Lee has a hand press that costs about $35 plus shipping. You can reload anywhere any time. No bench needed. I have the Lee loaders that allow you to load one round at a time using a hammer. I've relegated them to range/emergency use only.
Mark
reloading for newbies
- Thread starter djmay71
- Start date
Lee has a hand press that costs about $35 plus shipping. You can reload anywhere any time. No bench needed. I have the Lee loaders that allow you to load one round at a time using a hammer. I've relegated them to range/emergency use only.
Mark
Depending on how much you're willing to put in (money wise), the more you spend on ititial start up will probably save you more in the long run (mostly time, but not in all instances).
On the bottom end, a used single stage press for $50, a set of used lee dies for $20, a used hand priming tool ($15), a powder scooper set (not sure of cost) or cheap $15 ebay digital scale (about the same degree of accuracy) will get you going. Keep an eye on the EE for deals, as i've seen old (OLD) single stage presses that are good quality and cast iron, not aluminum, go for $15 plus shipping, and a sandblast and coat of tremclad would have them looking new. You'd probably want to add a lube pad and reloading block.
Downside = there's always more stuff to buy. Better scale, 2nd press, funnel, more dies, chamfer and debur tool, trimmer and pilots, concentricity tester, lead pot, bullet moulds, gas checks, luber/sizer.....you get the idea....there is really no top limit on what you could spend.
I would reccommend a reloading manual. Some can be found online (Lee ABCs of reloading is on google books). They might well cost as much as your used press for a print copy in good shape.
So there, for $150 bucks you've got your absolutely necessary equipment. Then you factor in the cost of compunents. This is where some initial investment, such as a lead pot, can save you money. Here's my best guess at what *I* save reloading: (my component prices are a little high as well, they're a little high here)
.308 Win Brass, once fired, bought from a cgnr, cost me 10 bucks in gas and $20 for 500 casings. Assume i get 3 reloads from each piece of brass (more like 4 or 5, some 6 or 7), that's 1500-3500 reloads for $30, or on average about 1cent per reload.
Primers: CCI 200 Large Rifle primers, 49.99/1000, or 60 bucks after tax. 6 cents per reload.
Bullet: 150 gr cast. Free wheelweights, borrowed pot, $25 mould, after 100 bullets, i'm casting for free. Cas checks 3 cents each, using borrowed luber/sizer, my die and lube, say 4 cents each for the sake of rounding.
Powder: 1lb 5744 39.99 plus tax. 7000 grains in a pound, 25 grains per reload = 17 cents.
Add in other consumeables like case lube, tumbler media, electricity, add MAYBE 3 cents per round. So:
Brass: 1 cent
Primer: 6 cents
Bullet: 4 cents
Powder 17 cents
misc: 3 cents
TOTAL: 31 cents per round
So for 20, i pay about $6.20 rounded up to the nearest dollar, or roughly 1/5 of the price of cheap factory ammo at canadian tire. $22 savings per box. I've probably loaded about 500 rounds, and saved $550 that i would have spent buying ammo, which MORE than covers double what i spent on equipment and components to load them. My time? Not worth much. You could say "I make 37 bucks an hour at work," but you don't get paid $37 an hour to sit on yer arse in front of the TV.
Mine might be a best case scenario, but it goes to show that if you're thrifty (see: spending oodles of time making something commercially available), you can save a LOT of money...like...more guns worth of money
As has been shown, you really don't need much space. A closet, some scavenged 2x4s and plywood for a bench, and a cheap $15 folding chair that can fit in the closet, and you're good to go (some stuff may make it out of the closet temporarily, like a tumbler or lead pot).
And lastly (question 1? lol), no, reloading is not difficult. It requires your uninterrupted attantion, and you can't be drunk or high on percoset or anything like that, but no, it's not hard.
On the bottom end, a used single stage press for $50, a set of used lee dies for $20, a used hand priming tool ($15), a powder scooper set (not sure of cost) or cheap $15 ebay digital scale (about the same degree of accuracy) will get you going. Keep an eye on the EE for deals, as i've seen old (OLD) single stage presses that are good quality and cast iron, not aluminum, go for $15 plus shipping, and a sandblast and coat of tremclad would have them looking new. You'd probably want to add a lube pad and reloading block.
Downside = there's always more stuff to buy. Better scale, 2nd press, funnel, more dies, chamfer and debur tool, trimmer and pilots, concentricity tester, lead pot, bullet moulds, gas checks, luber/sizer.....you get the idea....there is really no top limit on what you could spend.
I would reccommend a reloading manual. Some can be found online (Lee ABCs of reloading is on google books). They might well cost as much as your used press for a print copy in good shape.
So there, for $150 bucks you've got your absolutely necessary equipment. Then you factor in the cost of compunents. This is where some initial investment, such as a lead pot, can save you money. Here's my best guess at what *I* save reloading: (my component prices are a little high as well, they're a little high here)
.308 Win Brass, once fired, bought from a cgnr, cost me 10 bucks in gas and $20 for 500 casings. Assume i get 3 reloads from each piece of brass (more like 4 or 5, some 6 or 7), that's 1500-3500 reloads for $30, or on average about 1cent per reload.
