• You are using the old High Contrast theme. We have installed a new dark theme for you, called UI.X. This will work better with the new upgrade of our software. You can select it at the bottom of any page.

Are you "brand loyal"?

Are you "brand loyal"?

  • Yes. I have my favorites and try to stick with them

    Votes: 14 13.5%

  • No. I buy what's priced best regardless of brand or manufacturer

    Votes: 5 4.8%

  • Somewhat. I have favorites but not glued to them

    Votes: 88 84.6%

  • unsure/undecided

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    104
  • This poll will close: .
I generally buy gear that suits me regardless of brand, and to some extent, price. Some things I like Lee because it works for me at a good price, some things I like RCBS or Lyman or another brand. Mostly I don't really have a preference. I do not care for Lee dies, and I do prefer Lyman's case trimmer.
 
Captain*kirk said:
Are you "brand loyal" with reloading? This includes reloading gear, projectiles, cases, primers, powders, etc.
Click to expand...
This is a tough one. No, I am not brand loyal. Nor do I strictly bargain shop. My reloading is purpose-driven. When I bargain shop it’s for top-shelf components that are discounted for some reason other than blemishes: Federal Guard Dog 105gr EFMJ, Remington 124gr Golden Saber, Winchester 110gr Kinetic, etc. I have tried a variety of powders and primers, to the point that I’m comfortable changing them around to get an advantage somehow.

I’m one of those rare individuals whose life does not revolve around money or bargain hunting.
 
In some ways I am brand-loyal. I will shop Team Green first, and generally choose their product unless the price is outrageous, or someone offers a better product. As an example, I'm sort of wishing I'd purchased a Lyman Brass Smith or Redding turret press simply because the have room for more dies, bullet feeders, etc. I purchased Lee bullet feeders for the turret because RCBS doesn't make one for .44 or .45LC. I purchased Lyman media separators because nothing else looked like it would work.
WRT components; I like to stick with proven combos. But if they aren't available, what are ya gonna do? I was happy with Speer Mag Tips. But they discontinued them. So you move on. So not hard-line brand loyal, but I have my 'druthers.
 
Not really. I have things I like from different manufacturers.
RCBS, LEE, Hornady, Lyman, Dillon. I own stuff from them all.
I prefer Lee pistol dies. With rifle dies, I don't care. I have RCBS, Lee, and Hornady and they all do what I need them to.
I like Lee case trimmers. They're simple, and I like that. No fine adjustments to make. Screw in the right rod and trim.
I like Lyman bullet molds, but own more Lees since they are more cost effective, and they work fine too.
I love the Lee auto indexing turret press.
I like RCBS powder measures and despise Lee measures with all that is within me.

So I like some things from all of them.
 
Arkansas Paul said:
Not really. I have things I like from different manufacturers.
RCBS, LEE, Hornady, Lyman, Dillon. I own stuff from them all.
I prefer Lee pistol dies. With rifle dies, I don't care. I have RCBS, Lee, and Hornady and they all do what I need them to.
I like Lee case trimmers. They're simple, and I like that. No fine adjustments to make. Screw in the right rod and trim.
I like Lyman bullet molds, but own more Lees since they are more cost effective, and they work fine too.
I love the Lee auto indexing turret press.
I like RCBS powder measures and despise Lee measures with all that is within me.

So I like some things from all of them.
Click to expand...
I've used on rcbs double cavity, two Lyman single cavity, just bought a Lyman dual cavity, tons of Lee, and have at least a dozen noe moulds. Lee is OK and makes servisable bullets, I like my rcbs mold but NOE brass moulds are my favorite. Hold heat stability no rust.... hard to beat.
 
I try to buy redding.

feel it's most bang for buck without paying the higher premium price stuff like harrels ,21first century,and whidden

But I've got Lee,rcbs,Lyman,Redding,21first century,K&M, Forster, Frankfort, whidden,le Wilson

each company sells a few niche or staple products
 
Last edited:
I am brand loyal in what works for me…
4 different presses for 4 different purposes……
Dillon 550 is the best progressive press for me.
LEE APP is the best bulk decapping/bulge busting press for me.
Lyman All American is the best bottleneck and straightwall rifle sizing press for me.
MEC 600 Jr is the best shotshell press for me…..
I have multiple brands of tools that suit the jobs best for me…..
It doesn’t really matter how I answered the poll, because I AM brand loyal…..till I’m NOT……….. :cool: 🤪
 
AJC1 said:
I've used on rcbs double cavity, two Lyman single cavity, just bought a Lyman dual cavity, tons of Lee, and have at least a dozen noe moulds. Lee is OK and makes servisable bullets, I like my rcbs mold but NOE brass moulds are my favorite. Hold heat stability no rust.... hard to beat.
Click to expand...
I've not used a brass mold before.
I've heard nothing but great things about them.
 
I am brand loyal to a degree: I like Dillon and RCBS for their quality and history. But I am really value loyal, more than anything else. I used to be totally loyal to Nosler and used their bullets exclusively in my rifles - until they totally priced me out of their market. I still admire their bullets (and still have a decent inventory on hand), but my last nice buck was taken with a Hornady Spire Point that literally cost 1/5 of what the comparable Nosler was going for. When Varget became scarce and the price doubled, I bought an 8 lb keg of Shooter’s World Precision Rifle Powder. When CCI, Federal and Remington primers became scarce and expensive, I stocked up on Fiocchi.
 
