Why reload?

[Old Fart]

I've been doing this reloading thing for many years (40+ yrs).
First rifle I bought was a 7.7 Ariska when I was a kid and ammo wasn't cheap.
Had a nieghbor teach me how to reload.
I've still got the Lee hand pounder I used for it.
Later to save money back when I shot competitively I upgraded.
Now days it keeps me busy on slow days.

I have and use 3 single stage and 2 progressive.

I've got brass that I've shot more than 20 times.

It's not hard to pay for equiptment in a short time if you shoot much.
And as some have stated most rifle and big bore pistol return the savings very quickly.

My plinking round for 38 spl run me around $2.50 or less a box using my home cast bullets.
I buy bulk components every couple years to offset inflation and stay stocked.
Casting your own bullets saves big bucks and is relatively cheap to get into (Lee products).

Just watch and see what happens to ammo and components if it starts looking like our prez will get re-elected.

Favorite powder is Unique.
There's tons of applications for both handgun and rifle.

 

[NikatKimber]

Hopefully this redding turret will work out.

The slowest part of a single stage is handling the brass multiple times and swapping dies. The turret can save you a lot of that.

 

[aeropb]

For personal responsibility and control

 

[Blitzfike]

Bottleneck rifle brass I trim just about every time I size it. Straight wall pistol brass I have never trimmed in all the years I've been loading. Some of the 40sw, 9mm and 45 auto I have loaded 12 to 15 times each and never had to trim them. Blitzfike

 

[Dr_Mitch]

Bottleneck rifle brass I trim just about every time I size it. Straight wall pistol brass I have never trimmed in all the years I've been loading. Some of the 40sw, 9mm and 45 auto I have loaded 12 to 15 times each and never had to trim them. Blitzfike

+1, don't waste your time trimming auto-loading pistol brass. It's only a waste of time. Your headspace won't know the difference.

 

[acp]

You don't trim auto pistol cases as they shrink! They will get so short they will screw up your head spacing. They grow when you size them, but after a bunch of resizings they will not come up to the minimum height. I have some Federal cases from the 80's that are about .040" too short. Start mixing good cases and ones that are too short and you will get flyers all over the place. At least I do. 9mm is the worst for me.

 

[cktad]

Sportsworld advertised Blazer Brass 9mm for $11.97 per 50 round box.
But, as some have said it's nice to roll your own. I don't reload but have always considered it. I don't because I have a lot, and I mean a lot of surplus ammo I bought when it was cheap.

 

[okietom]

You don't really save money when you reload. At least I never have. There is always something else to buy. A new set of dies, a new deburring tool, larger amounts of brass and bullets and powder. You do save money per round but you will use that to justify shooting more. Shooting more is the best reason in the world to reload. The excuses to go shoot will be easier too. When you reload there is almost always a new load to go test. I tried some new powder, I need to go test it. I bought some new bullets, I need to go see if my gun likes them. It can even help you justify buying a new gun. I did that one to myself in the past year. Yes, I bought a 10mm Glock just because I reload and there won't be a problem with finding ammo AND it won't cost me any more to load then .40SW.

Good luck with the reloading. You have some nice equipment to start with. Once you get to making good ammo I hope that you can move on to a progressive press.

 

[CCF]

Assuming you bought everything new, & got good equipment, what would the initial cost be (not counting, brass, powder, etc.)?

 

[aeropb]

My first Dillon 550 plus all necessary gadgets, 1,000 bullets, 1,000 primers, and 1lb of Bullseye cost me around $800. As a few months went by, 38 Specials rolled off the line until 4,000 rounds had been made. At that point, the initial investment of $800 plus about $400 in additional components had been recouped.