Primers: CCI 200 Large Rifle primers, 49.99/1000, or 60 bucks after tax. 6 cents per reload.
Bullet: 150 gr cast. Free wheelweights, borrowed pot, $25 mould, after 100 bullets, i'm casting for free. Cas checks 3 cents each, using borrowed luber/sizer, my die and lube, say 4 cents each for the sake of rounding.
Powder: 1lb 5744 39.99 plus tax. 7000 grains in a pound, 25 grains per reload = 17 cents.
Add in other consumeables like case lube, tumbler media, electricity, add MAYBE 3 cents per round. So:
Brass: 1 cent
Primer: 6 cents
Bullet: 4 cents
Powder 17 cents
misc: 3 cents
TOTAL: 31 cents per round
So for 20, i pay about $6.20 rounded up to the nearest dollar, or roughly 1/5 of the price of cheap factory ammo at canadian tire. $22 savings per box. I've probably loaded about 500 rounds, and saved $550 that i would have spent buying ammo, which MORE than covers double what i spent on equipment and components to load them. My time? Not worth much. You could say "I make 37 bucks an hour at work," but you don't get paid $37 an hour to sit on yer arse in front of the TV.
Mine might be a best case scenario, but it goes to show that if you're thrifty (see: spending oodles of time making something commercially available), you can save a LOT of money...like...more guns worth of money
As has been shown, you really don't need much space. A closet, some scavenged 2x4s and plywood for a bench, and a cheap $15 folding chair that can fit in the closet, and you're good to go (some stuff may make it out of the closet temporarily, like a tumbler or lead pot).
And lastly (question 1? lol), no, reloading is not difficult. It requires your uninterrupted attantion, and you can't be drunk or high on percoset or anything like that, but no, it's not hard.
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- Location
- In lalaland, that is Ottawa.
Here is the SOF, 50 years reloading on a fixed budget, without reading the posts from below, GO FOR IT. It is not rocket science at all! You must have an ujp-to-date relaoding manual. I am certain that some one has already made a recomendation.
IMHO, you will not save any $$$ but you will have the satisfaction of DIY and I found that it is like having a a honey bee hive, you must focus you mind to what you are doing! Or Else
You will be able to tailor your loads to your rifle and needs.
All the best!
To start up, probably a good deal, though you'll probably want to upgrade the powder measure and scale soon enoough. If you're reloading large rifle, and full length resizing, you might want a beefier press. Also, you might find the lock n load bushings annoying unless you buy a few more (one for each die).
I have one. It is a good starter kit, but buy yourself a digital scale for fast accurate readings. Keep the lee scale as a backup. The lee scale takes too long to measure up.
Rory McCanuck
CGN Regular
- Location
- Middle of Manitoba
They are sort of a "starter kit". Only things missing (that are essential) are a manual and calipers. Lee die sets come with some load info, the same loads that are in their manual, so you can get by with that. Cheap digital calipers are $20-25 at Can Tire or Princess Auto, or spend $30 on a set of dial calipers, they never need batteries
Many of the pieces you will want to upgrade in the future, but the kits will get you going, and get you hooked! I went with the 50th Ann. Kit, with on press priming, and I use it all except for the primer pocket cleaner, that's RCBS.
Really, it is fun. It might seem intimidating, reading some guys on the internet explaining just how many angels they can fit on the head of a pin and why, but the simple steps to basic reloading are just that, simple.
Pick a common bottle-neck cartridge like a .308 and stick to a load published in a book (not JohnnyBarrelBurster's favourite load off the internet) and read and understand the steps in the manual and you'llbe fine.
They are sort of a "starter kit". Only things missing (that are essential) are a manual and calipers. Lee die sets come with some load info, the same loads that are in their manual, so you can get by with that. Cheap digital calipers are $20-25 at Can Tire or Princess Auto, or spend $30 on a set of dial calipers, they never need batteries
Many of the pieces you will want to upgrade in the future, but the kits will get you going, and get you hooked! I went with the 50th Ann. Kit, with on press priming, and I use it all except for the primer pocket cleaner, that's RCBS.
Really, it is fun. It might seem intimidating, reading some guys on the internet explaining just how many angels they can fit on the head of a pin and why, but the simple steps to basic reloading are just that, simple.
Pick a common bottle-neck cartridge like a .308 and stick to a load published in a book (not JohnnyBarrelBurster's favourite load off the internet) and read and understand the steps in the manual and you'llbe fine.
100% agreed!
As all ready mentioned above, buy a reloading book. I owned a Lyman reloading book for 5 years before I finally decided to start to reload. I would never push anyone away from starting to reload and have convinced many to start and they also are glad they did.
I really enjoy the hobby, gets me away from a computer
Find a mentor, check out the process and you will see just how easy it is to do. I had always thought it was much more difficult.
Excellent info from the other posts above as well. This group quickly will become an excellent reference as you have all ready discovered.
I really enjoy the hobby, gets me away from a computer
Find a mentor, check out the process and you will see just how easy it is to do. I had always thought it was much more difficult.
Excellent info from the other posts above as well. This group quickly will become an excellent reference as you have all ready discovered.
