Question...

[Mad Professor]

Well that's discouraging but I appreciate your honesty.

By saying "You" won't want to spend the investment to do it right... Do you mean because I'm considering using a handloader instead of a single stage or better loader? Is it because I won't buy any other equipment that you or others use to do many thousands of reloads?

I haven't and probably never will shoot more than 1000 rounds of 9mm a year if that makes any difference. I just don't have the opportunity to shoot a lot unless something changes.

I have worked with my hands and with tools all my life and like I said before, I know I don't know what I don't know, but I'm definitely willing to learn.

I am very thrifty, frugal, tight, whatever you want to call it and I see this as an opportunity to have some extra ammo without spending near a dollar a round.

Also if ammo stays high priced I most likely won't shoot at all so if I can save some money then I'll be at least able to shoot a few times a year.

Thanks for your input.

Most that are getting into reloading now to save money are being disappointed.

Lots of things are needed to do it right, but that doesn’t mean progressive presses and such to increase volume.
Accurate Scales
Case gauge
Calipers
Swage or other primer pocket tools.
Lots of other small things that just add up.
The default die set you pick might not be optimal and you might need another die or two to get the desired results
Chronograph to verify etc
Testing and load development might take way more rounds than you think. And getting through the problem solving that many have to endure during the hearing stages.


Being frugal can make it worse.

Using jacketed bullets makes things a bit more forgiving, but at a cost.

Component cost are MUCH more expensive for small volumes. (1000 or less)

I very often run across people using reloaded ammo at the range and in competitions that is pure junk. Feeding issues, accuracy even tumbling bullets, smoke fest, etc because of “saving money”, lack of attention to detail, and skipping steps.

Most reloaders tend to leave off some of the costs associated with reloading. Some because of the passion of the hobby.



For the same reason you want to venture down this trail, I believe will be the cause of a less than fully successful endeavor.

 

[Mad Professor]

@O4L


How many 9mm rounds did you shoot per year in 2018, 2019, and 2020?

 

[rockchalk06]

O4L,

One of my work buddies had the same basic thoughts on it as you have. Engineer, smart as a whip type guy too. I tried to either one convince him to not dive down the rabbit hole or go all in. He was hell bent on doing to and doing it the right way, so I spent alot of time helping source and save for him. If you ask him now, he would tell you like Mad Professor had, to wait this craziness out or go all in.

I'm not sure the reason for wanting a hand press for handguns, but I can tell you, it's going to be a bit of a treat sizing brass with one. 9mm not as bad as say 38 or 45. A single stage would be easier on your hands. That's all I load off of now. I sold my 550's when I stopped shooting competition. If you only plan to load 9mm, I guess a hand press would work. Also think about the future. I've never handloaded to save money. I hand load to make better more consistent accurate ammo. I actually spend more, but I make better ammo. Once you pump out quality ammo, any other calibers you own, you will want to do the same. Especially with bolt action stuff. You can make a 200 dollar bolt gun shoot really really well.

 

[O4L]

@O4L


How many 9mm rounds did you shoot per year in 2018, 2019, and 2020?

Not very many because I have been concentrating on getting a couple of ARs set up.

I have recently purchased another 9mm pistol (thanks to Trump bucks) and I would like to shoot a lot more, including trying out a RDS set up if possible.

I know a lot of people don't understand what it is like to be poor and trying to keep the basic needs of firearms for defense and trying to shoot enough to keep some of the rust knocked off.

My eyes aren't exactly cooperating any longer and I feel the need to explore other options other than iron sights for a self defense handgun for anything beyond 10-15 yards.

I just don't see me shooting much at the current or higher prices of factory ammo.

Oh well, it's not the first bad idea I've ever had.

 

[rockchalk06]

Not very many because I have been concentrating on getting a couple of ARs set up.

I have recently purchased another 9mm pistol (thanks to Trump bucks) and I would like to shoot a lot more, including trying out a RDS set up if possible.

I know a lot of people don't understand what it is like to be poor and trying to keep the basic needs of firearms for defense and trying to shoot enough to keep some of the rust knocked off.

