Is reloading worth it for me?

[Wag]

I'm not a fan of Lee products. I bought their anniversary kit several years ago and within two years, had starting replacing most of the equipment. And that was with less than 4,000 rounds loading. I don't use any of that equipment any more and all but the press has been dropped into the dumpster for haulaway.

I will say that someone gave me a Lee turret press a few years ago and that thing is probably older than I am. I've probably built about 7,000 rounds on it and it still seems to be going strong.

Anyhoo, reloading is spectacularly wonderful. You'll get addicted, I promise!

I read the Speer book and a couple of others (Nosler, Lyman, I think) before I started loading. The internet wasn't something I was inclined to use back then! (Jeez, that just made me feel old!)

You'll save money with components, no doubt. If you figure the value of your time, though, it won't. However, if you enjoy doing it there is no cost to you time.

Do your homework before you buy any equipment. You don't have to spend a fortune but don't be cheap either. You can get set up VERY well for $500. Maybe try Craigslist. Once in a while......

Good luck! Lots of good info on here from what I've seen so far!

--Wag--

[CMichael]

I want something not complicated, but that I can do rounds rather quickly.

Suggestions?

[alloy]

This morning at the range I rattled off 50 or so rifle match type .308 rounds and 100 .45 autos for a grand total of maybe 32 dollars.
No complaints, even picked up about 50 R-P 7.62x39mm cases and maybe 3 dozen .45 cases with an oddball assortment of this and that.
Zero complaints on the cost of reloading.

[MrWesson]

I got a lee turret press and everything I needed to reload 9mm for under 300.

I cast and reload 9mm for about $40 per 1000. Thats about $2 per 50.

[P5 Guy]

Handloading's biggest benefit is you can make premium ammo for less than the cost of econobox ammo.
Start up cost can be absorbed in a few months of making your own. The ammo you make can be tailored to your guns for best accuracy. You can load magnum cases to lower pressure to make practice easier on your wrist. Especially for revolvers.
Will you devote the time to loading? On my Rock Chucker I can make 50 to 60 rounds an hour, not counting case prep time. Case prep is cleaning, inspecting, decapping and sizing. I measure randomly for case length during inspection.

[g.willikers]

This is beginning to sound like a broken record, but go to ammosmith.com for loads of good info on reloading.
Lots of articles, videos, equipment demos, and a full forum.
A very good source and an excellent place to start.
Check out the video on the Lee Classic Turret press, while you're at it.
It's not expensive and gets good reviews.

[BDS-THR]

Kempf gun shop offers a Lee classic turret kit for $177. I would recommend the Pro Auto Disk & Lee Safety Prime System (Large or Small) upgrades as 45ACP uses large primers and 9mm/38 Spl use small primers.

You would still need extra dies, scale, caliper, bullet puller, extra turret, case tumbler etc. and they are at the bottom of the same linked page. I usually get all of my Lee reloading components at MidwayUSA.

[Xfire68]

CMichael, I have the Lee 4 hole turret press and once you get your rhythm down you can pump out 150-200 per hour of high quality handgun ammo! 4 pulls of the lever and you have a loaded round.

It will not hit your pocket book hard to start and will last you a good long time.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=622290

Edit: I would also recommend getting a tumbler to clean your brass as it's much nicer to work with clean brass.

[mikld]

IMHO progressive presses are not for beginners. Too much happens with each pull of the handle and the new reloader needs to learn the whys and wherefores of each step and get the "feel" of each operation. A single stage press, which you'll have to learn to adjust dies (a major plus for any reloader), is a good starting point and 100 rounds per hour isn't all that difficult to turn out once you get a little experience. A turret press is an ok compromise and not all that much more expensive, but there is always a use for a single stage press and I've never heard of anyone wearing one out (I got a used C-H cast iron single stage press 11 years ago and I have no idea how many rounds were produced on this 1950s era press!).

