Finally bit the bullet .

[Alphatreedog]

I've been wanting and needing to start reloading because of cost , accuracy and recoil on the 9mm . I know that some guys frown on reloading kits and I did go cheap witha a single stage Lee kit . Ist want to test the waters before making a huge investment . Kit showed up today and my daughter called me at lunch to let me know a big package from Brownells got delivered . " Is it trucks parts ?" Nope it's Freedom . Muuuhahaha . I'm phsyched . Got a set of carbide 9mm dies and bullet puller to start with . 147 grain Berrys Bullets , a pound of tight group and Sellior and Bellot small pistol primers . Wish me luck .
Oh and the Wife has been giving me the stink eye with all these packages showin up . When the powder and primers showed up she put the box in the middle of the living room floor . The ear to ear smile got me a shitty look but meh who cares . I got new toys !!!!

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Well, we have a fantastic Reloading Thread here... and you will be most welcome.

I reloaded 4,000 9mm's last year. They are a perfect round to reload! Expensive to buy. Dirt cheap to reload. Check out the Reloading thread for some great tips on setup. PM me if you want any personalized advice. I've loaded more rounds on a single stage than I can count. It's a great way to go until you get really to the point of... wanting progressive. It took me 35 years to get to a progressive. So your Single Stage press is a FINE investment!

Welcome to loading! You will NEVER look back

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[hlee]

Stop the delivery at the hub to avoid the stink eye from the wife.

congrats on the press, but for pistol ammo you're eventually gonna want a progressive. The thought of Burning up a few hours of reloading effort in a few minutes of shooting keeps me from loading for pistols until I save up for a progressive press.

 

[2ndamendfan]

I think you did good. I did over 5000 .357 mag on a lee single stage before i got a progressive press. Doing single stage lets you learn one step at a time. Progressives have 5 things going on at once and it is a little bit to wrap your head around if you dont understand what is happening in each step.

My biggest issue as to why I reload so little now, Is inter-fucking-ruptions. I just get set up and someone needs me or dinner is read (god forbid my food gets cold) bla bla bla. Progressive is set up for 45 ACP right now. I have found that over time if left in the dispenser powder will settle and coming back to the machine a few days later the first dump will be over weight by quite a bit.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

I think you did good. I did over 5000 .357 mag on a lee single stage before i got a progressive press. Doing single stage lets you learn one step at a time. Progressives have 5 things going on at once and it is a little bit to wrap your head around if you dont understand what is happening in each step.

^^^ This.

And I had the same issue with interruptions, etc. Until I built up my reloading room (finally) last year. And invested in a progressive. But I would NEVER start with a progressive. Load 10K rounds on a single stage... then go progressive. By then, you will understand your progressive inside out! And know how to develop a load... troubleshoot a case... seat a primer...

You done good Treedog.

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[Alphatreedog]

Thanks guys . Once I clear a spot for a small bench I will PM you Sihr and thanks for the offer .
Isee this getting me back on my .308 and maybe getting out for some distance shooting .
​​​​​​​The cost of factory match ammo started conflicting with my pistol shooting .

 

[supercorndogs]

I only loaded about 400 single stage pistol rounds before I knew I was never going to load pistol single stage again. I run a Lee Loadmaster for 40 s&w and 44 mag now. I have loaded about 20k on it. They came out with a primer feeder update a few years ago, after that it has been a pretty reliable machine. Before that it was miss or stuff a primer in sideways 1-3 times per 100. The thing kind of reminds of the game "Mouse Trap" I had when I was little, but its cheap and it gets the job done.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Thanks guys . Once I clear a spot for a small bench I will PM you Sihr and thanks for the offer .
Isee this getting me back on my .308 and maybe getting out for some distance shooting .
​​​​​​​The cost of factory match ammo started conflicting with my pistol shooting .

Single stage presses are the BEST way to load Factory Match Ammo... at the Treedog factory! This will improve your shooting all around...

