entry kit for reloading pistol..
- Thread starter Musky Hunter
- Start date
ricciardelli
CGN Regular
- Location
- Montana, USA
If all you are going to load is a couple of hundred per year, don't bother. With 9mm selling for as little as $5 per 100, it doesn't pay to reload.
Cough, cough - American prices....pause for weeping.
Hate to tell you this Ricci, but Canadian prices average out to about C$12-13 for a box of 50 retail. Buying in bulk can reduce it to just under $10. I reload 9mm all the time and find it is worth my while.
Hate to tell you this Ricci, but Canadian prices average out to about C$12-13 for a box of 50 retail. Buying in bulk can reduce it to just under $10. I reload 9mm all the time and find it is worth my while.
Once you start....you may never stop 
saving are huge for huge quantity.....I got a Dillon 650 as my entry press....will add a 1050 sometime this year.....
On the 650 per hour I make about 700 rds of 9mm or 1100 of 40S&W or about 800 38 Super Comp....all match ammo quality....well worth the efford!
saving are huge for huge quantity.....I got a Dillon 650 as my entry press....will add a 1050 sometime this year.....On the 650 per hour I make about 700 rds of 9mm or 1100 of 40S&W or about 800 38 Super Comp....all match ammo quality....well worth the efford!
Well my Dillon 550 and all other equipement paid for itself after 7000 rounds, so figure a "Basic" press, would pay for itself around 2000. You might save more TIME, and MONEY by going for factory ammo in a case. once you start to shoot more, then invest in a set which can be cost and time effective (eg a progressive press, with one cartridge per pull.)
Rusty Shackleford
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Bradford, Ontario
So what would you expect to pay for all the equipment for an entry level reloader? I'm kind of interested in learning as well, besides it will give me something to do in front of the TV.
Big JD-From the hills
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Saskatchewan.
couple hundred a year, you need nothing more than the lee kit. If your looking to load up specialty ammo like hp, lower power, higher power, ect ect its perfect. The cost is about $125 for the lee kit. Thats what I started with, I have loaded thousands on that press. I think im going to upgrade to an ammo master.
You realy should not reload wile watching tv... depriming and sizeing yeah... but otherwise no. It would be like watching tv wile preforming surgery, or driving.
You realy should not reload wile watching tv... depriming and sizeing yeah... but otherwise no. It would be like watching tv wile preforming surgery, or driving.
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If you are foolish like I am, you'll piss about with a single stage press first and eventually wake up and go with a Dillon.
If you are smart, you will not piss about, and start with a Dillon 550 at the very least.
With less than 5000 rounds churned through my 550, I'm starting to think I should have gone for a 650.
Go with Reloaders Bench, excellent prices & you won't look back.
If you are smart, you will not piss about, and start with a Dillon 550 at the very least.
With less than 5000 rounds churned through my 550, I'm starting to think I should have gone for a 650.
Go with Reloaders Bench, excellent prices & you won't look back.
Dillon XL 650, reloaders has good price....I bought mine direct with all the gizmo at once.....I started reloading not knowing a single thing about it....with a friend advises IPSC1 and video/internet/book... there is not much that I'm not familiar regarding reloading my particular pistol calibers that I used(9mm Major, 40 SW, 38 Super Comp) and it's easy to had more calibers with a little research about each of them.....when you think of it it's very easy thing to do and with a good press that hold the setting properly all you have to do is crank ammo(with proper verification of some cartrigues)....I have about 65K through my press in a little less then 2 years......in these 3 different calibers.
I started with wanting too load mere then perhaps 1000 per month.....but I quickly endup shooting 2K + a month...now it's just ridiculous with the wife also shooting IPSC..... a 1050 will be my next purchase...I wouldn't consider a non progressive for somebody that want to improve in IPSC......because of the amount of ammo required to get good at it...
I started with wanting too load mere then perhaps 1000 per month.....but I quickly endup shooting 2K + a month...now it's just ridiculous with the wife also shooting IPSC..... a 1050 will be my next purchase...I wouldn't consider a non progressive for somebody that want to improve in IPSC......because of the amount of ammo required to get good at it...
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Yeah. Get the 550. Buy brass from Wolf, and let it fall, no case cleaning needed that way
You really can't go wrong. It'll run you about $750 taxed and shipped with everythign you need:
Dillon 550
Scale
9mm dies
5 extra primer feed tubes
primer flip tray
550 parts kit
Believe me... none of the above is optional.
Instead of the strong mount, I mounted mine to a Black and Decker folding workbench to which I bolted a piece of "laminated" plywood 1.5" thick. Solid as hell, and It fits in my laundry room.
You really can't go wrong. It'll run you about $750 taxed and shipped with everythign you need:
Dillon 550
Scale
9mm dies
5 extra primer feed tubes
primer flip tray
550 parts kit
Believe me... none of the above is optional.
Instead of the strong mount, I mounted mine to a Black and Decker folding workbench to which I bolted a piece of "laminated" plywood 1.5" thick. Solid as hell, and It fits in my laundry room.
Reloading can be a lot of fun but mind you, very time consuming. And you may end up paying a lot for the equipment but can't get a good return until you reload a lot. My suggestion is this:
1. start with Lee or RCBS reloading kit (around $450 from Lebaron)
2. choose your favourite calibre and start reloading it for 3 months. Don't invest anything more, stick with it.
3. By the end of the third month, sit down and calculate how much time you spend on the reloading and how much you pay for it, as compared to buying factory ammo.
4. Haha, you'll then know whether you should proceed or not.
1. start with Lee or RCBS reloading kit (around $450 from Lebaron)
2. choose your favourite calibre and start reloading it for 3 months. Don't invest anything more, stick with it.
3. By the end of the third month, sit down and calculate how much time you spend on the reloading and how much you pay for it, as compared to buying factory ammo.
4. Haha, you'll then know whether you should proceed or not.
I went out and picked up a Lee 4-hole turret press kit ($150), the Lee auto-prime kit ($35), the Lee powder measure riser kit ($12), an extra turret disc and a couple of 4 die sets for 9mm and 38 spl (about $40 each).
I'd recommend a digital scale on top of that. Beam scales work well enough, but a digital scale makes the process pain-free.
I'd recommend a digital scale on top of that. Beam scales work well enough, but a digital scale makes the process pain-free.
Getting the Dillion right away, in my humble opinion, would probably have kept prospective hand-loaders into it, instead of turning them away (as I'm positive some of the junky single stage presses have) thinking it was a waste of valueble time.
Dillions will hold their value, and you will not take a bath, if you decide it is not for you (unlikely) and sell it.
Good luck with your decision
Dillions will hold their value, and you will not take a bath, if you decide it is not for you (unlikely) and sell it.
Good luck with your decision