Like many others have said... I'm loyal, to a point.

I used to be a big Hercules powder fan... I still am with pistol powders, but I moved on to IMR rifle powders many years ago. Case in point, because of the price of IMR powders, I've started looking at Ramshot (TAC) as a less expensive substitute, and at this point, I'm even considering VV powders.

Bullets are the same way... I used to use Speer bullets almost exclusively... now the only Speer bullets I use are the GoldDots.

As far as equipment, I like RCBS and Hornady equipment, but I've had my share of failures there, for sure. I tend to look a little more closely at the feature set of any particular tool I'm shopping for these days, and where it's made. I would rather buy 'Made in America' products, even if they cost a little more... but the quality has to be there, too.

In truth, the current market has forced many of us to look elsewhere for reloading components and tools. Many are discontinued, are not in stock, have unknown availability... so you have to get what you can get if you wish to continue to handload.
 
I have favorites or preferences but willing to look at something that might be better. If it's just the same thing that's been repackaged no thank you.
 
I buy the best I can afford whether it's discretionary or non-discretionary. While a final decision isn't brand dependent, I may begin looking at a preferred brand.

One thing I do know about me, if I try to cut corners on price alone I'll end up buying two--one which was the "bargain" and then the one I originally wanted.

I confess it's sometimes hard for me to fight impulses. Once I decide to do something, I want to start yesterday. This applies to reloading--

I didn't know what I needed or wanted originally so I bought a manufacturers "kit" of everything they said I'd need. I had seen various things at gunshows, etc., but actually knew very little other than I wanted to reload and now.

Today I have a couple of boxes of nearly new and perfectly fine stuff--a complete set up and more--that most anyone could be happy with. Cost me several thousand dollars to find the several hundred dollar set up I'm now using.
 
While I have been at it long enough to know what works best for me and my guns, I am still open to try different things. My primary hunting bullets for my revolvers/P.C. carbines was determined long ago, as was the powder and charge rate. But for plinking and just range fodder, I go with what is the least expensive at the time. I buy components not when I need them, but when I find them for a good price. Was doing that long before the first shortages. When a new projectile comes out or is suggested to me I will try them, just because, but most of the time I go back to what I have been using. Same goes for powders. But, I have tried things without much confidence and been pleasantly surprised. Kinda what Handloading means to me.
 
I sort of am, but not always.

Dies: RCBS, Redding, Dillon, Whidden, Forster and 1 set of Neil Jones

Presses: RCBS, Redding, Dillon, and Ponsness Warren

When it comes to the little stuff; gauges, expanders etc. I'm all over the map.

Rifle Bullets:

Target: Berger & Sierra
Hunting: Nolser I have been using some Hornady's and Speer's but only in .358"
 
Charlie98 said:
I've started looking at Ramshot (TAC) as a less expensive substitute, and at this point, I'm even considering VV powders.
Click to expand...
Funny you mention that.
I've always been an IMR4350 fanboy, but now on the rare occasions you can find it, it's $75 a pound.
So I picked up some VV540 the other day. It burns a little faster than the 4350 but I think I've got a load that will work in both the .30-06 and the .243 Win. Who would have thought that it would be more cost effective than IMR powders. SMH
 
I voted "somewhat".

Some of the brands that I favor I arrived at because of disappointment with another brand. When this happens it kind of promotes a certain level of loyalty. For example, I turned to RCBS after having trouble with a set of Herter's dies.
 
Somewhat.
Like everything Redding makes, especially the comp dies and the 10X.
For components I like everything Hornady makes, but I’m growing very fond of RMR bullets.
 
jmr40 said:
Once I find something that works I tend to stick with it.
Click to expand...

Funny you say that.

I mentioned Speer bullets in my previous post. I used to be quite loyal to the whole RCBS/CCI/Speer triumvirate, including Speer bullets. Back when I was loading a lot of jacketed bullets, Speer was my brand. I found some Winchester (.30-30) bullets on clearance somewhere, so I bought some... and my accuracy doubled. Heck, I thought the poor accuracy I was getting with the Speer bullets was because it was a Marlin lever-action... and all that hoary internet lore about MicroGroove rifling. So I started trying other bullets in other cartridges, and to a bullet, they outperformed (accuracy-wise...) the Speers. Speer got it right with the GoldDots, but they are mostly Unobtanium these days. Today, I don't have a Speer rifle bullet on the shelf.

Point I'm trying to make is... you may find 'something that works', and I suppose if you are satisfied with the results, it's a win... but sometimes there is something better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
  • Locked
For Those Who Are Brand Loyal...
2
Replies
30
Views
1K
MCgunner
M
T
  • Locked
Texas Wanna-be Reloader needs help
Replies
24
Views
789
cliffy
C
Zendude
  • Locked
Vista Outdoors reloading rebates
Replies
2
Views
391
Garandimal
Garandimal
K
  • Locked
RCBS Customer service feedback
Replies
22
Views
911
El Viejo
El Viejo
Palladan44
  • Locked
  • Poll
What powder manufacturer do you use MOST often?
2 3 4
Replies
96
Views
3K
twarr1
twarr1
Back
Top