I am preparing to take the plunge into reloading and am busy reading and researching, and would like to defer to the seasoned pros for advice. First, is there one particular company that offers the most affordable deals on reloading equipment? (Midway, Cabelas, etc). Second, is there a specific kit that is best suited for a beginner, in terms of ease of use, adaptability, affordability, etc.? My interests will be .38 Special and .44 Special exclusively. Thank you in advance!

I always recommend Dillon,

Whether you plan to reload a little or a lot a Dillon 550 or 650 if you feel really frisky is always worth the money. Service, warranty, resale value, etc is worth it's weight in gold. The price can put it out of the "beginner" range for those that don't shoot much but you will find that if you have it -----you will use it. I have two of them with so many rounds through them it would be scary to try to figure it out and never have been disappointed.

Other equipment is also good, I am kind of biased.

I learned on RCBS equipment. But when I bought my own equipment I went with Lee because it is very affordable. I have had excellent results with Lee. Most other equipment works well too. You can get a Lee kit for less than $100 that has everything you need to get started. You will have to buy dies for your calibers but Lee dies are not expensive. It is very inexpensive for startup costs. Then in the future you can expand or replace parts based on your preference.

If you're looking for the best bang for your buck I would go with Lee equipment. RCBS makes great equipment but the price is also very high. (not that it's not worth it) I would highly suggest buying a Lee Classic 4 hole turret press because you can remove the auto-index rod and use it as a single stage press for learning and for rifle ammo and then step up to using the auto-index to speed things up for handgun ammo. Kempf has great prices including a Classic 4 Hole Turret Press Kit for $177.95. I would also suggest adding both upgrades at the bottom of the page for an additional $22. That will provide you with both safety primer sizes and the "PRO" Auto-Disk powder measure. The Pro is a MUCH BETTER tool than the standard powder measure. For just under $200 you have most of what you need. Add a manual, a scale and components and you're good to go. That kit even comes with one set of dies of your choice.

I've been using my Classic Turret Press for almost 6 years now and I'm extremely satisfied with the produce and the price. Remember, don't buy the Deluxe Turret Press, get the Classic model. It's well worth the few extra bucks for a much better press.

__________________
Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

First, I have a Dillon 550 that I use and enjoy very much. But I learned on an RCBS single stage.

I don't recommend a progressive press, such as the Dillon, to beginners. All it takes is one errant, absent-minded stroke and you have a double charged cartridge.

A huge majority of blown up guns is caused by double charges. The overwhelming majority of double charges occur on progressive equipment. Progressive equipment is fast, that's for sure. Do you want to be fast or safe at this point? You can always upgrade later.

Loading on a single stage or turret press, you have all the sized, primed, and charged cases sitting in a loading block. You visually inspect each case from above, comparing it to its neighbors in the loading block, making sure each case has a charge and it is the same depth in the case as all the others. You can't do this with a progressive.

Thank you all for the quick replies. I like the Kempf unit very much, as it seems to be an excellent value and I've heard great comments about it.

I want to second this entire posting. I started with a RCBS Rockchucker and while it is a VERY good press, it now collects dust while the Lee CLASSIC Turret loads all my handgun ammo. I don't reload any rifle as of now. Dies are a different story. I love the Lee dies but they round off the flat top lead bullets some. It may not be a big deal to some but it bugs me. I find the RCBS dies to be pricey but very top quality. The Lee dies come with a shell holder, powder dipper, and the expander die is a powder through die that you can either buy the Pro Auto disk to drop powder through or set the Lee funnel in it and pour as you expand. The downside to me (IMHO, of course) is the fact that the seating die has no flat nose option. It's supposed to be as universal as possible, but any SWC that has a sharp corner on the top it tends to round off. The Factory Crimp Die is a fifty fifty of those or against it. I use it and if you read the directions I find it to work just fine. I like their carbide sizing dies. If you have the torque set right on the decapping pin then you should never break it as it will pop free under excess pressure. The worst parts to me are the rubber o rings and zinc steel parts. The lock rings are very hit or miss on if they stay in place, but if you use them on the turrets then they are set and forget. I bring up the RCBS dies because while they don't have the extra's and they cost more, they come with a seating die that comes with two seating plugs. They are for round nose and flat nose profiles. The RCBS lockrings use a set screw that I also don't like. You have to use a piece of lead shot or the bras screw slowly dies every time you back it out and tighten it up again. I prefer the Hornady split lock rings that use a screw to tighten together the two ends and clamp against the die body. Lastly, as much as I like the CLASSIC turret by Lee, I would still get a cast iron O type press for other uses like the Lee universal decapper. This die lets you deprime before you size so you can polish the brass and clean the primer pocket.

There is much more to it but this is a start.

P.S. - If you learn to cast as well as reload you are that much closer to self reliance as you can get. Casting was much easier to learn than I thought. Now I buy cheap lead or scrounge for it. No bullet shortages for me. Or you.

P.P.S. - I forgot to add that I shop around for everything. There is no one best source. MidwayUSA, Cheaper Than Dirt, Cabellas, Natchez, and more... They all offer good sales and decent discounts, but there are so many sources to choose from. I tend to use MidwayUSA because they usually have decent prices, have lots of sales, and they do the NRA Add a Buck and Round Up. Every little bit to the NRA counts.