I reload in steps, so round count is not a concern for me, but I do 100 round batches; inspect and clean 100 cases, mebbe at some other time I'll size and prime them and at another time I'll finish. Off the top of my head I think I have 300 or so .45 ACP cases, and prolly 150 .44 mag cases primed and ready to stuff. Not a lot by some standards, but loaded and ready ammo reaches into the upper 500 rounds per caliber., and I enjoy handloading about as much as shooting them!

[temmi]

It was worth it for me... and I don't shoot that much.


But


If you shoot a Lot of rounds too... wich I guess you do...
a Single stage setup, which is the cheepest will be slow....

[overkill0084]

I'm still a reloading noob, so some lessons are still fresh:
Definitely consider one of the Lee kits. I would probably say to get the Turret press Kit. You can use them much like you would a single stage or you can set up the indexing (?) bit and go a bit faster. I don't shoot a bunch, maybe 300-400 rds per month, so the single stage is plenty.
If you get a Lee kit, consider a couple upgrades/additions:

Powder scale, the Lee scale works, I just find it aggravating to actually use.
Calipers (I grabbed a Hornady set for like $25ish) Mandatory.
Hand priming setup (Mine's a RCBS, but I would think most are workable), I just prefer them to doing it with the press YMMV.
Manuals: I have the Lee & the Lyman books. Will likely end up with more. Both cover the basics fairly well. The Lee is cheap as well ($12ish). I prefer these 2 as starters because they have more bullet variety than the Bullet maker specific manuals (my opinion, YMMV). For instance, I use a lot of cast bullets (pistol), and I really don't expect to see a lot of cast bullet data in the Sierra book.

Slow down and pay attention. Check & double check your work at each stage. The stuff that will bite you will likely seem small.

[BigJimP]

You need to understand how any press works ...but in my opinion, don't be afraid of a progressive press. Look at the Dillon offerings - and probably the Hornady LNL. The Hornady LNL and the Dillon 650 are roughly equivalent machines. Personally, I like the Dillon 650.

If both of those machines are a little high for your budget - look at the Dillon SDB for handgun ammo only. Its a good press. The downside to it / is you cannot do rifle calibers - and the dies are proprietary.

If you can afford the Dillon 550 / pass it up - and go to the 650. The Dillon 550 manually indexes ( and that introduces more potential for problems in my opinion for a newbie). The 650 auto indexes / and it has the "powder check option" which is a big safety feature in my opinion.

Dillon has a good website - discussing volumes per hour, etc ...but a press like the Dillon 650 with the electric case feeder will easily do 1,000 rds an hour. Its very fast and accurate / easy to maintain - and a solid long term buying decision.

I would not recommend the used Lee press you were looking at. Some of the turret presses might meet your needs / but the true progressive machines are much faster ....and none of us has a surplus of time these days. While speed isn't the most important thing / accuracy and safety are the primary issues - a good progressive press will give you all of it.

No reloading press is idiot proof ... you can screw up on any of them / but single stages are not inherently safe either just because they're single stage ...in fact, that many manual steps - can lead to some unsafe conditions as well ( with double drops of powder / or no drops ..) just like a progressive ( so I would not buy a press that did not have a "powder check option" in it ) that checked every round as a backup safety device. It just makes me feel better .... ( the Dillon SDB and the 550 do not have a powder check option ) ! / but both the Dillon SDB and the 550 are good presses .

[jimbob86]

My start up cost would be around $500?

Depends upon what set-up you buy.

I would suggest you start simple.

Lee makes inexpensive equipment .... maybe not the best, but certainly the most economical. I started a dozen years ago with a Lee 50th Anniversary kit, and still use everything but the press ..... I also bought a Lee hand press, and use that when I visit relatives-we always go shooting when we get together.

My brother watched me put together some .45 ACP and 9mm rounds, and now he uses a Lee hand press kit to feed his new SR9c..... does case prep watching football on Sundays ..... He's had the gun 6 weeks and put 1,000 rounds through it, 90% of them reloads. At 5-6 bucks/box savings, the kit has already paid for itself ...... but now he has a case cleaner, and is looking to buy a chronograph ...... The Addiction has set in!

[azphx55]

I wouldn't want to start with a loadmaster.

