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Hornady Equipment
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this…I wish years ago someone would have given me this advice. Stay away from the kits and buy the needed equipment (make a list) and get the best you can afford right off the Word go. If you think you are doing yourself a favor by buying cheap and then working up in quality later, it will bite you every time and you will end up with drawers and cabinets filled with stuff you never touch and wish you had never purchased…. Figure out what you need for the type of reloading you are going to be doing …
nksmfamjp
Well-Known Member
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Hornady makes basically good equipment. There are a couple I wouldn't buy again…
The LNL Classic single stage. It is fine. Probably better than Lee, but it is a ways lower in quality than MEC or RCBS. Makes 1-1.5 moa ammo just fine all day long!
The LNL concentricity gage. Sure there are people who love to say "just as good as"….just get the RCBS, 21st Century, Accuracy One, etc.
The case trimmer….just overly complex when Wilson, Lyman, Trim It II, etc all do a fine job.
On the other hand, I find their dies excellent, their case prep bits, progress press, powder measure, powder dispenser, electronic scales, shot shell loader, etc all excellent.
A word about their dies. I've had about 20 sets. All sized smoothly, to the right size and the ones I have checked were all very concentric. Bullet seating has been consistent and concentric too. I measure these things. Other quality brands are generally ok, but not better.
The LNL Classic single stage. It is fine. Probably better than Lee, but it is a ways lower in quality than MEC or RCBS. Makes 1-1.5 moa ammo just fine all day long!
The LNL concentricity gage. Sure there are people who love to say "just as good as"….just get the RCBS, 21st Century, Accuracy One, etc.
The case trimmer….just overly complex when Wilson, Lyman, Trim It II, etc all do a fine job.
On the other hand, I find their dies excellent, their case prep bits, progress press, powder measure, powder dispenser, electronic scales, shot shell loader, etc all excellent.
A word about their dies. I've had about 20 sets. All sized smoothly, to the right size and the ones I have checked were all very concentric. Bullet seating has been consistent and concentric too. I measure these things. Other quality brands are generally ok, but not better.
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Jim’s Hunt
Well-Known Member
I'm not a huge fan of Hornady dies at all I've had two different ones. I also have their progressive press that is finicky about functioning correctly all of the time and is cheaply made. I would stick with RCBS,Redding,Dillon,Wilson,Forster and Mec
ElCazador
Active Member
As someone who just set out on this journey myself in the last couple years, I'm happy to share my process and experiences so far. I thought my biggest challenge was going to be picking a brand to run with but sourcing components has been my greatest barrier to actually getting started. Luckily for you powders and bullets are available again (still some gaps though) and if you look hard enough, primers are out there now (I've only been able to find CCI though). I ended up choosing red and got the Hornady Iron Press kit. After talking with a bunch of local hand loaders and hunting friends that reload, Forster Co-Ax was in my top three options and Forster makes a lot of quality stuff. The Iron Press was similar in design and while maybe the fit and finish from a production scale standpoint is not as quality as Forster, the price on the kit was very good and I've become a huge fan of the Hornady Lock-N-Load bushing system for switching out dies (set it once and you're good to go - especially if you're just loading for one rifle per caliber). If you like green, get the RCBS kit as RCBS is also wonderful. There are true differences between all of them but at some level, you can just choose the color you like best and be happy with anything you get. Every press will have little idiosyncrasies and adjustments to make so it's more about learning good procedure and technique which can be applied to any press or piece of kit you pick up. A lot of the kits have basic things that you may end up replacing or not using but I found that the Hornady Iron Press kit came with enough great components that I knew I would use and I really only had to add a few things: head space gauge kit, extra Lock-N-Load bushings, case trimmer, OAL gauge, and I bought modified cases for all the calibers I load to make things even easier. The only thing from the kit I don't use is the powder measure. At the time I bought my kit, there was a promotion that also included Hornady's Auto Charge Pro which measures and dispenses powder for you. After leveling it and setting it up in the place I plan to always have it, I find it to be very accurate, repeat charges well, and it's easy to change powders out. I have borrowed a friend's beam scale to check it once in a while and I've never been off. A few times there have been maybe a .1 grain difference and if you're bench rest precision oriented, you may prefer to trickle your charges anyway. I'm a hunter and don't target shoot a lot or burn through large quantities of ammunition so this single stage set-up suits me just great and I like and use the Hornady custom grade dies too (their match grade dies offer more control over neck tension with bushings that have tight tolerances). Regarding your interest in scaling up, the biggest question there is if you think you'd ever want a progressive loader. Many will suggest/insist that you start with a single stage and build a strong and reliable hand loading regimen before jumping up to a progressive system with a lot of moving parts and things to pay attention to. Plenty of merit in doing so. You'll also find plenty of others that will tell you if money was no object, they would have immediately bought a Dillion Precision set-up like their RL550C and built their bench around that. I can definitely see the appeal there myself but I will say that I'm learning a lot from going through each separate part of the hand loading process and I like the ceremony of doing all the phases separately from case prep/cleaning, to sizing, to priming, and then seating etc. I have no regrets and I am enjoying the benefits of loading my own and no matter what color you choose for your bench, you'll probably be happy too. Good luck!
