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Posted: 6/21/2012 11:34:47 PM EDT
| Thing is I do not shoot a lot of ammo maybe twice a month and about 100 rounds each time I go. Would it be worth it for me? I was looking at a basic kit starting about 325..anyways any and all advice is welcome. Thanks |
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It depends on a few things. The biggest factors are caliber and time.
Generally, the bigger the caliber the more savings you'll get. Time. Do you have time to reload? If you're shooting 50 BMG you are gonna save a ton of $$$. 9mm, not so much. You can save about 70% shooting lead bullets and about 40% with cheap jacketed ones. What calibers and bullet types are you shooting now ? |
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If you really want to get into it and don't shoot a whole lot, I suggest Lee equipment. I started with a Lee Breech Lock Challenger Press kit and still have it for precision rifle rounds. I have since moved up to a Dillon 550 for bulk .223 and pistol loads for USPSA. I learned a lot on that single stage about the process and pitfalls to look out for.
Reloading is more than just cost savings, it's a hobby. |
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Reloading is a hobby, you don't need tons to get started but as you get into it you will find yourself wanting more to be efficient. I started off loading common calibers and saving a little, now I save more with bulk loading. My biggest savings would have to be in .44 mag, .308 match rounds, and soon .260. You may find yourself shooting more often or at least shooting more rounds when you go out.
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Just started reloading myself. I don't shoot a ton when I go either but I wanted to reload for many reasons.
For me, it's a hobby with the added benefit of saving money per round. It's just another way for me to enjoy my guns and my favorite pastime Good luck, Paul |
| Based on .223 rounds your cost is about $1 a shot. After cost of the reloading equipment, your round cost will be around .25 - .35 cents. I reload for accuracy more than for the saving. If your a plinker, I think reloading would fit your needs. It is relaxing for me and I like trying to find that accurate round. |
you may find yourself shooting more once you start reloading 
do it I got a lee anniversary breechlock kit it's a very enjoyable hobby. I was spending about $0.30 to $0.40 a round on 223 now I'm at about $0.20 and really enjoy when my reloads outshoot factory ammo |
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I got a lee turret press for my first one about a year ago and I was kind of in the same boat you are in. It is a hobby on its own for sure, and while I don't shoot too much more, I feel better about shooting, and I shoot better, with reloaded ammo. Plus, and this is probably just me, but I like making rounds out of really clean and polished brass so they look and shoot better than factory loaded, especially when I compare my .223 next to xm855 rounds.
If you have the capital to make the initial investment of all the tools and you have the time, give it a try. Quality brands like lee, rcbs, and dillon all have good resell value to so if you actually don't like it you shouldnt be out too much when you go to sell it. |
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Reloading is a hobby within a hobby. I never looked at reloading as a chore and almost always enjoy the time spent at the bench.
Cost per round is dramatically less and it is pretty easy to calculate the breakeven on equipment cost if that is important to you. The other thing is you do learn more about the dynamics of your gun and what makes things tick. BTW, if you are doing strictly straight wall pistol you might consider a Dillon Square Deal B. Hits your price point. A little more involved mechanically but far less tedious than a single stage. |
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Just my math for my set up:
CCI primers, $29 for 1000 (2.9 cents a loaded cartridge) Sierra 69 grain BTHP, $23.99 for $100 (24 cents a loaded cartridge) CFE 223 - $22 for 1 lb (7000 grains or ~304 rounds @ 23 grains, or 7.3 cents a loaded cartridge) New Hornady Brass - $26.99 for 50 (54 cents a loaded cartridge) so loading all new match costs in the neighborhood of 87 cents a cartridge. Black Hills 69 grain BTHP match is right at $1/round (retail), so technically I'm "saving" 13 cents a round. But, I've spent around $1000 in equipment. Bare bones, I'd still be looking at around $500. So, not counting time, my break even on making match only is around 4000 rounds of ammo - bare bones, 7500 with my current set up (which granted, has a lot of redundancies because I didn't know what I needed at first, so I bought the wrong thing first tried using it, decided it sucked, etc). Ah, but if I re-use brass, that gets me to 34.2 cents a round. That makes my break even point a paltry 760 rounds (not including time). If I buy components in bulk and online, I might be able to shave some additional cents off of that as well - I'm quoting Cabelas prices. 5 lbs of powder instead of 1 lb of powder, 1000 bullets instead of 100. If I was swagging bullets I could trim the other major component price which is bullets. And going by the old swagging thread, you can get really good quality bullets by swagging your own. Now, going back to not including time - I don't have a progressive set up. I just started so my efficiency sucks. My table layout is probably not ideal because I don't know what I'm doing. It took me several hours to make 30 rounds. My failure rate right now is rather high (was 100% -haha, trending to around 2% now). I've broken a couple of dies. I think the economics of blasting ammo, especially rifle, may not be that great unless you are also buying surplus powder. But for match, it makes a bit of sense - and more so if you enjoy the time you are spending on it rather than treating it as a chore. |
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Reloading isn't something you think about getting into.
