Message To New or Potential Reloaders

[rwsmith]

The Lee Hand Loaders

I want to join the club of re-loaders just not possible right now. I have wanted to start since I got my first gun 2 years ago. Seems like every time I plan to something comes up that stops me.

Lee hand loaders are under $30 each caliber. A manual is around $30. A Lee powder scale is under $25. The Lee powder dipper set is under $15. This isn't a great setup, but it will get a person by that wants to start. There is a video on youtube demonstrating how to make a round in 40 seconds. No trick, just that the process has great economy of motion. So when you are ready you can get started for around $100. I did this for a while until I collected a press, dies and other tools. What caliber do you shoot?

Reloading with a Lee Loader - YouTube

 

[riverrat38]

I started on a MEC single-stage shotshell loader mounted on a piece of Formica clamped to the folding leaf of the ex-wife's sewing machine. I have a better loader now.......and a better wife as well!

I treaded up too!

Best,
Rick

 

[blujax01]

Lee hand loaders are under $30 each caliber. A manual is around $30. A Lee powder scale is under $25. The Lee powder dipper set is under $15. This isn't a great setup, but it will get a person by that wants to start. There is a video on youtube demonstrating how to make a round in 40 seconds. No trick, just that the process has great economy of motion. So when you are ready you can get started for around $100. I did this for a while until I collected a press, dies and other tools. What caliber do you shoot?

Reloading with a Lee Loader - YouTube

I know that thing has been around for decades and thousands of folks use it. I get it.

But every time I see someone hammering a primer in place it gives me the Willies!

 

[Engineer1911]

Lee reloader

Seating primers [pounding with a hammer] only gives you the willies until the first primer goes BOOM. After that you will have a constant ringing / buzz in your ears. Ask me how I know. Eye protection is important, ear protection is manadatory when seating primers.

I loaded several hundred 30-06 rounds, one rubber hammer blow at a time. The RCBS upgrade was wonderful. The Dillon upgrade was even better.

 

[targetchief]

I am equally concerned with where the casing landed as to where the bullet hit.[/QUOTE]

My cheap and easy solution to that problem is a leaf cover for an above ground pool. A leaf cover for a 12 ft pool is 14ft in diameter and cost less than $40 from in the swim . com.
I added some spare bolts to it for weight. Spread out the cover and stand so the brass hits the cover, when done shooting just fold cover in toward the middle. All your brass is there in a neat little pile.

 

[Marine24]

I fell off the wagon a few years ago and decided to get out of reloading. Lack of time and availability of decent reman ammo was my rationale.

Ironically, I still policed all my brass after shooting even though I didn't reload anymore.

I'm now in the process of buying all the reloading equipment again, but moving up to a progressive. My old Rockchuker turned about great ammo, but was slow for ammo I was shooting 500 rounds a month.

Now if I can only find my preferred powder and primers.

 

[rwsmith]

Revived the reloading hobby

I fell off the wagon a few years ago and decided to get out of reloading. Lack of time and availability of decent reman ammo was my rationale.

I'm now in the process of buying all the reloading equipment again, but moving up to a progressive. My old Rockchuker turned about great ammo, but was slow for ammo I was shooting 500 rounds a month.

Now if I can only find my preferred powder and primers.

I revived my reloading hobby, too, but I feel like I really picked a great time (sarcasm) for doing it because of all the anti gun stuff going on now.

 

[Marine24]

Know the feeling. If I can't find some reloading supplies soon, my press is going to join my exercise gear and serve double duty as a clothes hanger.

 

[doc540]

After the cost for the reloading equipment itself (not supplies), I think, at current supply prices, it's costing me about $7.50 to reload a 50 round box of .44 Mag.

I know that's still high, but for a new reloader and match shooter, I'm happy to live with that kind of expense.

Looking into casting now, too.

First rounds off the new 550 (loaded 350 yesterday, switched to .357 last night...gonna be a GOOD day toady!)

 

[FishingPilot]

Don't become frustrated or think you have to match these intricate loading benches pictured in this forum! These guys have been at it for years. I heard rumor that some of these guys provided castings for Davy Crockett, that's how long they've been around.

Seriously, don't feel that you need multiples of everything to start. Build it up as you go forward and learn more.

 

[doc540]

plus, there's a "payoff" to reloading

My first "batch" of reloads from the last couple of days on the new Dillon 550.

1650 rounds of .357 and .44 Mag

total cost for primers, brass, powder, and bullets - $250

That works out to about $7.50/box of 50.

And it kept me off the streets and prevented me from grousing about the tv news.

win/win/win

 

[Gamer]

I 2nd what fishing pilot said, add as you go. I haven't been loading all that long but the process is rewarding in ways other than mere cost savings. In the current climate the next link in the chain for me is casting.

 

[blujax01]

...
win/win/win

I'm sorry, you're only allowed green boxes if you have a Rock Chucker!!

 

[doc540]

I'm sorry, you're only allowed green boxes if you have a Rock Chucker!!

fully understand the reg, SIR, YES SIR!

green - Rock Chucker
blue - Dillon 550

 

[rwsmith]

I know this sounds like an add for Lee equipment

I know that thing has been around for decades and thousands of folks use it. I get it.

But every time I see someone hammering a primer in place it gives me the Willies!

Now I use a Lee hand primer. Cost? $20

 

[fyimo]

I bought a single stage RCBS press in the 80's and it's still going strong and I use it still to reload my ammo. I love to reload and it's like therapy to me and I have no problem spending hours reloading what I need.
To me it isn't about speed or the ease of hand loading it's about making the ammo you want to the highest standards that you can.

If you shoot vast quantities of ammo then I can see a multi stage press but if you do a few range trips a month where you shoot 3 to 4 hundred rounds then a single stage press would work fine for you.

The beauty of the whole thing is that you can work up loads that work well with a specific pistol or rifle and that's something that off the shelf ammo can't do.

 

[Derek.38]

Which book should I read for starters?

Any and all that you can get your hands on the lee book has alot of good info in it for starting up along with ABCs of reloading and there are alot more

 

[doc540]

"vast quantities"

I like the sound of that.

Since I started shooting silhouette matches, about 200 practice rounds a week has been my typical pace.

Dillon 550 allows that.

 

[H Richard]

It grows on you. You find you "need" more guns in different calibers to reload for. I bought a 1950's vintage Texan press off a fiend over 30 years ago (and it was old then). I still use it, but added a Dillon for volume ammo, and a shotgun loader for my trap & skeet loads.

A criteria when we built our condo was a dedicated room for just reloading.

 

[fyimo]

H Richard that is an amazing reloading room that you have and great photo's also by the way. Mine is not nearly that nice or that clean and tidy either.