Thinking about getting into reloading.

[novalty]

I have been thinking about getting into reloading. My father-in-law has been patient to show me some of the basics and give me a walk through on loading ammunition. However, he lives a couple hours away, and I don't have any of the equipment of supplies. Is it cost effective for a person that only shoots less than a thousand rounds a year to buy all the equipment, and supplies to reload? The 3 calibers I would reload are: 9mm, 45ACP, and .223. Have heard it is pretty difficult to find primers as well.

Suggestions, on what it might cost for equipment to get started, and how much you think it cost per-round to reload, would be greatly appreciated. Don't really count my time as it is a relaxing pass time.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Skip Sackett]

Get in now, ammunition ain't gonna get cheaper!

Winchester White Box list price is $27/50. (If you can find it!)
That is 54 cents per bullet.

Here is what I have in a box of 45ACP ammo.
Primers: $2/100
Cases: $0 have them already
Powder: $18/lb
Bullet: $1/lb (7000gr per lb used @ 230gr=233 bullets for $1 cause I cast my own.)

Now, I know you didn't ask about getting into casting but I threw it in anyway for this first comparison.

My cost for 50 match grade 230gr 45ACP ammo is: $1.79.

OK, say you have to buy bullets. Plated bullets from Berry's are $18/100. Put that number into the equation and you get: $10.58/50

The later cost is well under half of manufactured and you can have a box anytime you have components! If you cast, you can save substantially.

@ 1000 rounds/year of this ammo it would cost you $540 without tax. The $10 figure would mean that you would save $328 the first year. What kind of kit can you buy for that money? A pretty decent set for starters. Used equipment would be even better.

Imagine what you could save if you got into casting too. @ $1.79 per/50 that would be $35.80 for those 1000 rounds.
The savings would be approximately $500.

Just to give you something to think about.

Ask yourself this question: "Is ammunition going to get more available and cheaper as time goes on?"

That should do!

 

[epj]

With some of the Lee kits available for not much over $100, if you add three sets of dies, you are still under $200. Doesn't take long to save 4200 loading. If you can buy used, so much the better. A turret press will be a little faster than a single stage, and they don't cost much more. Be wary of the cheap progressives, most reports indicate they require some mecanical skill to keep running. Primers are becoming more available, but the days of $20/M primers is probably over. Locally here I can buy any size for around $35. I don't see them getting cheaper any time soon, but I can always hope. Using store bought lead bullets, you can load .45's for $7.50-8.00/ per box. Other pistol calibers a bit cheaper. Your .223's with jacketed bullets will be more, but still a lot cheaper than you can buy. The last .223 I loaded, I think I had $0.15-16 per round in. The very cheapest junk .223 I have seen runs about $0.40 per round.

 

[tgwillard]

Reloading

Saving money is one reason to reload, but that aside reloading is enjoyable for me. I have a modest set up with Lee equipment featuring a Challenger press. I enjoy reloading as much as going to the range. Now that winter is coming I expect reloading will occupy more of my time.

 

[fredj338]

IT would take you a long time to pay back the equip cost of even a good single stge setup @ 1000rds a year. Cost to relaod is just about half of the cheapest factory ammo. Like TG said, there are other reasons to reload. Still, once you have the gear, that cost is fixed & once the gear is paid for, then you are shooting better ammo for 1/2 price.

 

[lougotzzz]

I make 45 acp for 10-12 dollars a hundred. I get the 200 gr LSWC for $35 for 500 projectiles.

I do single stage. I have a rock chucker and a reloader special.

2 single stages going at the same time. One for each hand.

 

[Marshall 357]

Do not think about reloading ''do it''. I cant believe how much better reloads are. I hate using factory ammo now!

 

[Fourbits]

Here are a few WEB sites I think you'll find useful.

An Introduction to Reloading
Intro To Reloading

So You Want To Reload
page8

How to Reload
How To Reload

So you want to reload

And finally a great forum for reloading information.
Handloads.Com Forum or http://www.handloads.com/

Take a look at the Lee Four Hole Turret Press w/ Auto Index. I also strongly recommend the Auto Disk powder measure for use with this press. If you are just getting started take a look at the turret press kit. I think this setup is a good bet for pistol ammunition.


Proceed slowly and have fun!

 

[johnjohn]

I started reloading to save money. But when I figured how little I was paying to shoot I shot more and bought a few more guns to take advantage of all the cheap ammunition I was producing.

 

[Beemer-mark]

I reload for the fun. I started casting my own bullets earlier this year after reloading for about 15 and it's growing into a bigger obsession that shooting- Now I only go to the range to empty the cases so I can reload them.

Honestly though, I think reloading is as fun as shooting. It's something you can do anytime you feel like it.

 

[dennis40x]

Timing is ever thing or so it seems. At this time we have a supply & demand situation which has altered the pricing and availability of components. All I'm saying is you've picked a bad time to start thinking about reloading. Part of the problem is the herd collective behavior is still stampede. Buying every thing in sight then complaining about the cost of their purchases. Most likely there are those among us whom still have an inventory of primers procured during the Clinton scare. It seems like the Obama scare is more severe in scope but we now have the internet with forums with most everyone telling most every other how bad things are. Hopefully we're at the end of the beginning of this situation but at last I thing we've got several more years of convulsive behavior. We have meant the enemy and they are us.