I have both the Dillon progressives and several single stage presses and a Lee Classic 4 hole turret press. If I could only have one press, it would be the Lee.

The Dillon's are wonderful machines. Worth every penny you spend on them in my opinion. That is the problem, the money you spend on them. I have bought several used but I also have an XL650 that has about $1000 in it with all the accessories/caliber changes, that I have for it. Not something for a beginner. Not because of the difficulty, because of the cost. If you know that its "righty tighty, lefty loosey" you can run a progressive press. Newbie or not.

A single stage will certainly make ammo. It will make it very well but at a snail's pace. If you buy a kit like that and then get into competition shooting, you are going to get frustrated because it takes so long to get the ammo you need for matches. Or if you have kids, or a wife, or another hobby or.......the time you spend making a bunch of ammo is going to be detrimental to you.

The Lee Turret press is the best of both worlds, in my opinion. Cost isn't prohibitive, caliber changes are relatively low cost, it can be used as a single stage for those "precision" type of rounds you may want to build. Turrets can be had on the used market or through ebay pretty reasonably.

As I told another individual here not long ago, if they weren't satisfied with the Lee, I'd buy it from them, for just what they had in it. Are there things that could be better with them? Sure. Are there things that will break inside of the first year? Could be. Are there better presses out there? Absolutely. The deal with this press though is that of value. You will not spend less money and get more functionality anywhere.

Hopefully, I won't have to make good on my offer! I mean, if there was a rash of bad presses put out, I could get into financial trouble really fast! Not to mention the wifey wondering why I am buying so many of the same presses!

Oh, one other thing. Remember, we aren't married to our reloading equipment. That is the only institution that requires a life long bond. If you feel the press isn't suiting you anymore, there are a ton of folks that will pay you just what you gave for it later on. Or, you can do what I do, pass them on to family members to get them involved in reloading.

Gotta pass it on, don't ya know?

I just returned to reloading and my advise is: Take it slow, research everything, you'll need not only a press but all the accessories that go with it, including powder, bullets, brass, ect, etc. Then there's learning "how to". Get a good manual and read it before you begin. The slower you go and more information you have the fewer mistakes you'll make. And ask questions. This site is full of experts with decades of experience. Welcome.

One last thing:

The ABC's of Reloading - 8th Edition

Read it, love it, follow it.

I think you should not start with a progressive,you could end up there if want but you are better off learning on a single stage.I've been using rcbs for a long time with no complaints.welcome to the club!

I started with an RCBS Reloader Special, which was a good deal at the time (30 years ago) loading 38 Spl & 44 Spl. Lee has some outstanding products--I like their DeLuxe die sets. If you go to the Lee Precisionwebsite and check the online dealers you'll find an outfit called Factory Sales---I've ordered alot of stuff from them and I think you'll find they have really good prices on Lee products.

Actually, I think the current Edition is the 9th. (unless you have a reason for recommending the 8th instead)

__________________
Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

Buy good quality stuff the first time and you will only have to pay for it once. Also remember that quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.

I have used mainly RCBS equipment for the last 45 years with no complaints. I am sure other brands would give similar good service. I am still using a single stage press but realize I can not turn out finished rounds as quickly as someone with a progressive machine. I occasionally wish for a Dillon for some of the handgun chamberings I shoot a lot. I may break down one of these days and get one.

Get several manuals and look at the data from the powder makers here on the internet.

I would suggest that you not try to see how hot you can make your loads until you have a lot of experience. Things can go bad in a hurry if you get too adventuresome with your loads.

I took the plunge into reloading this past December. This is what I have figured out so far:

* You have already taken the most important step - you found this forum. I learn at least one new useful thing every day.

* Everyone has their brand loyalty and wears it proudly.

* All the machines from the top four (Lee, RCBS, Hornady and Dillon) are time tested and worth owning. There is no "wrong choice".

* If you prefer a kit all the kits from the top four represent a good value. They're not selling you anything you do not need.

* Let your wallet be your guide.

* Then double it.

If you're just going to load pistol/ handgun ammo, You would be well served with the Dillon Square Deal B. I learned to reload with a progressive press (the SDB), now I have 4 of them. I also, use single stage for rifle. The biggest help, would be to find someone that's knowledgeable in reloading to help you with your set up. Kind of a hands on teacher, That's what I did. It really helps to have someone walk you through the steps of reloading. It is very important that you understand each stage of reloading. I remember the one thing that didn't make sense to me at the time, was that when you go to a heavier bullet, you use less powder. Now it makes perfect sense, because it was expained very well at the time. Find a reloading mentor, you'll be glad you did. Also when buying your reloading tools, (tumbler, calipers, primer flip trays, etc. Don't forget, one of the most important and valuable tools is a chronograph. It will keep you safe!

You Tube has a lot of video's that can give you an overview of equipment and the process of reloading. It's a good reference but keep in mind the info is worth what you pay for it. Use the published info in the manuels to be safe. Good luck

save enough room on your loading bench top for that spare press you may find for cheap at a garage or moving sale or such.
a 2nd press can come in handy, I set mine up in tandem (spare shellholder) for seating operation when I have a buddy/nephew over helping load pistol ammo.
also good for 'emergency' use when you have dies set-up on the main press (RCBS is mine)