Knee in the Reloading Curve

[Seahawk]

I ordered the Ruger Vaguero last week, got to lay hands on it today but still have the waiting period.

Feels great, very smooth...I am favorably impressed.

I was a bit stunned at the price of .45 Colt ammo. The best I could do online was $33.00 for 50 rounds...which, naturally, rekindled thoughts of reloading.

I have never reloaded before, but am willing to learn. I've got good mechanical skills, patience, room and time during the winter.

I shoot, on average, the following per year:

.30 Carbine: 500 rounds
.45 ACP: 1000 rounds
30-06: 100 rounds
.223: 500 rounds
9mm: 300 rounds
.45 Colt ?

So, on average, 2400 rounds of various stuff, plus the .45 colt.

This will no doubt decrease when my son goes to college, but probably not by more than 25%.

So, based on the experienced re-loaders on Pelican, is reloading a cost effective proposition?

I've got fairly rough estimates of primer cost, used re loader costs, etc. but I have no experience in waste, percentage of rounds no longer viable for reload, etc.

Any help is appreciated...Christmas is right around the corner

[Seahawk]

Oops...mods please move!

[Tim Hancock]

FWIW, I reload 9mm (heavy bullets light powder charge for reduced recoil and rapid second shots). 9mm factory ammo can be found for about $10/box of 50. It costs me about $6.50/box of 50 to reload using my old brass. Yes I save a small amount of money, but I do it mainly to get the exact load I want.

[azasadny]

You'll save some $, but the real benefit is that you control the characteristics of your ammo and have a hobby to keep you occupied during the cold winter!!

[tabs]

If your cost of shooting drops you will shoot more often..and with more rounds..

I would say by all means start reloading...I have done some in the distant past, but have not shot enough to warrant the effort or expense. Now that I am planning on kicking up the habit reloading is in my future...

Five of the rounds you shoot, you could be shooting in bulk as it is very easy to go through a lot of round with those spoons.

There are two ways to approach the subject..One is with a Single Stage Press...with the venrable RCBS Rock Chucker Press...which you can find for under $100 used if you look around... and with a Progressive Press...since you do not plan on shooting a 1000 rounds a week this type of press might be overkill for your needs (as well as mine) but this is where once you get the thing dialed in you can crank out a years ammo for a caliber in an hour or two. You can stock up and be ammo man...here I like the Dillon 550 which is the recommended FIRST Progressive Dillon Press for beginners. Dillon makes da bomb when it comes to presses...with the 650 you could even start a business of reloading. A Dillon 550 is gona set you back about $375.00 new...no way around it...used Dillon 550's go for right around $300 to $325..so for that money you buy NEW...I will probably be buying the Dillon 550..as it will do everything and more than I will ever need or want.

Now where you can REALLY save the Dinero is in buying your other reloading components USED...usually at 50 cents on the $$$$. I bought 2 sets of Redding Competition Dies (TOP O THE LINE) with Dillon 550 Tool Head and Tool Head Stand,one in 308 and the in 30/06 for about $85 a set. From Midway those Die Sets alone are $205.00 each. With about $20 each for the Dillon Tool Head and Stand so that represents another $40 per set.

Mostly the Dies you will be using will run $10 to $25 a set used...

I also just bought a Poness Warren DUOMATIC Shotgun Shell reloading press for $160 delivered and it has a Remington Shotgun Barrel and 2 Cleaning Rods with it...I should be able to sell the barrel for $ $50. The retail on that press is $347.95.


Also I do see the need for a Single Stage Press for the large rifle calibers...where you want to take special care in reloading the ammo...such as those odd BP rifle calibers...(I bought a Rock Chucker Press about 15 years ago for about $40 used in the box)

[tabs]

Also the actual Brass and components can be bought on the CHEAPER side as well...you just have to look...and you have to know your pricing so as not to wind up overpaying...

[Henry Schmidt]

Not to hijack this thread or anything but if you're thinking about getting started in reloading I have lots of stuff to help you get started.

I found a local guy who will reload for me with my specs and at a reasonable price so reloading is really not in my future.

Thousands of bullets and empty brass. Some new, shot once. Some loading equipment.

I will let it all go cheap!!







