Reloading, where to start ?

Reloading is like baking bread. You can go buy a loaf of cheap white bread (Winchester grey box) for $1. You can also drive down to a specialty bakery and buy some delicious artisan bread (Premium ammo) for a lot more, but it's worth it if you are particular about the bread you eat. OR you can bake your own bread and send as little or as much on the ingredients as you want and bake any bread to your liking. Now the ingredients will be cheaper than what you would pay for the loaf at the store, but you will never save enough to cover the time you spent baking nor recoup the cost of your oven unless you bake way more than the average person needs. However you get the satisfaction of producing the exact bread that you like.

I love reloading. I enjoy reading about it and I enjoy experimenting with new loads and testing them at the range. SO the question is not "Is reloading worth it" the true question is "Is it worth it to YOU??"
 
If you shop around at gun shows, or the EE here you can find some good deals on reloading equipment, and save yourself some cash. it all depends on how much reloading you that you will do if you want to justify the expense of getting set up.
 
Slamfire said:
A Lee Hand Press, die set, powder scale, powder trickler and reloading block (total cost < $400) could meet your needs and doesn't take up any space. You just set up on a table and stow it away when done.

If you reload for a heavy caliber (for example .458 Win. Mag., around $5 per factory round), it doesn't take much reloading to recover the equipment cost.

Lee%20Hand%20Press%20kit_zps7g0lmxe0.jpg
Click to expand...

I was in a situation where I needed to needed a pile of .458 ammo, (20 boxes) and couldn't fly it. Australian price for quality .458 factory ammo was $225 AU so that wasn't much of an option. Besides, have you ever tried buying larger quantities of big bore ammo. 20 stores won't do it, 20 towns might.:(

Anyway, I was able to legally fly all the empty brass I wanted, bullets galore and a Lee hand Press, scoops, and scale. Using locally sourced primers and primers I assembled the ammo at that end. By my reckoning I was making 1000 bucks an hour for a few hours. That's good work if you can get it.:) I cheerfully gave the equipment away on the way out and bought another one at home for the next time. Just took my dies home.

Caution; if using a hand-press on big cases around other people be ready for some "Thighmaster" jokes. Best to come up with them first, so they don't think they are being witty and original.
 
OP: Value depends on what you shoot, how much you shoot, type of shooting (precision, hunting)?
Hunter shooting 2 box a year, NO.
Precision shooter, YES.
Expensive calibers, 10+ box a year, YES.
10 boxes of 9mm a year, NO.



Even locally recall need PAL to buy ammo but just DL for powder and primer.
Dogleg said:
I was in a situation where I needed to needed a pile of .458 ammo, (20 boxes) and couldn't fly it. Australian price for quality .458 factory ammo was $225 AU so that wasn't much of an option. Besides, have you ever tried buying larger quantities of big bore ammo. 20 stores won't do it, 20 towns might.:(

Anyway, I was able to legally fly all the empty brass I wanted, bullets galore and a Lee hand Press, scoops, and scale. Using locally sourced primers and primers I assembled the ammo at that end. By my reckoning I was making 1000 bucks an hour for a few hours. That's good work if you can get it.:) I cheerfully gave the equipment away on the way out and bought another one at home for the next time. Just took my dies home.

Caution; if using a hand-press on big cases around other people be ready for some "Thighmaster" jokes. Best to come up with them first, so they don't think they are being witty and original.
Click to expand...
 
I just started shooting 3 weeks ago. I already popped more than 100 rounds on my Tikka .308

I am really getting into this, trying to get my grouping better, shooting long range, reading a lot. So i guess sooner or later i will get into reloading.

I guess reloading will be necessary.

As some of you advised. I just ordered:

Lyman 9816049 49Th Edition Reloading Handbook

and

The ABCs of Reloading: The Definitive Guide for Novice to Expert



So what is the best kit for value to buy ? Something that would live and stay, no cheap, break stuff.
 
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Buy what you can afford, I bought Lee and for my style of shooting/reloading it serves me well.

But then again I am not trying to shoot the balls off a mosquito at a thousand yards ;)
 
Slamfire said:
A Lee Hand Press kit, die set, powder scale, powder trickler and reloading block (total cost < $400) could meet your needs and doesn't take up any space. You just set up on a table and stow it away when done.

If you reload for a heavy caliber (for example .458 Win. Mag., around $5 per factory round), it doesn't take much reloading to recover the equipment cost.

Lee%20Hand%20Press%20kit_zps7g0lmxe0.jpg
Click to expand...

