Question Debating Getting Into Reloading....

[Jimi Jah]

If you’re chasing accuracy, then it’s totally worth it. If you’re trying to save money, it’s a wash. If you value your time, it’s among the least fulfilling things you can do in life.

That's what I found. I used to reload with good powder and expensive match bullets. Once better match grade factory ammo came out it wasn't worth it anymore, especially with component price increases.
I used to buy powder at the Del Mar gun show for cheap. I still have some like Varget.
I could probably sell it for profit.

I still save the brass but will probably sell it as I stocked up on ammo when it was cheap during Trump's first term. I have cases of 5.56, .22, 357, 7.62x39, 9mm .45, and 6.5 Grendel. Some is Hornady match, good stuff. I also pick up the .22 cases as the recycler pays for those and I don't litter.

Every once and a while I look at the press and bags of brass and wonder about firing it all back up. Then I remember the amount of work and time required and I think, forget about it. I'm older and you find time becomes more valuable.

 

[H. Bowman]

I recommend against it all the time. Cost for startup to have a decent setup is not insignificant, but the TIME you'll spend on it is immense, if you shoot much or don't go all in on progressives. Even with a Dillon 650, my time is more valuable than the financial cost of just buying bulk 9mm. Depends on calibers you shoot. If you shoot just common stuff, and not a LOT, it probably isn't worth it. I shoot a lot of oddball, wildcat, and out of production stuff. I still just buy 9mm, 40, 45, 223, 308, and x39, even thought I've got all the gear and hundreds of lbs of bullets for them. Time is valuable.

 

[Hit Factor]

Time is valuable.

Yes, but the process is even more valuable from a hobby standpoint, and the ability to produce massive amounts of high quality ammo tuned to your specific guns and magazines at the ideal power factor for your desired purpose is priceless.

 

[USMC06RET]

If you're anywhere in LA I'm happy to swing by and catch you up in person it's a bit much just to get from forums and books. I'm lucky that in my reloading experience an old SF guy and the gunnery sergeant that spent every weekend at his little gun smith shop were so keen to teach someone when I picked it up many moons ago.

Also gear selection will change your life so it's good to have that discussion.

That is an extremely generous offer and I really appreciate it! Unfortunately, I am down in the San Diego area and never really get up that way. Now, if I do actually embark on this little adventure, can I touch base with you for advice?

 

[USMC06RET]

My opinion in this regard is that consumables which are basically shelf stable permanently other than powder which is damn near 8 years shelf stable are probably the cheapest they will ever be.

You will never have trouble finding a cheap press or dies because every time someones gramps kicks the bucket a perfectly serviceable single stage and 40 year old RCBS trickler and set of pristine lee dies end up in a junk pile for 50$ because noone even has a clue what any of it is or does.

Heh, heh, great minds think alike, that is very much what my line of thinking was, even though it probably won't be that long, relatively speaking, before I am that "Gramps"!

 

[Gryff]

First thing I did before I started was to read the ABCs of Reloading cover to cover. Gave me a foundation to understand the process.

Amazon.com

 

[ar15robert]

I got started in 98 with a rockchucker kit.It had a laoding manual/book that covered the basics too pretty much covered what i needed to do.Still load with that press today and wont ever get rid of it.

I also shot alot of .45 then too and couldnt load them fast enough so got a dillion square deal B set up for .45 and also still use today but have expanded handgun to 9mm and 10mm too.But 9mm is cheaper to buy than get a conversion kit(conversion kit is more than what i paid for the sdb anyways)10mm i dont shoot enough to need a faster press.

As for cost like said 9mm i can buy it cheap 5.56 is getting there too considering the cost of powder and primers.I do save on 45 though and especially 300win mag.

 

[couragewolf]

That is an extremely generous offer and I really appreciate it! Unfortunately, I am down in the San Diego area and never really get up that way. Now, if I do actually embark on this little adventure, can I touch base with you for advice?

Absolutely any time.

 

[bonesurf]

If you value your time, it’s among the least fulfilling things you can do in life.