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[ArmyJerry]

yep, I have two single stages after many progressives, have my original lee classic cast(1988), and the always great COAX, cant go wrong with either afar as quality, read the threads in the getting started section of the reloading section, sort your brass by brand and work your way to ull OCD from there.

 

[Threadcutter308]

Awwwright, I gotta chime in here;

1. Fuck stinkeye. She'll get over it. Mine did. Took 25 years. (it wasn't cheap though. Forget flowers, it's jewelry level stuff). Once she gets over it, understands and encourages you to "go enjoy" your hobby, she's graduated (with honors) into the keeper class.
2. Completely agreed that one should start out on a single stage. Best teacher there is.
3. (When you graduate to a progressive) Do Not sell your single stage gear ! Keep it, you will come back to it periodically. If it is no longer there, you will be pissed. (Don't) Ask me how I know.....
4. "Warm" dinner ? What's that and who the fuck cares ? If she's eating warm dinner, watching her favorite tv show and I'm in the garage (and not out at the bars chasing skirts), she not only doesn't care, she's happy. (She'll never tell you that though).
5. "Once I clear a spot for a small bench" ? Your bench is too fucking small. Fix the problem, don't compensate.
6. Retire the old, beater refrigerator in the kitchen and buy her a new one. Put the old one in the garage/man cave. Win/win for all. You'll figure out what to put it in pretty quickly.
7. Lighting, lighting, lighting!! Shitty lighting sucks, don't suffer through that.
8. I think I saw on Sir's posts about his new reloading room that he put outlets at 48" AGL. Brilliant. Once you do that and you try to plug something in to an outlet 9" to 12" above the floor, you'll immediately understand the wisdom of 48 inches.
9. Good storage. Comes in many varieties. Mine is in the form of tall wire rack shelving, on casters, Rubbermaid bins and ammo boxes. Completely modular/scaleable.
10. Bulk reloading supplies. I just consolidated and organized my long since purchased reloading gear and supplies. I found (and consolidated) inventory that is now going for 4 to 5 times what I paid for it originally. Talk about shooting cheap.
11. Get a cheap (or expensive, if you wish) Bluetooth speaker(s) for your favorite form of cell phone or iPad like device. My favorite (YouTube) reloading music is Oscar Peterson, David Gilmour, AC/DC, Andrea Bocelli and Johann Strauss II. Play what you want and tell the world to go screw. This is your space, entrance by invitation only. Invitations are few and far between.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=1ZaEMzJv7_w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HAZP7nWo6A&t=1452s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og3joyCntrI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWP9Nv6DUsg
12. Last, but not least (and you are going to really hate me for this one); Mr. Bulletfeeder.
http://www.mrbulletfeeder.com/
The problem is it opens a new gateway into all kinds of new, shiny, expensive bling. I got mine dialed in for 9mm, 147gr RN's and it just plain works. Not cheap, but the giggle factor (and speed/efficiency) is worth it. But, I can load 1200 rds per hour, manually (Dillon XL650). That's not really the point though. I want high quality, inexpensive, consistent ammo that I make myself. I usually run at 600 to 800 rounds per hour.

I don't reload because it's cheap/saves money (which it does). I go out to the man cave to relax, use my brain for things I want to use it for, and have the satisfaction of building/making something. To me, that's the satisfaction of reloading.

 

[QuickNDirty]

Thanks guys . Once I clear a spot for a small bench I will PM you Sihr and thanks for the offer .
Isee this getting me back on my .308 and maybe getting out for some distance shooting .
The cost of factory match ammo started conflicting with my pistol shooting .

I dunno if there is a powder that fills a 9mm case more than 80 percent or so, but if there was, powder throwers are badass for plinking rounds. I wouldn't use one with a powder you could double charge though.

I love my Lee beech lock. The locking collars make life so much easier than having to twist and dial shit in every time.

I've done about 1500 45 Colt, 800 sw460, 2100 308 and 20 270 win. I just now bought a prep station. I still use the press to seat primers. Fucking 270 rims always want to rip off. I've never ripped a rim off of anything else, but I ripped 3 270 rims.

