Reloading is a fun task. I know it’s time-consuming, but it’s not a hard job for sure.
However, finding the best reloading kit for beginners is not a straightforward task at all.
Mainly, when you have several brands and several types of reloading press, sometimes it’s overwhelming to decide on a particular kit. If you are a beginner, then things can get messy in this case.
But don’t get troubled.
I’m here to solve the puzzle for you. In this article, I will review the 4 best reloading kits for beginners mentioning all the upsides and downsides of each of the packages.
Later, I will also guide the core buying factors and a basic about reloading the kit’s core components.
Without any further ado, let’s begin.
Why do You Need a Reloading Kit?
In order to make your own ammunition, you will need a reloading kit rather than just a reloading press. A reloading kit includes the basic tools that you need in order to get started, such as a powder measure, scale, dies, and shell holders. You will also need a Reloading Manual which gives detailed instructions on how to safely reload ammunition.
A reloading kit is a great investment for any beginner who wants to start loading their own ammo. It is much cheaper in the long run than buying factory-loaded ammo, and it allows you to customize your ammunition to better suit your needs. For example, you can choose different powders and bullet weights to create the perfect load for your firearm and shooting style.
If you are serious about getting into reloading, then a reloading kit is essential.
Reloading Kit for Beginners Comparison Chart
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Top 4 Best Reloading Kits for Beginners
1. RCBS 9354 RC Reloading Kit Review
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Summary
This Reloading kit RCBS is the perfect one for beginners, without any doubt.
A beginner needs a single-press reloading press with basic kits, and the operation process needs to be straightforward. This particular reloading kit is exactly what it requires.
The kit includes Rock Chucker single stage reloading press, M500 mechanical scale, Nosler #7 reloading manual, powder measure, hex key set, hand priming tool, powder funnel, case lube kit with pad, caseload block, .17-.60 Debur tool, etc.
Nonetheless, I believe a digital scale would have helped a beginner more.
The press supports reloading longer calibers, which is something that helps a beginner without any doubt.
You can reload hundreds of calibers, if not thousands, with this kit. It would help if you bought the proper shell holder and reloaded dies to get things done.
As a whole, this one is the best reloading kit for beginners containing several required tools that are durable and well built. Moreover, the price is beginner-friendly too.
If you buy this kit, very likely, you don’t need to buy any other equipment anytime soon.
You can also buy the RCBS ATK 9287 Explorer Plus, where you will get some more instruments like a bullet puller, dial calipers, and some shell holders (no. 2,3,4,10), a powder trickler, etc.
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2. Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic Reloading Kit Review
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Summary
This single-stage reloading press kit is another complete beginner-friendly reloading kit that doesn’t cost too much. You will get everything you need to get started inside the tool kit.
The Hornady reloading manual (10th edition) included in the kit is fantastic, I should say. It covers pretty much everything you need for reloading.
The hand primer is good and useful. However, the spring of the hand primer is weaker than I expected. It’s not up to the standard compared to other hand priming tools.
You have the option to some more versions of this classic kit, like the classic deluxe kit, where you will get some more instruments, including steel dial calipers, some shell holders, a bullet puller, and some more useful tools.
Or you can buy the classic loader kit where you will get only the loader.
Altogether, if you are a beginner or an occasional loader, this kit is sufficient for you too.
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3. LEE PRECISION Classic Turret Press Kit Review
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Summary
Although this is a turret press reloading press, it still offers a smooth learning curve. So, it won’t get you in trouble if you are even a complete beginner. You can watch several YouTube videos too to learn things quickly.
This very reloading kit from Lee Precision includes all the essential packages to start the reloading process.
It includes – a classic turret press, chamfer tool, lube kit, powder scale, reloading manual, powder measure riser, primer pocket cleaning tool, cutter and lock stud, powder measure, safety prime.
Of course, you have to buy the required shell holder and reloading dies for the respective calibers you want to reload. You may want to buy some other additional instruments with this kit, like a caliper, case trimming tool, etc.
By the way, if you will reload only pistol ammo, then a case trimmer is not required.
