Recommendations for a beginner
- Thread starter DCJCROSS
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iH8DemLibz
When All Else Fails.
Find the reloading sub-forum.
There are oodles of "Stickys".
All of your questions will be answered.
There are oodles of "Stickys".
All of your questions will be answered.
DaemonAssassin
Why should we Free BSD?
I spent a lot of time making those posts/threads so that they could be "sticky" at the top of the section. There is a lot of good information in them.
Your math is off because you are probably thinking that you have to use a new piece of brass every time you load. You can re-use each piece of brass at least 5 times, so that is where some of the savings come into play. On top of that, if you are comparing the cost of reloads to bulk ammo prices, you are making a major mistake. Always compare your reloads to match grade ammo. Why match grade you ask? It is because you are making the ammo and have stringent QC during the entire process. You aren't making it in massive batches, you are doing small batches, therefor the quality of the ammo is on par with match ammo.
What these ^^^ Guys have said. They helped me greatly.
I’ve only been reloading for about a yr but now that I’ve accumulated a bunch of brass I’m making good plinking loads
5.56 @ .21/rd
9mm @ .15/rd
300 ACC @ .27/rd
Where the savings for me comes in is when making high quality or match grade ammo. I keep my eyes out for good deals on the type of competition projectiles I like.
Match quality 6.5cm is costing me about .41/rd vs $1.45 and since I’m able to tune the load to my rifle I’m getting very accurate groups.
Good luck and have fun.
I’ve only been reloading for about a yr but now that I’ve accumulated a bunch of brass I’m making good plinking loads
5.56 @ .21/rd
9mm @ .15/rd
300 ACC @ .27/rd
Where the savings for me comes in is when making high quality or match grade ammo. I keep my eyes out for good deals on the type of competition projectiles I like.
Match quality 6.5cm is costing me about .41/rd vs $1.45 and since I’m able to tune the load to my rifle I’m getting very accurate groups.
Good luck and have fun.
If you look around you can save a lot reloading. I buy once fired military brass for .223. I can load it for about .16 cents per round for the first loading, then when reloading already fired (by me) brass, it's cheaper still. 9mm brass can be reloaded almost indefinitely. Don't forget about range pick-up. You can sometimes pick up a hundred pieces of Lake City brass at the range.
If you get into subsonic .300 BLK, you save even more. You can't touch subsonic BLK for under 50 cents a round. Let's face it, most people are just plinking with it. With coated lead projectiles, I can load 220 gr 300 BLK for less than 30 cents per round. Once my .223 brass is fatigued, I can cut it down to 300 BLK. Basically free brass.
If you get into subsonic .300 BLK, you save even more. You can't touch subsonic BLK for under 50 cents a round. Let's face it, most people are just plinking with it. With coated lead projectiles, I can load 220 gr 300 BLK for less than 30 cents per round. Once my .223 brass is fatigued, I can cut it down to 300 BLK. Basically free brass.
He seems to have stopped posting since his post boosting behavior was noticed and his count was trimmed back to 8.
Not our first rodeo.
Not our first rodeo.
He contracted YellowPuma Fever and he's having to recuperate with enforced rest.
"Now that's funny right there I dont care who you are."
Actually. I always come home with more brass then I left with. Make friends with your neighbors, and offer to "help" them sweep up. The kids prefer to take a lane a couple spaces from me so they can claim I'm a stranger
ADCOLE
Member
I started reloading about 2 years ago with my first press being the Dillon xl650. What helped me to learn quickly was the following guys on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/OBXSOLWIND/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/SoCalPreppers/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/216PapaBravo/videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0gqbnh3JnqaJNg7-JYI32Q
How much space do you dedicate to your reloading with the Dillion press? I saw one at the Chantilly show and was shocked how small it was. Obviously, that is just the press, there is the cleaning area, storage, etc...
Could a dedicated area the size of a walk-in closet do or is that not enough?
Could a dedicated area the size of a walk-in closet do or is that not enough?
PowPow
Where's the beef?
