The 5 Greatest Reloading Kits of 2023, Examined and Reviewed

Each shooter or hunter who’s paying for manufacturing facility ammo has, at one level, paused to eyeball a reloading equipment on their option to the money register. Maybe that’s the reply to all of your ammunition woes.  It actually gained’t treatment all of your issues, however reloading is enjoyable, rewarding, and economical. Handloading requires some upfront funding, and it employs specialised instruments and gear. Along with bread-and-butter elements like primers, powder, and projectiles, the instruments and course of can appear formidable to a newbie. 

Whether or not you’re desirous to load low-cost plinking ammo with second hand vary brass, develop fine-tuned match hundreds on your precision capturing iron, or just wish to load your personal searching ammo, a reloading equipment is a good way to get began. They aren’t supposed to be a be-all-end-all ticket to ammunition bliss, however they’re probably the most economical and easy methods to get began. I’ve loaded hundreds of rounds of ammo with these reloading kits and the instruments they arrive with so you recognize precisely what you’re getting. 

How I Examined The Greatest Reloading Kits

To check these reloading kits, I loaded a number of hundred rounds of ammo by every. I began with small cartridges like 9mm, .30 Carbine, and .223. I additionally loaded medium-sized rifle cartridges like .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor, and eventually used every equipment to resize and cargo massive magnum cartridges resembling .300 Win. Magazine., .375 Ruger, and .338 Lapua Magazine. Resizing and loading quite a lot of cartridges like this demonstrates how properly the equipment handles numerous forms of powders, how properly the press runs, and the way handy every thing is to make use of. I’ve beforehand loaded a whole bunch of .30/06  rounds by my Lee Traditional Loader and used all elements of the Redding equipment with my Redding T7 press to load over 20,000 rounds of ammo.

The Greatest Reloading Kits: Opinions & Suggestions

Greatest General: Hornady Lock-N-Load Iron Press Equipment

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Key Options

• Press: Hornady Iron, single stage
• Lock-N-Load quick-change die bushings
• Auto-priming system
• Powder measure
• Powder funnel
• Lock-N-Load bench scale
• Distinctive case lube
• Shell holder equipment
• Digital calipers
• Chamfer and deburring instruments, case cleansing brushes
• Bullet comparator set
• Hornady reloading handbook
• Worth: $730

Professionals

• Sturdy press and easy-loading shell holder retaining plate
• Fast-changing die bushings
• Correct Scale and high quality powder dispenser
• Good digital calipers

Cons

• Priming system is a little bit finicky
• Directions aren’t clear for first-time reloaders

The Hornady Lock-N-Load Iron Press Equipment is properly rounded and has some nice elements and options. It comes with virtually every thing you should reload quite a lot of ammo. Like most different kits, it doesn’t embody dies or a case trimmer. The press itself is a powerful, monolithic, single-stage design that may be fitted with the included die and accent caddy. Not like many presses that use easy spring retention for shell holders, the Iron press makes use of a small plate that slides over the shell holder when it’s put in within the ram. This plate secures the shell holder and offers a flush, {smooth} floor on which you’ll be able to slide instances simply into the shell holder. The one draw back is that another manufacturers of shell holders don’t match. The equipment additionally consists of an computerized priming system that works properly with each small and huge primers—however I discovered it to be a little bit finicky. It takes some tuning and present reloading information to maintain it working easily. Higher readability within the instruction handbook would assist.

The Lock-N-Load die bushings make it a snap to shortly change dies, however they solely provide an actual benefit if you happen to equip all of your dies with them—in any other case you’ll have to vary them out every time you modify dies anyway. Additionally, they don’t permit your dies to slot in their manufacturing facility packing containers when put in. They’re, nonetheless, suitable with any model of standard-sized reloading die. Different high quality equipment embody a tall powder measure and digital scale. I discovered the powder measure to be as correct as different high quality measures, various by solely a couple of tenth of a grain with bigger extruded and flake powders—and much more correct with ball powders. The size is straightforward to calibrate and use, and when in comparison with my RCBS scale, provides correct cost weights. I seen that the displayed zero drifts barely with the empty pan sitting on the size, however when double-checking cost weights, they had been all the time displayed precisely to the tenth of a grain. The powder measure mounting bracket is useful and versatile, however I’d desire an above-table mount like many different powder measures. 

All-around, that is my favourite equipment examined. The Distinctive case lube works rather well and also you’re given an ample provide. The digital calipers and bullet comparators permit exact cartridge measurements, particularly if you happen to’re aiming for a selected bullet seating depth. The variability and high quality of the press and elements make this equipment an incredible possibility.

