by wanneroo » 12 Feb 2019, 10:52 am
I think you will find with most brands that they have their strengths and weaknesses along with different price points.
Lee I think for most of their stuff will get you in the ballpark and get you started. I have found some of their stuff doesn't have longevity or durability but keep in mind I load 10000 to 20000 rounds a year, depending on what is going on.
RCBS I found over hyped and some of their stuff is not all that well designed and fiddly. I'll take a Redding die any day over RCBS.
Hornady I have found is alright. The jury is still out for me on their progressive press. I'll have more to say about that once I load a few thousand rounds.
Redding is made two hours away from here and it's well made precision stuff. If I was to do it again I'd get a Redding T-7 and will probably plump for that at some point.
When I got started I didn't have any brand loyalty, I just looked for what worked and what was at a reasonable price point. Over the years you find what works and also what improves and automates processes. For instance a hand crank trimmer might work for someone loading a few dozen here or there but for me loading thousands that will take years. Of course the more you automate or have powered equipment the more the cost goes up.
Dossa you will never regret making yourself self sufficient in ammo. Buy primers, powder and bullets in bulk.