You just can't repeat that advise enough! Any loads I've been recommended, I double check with the good books and personal knowledge/experience. Just don't get caught up in making the HOTTEST loads because faster is better and it's more manly.
Time to start reloading?
- Thread starter Plinky
- Start date
You just can't repeat that advise enough! Any loads I've been recommended, I double check with the good books and personal knowledge/experience. Just don't get caught up in making the HOTTEST loads because faster is better and it's more manly.
I use a single stage, a turret, a Dillon 550 and a Dillon 650. I started with a single stage and if you don't have a good mentor familiar with your new progressive, I suggest you buy a cheap Lee single stage and process a liter of brass, one stage at a time. This will help you understand what happens at each step of the process. The single stage will continue to have uses, after you get a progressive.
A friend of mine bought a Dillon Square deal for loading his 45 and 9mm. It looks to be simple, effective and reliable.
A friend of mine bought a Dillon Square deal for loading his 45 and 9mm. It looks to be simple, effective and reliable.
I never had experience with reloading, just studied manual and asked lots of question to club members. After that I went wit Dillon 550. It's a very nice press, allows to work in single stage mode, intercept any operation or be progressive. And this is very versatile press.
5000 rounds annually is not a high volume, so considering real effective rate 350 rounds/hour you probably be good. As an alternative you can step up to 650, that doubles your performance, but press is more complex and sometimes is more difficult to clear malfunctions.
In my case I'like to have higher performance.
In your case considering rifles I'not sure how easy to change 650 from pistols to rifles and back, but if you are doing thousands with one setting you may be ok to spend some time for change calibers. For pistols it's not a problem.
Read Brian Enos forum, there are lot of good info comparing Dillion's.
5000 rounds annually is not a high volume, so considering real effective rate 350 rounds/hour you probably be good. As an alternative you can step up to 650, that doubles your performance, but press is more complex and sometimes is more difficult to clear malfunctions.
In my case I'like to have higher performance.
In your case considering rifles I'not sure how easy to change 650 from pistols to rifles and back, but if you are doing thousands with one setting you may be ok to spend some time for change calibers. For pistols it's not a problem.
Read Brian Enos forum, there are lot of good info comparing Dillion's.
I was in the same boat and went out and purchased the Hornady LnL after talking with alot of knowledgeable reloaders....its probably the best value out there and easily is as good or better then a Dillon for less. Customer support is superb plus Hornady is carried in many shops. I have made thousands of rounds with my Hornady and have had zero problems.
I wouldn't even consider a press that doesn't auto index.
Cheers!!
I wouldn't even consider a press that doesn't auto index.
Cheers!!
CreamySmooth
CGN frequent flyer
For the lords sake be careful when you start!!!
I wasn't and now I have a Lee Classic Cast, Lee Classic Turret, Lee Loadmaster, Lee Load All II, Hornady Single stage, Forster Co-Ax and now a newly added XL650 for my .40cal... This craps like crack!! Best advice is to stay well away (mostly as I don't want more competition for pistol powder!). I think I enjoy loading as much as shooting. And I just filled a 1L sour cream container with spent primers... STAY AWAY!!! For your sanity!!
I wasn't and now I have a Lee Classic Cast, Lee Classic Turret, Lee Loadmaster, Lee Load All II, Hornady Single stage, Forster Co-Ax and now a newly added XL650 for my .40cal... This craps like crack!! Best advice is to stay well away (mostly as I don't want more competition for pistol powder!). I think I enjoy loading as much as shooting. And I just filled a 1L sour cream container with spent primers... STAY AWAY!!! For your sanity!!
Tip #1
Put your location in your profile. Look for people in your area that reload. I'm sure someone on this forum will invite you over for a reloading session.
Tip #2
Buy a few reloading manuals, and check out a bunch of You Tube videos.
Tip #3
Buy a Dillon 650 with a casefeeder.
My biggest issue by far has been locating components. Pistol powder, and some projectiles have been murder to find.
With the stuff I can find, some calibers are cheaper buying the reloaded ammo (aka wolf). For others...well I can't reload .223 for less than I can get cheapo surplus. Almost all of my .223 brass is spent norinco.
Oh and x3 on the stainless tumbler... makes primo brass out of stuff that has been out on the range for years, and even the stuff that got messed up with sweeping scratches.
With the stuff I can find, some calibers are cheaper buying the reloaded ammo (aka wolf). For others...well I can't reload .223 for less than I can get cheapo surplus. Almost all of my .223 brass is spent norinco.
Oh and x3 on the stainless tumbler... makes primo brass out of stuff that has been out on the range for years, and even the stuff that got messed up with sweeping scratches.
One thing to consider is that reloading equipment holds it's value quite well for the most part. When you're done reloading you can sell your tools for a decent price so that you're not "out" most of the money it took to start reloading.
If you look at it that way....
If you look at it that way....
Thanks for the suggestions folks. Did some analysis based on the following and since some have asked for more information, I will likely go through about 3000-5000 rounds of handgun (.40 for now, but may get into 9mm in the near future, and definitely within a year) per year at least for the near foreseeable future (~5 years). I would imagine that by then I might want the ability to start reloading .223/5.56 or even shot, but for all I know in 5 years I may also wind down on reloading, but I can pretty much guarantee about 25,000 rounds over 5 years. I already have a sonicator, multiple highly accurate calipers and highly sensitive lab grade scales (with draft windows), I would build a dedicated table and mount for the press myself. Based on my volume it looks like I should go with a progressive. I already have 3000-4000 .40 brass from this season, and will likely go through 1000-2000 more rounds by the end of the year.
