Is Reloading Really Worth It?

[NikatKimber]

twmaster,

Watch for Lee presses here in the classifieds, the come up every once in a while, and will serve a beginner (or anyone doing lower volumes) well.

For components, find someone local who is buying in bulk, and see if you can get in on a hundred or so.

 

[ByrdC130]

You can get bags of lead .45 250 count for around 20 bucks. Or call the JK bullet caster and get 'em cheaper. Then 20something for a pound of powder and 20something for primers and your set. Assuming you have the reloader.

 

[JPK]

There are any number of reasons to hand load (reload). One is to save money per round. Another is to get you out of the house - which is easy to do if your other half likes shooting, too. . Another is to bring you closer to the sport, not to mention better scores and groups.

Rolling your own adds a different and somehow special dimension to shooting. You are more in control of cartridge / bullet performance if you studiously cast, lube, weigh bullets and charges, brass and primers manufacturers, et cetera and record that info. You will find yourself beginning to test different published loads to see what works best in a given gun. You will also begin to think about your role in the act of shooting: sight alignment, trigger squeeze, breath control, ad infinitum. Internal and External ballistics - but I begin to digress.

Just my 2 cents!!

 

[Rolando]

http://forums.1911forum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=58

check over there for some reloading info

Worth it? Hell yes! Reloading is a hobby itself and it is very satisfying to produce boxes of loaded rounds. Satisfying to shoot your own and interesting to research different powders, equipment, loads, etc..
45acp is a very forgiving load. Big brass easy to manipulate. Low pressure so the cases last a looooooong time. Classic for the 1911 too.

I figured it costs me about $7 a box reloading low power target loads with lead. You can save a lot of money.

Go for it. You won't regret it. And you will come across this so I'll break it down for you.

"Blue is the best and anything less is crap" -say the Blue guys. Dillon is regarded as the best and not many will argue it isn't.

"Hornady is not as good as the Blue stuff but still good." Works for me. I use the LNL progressive and have not had any problems.

"Lee is crap." Not really. I think it gets the job done. It is the value brand

"Start out on a single stage!". Nah, you can learn on a progressive. Probably will end up with a single stage anyway so good idea to start there.

Take your time and you can do it even if you aren't mechanically inclined.

 

[NikatKimber]

What Rolando said...

 

[Dr_Mitch]

A couple of years ago, I went in on a reloading press with my brother. We bought a Dillon 550, Dillon's D-Terminator scale (not cheap), a set of dies in addition to the set the press comes with, a primer flip tray, and bullets/powder/primers (we already had brass). The total cost was $850 for the press and accessories and shipping. We figured we'd only have to make 2K rounds for the press to pay for itself. That is not many rounds. The more you make, the more you save on a reloaded versus purchased basis. I have my own press now, and I wouldn't go back.

The up-front cost on supplies is more than a couple or several boxes of bullets. Say 9mm, $76 per thousand projectiles from Precision Delta shipped to your door, primers at $35 per thousand, a thousand brass from Rick at $30, and a 1lbs jug of Titegroup at roughly $20. That's $161 for 1000 rounds of 9mm. The only thing you give up is time.

 

[Twmaster]

Saving my pennies for a press, dies etc... I also shoot a CZ52 in 7.62 Tok. The S&B ammo ends up costing me ~53 a round. Reloading will save me a ton.

 

[HiredHand]

Saving my pennies for a press, dies etc... I also shoot a CZ52 in 7.62 Tok. The S&B ammo ends up costing me ~53 a round. Reloading will save me a ton.

You should find a 9mm barrel for that CZ52.

 

[Twmaster]

Yea, I'd love a 9MM barrel. Sadly they are bringing real money these days. When you can find them. Even if I shot 9MM I'd still want to reload...

Besides, I get to scare the poop out of the person in the next lane with the fireball that Tokarev round makes. It's great fun...

 

[beast1989]

twmaster I see you live in norman with me if you shoot .45 then we can go half and half on some of this stuff.