New Reloader

[bnewt3]

watching

 

[NorthIdahoDude]

What's the consensus on the Hornady kits, or the lock n load press in general? The basic starter kit can be had for about $350 right now, plus they throw in 500 bullets or 250 cases for $20 shipping. Somebody talk me out of ordering one.

That should be pretty reasonable. The press is the same as my old Pacific press, that's served me well for years (was my main press until just recently I picked up a Rockchucker). That exact powder measure I have never used one, but should be fine (likely better with ball powder than stick). The priming tool will be fine (I have used one of those, no complaints). Trickler, fine. Scale, I would not trust it entirely (nor any digital scale that wasn't fairly high end), but I'd trust it to setup the powder measure and then just drop charges. So yeah, I'd overall give that kit a thumbs up.

 

[Bluefish]

That should be pretty reasonable. The press is the same as my old Pacific press, that's served me well for years (was my main press until just recently I picked up a Rockchucker). That exact powder measure I have never used one, but should be fine (likely better with ball powder than stick). The priming tool will be fine (I have used one of those, no complaints). Trickler, fine. Scale, I would not trust it entirely (nor any digital scale that wasn't fairly high end), but I'd trust it to setup the powder measure and then just drop charges. So yeah, I'd overall give that kit a thumbs up.

Yeah, the cheap Hornady electronic scale is junk. I bought one during covid times and it’s mostly useless. The zero drifts so fast that you can’t get accurate weights. Much prefer a beam type.

 

[NorthIdahoDude]

Yeah, the cheap Hornady electronic scale is junk. I bought one during covid times and it’s mostly useless. The zero drifts so fast that you can’t get accurate weights. Much prefer a beam type.

Yeah, that's my experience also. If I fire a cheap digital scale up, zero/tare it, drop powder, and then check against balance scale = it weighs that pretty much correct. If I try to use the digital as a trickle-scale, it'll be off off by .2 to .4 grains by the 10th or 15th round. So, I'll use one to calibrate my powder measure with no concern, but I won't use it to individually weigh charges.

 

[mtnbound]

I have an older Lock & Load AP so it’s a bit different but it has loaded thousands and thousands of rounds. Zero issues and would buy one again. I also have their Auto Charge powder measure and powder thrower with Micro-adjust both work well.

The electronic scales are sensitive to any air movements so sometimes you will get numbers to jump a tenth but I have never had that make any measurable difference.

My reloading is caveman style. New brass gets chamfered, lubed with Oneshot, primed, powder added and bullet seated to SAMMI coal or max magazine length and go shoot it. Used brass is sprayed with Oneshot cleaner/lube, rolled around on a rag, deprimed/sized, primed, powder added, bullet seated as above and shoot it.

I reload to shoot more and while I like reloading and developing new loads I don’t get sucked into the weeds with constant tinkering.