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Thread: New to reloading - most economical calibre

  1. #31
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    The Lee dies do come with instructions, Just don't put 4 charge in one case
    There is also a Lee reloading manual too that's ok

  2. #32
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    The Keith Floyd approach to reloading is to be avoided at all costs. That's why the figures in the loading data tables are exact - to ensure that reloader correctly replicates them.

    Trying to best-guess the laboratory can only end in much pain and expense - maybe even injury and death to the shooter or those nearby.

    Your doctor pal really needs to be TOLD that his reloads are not welcome on the club range - that might give him some pause for thought. Getting denied use of the range will inevitably cost him his FAC.

    tac

  3. #33
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    Good news... my dad and I start as probationees on Wednesday next week. Excited is an understatement! Looking forward to 6 months time! Better get saving!!!
    Donald

  4. #34
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    You will find the 357mag cheaper to load and more accurate than the 44mag

  5. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by Simon_S View Post
    You will find the 357mag cheaper to load and more accurate than the 44mag
    maybe so but the .44 mag as the grin factor

  6. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by tacfoley View Post
    Yup. Not even the mighty .44Mag produces enough ME or MV to take deer-y stuff.

    tac
    Just shows how well thought out our legislation on deer legal calibres is.

  7. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by boff180 View Post
    If economy is a priority, 357mag is the way to go.

    It’s very accurate, particularly with a light charge which means Powder goes a long way - I get just shy of 1500 rounds out of a 0.5kg tub of N320. It’s also the easiest to acquire components for.

    I’m probably going to be berated for this but in my experience Lee equipment is relatively cheap for a reason, you get what you pay for. The kit is “ok” or is inconsistent or breaks easily - their 38-55 dies for instance apart from the sizing die are actually 375H&H dies and the seating die shaves lead off the side of heads affecting their accuracy! The ones I acquired now are relegated to backup and replaced by a decent brand which do the job correctly.

    I would recommend investing in a better brand of reloading gear as it is better quality, particularly the dies. RCBS, Redding of Lyman all being excellent - the RCBS Cowboy dies being the best (imho) on the market for loading Lead heads. If progressive presses are the order of the day you cannot go wrong investing in a Dillon 550 or 650 set-up, they’re the best on the market with what is probably the most consistent Auto Powder throwing system you can get.

    Andy
    Poppycock, they work fine and will allow you to load accurate ammo, easy to set up and adjust, went over to RCBS for .223 & 6.5x55, sold them both on and went back to lee....... Use lee carbide does for .38/.357 no issues at all
    Thanks for looking

  8. #38
    boff180 Guest
    Not poppycock, my experience.

    The vast majority of items that I have purchased which have been Lee have either broken within an unacceptable time period (2x Hand Primers failed in the same place with metal coming away), haven’t done the job properly (38-55 dies not really being for a 38-55) or were just plain inconsistent (Powder thrower). The only thing I have that I have found that are good is the Powder dippers!

    All of the above had to be replaced by RCBS or Dillon equipment which i found to be better made, did a better job (particularly the RCBS cowboy dies), were far more reliable and still going strong without any issues after thousands of rounds.

    That’s not to say other manufacturers don’t also produce naff products, I find the Lyman #55 Powder thrower as inconsistent as the Lee ones, in fact the only Powder thrower I have come across which is spot on every time is Dillon’s.

  9. #39
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    Pistol calibre dies

    The Lee pistol calibre dies are carbide dies...no lube needed....not sure about the Rcbs. Never had a problem with Lee pistol calibre dies, but I prefer Rcbs dies for bottleneck cases. Tried Hornady and was not impressed.

    amc577

  10. #40
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    Among my reloading kit I have many Lee items that have served me well. In the 1970/80/90's I loaded tens of thousands of rounds on a Lee turret press with Lee carbide dies. By the time our pistols were taken from us the press was starting to get a little sloppy so I handed it in and with the compensation immediately bought another just the same. I still have it and use it regularly. I also have a Lee classic cast single stage that makes exceedingly accurate rifle ammunition.

