badsworth Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 I am about to start gathering kit to start re-loading for my .223 Steyr - low numbers of rounds (probably 55 gr bullets) for foxing. I am thinking of buying a Lee Anniversary Press Kit (or similar) and a set of dies, plus a good book on re-loading. Is there anything else I need as a 'Must Have' for starting up? Any suggestions for the book? What did you folks start out with? B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjafox Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 Hi Badsworth, i've had the lee kit for about a year now, and i don't think i'll buy anything else, my dies are RCBS, which work fine for me, my best load so far is 55gr nosler bt, max load of varget , and seated as close to the lands as posible, .4 in @ 200 yds, no wind, with 700 pss 223.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinner Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 do you have it put on your cert before you can buy presses scales ect ect,do you need to produce any reasons.is there a limit to what you can purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjafox Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 just buy your reloading kit, go to a gunsmiths and buy some powder, bullets and primers, you will need your fac to by primers and expanding ammo, but not your powder, yes thats right, you need nothing else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stirky Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 I would advise to get a good book that will explain everything before buying any kit as it will probably end up that you have bought the wrong items, or it will explain why one item is better than another. A good one to get is Precision shooting and reloading guide, i bought mine from american ebay, they have a very good choice of reloading books over the pond. Warning, home loading is infuriating at times and WILL become expensive :blink: but rewarding when you find a load that realy shoots well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjimmer Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 I am thinking of buying a Lee Anniversary Press Kit (or similar) and a set of dies, plus a good book on re-loading. With that kit, you will get the lightweight Lee Challenger press, which is good enough for what you are thinking about. When experimenting and thereby loading small quantities, you might find it a bore having to swap from resizing dies to bullet seating dies for every small batch. If you get a second press so that you can resize and seat the bullet without changing dies, think about the Lee Classic Cast press for the resizing stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadeye ive Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 A good poll would be how many use balance scales and how many use digital to wiegh the powder ..........I have the Lee kit and for the money it's superb ............I purchased 2 sets of digital scales as I can't get on with the balance set provided . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badsworth Posted January 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Excellent tips folks - keep them coming! If I could get .4 in @ 200 yds I would be mighty impressed. When you say max load of varget Ninjafox, how many grains is that? I'd certainly like to try that recipe! B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjafox Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Here is a link to hodgdons web site, makers of varget, benchrest powder is very good for 40 - 55 gr bullets as well, there is lots of info on the net about reloading and load data, start by doing lots of researching of the net, its also a good idea to get a reloading manual, if your max load is 27.5 as varget is for 55gr bullets, start your load at 25 grs and work your load up .5 of a grain each time , checking your empty shells for signs of pressure, (search the net). you might find that your gun shoots better with say 27 grs of varget, each gun is differant. learn before you start reloading ammo, its better than learning your lesson after as they say. Good luck. http://www.hodgdon.com/data/rifle/223rem.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 lee anniversary kit. digi scales,electronic calipers, lee dies,trimmer and cutter,kinetic hammer, and ask the lads on here about loads. some top men on here for reloading. you wont believe the difference in accuracy from the start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno 357 Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 The lee kit is a good starting point for anyone reloading. I used to have a Dillon RB550. One of the best of the market IMO. I used it for loading 357 magnum & 44 magnum. I used to load couple of thousand a week Due to selling the underlevers I stopped loading and got rid of the presses I had. I now only shoot 223 rem at foxes, rabbits & crows so I don't need a press for the amount I shoot Don't use the Lee Scales. Using a spoon would be more accurate Buy some Hornady or RCBS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr smith Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Has anybody bought the digital scales on ebay from america,if so are they any good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Dont forget to buy some case lube.. It'll save a lot of grief in the long run One who knows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 it comes with the kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinner Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 jonno how much did your kit set you back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 it comes with the kit. Well he can buy some more then I find the best stuff is the one that comes in the spray bottle (not the aerosol one). The tubes of ointment might as well be put on the tom cats nookie scratches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 it comes with the kit. Well he can buy some more then I find the best stuff is the one that comes in the spray bottle (not the aerosol one). The tubes of ointment might as well be put on the tom cats nookie