At what point should I start reloading?

[Rim Job]

Other than the obvious answer of "Yesterday you stupid fool!", because I find myself suddenly going through a large amount of 9mm with the Glock I recently bought (500 something rounds in 3 days). I still save all my 223 brass, but none of the 9 (gets hard to find at the range mixed in with the steel stuff). My other problem is I do not have a work space indoors for a press, but I do have room in my garage (not climate controlled)

And then which pill do I swallow (mind you I am a cheap bastard)?

 

[gerrycaruso]

I use Dillon. You'll probably save the least loading 9mm but you can still load it for half what it costs to buy. The Dillon 650 with case feeder should load about 800 rounds an hour.

 

[beaker]

You should start, Now. Always take the blue pill, especially if you are cheap. Buy once....

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[cockpitbob]

There's 3 good reasons to reload:

1) Savings. But you need to shoot a lot to make the time and money invested pay back.
2) Accuracy: For rifles you can tailor the load to what the gun likes.
3) Can't buy what you want. I reload for rifles because I inherited guns chambered in 35 Whelen-Improved, r2-Lovell and two 30-40Krags.

 

[mac1911]

first off you do not need a lot of space....my space is small. I have a friend with a smaller space.
Basically under a stairwell.
As for when to start: when ever you have enough to invest in the equipment. Cost savings is not the only goal. Finding a load that does well in your guns along with the option to load any variant of that cal is endless.

If your a cheap bastard you need the other shade of red pill in the mix....

you cant be all that cheap if your not picking up your brass?

google small reloading spaces tons of ideas. Before I got my house I mounted my press to a 12x16" plywood base and C clamped it to the kitchen table

also something like this

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/15...pf_ci_google&gclid=CLzH0_rUmMkCFUEvgQodp10IkQ

 

[cockpitbob]

You should start, Now. Always take the blue pill, especially if you are cheap. Buy once....

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I think you mean the red pill. The blue pill puts you back to the life you've always known.
But when you take the red pill, buy the best equipment you can afford. The good stuff hurts once, when you buy it. The cheap stuff hurts for years, every time you use it.

 

[drgrant]

Do you burn more than 1000/rounds/caliber per year? If you can answer "yes" to this then it makes sense. The number is lower if you have oddball stuff like hand cannon calibers in .44 mag on up, or obscure cartridges like 10mm, etc. The cost recovery on those is several times greater than the mainstream calibers because of the cost deltas involved.

-Mike

 

[knfmn]

Other than the obvious answer of "Yesterday you stupid fool!", because I find myself suddenly going through a large amount of 9mm with the Glock I recently bought (500 something rounds in 3 days). I still save all my 223 brass, but none of the 9 (gets hard to find at the range mixed in with the steel stuff). My other problem is I do not have a work space indoors for a press, but I do have room in my garage (not climate controlled)

And then which pill do I swallow (mind you I am a cheap bastard)?

If you're going through 500+ rounds of 9mm in three days, it's probably time!

As for recovering the brass, you could get one of the brass nets that goes on a tripod beside you. They aren't perfect, but one of my buddies has one and I've been very impressed with it. If the other brass on the ground really is steel, you could also rake or sweep it all into a pile and use a shop floor magnet to pull the steel aside. It doesn't take that long and would help.

If you're wondering what kind of press you should get, probably a single stage or a turret if you've never reloaded before. They're slower than progressives, but force you to slow down and focus on what you're doing. I know that there'll be 20 people along momentarily to say that you should get a progressive because they started on one and never had a single problem. I disagree. If you're not experienced with reloading, it's easy to make mistakes and with a progressive press, those mistakes are made really quickly...lol.

Any of the major brands would work: Dillon is the top name in progressive. RCBS and Lyman are a step down. Lee is entry level, generally speaking, but there is nothing wrong with them at all. You could get a single stage Lee press and use it for years with no problem.

You said you have nowhere to work indoors. You could get a folding worktable and use C clamps to hook the press to it. Just set it up when you need to reload, then break it down and stash it in a closet when you're done. I did that for years and never had a problem at all.

 

[Rim Job]

If your a cheap bastard you need the other shade of red pill in the mix....

I was leaning towards a Lee as my first press (gasp, Eddie should be showing up soon to slap me upside my head), but now I'm tilting towards a Hornady LNL AP

Do you burn more than 1000/rounds/caliber per year? If you can answer "yes" to this then it makes sense.

