Reloading question

[chrisk86]

Reloading quesitons
Ok so over the last year or so my passion for shooting has exploded, I'm shooting ten times more than I ever thought I would to be honest. So my first question is after the initial cost of buyng equipement to reload my own ammo what kind of savings can expect, I would be reloading .40 S&W and possibly 9mm. I've heard numbers from people all over the board from that by the end I wont save much and reloading my own is a waist of time to I can save up to .20cents a round... Just looking for some feedback from anyone who reloads those calibers themselves, just to be strait this would all bplinking rounds nothing for personal defense so if I use some cheaperpowder that would be totally fine with me.
my second question is since I would be reloading my own it would all be led rounds no metal jackets or anything so is there any possible way that they could in anyway damage my pistols in any way at all?? I know its more my personal fear than actual danger because I'm sure hundreds of yu reload your own ammo all the time, I just need someone to help get rid of my fear

Also anything else that you can think of that I would need to know please feel free to tell me whatever I need to know

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[44s rock]

Doing the same thing, Midway just shipped the ballance of my equipment, now to find supplies.

 

[Trailboss]

On the cheapest side of the equation, if you cast your own and reuse your casings, using primers at $30/k and Unique powder at $20/lb, you're looking at a cost of $50/1000 to reload your own. Not bad at 5 cents a round.

On the expensive side of the equation, if you buy premium bullets and casings and primers at $70/k and H4227 powder at $30/lb, you're looking at a cost of $370/1000 to reload your own. Comes out to 35 cents a round.

Choose your load. I go cheap when plinking, I go expensive when armed for defense.

 

[vertical ascent]

From my own experience, reloading is a necessity, I am shooting a fairly new round and its ammo availabity is non-existant. Normally the plinking ammo prices (pre-December prices) was about .75/round and the match grade ammo was about 1.50-2.00/round, now my reloads cost me about .50/plinking ammo and .75/round for the match grade reloads.

Bottom line for is that, I am not really saving any money, here's why, the money I saved reloading my own ammo ended going into making more ammo which in turn made me go shoot more.

So depending on your reasons for reloading, will entail how much money you will save, if you hoard your ammo and not shoot it, then you will definitely save money, if you're like me then, your savings will go to more trigger time.
YMMV

 

[bellarum]

Punch in all of your components and enjoy!Reloading Costs Calculator « Ultimate Reloader Reloading Blog

Reloading quesitons
Ok so over the last year or so my passion for shooting has exploded, I'm shooting ten times more than I ever thought I would to be honest. So my first question is after the initial cost of buyng equipement to reload my own ammo what kind of savings can expect, I would be reloading .40 S&W and possibly 9mm. I've heard numbers from people all over the board from that by the end I wont save much and reloading my own is a waist of time to I can save up to .20cents a round... Just looking for some feedback from anyone who reloads those calibers themselves, just to be strait this would all bplinking rounds nothing for personal defense so if I use some cheaperpowder that would be totally fine with me.
my second question is since I would be reloading my own it would all be led rounds no metal jackets or anything so is there any possible way that they could in anyway damage my pistols in any way at all?? I know its more my personal fear than actual danger because I'm sure hundreds of yu reload your own ammo all the time, I just need someone to help get rid of my fear

Also anything else that you can think of that I would need to know please feel free to tell me whatever I need to know

 

[Throckmorton]

Lead bullets can be a problem with Glocks,because of their rifling tecnique.You can buy an extra barrel and solve that problem.
I"ve shot tens of thousands of cast bullet rounds,it's all I shoot.You won't ruin a gun with them,and they cost way less than jacketed bullets,and even copper plated bullets.
you and MANY others are getting the reloading bug as ammo has dried up something fierce.This has led..in part..to a severe shortage of powder and primers,but they can be had with a little patience. Same with powder..

