Min. practical $$ cost to get started?

[MakAttack]

I have been a shooter for a lot of years, but have never loaded a single round. When talking about plinking ammo, it seems that it would take an awful lot of rounds before the cost of reloading the round and the initial investment begin to pay off.

However, defensive loads could be another story. For instance, I just paid between $0.45 & $0.61 per round for some premium hollowpoint 9x18 (Makarov) ammo the other day To buy enough ammo at this price to ensure reliable feeding & function in a semi-auto & maintain proficiency with it would be a serious amount of cash.

Question is, what would it take to get into reloading (equipment type, model, & cost) that would permit efficient loading of a few calibers (9x18, .45, .380) at a rate a maybe a few hundred rounds per month total?

I don't expect anyone to run to the reloading catalog & get prices for me or anything - but if you have advice to offer on any of the above, I appreciate the input!

Thanks,

Mak


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"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work"
Thomas Alva Edison

[bergie]

A person can get started pretty cheaply, and can shoot premium bullets for less than you can buy plinking ammo. My initial essential equipment was less than $100. My first manual was about another $16. Lee anniversary kit, carbide dies, a caliper and case length gauge and shellholder (for hand trimming, the cutter and lockstud are part of the kit) for 9mm. I found them all on sale at the time I bought, would cost a little more at regular prices. Since that time, I have spent more on manuals than I did on equipment.
A pound of powder will average about $15 and for pistol loads you will get MANY (depending on powder and charge weight, but at least 1,000) rounds out of one pound. 1.5cents/round
Primers ? depending on brand and quantity bought $2.00/ 100 2cent/round
Bullets ? I can locally buy Hornady 9mm 115gr HP/XTP box of 100 for $8.95 8.95 cents per round

total per round for components approx. 13 cents

I can shoot reloaded 9mm ammo with a premium bullet for $6.50 a box.
These are prices that I can get locally, for my loads in 9mm as usuall, your mileage may vary.
quickly flipping through a handy Shotgun News I see the following prices on 9mm:
Norinco 124gr fmj $61.50/500 = 6.15/box
Wolf (russian) 115gr fmj berdan primed 5.50/box
3D reloads 125gr lead 5.95/box 115gr jhp 8.95/box
Buying cheap ammo locally, the best prices are about $8-10/box
Compared to buying premium ammo at $20 +/box my equipment paid for itself in less than 10 boxes
Mail order, it might never pay off, but I'm shooting premium ammo at about the same price as the really cheap [color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color].
Compared to buying the cheapest locally it would take about 35 boxes, but again I am shooting premium ammo that I would stake my life on at less than plinkin cost.
HTH
bergie

[Paul B.]

Mak. I just had a discussion with a guy interested in getting into reloading as cheaply as possible. Did for about $100.
For factory equivilant reloads, I'll say great. Make up your loads to duplicate your defensive loads. I said "duplicate" and not use.
Unforntunately in out increasing anti-gun criminal justice system, you could be hung out to dry. If you use one of your reloads to defend yourself, an anti-gun prosecuter will say you concocted, "Special killing ammo, and was looking for a victim to try it our on." Can't happen? It already has. They can even call it murder one and get away with it.
Use your reloads to get in more practice and increase your proficiency. Defend yourself with factory ammo. Hell! Even then they'll run you through more hell than you ever thought existed. A word to the wise.
Paul B.

[Bill Adair]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MakAttack:
Question is, what would it take to get into reloading (equipment type, model, & cost) that would permit efficient loading of a few calibers (9x18, .45, .380) at a rate a maybe a few hundred rounds per month total?
[/quote]

Mak,

The benefits of reloading are not only economy, but accuracy, and enjoyment.

I currently reload with a single stage RCBS press, for 9X18, 9X19, .357, .45 Colt, and will soon start reloading .223.

My Makarov reloads, using Oregon Trail 93gr lead bullets, Starline brass, and Win 231 powder, cost me $2.88 per box of 50 (based on ten reloads of the same case). More importantly, they group about half the size of the cheap Russian plinking ammo, and never fail to feed in my Mak!

The cheapest commercial ammo I've found for the Mak is $11/box Fiocchi, so it doesn't take long to recoup the cost of loading equipment, providing you do not count your labor!

