Wanting to start reloading

[*tim*]

I'm wanting to start reloading but am a little overwhelmed. I'm looking at this starter kit.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/423081/lee-challenger-breech-lock-single-stage-press-anniversary-kit

I plan on using the ammo for hunting and plan on using 180 gr accubonds for my 300 win mag. What kind of powders and primers should I start with? Also whats a good manual that I can buy to start with? Should I just buy a set of Lee dies to go with the press?

[brtelec]

The first thing I would do is get a copy of Metallic Cartridge Reloading, and, or, The ABC's of Reloading. Read them and it will all make sense. These are great books for learning what reloading is all about. The Lee starter kits are a good way to stick your toes in the water if cost is a factor. If money is not an object I would probably go with the RCBS Rock Chucker Master Kit. This is what my daughter is getting for Christmas. All the manuals are very good. I tend to buy most of them, but to start out I prefer the manuals that cover a wide range like Lee and Lyman. Good luck with it.

[*tim*]

What makes the rcbs kit better then the Lee kit

[82boy]

That kit would be an excellent start. The funny thing is for the cost Lee makes some of the best stuff out there, but you have to be careful not all of it is good. In that kit, I would put the Press, powder measure, and scale up against anything else commercially made. I feel that the press, and the powder measurer are two of the best ones out there. There is a couple of things I would add to that kit. I would get a lee hand primer, to prime cases, and get a case trimmer. In case trimmer I would get a Wilson, it is the best for the money. Now on dies, IMO I would not buy a lee die, they are by far the worse things on the market. Stick with RCBS, Forster, or Lyman for dies. As mentioned get the ABC's or reloading. You may also want to buy Sierra bullet's CD on reloading.

[brtelec]

The hand primer comes in the other Lee kit. The difference in the Anniversary Kit and the standard kit is priming method. I agree with 82boy in the fact that Lee makes some nice stuff, I have quite a bit of it. The RCBS Rock Chucker is an old industry standard and is a great press. I have a Rock Chucker, a Lee turret, and Forster co-ax. I use Lee for collet neck sizing dies and Factory Crimp Dies, for full length sizing I prefer RCBS, but also own Redding and Lyman.

[big honkin jeep]

I'm quite fond of the Lee dies and own a Lee deluxe die set for each caliber I own that they make them in. Heck I still use all the stuff that came with an Anniversary kit my wife bought for me about 20 years ago. I have added lots of stuff along the way but Lee makes good stuff that will serve you very well.
I like the Lee dies because they come with everything you need including the shell holder,The collet die in the deluxe set doesn't require case lube and sure makes things easy and the neck sized ammo is super accurate. The Lee loading manual (Modern Reloading by Richard Lee) Is how I learned to hand load. Just read everything up to the load data in the back and keep the book handy and you're safely ready to go.

[*tim*]

Ok I've decided on the Lee kit in my first post. I have a 30-30 and a .300 win mag. Can I use the same dies and for both

[big honkin jeep]

Nope dies are caliber specific. You're going to need a case length gauge and shell holder for each one also,http://www.midwayusa.com/product/432027/lee-case-length-gage-and-shellholder-30-30-winchester ,http://www.midwayusa.com/product/695045/lee-case-length-gage-and-shellholder-300-winchester-magnum(these are caliber specific also and used to trim your brass and aren't expensive) you'll get the cutter and lock stud for use with these with the kit, also I would recommend going ahead and getting a copy of modern reloading by Richard Lee
out of stock at midway but they can probably get it pretty quick or you may find a used copy at amazon.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/639649/lee-modern-reloading-2nd-edition-revised-reloading-manual

[*tim*]

The Lee Case Trimmer Cutter and Lock Stud is sold out at midway do they sell a similar kit? Every TIM I use their search I get back 150,000 results

[*tim*]

Also I seen some dies that were something like $150 is that normal

[big honkin jeep]

You only need the case length gauges and shell holder for each caliber you're going to load. The cutter and lock stud come with the kit and will work well to start off and learn the processes with.
I would get these die sets
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/342319/lee-deluxe-3-die-set-30-30-winchester
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/162221/lee-deluxe-3-die-set-300-winchester-magnum

[*tim*]

Ok besides the kit I have dies; case length gage and trimmer; shell holder and bullets. Anything else besides primers and powder? And where is a good place to start on those two?