Have a couple of buddies use these sucessfully at the range to work up loads ..
 
g-manz35 said:
Reloading is like baking bread. You can go buy a loaf of cheap white bread (Winchester grey box) for $1. You can also drive down to a specialty bakery and buy some delicious artisan bread (Premium ammo) for a lot more, but it's worth it if you are particular about the bread you eat. OR you can bake your own bread and send as little or as much on the ingredients as you want and bake any bread to your liking. Now the ingredients will be cheaper than what you would pay for the loaf at the store, but you will never save enough to cover the time you spent baking nor recoup the cost of your oven unless you bake way more than the average person needs. However you get the satisfaction of producing the exact bread that you like.

I love reloading. I enjoy reading about it and I enjoy experimenting with new loads and testing them at the range. SO the question is not "Is reloading worth it" the true question is "Is it worth it to YOU??"
Click to expand...

This is a version of the saying: "Cheaper oats can be had but they have been through the horse once"!
 
silverfoxdj said:
Have a couple of buddies use these sucessfully at the range to work up loads ..
Click to expand...

They are good for that. You can get more efficient by bring the cases already sized and primed. The ram prime is sort of clumsy, I think a guy is better of just buying the press and putting the difference toward a hand primer.

One thing about starting with a hand press; if you later decide to upgrade to a bench mounted press you aren't walking away from much money. All your dies and paraphernalia will work with the new set-up.

There seems to be a lack of portable tools like this, dating back about a century. I'd cheerfully spend more to get more, if such things existed.
 
For most of my shooting, .223 at 50c-75/round and 7.62x39 where surplus is cheaper than projectiles, no it's not worth it! That being said, I just bought a Lee 50th Anniversary kit, .223 dies, projectiles, powder etc. yesterday. Why? Because I also have a 9x57 Mauser that my grandfather bought in the 20s or 30s that I have 17 rounds for. There is very little 9x57 ammo around and it's all 60+ years old. The 30 that I saw available would have cost me $4/round, which will make my payout at about a couple hundred rounds or less an make a great family heirloom usable for generations to come, and that by itself makes the reloading worth it to me.
On that note, be prepared for stupid newbie questions from me shortly!:rolleyes:
 
Many reloading kit options to choose from. I have no clue what to buy. I still need to see what is the difference between each one and weigh out the pros and cons.

Huge price difference between each one, I am sure there is a significance.
 
All depends how much shooting and what type of shooting you are going to doing;

http://bfy.tw/7YFh

Also I got some pdf reloading books I can share with you. Pm me your email address.

Cheers,
 
I started after the Artic winter games in 1960's in Schefferville Quebec after the Gov. at that time gave us 3 Walther GSP pistols in 32 S&W Long WC. Ammo at the time was next to impossible to find. This was the only way to shoot. I started to load for a S&W model 52 in .38 special WC and went on from there. I won't say it was really cheaper but it was a good pastime for those cold winter nights. I gave it up for the last 20 years due to lack of space to set up. I have again started again for a couple of target rifles. I don't find that it is much cheaper in the long run as everything keeps going up in price and I now don't track the cost as its like a lot of things you buy if I really looked at the cost I wouldn't buy. Have you looked at the price of beef lately?

Every one has to decide the ins and outs for them self. That said I think for some one starting out the easiest thing is look for a starter kit say from RCBS that will come with every thing you will require to start. Then you try it for a while and see if it suits you, Do you enjoy it? Do you find yourself with a little time on your hands and say to your self I will go load some shells Etc. But if you think no too much trouble, I don't feel like it Etc. then it is probably not for you. With a kit in this case you can sell it for almost what you paid for it You had the experience and learn something new.
 
Good advice given, my take is that it is a great hobby on its own, I really enjoy it. I only do .308, .44, and .357 because I shoot them the most. Accuracy improvement on my .308 is significant once you find the load/projectile that your rifle likes best. My experience is that a round costs about 1/2 what I would pay for an equivalent factory round. Be prepared that it does take time.
 
I got into reloading when I saw 308 bullets at over $60 for a box of 20 so I got a lee 50th annivarsary kit and a couple books and began my adventure into reloading. I like it and I needed a inside hobby to do :) upgraded a couple things along the way but its the way to go, You don't save money you just get more bullets and bullets customized to how you gun likes to shoot so you get a more consistency and accuracy. the books are pretty step by step and there is lots of info online too so just take your time and remember if you screw up too bad things can go boom in the bad way so always triple check everything then triple check again :) complacency is what gets you hurt.
 
Best place to start is at a buddy's bench and load some ammo on his set up to get some instruction and practice.

then buy a good single stage press and start buying the bits and pieces, or start with a kit. Although I use a lot of Lee gear, i don't suggest their kit. You want a better powder thrower and scales than that.
 
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