scratches. you know your lube mate. best leave the moggy alone though. they will lock you up again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjafox Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 lee anniversary kit and dies will cost about £110 - £130 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 it comes with the kit. Well he can buy some more then I find the best stuff is the one that comes in the spray bottle (not the aerosol one). The tubes of ointment might as well be put on the tom cats nookie scratches. you know your lube mate. best leave the moggy alone though. they will lock you up again. That my friend has just added a new perspective on "letting the cat out of the bag" Only thing is that when you showed me the alternative uses for case lube you said it was just between us and they'd never suspected you in the last 5 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mry716 Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 The most important piece of kit in your setup is the case trimmer. Either a full blown trimmer or a trim die. It is not an optional extra it is essential for safe reloads. As a virgin to reloading please take heed of the comments in this thread and elsewhere that indicate that a safe load in one rifle may not be safe in another despite all things seemingly being the same. One should NEVER decide on a load and just load that combination without first building up to it. If you assume your rifle will take a max of 23 gr R7 you need to start well down and work little by little up to that amount. Even changing the primers can equate with an increase in powder of 10% ! That change alone with a max load could kill and not just you but bystanders as well. I am not trying to scare or be 'over the top' on safety but suggesting that from long experience all folk will tell you basically the same - find a load in a manual use that combination of components but drop 10% on powder and work up little by little. It is rare that max loads produce best accuracy. eg Vhitavouri often run best groups 10% below max and at the end of the day an accurate load is preferable to a fast inaccurate load. Please take a sensible start point about 10% lower than the advised maximum and load 5 cases then add a grain and do 5 more then as you get closer to your top figure use 1/2 grn additions. BUT as you get near what you consider maximum check the velocity on chronograph to ensure you never exceed the velocity of equivalent factory loads as you will almost certainly be pushing the pressure envelope beyond SAMMI specs and that is inherantly dangerous. Case neck length is critical. This is the one thing ‘newbies’ often disregard and it is one thing that creates more 'accidents' than any other. A long neck can crimp the brass into the bullet creating such high pressure that a blown rifle is inevitable. It will rarely happen but even slightly long neck and less of a crimping can damage an action beyond repair. Please trim your cases carefully and err on the safe side in all aspects of reloading for your own sake and others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno 357 Posted January 7, 2007 Report Share Posted January 7, 2007 jonno how much did your kit set you back. I originally bought it from a guy in Canada (second hand). I think I paid about £100 for the complete press, 357mag - RCBS carbide dies - RCBS 505 scales Postage was about £25 It was a good price. Jonno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hafod Posted August 3, 2020 Report Share Posted August 3, 2020 On 05/01/2007 at 22:33, stirky said: I would advise to get a good book that will explain everything before buying any kit as it will probably end up that you have bought the wrong items, or it will explain why one item is better than another. A good one to get is Precision shooting and reloading guide, i bought mine from american ebay, they have a very good choice of reloading books over the pond. Warning, home loading is infuriating at times and WILL become expensive :blink: but rewarding when you find a load that realy shoots well. I.ll second that once you start rolling your own you won't want to go back to shooting store bought ammo that's for sure I load for a 222 and 223 and won't shoot anything else when you drop that fox at 300 plus yards with what you've loaded it gives you a sense of pride in your ability you.ll see in many cases your own loads will match or exceed anything loaded in a factory its a Labour of love and pride when you find that particular load that hits the sweet spot and ticks all the boxes MOA, velocity, recoil and pressure signs etc its time well spent in my humble opinion and then when you gain in experience you can work up new loads and even swage your own 224 bullets lol but that's a whole new ball game not for the faint hearted you.ve got to be willing to listen and learn and take advise from people who know what their talking about it can make you pull your hair out on occasions but it can be addictive and expensive as already mentioned as well rant over good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuarta Posted August 3, 2020 Report Share Posted August 3, 2020 Evening Badsworth i have a case tumbler, Lee press, Lee reloading manual, powder dispenser, ,RBS scales and other odds and ends that I am happy to sell if you want to buy used equipment. You would need to collect it from West Oxfordshire. £100. i can send pictures if you are interested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoBodyImportant Posted August 3, 2020 Report Share Posted August 3, 2020 I started with a Dillion 650xl. But I got overwhelmed with the complexity of the machine. Now I can load several thousand rounds in a sitting but I almost quit reloading because I was in over my head. I’d recommend a nice single stage to start with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted August 4, 2020 Report Share Posted August 4, 2020 You might also want to get a dedicated 223 rem loading book. That just focuses on that calibre. It should explain a little more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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