Getting started, what equipment do I need?

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kmw1954 said:
another useless opinion here. For the last 25 years of my working life I have used scales from beam grain scales to floor mounted freight scales and from my experience if I was weighing critical weights like gun powder or expensive fine metals I would not be doing it with an electronic scale unless that was a verified and certified scale, which are normally out of the price range of the average reloader.

We had a FTC certified scale company come in and check/calibrate our scales once every month.
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That is the purpose of check weights. If you test your scale regularly with known good weights that as good, and way cheaper than certification. Same is true for measuring standards.
 
Old Stumpy said:
I would rather sleep indoors, given the choice.
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I would too but at times that is not possible, especially in a remote primitive setting.
Taken a step further, I also like shooting 45ACP but I very much dislike the 1911 platform. It just doesn't fit me.

Back to the question at hand. The Lee scale may not be the most convenient or have the easiest of use but in the end it is still usable and very accurate. Now if I were a new user and that scale came with a entry level kit I would use it and it would work just fine as-is. I would then spend the most likely limited budget on other needed tools and use that scale until I was in a position to comfortably upgrade.

In other words if I bought a kit with that scale there are certainly other tools that are needed like a caliper, bullet puller, extra lighting that I would think about before spending more money on another scale. But that is just me and the way I think. Then again if I was flush with cash and money was not a limiting factor in my buying decisions I wouldn't be buying an entry level kit with that scale either.
 
AJC1 said:
That is the purpose of check weights. If you test your scale regularly with known good weights that as good, and way cheaper than certification. Same is true for measuring standards.
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Perfectly fine for everyday use like you are using, not so much for commercial trade. I think you missed the whole point.
 
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Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
I believe whole-heartedly that a scale is something that should not be scrimped on.

This RCBS scale at Mayfield sells for $89.99. Hardly a princely sum.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1016279058?pid=232621

If you can afford to shoot, drive a car, buy gas, and buy guns, you can certainly afford to own a scale better than a $29.99 special.
 
Lots of good advice already. My biggest takeaways are read the manual(s) more than once before starting, follow the recipies from the bullet and powder manufacturers/publishers and if possible find a mentor. Paying attention and developing your own set of steps as you progress will keep you safe. That notebook will save you alot of heartburn in the future as well as components when you find old data and don't need to reinvent the wheel every so often.
 
kmw1954 said:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1013004049?pid=121744 Same place, Entry level reloading kit. $139.99 and then you want someone to spend 60% of the cost of a Kit with a scale just to buy another scale. I guess that makes sense. So now your Entry Level Kit just cost you $230.00 and you still need to buy a caliper and most likely a bullet puller.
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Old Stumpy said:
you can afford to shoot, drive a car, buy gas, and buy guns, you can certainly afford to own a scale better than a $29.99 special.
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Ask yourself this: What do spend on groceries, fast food, and a bit of entertainment every month?
And you are worried about buying an $89.99 scale?
 
Old Stumpy said:
And you are worried about buying an $89.99 scale?
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I'm not. I paid $30.00 shipped for a used Lyman D5 that is the same as the RCBS, Ohaus 5-0-5. But someone that struggled to buy a $130.00 Lee starter Kit might be pressed to spend an extra $90.00 on a scale. But then it is always easiest to spend other peoples money.

I think we more than killed this discussion so I'm moving on.
 
I believe that for the most part we have covered what the OP needs.
If the Lee scale works okay for him then fine.
 
Old Stumpy said:
I'm not sure what this means. A one word comment is confusing.

Is it the topic, the thread, something about the replies, or is it something else?

What exactly does this mean Toprudder?
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Sorry, I made a comment before I realized there was a whole other page of comments on the subject of scales, and mine was just redundant. So I deleted it. No use beating a dead horse.
 
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Toprudder said:
Sorry, I made a comment before I realized the was a whole other page of comments on the subject of scales, and mine was just redundant. So I deleted it. No use beating a dead horse.
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I was just curious what you meant. Thanks for clearing this up. :)
 
I started with the Lee 50th Anniversary Press Kit, a copy of Modern Reloading by Richard Lee was included. I used that manual for years before I bought a copy of Lymans 49th Edition, now I also have a copy of Hornady's 9th Edition. The key here is to read the instructional section first, then re-read it. Buy enough of the Lee quick change die bushings for all of your dies, you'll be glad you did. Keep asking questions here, these folks know what they're talking about. I personally use Bullseye for my 38 special loads, but it is a personal choice for everyone.
 
Bugster said:
The key here is to read the instructional section first, then re-read it. Buy enough of the Lee quick change die bushings for all of your dies, you'll be glad you did. Keep asking questions here, these folks know what they're talking about.
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Way back when, I used the public library as my resource to learn how to reload. They hadn't decided that guns were bad yet, I guess. There was no internet and no personal computers of course.
Today though, You-Tube is your friend. There are many videos on there that will help you.
And don't restrict yourself to just one forum for reloading information, no matter how good it is. You should, absolutely continue using THR for assistance, but just as you can use more than one reloading manual you can gather reloading information from other sources as well.
There is a forum dedicated to loading and producing cast bullets for example.

I happened upon this series of You-Tube videos for example that are specific to the OPs Challenger Reloading Kit:





Incidentally, Iraqveteran8888 states that the Lee powder scale is excellent, so I guess that I am wrong about it. (Not that a good Lyman or RCBS isn't an excellent upgrade.) :)
 
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My mother told me at an early age, "don't believe anything you hear, and only half of what you see."

I've found this is good advice, until you know better. There is a lot of good you tube entertainment on shooting out there, most instructional, some dangerous. The best way to tell the difference is to read the instructional parts of the reloading manuals to understand what each step does and why. Follow mfgr (die, bullet and powder) data to make safe ammo. Be slow to go off the reservation on your own.
 
PWC said:
There is a lot of good you tube entertainment on shooting out there, most instructional, some dangerous. The best way to tell the difference is to read the instructional parts of the reloading manuals to understand what each step does and why. Follow mfgr (die, bullet and powder) data to make safe ammo. Be slow to go off the reservation on your own.
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As a handloader since 1972, I can say that most You Tube videos regarding basic reloading instruction are quite useful and accurate. Of course, there are bound to be a few that are not.
Certainly you should learn from the reloading manuals first, but if a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth 10,000 words.
When it comes to the fundamentals of die setup, scale, and powder measure use, then you can rely on the better sources like the examples that I offered above.
The best way to separate the wheat from the chaff is to watch many videos and compare them to what you already know.
However, when it comes to You Tube reloading powder and bullet data, you should rely on the manuals exclusively, until you have a lot amount of experience under your belt, and even then proceed with extreme caution.

Incidentally, it is the close up set up and explanation of the Lee Safety Scale in the videos above that made me a believer in this modest little scale, and made me change my mind about it.
 
I think that the worst thing about the Challenger breech-lock press is the breech-lock. This is a press made of aluminum, which is softer than cast iron.
The interupted threads reduce the strength of those threads by about 50%.
While it might be strong enough for general use, It seems like a bad idea for a dubious feature.
After all, who changes dies every minute?
 
Old Stumpy, sorry if you had problems (or saw someone with problems) with the Breech Lock press.

My own experience with it, is different than yours.
I load many calibers including 223 & 7.62x54R.
I full length size all the calibers and the only problems
I've ever had were from a lack of lube.

Just my 2¢ worth. YMMV
 
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