All in all, this one is a handy reloading kit for beginners to reload the pistol and rifle ammunition that won’t break your bank. It lasts long, and you probably won’t have to buy a new kit for long if you get used to this one.
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4. Hornady 085521 Lock-N-Load Iron Press Reloading Kit Review
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Summary
This reloading kit from Hornady costs a bit more than what you would have expected. With that said, if money is not a problem for you, then you definitely should go for this reloading kit.
It’s a single-stage reloading press, which is a beginner-friendly option, no doubt. Moreover, it has some cool features like auto priming that make the reloading procedure even quicker.
The quality of all the instruments is good. The Lock-n-Load bushing system is there to change the dies effortlessly and quickly.
This kit contains the following tools and instruments – automatic priming system, Lock-n-Load digital bench-scale, powder funnel, component feed bin, bullet comparator (set of 6), die caddy, lock-n-load die bushing (3 pcs), chamfer and deburr tool, powder measure, shell holder kit, neck brushes, reloading manual, primer pocket cleaners (large, and small), lube kit.
So, it includes quite a bit of an instrument and also shines in performance. It can beat any cheaper reloading kit any day.
Alright, now let’s move to the next session. Now, I will discuss the Best reloading kits for Beginners and some essential buying tips.
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Reloading Kit Theory and Buying Guide
The Basic of Reloading Process and Reloading Kit
If you’ve gone through my reviews already, then very likely you are now quite known with the instrument and tools that usually come with any reloading kit.
Let me discuss the basics of the reloading process in brief.
Reloading ammunition is nothing but reusing the used brass shells repeatedly (typically up to 5-7 reuses). Of course, you need other components like a primer, gun powder, and bullet to make full ammo.
With the help of a reloading press and other instruments included in the kit, you de-prime and prime, weigh gunpowder and fill the brass shell with it, and insert the bullet.
For shotshell reloading, you have to insert some other components in a shell, and the reloading press is different in that case. Here, we are discussing mainly focusing on pistol and rifle ammunition reloading.
Here is a short introduction to the significant and standard reloading kit tools and instruments –
- Reloading Press – A reloading press is the heart of the reloading process. Here you will do almost all the tasks like shaping the brass shell, depriming, priming, inserting gunpowder and bullet, etc. You will get a lever handle that you will use to move forward, step by step. However, entering the primer is sometimes done using a hand primer instead of using a reloading press.
- Reloading Dies – Reloading dies are vital parts of the reloading press. You will set the dies on the press based on your cartridge. It will be used for decapping/depriming, shaping the brass, resizing and expanding the case mouth, seat the bullet, crimp. As dies depend on the specific cartridge you are using, most of the time, you may have to buy it separately, not as a kit.
- Reloading Manual – A reloading manual is so crucial to get things done correctly following the accurate recipe. Luckily every reloading kit includes one reloading manual. Here, you will get the recommended measurement of powder mixtures against a cartridge. You will get some valuable reloading tutorials in that manual too.
- Scale – Scale can be either a reloading beam scale or an electronic scale. No matter what, it is required to measure the gunpowder accurately based on the recipe.
- Calipers – To measure the length of the final cartridge, you need a caliper, either digital or analog. It’s essential to measure the reloaded cartridge. If the length is not ok, then you might have to readjust the depth of the bullet.
A reloading kit contains some more useful instruments, but those are the most common and most needed ones.
Any good reloading kit should offer the above instruments. However, sometimes a tool like a caliper doesn’t come with the kit for some models. In that case, you buy it separately.
Also, reloading dies and shell holders don’t come with the kit usually. It’s because you need dies and shell holders specific to the cartridge.
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Press Types
Not all reloading presses are the same. You have three types of reloading presses to choose from –
- Single press.
- Turret press.
- Progressive press.
Among those three types of reloading press, the single press is the most suitable one for beginners, and then the turret press. It’s because these are inexpensive, require less time to learn and get things started.
On the other hand, a progressive press is for experienced reloaders. It works faster than the other two types, but it can make things overwhelming for a beginner to start the proceedings.
That’s why I’ve not listed any progressive press here.
