ArizonaShooting.com

As usual, we've got someone who doesn't know what they're talking about making statements. So, to correct this, here's this from Lee:

Guarantee and Repair policy
Posted by on 01 November 2011 11:38 AM
Lee reloading products are unconditionally guaranteed not to wear out or break from normal use for two full years or they will be repaired or replaced at no charge if returned to the factory.

Our lifetime conditional guarantee states that any Lee product of current manufacture, regardless of age or condition, will be reconditioned to new including a new guarantee, if returned to the factory with payment equal to half the current retail price.

Another option is to send the product of any age back to the factory for repair. Labor is free and you are charged only for any parts that are necessary to get your product functioning properly.

Our address is:

Lee Precision, Inc.
4275 Highway "U"
Hartford, WI 53027
(262) 673-3075
http://leeprecision.net/support/index.p ... air-policy

Also, speaking as someone who has both Lee and Dillon and has for many years, there's essentially no difference in the learning curve about making either one run properly. Further, the failure modes are virtually identical as is the amount of time required to get them up and running properly.

If anyone tells you differently, run, don't walk, away from them.

Flash

So you have to mail parts off.

Dillon sends you parts.

I can still break my 15+ year old 550(pre B model) and get it replaced for free.

For reloading on a tight budget, you can't beat the Lee turret press. It's a great press that'll do everything you want it. If you have 500 or a little more, I'd recommend the Hornady LNL AP. It's a progressive and will turn out ammo much faster, is a great press and Hornady has as good a warranty as Dillon.

I kinda like the look of that Hornady LNL AP. I may have to look into that one. Thanks
If I get the Hornady, what else will I need to load 9mm, 357 mag, and 308 aside from the dies. What will be a good powder? Any other small parts that I will need. Would like to get everything at once.

No, it's the same as dillon. I broke 2 primer arms on my Dillon, they sent me 2 more free. I broke 2 primer arms on my Lee, they sent me 2 for free. They're talking about if your dies are defective, or something large and repairable, same as Dillon.

Flash

It's less about comparing apples to apples. I'm simply countering the folks that recommend Dillon equipment for someone that is just getting started with reloading. It's a very hefty investment and a good one, no doubt, if you need a ton of ammo in a very short amount of time.

I recommend what I consider to be good tools that I know will get the person going in the right direction for as little cost as possible. I would never recommend a progressive press for someone just getting started. They'll actually learn the fundamentals better with a turret or even a single stage press. And those single stage presses come in real handy later on when they want to start casting their own and need a simple press to hold the Lee push through bullet sizers... but I digress... After they realize they really like reloading they can make a better decision to plunk down $600-$1000 on team Big Blue.

This is just my opinion. no other opinions were harmed in the making of this message.

_coder

You're absolutely right, coder, a single stage is a necessity here at my reloading bench. Besides using it for the Lee bullet resizing dies (I have a numer of them), it's also what I use exclusively for my varmint rifle loads, which I'm anal about.

A progressive can be very intimidating to a newcomer, but I've taught a few people over the years who insisted on starting with one and not one of 'em has blown up a gun or made any other major mistakes, so it depends on the person more than anything else. Also, a progressive can be used to load one round at a time, which gives the user the opportunity to become familiar with the process gradually.

Having said all that, a single stage or turret is what I recommend to people just starting out.

Flash

If you get the Hornady, you'll need a shellplate for each caliber, and I would recommend a bushing for each die. Hornady presses have the dies in bushings that can put in and removed with a twist. Once the dies are adjusted, I can swap calibers in my LNL in about 5 minutes and then start adjusting the powder measure. To go from Small to large primers and from rifle to pistol in the powder measure will take about another 5 minutes each. Hornady currently has a promotion for 500 free bullets with the purchase of an LNL. I got mine in about 3 weeks.

For best results you'll need a different powder for each of those calibers. If you want one pistol powder, HS-6 is a good compromise that'll give high power loads for the 9mm and decent power for the 357, though nowhere close to what you'd get with a mag powder.

If you are just starting out, and want to stay on the lower end for now....I would go for the Lees Anniversary Reloading kit. It is nice for starting out, and even if you updrade someday to a progressive or semi progressive press you can hang on to the single stage one for Rifle loads that you don't load too often. I am new to reloading, and that is what I am doing. Once I get the hang of thing, I will upgrade Just my $0.02

Is a tumbler necessary? I dont really care how the rounds "look" after they have been loaded. Just wondering

It does take the dirt off of the cases prior to running them through your sizing die, so it keeps the sizing die from getting scratched.

Some folks soak 'em in water and Lemishine, some rub 'em with 0000 steel wool and some just wipe the cases off with a paper or cloth towel.

I used steel wool for a lot of years before I got my tumbler.

Flash

What would be a good tumbler to start out with. I was looking at the Lyman 1200. Some pretty good reviews. And I've found it as low as $50 on ebay new. What kind of media would work best? I think Im going to start loading 9mm first than move up to the 308 once I get enough brass.

Just an FYI: I'm using the word "tumbler" in place of "vibratory polisher" since it's common to do so. Real rock polishing style tumblers work, but take a long time and typically have a pretty low capacity.

The nice thing about the Lyman tumblers is that they either have a strainer lid or a dump tube to remove media without having to get a separator. (I just shake brass around in two dollar store strainers personally)

That said, I've beat the crap out of my $40 Frankford Arsenal tumbler for years without an issue.

Dillon tumblers are really nice but cost a small fortune, Hornady tumblers look to be the same as the Frankford with a different color plastic(also made in china), old Midway tumblers are fine, and Harbor Freight even sells the same tumbler as the Frankford for fairly cheap and they still toss around 20% off coupons now and then.

Since you're probably wondering: for media, fine walnut without added rouge or other compounds with a dash of "nu finish" car polish is my brass cleaner of choice. Corn cob works as well, but it will clog flash holes if you polish decapped brass.

What assault primate said about tumblers is true and yes, they're not really tumblers anymore but everyone calls 'em that, so I do so everyone's on the same page.

For now, just get a cheaper one and later, if you want, you can move up. I have the smaller dillon, have had it for around 12 years or so, and run it once every 2 or 3 weeks to clean my brass I've shot up. I also use fine walnut and nu finish, but I do use a small amount of finely powdered Jewelers Rouge that I add myself to my walnut as needed. It makes 'em a little brighter in less runtime ( I only run my tumbler 1 hour per batch) and they look almost like new. I've been doing that for at least 15 years now with no adverse results from doing it.

Flash

I have a Lee Pro 1000 and for the $ (Less than $200) I think it's great. Yes, it's a little 'sensitive' at times, but I've reloaded over 2k 9mm rounds on mine and it's still going just fine. I've got the auto bullet feeder on mine as well and it works like a champ. Again, only $35 for the bullet feeder compared to several hundred for a Dillon or Horniday feeder.

I've also got a Lyman 1200 and it works great tool.