Should I even try to get into reloading right now?

[dennishoddy]

When you do decide the market is low enough for you to start, settle on a load, buy your powder in 8lb containers, primers by the 10,000, and bullets by the thousands.
Call that your base to start from.
Now repeat all the above, and start loading.
When you get down to your base of supply's, consider yourself to be out, and restock.

When you get to a situation like this frenzy we are in now, and have been in the past, and will be in again, you'll just continue to shoot like always, and feel sorry watching the folks struggling to find a box of ammo to go shoot.

 

[7stw]

When you do decide the market is low enough for you to start, settle on a load, buy your powder in 8lb containers, primers by the 10,000, and bullets by the thousands.
Call that your base to start from.
Now repeat all the above, and start loading.
When you get down to your base of supply's, consider yourself to be out, and restock.

When you get to a situation like this frenzy we are in now, and have been in the past, and will be in again, you'll just continue to shoot like always, and feel sorry watching the folks struggling to find a box of ammo to go shoot.

Sound advice. Take to heart what is written here and when the next panic hits you'll be golden.

 

[WessonOil]

In the interim, when in El Reno, pick up powder and primers at Gene Sears as they get their shipments, both large pistol and small pistol, non-magnum.

 

[AtomicTango]

Thanks for the tips! Now to decide between Hornady LNL or Dillon 550.

 

[dennishoddy]

Hornady all the way!

 

[Perplexed]

Man, threads like this make me feel bad that I bought a RCBS progressive loader setup and a bunch of load manuals three years ago, mounted it on my work bench, and have since been dusting it off now and then. I even have the primers, cases, and powder to load up some Swiss 7.5 and Swedish 6.5. Just haven't gotten around to learning how to reload.

 

[okietom]

When I bought my Dillon 550 the Hornady LNL wasn't on the market. I am not sure how I would decide if picking out a progressive now. I am a Dillon fan but that is all I know.

I have heard that the LNL uses one of the five stations for priming. If that is correct the four stations of the Dillon would be equal to the five on the LNL.

 

[okietom]

I had to watch a video of the Hornady LNL. The priming is similar to the Dillon. It does flare and charge the powder in separate stations. The only real functional difference between it and the Dillon 550 is the indexing. The fifth station doesn't gain anything over the four station Dillon. There are bullet and case feeders for the LNL that isn't available for the Dillon.

I think that I would pick the LNL over the Dillon 550 if I couldn't afford the Dillon 650.

 

[AtomicTango]

From what I've seen people like to use the extra station on a 5 station press for a powder check die. While not a necessary feature, it would be nice to have as an option to add down the road.

Really, I like things about both machines. In the case of buying new, I am leaning toward Hornady. However, if I come across either model used for a decent price, I'll buy it so I can get some experience going.

 

[ASP785]

The Hornady is a true 5 station. One station is not used for priming. I personally don't use a powder cop die in my 5th station. I have always used a taper crimp die as a separate operation, so that is what takes of the 5th spot on mine.