Ammo Reloading... Would it be smart to Start??

[glockguy]

Soo Iv been EVERYWHERE From here in Albany to Lebanon To Salem and No one has .40 Ammo.... Soo I was Thinking maybe it would just be easier to Reload my own? Wat Do you guys think?? Yea It may cost a lil more Maybe not.. I havent really Priced it... But If I do start Reloading... Wat All do I need to do it???

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[chainsaw]

It's gettin' to where it is not worth it unless you shoot benchrest and need super accurate ammo,powder and primers are scarce as ammo is and prices are keeping up with ammo prices.Damn I hope this govt. cools down a bit,or I will have to quit shooting for a few years.

 

[Throckmorton]

IN the area you've covered,reloading supplies are as scarce as the ammo you wanted,so getting into reloading,or not,is a moot point right now.
Later on? maybe,depending on how much you shoot and how much ammo is compared to components,etc

 

[ronin223]

I agree now is not the time to get into reloading. I suggest starting when the prices get back to normal. AND they will eventually

 

[glockguy]

Prices That I Have seen Really Havent Gone up.. The Problem is... From wat Iv been Told and somewat seen... Is alot of people Are buying masses about of ammo and then Selling them To other people either to make a lil profit or something... Alot of Stores now like bi mart are only allowing people to buy a certian amount of ammo... Kinda blows but oh well...

 

[Intoodeep]

It's always a good time to start reloading. That is if you are into saving money and shooting better ammo for less.

 

[chrislind2]

I started reloading a week after we had a new "person" in the white house.
Now I am waiting for 9mm bullets which I ordered a month ago. I found 1000 small pistol primers and they are half gone already. Ordered large pistol primers 3 months ago. If I can get some 9mm bullets I can have 300 rounds loaded in a couple days. I was able to load 500 rounds of .45 acp and 400 rounds of .38 special before the shelves in the stores where cleaned out. I can often find ammo at the shooting range, but I cannot find stuff I need to reload.
I like to reload so I would recommend it, but it is not for everyone. It is time consuming and tedious work, but rewarding.
I believe it cost me about $350 to get started, and I have probably spend another $200 for misc. parts and equipment.
On top of that I started buying as much ammo as I could afford about 6 months ago, so I can shoot for several years before I run out completely.
I guess it really depends on if you are going to shoot what you reload. I don't get to shoot as much as I would like to, but when I do I really enjoy shooting what I have reloaded. If you are reloading just to stock up piles of ammo, then it is probably not the right reason to reload. I only reload pistol, 9mm, .45acp, etc. so there really isn't too much room to make this ammo much more accurate or "special" for my gun. That happens more with rifle rounds, not as much with a pistol.
But I still like to reload because I enjoy it. Reloaded ammo is usually a little more accurate it you load carefully.

 

[RVTECH]

Ammo Reloading... Would it be smart to Start??

Interesting question - I was contemplating the same thing the other day while walking through the nearly depleted reloading components section of Sportsmans Warehouse the other day - only I was coming from the position if I already had not been reloading for over 30 + years. Standard answer - reload for the quality of ammo and the ability to tailor your ammo for what you want to do. You will never "save" money reloading - while your reloaded round cost will pencil out much less than factory ammo (depending on components) you will always be finding some new reloading gadget to make things easier or faster - and some things do - but if you stick to the basics and avoid the temptation to buy something you do not need you can reload quality ammo with minimal cost. Probably the biggest mistake made is going out and spending big bucks on a progressive machine and not even coming close to reloading enough ammo to justify it. With organization and preparation you can easily load 200-300 rounds in a evening with single stage press.

 

[Box13]

Ive reloaded for many years and although it is cheaper per round I find I shoot up all the savings.That is instead of shooting 50-100 rounds I can go and shoot 300-400 rounds.But I never save money.I just shoot more per session.Although once you get it down you get ammo that is the best for your gun.I have a colt saa.It shot 2-3 in.groups with almost all factory ammo.After I dialed in my handloads It went to 3/4 in groups and I can shoot 200 for the same price as 50 factory.I also cast my own bullets so that also cuts cost.As long as you dont count your labor...

 

[m'kay13]

Yes, start reloading. Put in your backorders and wait. Your stuff will show up in the mail sooner or later. There are plenty of good deals out there on cast and plated bullets. The guys that stockpiled before the panic are having to sell-off and trade some of their ridiculous stockpiles to support their current shooting habits.

Before you buy anything from a private seller, do your research and see what the going rate is from online retailers like Midway, Cabelas, Natchez, Powder Valley, etc. buy your press, dies, and all the gadgets now. People that don't reload are still shooting, still dropping brass, and still looking for buyers to pawn their brass off on. For example, I just purchased another 1,000 rounds of 1X-fired 9mm brass for the same price I paid in September. The cost of cast bullets has not gone up, and I just bought a box of Hornady XTP bullets (Bi-Mart) for my .357 for the same price I paid last year.

