Taking the reloading leap. Please advise.

[Eppie]

Hi Everyone,
I shoot about 800 rounds a month. Around 400-600 rounds of .308 for my DPMS and another 250 rounds of 9mm Glock. I've finally accumulated about 500 rounds of .380 for Ruger LCP and plan on shooting about 250 rounds a month (if finding the bullets is possible). Obviously its getting expensive and would like to reduce my expenses without having to cut back on the shooting.

I've been researching reloading and I've concluded that is definetely the way to go. I've already bought the Lyman and Speer Manuals. I have an analog caliper.

Here is the equipment that I'm contemplating on buying. I am making a spreadsheet to compare prices from Sinclair, Midway and Graf.

1. Hornady Sonic Cleaner
2. Hornady Case Prep Center
3. Hornady Lock n Load AP press
4. Hornady GS1500 Electronic Scale
5. Aluminum funnel
6. A primer flip tray
7. Lyman bullet puller
8. Hornady deprimer die for the .308 and 9mm
9. Hornady expander die for the .308 and 9mm
10. Hornady powder check/validation
11. Hornady crimping die for the .308 and 9mm
12. Hornady shell plate #1 for the .308 and the shell plate #8 for the 9mm
13. A lubrication tray
14. Lubrication oil
15. Reloading block

I'm not a Hornady salesman, I just think I'm better off with the whole setup from one vendor instead of mixing and matching. I just want to minimize problems.

What about carbide dies?

All advice will be greatly appreciated. Kindest regards.

Joe

[rbf420]

if you really wanna cut cost over time, hand cast your bullets for your .380 and 9mm... instead of buying them u can save at least 5cents per round... intial cost is kinda high but if your shooting alot for a long time it pays for itself easily.

[oneounceload]

Add an inertia bullet puller for the "oops" we all make from time to time

I don't think you'll need an expander die for the 308 - bullets are friction fit into the sized neck.

I prefer a balance beam scale - less headaches with interference, etc. - YMMV

You might find some or most of the stuff used online or through your local club or newspaper to save some money

[spacecoast]

Reloading .380 is worthwhile financially (75% savings) if you can find the brass, 9mm not so much (50%) plus the 9mm is more difficult to reload IMHO. Your volumes are similar to mine, and I am easily able to keep up using a Lee hand press, plus it's a very enjoyable hobby. .45 ACP is also easy and brass is readily available, as is .38 special.

[Jim243]

Good list you have there, but lose the aluminum funnel get plastic and I would change the dies to Lee's Pacesetter for rifle and 4 die deluxe carbide for pistol. Less expensive and you get more (dies) for your money by buying the sets.

You will need a powder trickler for use with your GS1500.

Welcome to our obsession (reloading) and good luck.
Jim

[BigJimP]

.380 and 9mm are both easy to load / at least on my press ( a Dillon 650 ) ...and I would think on any press for that matter ...

I use carbide dies for all my handgun calibers ....and I use a spray case lube on all my cases even though with carbide dies, you don't have to use it, using lube makes the press run a lot smoother...

I like the Dillon 3 die pistol die sets / but there isn't anything wrong with Hornady, RCBS, etc dies ...

It looks to me like you have everything you'll need. I don't know that there is any reason to stay with one brand of "stuff" - but nothing wrong with it either - and since you like Hornady, stay with their peripherals too...

Wait a minute / I would add a "case gague" - its a drop in case gague / lets you drop in finished rounds / and if they drop in and out cleanly and easily you know the case is the proper length and there are no burrs or unseen cracks that will cause the round not to feed properly ... I inspect every case, after I clean it, before I load it into the casefeeder on my press - but sometime a fine crack will only show up in the case after you seat the bullet into a case - and the case gague will catch that. Dillon sells them for about $14 each / they're caliber specific obviously ... but add one for each caliber you will reload.

[oneounceload]

BigJim's mention of a case gauge made me realize you don't show calipers either.

You mention reloading block (singular). While some of the "one size fits all" are decent, I prefer ones that are more specific to caliber, or at least a similar group of calibers

[Eppie]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply to my question. I'm grateful for each comment, I learned something from each one. The sharing of your knowledge shows a generous heart and the willingness to help your fellow man.

Sincerely grateful
Joe

P.S. I'll keep watching for more contributors

[sc928porsche]

It is best to use carbide dies for the 380ACP and 9mm. You wont have to lube the cases. It will save you a lot of time and effort.

[Fullthrottle]

Seems as though you have it covered. I will agree with Oneounceload, get a beam scale and learn how to use it! Also with Jim243, a powder trickler(for fine tuning). Also the carbide die set for lack of lube, is great.

Nothing wrong with mismatching brands, I can see no problems with that as long as it is compatible with another component(many are).

You seem to me as though you are trying to buy the best of the best for starting out(if you can afford to do so that is fine), but there are many more affordable options. IE you have down the sonic cleaner, aluminum funnel.

If you are really trying to save you could look at a few other , less costly options.
Other than that you have covered most bases(and then some) for a new reloader.
Just don't get carried away, and enjoy!