 

[PDL]

I have been thinking about getting into reloading. My father-in-law has been patient to show me some of the basics and give me a walk through on loading ammunition. However, he lives a couple hours away, and I don't have any of the equipment of supplies. Is it cost effective for a person that only shoots less than a thousand rounds a year to buy all the equipment, and supplies to reload? The 3 calibers I would reload are: 9mm, 45ACP, and .223. Have heard it is pretty difficult to find primers as well.

Suggestions, on what it might cost for equipment to get started, and how much you think it cost per-round to reload, would be greatly appreciated. Don't really count my time as it is a relaxing pass time.

Thanks in advance!

just for my way of thinking, you'd do yourself a favor starting out with a setup for the .45. A single stage press with dies and some basic equipment. A loading block, powder scale and funnel are necessary. A powder measure is something that will speed things up. It's hard to make the right choice on one of those. A fully adjustable one might not be what you need, even if you're talking several calibers. The 'cavity' or 'collet' types might be better for you. You can also opt for a decent kit that will put everything you need in one place. Some are better than others, but they all work. Just depends on your budget.
You'll find if you start with the .45 straight wall pistol case it's a whole lot simpler that a shoulderd rifle cartridge. When you get the dies, get carbide so you don't have to waste time with lubrication of the cases.
Other things you'll buy over time just cause that's how it works.
You start out thinking you'll save money. But then you find you'll be shooting .45s for the price of .22s. So you won't save money, but you'll be shooting more and having more fun.

 

[BSkerj]

RCBS has a great Rockchuck that comes in a kit. It has all of the above. Don't forget to get a inertia hammer and a shell holder when you buy your die. Hornady is having a special going on, buy a die and get a free box of bullets.
Make sure, if your married that you show your wife Smith Crazy's post. Skip, I am going to put that on the frig..what a great excuse/alibi !!

 

[OKFC05]

Is it cost effective for a person that only shoots less than a thousand rounds a year to buy all the equipment, and supplies to reload? The 3 calibers I would reload are: 9mm, 45ACP, and .223.

Not really. But I started with a turret and a couple of die sets to save money and then came more dies and a DIllon, need more pistol ammo for USPSA and IDPA, and...
Well, you get the idea. I never saved a nickle, but I shoot a LOT more with ammo loaded just the way I prefer it.

 

[PDL]

Not really. But I started with a turret and a couple of die sets to save money and then came more dies and a DIllon, need more pistol ammo for USPSA and IDPA, and...
Well, you get the idea. I never saved a nickle, but I shoot a LOT more with ammo loaded just the way I prefer it.

I think you said it right on. You do start out seeming to save some money. And it doesn't take long to recover the basic startup fees. But you wind up in the long run shooting more of stuff that fits your needs. Not some mass produced one size fits most stuff.

 

[m657]

Reloading is to the shooting sports rather like fly tying is to to fly fishing.

There's so much more to the Science, Art & Philosophy of "the Hobby" than you ever suspected once you make that leap.

Besides, it gives you plentiful excuses to get more guns in ever more calibers...after all....it hardly costs anything to shoot 'em....

IMHO this is the PERFECT time to get into reloading. Components are not going down and neither are factory loads. Whatever you spend reloading, you can shoot a LOT more for a given amount of money, that buying the factory stuff.

 

[shrew]

I know I didn't start this thread ,but I have a few questions as well. 1. about on average, how many times can you reload the brass? 2. is it possible to cast bullets that need a copper jacket?

 

[novalty]

Thanks for the links and suggestions. Guess I am a little overwhelmed when it comes to picking out a kit to get started. Looked into the Rockchucker, but Cabela's price for the kit is $699.99--way out of my price range. The Hornady Lock-N-Load kit looks like it might be ok, not the $689 auto-press, the $299.99, but then again I have no clue. Seems nice that you would get 500 bullets as their promotion too. Would anything need to be added to this kit? Or is there another brand that offers a kit that would be better in same price range?

 

[38-44HD45]

I know I didn't start this thread ,but I have a few questions as well. 1. about on average, how many times can you reload the brass? 2. is it possible to cast bullets that need a copper jacket?

Q. 1: It depends. Lower pressure cartridges have longer brass life-expectancy than higher prsssure rounds. I've loaded .45 ACP brass 12 or more times, sometimes over 15. .44 mag. and .357 mag. brass won't usually last that long, but you can still typically get 6 or 7 loadings, even if you are loading hot.

Q. 2: Not that I know of. You can swage jacketed bullets, but that is usually done with dead-soft lead for the cores, purchased in a long wire, not from a cast core.

For the OP: I still think the Dillon RL-550B is the way to start out. Get it set up for .45 ACP, learn to use it, and go from there. I have no experience with the Hornady, but I wouldn't trade my Dillon.

 

[novalty]

Hello 38-44HD45,

Will take a look at the Dillon RL-550B, is there anything else that should be ordered with it. Looks like kit starts at $406.

Also just noticed you like in Lubbock, TX. Just had some friends from Maine move down there this summer. Kind of strange coincidence.