    The cheap plastic Lee perfect powder measure has been shown, in independent tests, to be as, or more accurate than many of the really up market measures.

    Yes, there are one or two items that could do with improvement. It would be nice if Lee were to produce a decent beam scale and, yes, the hand primer works well but could be a little more durable.

    Value for money, I think it's a job to beat. And yes, I do have and use other presses, dies, measures and scales.

  11. #41
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    as above.....most of my gear is lee and does the job just as good as anything else.
    i also have rcbs / lyman / hornady / dies too which i have pick u along the way as they a bargain when bought.
    lee classic cast press is the bees knees and a worthy investment

  12. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by boff180 View Post
    Not poppycock, my experience.

    The vast majority of items that I have purchased which have been Lee have either broken within an unacceptable time period (2x Hand Primers failed in the same place with metal coming away), haven’t done the job properly (38-55 dies not really being for a 38-55) or were just plain inconsistent (Powder thrower). The only thing I have that I have found that are good is the Powder dippers!

    All of the above had to be replaced by RCBS or Dillon equipment which i found to be better made, did a better job (particularly the RCBS cowboy dies), were far more reliable and still going strong without any issues after thousands of rounds.

    That’s not to say other manufacturers don’t also produce naff products, I find the Lyman #55 Powder thrower as inconsistent as the Lee ones, in fact the only Powder thrower I have come across which is spot on every time is Dillon’s.
    Well the lee anniversary kit I bought second hand has served me well and will continue to do so I'm sure, I have 3 powder throwers which are incredibly consistent with some powders, not so much with others, and the 6 calibres I load are all with lee dies which are fine. Plenty of people run lee kit down but it is more than up to task across the vast majority of their range.
    Thanks for looking

  13. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boydy47 View Post
    Well the lee anniversary kit I bought second hand has served me well and will continue to do so I'm sure, I have 3 powder throwers which are incredibly consistent with some powders, not so much with others, and the 6 calibres I load are all with lee dies which are fine. Plenty of people run lee kit down but it is more than up to task across the vast majority of their range.
    don't mention how Lee dies wont snap a decapping pin if a berdan primed case sneaks into the mix ! people will only tell you how easy it is to get replacement pins from the other manufacturers (almost as if they know their design is going to need spares )
    theres an aweful lot of snobbery around, and people are famous for blaming the tool not the worker
    You Cannot Reason People Out of Something They Were Not Reasoned Into
    "Politicians like to panic, they need activity. It is their substitute for achievement" Sir Humphry Appleby

  14. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by kennyc View Post
    don't mention how Lee dies wont snap a decapping pin if a berdan primed case sneaks into the mix ! people will only tell you how easy it is to get replacement pins from the other manufacturers (almost as if they know their design is going to need spares )
    theres an aweful lot of snobbery around, and people are famous for blaming the tool not the worker
    my orange crusher press is indestructable but i did snap my lee challanger press....not through normal use but deliberately doing the impossible and it failed.
    normal use and lee products are fine, and yes i also broke a decapper pin by mistakenly decapping a berden case

  15. #45
    Parabuteo is offline My Chrony has bought it a couple of times...
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    Funilly enough the Lee collet dies were the go to die for a lot of bench rest shooters a while back. The thing is Lee stuff is innovative, some dies are not made by anyone else.

    I have noticed tangible improvements in the accuracy and consistancy of all of my mag length loads since sizing with the collet dies and then factory crimping, particularly with .303.

    Lee is not rubbish, but it is not Forster, Wilson or Redding either, but that said I found the Forster bullet puller utterly useless until it was fettled by Dave at the shooting shed. Where I have had blow outs with lee dies it has bene my fault. I got one that rusted internally and sized (collet sizing die) that was stuck so simply mangled the case until I sussed out what was up.

    They do rust easilly, but I use them along side Forster, redding, RCBS and Wilson and they do a good job where no others seem to exist. I would not swap my Forster coaxial press for anything but thats as much about design as build.

    They can be more an established reloaders die than a beginners sometimes as they can take some care to get the right effect.
    I'm a maggot in another life you know

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