Time to buy the gear and build the bench

Good for you. Now you can really save some big bucks with the rest of us!

I load 223, 40 cal and 9mm on a LCT, it has served me very well so far so I can't argue against a turret.

I suppose some type of check weights for checking scale accuracy are included in the miscellaneous gear you mentioned...you will be able to check the accuracy of your scale somehow? Of course that goes without saying right?

Some opinions and suggestions:

1. I don't see anything to trim cases with. Consider the Lyman E-ZEE trim. With that an an electric drill trimming 100 cases goes pretty fast.

2. Consider shopping places other than Amazon. You may get an OK deal there but at least check on MidwayUSA, Midsouth Shooter's Supply, Brownell's, Natchez, etc. One of those places will probably have the dies you need.

3. If you have a Harbor Freight near you, that would be a good place to check for calipers.

4. I prefer a balance beam scale. I think less to go wrong with than an electronic scale. Also invest in a set of check weights and check the scale on occasion. I don't like the Lee balance beam scale.

5. The Lee Autoprime is OK unless you need to prime some crimped brass. Even with swaging, the primer pockets may be a little tight and priming with the Lee Autoprime will be difficult and you could even break it (ask me how I know). I like the priming system on my Lee Classic Cast press but for really challenging priming jobs, I don't think anything can beat the RCBS priming die.

Definitely agree on the balance beam scale. Tried both extensively and sent the electronic one packing eventually.

Sounds like you're on the right track. Never hurts to have a few manuals (as in quite a few) around. Read em over and over and over, and hang around here for a few more months too. I didn't know a lick about any of this stuff when I started. The folks here taught me how to do it.

That's my advice for what it's worth.

Order your stuff while you still can, Things may possibly be difficult to find next week! You will like the lee classic turret press. It was my first press purchase and currently the only one on my bench. I do a lot of buying/selling/trading so I have had a large number of presses- 7+ single stage and a dillon 550b, hornady LNL, hornady pro7. I always end up sticking with the Lee classic turret press and selling the ones I dont want. I load about 10k rounds a year on it- about 8k pistol and 2k rifle(just 300blk). I personally dont like using the auto index because I load a little differently than most people. As I shoot my ammo, I will clean, resize and reprime my brass and save it up until I have 1,000pcs to load a large lot. Then I simply just thumb back and forth between the powder through expander die and bullet seat/crimp die. I feel that loading this way, I'm able to stay more focused on the important tasks and really get in the groove.

I have never had good luck with cheap ~$40 electronic scales. Spend $100+ to get a good electronic scale or just get a trusty ol' balance beam scale like a rcbs 505.

Lee makes a lot of excellent products. They also make a handful that are absolute garbage. In my experience, most of their hand primers are garbage. If you really want a hand primer, get a rcbs. I have both versions- the one with the primer tray and you use your press's shellholder as well as the aps strip hand primer with a universal shellholder. Both are great but I really really like the aps strip universal shellholder model. The one downside is that you need to buy your primers in aps strips or buy the rcbs aps strip reloader, its only $27 at midway. The priming system on the lee classic turret paired with the lee safety prime is still a very nice setup that works well. I just like the hand primer better because it gives you a bit better feel and you can prime your brass while sitting on the couch watching a movie. BUT at the same time, the on press priming system works very well and you could be in it $80+ for a good hand primer setup!

Don't buy the 4 die pistol die sets from lee. The factory crimp die is not needed and its a bandaid solution for a problem that doesn't exist. .001" oversized cast bullets paired with overly thick brass can lead to bullets being squeezed down by the factory crimp die sizing ring and losing all neck tension- Dangerous!

The cool new thing is tumbling your brass in stainless steel pins, water, soap and citric acid to get them super clean inside and out. This is not necessary but it does make the brass look really pretty- but for how long? I still like to tumble in walnut media with a dab of nufinish car polish. It gets brass to a mirror polish within 2 hours and leaves a thin protective waxy film that prevents the brass from tarnishing quickly and it makes sizing a good bit easier.

Get a good chamfer/deburr tool. The lee version is very bad. I have both the hornady and rcbs and like them both. I cant be sure of it, but it seems that the rcbs is holding it's sharp edge better than the hornady. The chamfer tool can also be used to cut out small crimped primer pockets. A sharp #2 phillips head bit will do it as well.

Everything else looks good to go.

Oh, and I prime with the ABS strips and the little hand unit (I think ABS is the right name)....holy cow it's fast, easy as pie too. Love it. Even I haven't found a way to screw up using it yet.

If you're going LCT, do yourself a favor and send Lost Sheep a pm if he's still grazing here, or look back at some of his advice on the subject. I promise you'll benefit from it.

Your starting with easy rounds to load. Good luck and welcome to the addiction.

For my part, skip the turret and buy a cast iron single stage. I own both a Rockchucker and a very nice Lyman turret, and I have yet to figure out what on earth the turret offers.

Also, the Lee trim system works great, and costs about $5 per cartridge.

I'd pass on the hand primer. also, for loading 30/30 on the turret you will need a rifle charging die. The lee rifle dies do not include a powder die like the pistol ones do. Also, I'm out on the lee case lube. It works, but I like the hornady unigue a lot better.

you can also get buy without the calipers, the puller and the case tumbler if you want. tumbled brass is just prettier, not required. neither 45 nor 30/30 will have crimped pockets, so you don't need a primer cleanout tool. the lee chamfer tool is functional, but primitive. It will be just fine for 30/30 since those aren't really a high volume caliber. 45 does not need to be trimmed.

your scale is fine. once you set your auto drum you won't need it anyway.

the hand primer for $20 is misleading. the primer is $20, but you also need a $16 shellholder kit. the primer uses different shell holders than the ones that come with you dies. Pass on this as well. I would also buy the cheaper lee pacesetter 30/30 dies. I assume the 30/30 is a lever gun? you will want to full length size your brass and will find that you paid $14 for a collet neck sizing die you don't use. (this is a good die for bolt guns and single shots, not lever or semi auto guns)

you will also want a turret head for each caliber. and personally, I like having a powder drop and riser for each turret.

