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When to start reloading?

5K views 30 replies 24 participants last post by  EugeneNine 
#1 ·
At which point did you decide to start reloading? What was the deciding factor? I am currently contemplating buying some dies & other parts. I shoot 100 rounds a week (.40 S&W) which I would shoot more and other calibers if $ allowed. But I am also limited to an indoor range with paper targets for testing rounds. I do not have my own spot to compare different grain rounds in different types of targets.
 
#3 ·
When you are thinking, I could shoot more if I had more ammo, you are ready to reload, but at 100 rounds a week, you are already there.

There is a pretty good investment in equipment to start reloading, but decent equipment will last you for your lifetime, and can even be handed down to the next generation if they desire.

One thing is important, don't buy the cheapest thing you can get, its the classic rookie mistake, I made it myself, and it almost ran me off reloading altogether, luckily I didn't give up, no handy internet for advice back in the 1960's, and I've been reloading ever since.

Here's a starting point: MidwayUSA ? Shooting Supplies, Reloading, Gunsmithing, Hunting, Ammunition, Gun Parts & Rifle Scopes

Keep in mind when you ask for help on internet message boards, the advice you get varies from worthless to solid gold, and sometimes you have to sort through the chaff to get to the wheat.
 
#4 ·
I do not have my own spot to compare different grain rounds in different types of targets.
From the volume you are shooting I agree, you are already at a level where reloading makes economic sense and can be enjoyable in its own right. I'll further agree with the advice not to underbuy in both quality and ease of use.

However your statement I quoted above puzzles me. What do you want to "compare" and in what ways?
 
#5 ·
Thanks everyone. I'll start doing some more aggressive research on different types of setups & parts.

Smith, in the past, I've heard some talk about making hotter" rounds, comparing velocities & different penetrations when it comes to reloading. Perhaps that is more for those that reload for hunting purposes.
 
#6 ·
One has to decide if they are going to be a Reloader or Handloader there is a difference. A Reloader normally is interested in volume to fit a need for their shooting endeavor. A Handloader enjoys the process and its like a hobby thus on occasion experimentation.

I've been a Reloader for 35yrs plus. I find no enjoyment in the process. The process serves a need ammunition volume to shoot with.

There is an adage which applies "Don't Buy Cheap" when acquiring equipment quality matters. I have three Dillon progressive units and a Redding single stage press. RCBS and Hornady also produce quality products
 
#7 ·
IMHO... if your shooting 100 rounds of 40 s&w a week your crazy not too. I know I can reload 9mm at half the price it is to buy, at least in my area as well as when ammo was hard to get, I was still practicing. I just recently upgraded to a Dillon 650, till you get it completely set up, VERY expensive. But for the money I can casually load 600 rounds an hour, just set the projectile and run the handle. But you don't have to spend a ton of money either to reload quality ammo. You can find good deals on used presses from guys that upgraded, I have my Hornady Pro-Jector press in the classifieds for sale. It's a great machine and served me well for years but I could only load about a 100 rounds an hour on it. It's not a sales pitch just a point, most guys I feel make the mistake of buying a single stage press to "start" reloading on, which is painfully slow. If your loading rifle rounds I would suggest a single stage to start on, but hand gun rounds, progressive for sure. You can recoup your investment pretty quick. Don't over think the testing thing either, precision rifle rounds and practice hand gun rounds are two completely different animals. I run Bayou lead cast bullets for cheap practice rounds, I just look in my reloading manual to see whats suggested for lead cast bullets at the weight I'm using and the powder spread for my powder and go to middle. I never run hot rounds nor try to load light loads, the middle always gives me 100% reliability in my M&P's. I'm not saying or suggesting that playing around with different bullets and powder can't result in a more accurate hand gun rounds, just stating that for practice and everything I shoot competition wise it works for me.
 
#9 ·
I'm shooting anywhere from 200 to 400 rounds a week, sometimes more. It's time for a progressive reloader but I won't be able to get it until march when I get tax money back. I continue to research reloading equipment and everything is leading me to buy a Dillon 650. Any thoughts on the Dillion?

