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Old February 8, 2013, 02:22 PM   #1
44smith
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Reloading equipment and reloaded ammo worth?

What are reloaded ammo and used dies, RCBS rock chucker press etc. worth?
My sister has her late husbands, my brother-in-law's, relaoding equipment and I'm thinking on buying some of it, but we are not sure what everything is worth? He kept it all in real good shape.
I don't know if most people go by 1/2 price of new, or more than that?
I need some help from people that know more about that stuff than me. I've never reloaded before.
Thanks to all for the help.
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Old February 8, 2013, 02:35 PM   #2
David Bachelder
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If its in "like new" condition you should be able to get 80% of its current value. Less if its less than "like new". At any rate, unless its completely trashed, you should be able to get at least 50% of its current value.
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Old February 8, 2013, 02:37 PM   #3
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Reloaded ammo is of dubious value. I would never shoot someone else's reloads. For one thing, even if he made no mistakes, he may have developed it relying on pressure signs in a gun that's stronger than yours is or that has a longer freebore in its chamber. So you can't know for sure your gun won't be overworked by it. I would figure on having to invest in a bullet puller and do all the work of disassembly. You can then salvage the bullet and case and primer, but the powder should probably fertilize the lawn just in case the labeling isn't correct. You also don't know how many times the brass has been fired, so I wouldn't count on it having much remaining life. Pay maybe ten cents a round for the bullet and primer.

As to the rest, take a look at on line auction actual SOLD (not asking) prices and see what you would be likely to pay for it there. Individual case may get high prices due to auction excitement, so check the lows, too. I would guess your suggestion of half current prices is not unreasonable. If he bought it a couple decades back, that'll give the widow about everything he put into it.
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Old February 8, 2013, 02:59 PM   #4
44smith
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Thanks guys. That is true about the ammo. He's always been pretty particular
about his reloads, but I have no idea how hot they are.
I was thinking around 50% of new too. It's in good shape but I think there has been new models since he got his.
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Old February 8, 2013, 03:40 PM   #5
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The model issue is worth noting. Older electronic scales often get a bit off over time. A balance beam scale, though, will remain good if it's been treated well. The Rock Chucker is unlikely to have changed significantly and an old one will be U.S. made rather than Chinese and may be tougher from more skilled avoidance of stress risers in making the casting. As long as it hasn't worn loose or been damaged it could actually be better than current new ones.

I don't think I've ever worn out a shell holder or other small part like that, so those should all be OK. Some priming tools have been improved on over the last 20 years (note that I don't know how long he actually had this stuff), so if you are interested in a specialty, like benchrest or service rifle match shooting, you may find a reason to switch. Loading trays are the same. Some newer powder measures have shown up, but the old standby drum and horizontal chamber types are unchanged. Not knowing what else he had, it's hard to say what might be obsolete. In the case of powders, it depends when he bought them.
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Old February 8, 2013, 04:31 PM   #6
AZBarbarian
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Lowball your sister.

On a serious note... Give her the money a new rock chucker supreme kit would cost you but get everything beyond the kit included (dies, manuals, brass, etc.)
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Old February 8, 2013, 05:28 PM   #7
lee n. field
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Quote:
My sister has her late husbands, my brother-in-law's, relaoding equipment and I'm thinking on buying some of it, but we are not sure what everything is worth? He kept it all in real good shape.
hard to say. Got a list? How old is the stuff? Slightly old items from current manufacturers will bring more than (most) weird old stuff from the 50s and 60s. (There are exceptions to this.) Some of the older stuff is incompatible with current equipment.

Get a detailed list, and then go to Midwayusa.com, and check against their listed prices. Bear in mind that current prices for consumables will be unreasonably high.

His handloaded ammo, I would disassemble for components.
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Old February 8, 2013, 05:52 PM   #8
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Sorry for the loss of your Brother-in-Law. My condolences to your Sister.

Post an inventory list and as many pictures as you can manage. I have seen other threads asking about value of used equipment and apparently, we LOVE to price used gear. It's kind of like shopping with other people's money.

