Reloading advice: Which setup? RCBS, Hornady or ???

[mbryson]

I've been kicking around reloading for quite some time now (6-12 months?) and have developed a load that really makes my 30-06 work well. I've had assistance of a friend to develop the load and feel fairly comfortable going out on my own. My biggest concern is getting into something somewhat proprietary. Any advice from the peanut gallery on brands? Seems like it's pretty hard to beat RCBS but the Hornady throw in for 500 bullets is kind of persuasive as well. I'm fine with not having the rotating stuff where you can reload quickly, I'm more about getting the load correct than anything else.

I'd likely be reloading my 30-06, probably my .223 and 9mm. I may move to a .45 fairly soon and wouldn't be surprised to have a few different rifle calibers show up (I want a lever action )

Biggest things I think I want is a non-digital scale (not a battery fan) and the RCBS type trickler. I'd also need a very sturdy bench to put all that stuff out and pretty much leave setup.

What are the thoughts on the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme kit? (example: http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/prod...0&WTz_l=YMAL%3BIK-218241&WTz_l=YMAL;IK-213986)

 

[muleskinner]

The Rock Chucker is great, I own two myself. I also own a Hornady progressive, but I wouldn't recommend a progressive until you are very comfortable reloading. There is a lot of stuff happening with every stroke. I've been using the Charge master since they came out and I highly recommend it if you can swing it. You tell it how much powder you want, press the button, and it trickles powder onto the scale.

I really like the Hornady case prep center and recommend it also.

I'd look into Forster or Redding dies instead of RCBS, I think they are better quality.

This is not stuff you need to buy to get started, but if you have the money, I'd get it.

Scale

Case prep

 

[muleskinner]

So did you buy one yet?

 

[UFAB]

I like the new progressive LEE setup. RCBS for tuning your rounds, progressive for actually making some rounds.

 

[mbryson]

So did you buy one yet?

Out with my woman buying her bday right now. That'll let me know what still have to spend

 

[kyojin]

I started off with a Rock Chucker and loaded about 10k rounds. I shoot a lot of competitions and found it wasn't worth the time spent with a single stage reloader. I bought a Dillon 550 and have been very pleased. I reload 9mm, .40, and .223. I still use the RCBS for decap/sizing .223 cases and swaging. For progressive you can't beat Dillon. For single stage you can't beat RCBS. My $.02

 

[D94R]

I have a lee classic turret. And while I can't spit out a billion rounds an hour like some of the progressive's out there it does me just fine. I load .223, 9mm, .45, and will do 30.06 and a few other calibers eventually.

It's not super expensive either. I think you can get into the press and set of dies for less than $200.
I also use the Cabela's brand AC power digi scale cause the scale that comes with the Lee turret kit is junk. It's supposedly stupid accurate, but I could never get the damn thing to set up.


If you're gonna load just for target practice I suggest buying lead rounds. It's a good feeling to pull the handle knowing you loading that .45 at 12 cents per round. It makes burning a couple hundred rounds painless.

Here's my rather simple setup. I just finished working up some .45 loads.

 

[mbryson]

Love the setup above. I've got some plans similar to that in a corner in the basement I plan to adopt (ssshhh, my wife doesn't know).

I just ordered the Hornady progressive press. Here's for hoping that I like it. One of the kickers was that they include a cert for 500 bullets with the reloader. Makes it somewhat comparable to RCBS in cost? Reviews I've read have been positive, but it's a bit of a shot in the dark as everyone I know has RCBS or Lee. Uses the same dies.

 

[mbryson]

Just setup and loaded my first rounds. I only loaded eight rounds but measured and setup A LOT before loading those. I worked with a grade school friend of mine "matching" a round to my 30-06. My particular gun likes 46 grains (.760" group with a cold barrel) with a 165 Hornady SST bullet. I loaded those rounds at 46 grains. Before and after loading I verified powder charges with a variance between 46.2-45.9.


Observations: case lube is CRUCIAL for the resizing die.

If you blow off the case lube, you're not a happy camper as the brass will get stuck on the resizing die.

An auto powder charger is harder to set up at my house than at a friends house that's been reloading for years. However, I think that proved to be an invaluable experience as I knew what I wanted things to look like and how things would work.

a bullet puller is a necessity to have. I'll be snagging one of those tomorrow. (Maybe today as I saw all kinds of decent reloading crap at Walmart of all places)

the progressive will be pretty cool once I get a little more experience with it. LOTS going on there at the same time to keep track of.


oh, I thought I didn't want a digital scale but ill be snagging of those as well.