[*tim*]

I plan on shooting 180 gr accubond bullets and looking for around 3120 fps to match the reticles on my scope

[*tim*]

And since I'm shooting nosler bullets should I get their reloading manual or stick with lee's

[*tim*]

Also I read somewhere that when buying powder online there is a hazmat fee so should I just buy locally

[JW]

Tim
Welcome to the amazing world of reloading
I know you have a lot of questions, just like myself and everyone else when they began.
You have asked some very good questions with some very good responses from everyone.

I would get two or three manuals and read the front of them before I tried to load any rounds
THE manuals are the most important thing to a loader for learning and loading

Nosler would be good as would the suggestions everyone has already given

As far as the powder and primers, you are right there is a hasmat fee when ordered
I would try to find locally to start with

Something I have found with my loading --there is always something else I should have ordered LOL
Good luck, read, read, read, and don't hesitate to ask questions

Jack

[Jetpig]

I still have my orignal RCBS kit I got when I was 13 from my dad for Christmas. That was 35 years ago. Only thing I have ever replaced was a scale arm that I dropped and promptly stepped on and broke. RCBS was good to me and sent me another.
Lets see, powders:
You will be pleased with any of the following for 300WM. RL-22, the 4350's, the 4831's, Ramshot Magnum using 180's or heavier. There are a few others that I have not tried that others report great success with as well. Get what you can find. You might as well order online and buy 8# jug of it because you will use it and primers and pay the hazmat. I have seen Magnum on several sites and I do use quite a bit of it. It works well getting me some extra velocity that the others won't.
Read, read, read. Youtube can also be your friend but reading knowledge is necessary to sort the useful from the useless.
Welcome to the club. You will enjoy it!

[BillPa]

Anything else besides primers and powder?

One other "Must Have" is a set of check weights. I don't care if the scale you have cost a dollar or a grand there isn't any other way to verify a scale is weighing accurately across it's entire range, within a given weight span or the charge target weight.

For example, if I'm tossing 40g of something I'll verify the scale I'm using with a 40g check weight. I don't care about the zero or a weight above or below my target.

Bill

[foxx]

All good advice. Manuals are the best source and tool you'll ever get.

Only other thing I'd add to all of above is my opinion of Lee dies: Not a fan of them BUT, the Lee Collet Neck Sizer is a great one. You will learn that with anything but pumps and auto loaders you will have the option to "Neck size only" when reloading, rather than "Full length Sizing" the brass before reloading. I prefer neck sizing only, and the Lee Collet neck Sizer does a great job of keeping the bullet cneterred or concentric to the rest of the cartridge. This is important for accuracy, so as to avoid the bullet being angled or off-kilter.

You asked about $150 die sets. Never used them. They are designed for keeping the bullets concentric and very specific amounts of neck tension on the bullet. (Maintains consistent grip on the bullet.) For most people, this is over-kill. Bench-rest shooters who want extreme accuracy (less than 1/4 inch groups at 100 yds) use these. You might want that some day, but it is way beyond your limits and experience at this point. I doubt I'll ever get there, my rifles can't tell the difference anyhow.

Good Luck. Get the Lee collet neck sizing dies. :)

[82boy]

On the $150.00 dies, there are many people that buys these because they are expensive so they must be the best, or they believe that this is what Benchrest shooters use. These dies are no better than what can be purchased for a lower price. They are not what Short range Benchrest shooters use.

The thing is most short-range Benchrest shooters use Wilson hand dies, and they are far from that price. Many more modern Benchrest shooters use a custom made full length sizing die, and they range in price from $60 to you name it. So they may have two presses, one small o press for the sizing die like a RCBS partner, or custom made, and then they will seat bullets with an arbor press using Wilson hand dies.

Long range Benchrest shooters are more diverse, and you would be more likely to see then use some of these dies, and maybe not.