We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More \u203a<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Every shooter or hunter who\u2019s paying for factory ammo has, at one point, paused to eyeball a reloading kit on their way to the cash register. Perhaps that is the answer to all your ammunition woes. \u00a0<\/em>It certainly won\u2019t remedy all your problems, but reloading is fun, rewarding, and economical. Handloading requires some upfront investment, and it employs specialized tools and equipment. In addition to bread-and-butter components like primers, powder, and projectiles, the tools and process can seem daunting to a beginner.\u00a0<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re wanting to load cheap plinking ammo with second hand range brass, develop fine-tuned match loads for your precision shooting iron, or simply want to load your own hunting ammo, a reloading kit is a great way to get started. They aren\u2019t intended to be a be-all-end-all ticket to ammunition bliss, but they are one of the most economical and simple ways to get started. I\u2019ve loaded thousands of rounds of ammo with these reloading kits and the tools they come with so you know exactly what you\u2019re getting.\u00a0<\/p>\n To test these reloading kits, I loaded several hundred rounds of ammo through each. I started with small cartridges like 9mm, .30 Carbine, and .223. I also loaded medium-sized rifle cartridges like .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor, and finally used each kit to resize and load large magnum cartridges such as .300 Win. Mag., .375 Ruger, and .338 Lapua Mag<\/a>. Resizing and loading a variety of cartridges like this demonstrates how well the kit handles various types of powders, how well the press runs, and how convenient everything is to use. I\u2019ve previously loaded hundreds of .30\/06<\/a>\u00a0 rounds through my Lee Classic Loader and used all components of the Redding kit with my Redding T7 press to load over 20,000 rounds of ammo.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tSee It<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n The Hornady Lock-N-Load Iron Press Kit is well rounded and has some great components and features. It comes with almost everything you need to reload a variety of ammo. Like most other kits, it doesn\u2019t include dies or a case trimmer. The press itself is a strong, monolithic, single-stage design that can be fitted with the included die and accessory caddy. Unlike many presses that use simple spring retention for shell holders, the Iron press uses a small plate that slides over the shell holder when it\u2019s installed in the ram. This plate secures the shell holder and provides a flush, smooth surface on which you can slide cases easily into the shell holder. The only downside is that some other brands of shell holders don\u2019t fit. The kit also includes an automatic priming system that works well with both small and large primers\u2014but I found it to be a little finicky. It takes some tuning and existing reloading knowledge to keep it running smoothly. Better clarity in the instruction manual would help.<\/p>\n The Lock-N-Load die bushings make it a snap to quickly change dies, but they only offer a real advantage if you equip all your dies with them\u2014otherwise you\u2019ll have to change them out each time you change dies anyway. Also, they don\u2019t allow your dies to fit in their factory boxes when installed. They are, however, compatible with any brand of standard-sized reloading die. Other quality accessories include a tall powder measure and digital scale. I found the powder measure to be as accurate as other quality measures, varying by only about a tenth of a grain with larger extruded and flake powders\u2014and even more accurate with ball powders. The scale is easy to calibrate and use, and when compared to my RCBS scale, gives accurate charge weights. I noticed that the displayed zero drifts slightly with the empty pan sitting on the scale, but when double-checking charge weights, they were always displayed accurately to the tenth of a grain. The powder measure mounting bracket is functional and versatile, but I\u2019d prefer an above-table mount like many other powder measures.\u00a0<\/p>\n All-around, this is my favorite kit tested. The Unique case lube works really well and you\u2019re given an ample supply. The digital calipers and bullet comparators allow precise cartridge measurements, especially if you\u2019re aiming for a specific bullet seating depth. The variety and quality of the press and components make this kit a great option.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tSee It<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n The Essentials Reloading Kit from Frankford Arsenal is far-and-above the best value in reloading kits that I\u2019ve seen. I\u2019ve bought and used several Frankford Arsenal reloading tools like the Platinum Case Trim and Prep Center<\/a> for years, and those items have always seemed to be of good quality. This kit is no exception.\u00a0<\/p>\n The F1 single-stage press is the centerpiece of this kit and it\u2019s a simple and smooth-running press. Unlike many presses that have a body cast in one piece, the F1 features two pillars that connect the base and the top portion which houses the die. I particularly like the spent primer catch that threads onto the bottom of the ram. You can choose to use the bottle catch or the hose adapter with which you can direct spent primers directly into the garbage or another container. The press is simple and easy to operate, and features a small LED light to illuminate the area\u2014though it unfortunately lacks a rechargeable battery and requires a USB cord be plugged in to operate.