weighing scales

[ovenpaa]

Tumbling media - well I have a pot of the stuff unused so you are welcome to some. Tumbler - if you get stuck I know of some at bargain prices and a good guarantee.

Lee seating are surprisingly accurate and I have one permanently set up for seating NATO specification 7,62x51. it builds very accurate ammunition. I am not a huge fan of crimp dies but that is just my opinion. You will need to add a bullet puller of some sort to your list and also a digital vernier. Some means of measuring your OAL as well. You can build this yourself with some imagination.

[1066]

I feel that a good set of scales are an essential part of your reloading gear - Not one of the dozens of items that you will buy and never use (We all do it) A good scale along with a good basic press is right at the heart of what you are aiming to do - make safe, consistent and accurate ammunition.

Of course it depends what you want your reloads to do, my aim is to make it better than a good factory round. To do that you need to be able to weigh and measure things accurately.

If you want to reload to a basic level then use a set of Lee dippers and follow a safe know recipe with known common components. Millions of people all over the world load this way and it works, it will put meat on the table but it won't win any competitions or begin to get the best out of your rifle and the more you shoot it and the longer range you shoot it at the more it will show up.

The Lee scale is cheap and accurate but it isn't very user friendly. It's not very well damped without modification and it's not easy to set it for different weights. Now if you are just making run-of-the- mill ammunition, say with the Lee dippers then the Lee scale is fine to just check about what actual weight the dippers are throwing likewise the very cheap digital scales will also do just for a check.

If you spend a little more and get a reasonable beam scale it will give many, many years of reliable service.
A basis RCBS scale like the 502/505 or a Redding No 2 scale will give you all the accuracy you can use, they are easy to set and use, well damped and can also be used to weigh cases and bullets.

Digital scales do have their uses but cheap digital scales will always drift from zero and will possible last 6 months before they go in the bin.

I have 3 set of digital scales, two cheap and a lab scale and around 25 different beam scales, including a couple of Lees.

Here are a set of my beam scales in action.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnVOoGd1bDU

[Amy]

Because ive never been spoiled or got used to something else first, im sure the Lee scales will be fine to get me started.

Life wasnt even in colour when I was a kid, we didnt have TV, a phone or many other things and we didnt know what we didnt know cos we didnt know it

Thanks Ovenpaa, im interested in media and tumblers

[ovenpaa]

The tumblers are these ones. Around GBP55 plus postage

[Amy]

Is that tumbler for UK voltage? It looks like a two pin plug.

Sounds good though. Does it kneed dough as well?

[ovenpaa]

You need an adapter or do as I do and just chop the plug off and bung a 3 pin on. Knead dough? Yes it probably would however it is better placed to tumble brass, it does around 150 .308 cases or 300 .38 cases. I run mine on a cheap timer and just walk away however these days mine is mostly used for Moly coating.

[Mr_Logic]

Amy your list looks pretty good to me. I suggest two changes - drop the decap die because you'll never use it (full length sizer will do this for you) and substitute a bench-mounted press. I like the concept of hand presses for some jobs but for accuracy and ease of use the bench press is the start point IMHO.

Apart from that all you'll need is a set of lee 223 dies, yours for 40 quid!

[Watcher]

Rather than buy tumbler medium try this:

http://www.aquamania.co.uk/product.asp? ... &PT_ID=337

Its much less expensive but the same corn cob. All that is different is that it doesn't have any polishing medium in it. I'm mixing it with some tumbler medium I got free with my tumbler at the moment so I don't know whether its needed but I think you can get substitutes.

[Amy]

Amy your list looks pretty good to me. I suggest two changes - drop the decap die because you'll never use it (full length sizer will do this for you) and substitute a bench-mounted press. I like the concept of hand presses for some jobs but for accuracy and ease of use the bench press is the start point IMHO.

Apart from that all you'll need is a set of lee 223 dies, yours for 40 quid!

Ok, sounds even better. Im looking at the Sportsman gun centre page in Gun Mart. They do several.
Pacesetter
Speed dies
And the deluxe set which inc neck sizing, dead length and full length seating dies

Any ideas which. I can get trade rates at Sportsman Gun Centre.

I hear what your saying re bench press, it has more stability and leaves a free hand.

What about the Lee Deluxe 4 hole turret auto index press includes scales, primer pocket cutter & lockstud & chamfer tool just add dies and bake in oven at gas mark 4 ?

£145

[saddler]

I'd say that LEE make a lot of nice items - but sadly their presses can either be good or bad - with no halfway margin.

Better to get a 2nd hand RCBS or some other brand of press - Ebay is awash with them