It's complete submersion, a dive. You're all in mentally or you're out whether you enjoy reloading or not. There has to be on your part a passion for shooting whether competitively, hunting, for play - or- a passion for hand loading and shooting becomes consequence. The truly blessed have an affinity for all the above. That's my take on seeing'em come and go through here and watching the EE. How much or little you spend on equipment really doesn't play into the grander scheme of reloading. I can make a higher grade of handgun cartridge using my cheapest equipment over my most expensive. That's a fact. 
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Just my math for my set up: CCI primers, $29 for 1000 (2.9 cents a loaded cartridge) Sierra 69 grain BTHP, $23.99 for $100 (24 cents a loaded cartridge) CFE 223 - $22 for 1 lb (7000 grains or ~304 rounds @ 23 grains, or 7.3 cents a loaded cartridge) New Hornady Brass - $26.99 for 50 (54 cents a loaded cartridge) so loading all new match costs in the neighborhood of 87 cents a cartridge. Black Hills 69 grain BTHP match is right at $1/round (retail), so technically I'm "saving" 13 cents a round. .03 - Primer .08 - Montana Gold 55gr bullet .08 - Powder .07 - Once fired brass .26 - Total cost per round for consumables And the brass is actually far less because we reloaders tend to pick up our brass.  Or better yet, pickup what someone else left behind so your cost is zero.
Unless you are into benchrest accuracy there is no reason to buy name brand bullets in small quantities. Think Montana Gold, Wideners Supply, GunBroker.com, etc.and buy in bulk. Ok to buy in small quantities to test and learn but after that you can drop your cost per round significantly. |
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Thing is I do not shoot a lot of ammo maybe twice a month and about 100 rounds each time I go. Would it be worth it for me? I was looking at a basic kit starting about 325..anyways any and all advice is welcome. Thanks Yes, there is a very high chance that it is worth it to you and that you will enjoy it. I started reloading on a Dillon 550B progressive press with the .223. I have learned a lot and shot more as I work up and test my rounds. The improvement in accuracy over factory ammo is worth it even if I didn't save a lot of money on the parts. Something to keep in mind. Even though I reload on a progressive and shoot alot, brass prep takes time. I made some case blocks to hold the brass while I am working on it. Going through 200 to 600 rounds takes a while in prep. If you have a progressive press, the actual load time is greatly reduced. The point is that you may not have time to prep more than 100 rounds at a time. That may be the perfect number for you. And if you have the power tools and progressive press, you may find that you can zip out 20 rounds for a quick trip to the range and not feel the need to go through at least 100 or more each time you sit down. With that in mind, I suggest that you network through local ranges, clubs, and shops. See if you can find someone that will show you what the steps are and how the presses work. You can have a better idea of what you want to buy and why. For example, I bought a nice lathe style case trimmer that works great and some case prep hand tools. Even though they work great, I wish I had just saved up for the motorized tools so that I can cut most of the prep time. I am VERY happy that I bought the 550B progressive press though. It is easy to setup and use, produces very accurate ammo, and saves time on the reloading. |
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Just started reloading myself. I don't shoot a ton when I go either but I wanted to reload for many reasons. For me, it's a hobby with the added benefit of saving money per round. It's just another way for me to enjoy my guns and my favorite pastime Good luck, Paul This is why I do it. |
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I took the dive last week after messing with a 30 dollar lee classic months ago... bought a RCBS single stage and .308 and .223 dies. So far after decapping and sizing 937368 rounds Ive loaded quite a few that are dang accurate and dont beat the piss out of my old 7.62 enfield as well.