My eyes aren't exactly cooperating any longer and I feel the need to explore other options other than iron sights for a self defense handgun for anything beyond 10-15 yards.

I just don't see me shooting much at the current or higher prices of factory ammo.

Oh well, it's not the first bad idea I've ever had.

Offer is always on the table bud. I have plenty of RDS weapons to try. Bring the ammo and you're more than welcome to blast away as much as you want on them all.

This was pre COVID and just the tools, but to get everything we needed to set my buddy up, was just under 400 dollars. He had the bench and basic tools like wrenches, drivers etc. He went the less expensive route on equipment. Not "I'll buy that for a dollar" cheap, but you get the point.

That's when you could buy primers for 35/1000 and bullet options were almost unlimited. We started him out on 6.5 Creedmoor. His Bergara BMP was capable of much better accuracy than Match ammo could do.

 

[Cowbaby]

Don't let these guys discourage you with all this absolute malarky for what can be a very rewarding experience. You don't have to go all in and set up a Dillon 750 straight out of the box. Or tell you that you cannot produce reasonably accurate and low cost ammo for what you stated you need. A 9 in the average guys hands is a 40 yard gun and handloading can easily produce rounds that are sufficient for that and get you tune up to where you can be better than that. Your only going to get so much out of 4' barrel or auto.

I listed the bare minimum you would need to produce some practice and home defense rounds for a pistol. You can add things like a case trimmer, neck turning or a 5 dollar pocket deburring tool and such as you go to produce better stuff as you learn.

Not everyone needs or even wants a chronograph to verify and make them feel good. Some of my pet loads I have used for years are probably slightly slower than what comes out of a factory. Some of them will smoke them off the map. I could care less, I have a pretty good idea and know where they shoot. I'm using mine to hunt with and I would put a couple of them up against anyone here. Guys loading to enter competitions have to go to another level to compete but that is not what you stated you wanted to do.

Telling people they will fail before they start has to be the dumbest thing I have heard all day and I work with some real idiots.

You can produce ammo that is better than any factory stuff for your particular rifle or pistol without filling up an entire loading room and a LOT cheaper if that is your goal. I have done it for 35yrs but I am so tight I squeak.

 

[rockchalk06]

Don't let these guys discourage you with all this absolute malarky for what can be a very rewarding experience. You don't have to go all in and set up a Dillon 750 straight out of the box. Or tell you that you cannot produce reasonably accurate and low cost ammo for what you stated you need. A 9 in the average guys hands is a 40 yard gun and handloading can easily produce rounds that are sufficient for that and get you tune up to where you can be better than that. Your only going to get so much out of 4' barrel or auto.

I listed the bare minimum you would need to produce some practice and home defense rounds for a pistol. You can add things like a case trimmer, neck turning or a 5 dollar pocket deburring tool and such as you go to produce better stuff as you learn.

Not everyone needs or even wants a chronograph to verify and make them feel good. Some of my pet loads I have used for years are probably slightly slower than what comes out of a factory. Some of them will smoke them off the map. I could care less, I have a pretty good idea and know where they shoot. I'm using mine to hunt with and I would put a couple of them up against anyone here. Guys loading to enter competitions have to go to another level to compete but that is not what you stated you wanted to do.

Telling people they will fail before they start has to be the dumbest thing I have heard all day and I work with some real idiots.

You can produce ammo that is better than any factory stuff for your particular rifle or pistol without filling up an entire loading room and a LOT cheaper if that is your goal. I have done it for 35yrs but I am so tight I squeak.

Better listen to this guy. He knows it all.

Good luck O4L!

 

[Cowbaby]

Better listen to this guy. He knows it all.

Good luck O4L!

Why should I be any different than you.

 

[O4L]

Well I just got through sorting all the brass by head stamp. It ended up being about 1500 rounds.

Now I just have to figure out what to do with it. [emoji16]

Thanks to everyone for your input and putting up with my ignorance on the subject.

 

[Mad Professor]

I meant to post this earlier. These will cause you some frustration. It is military contract/spec and will have crimped primers. You will also occasionally find some Winchester with the NATO stamp that is crimped.
They can cause many crushed primers of not properly prepared.