Recommend me a loader

[Zappa]

Total n00b here with respect to re-loading. However watched a ton of youtube videos to further confuse the beejesus out of me.

I'm a pistol shooter although I do have a couple of long arms. .22 rim and .223. I use all of them for target shooting only at the range.
Im anticipating I'll be sending about 100-200 per week on my CZ shadow 2 9mm . The .223 I shoot a few times a month and while it would be good to reload them as well for the fun factor, realistically I would probably stick to factory ammo.

So my requirements are for a loader + kit to get me started asap.

* Budget conscious < $800 loader plus projectile parts.( powder, projectiles, primers )
* Good backup support for parts and warranty issues.
* Good accessory support in Australia. Dont want to head overseas for something like a shell holder.

Ive narrowed it down to the Lee Challenger bench 50th Annv kit + 9mm dies OR
Dillon Square deal B.

I dont particularly care for progressive or single stage. I'm setting aside at least two hours per week on the task.

plus If going for the Dillon - I'll be looking at a scale. is Digital the way to go OR the cantilever ones OK ? cheers.

Z

[Raband]

I think that Dillon will only do pistol sizes - the next one up (RL550 = $805 vs $685 for the square on the site) will also do rifle reloading.
Add an extra $250-$300 or so on top for the kit and dies for the 223 when/if you decide to reload

As far as I can tell the Dillon gets great reviews (have been looking at getting one myself for 308, 30-06, 7mm rem mag and 223 or 243)
Anyone on here got any input on the Dillon?

Doing 200 rounds a sitting I think I'd much prefer the Dillon

[Bugman]

I have a Dillon Square deal for loading 38spl and have used it for over 7 years with no problem. For my .243 I just a Lyman single stage as I don't require heaps of ammo for this. Plenty to choose from out there.

[Zappa]

I just dropped close to $1800 on a pistol. Trying to convince SWMBO that I now need another $1k + to load and shoot the thing, will be a hard fought battle.
I don't fancy my chances.

Might have to ask the club whether there is a club loader I can use or lease one.

[wanneroo]

You don't need to spend a $1k to load the thing. I don't know why new reloaders think they need a progressive press and all the whiz bang stuff. For one thing any progressive press regardless of brand takes a bit of tweaking to get to run right and new reloaders are better learning each step of the reloading process one step at a time rather than getting five or six operations running right on a progressive.

I started loading 9mm with a $30 Lee Hand Press and a $20 Lee powder measure plus a few other tools. Once I did that for a while then I moved to a bench mounted single stage and also have a progressive running now.

I loaded tens of thousands of pistol rounds on the single stage. I'd set up the 9mm sizing die and then when I wanted to burn 15 minutes I'd punch out a 100 cases. Then after I got 500 or 1000 cases sized, I'd do the same for expanding, then for priming, then powder and bullet, then crimping.

Once you have your recipes down and you know what you are doing well, you will outgrow the single stage, but the single stage is just fine for rifle.

[wrenchman]

i have a lyman press it was a gift and i have lots of lee dies and my hand primer and powder drop are lee.
lee has just about the best price for starter kits youtube is also good for how to stuff

[8x57]

I’ve got a dillion 650 for reloading my pistols does the job with minimum fuss and is easy to operate with plenty of spare part. I’ve also reload my 223 with it, pretty easy to swap from rifle to pistol.

[Oldbloke]

lee has just about the best price for starter kits youtube is also good for how to stuff

Agree and this may help.


Handloading - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handloading

[Zappa]

is the Lee single stage breech lock press kit any good ?

[Oldbloke]

Dont see why not. But dont have one myself.

[Diamond Jim]

I have two Lee Pro-1000 presses on my bench (one for 9mm and other for .357M - both purchased second-hand on eBay) along with an old Super Simplex turret press, a cheap ($95 on eBay) single stage and a Lee shotgun loader. I also use the Lee Pro 1000 as a single stage press to load .223 when I need to (I keep an extra turret with .223 dies in so it is just a matter of changing the shell plate and removing the rod that advances it).
My only gripe with the Lee is the priming system is diabolical (maybe they have fixed it on newer models). I generally get 3-5 failure to feed or crushed primers from every 100 or so rounds loaded. I keep the single stage press fitted with a bullet puller to dismantle those dud rounds. Having to watch the priming system like a hawk and verifying a primer has been fed and properly seated severely limits the speed you can load.
Loading 200 rounds every week a on single stage would be very time consuming. A three or four station turret press might be a good compromise. You will definitely want carbide dies for the handgun, powder handling equipment of some description and scales. A case tumbler is nice to keep those cases shiny but not essential.
You should be able to get the whole set-up for well under $500 if you shop about and less if you are prepared to go second hand.

[Zappa]

Loading 200 rounds every week a on single stage would be very time consuming. A three or four station turret press might be a good compromise.

thats what im thinking. Continue buying factory ammo until I can afford a progressive press.

[Oldbloke]

Dont see why not. But dont have one myself.

[wanneroo]

A turret press doesn't save any time IMO.

It also distracts you because you go from one step to another. I find on a single stage I can bang out 600 resized cases in an hour or 600 expanding and then slower of course for powder and bullet. By focusing on one thing at a time you can bang away and not have to concentrate so much.