Its really fun but setting the dies up wastes some bullets and cases. Need to buy a kinetic bullet puller for this reason. ALSO... lube the crap outta those cases!!! |
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Mostly going to be 40 cal and 223. Im a plinker. When I look at reloading stuff I sm completly lost. I see kits and stuff is that all i need? Not counting brass, and actual round components. I saw the kits at cabelas and on amazon for like 300. I'm on the fence like you. .223 and 9mm. Is it worth it? What all do I need? Upgrades to kit? Then with me is what powder type, bullet type etc. Got this in an email yesterday Rock Chucker Supreme Master Kit and it got me thinking again. Anyone care to chime in on what else would be needed to get started in .223 and 9/.40? Any good tips for additional equipment/common upgrades? Thanks in advance. |
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It is a bit overwhelming at first looking for exactly whats needed and what's not.
Discussion like this tends to make decisions worse. One guy says buy this, one guy says buy that. Then another guy drunk on kool-aid trumps he wouldn't load with anything less than this. I own and operate the following presses. Lee Pro1000 Lee Loadmaster Hornady Classic single stage Hornady AP progressive Dillon 550 Dillon XL650 w\case feeder I have owned and operated, Lee Breechlock single stage Lee 4 hole turret I have a fair amount of time on, RCBS Rock Chucker Dillon Super1050 w\case feeder In addition I'd neglected to mention the 3 Lee hand presses I own and enjoy using. Loaded 350, .45acp cartridges yesterday with the assistance of, Hornady .45acp 3 die set, their version of carbide. Small digital scale Load block RCBS Little Dandy Powder measure. Calipers Hand Primer tool, I have several brands. They all work fine. Brass used was my once fired taken off clean range floor. I could've rinsed but didn't see the need. Sat down, hand press loaded with sizer die and sized, deprimed. Then belled brass slightly using hand press and Hornady bell die. Afterwards, hand primed brass. Lined my brass up 5 at a time and dropped powder charges. Then seated and taper crimped in one operation before doing another 5. Placed loaded cartridges in new Berrys, 50 round plastic boxes. Now I'll explain why I chose that operation to use for example, cause I could've gone the other way and explained everything in high speed progressive mode. You wouldn't have gotten a feel for the process. For 100, 200 or even 300 handgun cartridges a week you don't need much more than a single stage press beit hand operated or mounted. All you need is a press, dies, calipers, scales, powder measure, hand or press mounted primer, load block and Lyman #49 load manual and powder company websites for load data. To clean brass all is needed is hot water and sometimes it's not necessary. Stick close to the basics and you can load for next, near nothin. |
| I have been reading all the articles on reloading on this site i could today and i still feel overwhelmed on getting into it. I want to but dobt wanna mess anything up! Is it a little forgiving? I wish someone made a post with the bare bones needed for beginners like the lee kit and all the other stuff NEEDED to start trying it without spending a fortune or having things not needes because i see a ton of questiobs like this. Maybe an experiences person could do that. Say a post thag says here is the equipment you will NEED and these are the items youll need for the actual round your making with links to those things and make it all fairly cheap target shooting loads for people to practice. Maybe just whats needed for. 223. |
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Reloading is very safe. If you can pay attention to details, and aren't prone to free lance by failing to follow acceptable practices, you'll do fine.
This forum pretty well specializes in getting new reloaders off to a good start and we've walked a bunch of folks through from scratch to pulling the trigger on the first round they loaded. This is similar to other pursuits, such as sailing; there's a little lingo to learn, and once that is covered, the rest makes sense. Try to borrow a copy of the ABC's of Reloading from your local library to help you get started. |
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Reloading is very safe. If you can pay attention to details, and aren't prone to free lance by failing to follow acceptable practices, you'll do fine.