I don't clean my brass either. I use the funk color as a way to gauge when to toss them along with a dental pick to check for incipient case head separation after 4 or 5 reloads. Still new to it all, but I do make some good ammo, and it's one of the few aspects of my life where I actually write things down.

​​​​​​​Eta: my first bench was an ammo crate with some legs nailed on. I'd c clamp it to something sturdy, lol.

 

[Sniperwannabee]

Has anyone figured how much it cost to reload per round? I pay 19 cents a round for loaded 9mm

 

[ArmyJerry]

well unless you shoot comp i think its cheaper use of time just buying pistol ammo. rifle ammo is a different ball game, but if you got the time go and do both.

 

[Threadcutter308]

Has anyone figured how much it cost to reload per round? I pay 19 cents a round for loaded 9mm

Yeah, loaded ammo has gotten pretty cheap lately. Additionally, if one were to be perfectly honest with themselves, the amortized cost of all the reloading equipment would be factored into the (re)loaded round cost as well. I'm not that honest, I don't care. I salmon fish too. It is far, far cheaper to go buy a chunk of fish at the supermarket than it is to catch one in the river or salt. But, it's not a job, it's an adventure....

 

[Sniperwannabee]

I want to learn one day for rifle rounds but just don't have the time with 4 little ones running around I heard its time consuming

 

[ArmyJerry]

wait til you shoot the first rounds that are proper loaded for your rifle, you will never buy another store bough round again. If you spent your time reloading you wont end up with 5 little ones.

 

[QuickNDirty]

I want to learn one day for rifle rounds but just don't have the time with 4 little ones running around I heard its time consuming

It's not really, size, prep, prime, charge, seat, shoot.

Lots of opportunity to be anal like weight sorting brass and bullets, but it's pretty easy to make good consistent ammo in an easily repeatable set of procedures.

 

[Threadcutter308]

Gotcha there, Our's all all grown and long gone. However, the savings will be greater for centerfire than they will be for handgun. It is a bit more time consuming, but not by much. For all my centerfire boltgun calibers, I neck size only, using an old Sinclair arbor press and L.E. Wilson hand dies. It is significantly cheaper than buying loaded. I do it because of the phenomenal consistency that I get from doing it that way. I wouldn't load my Match rounds on a progressive. I carry my center fire loading gear in a single tackle box setup and can load at the range (if need be). Off the top of my head, my reload cost for 6 x 47 Lapua (if you can find it pre-loaded) and .308W is about 50% of what loaded ammo costs. Again, that's not why I do it. I am after the consistency. TIR on my hand loaded .308W is usually .0005" to maybe.0015" on the occasional high side. When loading at home with my FX-120i scale and Autotrickler, I can get within 1 kernel repeatability of 41.6 grains of RL15 or VV N135. I calculated it once and it came out to +/- 1 kernel out of about 1700 kernels total......

 

[Threadcutter308]

wait til you shoot the first rounds that are proper loaded for your rifle, you will never buy another store bough round again. If you spent your time reloading you wont end up with 5 little ones.

And, like that's a "BAD" thing ?

(If I had it to do all over again, I'd probably have 250 lbs of powder, 500 lbs of bullets, 3 or 4 progressives in the garage, and no spawn with my last name......)

 

[QuickNDirty]

Shit, I'd have a fully automatic Dillon cranking out rounds while I slept.

 

[ArmyJerry]

hahahhaha you two are funny.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

I want to learn one day for rifle rounds but just don't have the time with 4 little ones running around I heard its time consuming

It's not time-consuming.... it's time investment. And, no, it takes less time to load precision rounds than to shoot precision rounds.

Now beltfeds are a different matter.

But rifle or pistol rounds... super easy.

Start with your 9mm's. Perfect learning round. Invest, if you have not, in a carbide sizing die. It's the BEST investment you can make for pistol reloading.

