In our current situation: Should I invest in reloading equipment?

[DizzyJ]

Looks like you e already made your decision, but YES!! Now is the time to get started. Waiting till later will just prolong the inevitable.

 

[Mikej]

Currently I’ve been playing with a batch of bullets I bought from @Mikej a while back. 125 grain Montana gold hollow points. Been experimenting with H110 to get them going bonkers fast in 357 loads.

I thought those were 115 gr, hollow points?

Shooting .355" in a gun that is supposed to shoot .357". What does the barrel in that gun slug at? Shooting .355" in a .357" is one of those things that doesn't compute for me.

 

[Reno]

I thought those were 115 gr, hollow points?

Shooting .355" in a gun that is supposed to shoot .357". What does the barrel in that gun slug at? Shooting .355" in a .357" is one of those things that doesn't compute for me.

Maybe I’m thinking about the wrong batch of bullets...

I’ll double check. I know I’ve got a couple of different Montana gold varieties right now.

 

[Mikej]

Maybe I’m thinking about the wrong batch of bullets...

I’ll double check. I know I’ve got a couple of different Montana gold varieties right now.

I've got some 124s that I'd bought some years before from @misterarman . I might have got some .357s in 125 and sold some? Not much matter either way, I wouldn't be too concerned 124 vs 115. 9gr difference?

 

[EHJ]

I don't really 'reload' for anything anymore. (Many many hours behind a 12 ga Load All)
But I still kept my Lee Loader to build .308 hand loads one by one.
A lot of good even that is doing me. Can't find anything. Primers, powder - nothing
Even at crazy prices for components it's still worth it to at least have the option.

But there's still nothing like the rush of seating primers with a hammer.

 

[Catfishmoon]

Like others have mentioned, right now it's dependent on finding the reloading components, especially primers.. Personally, I would suggest to someone wanting to start right now, they find primers prior to purchasing any reloading equipment.

 

[HDR]

Like others have mentioned, right now it's dependent on finding the reloading components, especially primers.. Personally, I would suggest to someone wanting to start right now, they find primers prior to purchasing any reloading equipment.

I’ve gone ahead and gone about it the other way. Right or wrong.. No primers but I’ll be ready when they are available again and should have a fair understanding of how to use them by then. Since my OP I’ve ordered a press and am chipping away at all the other things I’ll be needing. Like ammo and components, I found reloading gear to be getting more scarce and more expensive every day. I’ve decided to not let that be one more thing I waited too long to purchase.
Enjoying the research and pre-learning. The hunt for hardware is just about as intense as components.

 

[GWS]

I’ve gone ahead and gone about it the other way. Right or wrong.. No primers but I’ll be ready when they are available again and should have a fair understanding of how to use them by then. Since my OP I’ve ordered a press and am chipping away at all the other things I’ll be needing. Like ammo and components, I found reloading gear to be getting more scarce and more expensive every day. I’ve decided to not let that be one more thing I waited too long to purchase.
Enjoying the research and pre-learning. The hunt for hardware is just about as intense as components.

Well, at least you now have time to read up on the subject before you start your actual reloading. BiMart sells some reloading gear and the 2 in Vancouver at least have scales, powder measures and some other gear. Assuming you have a BiMart in your neck of the woods, you should check them out. They have recently had rifle and pistol powders in stock but my local BiMarts haven't seen primers in 7 months.
Good luck, Happy reloading

And remember This slogan about reloading When in doubt, Throw it out!
If you ever are hinky about a cartridge you've made, pull it out of the pile. Pull the whole batch if you aren't sure. 99% of the time everything will be fine. But that last 1%... Hooo boy!!

 

[Camelfilter]

I’ve gone ahead and gone about it the other way. Right or wrong.. No primers but I’ll be ready when they are available again and should have a fair understanding of how to use them by then. Since my OP I’ve ordered a press and am chipping away at all the other things I’ll be needing. Like ammo and components, I found reloading gear to be getting more scarce and more expensive every day. I’ve decided to not let that be one more thing I waited too long to purchase.
Enjoying the research and pre-learning. The hunt for hardware is just about as intense as components.

After you read a reloading manual, or few, take a look at user “76hiboy” on you tube.

He has a very good tips & tricks series for the Hornady Lock n Load AP, as well as more meat and potatoes for it.

Well worth a look see, once you have a bit of understanding on the reloading process.

 

[HDR]

After you read a reloading manual, or few, take a look at user “76hiboy” on you tube.

He has a very good tips & tricks series for the Hornady Lock n Load AP,

I’ve been watching his videos. Great info. Also several other channels that are very informative on the LNL AP.
After buying the press I’ve been scouring the inter webs for everything else I’ll need to load 9mm, 38/357, and 40/10mm. I’ve managed to get my hands on two lbs each of Titegroup and AA no.9 powders. All bullet plates, PTX expanders, and some of the dies. Also have Xtreme bullets ordered in all calibers. Currently have everything on order to load 10mm. Still hunting for dies, etc for the others. Now all I need is some good soul to hook me up with some large pistol primers and I’ll be able to load 10mm once I get set up and a little more educated.

