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Thinking of reloading
- Thread starter mikeh876
- Start date
IMO, the components are just as hard to get as live ammo. That said, like live ammo, components are not entirely impossible to find. That said, finding all the reloading tools you need is also a challenge without paying through the nose. Best of luck whichever direction you choose.
MisterHappy
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Take a class, or do some more research, as if you can't get up to speed production-wise the per-round savings will take a while (and if the components stay scarce, the "shoot more for the same money" angle will be tough.)
xtry51
NES Member
I would poke around and pick up the odds and ends first. By then the supply should be getting better.
Tumbler, scale, media, trimmer, single stage press, bench to mount it, etc, etc.
Last I was in Riverview here in CT they actually had almost everything equipment related in stock.
Bullets are the big thing right now. Powder and primers are around and can be found for reasonable cost. You may not get your first choice in powder, but there's plenty out there.
Tumbler, scale, media, trimmer, single stage press, bench to mount it, etc, etc.
Last I was in Riverview here in CT they actually had almost everything equipment related in stock.
Bullets are the big thing right now. Powder and primers are around and can be found for reasonable cost. You may not get your first choice in powder, but there's plenty out there.
This and
this
been doing mine by piece meal. Also makes it feel like you're not spending a ton of money all at once on your setup if you pick stuff up over time. If you decide its not for you - you'll always be able to sell/trade it.
Don't let the fact that it may be hard to find right now, sway you.
Its much easier on the wallet to stock up on thousands and thousands of bullets in preparation for the next shortage, than to stock up on thousands and thousands of rounds of commercial cartridges in preparation for the next shortage. What I'm getting at is that most reloaders that I know stock up on bullets when the price is good and buy thousands at a time. So, those guys don't have any issues right now even though there is a major shortage for shooters who don't reload.
Setting aside a couple thousand bullets to have on hand for whenever supplies get short, for your 45 might cost you $180.00. How much will that cost you if you had to set aside a couple thousand cartridges of commercial ammo?
I think its much easier to stock up on components for a rainy day or a shortage.
So, just because some bullets might be in short supply now (I haven't noticed that except jacketed pistol rounds), doesn't mean you should base your opinion on reloading on that. If you already were a reloader with he preparation mentality, you'd be dumping lead downrange right now, on the cheap.
I was going to mention that you can still find plenty of bullets on the internet and ship it right to your door, if your local shop is out, but you live in MA and I'm not sure if you can do that. You'll have to ask someone else, I'm no expert in MA law.
Its much easier on the wallet to stock up on thousands and thousands of bullets in preparation for the next shortage, than to stock up on thousands and thousands of rounds of commercial cartridges in preparation for the next shortage. What I'm getting at is that most reloaders that I know stock up on bullets when the price is good and buy thousands at a time. So, those guys don't have any issues right now even though there is a major shortage for shooters who don't reload.
Setting aside a couple thousand bullets to have on hand for whenever supplies get short, for your 45 might cost you $180.00. How much will that cost you if you had to set aside a couple thousand cartridges of commercial ammo?
I think its much easier to stock up on components for a rainy day or a shortage.
So, just because some bullets might be in short supply now (I haven't noticed that except jacketed pistol rounds), doesn't mean you should base your opinion on reloading on that. If you already were a reloader with he preparation mentality, you'd be dumping lead downrange right now, on the cheap.
I was going to mention that you can still find plenty of bullets on the internet and ship it right to your door, if your local shop is out, but you live in MA and I'm not sure if you can do that. You'll have to ask someone else, I'm no expert in MA law.
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You make a good point Seth. My main reason for wanting to do it is first to save money and second I have a strange love affair with my G20 but as you guys know 10mm ammo is killing my wallet and its very hard to come by.
Do. It.
In all honesty it hasn't saved me a single penny. BUT! I shoot more, and I'm self sufficient. Gone are the days I'm dependent on "someone" i.e. ammo manufactures to supply me. True supplies are scares, but if you've been paying attention to recent history, these will return.
In all honesty it hasn't saved me a single penny. BUT! I shoot more, and I'm self sufficient. Gone are the days I'm dependent on "someone" i.e. ammo manufactures to supply me. True supplies are scares, but if you've been paying attention to recent history, these will return.
ely oceidde
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I am not sure what a G20 is but start with something simple like 38 special or 9mm and take it slow. Read a lot and take a class if you get the chance. For components when you see a good deal buy more than you need at the moment. Although no one here will tell you who they are there are companies who still ship here including primers and powder. Throw in with a couple of guys from your club and it makes the haz-mat tolerable. Good luck. Ely.
Do yourself a favor and take the intro to reloading offered by GOAL. I just took this class, outstanding course, full of useful and up to date info. You will save money and not buy useless stuff. Highly recommend it.
F
Finalygotabeltfed
Yes, if youve got the time, the place and inclination to reload by all means do.