Thanks
Chuck
 
#13 ·
I continue to research reloading equipment and everything is leading me to buy a Dillon 650. Any thoughts on the Dillion?
As is common, I started with a single stage press, which was very soon too slow and laborious for any real volume of rounds.

My next reloader was a Dillon Square Deal B which is more than adequate if you are reloading only pistol rounds. It's sufficiently fast and convenient, makes high quality ammunition and is durable. I also has Dillon's no-questions lifetime warranty. The downside is it has no empty case feeder and uses specific dies (which are included), not standard 7/8-14 threaded ones.

I finally went to a Dillon XL 650 which is obviously more expensive but it's faster, more convenient and more versatile as it will do all standard pistol and rifle rounds. If the initial cost isn't a big issue start with the 650 and save yourself the wasted money getting to that point.

Now, Dillon isn't the only game in town as both RCBS and Hornady make good progressive loaders and support their products well but Dillon is the standard of the industry for good reason.
 
#10 ·
Do like I do, scrounge for brass. I started reloading the first day I bought my first firearm 30 years ago. I have a single stage press, and I find it relaxing to reload. 10 yrs ago I lost almost all my reloading gear, thousands of dollars worth of stuff, in a flood, and now I am getting some stuff a little at a time. Great deals on ebay, but you must know a good deal when you see it. Good luck in your quest. You will also find you can produce better ammo too. You must have complete dedication with NO interruptions when reloading.
 
#12 ·
I restarted reloading (after 50 years) after I had cleaned my gun for the 207th time in two weeks and realized that I needed something to do on those days when I couldn't go to the range.

I found that I needed to clear my mind and concentrate on something which required a high degree of precision and had enough mechanical complexity to be satisfying to the "tool guy" inside me.

I can sit down at the reloading bench and lose myself in the job. It's immensely therapeutic and at the end of the day I have several hundred new rounds for the next range trip, which will then justify cleaning my guns again. And it generates empty casings which have to be de-primed and cleaned and.....
 
#14 ·
I started about two weeks after I bought my first gun.
Unless you REALLY need a case collator, I would recommend the Hornady. If you do get a 650, be sure to get the case collator. Trying to feed cases with your right hand or loading 20-25 cases into a plastic tube gets old real fast.
Lots of up front money for a Dillon and a lot of money for cartridge conversion kits compared to Hornady.
 
#15 ·
Unless you REALLY need a case collator, I would recommend the Hornady. If you do get a 650, be sure to get the case collator. Trying to feed cases with your right hand or loading 20-25 cases into a plastic tube gets old real fast.
Lots of up front money for a Dillon and a lot of money for cartridge conversion kits compared to Hornady.
You are correct the 650 is not nearly as convenient without the case feeder and if you are sure you don't need one you can save a lot of money by buying the Dillon RL 550 instead. There is a case feeder available for the 550 but it's not as essential for ease of operation. The 550 is just as versatile as the 650 but not as fast.

Note Hornady offers an optional case feeder assembly and I recommend one for any volume reloading. Similarly equipped, the Hornady Lock-N-Load is as expensive as the 550 or 650 and the caliber conversions are about the same cost when set up the same way.
 
#16 · (Edited)
I started reloading back in the early '70's, got my Dillon RL 550 B in the early '90's, then quit reloading from about '97-'08.

During that time, it was just as cheap to buy WWB Value Packs in 9mm and .45acp from WalMart, and rifle ammo from Georgia Ammo, than to load it yourself.

The '08 "celebratory Obama ammo and gun purchases" changed all that, and I've been reloading again ever since.

Consequently, during the ammo shortages throughout the last six years; I've been able to shoot as much as I wanted.
 
#17 ·
Start ASAP.

Components are beginning to become more widely available, depending on location. You can find most popular powders online. Primers are easily available online, as are bullets.

I shoot about 150 rounds per week. I load on a Lee turret press. It's what's considered cheap compared to dillon, rcbs, hornaday. Press cost me about 120, dies around 35-40, then component costs. So, not terribly expensive.