-Mike

I might be going through 1k 9mm in the next 2 weeks at the rate I'm going. And I usually go through 100-150 rounds of 223 at a sitting (try to go once a month with the rifle, 9mm is any nice day)

 

[slap shot]

Savings on 9mm are negligible, but as Mike mentioned, once you start shooting 44 mag and 44 spc, huge savings. I wouldn't have a 44 if i wasn't reloading.

Also, I loaded up 300 rounds of .223 last night, in prep for the bump fire stocks in the group buy. Definitely some savings there, especially since you have the brass.

This is probably as good a time as any to start, with the cold weather approaching. Can have a nice stockpile by spring, unless of course, you shoot all winter like most of us.

 

[mac1911]

I was leaning towards a Lee as my first press (gasp, Eddie should be showing up soon to slap me upside my head), but now I'm tilting towards a Hornady LNL AP



I might be going through 1k 9mm in the next 2 weeks at the rate I'm going. And I usually go through 100-150 rounds of 223 at a sitting (try to go once a month with the rifle, 9mm is any nice day)

I wont say lee is good or bad...... BUT I wouldnt get anything more than the pro 1000 from LEE.... I have seen the Lee Loadmaster and its not much less than a LnL and for the difference I cant see stepping backwards to the Loadmaster? The pro 1000 can be had for 160$ shipped with dies set up for pistol cals.

I bought a pro 1000 in 223 about 2 weeks ago. Set it up and 3 days later had all my 223 plinking rounds loaded. 1800 then ran out of powder. I then converted it to 30 carbine.

I plan on doing the same thing once I test a few loads. I will load up the 1500 or so bullets i have and move on to the next cal.

 

[RImike]

I was given a RCBS Rock Chucker kit and that got me started. I haven't made the investment yet to a progressive however I suspect I will in the next few years as I get into more pistol competitions.

 

[WanMan99]

No matter what your decision you should be (all along) saving your brass. When\if you start reloading, brass will be the biggest part of the equation. It is my limiting factor as I always have enough primers, powder and projectiles and run out of brass first.

 

[Woodstock]

1. The Dillon 550 is plenty fast, and easier for a newbie to learn on as you can start out using it like a single-stage, you can turn the shell plate backwards if you need to check on something and caliber changes are cheaper than on the 650. If someday you want a 650 or an LNL, the Dillon presses hold their value very well.
2. Check the classifieds. There was a 550 recently with a 9 mm. shell plate plus some other tools.
3. Sweep up ALL the 9 mm. brass at the range. Pass a magnet over it to separate the steel stuff out.

 

[Rim Job]

3. Sweep up ALL the 9 mm. brass at the range. Pass a magnet over it to separate the steel stuff out.

It's an outdoor range so lots on sand. I might need to buy some more 9mm tomorrow to give me an excuse to go back. Wish it wasn't 60 miles away.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Whether you start reloading immediately or in the future, NOW is the time to start buying your components for calibers you intend to reload.
Shop for sales on things and start stocking up so its there when you decide to set up a press and get to it.

I'm still reloading components I bought years ago for a fraction of what they cost now. Some of the stuff is more than five times what I paid for it back then so the savings are huge.

You don't need a climate controlled environment to reload in. Heat would be nice but if you can wear a light jacket and be comfortable in your garage, the ammo won't care if its a bit chilly. What you need is good lighting and definitely a light situated at the press so you can observe the powder in your brass before topping it with a bullet.

In the mean time, obtaining and reading a few reloading manuals to understand the process would be beneficial also.

 

[pastera]

Savings on 9mm are negligible, but as Mike mentioned, once you start shooting 44 mag and 44 spc, huge savings. I wouldn't have a 44 if i wasn't reloading.

Also, I loaded up 300 rounds of .223 last night, in prep for the bump fire stocks in the group buy. Definitely some savings there, especially since you have the brass.

This is probably as good a time as any to start, with the cold weather approaching. Can have a nice stockpile by spring, unless of course, you shoot all winter like most of us.

Best price I saw for 9mm on gunbot was $0.22/rd - you should be able to reload for under 0.15/rd, about 32% less.

I wouldn't call that insignificant if you are firing 500+ rounds per month as you could pay for a progressive press in less than a year with the savings

 

[beaker]

I think you mean the red pill. The blue pill puts you back to the life you've always known.
But when you take the red pill, buy the best equipment you can afford. The good stuff hurts once, when you buy it. The cheap stuff hurts for years, every time you use it.