Maybe take advantage of this lull in component availablility to gather a couple of manuals and read about it. Learn the terminology, learn the components, learn the proceedures and the little tricks that make things easier, so when you do aquire the equipment and supplies you're not starting off with zero knowledge.
Reloading requires at minimum some basic knowledge and discipline. There's not alot of room for doing it wrong as the results can be dangerous or deadly to you and bystanders.
It also helps if you can find someone who already reloads and observe while they're reloading or take a class. Seeing the equipment in action with some ongoing explainations will do alot to familiarize you with the process.
Maybe take advantage of this lull in component availablility to gather a couple of manuals and read about it. Learn the terminology, learn the components, learn the proceedures and the little tricks that make things easier, so when you do aquire the equipment and supplies you're not starting off with zero knowledge.
Reloading requires at minimum some basic knowledge and discipline. There's not alot of room for doing it wrong as the results can be dangerous or deadly to you and bystanders.
It also helps if you can find someone who already reloads and observe while they're reloading or take a class. Seeing the equipment in action with some ongoing explainations will do alot to familiarize you with the process.
Yes and yes. Components will eventually be available again and it will still be cheaper per round to reload than to buy new. Save all your brass in the meantime.
I'd only do it if you genuinely love guns and have a lot of patience. Make sure you have the space for it too. I think it can be one of those things that sounds great in theory but doesn't work out so well in practice.
Regardless of the availability today, reloading is worth it. So next time there is a shortage you are happy as a clam.
widnerkj
NES Member
G20 is a 10mm glock. That said, make friends with the local repair shops to try to score lead wheel weights. And over at cast bool it's. there is a cool dude selling sewage dies to turn 9mm brass and lead into .40 cal hollow points.
I'm a plumber I can get more lead than you can shake a stick at Id have to get my hands on some molds.
I decided to start re-loading for my 300 win mag in January after years of saving my brass. I placed orders for what I needed and all the back ordered items eventually came in. I'm now up and running and having a blast (no pun intended...). It wasn't cheap to get set up with the "right" equipment. Eventually I'll be saving money, but that's a little way down the road. I did it more for the ability to make precision ammo. There is a ton to learn and it sounds like you should never stop learning when it comes to reloading, but I'm finding it's worth it. I'm planning on casting later, but I want to get the reloading straight first before I dive into the science of casting lol.
I now have at least the following equipment if it helps:
ABCs of reloading
Hornady reloading manual v9 (recipe book...)
Hornady Lock n Load AP
RCBS magnetic manual powder scale
OAL gage
Head space gage
Hornady case trimmer
Bullet comparator
Funnel
Reloading trays
Lube tray & lubes
-neck lube kit w/ micah
-RCBS tray w/RCBS lube
-Imperial die wax (probably will use this instead of lube tray or spray)
powder (RL22 for now)
bullets (Hornady 150gn SP from rebates, but the rebate bullets haven't come in yet. Found some of the same locally to start with luckily)
Hornady case prep trio
Mitutoyo digital calipers (already had)
Good luck!
I now have at least the following equipment if it helps:
ABCs of reloading
Hornady reloading manual v9 (recipe book...)
Hornady Lock n Load AP
RCBS magnetic manual powder scale
OAL gage
Head space gage
Hornady case trimmer
Bullet comparator
Funnel
Reloading trays
Lube tray & lubes
-neck lube kit w/ micah
-RCBS tray w/RCBS lube
-Imperial die wax (probably will use this instead of lube tray or spray)
powder (RL22 for now)
bullets (Hornady 150gn SP from rebates, but the rebate bullets haven't come in yet. Found some of the same locally to start with luckily)
Hornady case prep trio
Mitutoyo digital calipers (already had)
Good luck!
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ely oceidde
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There are also setups to turn fired .22 cases and lead wire into 55 grain .224 bullets. I am working on one now and can post pictures here or in a new thread if there is any interest in seeing them. Ely.
If you have brass I heard you can make precision rounds for .50
xtry51
NES Member
Depends what type of round I'm reloading. My current project is 180gr Barnes TTSX. It's a fairly costly round, $0.74/bullet, $0.20/powder/round and $0.04/primer. That's a really nice hunting round for $0.98 per shot though.
I'm also loading 168gr HPBT Molly rounds for $0.34/bullet, $0.18/powder/round and $0.04/primer. So $0.56/round for ammo that shoots better than Federal Gold Match from my Savage. That's a huge savings.
You can get regular 168gr HPBT typically for $0.27/bullet. So that'll save money. If you're using surplus powder, rather than the RL15 I'm using you can cut powder costs down to about $0.07-0.08/round. So cheap but highly accurate ammo can be made.
Hell if you have a range or personal land that will let you shoot tracer, it can be had for $0.07/bullet. You could be making rounds for less than $0.20/shot.
I shoot a fair amount of .223 tracer now because I have access to a gravel pit on private land and loaded up on it last year when it was dirt cheap. I still have over 3k rounds of it to load.
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