Greatest Worth:  Frankford Arsenal Necessities Reloading Equipment

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Key Options

• Press: Frankford Arsenal F1 single stage
• Excellent Seat hand priming device
• Powder measure
• Aluminum powder funnel equipment
• DS-750 Digital Powder Scale
• Digital calipers
• 50-round reloading tray
• Powder trickler
• Worth: $430

Professionals

• Easy, smooth-running press
• High quality powder measure
• Nice common hand priming device
• Good digital calipers

Cons

• LED gentle on press requires a wire to be powered on
• No case prep instruments

The Necessities Reloading Equipment from Frankford Arsenal is far-and-above the most effective worth in reloading kits that I’ve seen. I’ve purchased and used a number of Frankford Arsenal reloading instruments just like the Platinum Case Trim and Prep Heart for years, and people objects have all the time gave the impression to be of excellent high quality. This equipment is not any exception. 

The F1 single-stage press is the centerpiece of this equipment and it’s a easy and smooth-running press. Not like many presses which have a physique forged in a single piece, the F1 options two pillars that join the bottom and the highest portion which homes the die. I notably just like the spent primer catch that threads onto the underside of the ram. You’ll be able to select to make use of the bottle catch or the hose adapter with which you’ll be able to direct spent primers straight into the rubbish or one other container. The press is straightforward and simple to function, and includes a small LED gentle to light up the world—although it sadly lacks a chargeable battery and requires a USB wire be plugged in to function. 

Probably the most spectacular elements of this equipment are its elements, that are top quality and constructed to final. The aluminum powder funnel equipment rests securely atop cartridge instances and isn’t topic to static cost and sticking powder like many plastic funnels are. The hand priming device comes with adapters for all kinds of cartridges, includes a quite simple system for swapping between small and huge primers, and a pleasant storage case. You’ll be able to even modify the primer seating depth exactly. This child doesn’t embody any brass prep instruments, however issues just like the digital calipers and a high quality powder trickler make up for it. 

The powder measure is massive and includes a sturdy stand. I discovered it dropped correct expenses, various by a couple of tenth of a grain relying on the composition of the actual powder. It comes with a micrometer measure supposed for rifle cost weights. A pistol micrometer is offered, however I had no hassle dropping small expenses with the rifle micrometer—although nice ball powder like H110 did appear to gum up the transferring elements a bit. The DS-750 powder scale is an inexpensive, rebranded scale that falls wanting the remainder of the equipment’s high quality, nevertheless it did document correct cost weights when in comparison with my RCBS chargemaster scale. 

The Traditional Equipment:  RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Grasp Reloading Equipment

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Key Options

• Press: RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme
• Press priming device
• Common hand primer
• Uniflow-3 powder measure
• Powder funnel
• Common case loading block
• M500 mechanical powder scale
• RCBS case lube and lube pad
• Deburring & chamfer device
• Accent deal with & case neck brushes
• Hex key set
• Speer reloading handbook
• Worth: $499

Professionals

• Rock Chucker is a powerful, traditional single-stage press
• Constant powder measure
• Hand primer is common—makes use of shell holders for every cartridge
• Easy, easy-to-use elements

Cons

• Steadiness scale is slower to make use of than digital

The primary cartridges I ever noticed reloaded had been on a Rock Chucker press, and the Rock Chucker reloading equipment has been among the best reloading kits within the trade for many years. When you assume it’s misplaced its relevance, you’re unsuitable. The Rock Chucker Supreme equipment is constructed round probably the most easy and reliable single-stage presses in the marketplace. It includes a loading window tall sufficient to accommodate magnum cartridges and has an ambidextrous deal with. The press holds a single die at a time and shell holders snap securely into the highest of the ram. Spent primers are caught by a plastic tray.

This equipment features a Uniflow-3 powder measure that RCBS brags as its most correct handbook powder dispenser but. It’s straightforward to assemble and clear, although the quantity adjustment is a little more crude than the micrometers on the Frankford and Redding powder measures. Nevertheless, the RCBS Uniflow-3 holds good consistency, and varies by solely about 0.1 grains with bigger extruded powders. The mounting plate may be screwed or clamped to a bench, or mounted to the highest of the press with a reloading die. The stability powder scale is correct however tedious. When you’re going to weigh each cost, this analog scale will sluggish you down. 

Although the Rock Chucker press comes with a flip-over handbook priming device, the RCBS hand primer that comes with the equipment will prevent numerous time and decrease your direct dealing with of primers. I’ve used these for years, and this mannequin consists of elements for seating each massive and small primers, and the device makes use of commonplace reloading shell holders to seize the casing reasonably than shell holders which can be particular to that device solely. Different equipment just like the loading block and case prep instruments are nice additions. The one factor this equipment actually lacks for a brand new reloader is a case trimmer, and it doesn’t include something you gained’t use.

