Press Kit Reccs for young &new loader

[YouveHadYour6]

So as some of you guys know; I've done a little reloading over the years, mostly back in my twenties on my dad's old conglomeration of parts from Lee, Hornady, RCBS, etc (the press was an RCBS, I remember), but these days for myself I only occasionally handload a few rounds with my very basic Lee which also has random dies and holders, etc, from shows.

Enter my cousin. He's finishing up his service soon and has expressed an interest in getting into reloading as a hobby - but, he specifically wants to 'start' with one of those beginner's 'kits' that include pretty much everything except the dies. I offered to put him a set together (to his dad), and while I ok'd to gift it to'em, he really wants it all I guess to at least begin all from one company. (I know at the pieces parts level all of it is slightly-to-mostly interchangeable, just trying to get a good gift here.)

So, the 200-700 dollar question for me is: what is the kit out there y'all recommend? He's more of a city guy than me but also been around arms his whole life, never reloaded before. He has mentioned a few times beginning with a single stage. I think in part this is his expected lodgings - a cramped studio the family has.

So far my two top suspects are the RCBS Partner Kit or the Lee 50th Anniv. Breech Lock Challenger Kit. I considered the RCBS Rebel or Rockchucker, but these seem larger by a fair bit. So, I am definitely open to suggestions however. Hell, I still use my ancient Lee single re-loader just for kicks on a few light WC .38s for nostalgia's sake sometimes so I'm not exactly up to date!

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Go with the RCBS.....Much better quality.......Add a scale if not included.

 

[Racer X]

I would recomend carbide dies, if this is for straight wall pistols. Lee 4 die sets are actually a great value. $60ish on Amazon.

 

[tmd17]

What will he be loading?

 

[YouveHadYour6]

Re: loading: I believe he intends to start with basic pistol and intermediate rifle.

*Sorry, should've included that.

Thanks for the input so far, and I prefer Lee dies myself, but does anyone know about these particular kits as such? Or others to look at?

 

[Speedo2]

Lee Classic 4-Hole Turret:

Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press Deluxe Kit

But i would add a decent digital scale. -S2

 

[ReloadforFun]

You can never go wrong with RCBS

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

The RCBS Partner will break down easily, and the whole kit wit fit in a medium tool box and a 50 cal ammo can for his components will be a lifelong hobby that will allow him to conserve space and be mobile!

The partner press will be very durable and allow him to expand down to 32ACP and all the way up to 458 Lott. The few things I would add to that kit are the Lee shell holder assortment pack and RCBS primer pocket swager set. It will have a Speer Manual, I would add a Lyman Loading Manual or the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook (but no need for both).

Throw in a can of Unique and a brick of primers, and he's good to go on the basics!

In the 1970's I found basic loading kits like these, put together by the Greatest Generation. As they died off the kits were sold off by kids or grandkids that didn't reload. No space storage and portable seemed to be very important!

Ivan

 

[BC38]

Lee Classic 4-Hole Turret:

Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press Deluxe Kit

But i would add a decent digital scale. -S2

Ditto all of that. The Lee 4-hole is a great place to start.

It isn't a full-progressive, but with the auto-advance feature enabled it works very well as a semi-progressive.

With the auto-advance feature disabled it works very well as a single-stage OR as a manually-advanced turret press.

Probably the most flexible all-around press on the market. The price is very attractive, and their "classic kit" has pretty much everything else a new reloader needs to get started.

The only thing left to buy would be the dies for the specific cartridges to be reloaded.

Just one man's opinion.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Lee Classic 4-Hole Turret:

Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press Deluxe Kit

But i would add a decent digital scale. -S2

Yes in deed, a Lee 4 hole Classic press is a good press especially for handgun loads. I have been using one for about 18 years and still going. Remember, the CLASSIC press, not one of the others. When you get used to loading it's possible to safely load 180 to 200 rounds an hour.

For rifle ammo I use an RCBS Rockchucker but you can load rifle ammo well on the Lee press. I remove the auto-index rod and treat if as a single stage but for the fact all the dies are available on their own turret. Turrets are easily changed in less than a minute and they don't cost much at all, only about $12-$13 each.

As for the Lee carbide dies, the 4 die deluxe sets cost less than $60, Amazon is overpriced on those items @about $67.

FS Reloading has Lee reloading equipment at much better price but the site is painfully slow.

Brownells has the Lee Deluxe Carbide 4 die sets for between $48 and $58 each.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

You can never go wrong with RCBS

I use a lot of Lee stuff.........But you couldn't run fast enough to give me one of their presses.

 

[SMSgt]

Kit wise, I'd go with RCBS and never look back. With RCBS kit depends on what one wants.

 

[Rule3]

Everything you need(sort of) nothing you don't. Add some dies



Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit by RCBS

 

[IAM Rand]

I am kinda partial to Rock Chucker. There is a Rock Chucker Supreme kit for 399 on Amazon. You might want to check with Ebay, there is always good stuff there.

 

[YouveHadYour6]

It's sounding like RCBS wins the day; but I think if I can I'm going to see if he prefers starting small with the Partner or more complete with the Rockchucker - frankly, I hope it's the chucker so I have an excuse to go use it!

 

[Alk8944]

Go with RCBS. As long as he keeps the press ram and pivot points clean and lubricated it will last him the rest of his life. I have an old A-2 press that I bought in about 1967. I have loaded literally hundreds of thousands of rounds on it and there is still no perceptible play anywhere on it.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Everything you need(sort of) nothing you don't. Add some dies



Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit by RCBS

+1 that is what I started with in 1982. Now I am back to using a Rock Chucker again.

 

[IAM Rand]

It's sounding like RCBS wins the day; but I think if I can I'm going to see if he prefers starting small with the Partner or more complete with the Rockchucker - frankly, I hope it's the chucker so I have an excuse to go use it!

Reloading presses are alot like motorcycles. Starting small is a waste because inevitably you will move up to a bigger one.

 

[BC38]

I use a lot of Lee stuff.........But you couldn't run fast enough to give me one of their presses.

Wow, sounds like you had some really bad experiences with a Lee presses. What model(s) have you tried?

 

[dave1918a2]

The Rockchucker press has a footprint maybe an inch and a half larger than the partner. I agree with many above, go with RCBS. I have been reloading rifle and pistol since around 1968. I do not have anything from Lee.