\u00a0<\/p>\n The most impressive parts of this kit are its components, which are high quality and built to last. The aluminum powder funnel kit rests securely atop cartridge cases and isn\u2019t subject to static charge and sticking powder like many plastic funnels are. The hand priming tool comes with adapters for a wide variety of cartridges, features a very simple system for swapping between small and large primers, and a nice storage case. You can even adjust the primer seating depth precisely. This kid doesn\u2019t include any brass prep tools, but things like the digital calipers and a quality powder trickler make up for it.\u00a0<\/p>\n The powder measure is large and features a sturdy stand. I found it dropped accurate charges, varying by about a tenth of a grain depending on the composition of the particular powder. It comes with a micrometer measure intended for rifle charge weights. A pistol micrometer is available, but I had no trouble dropping small charges with the rifle micrometer\u2014though fine ball powder like H110 did seem to gum up the moving parts a bit. The DS-750 powder scale is a cheap, rebranded scale that falls short of the rest of the kit\u2019s quality, but it did record accurate charge weights when compared to my RCBS chargemaster scale.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tSee It<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n The first cartridges I ever saw reloaded were on a Rock Chucker press, and the Rock Chucker reloading kit has been one of the best reloading kits in the industry for decades. If you think it\u2019s lost its relevance, you\u2019re wrong. The Rock Chucker Supreme kit is built around one of the most simple and dependable single-stage presses on the market. It features a loading window tall enough to accommodate magnum cartridges and has an ambidextrous handle. The press holds a single die at a time and shell holders snap securely into the top of the ram. Spent primers are caught by a plastic tray.<\/p>\n This kit includes a Uniflow-3 powder measure that RCBS brags as its most accurate manual powder dispenser yet. It\u2019s easy to assemble and clean, though the volume adjustment is a bit more crude than the micrometers on the Frankford and Redding powder measures. However, the RCBS Uniflow-3 holds good consistency, and varies by only about 0.1 grains with larger extruded powders. The mounting plate can be screwed or clamped to a bench, or fastened to the top of the press with a reloading die. The balance powder scale is accurate but tedious. If you\u2019re going to weigh every charge, this analog scale will slow you down.\u00a0<\/p>\n Though the Rock Chucker press comes with a flip-over manual priming tool, the RCBS hand primer that comes with the kit will save you lots of time and minimize your direct handling of primers. I\u2019ve used these for years, and this model includes parts for seating both large and small primers, and the tool uses standard reloading shell holders to grab the casing rather than shell holders that are specific to that tool only. Other accessories like the loading block and case prep tools are great additions. The only thing this kit really lacks for a new reloader is a case trimmer, and it doesn\u2019t come with anything you won\u2019t use.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tSee It<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n The first piece of reloading equipment I purchased as a teenager was a Lee Loader in .30\/06. It\u2019s what I learned to reload with, and what my dad did too. The Lee Loader<\/a> is an incredibly simple kit that includes all you need for decapping, neck-sizing, priming, and loading ammunition for a single cartridge.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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 gently tap a new primer into place. A powder charge is added, a bullet dropped into the die, and it\u2019s seated with the seating stem by tapping with the mallet. Seating depth is adjustable, and this kit can be used to produce accurate handloads. Since the die neck sizes only, it\u2019s best to only use brass fired from the same gun.<\/p>\n The Lee Classic Loader is kind of a \u201cbugout\u201d reloading kit, but it\u2019s also great for teaching the principles of handloading or for someone who wants to load at low volume and cost. It doesn\u2019t come with any case prep tools, but Lee does have a pretty cool case trimming system that uses caliber-specific rods<\/a> that thread into a cutter, and a base which can be chucked into an electric drill. You\u2019ll want to get a quality powder scale, though Lee does provide a reference chart for powder types and charge weights using the included yellow powder scoop.<\/p>\nHow I Tested The Best Reloading Kits<\/h2>\n
The Best Reloading Kits: Reviews & Recommendations<\/h2>\n
Best Overall: <\/strong>Hornady Lock-N-Load Iron Press Kit<\/a><\/h3>\n
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Best Value:\u00a0 Frankford Arsenal Essentials Reloading Kit<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Frankford](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/IMG_0986.1.gif\")
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The Classic Kit:\u00a0 RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"RCBS](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/IMG_1200.1.gif\")
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Best Bugout Kit: Lee Loader Classic Reloading Kit<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Lee](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/IMG_1220.1.gif\")
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Pick Your Press: Redding Versa Pak Pro Kit<\/a><\/h3>\n
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