And more!!!!

[Seahawk]

I am interested...I'll be in touch.
Thanks!

[Seahawk]

A Wealth of Tasteful information. Thank you.

I go through a ton of .410 shotgun shell, so...

Originally Posted by tabs

If your cost of shooting drops you will shoot more often..and with more rounds..

I would say by all means start reloading...I have done some in the distant past, but have not shot enough to warrant the effort or expense. Now that I am planning on kicking up the habit reloading is in my future...

Five of the rounds you shoot, you could be shooting in bulk as it is very easy to go through a lot of round with those spoons.

There are two ways to approach the subject..One is with a Single Stage Press...with the venrable RCBS Rock Chucker Press...which you can find for under $100 used if you look around... and with a Progressive Press...since you do not plan on shooting a 1000 rounds a week this type of press might be overkill for your needs (as well as mine) but this is where once you get the thing dialed in you can crank out a years ammo for a caliber in an hour or two. You can stock up and be ammo man...here I like the Dillon 550 which is the recommended FIRST Progressive Dillon Press for beginners. Dillon makes da bomb when it comes to presses...with the 650 you could even start a business of reloading. A Dillon 550 is gona set you back about $375.00 new...no way around it...used Dillon 550's go for right around $300 to $325..so for that money you buy NEW...I will probably be buying the Dillon 550..as it will do everything and more than I will ever need or want.

Now where you can REALLY save the Dinero is in buying your other reloading components USED...usually at 50 cents on the $$$$. I bought 2 sets of Redding Competition Dies (TOP O THE LINE) with Dillon 550 Tool Head and Tool Head Stand,one in 308 and the in 30/06 for about $85 a set. From Midway those Die Sets alone are $205.00 each. With about $20 each for the Dillon Tool Head and Stand so that represents another $40 per set.

Mostly the Dies you will be using will run $10 to $25 a set used...

I also just bought a Poness Warren DUOMATIC Shotgun Shell reloading press for $160 delivered and it has a Remington Shotgun Barrel and 2 Cleaning Rods with it...I should be able to sell the barrel for $ $50. The retail on that press is $347.95.


Also I do see the need for a Single Stage Press for the large rifle calibers...where you want to take special care in reloading the ammo...such as those odd BP rifle calibers...(I bought a Rock Chucker Press about 15 years ago for about $40 used in the box)

[azasadny]

Tab Tanner on this board got me started reloading back in 2007 and I've thoroughly enjoyed the hobby! I reload during the winters and I have 3 Lyman Spar-t turret presses, Lee dies, Hollywood Gun Co. powder measurer, etc... I really enjoy reloading and I've made ammo for family and friends. I'll be starting again in late October after driving season is over.

[legion]

Get yourself a reloading scale (digital or analog, your choice) and a single-stage press.

You will learn the process and learn how to correct mistakes. Get a mentor that can inspect your work.

When you finally know what you are doing, a turret press might be a good compromise between the speed of a progressive and the cost of a single-stage. I'd recommend getting an automatic scale at that point too...

[Joeaksa]

Friend of mine just got started a couple of months ago with a Dillon 550. A month later he used a 650 that a friend had and is now switching up to the more progressive press.

Hard to beat a Dillon. They are not cheap but have a lifetime warranty. Any issue, send it back and they will overhaul/replace for free.

Mike Dillon is a pilot, flies a former US Navy Pinto and Huey for fun, and is hangared 200 feet from us. Great guy.

[emcon5]

Henry, I see Seahawk doesn't have a 6.5mm listed, so I would like first crack at your 6.5mm bullets, and whatever .30 cal or any other components he doesn't want or need.

Thanks,

Tom

[Bill Douglas]

I've got a Dillion 550. I bought it a few months back. I'm loading up a lot of 9mm and it's brought the price per round down to about what I would pay for a .22 round. So... When I go to the range I shoot as much s I like without thinking about cost. I didn't want to swap out dies and adjust the machine so I pay other reloaders (who I trust) cash for .45acp, .38special, and .223.

Another thing to mention, reloading is fun.

[Seahawk]

Joe,

Are you in town 24th? I'll be in Phoenix for Parents Day!

