good starter reloading kit?

[coxmw]

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I'll put it this way, I have reloaded a lot of ammo over 25 years. I started with a LEE and I still have that press today and it's still working fine. If you have the money then RCBS is a lot better and I now have a Dillon press I use. But a cheap way to start is with a Lee. But it's up to you and how much you want to put in to it. I just got me a Lee load all for 12 ga. So far I've loaded 200 rds and it's working great.

[Legion489]

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Well I hate to disagree with people, especially mods, but my experience is different than Coxmw's. Go to most other reloading/handloading sites and look what they have to say as well. Sure some sites will ban any one for telling the truth about Lee, but Lee pot metal presses are not well thought of by most people who actually use their presses, but everyone can have a different experience. Depending on how much they use it, what they use it for, etc., light weight, low quality presses might be acceptable to them. They aren't for me. While I have not been on the Lee site for a while, they used to have a reply section where you could reply about the presses, etc. All the sites EXCEPT the LM site were full of "oh it is soooo wonderful" and such such hooey, but the LM section was "closed due to people telling the truth about the LM". That may not be an exact quote, but that was what they meant.

The problem with buying junk anything, is you spend the money buying it, then you are out the money you spent and have to buy another item to replace the junk item. I bought a cheapo tire iron for my car. The first time I used it (that afternoon) I twisted it into a pretzel. It had a "life time warranty", so I took it back and got another one, which I twisted into a cork screw. Took it back. Twisted the next one up like it was made of wet paper and took it back. This time the nice lady said "When my husband wants tools, he goes to Sears. Here is your money back." Sure I was "only" out time, gas, energy, and the like and not stranded on the side of the road, but the item was basically worthless. I am sure there are people who will tell you the same make/model and brand of tire iron they bought was great, and who knows, they might be telling you the truth, I have no idea, but in MY experience, the Lee pot metal presses (and I have owned or used them all) and that brand of tire iron are junk. In MY experience, Lee customer (dis)service has been worthless, although to be fair, I have had some small items replaced when it was so totally obvious that the item was so screwed up at the factory it was trash. I saw in the paper a while back about a guy that won the Lottery five times. Some people get lucky, and I am happy for them, but for the vast majority of people, playing the lottery or buying Lee pot metal presses in not a way to get ahead. YMMV.

I have been loading ammo for 40 some years and spending the money for QUALITY has never been money I regretted spending. Quality is remembered LONG after cost is forgotten.