 

[Lesliet]

@HDR , Do you have a casefeeder on your LnL? I'm working out a mod for the feeder tube, since I've noticed that .45 ACP cases tend to hang up in the vertical feed column, due to the design. ( The designers were faced with the problem of making a casefeeder on a budget that would fit probably 90% of everything out there. ) I'm curious, if you have the casefeeder, how well it works with .40 S&W and 10 mm cases?

 

[HDR]

No case feeder and no immediate plan for one. I’m still waiting for the press to show up b

 

[awshoot]

It’s a bad time to get into reloading. I have a reliable source for bullets but primers and powder are pretty hard to come by these days. If Biden does get elected and the senate is lost, we are in for 4-8 years of lean times.

I agree with this though I'd add that small pistol primers are Freakin' Impossible to come by (except at 20-30 c per pop).

Also there are no bargains on presses at the moment. I would suggest potential reloaders wait until you can buy primers at your LGS most of the time because that'll be when everything else is totally stocked up. Primers will be the last part to come back to normal.

 

[awshoot]

No case feeder and no immediate plan for one. I’m still waiting for the press to show up b

I'd suggest the case feeder. I got a LnL-AP this summer (it's why I'm out of primers now!) I noticed that the mental load when using the case feeder is dramatically less than when not using it. It seems like such a simple step to set a bullet on the case mouth, but I got myself out of rhythm over and over without it. Except for .380s -- it's a bigger drain with those.

@HDR... I'm working out a mod for the feeder tube, since I've noticed that .45 ACP cases tend to hang up in the vertical feed column, due to the design. ...

It also doesn't work all that well with small .380 bullets -- they'd often come out one stacked on top of the other. I never could figure out how to get it to feed only one bullet with a full column of bullets -- it would do OK with columns of ten but that sort of defeats the purpose.

 

[Certaindeaf]

After you read a reloading manual, or few, take a look at user “76hiboy” on you tube.

He has a very good tips & tricks series for the Hornady Lock n Load AP, as well as more meat and potatoes for it.

Well worth a look see, once you have a bit of understanding on the reloading process.

Huh, I'll have to check him out. Lots a guys out there. Elvisammo though will do a one hour video on adjusting the seater stem FOR EACH AND EVERY CARTRIDGE!! lol. So I wouldn't recommend him for general knowledge.

 

[Lesliet]

Except for .380s -- it's a bigger drain with those.

It also doesn't work all that well with small .380 bullets -- they'd often come out one stacked on top of the other. I never could figure out how to get it to feed only one bullet with a full column of bullets -- it would do OK with columns of ten but that sort of defeats the purpose.

Not to jack the thread, but maybe the op will find it of use? The "Mini Mr. Bullet feeder" setup from DAA works great for no-hassle feeding of both 9mm luger and .380 bullets. The dropper uses three ball bearings to control the drop, and is adjustable to two positions for longer and shorter bullets. I use mine for .380 regularly, and it is absolutely non problematic. That's the BULLET feeder.
The area I was having issues, is in the CASEFEEDER. When .45 ACP cases drop down the tube from the bucket at the top, they tend to catch an edge, every so often, when they get to the aluminum tapered tube parts. Then you have to carefully smack it, to get the cases to drop past the lip. I think when I get my lathe, I will be able to produce specific drop tubes and adaptors for .45 ACP that will solve this.

I find .380 to be the most tense cartridge I load, as well... small cases, and a small error in powder charge makes a big difference in velocity. I hover over the case mouths, and monitor powder levels with a very critical eye.

I bought the Hornady bullet feeder, that uses tubes, and it never really worked right, for me.

 

[Catfishmoon]

After you read a reloading manual, or few, take a look at user “76hiboy” on you tube.

He has a very good tips & tricks series for the Hornady Lock n Load AP, as well as more meat and potatoes for it.

Well worth a look see, once you have a bit of understanding on the reloading process.

I also found "76hiboy" and "the reloader dude" to be good at explaining the basic steps of reloading. After awhile, I did tire of 76hiboy taking 30 minutes to explain what could have easily been said in 10 minutes. "Johnny's reloading bench" is another site I found informative.
Suggestions for the best reloading channels on Youtube would make a good thread.

All that being said, I would advice everyone to get their own factual information from reloading manuals.

 

[HDR]

Well, probably due to Thanksgiving and unfortunate end date timing by sellers, I won two auctions for a total of 1600 large pistol primers at a little over half of the prevailing GB cost. Not a good buy for those who bought pre-pandemic but a relative steal in today’s market, and at least I’ll have components to get started and learn with. Who would have thought that .12 per primer shipped would warrant a celebration! (At least to me. Don’t laugh) FWIW, the insane prices seem to be settling down for large pistol. Not so much for small.
I’m still not able to locate a lockout die but once I do, I’ll have everything needed to start reloading 10mm. Powder cops are readily available but as a newb, I see the lockout die as a huge safety asset.

 

[tac]

If I didn't reload, then I couldn't shoot, period. True, I have only one pistol calibre, but when I had a LOT of pistol calibre guns I used to shot IPSC and police pistol, and would easily get through 800 rounds in a weekend, as well as 2-300 during the week for practice..

Those days are long gone, but I'll just say it again, everything I shoot that isn't a muzzleloader is a rifle, and some of that rifle stuff CAN be $1.75 a shot, and others, like the .577 Snider, an even ten bucks a shot.

Sure do take the shine of it, eh?

 

[DizzyJ]

Glad you acquired some primers.