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Head first into precision reloading: spend my money

DangerRanger

I have dipped my toes, I have a cheap lee kit, I understand basics but am not well versed. When my next rifle is finished I would like to just go ahead and do it right. I’ve found in other hobbies repeatedly upgrading from mediocre to less mediocre wastes time and money so I’d like to have good kit but also understand I’m not a competitive BR shooter(though I would love to give it a try one day....). If you could essentially start from scratch kit me out.

primarily interested in loading 300 win, 3006, possibly 223, possibly 6.5 creed

Currently own, lee press, lee FL 3006 dies, Redding 300 win 2 die FL set, beam scale, crappy FA digital scale.

I was going to get a chargemaster but was now considering an fx120i. Arbor press and Wilson seaters? Swap my Lee for a MEC for sizing? My wallet is yours.
 
You didn't set a limit, and you sold a boat...so I'm going to get stupid.

Press: Redding Big Boss or RCBS Rock Chucker (if you get the RC, get a 3d printed primer catcher)
Shell holders: Get some redding comp shell holders
Sizing Dies: Whidden Bushing dies (you don't need the click adjust) & bushings.
Seating Dies: Forster Micrometer or go with a full 21st century Hydro-press / Wilson die setup (whatever floats your boat).
Powder: FX120i w/ V3 auto throw & auto trickle
Priming: 21st century hand primer
Annealing: AMP Mark 2 annealer
Trimming: Giraud powered trimmer
Neck Turning: 21st century powered lathe


Additional Tools:
Quality calipers - no $20 HF trash.
Hornady Comparator kit w/ OAL & Headspace inserts.
VLD chamfer tool
tumbler of some kind - not gonna open that can of worms.
Concentricity gauge - Suggest accuracy one or 21st century.
Area 419 die & bushing block - seriously nice
Area 419 case holder trays


Use your lee press as a dedicated decapping station, with a mighty armory decapping die.

Only buy Lapua, Norma, Peterson, Alpha, ADG brass. Only shoot Berger, Lapua, Vapor Trail, JLK, Sierra (and maybe some other custom makers) bullets from here on out. Only powders should come from Hodgdon or VV (and maybe a few Alliant offerings).

That's how I'd do it.

I hope you sold a nice boat. ;)
 
I’ve found that crappy fa scale is actually really good. Measured it against my sartorius that will go to .001 grains and it will get you within a few kernels of powder reliably. Also as long as you have a good fl sizer die you can get good results with your lee press. Wilson dies and arbor press are nice. I wouldn’t start with an expensive annealer right away. Lots of folks are not annealing doing fine.

I use the frankford arsenal calipers which work great. Also if you’re going to neck turn the km works very well. You’ll want a ball mic to measure neck thickness. However unless you’re going to do benchrest and you use good brass you may not really need to neck turn.

I think money is best spent on a nice scope, nice bullets and nice brass and plenty of it to tune and practice.
 
How much time am I sacrificing between a 120i, my manual powder thrower for the big throw and a dandy trickler vs a full autothrow kit which is 400$ more?
 
MikeMcCasland said:
You didn't set a limit, and you sold a boat...so I'm going to get stupid.

Press: Redding Big Boss or RCBS Rock Chucker (if you get the RC, get a 3d printed primer catcher)
Shell holders: Get some redding comp shell holders
Sizing Dies: Whidden Bushing dies (you don't need the click adjust) & bushings.
Seating Dies: Forster Micrometer or go with a full 21st century Hydro-press / Wilson die setup (whatever floats your boat).
Powder: FX120i w/ V3 auto throw & auto trickle
Priming: 21st century hand primer
Annealing: AMP Mark 2 annealer
Trimming: Giraud powered trimmer
Neck Turning: 21st century powered lathe


Additional Tools:
Quality calipers - no $20 HF trash.
Hornady Comparator kit w/ OAL & Headspace inserts.
VLD chamfer tool
tumbler of some kind - not gonna open that can of worms.
Concentricity gauge - Suggest accuracy one or 21st century.
Area 419 die & bushing block - seriously nice
Area 419 case holder trays


Use your lee press as a dedicated decapping station, with a mighty armory decapping die.

Only buy Lapua, Norma, Peterson, Alpha, ADG brass. Only shoot Berger, Lapua, Vapor Trail, JLK, Sierra (and maybe some other custom makers) bullets from here on out. Only powders should come from Hodgdon or VV (and maybe a few Alliant offerings).

That's how I'd do it.

I hope you sold a nice boat. ;)
Click to expand...

Most of it is in here ^^^

Can split hairs on manufacturers and argue just for the sake of it. However, you do need a ball micrometer in addition to the calipers, and I would go with a Brown and Sharpe dial test indicator rather than what the 21st concentricity tool ships with.
 
jmcmath said:
How much time am I sacrificing between a 120i, my manual powder thrower for the big throw and a dandy trickler vs a full autothrow kit which is 400$ more?
Click to expand...

I don't know how long your current setup takes, but a 120i with an auto throw/auto trickle will throw about any charge (regardless of weight) in ~10-15 seconds, and 95% of them will be accurate to within ~.02gr.
 
MikeMcCasland said:
I don't know how long your current setup takes, but a 120i with an auto throw/auto trickle will throw about any charge (regardless of weight) in ~10-15 seconds, and 95% of them will be accurate to within ~.02gr.
Click to expand...
Sounds great, ease seems like it is worth the money over the a&d and manual powder throw/trickling

thank you for your help
 
jmcmath said:
How much time am I sacrificing between a 120i, my manual powder thrower for the big throw and a dandy trickler vs a full autothrow kit which is 400$ more?
Click to expand...
Personally -
I do not worry about making ammunition quickly.
IMO the secret to accurate is reloading skills and load development skills, from there table manners and wind reading.
 
LOL
You’ll lose plenty of sleep just gettin your brass in order.

Welcome to the Rabbit Hole.
J
 
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