[BigJakeJ1s]

If you are using the PM on the progressive for charging your cases, you won't need a trickler, all you need the scale for is checking your PM setting. Trickling is for when you are really trying to dial in a particular powder charge weight, you set your PM a little low, dump it on the scale pan, and trickle up to desired weight, then dump that in the cartridge case. Not really conducive to progressive reloading, but can be done, it just depends on you. Or you could go for an electronic powder dispenser and let it do the dumping, trickling and measuring for you, and you would not need a separate scale (the dispenser's scale can still be used for checking the PM setting on the press).

The nice thing about the LNL AP is that you can go slow at first, doing one step at a time, by just removing the other dies from the press. Once you get that down, then you can install all the dies, and go at it.

Get the Hornady cam-lock bullet puller, it is the best one made, and the only one that works in a turret or progressive press without removing the dies next to it. Get separate collets for the calibers of bullets you will reload. Get another LNL bushing for it so you can pop it in and out of the press when and where needed.

Rifle die sets are different than pistol die sets. Conventional rifle die sets have two dies, one for depriming and sizing (including expanding the case neck to size), and another for seating and crimping. Some die sets add a neck-sizing die, and Lee has sets that include their rifle FCD die.

Pistol die sets have at least three dies, sometimes four. The first die is a depriming and sizing die (w/o neck expander). The second is a separate expander die. The third is a seat & crimp die, and the fourth (if present) is a separate crimp die.

For heavy crimping your rifle rounds (if you need to) get a Lee FCD for 308. The Hornady taper crimp die for 9mm is fine, but the Lee Carbide FCD for straight wall pistol cartridges is for ironing over problems that you need to find and fix at their source. Hornady does not make separate expander or crimp dies for 308. If you need a separate expander die for rifle (doubtful unless you load cast lead bullets), Lyman or Redding M-type expander dies are best. The M-type expander dies for pistols are great too, but the one that comes in your die set will do just fine.

For rifle dies, I like Forster, Redding or Hornady. For pistol dies, I like Hornady best. The only Lee dies I like have collets (rifle neck sizing dies and FCDs for rifle and bottleneck pistol cartridges only). If you are only using them in LNL bushings on your progressive, you can just flip their lock rings upside down and jam the ring against the top of the LNL bushing to keep it tight. Otherwise replace the Lee lock(less) ring with a real lock ring, preferably a cross-bolt style like Hornady or Forster. Lyman also sells aftermarket cross-bolt lock rings that are good. I don't know why they don't supply them on their dies.

Andy

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

G'day. You might like this cartridge cost calculator (free), and this program called "PointBlank" (also free).

Casting is to reloading, is like, reloading is to shooting.

Don't worry about making your own projectiles yet. Make sure you like reloading and get used to all the processes. If you are trying to learn about casting your own projectiles at the same time you run a bigger risk of making a mistake.

[Eppie]

Wow, I'm really impressed now. The best advice that money can't buy. Andy, SkullxBones, sc928porsche I'm very grateful.

Fullthrottle, you are right on the money , some may think that I am overindulging myself, but my experience is that good tools always pay for themselves and cheap tools often cause problems and shoddy results. And with bullets I think safety is first and foremost. Doctors are far more expensive and can't always repair all the damage.

Kindest regards,
Joe

[Lost Sheep]

Joereg,

Welcome to the forum.

Since everyone else seems to have covered all my usual advice, I will cover the only three that seem to have been missed.

1) Two loading blocks.

Fill one with cases ready to go through an operation. Put it on one side of your work area.

The other block is empty and on the other side of your work area.

As you process each case (example, depriming and sizing) from the first block, put it in the second block. After emptying the first block (either 20, 40 or 50 rounds), the blocks switch places.

2) Use multiple manuals.

Compare the loads they suggest (they are rarely the same) and take note of what sort of firearm was used for testing. Pay attention to everything. Also visit the powder manufacturers' and bullet manufacturers' web sites. They publish loading data and advice there, too.

3) Pay attention to (and record in a Load Data Diary) everything

example: The inside volume of the cartridge is the important variable most often ignored by the casual reloader. Most often it is of little importance. If a bullet has a very long nose compared to another (even of the same weight), at the same overall length, the long-nosed bullet will have its base further back in the case making less volume for the powder and the burn.

Little details like that won't be particularly important to you while you keep your loads in the mid-range power levels and while you are getting accustomed to the practice of reloading. But in a couple of years (or months, or decades), when you (if you) start pushing the envelope of 1) power or 2) accuracy, you may find it worthwhile.


Welcome to reloading.

Lost Sheep

[Eppie]

Thanks Lost Sheep, more food for thought. Details, details,details.

Joe

[Magnum Mike]

You will love the LNL AP! You dont really need a trickler. I been reloading for years without one but I'm buying one anyways for easier fine tuning rifle loads. I dont know what lostsheep is talking about with the two blocks if you are using a LNL AP press. I have some Lee dies which I'm also replacing because I dont like them on that press. I like Hornady and RCBS dies. I agree with the plastic funnel too!