reloading on the cheap?

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czechsanchez

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If I want to only reload maybe 20-30 rounds a month..

could I in theory just hand clean each casing, use a crack dealer digital scale for powder and buy a single cheap lee press?

anything I'm overlooking?
 
Just buy the Lee 25th Anniversary Kit. It has everything you need cheap (Like $125 on sale)

Clean your brass in Water, Vinegar, Salt and Toilet bowl cleaner solution. Rinse well, then dry and you are ready to go.

I think this is the cheapest/safest way to get into reloading.

I used to load 300 - 400 a month with that setup.. 30 - 40 would be a breeze..
 
You need a tool to deprime and size cases
and something to;
measure case lengths
trim cases
Reprime cases
measure powder
seat bullet
a book with info on how to do this and various load info

Lee will have the cheapest means to do this. Such as the Classic Loader, 50th Kit or Hand press. Add a manual, RGB dies and Lee case length gauge and lock stud with Lee trimmer for each cal. Dial calipres are also very handy. You dont have to clean brass beyond a quick wipe with a rag unless you want to.
 
czechsanchez said:
If I want to only reload maybe 20-30 rounds a month..

could I in theory just hand clean each casing, use a crack dealer digital scale for powder and buy a single cheap lee press?

anything I'm overlooking?
Click to expand...

the crack dealer scale will not be accurate enough. most will not measure to the grain. get a lee powder scale, they are quite cheap.
 
The one thing you don't want to cheap out on is your powder measuring. The cheap ass Lee dippers are a better choice than a crack dealer scale.
 
I started with Lee dippers (got a kit, but you get a dipper in a set of Lee dies anyway.) I haven't blown up a gun, let alone myself, yet. Eventually progressed to a powder trickler and a Lee scale The Lee scale is cheap and accurate, but not fast or the most convenient. The only one of those characteristics that is really important is accuracy. If you give up cheap you can have fast and/or convenient with your accurate.

To measure and trim cases to correct length, Lee is again the low cost answer. Their case length gauge and trimmer is simple and effective.
 
pistol or rifle? get a good scale either way, for 30 rounds a simple inexpensive pres and dies is all you need
 
TheTooner said:
I started with Lee dippers (got a kit, but you get a dipper in a set of Lee dies anyway.) I haven't blown up a gun, let alone myself, yet. Eventually progressed to a powder trickler and a Lee scale The Lee scale is cheap and accurate, but not fast or the most convenient. The only one of those characteristics that is really important is accuracy. If you give up cheap you can have fast and/or convenient with your accurate.

To measure and trim cases to correct length, Lee is again the low cost answer. Their case length gauge and trimmer is simple and effective.
Click to expand...

I have the Lee dipper set too, it is what I started with. In fact I will give mine to the OP along with the sliding powder scale if he promised not to use a Cdn Tire starfrit scale to load his ammo.
 
Lee hand press kit with dies and a Lee powder scale. Depending on the caliber you could get a Lee Loader as well, but the hand press is light years ahead for similar money, especially if there is the possibility of needing to load for multiple calibers.
 
i'm planning on getting into reloading and will be picking up one of those lee 50th anniversary kits. can anyone give me an idea of how cheap i can make a .308 for?
 
.25 cent FMJ bullet
free used 308 case
.04 cent primer
.22 cents powder

Cheaper if you cast lead boolits yourself, but then you need to buy casting tools and learn more skills.
 
Freyr_255 said:
Lee hand press kit with dies and a Lee powder scale. Depending on the caliber you could get a Lee Loader as well, but the hand press is light years ahead for similar money, especially if there is the possibility of needing to load for multiple calibers.
Click to expand...

Who carries these?
 
well, using hk33's numbers, that's about $10 a box of 20 so after 10 boxes that's $100 bucks saved at least over factory .308

For example; .257 wby are $42 a box and given bullets are $0.30 each and primers $0.04 and powder at 70 grains is $0.33 (assuming you have the 1F brass from the factory loads = free) is $13.40 a box so a saving of $29 per box of 20, the savings can add up in a hurry. Same for 338 win mag etc

So my preference would be to by a RCBS starter kit (used if need be) which will have everything you need (there is one listed on the EE) and it will last you forever and all you would ever need after that would be different die sets. To me, that is cheap.
 
This:

p-650.jpg


and this:

scale(3).jpg


wil get you 20 - 30 a month for cheap, safely and surprisingly accurate!
 
hk33ka1;7224721Cheaper if you cast lead boolits yourself said:
Yes, the bullets are the most expensive item in the cartridge. I buy reloading components in bulk at gun shows and cast my own bullets so can give you sample of extreme savings while reloading plinking loads for my 35Rem rifle;
cast bullet +/- 3c
15gr shotgun powder +/- 3c
primer +/- 3c
brass +/- 3c
Total....$.12 to $.15 at the most, sure initial investment for reloading equipment and casting equipment is relatively high but will pay for itself relatively fast over the lifetime of shooting. Don't cut the corners if it comes to reloading equipment leave that to Chinese.... EE and gun shows are full of used quality made in USA stuff that can be bought for less than 50% of their Chinese knockoffs imported and sold new at retail prices these days.
Click to expand...
 
Not worth reloading 308 with CanAmmo selling 520 for $260 and WAN selling MFS for 500 for $300.

Even with 30/06, 270 Win and other popular cartridges worthwhile cost wise if you already have reloading equipment and just need to buy dies and shellplates.
sask31 said:
i'm planning on getting into reloading and will be picking up one of those lee 50th anniversary kits. can anyone give me an idea of how cheap i can make a .308 for?
Click to expand...
 
Not worth reloading? Heresy! What one can learn about the effects of bullet selection, seating depth, various powders, fine tuning an optimum MV for your particular arm are all part of becoming a more knowledgable shooter. Bulk surplus ammo is fun, but not the path to precision, or the premium bullet for the hunt of the decade.
 
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