm also a big fan of the Lee Classic Turret but do prime on mine. I still think most will need a single stage for some operations and even a hand press can do things like depriming or priming cases with little effort.

 

[Big Lew in NC]

Ranger 335 is right on all counts. I personally recommend the Lee Challenger kit due to it being ALMOST everything you need and i close, plus it is the cheapest way to get started. Lee dies aren't as nice as other but will get the job done. Start cheap and start with single stage press to learn the ins and outs first, then go to progressive if high volume is needed.

 

[Scott-NC]

Shot my first reloaded ammo today!

Ok so don't ask me a lot of details about the recipe but.... one of the members here PMed me and offered to show me the basics of reloading. I’ll let him remain anonymous unless he wants to speak up but I am very thankful. We both live in the in the Triangle area of NC. So today was the day! He had a Dillon 550 press among others. I got some great instruction, and loaded up a few dozen rounds of 9mm. Even got to fire off a few- loved the instant gratification. I fired the first shot then I thought- hey that's just like real ammo! I really liked the way that press works and I even got into a rhythm and felt like I understood the mechanics of it. Made the stuff I’ve been reading about come to life!

 

[Lost Sheep]

"Just like real ammo". I love it.

Congratulations.

Lost Sheep

 

[Buckeyeguy525]

As many have said, the Lee turret press is a great option for beginners. I learned on one and cranked out many thousands of rounds on it without a problem. I have a Redding T7 now that I enjoy loading on more, but it costs 2.5x as much and is slower (although built more solidly). I WOULD NOT recommend the T7 to a new loader just because its a pricey piece of gear and you never know if you're going to stick with it. The Lee turret is fast, and the pistol ammo is fine quality.