For now I shoot 22, 380 and 7.62 Tokarev.
Startup with reloading is costly, but once you have the equipment you really want and need and get some experience then it really is worth it. If you go shooting once a month, burn up a couple hundred rounds then it probably isnt worth it. If you go once a week or more often and burn up 500 rounds its totally worth it. But its a long term process, you cant think short term.
I'm planning to start reloading 9mm FMJ as soon as I have the cash to invest in equipment. But, I've decided that even if I end up paying as much as Federal Champion costs, I'll still be better off with more accurate and powerful target ammo.
If you start with a lower priced single stage press and get all of the other needed equipment as it is needed, by the time you know that you like it you can upgrade to a progressive press and you won't have a huge startup cost. You will already have a lot of the other stuff. You can end up with a nice setup getting it a piece at a time. That is another reason to start with a single stage. That is how I did it. I had been loading for about four years before I got my Dillon 550. I am still buying a piece at a time. Just got a new conversion kit for that 25 year old 550 this week. Once you get hooked on it there will always be another piece that you want.
Exactly, I've been reloading since I was a kid. Still have and use that old Lee 7.7 Jap smasher. I have several single stages and a couple progressives, one a Lee and the other a Dillion. I still find myself using my RCBS Rockcrusher as much or more. There was a time when progressive meant I was able to keep up with my shooting. Now days it's all about staying busy and enjoying the hobby. I don't/can't shoot as much as back when I shot competitvely, but I still enjoy shooting and reloading. Another thing you can do to put more rounds in the shooting bag is take up casting. It will significantantly reduce the cost per round also.
Call me cheap... BUT...
I counted up my costs for my "El Cheapo" range .38 loads:
1 (x10^3) fired range pickup brass = $0.00 (unless you count the polishing/sorting process, which you have to do anyways, so I don't)
Primers = $115/5k = $0.023
Powder = 2.8grs Bullseye = $0.006
Re-Cast lead bullets = $0.01 (WAG, since I dug the lead out of the backstop, melted it, added a little flux, and cast it back into 158gr SWC's)
Total per round = $0.04 + time. Otherwise known as .22 territory. Yeah, they're powder puffs out of a 4" stainless .357. But oh so fun.
I run a real similar recipe using bullseye powder 148 WC's with similar cost.
All my equiptment has been paid for many times over for years.
Biggest issue for most people is the time, as in how much time do yoiu want to invest in this endeavor.
For me it's theraphy time, kind of like whittling a piece of wood.
Focus on it and let your worries sit on the back burner.
All my equiptment has been paid for many times over for years.
Biggest issue for most people is the time, as in how much time do yoiu want to invest in this endeavor.
For me it's theraphy time, kind of like whittling a piece of wood.
Focus on it and let your worries sit on the back burner.
man you guys are making my mouth water at the savings lol. Recasting may be (well it is) a bit over my head and I have no clue where to get lead from to recast to begin with. But i can still save buying the parts so im happy. I been looking for my first Lee so im hoping one falls out the sky from somewhere soon.
casting and loading can be as therapeutic as shooting. i'm still loading the 38's dad and i loaded up in the winter of "88.it snowed a sh!tload. i went home for break from college, we must have cast 10k bullets. if you shoot 357 or 44, you'll notice the savings REAL fast.
do it, it will always be worth it and you'll have the equip. forever. its a lifetime of savings if you look at it like that.
do it, it will always be worth it and you'll have the equip. forever. its a lifetime of savings if you look at it like that.
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