Most used equipment follows the "50% of new price rule", but reloading gear is usually 75%. Being able to sell an entire lot is worth discounting down a bit, even as far as down as 50%.

Primers still in original packaging usually is worth 100% of new ($3 to $5 per hundred last time I checked).

Gunpowder is $18-$35 per pound last time I checked, depending on which powder, but if not in original, sealed containers is worth little to nothing, depending on your tolerance for risk.

Bullets are worth what you are willing to pay. They don't age, spoil or lose potency. But if they won't fit your firearm or fill a need you have are no more valuable than the cheapest you can find in a store.

Like I suggested. Post pictures and an inventory list.

If you give your sister the web address of this thread, she can see the valuations and eliminate any intra-family negotiating, which can be emotionally draining in a time of loss. Let us take that burden.

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Old February 8, 2013, 06:37 PM   #9
44smith
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Thanks everyone for all the condolences and help. My BIL passed away a couple of years ago. Sisters still having a hard time getting rid of anything that was his. She keeps going back and forth on selling the reloading equipment.
I would like to get an idea what it's worth so when she decides to sell it for sure I'm ready with the prices.
I think the press is around 20 years old. and probably the balance beam scales. not sure about the rest. he's got one of the rcbs stations for cleaning and trimming brass. I'll have to right everything down and check new prices. And figure about 50% from there. That may be the easiest. It's just kind of hard to know when you buy used stuff of any kind what it is worth and a fair price for both.
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Old February 8, 2013, 11:14 PM   #10
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For what it's worth-- I was tasked with selling off a deceased friend's shooting and reloading stuff recently. Much of it was/is new, and since he was a chemical engineer he kept all of it in excellent condition. I tried to price it at about 80% of new, and frankly had a difficult time selling much of it. Seems as if we're a cheap bunch, always looking for deals. But if you offer 50% of new that should be a fair price.
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Old February 9, 2013, 12:03 AM   #11
44smith
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Thanks everyone. You've been a lot of help.
Seems like I'm getting a lot 50% being pretty fair. I'll probably try that route and see what she thinks.
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Old February 9, 2013, 01:18 AM   #12
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Sorry for your loss.

In your BILs items you will find a few things that worth more than the mere dollars.

I had a friend offer me some of his father's equipment several years ago as I was first getting interested in reloading. In the boxes he delivered I found an old Pacific beam scale and check weights in the original box. Probably from the 40s in near mint condition. As much as I wanted to keep it to use, I could not stand the fact that it took forevvvveeerrr to settle out.

That darn scale mesmerized me for several days but did confirm for me that I wanted to get into reloading. Inspecting all of the tools and old load manuals in those boxes was interesting and fun. It slowed me down in my thoughts and plans to purchase the best stuff I could afford.

After two weeks I kept a few items I could use and gave the rest back to him, including a Pacific single stage press, dies, lubri-sizer and some very nice lyman bullet molds. As I recall, my buddy offered these items to another guy who took it all and sold it within a week for little to nothing. If I had it to do over today, I would have kept it all.

I still have 200 .38 spl bullets from my buddy's father. Every time I see them in their wooden and cork box I think of how lucky I was to have a chance to get some quality stuff and instruction starting out. We shot some of my first loads made with his dads bullets.

All I can say is if you think you might be interested in reloading, give your sister 60-70% of new prices and stay with the thought to keep the items yourself.
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Old February 9, 2013, 12:05 PM   #13
44smith
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Thanks j357. Sorry about your friends father. It was nice of him to offer the reloading equipment to you. The old scale would have been kind of neat to have just sitting on a shelf in the reloading room.
I appreciate the help.
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Old February 10, 2013, 12:05 AM   #14
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50% does sound fair to you and to her. I also suggest pulling down the ammo and recovering the components as suggested. The ammo being dubious to sell and perhaps even illegal, it would be a nice gesture on her part to throw that in for free since you'll be buying the gear and not using the ammo. Just a thought.
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