reloading,is it worth it?

[seanpcif]

Just got involved in pistol shooting and was wondering about the practicality and expense of reloading (making my own rounds)

Do you actually save money by doing this?
Is it only worth while for larger size ammo?

Preserntly I own a bersa thunder 380 but am interested in purchasing something a little larger, possibly a 357,40 or 45.

But as with my 380 ammo for target shooting adds up after a short while and the bigger guns ammo will cost more.

Can you suggest any books to read about reloading?
Where do you purchase your supplies?
About what cost per round to make say a 38 or 357,40 or 45?

Any info you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[ACC]

welcome aboard,you'll enjoy the forum:) the initial expense of reloading will be a little expensive,but shop around for the press that you will need e-bay would be a good start. any reloading book will tell you all you need to know about how it's done,I use the speer manual for all my starting data.They explain it better than some of the manuals out there to-day.Some people like single stage presses,some like the turret,and some like progressive presses.to me there is no real rathers. i started single staging for i was doing match shooting at the time,then I worked right up to a progressive. I learned alot on the single stage press though,not to say this is the way you should start,but it's just my 2 cents worth.I myself never looked at it as a cost saving venture anyway,it turned out to be a science for me,than anything else,then a business,however you can save alot of money by "rolling your own".If you start with new brass and revolve it by lots,you can save about 5.00 a box on 38's even more if you hunt for deals for all your components.I know that this probably doesn't answer your question,but it's a start,the people on this forum are excellent,and I'm sure they will give you all the advice you can handle:)Have fun with it,and don't be afraid to ask,if you get in a bind:)
C&R AMMO

[inplanotx]

Get yourself a copy of Lymans Reloading Handbook and start reading. Let us know if you have any questions after reading it. We are here to help. Reloading can help pay for itself, but you need to shoot lots of ammo. After a while, reloading is a super cost savings.

To those devoted to reloading, it is the quest for the perfect load for your weapon.

[Crpdeth]

Sean, I can only add that, (and in answer to your question) If you are only loading to save money, loading for the .380 and even the .45 it will take you a long time to overcome the initial costs of the press, manuals, scale, caliper, powder ect, ect...But as these two gurus have stated, reloading is almost never a money saving venture, albit it may start that way, it almost always becomes a hobby. I have just about decided that the larger the caliber, the larger the reward savings wise peroid, and if I was only going to reload for 2 pistols, I probabally wouldn't bother unless I was doing lots of shooting.

It's a new world though Man...This is your warning, if you get into it, you'll very likely become addicted...Sitting up late at night searching E-bay for components, sneaking tins of powder out in the garage so the wife wont see, Heh Heh, it's lots of fun, especially if you like quiet, meticulous, rewarding hobbies.

Keep us posted! :)


~Crp

[glocknut]

Originally posted by Crpdeth
This is your warning, if you get into it, you'll very likely become addicted...Sitting up late at night searching E-bay for components, sneaking tins of powder out in the garage so the wife wont see, Heh Heh,....


LOL !!!

Is'nt it funny that we grow up under our parents roof and have to abide by their rules and such....the whole time looking forward to the day when we will move out and live free with no cerfew...no rules.....

And that day comes and we get our freedom....only to give it up a few years later to a Woman who has just as many, if not more rules......and some quirks that you never had to worry about as a kid....
And you're right back where you started....sneakin arround with your prized possesions just hopeing not to get caught......

I'll tell you what.....if you think your mom had a nack for finding your stash of nudie mags.....your wife will be even better at it !!!!

mike

[gpostal]

as stated above about cost of getting started

but if you compare round for round ,you must take a good quality match round price and compare it to your own round ,because the roll your own will be more accurate than the cheap stuff you get at wally world ,your powder is dictated by you ,in most cases less is better

[seanpcif]

Many thanks for all your useful info,
I will try to find the Lymans reloading handbook, (as this seems to come up alot on these posts) and read it, than go from their.

I really enjoy shooting the 380, but ammo gets expensive after a short while, I live in the country and am able to shoot in my own yard (4.5 acres), into a hillside.

I recently purchased a s&w model 17, just because it was cheaper to shoot.

The 380 I will shoot about 50 rounds a day and the 22 I shoot at least a hundred.

I enjoy the 380 more but the 22 is cheaper to shoot.
Went to a NRA safety class and the instructor let me shoot his pistols, I enjoyed the 357, 40 and 45 the most. I purchsed the 380 because of size and safeties for when I get my ccw.

Again thanks for all your input.

[Country101]

If you shoot a lot, you will save money as far as cost/shell, but you may spend more so you can shoot more shells. Once you get over the initial cost, it's all savings.

I think with a .22 you might as well stick to factory shells. They are cheap enough that making your own wouldn't save enough to matter.