I'll recommend a minimum of equipment to get started, and you can check the prices at Midway or any other retail source. Combo deals are almost always available from Midway, at great savings over individual parts.

1. Single stage press.

(You can buy used to save money, and can alway upgrade to a progressive later.)

2. Powder scale.

(They are almost impossible to wear out, so you could buy used. Most any brand of balance beam, Ohaus, RCBS, etc is suitable.)

3. Powder measure.

(RCBS Uniflow is what I use, but Hornady and others make good ones.)

4. Loading trays.

(Hornady makes one with small enough cups to hold 9mm. Check gun shows for used ones.)

5. Dies.

(Don't even mess with steel dies! Carbide dies will eliminate the tedious case lube requirement for straight walled handgun cases, and will last forever.)

6. Powder funnel.

(The only safe way to get powder back in the can, and into individual cases, when weighing test samples on your scale.)

7. Calipers.

(I got along for almost twenty years without them, but never really knew if my bullet length was correct. Absolutely essential for loading taper crimp rimless cases!

8. Hand priming tool.

(The Lee Autoprime is hard to beat for value, but RCBS now makes a tool that uses primers in a plastic strip, and that may be neater and faster. You can load your own plastic strips with loose primers using a tool they sell, but you can also buy the primers already in the plastic strips for about the same price as loose primers.)

9. Shell holders for the press, in calibers you wish to reload.

10. Shell holders for the hand priming tool.

(You can buy a complete set of 11 Lee Autoprime shell holders with storage box, for $15 from Midway. That's less than half the price of individual shell holders, and covers just about every handgun caliber.)

11. Inspection light.

(The last thing you do before seating bullets is check the powder level in the cases to be sure none are overfilled, or underfilled. A shop light or flashlight will do, but don't leave out this critical item!)

12. A good reloading manual.

(I have several, but I'll let others recommend the best manual that includes instructions. Here again, you can save buying used.)

Case cleaning is much easier with a tumbler, but you can very easily wash and dry them by hand instead. If you have a small gem polishing tumbler, it will work for small batches of cases, with either ground walnut shells (preferred) or ground corn cob media.

You don't need to trim pistol cases, clean primer pockets every time you reload, or any of the dozens of other little tasks they sell special tools to perform. Start with the basics above, and add equipment if you really get into reloading.

If you decide reloading is too tedious and time consuming for you, the equipment can always be sold to recoup most of your expenditure.

Enjoy!

Bill

[Patrick Graham]

Remember.. the "getting started cheaply" thing is just bait. Once you get hooked on reloading then Mike Dillon reels you in.

[SKR]

RCBS Rock Chucker Master Reloading Kit, around $230; plus the RCBS Accessory Kit, around $60.

[El Rojo]

I concur on carrying reloaded ammo for self-defense. Punk lawyers will rip you up for that. I highly recommend you only carry factory premium ammo.

I went all out when I got into reloading. It might be a few years before I pay off my investment, but I can tell you it is already saving me money. Plus reloading offers maximum flexibilty and a whole lot of fun.

If you are going to spend the money on reloading equipment, go ahead and save and buy the good stuff in increments. I highly recommend buying a Dillon RL 550B. That progressive press will have you reloading 9mm anywhwere from 250-400 rounds a hour in no time and for cheap! And then build up from there as the funds become available.

I looked at my purchase of a Dillon and everything else to go with it as a long term investment. I am 23 and I figure I might have numerous years of shooting left ahead of me. The sooner I bought a progressive press, the sooner I started saving money, the more money I am going to save over my lifetime. Good luck.

[beemerb]

I have been relading about 33 years now.The more you get into it the cheaper you can reload.Sounds stupid right but is not.You learn to find the best places to buy components.My pistol powder costs me 10.00 a LB to my door.Primers at 63.27 for 5000 and cast 45 acp slugs at about 34 a 1000.With the cost of brass I can shoot 45 acp for about 6$ a hundred.38 and 357 at about 5$ a 1000.At this cost it doesn't take long to pay for the reloading equepment.Time to payback will depend on how much you shoot.I allso think the more you save the more you will shoot so in the end you save nothing BUT all the fun you have and how much your shooting will improve.Amaze your friends and down your enemys.
Have fun


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beemerb
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