I started reloading at age 14 on my own. I had purchased a 300 H & H mag. It included reloading equipment. Dies and press C & H. A cut off case to measure powde with. I didn't like it , so I got a scale. The cut off case was a long way off.
Theres a lot of good presses out there. I got one of the early Rocker Press. I still have it today. I just up graded to an Area-19 turret press this last year.
You will hear it here! It's a rabbit hole!
The one thing is I would in going towards bushing dies for sizing. FL dies too. Decapping die for primers removal.
You can go to ebay and bid on items for your reloading tools. Know what the prices are, so you don't get taken. Watch the bidding wars, and learn how it's done. Time is everything there.
You'll need a case trimmer and different pilots.
The rabbit hole!
I would get the latest Sierran Manual for start with. It carry more different cartridges than anybody else. It you can get one used in good shape that would be better to start with.
There more but not now.
READ, READ, AND WATCH HERE ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
Alot of times I see what post have been placed for the day or hour. Click on one that interest you and read.
Good luck, I' ve been reload for 62 yrs now. Still learning!
Theres a lot of good presses out there. I got one of the early Rocker Press. I still have it today. I just up graded to an Area-19 turret press this last year.
You will hear it here! It's a rabbit hole!
The one thing is I would in going towards bushing dies for sizing. FL dies too. Decapping die for primers removal.
You can go to ebay and bid on items for your reloading tools. Know what the prices are, so you don't get taken. Watch the bidding wars, and learn how it's done. Time is everything there.
You'll need a case trimmer and different pilots.
The rabbit hole!
I would get the latest Sierran Manual for start with. It carry more different cartridges than anybody else. It you can get one used in good shape that would be better to start with.
There more but not now.
READ, READ, AND WATCH HERE ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
Alot of times I see what post have been placed for the day or hour. Click on one that interest you and read.
Good luck, I' ve been reload for 62 yrs now. Still learning!
Personally, I don't see myself getting into anything that would warrant a progressive set up. Like you, I'm a hunter rather than a precision shooter. I won't discount that there's some appeal to it, and who know's what the future holds. But for now, I'm looking at building a 22LR to practice with. So reloading won't be an issue there. The biggest issue for me is two of my calibers that I love...280AI and 8.6BLK. If I have to sit around waiting for those to come available on the shelves, I may be too old to care anymore.
You live in Dillon Country! Go to their showroom in Scottsdale and play with the presses.
It doesn't take a lot of space to start reloading. I started back when I was in the USCG. Our ship was in the yards for new engines and we were living at the local Ramada Inn. I was reloading in my hotel room at night using this outfit right here. I held it to the dresser using a wood clamp!
The wood base was made by Lyman at the time (1983) and I have continued to use it since. I don't think Lyman offers them anymore but you can make something like it. It's just plywood screwed together with gussets in the right areas.
The wood base was made by Lyman at the time (1983) and I have continued to use it since. I don't think Lyman offers them anymore but you can make something like it. It's just plywood screwed together with gussets in the right areas.
Really? I didn't realize that. I was excited when my son started interning for Haley Strategic, but then he turned down the job offer. Grrr.
Yeah, I think once I wrap my head around what's needed, I could see if it'll fit.
I started on the kitchen table in 1981 but my young bride soon kicked me outside. All I had to start with was a Rock Chucker, RCBS and lee dies sets with shell holders, A 505 beam scale, an RCBS volumetric powder throw, an hammer style bullet puller, Lee hand prime, and the lee hand held brass trimmers one per cartridge case caliber. I still have all this stuff and used it exclusively for 20 years. Don't buy a kit, you'll want to upgrade most of it. After my Air Force retirement I began a 2nd career with Border Patrol in 2003. I bought my first AR and fell in love with 1911 pistols. My old single stage couldn't keep up with the volume so I bought the hornady ammo plant. I had a little trouble at first but found a YouTuber who is a LNL expert and after following his tips and tweaks, I had it running like a singer sewing machine. Others have said it but I'll repeat it. Beginners should not start on a progressive press period. There is too much going on and the risk of a double charge or light charge is great and both can be extremely dangerous. There are a lot of good single stage presses out there and the cheapest is the Lee. I personally would spend more and avoid aluminum presses. Although I don't own one, I believe the forester coax is the best. I started with an RCBS and it worked so I stuck with it. I don't believe there are any bad dies either. I have Hornady, RCBS, Lee, Redding, and Forester dies. They all make great ammo.
Sure got that right. The rabbit hole, and it get deeper! There was lots of time when I purchase something, I would get it for my sons too. That rabbit is really big and deep. Not so much. The equipment that can purchase out there now can be expensive.
This is the place that will lead you right to it. Read at your own expense.
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