Tell this noob to re-loading if he's crazy !

telesquirt

telesquirt

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I want to get started learning to re-load and will be loading for .303 and
.257 Bob---will I be able to get up and running for around the $300.00 range or am I way off base here.

Any info would be appreciated.

-Rob.
 
The Lee anniversary kit with the reloading manual isn't much over $120 or so. Add two sets of dies and some shellholders, a powder trickler (around 10 or 12 bucks) some case length guages for your included trimmer, as well as some calipers for measuring, and you'll still have money left over for some primers and powder.

Not crazy at all. :)
 
it all depends on how much ammo you shoot in a year.
if you shoot a lot, (like most of us do) then reloading is far cheaper.
just keep in mind that when you buy bullets they usually come in packs of 100 and primers come by 100's and powder comes by the pound.
I try and round my reloading supplies up to lots of 1000 at a time for each caliber.
this can be expensive. But the money saved over factory ammo is huge.
as far as buying the reloading equipment.. no you're not crazy.. starter kits can be bought for about that price. then you're in the game!
 
The learning curve for reloading is not steep. You can get starter's help from an experienced reloader you may know. Just heed ALL the safety instructions and you'll have an enjoyable hobby at a you can afford.
 
hoochie said:
it all depends on how much ammo you shoot in a year.
if you shoot a lot, (like most of us do) then reloading is far cheaper.
just keep in mind that when you buy bullets they usually come in packs of 100 and primers come by 100's and powder comes by the pound.
I try and round my reloading supplies up to lots of 1000 at a time for each caliber.
this can be expensive. But the money saved over factory ammo is huge.
as far as buying the reloading equipment.. no you're not crazy.. starter kits can be bought for about that price. then you're in the game!
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OK.. I just bought a Dillon RL1050 and all the goodies. Am stocking up on Dillon dies now for the calibres I need, like 45ACP, .38, .357, .45LC, 9mm.

So tell me, someone please, if I am able to buy reloads at club pricing for about $230/1,000 for .45ACP... or about 23 cents a round. How much will I be able to produce the same rounds for if I reload them myself? Are we looking at 10 cents a round if I use range floor brass?

Thanks in advance.
 
ok, so here's a couple of questions

Where do you buy this stuff? I've been thinking about it too as I realize how far cheaper it is. But I also live in a small two bedroom apartment. Would I be able to do it here or should I wait till I find a house with a basement to do it in? I know absolutely nothing about reloading except some basic ideas of it.
 
torontogunguy said:
OK.. I just bought a Dillon RL1050 and all the goodies. Am stocking up on Dillon dies now for the calibres I need, like 45ACP, .38, .357, .45LC, 9mm.

So tell me, someone please, if I am able to buy reloads at club pricing for about $230/1,000 for .45ACP... or about 23 cents a round. How much will I be able to produce the same rounds for if I reload them myself? Are we looking at 10 cents a round if I use range floor brass?

Thanks in advance.
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.45 ACP.
Bullets $100/1000
Primers $30/1000
Cases (Free for 5 loads or more)
Powder $30/1400 loads (~5 gr/shot)

Cost per shell = $0.15 a round. = $150/1000
Now. With a dillon you can crank 1000 rounds out a hour or so.
If you start castint your own bullets, you can drop that by 0.05 or more a round (bullets go to $50/1000 or less). So yeah. If you can get deals on bullet tips, that is where you save money huge.
 
summerside sniper said:
Where do you buy this stuff? I've been thinking about it too as I realize how far cheaper it is. But I also live in a small two bedroom apartment. Would I be able to do it here or should I wait till I find a house with a basement to do it in? I know absolutely nothing about reloading except some basic ideas of it.
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Get a reloading manual (Best $30 you'll ever spend). Read it cover to cover. Find someone who does reloading and see if they will show/walk you throught the reloading steps or even mentor you through a full reload.
 
summerside sniper said:
Would I be able to do it here or should I wait till I find a house with a basement to do it in?
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I have a Lee press bolted to a plank of wood. 2 C-clamps hold it onto an old piece of furniture and I am good to go.
As far as savings go, it depends on what your time is worth.
 
summerside sniper said:
Where do you buy this stuff? I've been thinking about it too as I realize how far cheaper it is. But I also live in a small two bedroom apartment. Would I be able to do it here or should I wait till I find a house with a basement to do it in? I know absolutely nothing about reloading except some basic ideas of it.
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If you decide to go with Lee products then Higginson's powders would be a good source, but they are widely available.

