Lee Modern Reloading Book

[clayduster]

I am thinking of buying this book it looks good but at £22 is it worth it or are there better out there?

[dromia]

I prefer and recommend the Lyman over the Lee, for many reasons. The main one however is that the Lee data is just collected from all the other sources along with all the original source errors plus some of their own. They don't actually pressure test the loads or do much research on them, therefore they always tend to be on the conservative side, no bad thing in itself.

Dick Lee's approaches to many things, like cast boolits for example, can work but it has to be done his way and as such doesn't really give a broad, sound understanding of processes.

Still it will get you going and give you a good laugh too.

But I would recommend a data book that has actually done the work on the loads, that certainly gives me more confidence in what I'm reading.

[EagerNoSkill]

As per Dromia

LYMAN is better by far!!!

[clayduster]

Thanks guys I will search the net for that one.

[Sim G]

Personally, I prefer Lee..... A lot of it is just that, preference. Yes, I have Lyman on my shelf as well....

[clayduster]

Thanks for the info, I have just started reloading and expect to load 50 Rds of .357 per week to start off with should I use RCBS balance scales or buy some electronic ones? Which are easiest to calibrate?

[phaedra1106]

Digital are OK for quick checks but a good balance/beam type scale is the one to go for. An RCBS 5-0-5 will do exactly what you want and though they seem expensive you only have to buy them once and they will last you a lifetime.

If you're only loading 50rnds a week a single stage press would easily do the job or even a simple Lee Loader. A 4 stage turret press would speed things up and will be more useful if you start loading greater quantities.

I have both as well as a full progressive press, the single stage is used for .308 and produces very high quality rounds, also used for de-priming and full length resizing of .44mag cases. The turret is not used for much at the moment but will be used for .300BLK when I get one!.

As I shoot a lot of .44mag the progressive is set up for that, 3 stations are used, powder measure/drop, bullet seat and factory crimp.

[clayduster]

In my rush I have bought a Lee 1000 progressive SH with .357 dies and a few other bits to get me started.

[Dougan]

I was going to recommend a turret press and the Lee Auto Disk powder measure; which makes .357 loading (assuming it's pistol caliber for lever action) a piece of p*** - but if you've gone for the full progressive kit then that'll be part of it...

...the only problem with full progressive is that it doesn't give you the same opportunity for quality control (i.e. checking there is powder in every case) as doing one operation at a time.

Edit: sorry, didn't answer your question: If this is for lever action, then any set of scales to check the weight will do.

[Mike357]

For 50 rounds a week of 357 I'd use a powder measure. You don't need the accuracy of scales or electronic measure for this. Damn, I use Lee Dippers for my 44mag reloads.