For me and my needs, it works. If your a bullseye shooter, or shooting thousands of rounds a month, it might not work for you. But lee makes decent enough equipment, I've loaded about 10,000 rounds on it over the last 2 years. I usually load 20-30 rounds per day (about 10 minutes) and I have enough for Sunday's at the range.
 
#19 ·
I started reloading when I started shooting more after I retired. If your shooting 100 rounds a week, it may be time to start reloading. As others have said, you will cut your ammo cost in half. I reuse my brass (of course) and my cost for reloading 9mm is about $.14 - $.16 cents per round. Cost depends on which powder I'm using (Unique, Power Pistol, Bullseye, etc). But beyond the cost savings, I enjoy reloading. I use a Dillon SDB and the initial cost is somewhat high, but to me it is worth it.
 
#20 ·
I'm ignorant of reloading.

Taking all the time involved and figuring time is money, for 9mm and 40cal, maybe 400 rounds per month total. Add cost of equipment and components either reused/cleaned brass or new (my range is horrible for collecting brass), am I really going to save money reloading?

I guess I'm asking...

Cleaning brass: how much time involved for 400 rounds?
Loading: seems like 100 rounds per hour on a basic Lee press is doable, correct?

So I see $.14/round (used brass) not counting time. That's $7.00 per "box of 50". Add half-hour of my time at $17 per half-hour and I get $24.00 for a box of 50 rounds.

Am I calculating correctly?
 
#21 ·
Look around for an RCBS reloading set up, they sell a package deal with the press, powder measure, scale, everything you need except dies, powder, primers, and bullets.

Stay away from the Lee stuff, it works but it's bottom of the barrel.
 
#22 ·
I once saw a post on here that said " You will Not Save money Reloading, You will Spend Less" and I find that to be the case. I bought a Hornady LnL, I made my own Case feeder. What started out as Just 9's & .40's is Now .380's, 38 spl, 357 Mag, 357sig .45, .223. A whole room of my house dedicated to it.. a Heater and a Stereo, it's like taking a mini vacation, me and the dog will go back there and Bang out a few hundred rds and both be Happy, then the wife is Happy cause she can shoot more :)
 
#23 ·
Forget single-stage or turret presses... too little capacity for your needs. Bite the bullet and get a progressive. Unless you are mechanically illiterate, you will have no problem running one.

Based on your situation, I would HIGHLY recommend the Dillon Square Deal. I used one for many years to feed my IPSC shooting needs, and found it to produce very high quality ammo easily and efficiently. Best of all, it comes ready to run right out of the box - just adjust the powder charge and bullet depth and start making ammo. It does use proprietary dies that are slow to change, but if you are going to switch calibers a lot you will want to go to a 650 anyway (lots more $$$). The best thing about Dillon is their "no-BS" lifetime warranty, which means it will hold its value almost forever, unlike many other comparable presses... when you decide to upgrade, you can get almost all your money back out of it.

To be honest, the biggest challenge you will face right now is finding pistol powder... it is still rare as hens teeth.
 
#24 ·
Best press for newbie

Love shooting my new 9mm Shield and also thinking of reloading as I can easily go through 100 rounds per week, currently limiting myself to 50 rounds per week. Is a progressive press the best choice to for a newbie at reloading? What are thoughts about starting with the Redding T-7 Turret press? Then progressing to a Dillon. I've been looking at the 550.
 
#25 ·
You've gotten some great advice on going to a progressive. I also considered a turret press as a first press then realized the cost wasn't that much less than a Dillon SDB or a Hornady LnL. I spent about a month making my decision between a Dillon 550b or the Hornady LnL and finally just flipped a coin. Both are outstanding progressives and their warrantees and customer service are comparable. The coin toss came up Hornady - primarily due to the 5 stations and auto indexing.