Your ammo needs will dictate in part the press you buy.The more you spend,the more rounds per session you'll produce.It is not a cheap hobby,but it's sure fun and rewarding. I just helped a local fella set up his Dillon ,and turn out his 1st rounds.He's darned with his results.

the 1st think you need is a good reloading book or 2. My go-to book for YEARS has been my Lyman's,there are many others,but Lyman's has plenty of general info as well as load data.

 

[scrandall01215]

Bellarum- Thanks for the link

 

[bellarum]

welcome! After I find components that can be had locally,I use it to see what the cost difference is between using different powders and bullet weights for the same caliber and then start developing something that shoots well for me. Get a chronograph and you will be able to check your velocities along the way. (chrono tip...replace the metal rods that hold up the screens with wooden BBQ skewers. they break when you accidently hit them. So I was told) I'm still on my 1st set

 

[nwdrifter]

For 9mm i cast my own bullets and have the brass. I figure its 9-10 cents a round for powder, primers, lube and lead and the propane to melt it. so 100 rounds for $10 or $100 for 1000 rounds.

 

[XSubSailor]

Calculate your costs here:

Reloading Costs Calculator « Ultimate Reloader Reloading Blog

Bottom Line: You can save ton of money. Buy components in bulk for the best savings. Assuming you are using fired brass, bullets are the most expensive component...the better your bargain on bullets, the more money you will save. Don't scrimp on powder...a lot of people love Titegroup because of its economy, but it's not a very good all around powder, and burns too hot for most cast lead bullets. Use the proper powder and charge that works best for you. Unless you're using Vitavouri (sp) powder, which is quite expensive, you won't feel the price difference between Bullseye and Power Pistol powder...they all cost $15-$20/lb and around $130-$150 for an 8 lb keg.

 

[GuyBMeredith]

In the current market it is hard to tell what the actual numbers are. I reload .38 spl with 158 gr copper plated X-Treme bullets. If primers come back down to the last price I paid that will be about $5.25 per 50 for custom ammo.

When I bought the reloading gear and 1000 rounds worth of components I was able to make up for the cost within a year.

 

[deadshot2]

In pistol, I only shoot 9mm so I'll only reply for that round. I load my 9mm rounds using Montana Gold 124gr JHP's, with Wolf or Tula primers and Alliant Power Pistol. Using this combination and buying in bulk (case of 3750 bullets, Jug of Power Pistol, and case (5,000)of primers) I am able to break a "dime per round" cost. That makes it right at $100/thousand. Even when 9mm ammo was plentiful that compared with online sources that averaged over $180 per thousand. Not a HUGE savings per round but when you take into consideration the number of rounds loaded, and the fact I have ammo when even ranges don't have any to sell for their rental guns, reloading pays in more than one way.

Want to save more? Load for .223. My cost .16 per round with online costs when available running $350-$400 per thousand (.35 -.40/round).

And then there's .308 where the savings are even larger. I now load a Lapua case, using CFE223, Lapua Bullets, and Tula Primers for a very accurate long range load. This round would sell for $1.50 or so if available. My cost? Less than .50 per. Yes, I did have the extra cost of the Lapua Brass to begin with but it lasts for a real long time so the more I load it, the less the brass really cost me. Sure beats paying "Over a buck per round" for so called "Match Ammo" that isn't as accurate as my "homebrew" rounds.

Just some food for thought. If people applied the same analysis to automobiles as we've seen in "reloading vs buying" ammo, there would be a lot of empty garages. A $30,000 car, with all it's ancillary costs, in many cases makes no sense at all when looking at the number of miles driven, proximity to bus lines, or availability of cabs for short trips. I guess the real reason most people have cars is the convenience of not having to wait for other means of transport. Just like those of us who reload because we don't want to be tied to the vagarities of "supply" like we see today.

 

[rblsdad]

Yes it is cheaper to reload in the long run, once you have all the equipment and supplies, but the most important reason that I reload is for the enjoyment of it, finding that one sweet load that your pistol or rifle loves and is accurate as can be, this is one of my favorite hobbies.

 

[rainyday]

to help save cost, you can buy powder and primers in bulk from powder valley

 

[HappyRoman]

good luck with powder valley, they seem to be out of almost everything..