 

[m'kay13]

On top of that I started buying as much ammo as I could afford about 6 months ago, so I can shoot for several years before I run out completely.

Once people get their 2 years of ammo "reserves" saved up, prices and availability will return to normal. I am not pointing any fingers, because I am in the exact same boat and have always maintained a rotating "reserve" of my useful calibers. My oddball guns don't always have ammo to feed them.

 

[XD45]

I would recommend to anybody to go out and buy a Single Stage press and start reloading. Yes things are a little hard to come buy these days but its out there, you just have to look around for it. Keep your setup minimal, start out with a simple beam scale and a powder drop and you can easily and fairly inexpensive start reloading. If you think its something you will like then look for a mid priced progressive down the road. Even if decide to you get a progressive loader your single stage press will always serve you for those calibers you don't need to feed by the 100's.

 

[wakeadrian]

If you decide to start, I's suggest a turret. It's not as slow and tedious as a single stage, but not crazy fast paced like a progressive.

(I think in the last couple days I saw that someone had a Lee Turret on sale here on the forums. Which is what I have)

 

[SVT]

Should you start? Good question. You probably won't be able to save much money since it takes a while to pay off the gear and you end up shooting more. The good news is that you can make ammo the way you want it (e.g. more accurate, softer shooting, harder hitting etc). It will also suck lots of time out of you, so be prepared. There is a learning curve but it is rewarding.

If you decide to get into it, look around for people selling their gear. Many people buy it but never get into it. If you can find some, you can save a few bucks. Also get several books on reloading, read and learn. Do not attempt to do this on your own until you learn how to do it safely.

Have fun..

 

[ZeroRing]

+1 on the merits of the turret press

 

[SheepDog223]

I would suggest you start now when it's not the "hot" thing to do. Kinda like we should have bought ammo when the shelves were full and there was no need to stock up. Well, looking back there is always a need to stock up and there is always a need to re-load. On the same note right now (when there is no need) would be a great time to stock up on rice, beans, and the like. The shelves are full and there is no hurry right now. Perfect time to stock up.

 

[RVTECH]

AND do not entertain the idea of a Lee Loader. These are simple reloading 'kits' that allow you to reload, but very slowly. (you may already be familiar with them) Some of us did not know better when we got started. I'll agree with Wake on the turret press. Ive been kicking around the idea of getting one myself but after 30 years with a Rockchucker I was recently given a Bonanza Co-Ax press which is still single stage but much faster than RCBS so I'll probably hold off on the turret right now.

 

[jaredpost]

I just started reloading about a month ago when I bought my dillon 550. After loading on it I would never consider a single stage press for something you shoot often. I load about 500 rounds a week and only spend about 2 hours doing so. Order in bulk when you are getting supplies. Montanagoldbullet.com is a great place for bullets. Trying to buy primers and powder online from places like miday or cabelas can get expensive after paying for shipping and hazmat fees. If you have to order those online try ordering in large quantities to offset all the fees. If you have friends that reload as well, get together and place one order to split those hazmat fees.

Over the last couple weeks there have been a few good deals on craigslist for dillon presses and I'm sure other brands as well. Some people are just giving up on their reloading hobbies and selling off their stuff and good prices you just need to keep looking and jump on the deals when they come.

 

[truckman8]

AND do not entertain the idea of a Lee Loader. These are simple reloading 'kits' that allow you to reload, but very slowly. (you may already be familiar with them) Some of us did not know better when we got started. I'll agree with Wake on the turret press. Ive been kicking around the idea of getting one myself but after 30 years with a Rockchucker I was recently given a Bonanza Co-Ax press which is still single stage but much faster than RCBS so I'll probably hold off on the turret right now.

I second that. I have both single and progressive loaders branded RCBS. My buddy has RCBS and Dillion. Both are great brands. The only time that I had to buy lee products for a specialized caliber, the product and service is definitely not up to par with RCBS, Dillion, Hornaday. You will not be happy reloading on a LEE. Find a Rock Chucker starter kit, it has everything needed to start.

 

[gr8guns]

I got into reloading in the mid 80's and really enjoy it! It's a hobby you'll either love or hate!! There doesn't seem to be an in-between for most guys. If you know someone who reloads, visit with them and try it out. You may find it's not something you like to do. If you don't like it, then don't get into it. Let me know if you'd like more information on equipment and supplies. I'd be happy to provide you with the list of stuff you need and where to get it.

gr8guns