I dunno there’s something AMSR soothing about it tho. But yeah. It’s not in an absolute sense efficient especially single stage loading. But sometimes i wander off and reload to take my mind off of everything

 

[Deleted member 16735]

I like the process of reloading and don't mind the time, I don't save any money but I shoot a hell of a lot more. Word of warning, if you reload 12 gauge it's not like reloading brass, you don't "work up a load" within a range of pressures you have to follow the recipe of a specific hull with a specific powder and specific wad because the pressures aren't as linear as reloading brass. I would say though that unless you are reloading duck loads then 12 gauge may not actually be worth reloading because you can get target loads for pretty cheap still. Everything else though you can actually load for cheaper than factory by a good margin, look for sales and stock up.

 

[Deadcoyote]

$90 / lbs. ?? Really? That's insane. Were those local prices or mail order on the web?

This was local in a shop.

 

[couragewolf]

I got started in 98 with a rockchucker kit.It had a laoding manual/book that covered the basics too pretty much covered what i needed to do.Still load with that press today and wont ever get rid of it.

I also shot alot of .45 then too and couldnt load them fast enough so got a dillion square deal B set up for .45 and also still use today but have expanded handgun to 9mm and 10mm too.But 9mm is cheaper to buy than get a conversion kit(conversion kit is more than what i paid for the sdb anyways)10mm i dont shoot enough to need a faster press.

As for cost like said 9mm i can buy it cheap 5.56 is getting there too considering the cost of powder and primers.I do save on 45 though and especially 300win mag.

I cranked the math out a year ago or so and even factoring in buying a dillon 550 assuming I reuse the brass 5x or so I'm cutting my match ammo costs after 3000 rds or so nearly by 1/2 or 2/3 depending on the caliber.

Pistol rounds are a wash until you get into some serious volume assuming progressive loading, but I can crank between 500-600 match grade rounds in an hour and a half or so.

Time is money, but personally I really value eliminating the ammo to firearm relationship from the precision equation.

I want every bullet going exactly where I intend it to.

I also have an ethical issue with the state being able to track and approve every ammo purchase I make it's truly no business of theirs how much I shoot or have in my queue and frankly when the media makes a horror story out of a 1k round stash like it's an armory and that's frequently been a quantity I've consistently shot in a month I don't care for the optics.

 

[eeediot]

The viability of reloading depends upon your personality, your budget, or your goals.

First - Reloading means you are making little mini bombs that go off inches from your precious and irreplaceable body parts. If your not the kind of person with an eye for details and have a safety mindset it's going to be safer for you and the people around you if you buy ammo.

Budget - you can save a lot of money if you reload expensive or hard to find cartridges. If you are shooting commodity ammo like 5.56 or 9mm then it is going to be very hard to save money unless you are shooting tremendous volumes and are willing to spend the money for heavy automation like a Dillon 1100 with an autodrive.

Goals - If you are just looking for decent ammo that goes bang your best bet is to shoot cartridges with good factory support (5.56, .308, 9mm, etc.). If you want to shoot oddball cartridges like the .280 AI or want more options for things like lead free projectiles for hunting then reloading is a good idea. It can be a lot of work but it is really nice to be able to shoot any cartridge and bullet combo. It is also very nice to be able to clone or even improve hard to get ammo ammo like Black Hills MK262. If you are looking to shoot long range reloading is likely to be necessary as factory ammo won't be consistent enough for that kind of shooting.

If you do decide to reload and aren't in a hurry you can save some money by watching online forms at the big shooting websites and waiting for deals on used equipment.

 

[Chukarman78]

I use Hornady reload manual for metallic cartridges. Lyman for shotgun. Lots of good data on hodgedon websites also. YouTube will give you good general info for equipment and what all you need. I started with a rcbs single stage, now I’m using a Dillon 550 for pistol loads. Just got into shotgun wheels with a used mec press. Really enjoying shotgun loading!

It’s a fun hobby if you have the time. I only really save money on bigger calibers and making real quality hunting ammo. When I don’t have the time I just supplement with factory ammo. Stock up when components are cheap or sales.

 

[mindwreck]

That is an extremely generous offer and I really appreciate it! Unfortunately, I am down in the San Diego area and never really get up that way. Now, if I do actually embark on this little adventure, can I touch base with you for advice?

