Gents. Saw cabelas has a good sale on these. Are they worth the money for a starter kit? Looking to reload 308 and 338 lapua
hornady lnl
hornady lnl
hornady lnl classic kit. good starter?
- Thread starter gunsmithcat
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Re: hornady lnl classic kit. good starter?
That should be a fine starter kit. You will want to make sure that you mount it to a sturdy surface though, the full-length resizing can take quite a lot of force for a .338 Lapua and even the .308 Win.
You should look into neck sizing dies if you are loading for a bolt gun. Lee dies are a great place to start since they are super cheap and produce great results from comparing side-by-side with other major brands. The deluxe sets come with both a FL sizer and a collet neck sizer.
That should be a fine starter kit. You will want to make sure that you mount it to a sturdy surface though, the full-length resizing can take quite a lot of force for a .338 Lapua and even the .308 Win.
You should look into neck sizing dies if you are loading for a bolt gun. Lee dies are a great place to start since they are super cheap and produce great results from comparing side-by-side with other major brands. The deluxe sets come with both a FL sizer and a collet neck sizer.
Re: hornady lnl classic kit. good starter?
By the way, if you are tossing any other kits around, I would definitely recommend going with a digital powder scale. Just make sure that you re-calibrate and re-zero each time you use it (this only takes about 10 seconds).
By the way, if you are tossing any other kits around, I would definitely recommend going with a digital powder scale. Just make sure that you re-calibrate and re-zero each time you use it (this only takes about 10 seconds).
Re: hornady lnl classic kit. good starter?
IMHO I have used the hornady alot and would prefer to have the RCBS. The collets on the Hornady seemed to always work loose, but on the other hand they were nice to change dies quick but you'll need one for every die you use. It just never "locked" and loaded! But they are quality and that is what I started with, it was my roommates and he just moved out so I'm in the market as well and I am going with the Rock Chucker. Just my .02.
IMHO I have used the hornady alot and would prefer to have the RCBS. The collets on the Hornady seemed to always work loose, but on the other hand they were nice to change dies quick but you'll need one for every die you use. It just never "locked" and loaded! But they are quality and that is what I started with, it was my roommates and he just moved out so I'm in the market as well and I am going with the Rock Chucker. Just my .02.
Re: hornady lnl classic kit. good starter?
I don't use a Hornady press or dies, but their other equipment has been pretty reliable. My 30-year-old Rockchucker is still hard to beat, and Cabela's often runs sales on the RCBS kits as well as the Hornady kits.
On the subject of scales, you get what you pay for. Reliability-wise, my old RCBS (Ohaus) is more repeatable than the first "bargain-priced" ditital scale I tried. Though I succumbed to gimmickry and now use an RCBS powder dispenser with a digital scale that is far more accurate than my previous experience was, I still check every fifth charge against the old beam scale. I'd highly recommend that you pick up the set of check weights that RCBS offers, regardless of which route scale you choose - IN ADDITION to any check weight(s) that come with a digital scale.
I don't use a Hornady press or dies, but their other equipment has been pretty reliable. My 30-year-old Rockchucker is still hard to beat, and Cabela's often runs sales on the RCBS kits as well as the Hornady kits.
On the subject of scales, you get what you pay for. Reliability-wise, my old RCBS (Ohaus) is more repeatable than the first "bargain-priced" ditital scale I tried. Though I succumbed to gimmickry and now use an RCBS powder dispenser with a digital scale that is far more accurate than my previous experience was, I still check every fifth charge against the old beam scale. I'd highly recommend that you pick up the set of check weights that RCBS offers, regardless of which route scale you choose - IN ADDITION to any check weight(s) that come with a digital scale.
Re: hornady lnl classic kit. good starter?
You might also want to look into the Lee Classic Cast presses. The price is right and are built like a tank.
You might also want to look into the Lee Classic Cast presses. The price is right and are built like a tank.
Re: hornady lnl classic kit. good starter?
All depends on what you intend on doing with it and how many rounds you intent to turn out but I just cannot say enought about Dillon Precision. Get an RL550B and you will be good to go and wont have to worry about upgrading any of the components later. Buy once, cry once!
All depends on what you intend on doing with it and how many rounds you intent to turn out but I just cannot say enought about Dillon Precision. Get an RL550B and you will be good to go and wont have to worry about upgrading any of the components later. Buy once, cry once!
Re: hornady lnl classic kit. good starter?
While Dillon makes great stuff, it's not for everyone. If you're shooting a particularly high volume of one or two calibers, the RL550B or XL650 are both worth looking into, though both do take up lots of bench space, particularly if you're using the "strong mount." My RL550B stood nearly three feet above the surface of my bench.
On the other hand, caliber changes involve quite a bit more than simply a change of dies and shellholder, and the associated caliber change kits are not inexpensive (nearing the price of a set of carbide dies). As I load eleven different calibers, I'd have spent almost as much on caliber change kits as I did the initial investment on the press itself. As a consequence, and because I didn't have space to leave two presses mounted on the bench at the same time, I parted with the Dillon and returned to my old Rockchucker.