This forum pretty well specializes in getting new reloaders off to a good start and we've walked a bunch of folks through from scratch to pulling the trigger on the first round they loaded. This is similar to other pursuits, such as sailing; there's a little lingo to learn, and once that is covered, the rest makes sense. Try to borrow a copy of the ABC's of Reloading from your local library to help you get started. |
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I have been reading all the articles on reloading on this site i could today and i still feel overwhelmed on getting into it. I want to but dobt wanna mess anything up! Is it a little forgiving? I wish someone made a post with the bare bones needed for beginners like the lee kit and all the other stuff NEEDED to start trying it without spending a fortune or having things not needes because i see a ton of questiobs like this. Maybe an experiences person could do that. Say a post thag says here is the equipment you will NEED and these are the items youll need for the actual round your making with links to those things and make it all fairly cheap target shooting loads for people to practice. Maybe just whats needed for. 223. That thread does exist and should be the first go-to for all new reloaders. Read the tacked threads at the top of the reloading forum. Here is the equipment thread hot link: http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=486 |
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I bought the Hornady Single Stage Classic Kit.
I like it. It's also a very good price right now. You do need more stuff though..... -Hornady Gun Cleaner and Dry lube (cleaning dies and powder measure especially) -Dies and shell holders for every caliber you plan on loading -A way to trim the rifle calibers (lee makes an inexpensive trimming system...a little tedious if you have a lot but the price is good for a beginner) -A tumbler (I bought the tumbler kit from Cabelas, comes with the tumbler, media and polish....very happy with it and it's a good price compared to others) This is just what I bought to start recently....been very happy so far (YMMV). It takes some time to get used to things and it can be Very overwhelming at first. If you aren't prone to mistakes though and are willing to take your time and pay attention it can be a Very rewarding hobby. Good luck Paul |
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It does seem overwhelming, but it's a lot easier than you think.
I thought you had to be a ''Rocket Scientist'' to reload or you'd blow yourself up. 
Turns out, I was really, really wrong as a friend who reloads pointed out. He helped me get started, answered my questions, solved my problems, etc. That was about 8 yrs ago. I've learned a lot since then, from him, this site, other sites, reading stuff everywhere. I'm helping my brother get started right now. Don't let it intimidate you. Reloading is easy and somewhat forgiving as long as you don't go too far over the edge. Pay attention, follow instructions and stay within limits. Ask questions here. The guys here are as good as it gets and are happy to help. And, they won't laugh if you ask a ''dumb question'', like I did. After reloading a few different calibers for awhile I thought I'd try loading .45 ACP. So, I asked ''Can you shoot lead bullets in a 1911?'' Seemed like I got a thousand responses saying yes and telling me everything I needed to know and sharing their recipes. It would be easier to learn from somebody who lives close by, but you can still do it online. Read everything you can find, ask ?'s and we'll help. |
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Im looking at the lee reloaders which one should I get. Both are around 140 but one is a breech one is not. Mainly loading 223 and 40 maybe 300 win. Would I need to get a tumbler? Im looking at the ones on amazon. This is just my opinion, mind you, my experiences with Lee products are not suitable for the stresses of bottleneck cartridges. Linkages keep breaking and I'm not ham-fisted. They may have changed the design recently, I don't know. You would be better off getting a RCBS Rockchucker or Redding Single stage. Both will outlast you and be heirlooms for your grandchildren. You could use them for single stage loading of .40's but a progressive would be much faster for that. You would need a good scale. Most kits come with the cheapest scale available, and a tumbler is very useful but you could wash your brass and let it dry if you can't afford it right now. ETA: Look on midwayusa.com good prices and might have a sale on something you need. |
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Just my math for my set up: CCI primers, $29 for 1000 (2.9 cents a loaded cartridge) Sierra 69 grain BTHP, $23.99 for $100 (24 cents a loaded cartridge) CFE 223 - $22 for 1 lb (7000 grains or ~304 rounds @ 23 grains, or 7.3 cents a loaded cartridge) New Hornady Brass - $26.99 for 50 (54 cents a loaded cartridge) so loading all new match costs in the neighborhood of 87 cents a cartridge. Black Hills 69 grain BTHP match is right at $1/round (retail), so technically I'm "saving" 13 cents a round. .03 - Primer .08 - Montana Gold 55gr bullet .08 - Powder .07 - Once fired brass .26 - Total cost per round for consumables $.03 - Wolf 223rem primer $.04 - WC844 surplus powder $.25 - 68gr Hornady Match $.013333 - Brass from EE ($.08 each, but reloadable up to 6 times) Cost per round $.33333333333..... Or 3 for a dollar  . This is quality sub-moa ammo. I prefer the 75gr Match, which cost roughly the same, but the powder cost jumps to $.08 until the next gunshow. At which point I'll hopefully have 8#s of WC846 for 308 and heavier 223.