What part? I occasionally travel south to SD and north county for my job. I'd be willing to help. Easist way is youtube videos. tons of them out there. All the manufactures have recipes to start with.

Most of the people that leave reloading stop because of time and cost. And it is hard to justify starting this in time with inflation and shortages. With the calibers youre doing, you might be alright if your making specific gun ammo and match grade stuff. Powder is the real kicker, its about 2x what it used to cost and no hopes of dropping anytime soon.

Personally. Yes, I saved money( on avg 40-50% saving cost vs new ammo for common calibers, way more for uncommon $ calibers). But it did cost time. I tend to shoot a lot more than most people so recouping costs was faster than most, and I've been doing this for 20 years. I knew shortly after got my first gun and started shooting, that I NEED to reload if I'm to continue enjoying this hobby. I ebayed everything used and started cheap on a single stage. Once i got the hang of it, I wanted to speed up the process so had time for other hobbies too (don't get me started about cars). I immediately went all in on Dillons. That's a big $$ for most people to swallow but i knew it wasn't a phase. This was my lifetime hobby. I LOVE shooting. So for me.. I'm doing something i like, that allows me to do something I love. If youre looking at it from purely a money standpoint, then reloading will be a job, not a hobby.

I found out as I got deeper into reloading. It became a hobby in itself. I reload 19 different calibers.. I love the fact that I can make my own ammo specific to guns. whether its for comp/race guns, mil surps, precision or just bulk plinking. Zero hoops to jump through. I love the experimentation of it. I am a natural born tinkerer.. One old timer told me that You reload to shoot and you shoot to reload. The final true form of a reloader. Going shooting just so you can pick up the brass and make ammo again.

Some also find it therapeutic. If I've had a hectic week, id sit there and just prime brass or something and listen to music. meat in the smoker. just unwind.

 

[Dooder]

If you have a ballistic requirement then go for it. If you just want to load then go for it. If you want to gain knowledge of ballistics then go for it. If your goal is to penny pinch then go for it.

It's another hobby and to this day I smile big when I make a giant pile of ammo. You'll learn a lot about ammo and ballistics which will make you a better shooter.

The tough truth is that it's does cost a bundle to get started with anything decent and buying bulk components means dropping a lot at once every everytime. Space becomes an issue...but you'll be makin good ass ammo!! Haaaha

 

[Bongos]

in my experience, whether in good times or bad (prices), you don't really save much money, you just shoot a lot more and the loads are to specific firearms, rifle load are a lot of fun. that said I usually get my stuff from Phillips Wholesale in Covina.. Good luck and have fun

 

[USMC06RET]

What part? I occasionally travel south to SD and north county for my job. I'd be willing to help. Easist way is youtube videos. tons of them out there. All the manufactures have recipes to start with.

I ebayed everything used and started cheap on a single stage. Once i got the hang of it, I wanted to speed up the process so had time for other hobbies too (don't get me started about cars).

@mindwreck, you sound like an true expert. As for where in San Diego, I'm out in the wilds of east county, lot's of land and gophers and endless work..... ;-).

I understand the whole hobby and car thing, I was involved for quite a while with private planes and eBay was a salvation, one of the happiest days of my life is when I found a replacement magneto for my N2S-5..... Wife said I was happier than when we got married.... I made the mistake of saying "duh.....", I paid for that for a LONG time.

Back to reloading, I'm still kicking the tires on this and I need to do some reading first. However, would it be OK if I were to pick your brain from time to time as I progress? Also, thanks very much for your kind offer, that was really generous!

 

[DIYPSCM]

If you just want to pump out range ammo, consider instead getting your FFL03... you can have for example 9mm shipped to your door for 20 cents a round, no shipping, tax or 11%fee. The FFL03 all in will cost you about $125.

 

[USMC06RET]

If you just want to pump out range ammo, consider instead getting your FFL03... you can have for example 9mm shipped to your door for 20 cents a round, no shipping, tax or 11%fee. The FFL03 all in will cost you about $125.

Thanks, I have thought about that. I had an FFL03 many years ago and let it lapse. Could be time to revisit that. Although, my biggest concern involves lack of availability not cost.