I think a progressive is great but any progressive you buy will take work to get every operation running in time and properly and you are better off learning each step individually and in time you will have the experience where you are ready to step up to it. So far from what I have seen, new reloaders that buy progressive presses quickly give up and they end up collecting dust and sold at garage sales. Because they never learned each step properly in reloading when they get to a progressive they are pretty clueless on how to set up a progressive right and get it working and then make ammo that works.

[nueces5]

I started reloading 357mgm, with a single stage. I think it's an excellent press for 223 and if you don't need 300 rounds a week for IPSC you can start with a single stage.
Single stage press is an excellent teacher. The rest of the budget I would spend on measuring tools (mitutoyo caliper, a good powder measure, etc.) That will make a good reload, an excellent reload.
Then when I started doing ipsc, I bought a 550 dillon, and there I saved a lot of time. But for starters, many of us have started with a single stage

[Oldbloke]

Progressive presses are really only suited to people who shoot s**t loads.

[Dogtired]

is the Lee single stage breech lock press kit any good ?

I have one and it works fine for me loading 25-06, 22hornet and 44 mag. Speed wise 100 44s from start to finish in about 40 min. If I weigh each charge about an hour.

[Zappa]

Ive decided to go with a Lee 1000 progressive press. Main reason is I can use it as single stage without the index rod and ramp it up to progressive when I get some mojo.

At 4 grey nurses it comes with my choice of dies so good saving there. I'll need to pickup an electric powder scale and the case trimming tools.

On the point of single stage press for noobs, there is a wealth of information out there with youtube vids etc.. that starting on a progressive press and taking it slow at the beginning , should eliminate errors. If you're shooting F class - I can imagine that you need to get some good, accurate loads but for shooting pistol in IPSC , quantity is more important than quality.

[bones-350]

is the Lee single stage breech lock press kit any good ?

Zappa quite a few people don't rate Lee equipment highly. When I began reloading I used Forster Dies thinking Lee was not as good.
Now I swear by Lee equipment. It's so basic and easy for beginners and then it's accuracy in reloading is up there with the top quality stuff.
Dies I found are a lot cheaper ever so repeatable accuracy with Bullet Seater Die COAL {don't use my forster dies as much any more). Neck Sizing Die needs no case lubing.Got myself a Lee Universal Decapping Die (under $25) which I use for decapping all brass. Then tumble the cases that way when I neck or full length size cases are clean and no need to clean dies as often. wish I got the Lee Powder Measure instead of the $100+ one I purchased. You would be surprised how many Pro Target Shooters use Lee equipment to. If I was starting out again I would try Lee First then if I'm not happy with results try the other stuff. Lee stuff is so basic and accurate it makes reloading fun.If i need anything I check Lee first if they don't have it only then I look else where.
You get more bang for your buck with Lee than you could from anyone else.

[sungazer]

Zappa quite a few people don't rate Lee equipment highly. When I began reloading I used Forster Dies thinking Lee was not as good.
Now I swear by Lee equipment. It's so basic and easy for beginners and the it's accuracy in reloading is up there with the top quality stuff.
Dies I found are a lot cheaper ever so repeatable accuracy with Bullet Seater Die COAL {don't use my forster dies as much any more). Neck Sizing Die needs no case lubing.Got myself a Lee Universal Decapping Die (under $25) which I use for decapping all brass. Then tumble the cases that way when I neck or full length size cases are clean and no need to clean dies as often. wish I got the Lee Powder Measure instead of the $100+ one I purchased. You would be surprised how many Pro Target Shooters use Lee equipment to. If I was starting out again I would try Lee First then if I'm not happy with results try the other stuff. Lee stuff is so basic and accurate it makes reloading fun.If i need anything I check Lee first if they don't have it only then I look else where.
You get more bang for your buck than you could from anyone else.

+1

[Zappa]

Zappa quite a few people don't rate Lee equipment highly. .

Hi bones. Went to my local dealer to check out the Lee and wasn't disappointed. While it lacks some quality over the Dillon, Hornady and RCBS , I think it's fit for purpose and will do the job for 200-300 rounds per week.
Most of the problems I hear are primer feeds, indexing and the powder dispenser, potentially spilling powder from its side cams.

For $400 plus another $100 for tidbits, I reckon I'm placed ok. You dont get much change from $1000 if you go Dillon, et-al.

[bones-350]

Once you think your setup is right you will find some problems but usually it's your assembly that's not quite right.
You will find Lee problems will be simple to solve because of Lee simplicity.
It's great for beginners and good for self confidence when you problem solve. But that's only the easy part done.
Now load development, is another story, not as easy as it's made out to be, I found out.
But it's a great rewarding feeling when you finally find the right recipe. It all comes down to patients and fun.
Affordability and safety gets new people started and they come back here to share their ideas.
Welcome to reloading and looking forward to your experiences in reloading input..

[wanneroo]

Lee I find can be both really good and really bad. Some of their stuff is well designed and while made with cheaper materials in some cases, will hold up fine over time and will work for reloading. And then some things are just cheap or flimsy and do not go the distance.

In the end I do not have any brand loyalty, I go with what works for a decent price point. On my bench right now I have RCBS and Hornady presses and other tools and dies from Redding, Forster, Frankford Arsenal, Lyman, Lee, etc.

One brand I have really been impressed with lately is Frankford Arsenal. All the stuff I have bought from them has been well built, logical to use and at a reasonable price.

In regards to load development, there is tons of data on your basic cartridges like 9mm and 223. I would start with a common bullet and powder and then learn from there. One way to check your work is a with a chronograph. It gives you a data point to compare to known data.