Country101

[gpostal]

you can't make the .22's anyway

when i worked at olin {winchester} ,.22 has its own division ,shell and primer are one unit

primer division was fun ,first time i walked in there primer dust was exploding under my shoes ,each person gets six little clay bowls with clay lids ,with a pound of wet primer ,they roll it out with rolling pins onto a table ,then they have a arm that looks like a old paper cutter ,but it has a 1,000 primers in it ,then they slam it down onto the wet primer,pull it up cut off the excess ,roll it out do it again

the primer explosive is made on an island ,it blew up once in the sixties ,the two guys that worked in it was gone ,they found one pound of flesh between the two guys

[Crpdeth]

but if you compare round for round ,you must take a good quality match round price and compare it to your own round ,because the roll your own will be more accurate than the cheap stuff you get at wally world.

Write it in stone, it's perfect.


Sean, sounds like you do alot of shooting, at least as much as I do, because I get to the range once a week max, when you step up to the .45 and if you continue shooting at this rate, I'd definately consider reloading...

Mike, honestly, I have it made when it comes to my wife... dont tell her I said so, but she's a sweetheart...She really dosen't want to "talk guns" and all that, but she really dosen't mind what I buy as long as we have the money/credit....Not the case with my first wife, it seems every thing was a competition, if I wanted to buy something I had to make sure she got to spend the exact same amount, never mind that she didn't work. So I dont take my freedoms for granted, I'm a lucky guy.

you can't make the .22's anyway

He mean .22 hornet maybe? I never heard of reloading these either, but I just assumed you could.

~Crp

[inplanotx]

Postal writes:
you can't make the .22's anyway

Au contraire, mon ami!

Bet I can and it will go bang! Any takers? Best bar bet ever happened!

Would not want to do it as a habit, but it can be done!

:o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o ;) ;) ;) ;)

[txpete]

warning reloading is addictive

:) :) :) :)

its were I started over 30 years ago with a old lee loader.then presses, thumblers, dies,more guns more dies then casting your own bullets,moulds and more moulds,lube sizers,gas checks,more guns more dies.....and so on and never ending and I just love it!.
I shoot alot of the old rounds 44-40, 45 colt ,38-55 and 45/70.
I have saved a ton of money making my own ammo.if I had to pay for factory ammo I would have to live under a bridge and stand at traffic lights with a sign I will work for ammo.:)
pete

[danurve]

Well I only started reloading this year, so far it's been very addictive! Learned quite a bit, alot from forums, manuals and books cover what you need to know, then there's stuff you need to know! There is definatly a start-up cost, still using my first kit although adding stuff along the way like puller, flash hole cleaner, electronic scale etc.

Has all this saved me money on ammo? No, not realy, at least not yet. If you just consider the cost of powder, bullets, primers, then yes for the most part. However even with my begining experiences with reloading I have discovered a different kind of value. It's a certain enjoyment out of shooting ammo you created yourself, and there is something to be said about the satisfaction you get using your rifle your loading for. Then you experiment with different powder, work up some loads and get a 'charge' out of the groups. And your thinkin "..yeah, I did that" ;)

[danurve]

you know what I forgot to add it's great stress relief. Not sure if its range time or the reloading, or a bit of both perhaps.

[gpostal]

plano why in the world would you want to reload a .22 longrifle ?

what are they .02 cents each ,the same price for a good primer

[inplanotx]

Danurve, been doing it for more years than I care to add up. You are right about the initial outlay, but once you have the right recipes, it is heaven on earth. To be able to watch the group size shrink is a real payday. To know you were able to dispatch that animal with a home made round is incredible. Love the hobby right down to casting my own! I dconsider myself a recycler!

[inplanotx]

plano why in the world would you want to reload a .22 longrifle ?

Because someone in a bar said I couldn't do it. Shame on him! Just did it to win the bet!

Turned out to be real simple too! Just need some good kitchen matches. :D :D :D :D :D

[frosty]

GET THE BOOK AND READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
I started last year and I love it for all the reasons the other members have stated so far. Now I am casting my own. I just learned how to do that back in February. Yes, you will save money, eventually. The start up cost will be a little bit, but not that much if you shop around. Try this web adress for some stuff www.midsouthshooters.com

I buy alot of stuff from them its good and easy on the pocket book.

[axeg]

money ahead to do odd jobs for $10 an hour, unless you have a $600+ progressive reloader,with which you load 600+ rds per hour. Realistically, there's nothing that needs done with a gun that you can't practice-for with either very cheap(ie, 10-15c per shot) milsurp ammo, in 9mm, 223, 7.62x39, or 308, or with low cost, Black Hills match or hunting ammo(30c a shot) or with one of several .22 lr conversion units.