This is the blue pill I was referring to...[emoji4]

 

[Dean Crawford]

I have a RCBS Rock chucker, It's a single stage and it does everything I need it to do. it is not a race or a competition on how many you can do in an hour. I like reloading it relaxes me and when I am done sometimes I wish I wasn't. The 500 S&W almost $4.00 a round for factory stuff less than $1.00 to reload, I could not have the wildcats I have without reloading, and could not run the standard rounds or wildcats as HOT as I do. So for me it is a necessity let alone the satisfaction of making your own ammo. If there is any cost savings well that is just a bonus, if it was more expensive I would still do it anyways. I have over 50 different sets of dies and reload for others as well.

Dean

 

[MarkT]

I got started a little over a year ago. I'm using a Lee turret press and it has served me well up to this point. I started loading just 45, but now I'm set up for 9mm, 380 acp, 30-06, and .225/5.56.

From an investment standpoint, I broke even at 1000 rounds for all of the equipment, plus components, to start loading 45. You can buy components pretty cheaply online if you do some digging. One of the suppliers has a brass credit program, so if you can collect brass at your range and ship it they'll apply a credit to your order. Doing this, I've been able to buy 1000 .45 ACP bullets for the cost of shipping ($17).

I haven't had any issues with the Lee Turret press, but I'm starting to look at Dillon so that I can load more, faster. I can currently load about 200 pistol rounds/hour, but could do much more with a progressive set up. I was strapped at the time I got started so I went with the cheaper press, but since I was just starting out, slower was better. I'd recommend not going with a progressive press initially.

 

[DW357]

If you're going to reload rifle and pistol calibers, I say buy a single stage and progressive. I bought a LNL AP initially and love it. But recently realized I get more consistent sizing (no press flexing) with rifle calibers using a single stage (Lee classic cast).

But as others have said, do not waste time buying components. Especially with the election next year, I'd try to get your stock set aside from now until then. Everything can be found online, though powders can be tough unless you check reloading vendors constantly and sign up for email notifications. Otherwise, check your local shops or take a ride to Al's in Derry, NH or Shooters Outpost and Rileys in Hooksett for components.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I was leaning towards a Lee as my first press (gasp, Eddie should be showing up soon to slap me upside my head), but now I'm tilting towards a Hornady LNL AP

Buy whatever you want - I don't have to use it. In my experience, about 40% of Lee's products are decent, 15% are below average, and 45% are complete shit.

I don't make money on equipment. I'm all done recommending products that have proven to work, only to have a cheapskate that's already made up his mind argue that the Lee stuff is just as good before ever trying anything. It isn't. I'm not saying you're a cheapskate, or that you've already made up your mind, but if a Lee product is half the cost of another brand, there's a really good chance that it's about 1/4 as good. You want Lee? Go for it. You're buying the Harbor Freight of reloading equipment, and you'll get what you pay for. Maybe what you pick will be in the 40% of decent products, but odds are it won't.

If you're considering a Hornady L-N-L; don't. Save up a little more and get a Dillon 650. I'm one of the few people here that has loaded over 100K rounds on both the L-N-L and the 650. I can say without reservation that the 650 is a much better machine than the L-N-L. Anybody that wants to say that the L-N-L is as good (or better) than the 650, take this challenge:

Get your press all set up, load up your powder hopper, case feeder, and primer magazine, and start making ammo by pulling the handle, and placing the bullet ONLY. Stop when you have to mess with anything else. In other words, STOP if you have to help a case into the shell plate, unjam the funnel at the top of the case feeder, futz with the primer shuttle, help eject a finished round, or anything else.

Count the number of times you can pull the handle without doing anything other than placing the bullet. I'm confident that I can do it 100 times on my 650 because after 100 pulls, the primer tube is empty. You're lucky to get a dozen on an L-N-L. Once the L-N-L has some miles on it, you'll be lucky to get 5. I'm not exaggerating either. I got sick of it and sold my L-N-L for pennies (OK, dimes) on the dollar with the provision that I never hear from the buyer again.

 

[Rim Job]

If you're considering a Hornady L-N-L; don't. Save up a little more and get a Dillon 650. I'm one of the few people here that has loaded over 100K rounds on both the L-N-L and the 650. I can say without reservation that the 650 is a much better machine than the L-N-L. Anybody that wants to say that the L-N-L is as good (or better) than the 650, take this challenge:

Is the biggest difference between to 550 and 650 is the 650 has an extra station? That 550 in reloading classifieds keeps nagging me every time I go shooting

 

[SJan]

Is the biggest difference between to 550 and 650 is the 650 has an extra station? That 550 in reloading classifieds keeps nagging me every time I go shooting

The shell plate on the 650 auto indexes. The one on the 550 needs to be manually turned. This is just one small step in the many things going on all at once in a progressive reloading press, but its the one that if done wrong will result in a double charged case.