That would be plenty of space. I have a 4 foot wide area for my 550 and could easily do with half of that.
LGood48
Ultimate Member
I'm not sure how your calculating you costs, but I use the attached spreadsheet and come up with about $11 per 50 rounds for .223. Compare that with Fiocchi at $20 per 50 that's a significant savings.
Powder was CFE223 at $32/lb; WSR primers $34/1000; Berry's 55 grain FMJBT at $41 per 500. 25 grains of powder.
I get similar savings for my 9mm loads also using plated bullets.
All items from Cabela's except cases which were once fired (Fiocchi 55 grain at $20 per 50) or range pickup.
Powder was CFE223 at $32/lb; WSR primers $34/1000; Berry's 55 grain FMJBT at $41 per 500. 25 grains of powder.
I get similar savings for my 9mm loads also using plated bullets.
All items from Cabela's except cases which were once fired (Fiocchi 55 grain at $20 per 50) or range pickup.
DaemonAssassin
Why should we Free BSD?
You can fit a press into a normal closet if you wanted to, but it would be a very tight space. A walk in closet would give you a lot more space for components, stretching, and other equipment.
- Feb 4, 2013
- 28,175
You need about a minimum of a foot on either side of the press. Not much room behind.
And in front you need may 2 - 3 feet to operate.
More room would be nice, but you could run it in that small of space.
And in front you need may 2 - 3 feet to operate.
More room would be nice, but you could run it in that small of space.
BigDaddy
Ultimate Member
- Feb 7, 2014
- 2,235
Maybe
If your goal is to shoot the cheapest ammo you can buy Ruski 223 for $.20 a round and 9mm for .15 without any investment in equipment or time.
If you want to reload to get a more accurate load at a reasonable cost, load premium bullets at less than a premium price, then reloading makes sense.
Generally we believe if you reload, you will shoot more. That may not necessarily be true if you don't have a convenient place to shoot or have family and work responsibilities that limit your ability to get to the range.
If you are only going to shoot a couple hundred rounds a year, it will take a long time to recover the cost of your reloading press, tumbler, case trimer, priming tools etc. More so if you end up with a Dillon press.
- Feb 4, 2013
- 28,175
Another factor in calculating reloading costs is what bullet are you pricing?
If you are reloading with factory high performance hollow points, your cost will be high.
But for pistol shooting, I shoot pretty much all cast lead bullets. A lot cheaper. And even cheaper if you start casting.
Straight wall pistol cases are almost unlimited reloading. Bottle neck rifle from 5 - 10 reloads easily.
For mil calibers (5.56, 7.62, 9mm, .45, etc) you can get once fired brass pretty cheaply.
And people have mentioned range pickup. I also tend to come back from the range with more than I shot in empty brass.
And if you find brass you do not shoot, pick it up anyway. You can trade it. Or, if you pick up enough brass, buy a firearm for it.
If you are reloading with factory high performance hollow points, your cost will be high.
But for pistol shooting, I shoot pretty much all cast lead bullets. A lot cheaper. And even cheaper if you start casting.
Straight wall pistol cases are almost unlimited reloading. Bottle neck rifle from 5 - 10 reloads easily.
For mil calibers (5.56, 7.62, 9mm, .45, etc) you can get once fired brass pretty cheaply.
And people have mentioned range pickup. I also tend to come back from the range with more than I shot in empty brass.
And if you find brass you do not shoot, pick it up anyway. You can trade it. Or, if you pick up enough brass, buy a firearm for it.
https://www.usacarry.com/reloading-beginners
I found this two part article sums up reloading pretty well. It encompasses a multitude of information I had questions about too.
I still haven't decided to do it or not but with the recent fervor for gun control coming from some republicans I'm going to guess ammo prices will start to see demand again and prices go back up. Especially nearing 2018 if we are looking at a Dem blow out in congress.
ADCOLE
Member
I purchased a workbench from this guy in VA:
https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/tls/d/workbench-woodworking-general/6325904131.html
Last edited:
That was mighty kind of you. He must be a real friend. Perhaps you would consider buying a bench for me as well?
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