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I don't understand the economy. You save money on the cheapest part, the powder, & then load a prmium bullet? I choose a powder for performance, not economy. I presume that is why you shoose a premium bullet? BTW, TG saves you something like 2/10 of a penny in most service pistol loads.  IF YOU AREN'T HANDLOADING, YOU AREN'T SHOOTING ENOUGH! NRA Instruc: Basic Pistol & Met Reloading | |||
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I don't always reload for SD (self-defense). But I DO always reload to practice for SD. So I settle on a SD round (Speer Gold Dots in a specific weight, for example) and then I work up a combination (or multiple combinations) of the cheapest components using inexpensive bullets (e.g. Raniers, Berrys, Precision Delta) in that weight that I can find/buy that produces practice ammo with the same characteristics (e.g. accuracy, point-of-aim/impact, recoil) as the SD round. fredj is right - don't be penny wise but pound foolish. "When I held that gun in my hand, I felt a surge of power...like God must feel... when he's holding a gun!" H. Simpson. | |||
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I loaded 550 .45 ACP rounds this weekend just so I could shoot my three .45s sooner rather than later (still haven't shot one of them - except for the five test rounds I ran through my P220 while searching for the right target load). But... My dad and I have been reloading for over 25 years. Mostly for our hunting rounds. We never really did it to save money, but that was an added bonus. Our goal has always been to find the most accurate load for our needs. This means a fair amount of shooting to find the right formula of primer, powder, bullet, etc. So the breakdown for the 550 rounds came to about 26.3 cents/rnd. The cheapest practice round I've been able to find (and only one box at that) was 44 cents/rnd. So the cost was a little over half. But this does not include the labor involved. I don't worry too much about that because when dad and I are sitting at the reloading bench, we are also visiting. I only get to see him every few months, so I can't really put a price on that. It's just something we both enjoy doing, and it gives us a chance to talk guns/fishing, etc.  Billy B. A Sig or two and then some ;-) | |||
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I try not to think about what I spend reloading. That way I can always tell myself I'm saving money when I buy 8,000 primers, 1,000 bullets, headspace guages, micrometers, small base sizers, Titanium Nitride dies, coaxial seaters with micrometers... I gotta stop - I'm scaring myself... | |||
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Single stage or progressive for novice?. Wish to try reloading since lately ammo is hard to find. It will be fun and productive. I've been told the SS is the best for beginners this way you really learn the basics. Some machines can be turned into progressives with adaptors. Which SS press would be best?. I'm leaning Lee. Some have told me they make strong presses that last. | |||
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Welcome to the club! Yes - I personally recommend going SS at first and paying attention to performing each stage correctly and uniformly before moving on to the next. I started with a low-end RCBS. Then I bought an RCBS Rockchucker so that I could do 2-stage loading "sneaker-net" style. Then I upgraded the Rockchucker with an RCBS Piggyback Progressive. I still use the low-end press for odd jobs like swaging military primer pockets and bullet pulling. "When I held that gun in my hand, I felt a surge of power...like God must feel... when he's holding a gun!" H. Simpson. | |||
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I honestly think all the single stage presses from Lee, RCBS, Lyman, Hornady, etc. are basically the same and load the same quality ammo if you're going to load pistol. With a single stage press the difference is in the dies, to some extent, but even the "cheap" Lee dies turn out tons of ammo each day around this country. Since you are unlikely to wear out even the cheapest press (probably the Lee) in your lifetime, I would not spend extra money on the others. Part of the reason you can't wear it out is there's nothing to wear out. The other part is soon enough you will want a progressive press... and you will know that financial ruin is just around the corner. You'll still use the single stage, but less. If you're going to load rifle, then you might think about going with the more robust RCBS Rockchucker or similar, but only if you shoot a lot of rifle AND you have a lot of time on your hands to load it. Because, when you finally get to loading so much that it "takes too long", then you'll get a progressive and tell your family that this will allow you to reload quickly and free up time to spend with them. (It's actually quite true). If funds are any kind of issue, go with a Lee single stage or, better, turret press, and save the money for carbide dies, components, and the accessories you need to load safely. Have fun and hope this helps. ps, I would not plan on buying the RCBS and then getting the piggy back progressive kit. When you go to a progressive, consider the Hornady or Dillon and call it a day. ________________________ "It takes so little to be above average, it's amazing more people aren't...." - my father | |||
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Thanks guys. I think I'll go for the Lee Challenger O press and some carbide dies. Should be ample for my needs. I shoot more pistol then rifle. Have to go way up in the San Gabriel Mts. for the rifle range. Thanks again. | |||
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Yeah Dennis, I feel your pain. I drive to Tehachapi to shoot at a private range I have belonged to for years. It's a 3hr drive, but I can spend all day & there are few other shooters to deal with, plus it's a onece a year fee of $50. The SS will be fine as long as you don't need a high vol. of ammo. About 60rds/hr is all you can get from a SS, going from range brass to loaded round. That is if you have a good powder measure to go w/ the scale.IF YOU AREN'T HANDLOADING, YOU AREN'T SHOOTING ENOUGH! NRA Instruc: Basic Pistol & Met Reloading | |||
