Want to start RELOADING...what do I need to get started?

[Dr Falken]

I know I'm in the minority here, but a chronograph is another must have in my reloding tool box.

I don't know about being in a minority, I just got one and it is real helpful just to see where your load is at. Some many factors, but where the rubber hits the pavement, so to speak tells you what you have going on with a particular load. I got a Chrony beta F1, for $89 at Midway, well worth it.

 

[Joe Williams]

One more question for all of you reloaders out there... Do you find that you save money when reloading? And if so, what would you estimate you savings (%) is over store-bought loads?

No. But I shoot a bunch more

It costs me about $6 per 50 to load 9mm, .38 Special, and .357 Magnum with cast bullets. Just under $8 for jacketed, which I don't reload much. That's bunches cheaper than store bought!

 

[GhostofWinter]

I am looking to not really SAVE money on ammo, but rather to help defray the high cost of it as well as the general lack of availability. I picked up a reloading press used already but haven't set it up nor have I bought any of the supplies or manuals for it just yet. I have been reading up as much as I can on what I NEED as well as hoping to find a reloader in the area (NW Indiana) that I could sit in with and learn from. The info that I have gottn on here so far has been GREAT! Now I need to pick up the manuals and get moving on reloading slowly but safely.

Greg

PS a reloading SUBFORUM would be nice

 

[hornadylnl]

If you go progressive, look at nothing but a Dillon 650 or a Hornady LNL. You can get case feeders for them that will do all calibers of rifle or pistol. You can get a case feeder for the Dillon 550 but it won't do rifle rounds.

My philosophy (took me awhile to get there) is go cheap or get the best. If you buy a middle of the road press and decide you want to upgrade to a better one or add a case feeder, etc., you'll probably have to buy a new press. It will save you money in the long run to buy the best.

I couldn't imagine going back to loading 50 rounds in 30 minutes. I do still have 2 single stages but I do any bulk loading on my LNL. With a case feeder, you can supposedly do 800-1000 an hour. I do more around 300. I take my time.

My advice is if you plan on loading more than a couple thousand rounds in your lifetime, go progressive and be prepared to drop at least $1000 in getting it setup. I have a lot more than that in all my equipment.

 

[BeeRian]

I don't know about being in a minority, I just got one and it is real helpful just to see where your load is at. Some many factors, but where the rubber hits the pavement, so to speak tells you what you have going on with a particular load. I got a Chrony beta F1, for $89 at Midway, well worth it.

Also agreed on the importance/usefullness of a chronograph. Helps greatly in working up "hot" loads. You can see the actual velocity based on your powder/oal/bullet wt vs. what is listed in a book and hoping it will be exactly the same for you.

 

[Claddagh]

As the other folks said, I feel as if I'm not so much saving money as I am maximizing the amount of shooting I can do for the money I can, in good conscience, afford to spend. At today's ammo prices I figure that I can put at least 2.5-3X as many rounds downrange for the funds my limited budget will allow. Some months reloading makes the difference between "can" and "can't" as far as trips to the club go.

While I don't look on my CED Millenium chronograph as being an absolute necessity, it surely has been a great help to me for load development. Having solid data drawn from actual performance in my guns has saved me a lot of time, effort and wasted components.

 

[EvilElmo]

Ditto on the progressive recommendations, but I'll take a different tack. Take a look at a Lee Loadmaster. You can get one complete with dies for one caliber for around $250 shipped. It's fully progressive and auto-indexing. It comes with a case feeder but spend the $10 on the case collator. It doesn't look like much of an addition but it really works well and really speeds up loading the case feeder.

The Loadmaster (and Lee in general) gets a bad rap from a lot of people online. It had some materials problems when it was first introduced but Lee fixed that years ago. It takes some tinkering to get it running smoothly at first but once it's set it pumps out ammo that's just as good as any other press will produce.

I load 40, 45, 38 sp and 357 with mine. The press and all of the components (dies, extra powder measures, some spare parts, etc) cost me in the neighborhood of $500. I won't knock Dillon products because their reputation is too good to be a fluke, but for half the initial cost the Lee produces the exact same ammunition. If you decide to get one make sure to watch the setup videos and check the forums at the following sites, and if you live in the general vicinity of the south-east part of Indiana (I'm near Cincinnati) I'll be happy to help you set it up!

Lee Precision, Inc. Reloading Tools and Equipment: Setup and Operation Help Videos
Lee Lodmaster Setup Guide and Tips
The Load Master Zone

 

[BE Mike]

Having reloaded since 1972, all I can say is that you get what you pay for. Buy the best reloading equipment that your budget will allow. The best thing IMHO that Lee has going for it is that it is cheap. If you have a very tight budget, then by all means buy cheap. This can mean that you shop around for some good used equipment. One caution is that you should consult a trusted experienced reloader, if and when you want to buy some used equipment. Many times used equipment will be missing parts or have some other issue, and this can be a seemingly insurmountable obstacle for a new reloader. As someone else said, for progressives there are currently only Dillon and Hornady which I would consider.

 

[JByer323]

New to reloading? Going with a progressive? That's a 550B.

 

[Joe Williams]

I am wanting to start reloading 9mm, .40, .44 and possibly some rifle calibers. What equipment would you recommend to get started with? Where would you recommend to purchase the equipment? Any help would be appreciated.

I noticed you didn't set out a budget for what you can, or want, to spend. Lots of folks are pushing the progressives, which are nice, but single stage is nice, too, and I like them better. I don't mind taking extra time to make my ammo, since the process itself is a hobby I greatly enjoy and that makes it a good use of my time. The equipment is also bunches cheaper.

If you are on a budget, check out the post below on how I got into cheapskate reloading

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/205598-post8.html

 

[BE Mike]

You did ask about where to purchase your equipment. I don't know where you live, but I was at Bass Pro the other day and their presses and accessories were priced pretty reasonably. Their reloading component prices were from high to stratosphere! I'd try to buy my press locally to save the shipping, and check with some reloading sites to get some prices in mind regarding scale, powder measure, manual, etc. Good places online to check are MidwayUSA — Shooting Supplies, Reloading, Gunsmithing, Hunting, Ammunition, Gun Parts & Rifle Scopes Widener's Reloading and Shooting Supply INC Natchez Shooters Supplies

Let us know what you decide and keep us abreast of your progress as a handloader.