 

[chrisk86]

Awesome thank you everyone!!! This all really answered any questions I had and dismissed any concerns I had, looks like I'll be spending the next couple weeks or so putting together a good reloading setup and searching products.

Thanks everyone!!

 

[XSubSailor]

Awesome thank you everyone!!! This all really answered any questions I had and dismissed any concerns I had, looks like I'll be spending the next couple weeks or so putting together a good reloading setup and searching products.

Thanks everyone!!

If you can wait for the current shortage to abate, you'll save a lot more. Quality powder and primers are in short supply and grossly overpriced. Stock up on bullets now...the supply seems relatively unaffected (go figure) by the current hoard-a-thon.

 

[Mikej]

Yes it is cheaper to reload in the long run, once you have all the equipment and supplies, but the most important reason that I reload is for the enjoyment of it, finding that one sweet load that your pistol or rifle loves and is accurate as can be, this is one of my favorite hobbies.

Oh yeah!

 

[AMProducts]

Most of the important price calculations have been hit on here as well as the main reasons for getting into it.

However there are two things I will give you some serious advice on before you start:

First: learn to go slow and take your time, buy a cheap press (the Lee Reloader is a great starter press), but buy a decent set of dies (I like RCBS/Redding), buy a manual, buy a scale, a shell holder, and a priming tool. You will have to weigh every charge manually by hand with this setup. You will have to go slow with this setup, size all your brass, tumble/clean all your brass. Now carefully set up your press to bell... bell all the brass, now prime all the brass. Take out your powder, carefully weigh a charge and carefully seat and crimp a bullet. Make 5 rounds, now take those to the range. Did they work? great, did they not work? if they didn't work, and you loaded more than 5, you just wasted a lot of components, this is why I told you to load 5.

That said, the second point, if you're getting into a serious reloading obsession and want to save money, buy your components in bulk, if need be go in with a few friends. That $20/lb powder may drop to $15/lb when you buy 8 lbs at a time. Same thing with primers and bullets.

Don't start out with a progressive, it's kinda like a dremel tool in that it's speed will allow you to accomplish much work faster, however that same speed may destroy things with the same rapidity.

 

[XSubSailor]

Most of the important price calculations have been hit on here as well as the main reasons for getting into it.

However there are two things I will give you some serious advice on before you start:

First: learn to go slow and take your time, buy a cheap press (the Lee Reloader is a great starter press), but buy a decent set of dies (I like RCBS/Redding), buy a manual, buy a scale, a shell holder, and a priming tool. You will have to weigh every charge manually by hand with this setup. You will have to go slow with this setup, size all your brass, tumble/clean all your brass. Now carefully set up your press to bell... bell all the brass, now prime all the brass. Take out your powder, carefully weigh a charge and carefully seat and crimp a bullet. Make 5 rounds, now take those to the range. Did they work? great, did they not work? if they didn't work, and you loaded more than 5, you just wasted a lot of components, this is why I told you to load 5.

That said, the second point, if you're getting into a serious reloading obsession and want to save money, buy your components in bulk, if need be go in with a few friends. That $20/lb powder may drop to $15/lb when you buy 8 lbs at a time. Same thing with primers and bullets.

Don't start out with a progressive, it's kinda like a dremel tool in that it's speed will allow you to accomplish much work faster, however that same speed may destroy things with the same rapidity.

I agree with the start slow and understand what you're doing advice, but if you're going to get serious about reloading pistol ammo, you will need a progressive press sooner rather than later. Keep your eyes and ears open and if a bargain presents itself, jump on it. I use a progressive (Hornady LnL) for pistol, and a single stage (RCBS RC II) for rifle. I started with a progressive after realizing I'd want one eventually. Understand that you can operate a progressive as a single stage press too, and it's a good idea until you understand the process completely.

That being said, if you intend to reload rifle ammo, you'll probably want a single stage press too, so if you go that route first, you won't be wasting your money...