Since then, I discovered a mounting system called the "RockDock" that I've been using for about a year. With two machined aluminum brackets mounted to the bench and each press or tool mounted to an aluminum plate, press or tool changes have become a matter of simply sliding one out and sliding the next in.
While Dillon makes great stuff, it's not for everyone. If you're shooting a particularly high volume of one or two calibers, the RL550B or XL650 are both worth looking into, though both do take up lots of bench space, particularly if you're using the "strong mount." My RL550B stood nearly three feet above the surface of my bench.
On the other hand, caliber changes involve quite a bit more than simply a change of dies and shellholder, and the associated caliber change kits are not inexpensive (nearing the price of a set of carbide dies). As I load eleven different calibers, I'd have spent almost as much on caliber change kits as I did the initial investment on the press itself. As a consequence, and because I didn't have space to leave two presses mounted on the bench at the same time, I parted with the Dillon and returned to my old Rockchucker.
Since then, I discovered a mounting system called the "RockDock" that I've been using for about a year. With two machined aluminum brackets mounted to the bench and each press or tool mounted to an aluminum plate, press or tool changes have become a matter of simply sliding one out and sliding the next in.
Re: hornady lnl classic kit. good starter?
I love my RL550B more than any other presses I own (a close second is an old cast iron Texan single stage). Caliber conversions aren't all that bad if you understand them and use a cross-reference guide. Lots of kits do multipurpose work for different calibers - i.e. .45acp shellplate works for .308 win also.
If you end up getting a progressive for your first press (this is what I did), just go slow while you are learning and don't attempt to run it as a progressive. I often times strip out the powder station on mine and use a Redding comp BR3 powder measure and trickle charge most of the time... so the flexibility is definitely there.
Just keep in mind the Dillon starts around $400-$500 and you will still have to buy everything else from scales to funnels on top of it, whereas the kit (although mostly low-end) will get you up and running right away.
I love my RL550B more than any other presses I own (a close second is an old cast iron Texan single stage). Caliber conversions aren't all that bad if you understand them and use a cross-reference guide. Lots of kits do multipurpose work for different calibers - i.e. .45acp shellplate works for .308 win also.
If you end up getting a progressive for your first press (this is what I did), just go slow while you are learning and don't attempt to run it as a progressive. I often times strip out the powder station on mine and use a Redding comp BR3 powder measure and trickle charge most of the time... so the flexibility is definitely there.
Just keep in mind the Dillon starts around $400-$500 and you will still have to buy everything else from scales to funnels on top of it, whereas the kit (although mostly low-end) will get you up and running right away.
Re: hornady lnl classic kit. good starter?
Hornady press is Aluminum, the RCBS press is cast iron. I doubt construction material would ever be an issue, but I prefer the Rockchucker (I have both).
I would be interested to see how the 338 runs through a Dillon.
Hornady press is Aluminum, the RCBS press is cast iron. I doubt construction material would ever be an issue, but I prefer the Rockchucker (I have both).
I would be interested to see how the 338 runs through a Dillon.
Re: hornady lnl classic kit. good starter?
Gents, Thanks for the feedback. Seems the rock chuck gets more love than the hornady.
Would this be a comparative starter kit?
RCBS
I was initially looking at a dillon but I just dont have the space for it, nor do I shoot .45 and 5.56 by the thousands like I used too...
Trying to just focus on .338 and .308 for now.
Also, Will these starter kits allow me to load .50 bmg in the future?
Waiting on a serbu semi auto to come in...
Thanks again
Gents, Thanks for the feedback. Seems the rock chuck gets more love than the hornady.
Would this be a comparative starter kit?
RCBS
I was initially looking at a dillon but I just dont have the space for it, nor do I shoot .45 and 5.56 by the thousands like I used too...
Trying to just focus on .338 and .308 for now.
Also, Will these starter kits allow me to load .50 bmg in the future?
Waiting on a serbu semi auto to come in...
Thanks again
Re: hornady lnl classic kit. good starter?
Comparatively, yes. The RCBS does lack the powder trickler, which I would recommend.
I don't load .50 BMG, but I suspect that neither of these presses have enough stroke to cycle such a long case. I know that RCBS and Dillon both offer standalone presses for .50 BMG, and that availability alone probably confirms the unsuitability of their other presses for that caliber.
Comparatively, yes. The RCBS does lack the powder trickler, which I would recommend.
I don't load .50 BMG, but I suspect that neither of these presses have enough stroke to cycle such a long case. I know that RCBS and Dillon both offer standalone presses for .50 BMG, and that availability alone probably confirms the unsuitability of their other presses for that caliber.
Re: hornady lnl classic kit. good starter?
Great press, this was actually my upgraded press from a Lee Classic. I like the bushings, and it is a strong press. I am not an RCBS fan.
Great press, this was actually my upgraded press from a Lee Classic. I like the bushings, and it is a strong press. I am not an RCBS fan.