I built my bench on nothing but 2x4 and 3/4 inch mdf screwed and glued. I use the lee classic turret with auto drum for 9mm. lee perfect powder measure for everything else and no complaints. I use lee and rcbs dies and no issues. get the lyman ez trim and the lyman tool that looks like a big screw driver with extra bits for deburing and chamfer. if using the lee classic turret just buy the lee priming tool for the press. I load all lake city mill brass right from the military and never had an issue with priming on the press. I broke the handle on my lee auto prime and went to the priming on the press so I don't break cheap plastic again and you don't have to buy special shell holders like the lee auto prime requires.

I use a lyman micro touch and its very consistent.

harbor freight tumbler and calipers for me and both work great and buy harbor freights media as its the same and cheaper than reloading media.

you will also need a powder funnel.

go to midwayusa.com for your dies as all lee dies are on sale for like $38 I like my turret press so I don't have to mess with setting up dies and taking them out.set them and forget.

Grumulkin said:

2. Consider shopping places other than Amazon. You may get an OK deal there but at least check on MidwayUSA, Midsouth Shooter's Supply, Brownell's, Natchez, etc. One of those places will probably have the dies you need.

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OP, A question to ask yourself is does amazon support the shooting sports? We know that the above mentioned sellers do.

greyling22 said:

your scale is fine. once you set your auto drum you won't need it anyway.

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Many would disagree with this advice. A good dependable scale is required and you must check your powder measure at the beginning of every session at a minimum, more often is better.

You might give these guys a call they can put together a kit with what you need not what lee offers. https://kempfgunshop.com/

One last thing, pick the one caliber you shoot the most and buy what you need for that. Take the money you would spend on other calibers and apply it to a premium press and accessories. This way learn one caliber at a time, figure out exactly what it is your trying to accomplish and learn something of the art of handloading. Then after you have a couple thousand rounds under your belt move to the next caliber. In my opinion, other may disagree, but I think it is easier to load for pistol than rifle so I would start there first unless you shoot a ton of rifle.

link to the LCT fan thread https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/lee-classic-turret-press-a-love-sonnet.810476/

I really don't have much to offer except: think about if you'd like to stand while reloading. I ended up making a taller bench to stand and using a stool to sit.

Add a set of scale check weights recommended by bds. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003STEJAC/ref=pdp_new_dp_review

I started loading my own just over 2 and a half years ago. I spent a couple months reading everything I could find online on the subject and also watched a lot of youtube videos. I built a bench and ordered the Lee Classic Turret Press kit. Other than calipers and a bullet puller it had everything I needed but I did get a tumbler to shine up the brass. To start I got 38/357 dies and 45acp dies. since then I have added 9mm, .40 and .380. To date I have loaded in the neighborhood of 10,000 rounds. Yes, I shoot a lot and that's why I had to learn to reload my own. Soon I plan to add .223 to the mix.

Good times

So that's about where I am right now. I already have a bench built in the garage which will be used as my reloading platform.

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If I were thinking about starting today, the first thing I would do is figure out what loads I would like to try and buy at a minimum powder and primers for them.

If you were just starting out after the last POTUS election and sandy hook, you could have had all the equipment in the world and it wouldn't have done any good for 6 months.

jmorris said:

If I were thinking about starting today, the first thing I would do is figure out what loads I would like to try and buy at a minimum powder and primers for them.

If you were just starting out after the last POTUS election and sandy hook, you could have had all the equipment in the world and it wouldn't have done any good for 6 months.

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Very good advice!

greyling22 said:

you can also get buy without the calipers

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Hmm. IMO, calipers are as important as a scale. Would really hate to hear of a brand new reloader loading something dangerously short... Maybe if he was sticking to loading up bullets with a cannelure, but who does that?

As others have mentioned, you might want to consider buying from businesses that support the shooting sports. Even if something is a buck (or several) more than say Amazon.

Someone mentioned FS Reloading for Lee stuff. I've placed a couple small orders from them and have had no problems with the new owners. Same day shipping on both orders placed. Good prices, too.

When I started 2.5 years ago I had a pound of powder and a bunch of primers before I had the press. Primers were around but powder was tough to get for pistols

I'm looking into my crystal ball and I can see your future.......you're at your range.......you have your head in a garbage can......digging through the trash..........looking for brass.........

......oh, I see a UPS man walking up to your house....he's made this trip many times.......you're wife has a frown on her face........

Are you sure you want to do this?

By all means, start doing it. But, be aware there is a difference between what you need and what you will want. In a year, you might have already replaced most of the components you have purchased. It is all part of the learning process.

Sincerely, best of luck. Almost as good as mediocre sex is actually producing and successfully firing your first "made" round.

fotheringill said:

By all means, start doing it. But, be aware there is a difference between what you need and what you will want. In a year, you might have already replaced most of the components you have purchased. It is all part of the learning process.

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This is true however the OP has asked the question instead of just going ahead and buying things. Still I predict that what you say will actually happen.

Jonesy814 said:

When I started 2.5 years ago I had a pound of powder and a bunch of primers before I had the press. Primers were around but powder was tough to get for pistols

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That describes the situation as I know it.