As far as space, it can be done at your kitchen table and packed away when not being used, or it can fill an entire basement - it's up to you how far you want to take it. :)
 
i reccomend spending more off the start. if you buy a cheap setup you and get into it you will end up upgrading your equipment anyway. an RCBS steup will retain about 75% of its original value if you decide you want to get out of reloading. you'd be lucky to get 50% back on lee stuff. if you get addicted you already have high end equipment. you should be able to get set up with a complete RCBS setup including dies and shell holders and your first round of pouder/bullets....for afound $500.

if you don't want to spend alot of money on reloading stuff switch to crack instead, i hear its less adictive!
 
rmkm70 said:
i reccomend spending more off the start. if you buy a cheap setup you and get into it you will end up upgrading your equipment anyway. an RCBS steup will retain about 75% of its original value if you decide you want to get out of reloading. you'd be lucky to get 50% back on lee stuff. if you get addicted you already have high end equipment. you should be able to get set up with a complete RCBS setup including dies and shell holders and your first round of pouder/bullets....for afound $500.

if you don't want to spend alot of money on reloading stuff switch to crack instead, i hear its less adictive!
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I'm no math major, so let me see if I have this right.

Option A: He could spend $125 on a Lee kit, and perhaps be out 50% which is $62.50 if he decides to sell it.

Option B: He could spend $500 and only loose 25%, which is $125.

Option B is supposed to save him money? Was your math teacher a lieberal by any chance? :p
 
I have been thinking about buying a kit myself, cause I get tired of waiting for my buddy to sober up and reload for me. This is what I have been thinking about. A Lee Classic turret press kits sells for about 150 bucks and like all kits it has pretty much everything you need to start loading. If I bought that kit, I could spend another hundred dollars on additional stuff and still be under 300 bucks. Is this a good idea or not? I dont know much about turret presses, so any feedback would be appreciated.
 
17asleep said:
I have been thinking about buying a kit myself, cause I get tired of waiting for my buddy to sober up and reload for me. This is what I have been thinking about. A Lee Classic turret press kits sells for about 150 bucks and like all kits it has pretty much everything you need to start loading. If I bought that kit, I could spend another hundred dollars on additional stuff and still be under 300 bucks. Is this a good idea or not? I dont know much about turret presses, so any feedback would be appreciated.
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This is the thing. You need to sit back and determine if you will end up saving any money or spending more in the long run.

Example.
1. You shoot a 300WM 50x a year.

2. You decide to reload to cut costs down from $1.50 each round to $0.75

3. Now that ammo is 1/2 the cost are you now going to shoot 100x a year? Or still 50x a year?
4a. You won't shoot more, cheaper may be better unless you are looking for perfection (akin to Jamie and the precision fans). End of Reloading expenditures.
4b. So now you shoot 2x as much ammo and it takes you longer to load that much ammo. Continue to 5.
5. Now you feel your time is more valuable than making 30-50 rounds an hour. So you need to Upgrade....

If you make it to step 5, you are hooked and you will be spending more on ammo than you did initially but you will have way more fun.

That being said, I reload for .40 on single stages in batches of 500 rounds. I also reload for 8 other calibres. All on a single stage press. Why? Primarily cause I'm cheap. Secondly, I find reloading a meditation and peaceful endeavour. 2-3 hours of reloading is stress free and without distractions. Very nice IMHO.

I may need to get a dillon for my .40 and .38, if I ever can save up the funds and make myself spend that much....
 
That being said, I reload for .40 on single stages in batches of 500 rounds. I also reload for 8 other calibres. All on a single stage press. Why? Primarily cause I'm cheap. Secondly, I find reloading a meditation and peaceful endeavour. 2-3 hours of reloading is stress free and without distractions. Very nice IMHO.
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I have 2 single stage presses and I'm set up to reload about 10 or so different calibers.

one day I may buy or upgrade to a progressive for some of the pistols but not for rifle ammo.

I too enjoy reloading session, particulary in the winter when it too cold to do anything outside but shovel snow :)
 
I think you guys have hit the nail on the head.

A single stage will be plenty for me---even if I load for all my rifle calibres it still will not be even close to the amount a guy that goes to the pistol range will go through.

I want to start loading for 3 reasons---.303,.300 Wby and .257 Bob.
not the cheapest factory ammo to buy ---or the easiest to find in my little corner of Ontario.

Also I know that it will be something that I will enjoy to do---and it will keep me out of the bars and off the online poker rooms!! :cheers:

-Rob.
 
"...for around the $300.00..." Likely if you buy used equipment. Not so likely if you buy new. Do not be afraid of buying used though. Lots of shooters upgrade to Dillons and such and sell their old, perfectly good, stuff.
However, reloading isn't about saving money. It's about using the best possible ammo in your firearm. It also makes the endless search for ammo you've been experiencing go away.
If you have space issues, go buy a Black and Decker Workmate. They can be had used and are plenty strong enough for a loading bench. If you have space for a bench, particle board is no good as a top. It breaks on the first use. Mind you, a square foot of 1/4" mild steel plate bolted to it fixes it.
 
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