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Friend of mine just got started a couple of months ago with a Dillon 550. A month later he used a 650 that a friend had and is now switching up to the more progressive press.

Hard to beat a Dillon. They are not cheap but have a lifetime warranty. Any issue, send it back and they will overhaul/replace for free.

Mike Dillon is a pilot, flies a former US Navy Pinto and Huey for fun, and is hangared 200 feet from us. Great guy.

Yep, a Dillion 650 with case feeder is what Paul should buy if he intends to reload and shoot a bunch of rounds per year. I love my 100 round poor man's case feeder and the auto index on my Lee Loadmaster and I can load 500 rounds per hour with it. The Dillon 550's are obviously very solid well built presses, but with the extra steps of manually loading a case and indexing them, they are not as fast as a 650.

I don't want this to turn into a Lee vs Dillon debate as Dillons are very well built, but I will simply say that with my mechanical aptitude and my years of automated machine design, I am very happy with my $220 Lee Loadmaster that came wth one set of dies new. I have loaded about 6000 rounds with it this summer and it runs flawlessly now.

Lee Load Master 45 Colt Reloading Pistol Kit $220.00

I can load just as fast as my friends who have the auto case loading $1000 Dillon 650's. Having said that, I would not hesitate to recommend the Dillon 650 to "most" folks interested in buying a press to reload large quantities of ammo.

[Jeff Higgins]

Reloading can certainly be a wonderful way to save money on ammunition. The problem is, I have never met anyone who sticks with it on that premise alone. If it remains no more than an added chore so one can go shooting, most folks are soon back to just buying ammunition.

The guys who stick with it have an interest that runs deeper than that. It has to be either interesting in and of itself, or done with the goal of producing reloads in a combination that cannot be purchased commercially, or done to produce ammunition in a caliber that may not be readily available or is very expensive if it is. In other words, there has to be some motivation other than cost. Everyone I know who has stuck with reloading actually spends more on their shooting than they did before.

Your .45 Colt is a great example of what I call a "reloaders' caliber". It is certainly available commercially, but the variety of loads are far less than comparable wheel gun calibers and the cost is far higher. That, and no commercial loads reach the full potential of this caliber. It really only achieves its best performance when reloaded. That said, however, one must still have an ulterior motive for seeking that performance that goes above and beyond just saving money, or one will soon lose interest.

Your more common calibers, like your 9mm's, .45 ACP, and whatnot are so well covered commercially, with such a wide variety of loads from premium high-end stuff to cheap plinking ammo, that there isn't much to be gained there through reloading. Unless, of course, you need something unusual, for a specific purpose like Tim. Otherwise, your margins gained through reloading just are not worth the effort - the cost of cheap plinking ammo in these calibers is down very close to what one can reload them for.

So, in other words, don't get into this to "save money". You won't. You will spend more (and shoot more) if the bug really bites. If not, it will simply be a chore that may even see you shooting less, just so you don't have to reload. Think long and hard about the "why". Do you want another engrossing hobby? If you stick with it, it can certainly become one. If you have neither the time nor interest to take one on, just stick to buying ammo.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Your .45 Colt is a great example of what I call a "reloaders' caliber". It is certainly available commercially, but the variety of loads are far less than comparable wheel gun calibers and the cost is far higher. That, and no commercial loads reach the full potential of this caliber. It really only achieves its best performance when reloaded.

AND U TOLD HIM TO GET THE 45LC....instead of one of those other calibers that had a better selection of ammo loads....LOL

[Jim Bremner]

Originally Posted by Henry Schmidt

Not to hijack this thread or anything but if you're thinking about getting started in reloading I have lots of stuff to help you get started.

I found a local guy who will reload for me with my specs and at a reasonable price so reloading is really not in my future.

Thousands of bullets and empty brass. Some new, shot once. Some loading equipment.

I will let it all go cheap!!


2nd or third in line! is that a MARLIN CAMP 9 or CAMP45 stock? If so I WANT IT!!!!
I cracked mine!










And more!!!!

2nd or third in line! is that a MARLIN CAMP 9 or CAMP45 stock? If so I WANT IT!!!!
I cracked mine!

[legion]

By reloading, I can make match quality ammo for the price of white box ammo.