Cost per round... depends what I shoot. But... $265 for 2,000 quality bullets. I buy an off brand for plinking... so less than the Remington's. You can get 2K for half this if you shop around.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/727352132

Figure $70 for 2,000 primers. I buy by the 5,000 case. So a bit cheaper. Buy at gun shows so you can avoid shipping costs.

I use Unique powder... and that would be about $45 for the 1.2 pounds, roughly, that would take for 2,000 rounds. I buy by the keg. So, again, mine's cheaper.

Brass I count as free... because I get so much range brass.

So your cost to reload 2,000 rounds... is about 19 cents a round. But I put down premium priced stuff and erred on the high side of my costs. I'd guess actual was about 15 cents a round or even less. If you go to cast bullets... it's even cheaper. And at 147, that's ok. But if you start pushing faster, you get leading. So I stick with jacketed.

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[W54/XM-388]

Even with something as basic as a Dillon 550B, when all setup correctly for the pistol round you want to do, you can load an impressive amount in a short time frame.

 

[wfjames22]

I’m loading match/practice 9mm ammo with 124gr match jacketed hollowpoints for 12-13 cents per round. If you shoot a lot, even 9mm roi is fairly quick.

 

[Nodakplowboy]

Thanks guys . Once I clear a spot for a small bench I will PM you Sihr and thanks for the offer .
Isee this getting me back on my .308 and maybe getting out for some distance shooting .
​​​​​​​The cost of factory match ammo started conflicting with my pistol shooting .

Pretty soon you'll be posting updates on the new tool/toy you "just had to have". Primer pocket cleaners, case trimmers, Chargemaster, high grade brass, more different primers, chronograph, bullets, different powders, another press.......

You've started down a slippery slope you will never regret. Enjoy!

 

[QuickNDirty]

hahahhaha you two are funny.

Get some...



I'd take it a step further and automatically weigh the completed rounds just to be sure, but yeah. Automatic ammo production. Twice as fun to watch as anything on Netflix.

 

[2ndamendfan]

Coming back into the conversation.

I would never try to load precision rifle rounds on a progressive. Don't get rid of the single stage equipment.

I don't care if my food gets cold but sure seems to get under my wife's skin. I have one buddy whose wife just puts his meal straight into the microwave every single night.

Straight walled cases (pistol) are a lot easier. On a LEE Loadmaster I can do about 450-500 rounds an hour. The Loadmaster is not for everyone, If I was not a mechanic with patience and mechanical problem solving skills I would have chucked that mother in the river. I have owned mine before the internet is what it is today, now there are quite a few resources online to help.

If I had it to do over again and it was 20 years ago I would probably do a dillon. I have almost thought of trying a hornady but I am to invested in the Load Master and understand it.

This guy used to make a modified primer system that works great. He doesn't anymore because he said 2-3 years ago Lee redid the factory set up and it works good now.

http://www.mikesreloadingbench.com

I have a couple of his accessories and he does make nice stuff. the Brace made a huge improvement.

 

[MtnCreek]

First off the thread title made me think Ginsburg was dead. Are we positive she isn't?

I started on the lee single stage kit and loaded a ton of good ammo on it. Slowing the process to individual steps helped me learn to handload, rather than being forced to learn how to operate a progressive press.

couple things you'll need if you haven't gotten them yet:
Caliper. $20 caliper will do everything you need now.
Loading block. Cheap plastic or you could layout a grid on a 2x6 and drill it with a wood bit.
A flashlight that isn't too bright. After all cases are charged, you shine the light up and down the rows looking for a dbl charge.
Make a checkweight near the charge weight you'll be using. Us this to learn how to get consistent readings on the lee balance. Its finicky, but very sinsitive (which is a good thing).
Notebook and pen. Use it! Write down everything. Eventually you'll figure out what info is important and what isn't.

Feel free to pm me and I can straitened out whatever wrong crap sirhr told you. :-D

 

[MtnCreek]

Almost forgot. Hahaha, you think you're going to save money by reloading...LOL

 

[mtrmn]

Coming back into the conversation.