I'm very mechanically inclined so the thought of having to tinker with a Lee Progressive 1000 to make it work doesn't scare me. I'm amazed at how it can be 1/3 the cost of Hornaday and Dillon presses that people compare it to often, and then rag on the Lee for the low quality parts. However, based on the volume, and time span I'm looking at, the increased productivity of the Hornaday and Dillon, it may be worth it considering I just spent another $700+ on 2000 rounds of .40.
Based on the top notch warranty with the Dillon brand, I was thinking something along the lines of a Dillon 550B might be the way to go. About triple what I was going to spend on a Lee Progressive setup, but if I went with the 550B, I'd probably spend about the same as I did on the 2000 rounds of .40 recently. With that in mind, it might be the way to go I think. I hear the Hornaday is pretty much comparable to the 550B and the finer points between them tend to be more of a preferential than obvious better than situation.
I'm in the US often and my understanding is reloading equipment such as presses are considered tools in regards to ITAR, while components like projectiles/primers, etc are controlled, so I would only bother purchasing the press/dies/etc from the US and bringing them back with me the next time I'm down there.
Anything I haven't obviously considered? I think I found a 550B for sale but the guy is in Sudbury and is only looking for local sale.
I've also read in a number of places that the Dillon dies ($64) are not that great compared to say the cheaper Lee dies ($40-45 US), and that the Lee dies work just fine in the 550B. Anyone care to chime in on this one?
Other than the 550B, the conversion kit, and the dies, I should be able to get up and running correct? I would also get the primer tubes and the plates that go with them, and rig up my own counter with something like this, and then glue on a small neodymium magnet. With this counter, I could do without a primer warning system as well as other features.
I can make my own mount so I'm not interested in buying Dillon's just to mount the 550B. However the mount does allow for the mounting of the plastic bins, which some say are very helpful if a higher rounds/hr are desired. Anyone with a 550B care to chime in on this one? Is the mount really worth it for the mounting of the plastic bins? I guess I could also try it out within the mount and bins, and rig my own setup. Basically at that point I'd make a consideration of whether it would be worth my time to make my own or just order the mount and bins.
Is the spare parts kit worth it? Or are there only specific items on that list I should get separately? There isn't much savings in getting them as a package.
Is the $40+ handle upgrade worth it?
And a kind of side question, I would think it would be best to deprime before cleaning so you can clean out the primer pocket, and get cross flow through the casing making sure of a clear path between primer pocket and the powder. Or am I just being anal retentive?
I'm very mechanically inclined so the thought of having to tinker with a Lee Progressive 1000 to make it work doesn't scare me. I'm amazed at how it can be 1/3 the cost of Hornaday and Dillon presses that people compare it to often, and then rag on the Lee for the low quality parts. However, based on the volume, and time span I'm looking at, the increased productivity of the Hornaday and Dillon, it may be worth it considering I just spent another $700+ on 2000 rounds of .40.
Based on the top notch warranty with the Dillon brand, I was thinking something along the lines of a Dillon 550B might be the way to go. About triple what I was going to spend on a Lee Progressive setup, but if I went with the 550B, I'd probably spend about the same as I did on the 2000 rounds of .40 recently. With that in mind, it might be the way to go I think. I hear the Hornaday is pretty much comparable to the 550B and the finer points between them tend to be more of a preferential than obvious better than situation.
I'm in the US often and my understanding is reloading equipment such as presses are considered tools in regards to ITAR, while components like projectiles/primers, etc are controlled, so I would only bother purchasing the press/dies/etc from the US and bringing them back with me the next time I'm down there.
Anything I haven't obviously considered? I think I found a 550B for sale but the guy is in Sudbury and is only looking for local sale.
I've also read in a number of places that the Dillon dies ($64) are not that great compared to say the cheaper Lee dies ($40-45 US), and that the Lee dies work just fine in the 550B. Anyone care to chime in on this one?
Other than the 550B, the conversion kit, and the dies, I should be able to get up and running correct? I would also get the primer tubes and the plates that go with them, and rig up my own counter with something like this, and then glue on a small neodymium magnet. With this counter, I could do without a primer warning system as well as other features.
I can make my own mount so I'm not interested in buying Dillon's just to mount the 550B. However the mount does allow for the mounting of the plastic bins, which some say are very helpful if a higher rounds/hr are desired. Anyone with a 550B care to chime in on this one? Is the mount really worth it for the mounting of the plastic bins? I guess I could also try it out within the mount and bins, and rig my own setup. Basically at that point I'd make a consideration of whether it would be worth my time to make my own or just order the mount and bins.
Is the spare parts kit worth it? Or are there only specific items on that list I should get separately? There isn't much savings in getting them as a package.
Is the $40+ handle upgrade worth it?
And a kind of side question, I would think it would be best to deprime before cleaning so you can clean out the primer pocket, and get cross flow through the casing making sure of a clear path between primer pocket and the powder. Or am I just being anal retentive?
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Ya I have been shooting Wolf at about $.35-.40/round in .40, and to be honest have no complaints. I have bought "factory ammo" that was dirtier out of the box, and dirtier powder as well. In your experience how low can you get the .40/round if you're buying projectile, powder and primer, but cleaning your own brass?