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I reload 9mm. .38. .357 mag, .45 acp, for about $80/1000 rounds. This is bullets, powder and primers only. I don't count the cost of brass because I scrounge it from the range. .44 and .41 are about $90/1000 exclusive of brass. The cost of the brass should be counted because I don't get much if any from the range. But since I shoot light loads in revolvers the cases don't suffer much abuse and I get them all back. These costs are using cast (except 9mm) bullets for plinking loads. If I were reloading .44 mags with a Hornady XTP bullet over 19 gr of 2400 the cost would be about $255/1000. If I bought the same load from Midway as loaded ammunition from Hornady the cost would be $924/1000. This represents a savings of 72%. JeffThis message has been edited. Last edited by: jeff423, DF/DG | |||
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do you mean $80/1000? tk | |||
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Yes - Thanks. I'll fix it. Jeff DF/DG | |||
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I have to agree with every one here Shoot more=Save More....But...Save More=Shoot More its the Ameba Effect It is a whole hobby by its self... Hiding @ my bench is great getaway I started reloading @ age 11 Great times w/ Gramps & Dad Now I have taught my Wife,Son, and one of the daughters to load ShotShell Starting to teach Son and My Stepdad Metallic reloading The wife is gonna have to learn SOON too to feed her AR-Habit Just remember TAKE YOUR TIME, DO NOT RUSH ANYTHING.If you have to rush or are short on time BUY FACTORY LOADS for the day...there is always tomorrow ......................................... "Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end" R.J.Wiedemann.LtCol.USMC Ret. | |||
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I also use a Dillon RL550B it's a great tool backed by a great company . Like the others getting started was not cheep, but in the ten years of reloading every thing has paid for it's self several times . I only load 45's and 223 but I never think about how much ammo I'll be taking to the range . Best thing I did was save brass years before I got my press . I hope I live long enough to use all the brass up . It's also alot of fun to make any type of bullets I like Thanks Mike. I'm not sure how many guns I own, is that enough ? | |||
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Here is what I save most by reloading: peace of mind. The lack of supply (ammunition and components) over the past year has been a wake-up call. The politicians continue to call for more "reasonable" gun control laws, an ongoing wake-up call. The UN Treaty on Small Arms could be ratified by the Senate anytime, making all reloaders subject to onerous restrictions. Whether the future brings shortages, high prices, or prohibitive laws, I know that I will have a source of ammunition supply. Peace of mind. Retired holster maker. Retired police chief. Formerly Sergeant, US Army Airborne Infantry, Pathfinders | |||
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For all of my Sig practice I use Blazer Brass or Federal factory ammunition for 9mm Luger, .40 S&W and .45 ACP However, for .45 Colt and .44 Remington Magnum calibers I reload using a Lee Classic Turret Press with carbide dies. This press meets all of my production needs without any issues and it makes reloading a true pleasure. I reload a 50 round box of .45 Colt ammunition for $7.50 while the most reasonable factory ammunition locally costs $22.00, resulting in a savings of $14.50 per box. I reload a 50 round box of .44 Magnum ammunition for $13.50 per box in comparison to $32.00 per box for factory ammunition, yielding a savings of $18.50 per box. The reloading equipment, including dies, case trimmers, primer feeders, reloading manual, powder scales and powder measures cost $300 total. Loading about 20 boxes or 1,000 rounds of handgun ammunition pays for the reloading equipment. The savings noted above are then realized for each box reloaded. I can easily reload 100 rounds or two boxes of handgun ammunition per hour which is what I usually shoot at a typical two hour range session. Before I started reloading I was hardly shooting these two calibers at all. Now I shoot revolvers chambered for these cartridges whenever I want without any major concern about the cost of the ammunition. Bottom-line is a big increase in shooting fun at an acceptable cost. | |||
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Been a reloader for about 2 weeks. Started out with 9mm and then had so much fun with the 45acp that I quit shooting/reloading 9mm. The cost per round for me is 13 cents for bullet, brass was free (but I can find once-shot 200 quantity for $15), the powder and primers are inexpensive. Anyway, so let's just say 16 cents. The 45acp ammo in town is about $25 for 50, and I have to call and drive all over to get one or two boxes. Shooting 45 would've made me go crazy and broke. I don't know how long it'll take to "pay off" the Dillon 550b and accssories, but the convenience and time saved acquiring ammo is priceless. I'm shooting no fewer than 50 each time out and often times I'm firing 150-200. Where is my calculator? | |||
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when I was shooting 3 or 4 times a month with my 40 and 38, my dillon xl-650 paid for itself within 3 months. Now I am loading 2 rifle calibers and 45acp as well, so I figure I'm saving a huge amount every year by reloading. There are three types of mistakes; Those you learn from, those you suffer from, and those you don't survive. | |||
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Match grade .45 acp for Bullseye: $80 1000 bullets 200 LSWC or $135 for 1000 berrys plated 200 swc. $15 for 1 lb of W231 $28 for 1000 primers (buy 10,000 at a time) $25 for 1000 once fired cases (can be reloaded 20 times with match loads) Total $148 for LSWC or $201 for pswc. Federal Gold medal match with similar accuracy to my handloads is $31 a box or $620 per 1000 | |||
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I don't think I save any money really by reloading. I do shoot a lot more for what I spend. I enjoy the precision of it and have learned a lot about what makes a good round. I load 45acp for about 23 cents per round and pretty close to 21 cents for 40. Cost per round varies a bit so I really don't pay a lot of attention to it. Favorites in my collection: Sig 229 BSS 40 Bersa UC45, 380CC Kimber 1911 | |||
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