That having been said, I would not be without some very basic reloading gear, so that if something makes ammo either extremely expensive or impossible to get, my low cost stash of components can help out. The only realistic need for reloading is to enable you to produce specialized defensive ammo, and many consider that to be civilly- attackable in court, and thus, unwise. Myself, I am "judgement -proof" from civil suits, so I worry more about the factory loads not stopping an attacker than about any legal repercussions from having used reloads to defend myself.

90+% of the time, the attacker wont make you actually shoot him, anyway. That is, if you can get the gun lined- up on his vitals, in time for him to see it and stop his attack. So the type of ammo that you never fired is irrelevant, eh?

[Crpdeth]

You ever done "odd jobs" axed?

Obviously reloading is a hobby as much as anything else, so to be "worth it" one would have to consider the amount of enjoyment/relaxation you recieve while overcoming the initial costs of supplies/materials...I agree that UNTILL the initial costs are overcome, one could simply go buy some inferior ammo over the counter...after those costs are overcome the savings are indisputable.

I wont even get into the ability (once educated and adept at reloading) to work up unmatched rounds, tailor made to your gun, as I am sure someone else will.

The reason I asked if you've ever done odd jobs, is because Im a person who has never been afraid of real work, but I've never done an odd job that I enjoied doing 1/10 as much as I enjoy reloading.



~Crp

[thetoulman]

Reloading is addictive!

There is no other feeling that can replace the one you get when you fire your first handloaded cartridge. I can't even describe it to you, but you'll know when you get it :)

[gpostal]

reloading is as enjoyable as shooting ,buy some factory ammo you get what you get ,roll your own and you can make what you like not someone else ,load hot load down ,hotter is not always better

[Crpdeth]

Then comes along those 'good deals' every once in a while, I think everyone knows the deal I recently got on 16lbs of powder, and way too many primers, bullets, ect....Now today, after the CCW class my instructor gives me a couple five gallon buckets completely full of once fired, mixed, brass...Keep this up and I'll soon be reloading for free. :D


~Donny

[Woodman]

I was finally cajoled into it. I have not reloaded yet, but bought RCBS carbide dies on Ebay for $26 delivered. .357/.38

A barely-used Lee Aniversary kit was $46 delivered.

I'm ready to do a run of .38 as soon as I get bullets, powder, and primers.

Here are the numbers someone posted to me that finally did the trick:

500 125gr Sjhp's $24.69
500 Fed primers $ 8.00
4000grs of Unique $ 7.50

Total $40.19 for 500 round of PREMIUM TARGET AMMO

There is a forum dedicated to reloading. When I posted my wishes to begin, they moved the ppost to the appropriate area and I got great feedback ... a link to the auction and several offers to buy used equipment.

For now, I will stick to .357.

.45ACP is pretty cheap and .32ACP sounds tedious, even thought the ammo is pricy.

[Craig]

Reloading to me is a matter of personal achievement. When I can take shells that I made myself, and shoot a group like pictured below, I feel like I have really done something. Group measured .114" , and was shot at 100 yds.


http://img24.photobucket.com/albums/v73/CraigClair/Tar-5.jpg

[Pistolsmith]

One of the problems with ammo reloading is explaining the cost to one's better half. The way I accomplished it waw to point to our two upright freezers. You certainly don't save a lot of money by buying steaks, hamburger, etc. in advance and freezing it...except that you can buy wat's on sale. However, when you want a steak, you have one on hand and you can thaw out stew meat in the frig. for tomorrow. Both are a great convenience, and the cost is justified in the overall.
You might even request reloading supplies for a birthday or special occasion.

[rugerman]

In the long run you will save money (maybe). YOu can cast your own bullets from wheel weights that most tire shops will give you free so that you are only out the cost of the mould and resizing and lub setups. You can find other who are also reloaders and buy components in bulk and split the cost and get some real deals that way. But like the other guys said watch out its addictive and a hell of a lot of fun. I've found that I don't really save a lot of money but I do get to shoot a lot more for the same money. The best way to learn is to first read a good reloading guide and if you know someone who reloads get them to show you how. But once you load a few and you find out that you can make them go bang all by yourself you'll be hooked just as bad as the rest of us. Go slow, take your time and double check your data, try to use a powder that won't allow a double load of powder, pay attention to what you are doing and you'll do fine. But remember there is such a thing as too much of a good thing Especially if its a fast burning powder. Good luck, have fun and be safe. rugerman

[Pistolsmith]

If you are using Bullseye or other fast burning powder, you can do what I did: I installed an alarm that buzzes a warning if the powder level is too high in a case. Of course, this means that you will have to use a progressive press like the Dillon 550B, which is an excellent first choice machine. You can send for a video about its use that will explain in detail.