The 650 is made to run with a case feeder. You can put a case feeder on a 550 as well, but it sucks.

The 550 is a less expensive press, and has less expensive caliber conversions.

 

[eisenhow]

The shell plate on the 650 auto indexes. The one on the 550 needs to be manually turned. This is just one small step in the many things going on all at once in a progressive reloading press, but its the one that if done wrong will result in a double charged case.

The 650 is made to run with a case feeder. You can put a case feeder on a 550 as well, but it sucks.

The 550 is a less expensive press, and has less expensive caliber conversions.

I agree with most of this. I had a 550b and loaded lots of rounds. I never had a squib or a double charge. I wanted to increase my output and I debated selling and buying a 650 or adding a case feeder. I added a case feeder and it was a disaster. I ended up upgrading to a 650. If you think you will ever want a case feeder get a 650. If I had the room I would have kept the 550b for lower volume calibers.

 

[timbo]

I used the rockchucker for over 25 years until having to pull 4 times for every round got to be painful (old .mil injuries).

I ended up drinking the this past summer, bought a Dillon 550b and haven't looked back. I still use my rockchucker for low volume rifle stuff like 30-30, etc though.

I bought the 550b because I never plan on using a shell feeder and I like the control I have over a manual index setup...maybe a tad slower than the 650 but I'm fine with that. I'm already up to 7 caliber changes on my Dillon 550...the caliber changes for the 550 are quite a bit less than the 650, another reason I went with the 550b

 

[Nickle]

Do you burn more than 1000/rounds/caliber per year? If you can answer "yes" to this then it makes sense. The number is lower if you have oddball stuff like hand cannon calibers in .44 mag on up, or obscure cartridges like 10mm, etc. The cost recovery on those is several times greater than the mainstream calibers because of the cost deltas involved.

-Mike

If you shoot a fair amount, it's worth it.

I can't tell you that you'll save money, because you usually won't. You will however be able to shoot more (sometimes much more) for the same money.

Think of this, for rifle or pistol, you can make better ammo than you can buy. The brass is often reloadable. Some situations I'm in, I can get over 100 reloadings per case (before you think it's BS, I can tell you it's an unusual situation for most folks, even most of my guns). Others, in the 3-10 area.

I was leaning towards a Lee as my first press (gasp, Eddie should be showing up soon to slap me upside my head), but now I'm tilting towards a Hornady LNL AP

My suggestion is don't get either.

My experience tells me that the best stuff out there is Wilson, which doesn't work for most situations (does work for real accurate bolt rifles only).

RCBS is good for single stage stuff, Redding is a little better.

Dillon is the best for progressive stuff.

Consider which Dillon before you buy your first one, and you really can't go wrong with that 650.

Is the biggest difference between to 550 and 650 is the 650 has an extra station? That 550 in reloading classifieds keeps nagging me every time I go shooting

The shell plate on the 650 auto indexes. The one on the 550 needs to be manually turned. This is just one small step in the many things going on all at once in a progressive reloading press, but its the one that if done wrong will result in a double charged case.

The 650 is made to run with a case feeder. You can put a case feeder on a 550 as well, but it sucks.

The 550 is a less expensive press, and has less expensive caliber conversions.

And, here's why!

I have a 550, and I have been thinking the next one is a 650. The case feeder part I knew about. Double charging isn't much of an issue. But, I do like the auto index part.

Also, listen to what EC is telling you. He's as right and good as it gets.

 

[Rim Job]

Also, listen to what EC is telling you. He's as right and good as it gets.

A soon as I have a day off that lines up with a reloading class of his next year (hopefully he'll still be doing them) I plan on being there.

Was going to do October but called way too late. And this month is out with family over that weekend

 

[Nickle]

If he isn't, I know a couple of guys in VT that are.

You're in MA, so go to him first.

 

[marleythefish]

i reload my .44 mag with a lee hand press, measuring every charge, in my study. i shoot 50 to 100 rounds every 2 weeks. yep its slow and tedious, but its a zen thing for me. i enjoy the whole process and im not in a big hurry. it makes me smile, i guess thats what counts.