I would never try to load precision rifle rounds on a progressive. Don't get rid of the single stage equipment.

I don't care if my food gets cold but sure seems to get under my wife's skin. I have one buddy whose wife just puts his meal straight into the microwave every single night.

Straight walled cases (pistol) are a lot easier. On a LEE Loadmaster I can do about 450-500 rounds an hour. The Loadmaster is not for everyone, If I was not a mechanic with patience and mechanical problem solving skills I would have chucked that mother in the river. I have owned mine before the internet is what it is today, now there are quite a few resources online to help.

If I had it to do over again and it was 20 years ago I would probably do a dillon. I have almost thought of trying a hornady but I am to invested in the Load Master and understand it.

This guy used to make a modified primer system that works great. He doesn't anymore because he said 2-3 years ago Lee redid the factory set up and it works good now.

http://www.mikesreloadingbench.com

I have a couple of his accessories and he does make nice stuff. the Brace made a huge improvement.

I am a mechanic as well and I agree fully. I bought one and spent 2 days setting it up and watching online videos. Finally boxed it back up and sent it back. Bought a Dillon 550B at 3 times the money (with a few caliber conversions) and have not regretted it one instant. Had it setup and loading .45 test rounds in just barely over an hour. Never DID get the Lee loadmaster to load a single round.

 

[2ndamendfan]

Almost forgot. Hahaha, you think you're going to save money by reloading...LOL

Amen!!!! Every time you might get a head you will find another tool you want. That is probably another reason I don't reload as much as I used to.

I do save my brass and currently have well over 100,000 empties. Mostly .223 and about every pistol caliber you can imagine.

If I lived in California right now (shudder njust went up my spine) I would be cranking out rounds as much as possible now.

 

[Bulletsmith]

Good for you to get into reloading. I was introduced to reloading 25yrs or more ago. Said I could save money. Well I enjoyed it so much I started an ammo company and then started making bullets, not casting, swaging with carbide dies. I make them just for me now, I am still trying to see where I am saving money.

 

[hlee]

Take some advice from someone that doesn't practice what he preaches... If you really want to reload, your reloading bench is not a general work bench. It's not for wood working, crafts, small engine repair, or piling "stuff" on. It's your reloading bench. Also, locate the bench in a space you want to be in- not a dank basement, hot-assed garage, or some other forgotten recess of the house. Eliminate distractions, and a locking door is a big plus...

 

[bogeybrown]

I was cleaning out and inventorying my tool room the other day and found this under my work bench, along with several other boxes of what appears to be reloading supplies. I've got no idea where to even start with it.



Apparently I inherited, literally, a progressive press about 15 years ago and had no idea. A distant relative had passed away whom I'd never even met and that part of the family thinks guns are icky, so when they saw gun stuff they gave it to me as the only gun guy they knew. I did a quick look in a few boxes and just chucked it in the room to be buried by a decade of other shit.

If I ever make the room for reloading I guess I'll have to do a thread in "reloading" so y'all can tell me what all the do-dads are and all the money I need to spend on all the new goodies.

 

[Mike Casselton]

I was cleaning out and inventorying my tool room the other day and found this under my work bench, along with several other boxes of what appears to be reloading supplies. I've got no idea where to even start with it.



Apparently I inherited, literally, a progressive press about 15 years ago and had no idea. A distant relative had passed away whom I'd never even met and that part of the family thinks guns are icky, so when they saw gun stuff they gave it to me as the only gun guy they knew. I did a quick look in a few boxes and just chucked it in the room to be buried by a decade of other shit.

If I ever make the room for reloading I guess I'll have to do a thread in "reloading" so y'all can tell me what all the do-dads are and all the money I need to spend on all the new goodies.

Bogey, that looks completely worn out. To save you aggravation and a possible safety hazard, I'll take it off your hands...

 

[bogeybrown]

Bogey, that looks completely worn out. To save you aggravation and a possible safety hazard, I'll take it off your hands...