Single Press – This is the most accessible type of reloading press. It performs one process at a time. That’s why it is the most beginner-friendly, mainly if you are worried about messing things up. The downside is – you need more time to complete a single round than other types.
Turret Press – Turret presses have a turret plate that accommodates about 4 to 5 reloading dies that rotates and allows you to complete more than one step at a time.
Progressive Press – A progressive press is for experienced reloaders who need to reload a batch of ammo at once. This type of press has an extra attachment to thread multiple dies and can perform several rounds of reloading in a quick time.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Reloading Ammunition
Reloading ammunition has some advantages and some disadvantages. No doubt, the benefits win the race here. Let me explain why.
Reloading Saves Cost – Yes, even though buying a reloading kit requires an initial investment, but it pays off in the long run. Here you are reusing the brass shell, and buying gunpowder, primer, bullet separately saves your money.
Customization Option – You can customize the ammunition based on your hunting requirement and use different ammo in the same rifle. This, in turn, saves your money and provides accuracy as well.
One disadvantage of reloading is it demands some patience from you to complete several rounds. It takes time, and you need to complete several steps to complete a single round. However, it’s a fun task. So, if you enjoy hunting, you should enjoy reloading too.
With that said, if you are a frequent hunter, then probably you won’t want to reload. You would want to buy new cartridges instead. It’s because, for reloading, you have to collect the spent shells, which sometimes might seem overkill to you.
Price
Finally, the price. Generally, as a beginner, you don’t want to spend a lot of money buying anything. Instead, you want to buy the best reloading kits for beginners for the money. I considered this point of view and made a list accordingly.
Nonetheless, the Hornady 085521 Lock-N-Load Iron Press is a bit pricier than other models here. But it is worth the money considering the performance and included instruments with the kit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you know how much powder (and what kind of powder) to use for your rounds?
If you still don’t know how much powder you need to use for rounds, then you have to check the bullet. According to the bullet types, the amount of the powder will vary. If you are going for a 9mm Lunger with a 124-grain bullet, you must use more or less 5-6 grains of fast pistol powder. If your take one pound of powder, you will get 1300 rounds in total. These days, smokeless powder is the best option to settle for. The black powders are still used in cases. There are varieties of powder, and before using them, you have to know every detail of the powder along with the bullet you are using.
Is a turret press a good choice for a newbie?
When it comes to the reloading presses for a newbie, people often refer to the single-stage presses. Yes, there is no doubt that understanding and working with the single-stage reloading press is easier for beginners. But the single-stage press works slowly, and it cannot hold multiple dies at a time. If you want to make the work process a bit faster, a turret press is the best choice. It is not too complicated like the progressive press and easy to understand and operate for beginners.
What is the best way to start reloading ammo?
Reloading ammo for beginners can be confusing and difficult. Getting all the reloading equipment separately can cost you a lot. On the other hand, you do not get all the equipment to work simultaneously if you purchase them separately. We always recommend you get a reloading kit that offers you all the necessary equipment for the process for better reloading. There are different varieties of reloading kits available for reloading ammo. Get your hands on them to reduce the complication.
What is auto-indexing on a reloading press?
If you have read about reloading or have been through the process, you already know about indexing. Moving the dies or the casings to their next position is known as indexing. There are two basic types of indexing presses available in the market. One of them is manual indexing, and the other one is auto-indexing. In manual indexing, you have to work manually and advance the dies or cases with your own hands. On the other hand, the auto-indexing on a reloading press will allow you to index the dies or cases automatically to the next step. For the turret press, the dies will be indexed, and for the progressive press, the cases will be taken to the next step.
Final Words
Let’s recap!
In this article, I’ve mentioned the 4 best reloading kits for beginners with all the highs and lows of each kit.
All the reloading kits listed here excel in quality and come with many necessary instruments; more importantly, they don’t cost you a fortune.
I’ve listed both single press and turret press here. If you are a complete beginner, then I would suggest you go for the single press ones. If you have a somewhat basic understanding already, then go for the turret press one.
Whatever the case is, as a beginner, you should consult an expert to get a hands-on tutorial on using a reloading kit.