I first bought the Lee Anniversary Kit because it was the most cost-effective way to get everything I needed except the dies and components and actually load a few hundred rounds of each caliber before deciding if I wanted to spend more. I decided I wanted to spend more and now have the Lee Classic Turret with Pro-Disk powder measure.

I'll probably be happy with this for a year or so and then will probably upgrade to a Dillon progressive setup.

Beyond any cost savings, it really is remarkable what a difference it can make when you tailor the load to your particular handgun.

[smee78]

I just started to talk to a few of my gun/shooting buddied and before I knew it I had a dillon 550b with 44/9mm/357 dies and a lyman scale, for cheap, then I stumbled onto a dillon square b deal for 45acp with 500 copper plated bullets and about 200ish lead round bullets for $100 and then a friend sold me a rcbs rock chunker + 38/357/30 carb dies for about $60,,,,just ask around most reloaders have a extra press they are not using and most of the time they will sell it for cheap. The dillon's I have not used yet but decided to start out on the single stage rcbs and work my way into the progressive presses.

[CMichael]

What about a Lee Turret?

I don't want to do a single stack. I am interested in quantity.

Would it be easy enough for a novice like me to figure out relatively easily?

[Xfire68]

I found the Turret press to be simple and fast. I to bought the Auto-Disk Pro powder measure and I just love how well this press works especially for the money!

[CMichael]

Okay, so this is my question.

Let's say I go for the Lee Turret.

I want to make 9 mm, 38 special. 357 mag, and 45 acp.

What exactly do I need to buy?

Thank you very much.

[Wag]

Okay, so this is my question.

Let's say I go for the Lee Turret.

I want to make 9 mm, 38 special. 357 mag, and 45 acp.

What exactly do I need to buy?

Thank you very much.

In addition to the press, you'll need:

-Loading manual. This is required. The Speer manual is the best one in my personal library. Highly recommended. (BTW, if you read the loading manual, it'll tell you all of the things you need in case I forget something here!)

-Die sets for each caliber so four die sets. They are all straight wall cases so you need the three-die sets. Also, spend the extra and get the carbide dies. You won't regret it.

-Shell Holders for each of those calibers. Some die sets come with the shell holders, some do not so be sure you have them. If you get a hand primer, it uses a different set of shell holders so you'll need a set of shell holders for that device as well.

-Powder measure

-Powder scale

-Powder Trickler (optional, but very useful)

-If you don't get a hand primer, you'll need a primer setup for the press itself.

-Recommend a couple of loading blocks. Very useful.

-A sense of caution and care. Not the kind of thing to mess around with.

Have fun!

--Wag--

[Lost Sheep]

Originally Posted by CMichael

I want something not complicated, but that I can do rounds rather quickly.

Suggestions?

If you focus on speed, you should seriously consider finding a local ammo manufacturer (where does your local police get their practice ammo from?) and buy in bulk over the counter. Speed kills, not just in cars.

Buying is not complicated and also very fast.

I keep track of how many rounds I produce per hour, but that is NEVER my focus. My focus is solely on performing each step properly.

Good Luck.

Lost Sheep

[CMichael]

Thanks guys.

[TXGunNut]

+1 Wag, good post. Welcome to the asylum, BTW.
+1 on the productivity metrics, Lost Sheep. When I was shooting and loading tens of thousands/year my eyes were on what I was doing, not on the clock. When I was done mebbe I'd check the time, mebbe I wouldn't.

[swmike]

Originally Posted by CMichael

I have been reading a bit about the Lee Loadmaster. I have a chance to buy one used.

There is probably a good reason it is for sale, used.

Yes, it it not only a high maintenance press, if you buy it, you too will probably offering it for sale used.

If you'r going to step into the world of progressive presses For pistol calibers consider the Dillon Square Deal B or a 550.

You don't find a lot of them offered for sale after only a short amount of use very often, also for a good reason.

[CMichael]

I am really leaning toward the Lee Turret at this point.

[BDS-THR]

CMichael, if you are interested in the Lee turret press, this 3 part article has an in-depth information.

Many will recommend the Classic Turret over the Deluxe Turret.