Things you wish you knew when you first started reloading
- Thread starter Theycallmejohnnycash
- Start date
- Location
- Halifax - NS
There are hundreds of threads here that discuss the Lee Progressives. You can also look to youtube for all the "fixes" you have to do to them to get them to work out of the box.
You'll spend as much time screwing with the press to make it work as you will making ammo.
I loaded over 80K rounds on a Jammaster in ignorance.
I got offered a deal too good to refuse on a Dillon, and after I loaded my first 2K on it - I thought to myself "FC@K. I didn't adjust the press once. WHY did I wait so long to get rid of the Lee?"
You don't buy a car with the understanding that you have to fiddle with it to make it work or fix it along every journey.
Why buy a reloading press that does exactly that?
greywolf67nt
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Stony Plain, AB
Don't use a chair with casters on it. You spend half your time wheeling yourself back towards the bench.
^^^This right here. I have a 5 gallon bucket of brass just because I someday might have a rifle in one of the dozen chamberings
^^^This right here. I have a 5 gallon bucket of brass just because I someday might have a rifle in one of the dozen chamberings
Armored Metal
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- The People's Republik of Kébekistan
I get obsessed about picking-up free brass at the range.
I wish I had not wasted so much time listening to questionable advice from people who it turned out didn't know as much as they assumed. Some people don't know the difference between fact and opinion or a pet theory. Listen to advice but don't expect that it is all good advice until you confirm it yourself.
I had a great reloading mentor, and a couple of realy good pieces of advises i got.
-What works in rifle A might not work in rifle B
-Make small changes and log the results. If a load doesnt work dont go crazy change diffrent powders bulleta seating length ect. One at a time be patient. Also dont be affraid to try a load again, people have off days.
-If you want to save money buy factory(haha)
-Mosr rifles are accurate, most speced loads are accurate. Fix the guy behind the rifle before you mess around too much.
-Trust old timers
-What works in rifle A might not work in rifle B
-Make small changes and log the results. If a load doesnt work dont go crazy change diffrent powders bulleta seating length ect. One at a time be patient. Also dont be affraid to try a load again, people have off days.
-If you want to save money buy factory(haha)
-Mosr rifles are accurate, most speced loads are accurate. Fix the guy behind the rifle before you mess around too much.
-Trust old timers
That contrary to popular belief, reloading is a lot more expensive than factory ammo!
That depends on how many different calibers you load for and how much shooting you do.
I load for about 6 different calibers and for some you cannot even buy ammo anymore
How much experience do you have reloading? What cartridges do you reload? I've been doing it for 40 years and it is very cost effective for me.
I have been reloading for 3 years. I do 303 British and 30-06. 303 and 30-06 are about .70 cents a round to reload. It don't call that cheap, just cheaper. If I bought the really high end press it would take several years to break even. If I bought the really good match grade projectiles it would cost the same as factory ammo. I consider surplus 7.62x.39 at 25cents a shot cheap.
I don't regret reloading its still a fun hobby but if it was more costly I would not do it.
Advice for reloading?
Buy a good reloading book AND READ about HOW TO DO IT!!! UTUBE VIDEOS DON'T CUT IT!!!
I prefer the Lyman hardcover version ... it's a wealth of information for both beginners and old time reloaders!
Acquire a basic simple powder scale AND a set of "scale check" buttons to calibrate the scale.
Acquire a Dillon 550 loading press ... they are the most simple reliable and versatile for a variety of calbers - both rifle and pistol.
Start a journal describing the date, caliber, powder used and #of grains, kind of projectile ( cast lead or jacketed) and its weight and overall recomended loaded cartridge length to assure reliable feeding IN YOUR SPECIFIC GUN.
As an OLD IPSC SHOOTER (a 73 yr old FUDD) who in his prime LOADED and SHOT 60,000 rounds/year - I don't expect any responses from other "younger posters" because as Will Rogers (the old cowboy philosopher) once said "some men learn by listening, some men learn watching ... and some men gotta pee on the electric fence 'fer themselves"....
Buy a good reloading book AND READ about HOW TO DO IT!!! UTUBE VIDEOS DON'T CUT IT!!!
I prefer the Lyman hardcover version ... it's a wealth of information for both beginners and old time reloaders!
Acquire a basic simple powder scale AND a set of "scale check" buttons to calibrate the scale.
Acquire a Dillon 550 loading press ... they are the most simple reliable and versatile for a variety of calbers - both rifle and pistol.
Start a journal describing the date, caliber, powder used and #of grains, kind of projectile ( cast lead or jacketed) and its weight and overall recomended loaded cartridge length to assure reliable feeding IN YOUR SPECIFIC GUN.
As an OLD IPSC SHOOTER (a 73 yr old FUDD) who in his prime LOADED and SHOT 60,000 rounds/year - I don't expect any responses from other "younger posters" because as Will Rogers (the old cowboy philosopher) once said "some men learn by listening, some men learn watching ... and some men gotta pee on the electric fence 'fer themselves"....
Ammo quality has to be considered as well. You're likely comparing your cost to junk surplus or bottom of the barrel factory ammo costs. That's not apples to apples. If you're reloading match quality ammo, you should be comparing cost to similar quality factory ammo. In which case, 70 cents is spectacular compared to $2-$3 per round or more. Volume also has a lot to do with it. You'll never recoup your reloading setup costs if you're a half a box a year hunter type of shooter. Reloading cost savings are made up in volume...
- Location
- Calgary, AB.
Hahahaha! Oh man, sometimes I spend just as much time picking up brass as I do shooting!
Yesterday there was a bunch of .44 magnum on the floor amongst the typical .45 and .40 and 9mm and I was like I'll be like "Ooohh!! Look at all that juicy, once fired 44 Magnum, think of all the money I'll save!" I don't even own a 44 magnum, but I came home with ~50 of them anyway.
I don't know where you guys shoot that other shooters leave perfectly good brass laying there, but in my corner of the universe even most 9mm get picked up. I've seen a guy pick up his 22lr to sell the brass at the junkyard. It's totally nut imho, but that guy did it.
I think in my whole life I've picked 60 cases of 223 and 6 cases of 38spl that were laying on the ground.
I think in my whole life I've picked 60 cases of 223 and 6 cases of 38spl that were laying on the ground.
- Location
- Calgary, AB.
Heya Vinny,
My only complaint with the range I am a member at, is that there tend to be a lot of guests clogging up the lanes and getting in the way and generally being annoying, but I'm sure the range makes a lot of money off daily range fees and gun rentals and ammo sales so it's good business for them.
The silver lining is that none of them pick up their brass which means that the floor is litteraly covered with it, and I can always take my pick at any lane that happens to be free and always and come home with more .45 and .40 brass than I show up with. It's usually just a few handfulls over and above my own brass that gets collected, I don't get greedy, but it really stockpiles quickly when hitting the range a couple times per week.
I even have a huge bucket of off caliber stuff that I don't have a gun for (.357 Sig, .44Mag, .41Mag, .45LC, etc) in case I want to start reloading that stuff some day.