Thanks man, I appreciate that. All I know is that it's blue and has lots of pieces and parts, does that mean it's a Dillon?

 

[Mike Casselton]

Yeah, looks just like a Dillon. Most people replace the knob handle with the type that has a rotating grip that runs perpendicular to your fore arm.

Not sure which model you have, but the old ones were notorious for having a rubber bushing on the index cam that would break or disappear.
I modified the one we had at work with a delrin bushing and the aggravation went away.

You can make a ton of ammo with that in a very short time,even without case and bullet feeders

 

[Threadcutter308]

Thanks man, I appreciate that. All I know is that it's blue and has lots of pieces and parts, does that mean it's a Dillon?

Bogey;

Call Dillon and ask them about their "cleaning/overhaul" program. I sent my XL650 back to them about this same time last year. I don't recall exactly how much it was. I'm thinking $75.00 to $85.00 and the thing came back looking like brand new. I had also sent the powder measures and a bunch of other things (less the dies and toolholders) that they upgraded. It had sat unused for longer than I care to admit and had gotten pretty grungy. The price even included return shipping to me. It really was a steal of a deal.

 

[1J04]

Alphatreedog Welcome to the wonderful world of OCD, Saving Tons of Money , Making Lot's of New Friends , and More Damn Packages Than You Can Shake A Stick At Arriving !!!!

My Dad got me into this game as a teenager and I gotta tell ya, when I got back to the States in 96 from a long absence he found out before his death just how whacked out a person can get over this stuff. It's actually why I finally signed up on here after years of lurking. I have no desire to compete. I'm a Hunter who happens to enjoy stretching out off the shelf Hunting Rigs. That's my thing. Animals don't care about MOA/Sub MOA. Dead is dead.

You're gonna go thru so many phases and along the way you'll figure out what's important to you and what's just wasting time going thru the process with little or no noticeable return. Hell, if someone said it was a good idea to weight sort primers I'd have probably given it a go. But nay, good ole common sense will get ya thru this journey safely and questions. Plenty of reading (ick) and questions. The sticky's are really your friend. Wish ya the best on your journey and we've got a wealth of knowledge on here so you have no shortage of resources.

Many ways to skin this cat brother. You'll figure out what works for you. I like to hear different methodologies and apply what works for me. You'll more than likely do the same. The books are fine but there is nothing better than a local mentor or reaching out on here. Best to ya !!!! And stay safe !!!!

If you need something, like a tool or sample components before ya go out and drop cash on something that doesn't work for you, gimme a shout. I may have what you're looking for, for free. I don't have pistol components anymore. Stopped loading for them a long time ago. Rifle goodies I have. I was asked by 2ndamendfan some time ago if I had a concentricity gauage. I didn't. Next thing ya know I did. We continue to pay it forward. So seriously, if ya need something don't be shy. Every Reloader I know has shit laying around they don't use or have 2 or 3 of. Ask away.

 

[Veer_G]

Thanks man, I appreciate that. All I know is that it's blue and has lots of pieces and parts, does that mean it's a Dillon?

Different manufacturers, different primary colors. Dillon's blue, Frankford's blue, RCBS is green, Hornady, Lee, red, etc. etc.

 

[ArmyJerry]

do this BB, you got a real find there, you should stop by Antique Roadshow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATAudjynAi0

Bogey;

Call Dillon and ask them about their "cleaning/overhaul" program. I sent my XL650 back to them about this same time last year. I don't recall exactly how much it was. I'm thinking $75.00 to $85.00 and the thing came back looking like brand new. I had also sent the powder measures and a bunch of other things (less the dies and toolholders) that they upgraded. It had sat unused for longer than I care to admit and had gotten pretty grungy. The price even included return shipping to me. It really was a steal of a deal.

 

[bogeybrown]

Thanks gents. I'm pretty sure I buried the reloading stuff behind a rolling toolbox. I'll dig through boxes and see what all is there. It definitely seems worth it to send it off to Dillon for a cleaning, even if it's just going to sit for another decade.