Re: Beginner reloading kit suggestions?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DrewF</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Anyone use the lee starter kits? </div></div>
It's what I started with. I loaded some very accurate ammo with that inexpensive setup and it gave me a good idea of what features were important. I eventually purchased a Rock Chucker press for rifle and a Dillon 550 for handgun (and knockaround 223 and 308). An RCBS beam scale, powder trickler, Power Mate, and Trim Pro have sped up production and kept my fingers much happier.
The only real shortcomings of my Lee kit were durability (I noticed the press tolerances getting a little sloppy after a while) and the case trimmer. Lee uses (or at least <span style="font-style: italic">used</span> to use) a pilot that goes through the primer hole...if the hole is off-center, the neck ends up less-than-square, and a large percentage of cases do not have perfectly centered flash holes.
Big plus: Lee's hand priming tool is excellent. Good feel and easy to change between large/small primers and shellholders.
Truthfully, nowadays it's hard to buy <span style="font-weight: bold">bad</span> reloading equipment. It all comes down to what features are important to you, and personal finances. (For some, that last may not be an issue, but for some of us it is.) Dies, case prep, component selection, and keeping good records of what works and what doesn't are the most important factors to good load development, IMHO.