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I like reloading, as much as shooting. +1 Pistol ammo is bit more of a chore than rifle on my Lee Classic Turret press (highly recommended for newbs, I love it!), but I've loaded and fired lots of rounds without issue. I think a progressive press for 9 and 45 is in my future! |
| I just ordered all of my stuff to statt and it didnt cost no where near $325 i got a lee single stage breech kit, lee.223 gage, lee. 223 pacesetter die set, extra quick change bushings, lyman 1200 pro tumbler, media and polish and it was all $225 shipped and im ready to reload,.223 got it all from fsreloading and cabelas |
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I just ordered all of my stuff to statt and it didnt cost no where near $325 i got a lee single stage breech kit, lee.223 gage, lee. 223 pacesetter die set, extra quick change bushings, lyman 1200 pro tumbler, media and polish and it was all $225 shipped and im ready to reload,.223 got it all from fsreloading and cabelas Great job! Do you already have a set of Vernier calipers? If not, that would be a nice tool to have to measure COAL (cartridge overall length). Harbor Freight sells a decent set of digital calipers. You will also want to get some sort of case trimmer and primer pocket reamer. LEE makes some good case trimming tools and Hornady makes a nice primer pocket reamer. Finally, you'll probably want to get some Dillon case lube as you will probably get tired of the LEE lube. jonblack |
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You would need a good scale. Most kits come with the cheapest scale available, This is good advice. RCBS 5-0-5 or Dillon's Eliminator Scale are great choices. jonblack |
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Quoted: Quoted: Mostly going to be 40 cal and 223. Im a plinker. When I look at reloading stuff I sm completly lost. I see kits and stuff is that all i need? Not counting brass, and actual round components. I saw the kits at cabelas and on amazon for like 300. I'm on the fence like you. .223 and 9mm. Is it worth it? What all do I need? Upgrades to kit? Then with me is what powder type, bullet type etc. Got this in an email yesterday Rock Chucker Supreme Master Kit and it got me thinking again. Anyone care to chime in on what else would be needed to get started in .223 and 9/.40? Any good tips for additional equipment/common upgrades? Thanks in advance. That's a very good kit for starting out. It can be improved on by adding more equipment later. The biggest decision a guy has to make when he decides to start reoading is: 'Am I after reloading speed or am I after precision'. If it's the former then a progressive press may suit you better. If you're looking for precision...a single stage press may be a better choice. A guy can turn out a bunch of 'blasting' ammo cheaply and fairly quickly on a progressive. The initial cost is higher, but you may feel that you will make up the difference in time saved and not being concerned with critical accuracy. Using a SS press, one can work up loads more easily and it allows for more critical parameters to load for precision. It takes longer to load a round and some expense like projectiles may be higher....but the basic set up is usually less expensive. Do your 'due dilligence' before you jump into anything. Define what you want, and what you are willing to give up to achieve that desired end. |
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Quoted: Im looking at the lee reloaders which one should I get. Both are around 140 but one is a breech one is not. Mainly loading 223 and 40 maybe 300 win. Would I need to get a tumbler? Im looking at the ones on amazon. Lee presses will function fine if you get the cast iron model instead of the aluminum one. This means they put Classic in the name. If you budget will allow it, the RCBS Rockchucker is a great press.  Just picked up this used Rockchucker at the funshow, it is going to a new reloader I'm mentoring. It is setting next to my Rockchucker. Watch for deals, Rockchuckers go fast.
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