A progressive from either Hornady or Dillon will do you proud as would RCBS if you could find a reasonable deal on one. Buy a turret if you want to do rifle but if its only pistol, go progressive and maybe buy a cheap single stage press for those rare times you want to do something off the progressive. Some will insist that a new reloader should only start on a single stage until he has the process down pat. I don't subscribe to that (and I didn't do it myself) but I would insist that a new reloader fully understand each step he is trying to do and look in each case to be sure the powder charge is correct. That is the one thing that will really ruin your day if you screw it up! There are powder check dies, etc. out there but to my mind, nothing beats the eyeball.

In my case, I estimated that I spent maybe $500 getting started (LnL press, tumbler, scale, micrometer, etc.). And I can crank out around 300 - 400 rounds of 40S&W an hour at about $0.16 / round and that is taking my time being careful and with no caseloader. Basically, my initial investment was recouped by the time I cleared 2,000 rounds and from then on, I'm money ahead. I don't consider my time as a charge since this is a hobby. Plus it is darn good fun.
 
#26 ·
When I got my press set up I spent one evening on each station, understanding exactly what each die was doing and why. then after 5-6 evenings I made my first live rounds.

You can make ammo complete from a spent round all in one pass, however I choose not to. I hand prime every case. it gives me another chance to handle each one (to find defects) and I got tired of finding gun powder in the bottom of the tub cause one or more didnt get a primer :)
 
#27 ·
I started reloading last year. We have a store dedicated to reloading. The guys there helped me out a lot with learning. I have the RCBS single stage press. I load 9mm, 40cal, 45acp, and 223. I am now in the market to get a Progressive but I am glad I learned on a single stage. If you have anyone to show you the ropes, I would say get a progressive. If not single stage. Even if you start with a single stage, get a good one that will last a long time and you will always be able to use it. I can load about 100 pistol rounds in an hour. Hope this helps.

On another note. I am fighting between the Dillon 550b and the xl650. I like the auto indexing, but was told to get the 550b because of changing the tool heads is easier. Suggestions from anyone with experiance?
 
#29 · (Edited)
On another note. I am fighting between the Dillon 550b and the xl650. I like the auto indexing, but was told to get the 550b because of changing the tool heads is easier. Suggestions from anyone with experiance?
No, the tool head exchange is identical between the 550 and 650 and the 650 has a 5 position tool head, not a 4. The extra opening is normally used for a "Powder Check" station that assures you have the correct powder charge as it will sound an alarm on a missed charge or a double charge. This is a great comfort unless you ALWAYS look into each case after the powder drop station.

Note the 550 can be set up with a powder check station but that requires using a single seater/crimp die instead of the more desirable separate dies the 650 allows even with the powder check.

The extra time to change calibers between the 650 and 550 is minor and mostly is due to converting the shell feeder parts.

The 550 is a wonderful and versatile reloader. The 650 even is more of the same.

Note to the poster who assessed his reloading time at $17/hour. Can you really get someone to pay you for that time if you weren't using it reloading? Hobbies are not paying propositions for the time involved and using your hourly pay to evaluate them means no one would do anything but work.
 
#30 · (Edited)
I started reloading in 1991 because I was shooting bullseye and I needed loads tailored to my custom 1911. It shoots low velocity Semi-Wadcutter loads that crawl down range. Besides being able to control the load, there's the money savings. Buy your components in bulk if possible(i.e. powder by the keg((8lbs)), primers by the 5k, and bullets as much as you can). And of course there is the enjoyment of sitting down and making your own ammo.

But the first time you hit the x-ring with the ammunition the you made, is priceless. The only thing left after that is to teach someone else to reload.

BTW - I've been thru several presses, including going to use a friends Dillon 1050. I am currently using a Dillon 650 and couldn't be happier. The 1050 is nice, but VERY expensive. Especially if you are doing multiple calibers.
 
#31 ·
I bought my first pistol just a couple years ago and right after there was no ammo to be bought anywhere. Since I was going to the store often to check for ammo I started looking at the reloading section and if something happened to come in stock I'd buy it.
I didn't have anywhere to setup a press so I started reading review on the Lee hand press and found this https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QouLWEi4pbU#!

I bought one and did my whole starter setup for around $250. So you can start on a low budget. I reloaded for a while with it and bought a turret this year.
 
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