Greatest Bugout Equipment: Lee Loader Traditional Reloading Equipment

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Key Options

• Neck sizing die
• Decapping base and rod
• Adjustable seating depth
• Priming rod and base
• Powder scoop
• Worth: $40

Professionals

• Easy and efficient option to reload a single caliber/cartridge
• Inexpensive
• Compact/transportable
• Nice option to get began

Cons

• Can solely reload for a single caliber
• Neck sizing solely
• Doesn’t embody case prep instruments

The primary piece of reloading gear I bought as an adolescent was a Lee Loader in .30/06. It’s what I realized to reload with, and what my dad did too. The Lee Loader is an extremely easy equipment that features all you want for decapping, neck-sizing, priming, and loading ammunition for a single cartridge. 

After decapping, use a plastic mallet to hammer the case into the die, which sizes the neck. Then, the die and priming base are used with a priming rod to softly faucet a brand new primer into place. A powder cost is added, a bullet dropped into the die, and it’s seated with the seating stem by tapping with the mallet. Seating depth is adjustable, and this equipment can be utilized to supply correct handloads. For the reason that die neck sizes solely, it’s finest to solely use brass fired from the identical gun.

The Lee Traditional Loader is form of a “bugout” reloading equipment, nevertheless it’s additionally nice for instructing the rules of handloading or for somebody who desires to load at low quantity and price. It doesn’t include any case prep instruments, however Lee does have a reasonably cool case trimming system that makes use of caliber-specific rods that thread right into a cutter, and a base which may be chucked into an electrical drill. You’ll wish to get a high quality powder scale, although Lee does present a reference chart for powder sorts and cost weights utilizing the included yellow powder scoop.

Choose Your Press: Redding Versa Pak Professional Equipment

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Key Options

• Press not included
• Mannequin 2 powder scale
• Redding 3BR powder Measure
• Redding 2400 Match case trimmer
• Powder Trickler
• Chamfer/Deburring device
• Powder funnel
• Mannequin 18 case prep equipment (neck brushes and primer pocket cleaner)
• Case Lube and pad
• Imperial sizing die wax
• Redding case neck lube equipment
• Superior handloading DVD and Hodgdon handbook
• Worth: $654

Professionals

• Glorious high quality elements
• Good case prep instruments
• Nice powder trickler
• Correct micrometer powder measure

Cons

• Doesn’t embody press
• Steadiness scale is slower than digital

What’s a reloading equipment and not using a press? That’s a good query, however when Redding developed its Versa Pak Professional reloading equipment, they needed to present the shopper the liberty to decide on their very own press reasonably than pigeon-hole them into one possibility. The Versa Pak Professional is meant to incorporate virtually every thing a severe reloader wants, and can complement any press you select. The elements of this equipment are all top-notch, and it consists of the customarily uncared for case trimmer—a great one at that. 

The powder measure works properly with all kinds of powders, and includes a micrometer for exact changes. It makes use of a table-top mounting base, however edge-of-bench mounts can be found too. This child consists of an correct stability powder scale, which is a bit slower than digital choices. 

You’ve obtained every thing you want for case prep, and the equipment comes with each the older model case lube pad and a tin of Imperial Sizing Die Wax—my case lube of alternative. It additionally consists of Redding dry neck lubricant which may be very helpful for sizing massive magnum instances.

I feel a great digital powder scale and loading block are the one equipment this equipment lacks, and it’s an incredible possibility for somebody who desires to select a specific press that isn’t accessible with a equipment.

The right way to Select A Reloading Equipment

Each reloading equipment is a little bit totally different, and your private wants and tastes will dictate which is your best option for you. Nearly any single-stage press equipment is able to loading nearly any ammo you may want, however as you be taught to reload, you’ll develop your personal preferences. If you wish to purchase a specific press that doesn’t include a equipment, Redding’s Versa Pak Professional can be a sensible choice. If you would like one thing extremely easy and powerful, the Rock Chucker is difficult to beat. Frankford’s equipment has a lower-end press, however has a few of the highest high quality elements. When shopping for a equipment, needless to say all of them have shortcomings. There’ll all the time be a bit of kit resembling a scale, powder measure, or a case trimmer that you just’ll want as well as. 

FAQ

Closing Ideas on The Greatest Reloading Kits

The most important takeaway relating to sorting by the most effective reloading kits is that they’re supposed to be a place to begin. Not one of the kits embody every thing you’ll ever need or want, however lots of them embody high quality elements that can serve you properly for years to come back. I began reloading on a Lee Traditional loader, and loaded hundreds of rounds with low-cost reloading kits. When you spend money on a high quality reloading equipment, you’ll use most of these elements for years. I’ve discovered that though a budget reloading kits work, you’ll ultimately exchange or improve just about each half and part.