Re: Advice on 1st time equipment
"A skilled reloader can use practically any press, any set of dies, (etc) and construct excellent ammo."
Well said. All the blarney posted about the "BEST" brand of reloading tools give me gas. It suggests if you just use the right dies and right color preess you will be an expert! Nothing could be further from the truth.
What I use is largely irrelivant. I can make good ammo on just about any dies, press, scale, etc. on the market IF the tools are indeed good. I mean, they ALL make some less than ideal tools that get out the door but it's rare and they will replace any defective items if we are wise enough to recongnise it and send it back. On average, I have found that any brand has as much variation between their own items as there is between brands.
Some tool designs - dies, press, scales, etc - are indeed easier to work with but that sure doesn't mean the others are not equally effective in making good ammo!
Now, to offer an alternative to Cobra's list of goodies:
A Loading Manual - Lyman's for the first, others later.
Lee's Classic Cast Press - Very strong, all steel (not iron) and made on modern CNC machines. It handles spent primers well.
Hand Priming tool - Lee's Auto-Prime tool is as good as any. Get the complete shell holer kit too if you will ever want to do load for more than just one cartridge.
Rifle dies - Forster - Their seater is so good it was copied by Redding. The FL dies have a unique and excellant raised expander button that works well to help keep necks straight.
Neck Size dies - Lee's Collet neck sizers are great
Pistol dies - Lyman or Redding's copies of Lyman's
Case Lube - Imperial sizing wax or Hornady Unique, about the same (GOOD!), easy to apply with finger tips as you pick cases up to size, no messy lube pad to contend with.
Stuck Case remover - RCBS/Redding. You WILL stick a case!
Bullet puller - RCBS Impact type. You may want a press mounted collet type later but probably not.
Case TRimmer - Lyman Universal - works good, easy to use, needs no case holders (and Lyman includes several handy items; case pilots, pocket cleaners, plus a de-burr/champher tool.)
VLD tool - Lyman - IF if you are using those bullets
Flash Hole Debur Tool - RCBS and the caliber specific guides.
Primer Pocket Uniformer - RCBS/Lyman/Sinclair, all good
Powder Measure - Redding 3BR, AND stand (AND a Redding trickler)
Tumbler - any vibratory type - Lyman 1200 and Midway's 1240 are perhaps less expensive than others.
Tumbler Media/Polish - Cob or nut makes no difference, and use any cheap auto polish (NuFinish is good) instead of the more expensive reloader branded stuff - polish is polish!
Scale - RCBS 505 or 1010 scale (NOT a digital scale!)
Powder funnel - any brand is fine
Loading tray - any brand, two for each caliber
Stainless Steel Dial Caliper, 6", reading in thousanths - Any of the Chinese made tools are fine for reloaders; MidwayUSA, Lyman, RCBS and Harbor Freight Tools. All are identical. HF sells them for as little as $14 on sale, which they frequently are.
Headspace Gage - Hornady LnL (use it with your dial caliper) OR the RCBS Precision Case Mic - either is nice to have, you can measure exactly how much you're sizing cases at the shoulder.
Bullet "Comparitor" - Hornady's LNL or Sinclair's "nut" OR it's part of the cartrige spectific RCBS Precision Mic.
Concentricity Gage - Sinclair - IF you really want to make the very best ammo you can, a concentricty gage will tell you if it's straight or help you find where it's going wrong if not.
Neck Turning Tool/Pilots - For REALLY good neck turners, the Pumpkin or Hart gits the nod. BUT, for a much more rational price, and just as good for us non-BR types, IMHO, the Forster Hand Held Turner (HOT-100) is the best choice. It has a micrometer adjustable carbide cutter. From MidwayUSA, etc.
Bench - Perhaps the single best reloading "tool" you can have is a good, large, sturdy, convienent loading bench with lots of light over it. And a shelf at nose level for setting your scale on so it's easy to see. And lots more shelves for lots of tools, components and "stuff." You can't buy those, it's up to you.
If your carpenter skills and/or tools are lacking, any Lowe's/HomeDepot will have hardware kits that can greatly simplify building a sturdy work bench with just a tape, square, saw and drill.
