Reloading BS thread

Check out www.castboolits.com

 

supposedly thats a good range of bullet weight. the heavier bullet drops more at longer range. Ive heard a lot of people using 165-168gr bullets for long range shooting. I dont realistically shoot out past 400yds in a hunting environment so Im ok with my 180gr

 

Made some 221 fireball for my old man. He has a good deal. I make him the ammo and he gets to shoot squirrels with it. Not sure how it ended up this way.

 

I just ordered a Dillon 550C.

Now that I shoot Cowboy Silhouette, and have to feed 2 guns, using my Rockchucker takes a long time...

 

Nice. I love my 550b

 

Here is my finished product. 500 rounds of 221 Fireball

 

New pyrex powder drop cylinder. The plastic was always making too much staticn even after discharging with dryer sheets etc

 

Where did you find a Pyrex tube?

 

http://wardlance.com

 

Thank you.

 

You're welcome.

 

I still have my rockchucker and use it for small runs but I bought a 550b last year and absolutely love it. Reloading is once again enjoyable.

This past April, I was in Phoenix so visited Dillon Precision. They were just starting to make the "C" model. Very nice people there.

 

http://www.unammo.com/

These folks have 5000 CCI primers shipped for $139 - including hazmat! That's a pretty good deal for primers shipped. Beats my source in town where I can get 1000 for $30 + tax.

 

Alright so at what point do you guys decide to reload for a certain caliber? Specifically one you only might have one rifle for and wont be shooting to often. I can get surplus ammo for ~55 cents a round. Thats not reload-able though. I could get new, brass ammo for ~75 cents a round. To buy reloading components (outside of powder and primers as i already have them) i would be looking at ~50 cents for brass, around $30 per 100 for bullets and then the ~40 bucks for dies.

So basically either I just buy 180 rounds of surplus ammo that will last me a decent amount of time and be able to shoot right away. Or i could buy the factory new brass ammo for more upfront money but the ~120ish rounds I'd buy would would give me the brass and i could save and reload them later. Or just go all in on reloading right away.

Im leaning otwards new brass for now, more just curious to hear when you guys decide to reload for a caliber

 

Depending on what and where ya shoot, maybe buy some new brass ammo, shoot that and reload those cases plus others you pick up off the shooting range.

For instance I've got a lot of 9mm ammo but got into reloading for the .223, can find spent brass all over the place at shooting locations. So it's worth while to pick it up, and start making rounds cheeper and more accurate.

My goal is to have 1k in both and reloading was cheeper than buying new even with the cost of press

 

Its 8mm mauser. Forgot to mention that. So not really going to find it laying around like I can with 223/308.

Its more just the toss up of reloading just for a caliber I wont shoot often at all or just buying ammo for it. Not quite as easy as a choice as say 45-70 where you pretty much get instant savings vs buying. But i am leaning more and more towards just buying brass at the slightly higher initial cost knowing down the road I can get dies if i really want

 

I don't always look at reloading as a cost savings, rather as a way to build the load I want as opposed to the load I can find at the store. Sure, after the cost of equipment, it will probably be a savings.

I just started shooting Pistol Cartridge Cowboy Silhouette. I (actually, we) shoot .357 Henry rifles. I don't need full power .357, but want more than .38 Special. So, I reload a lower pressure .357 (that no manufacturer produces) with Berry 125 grain bullets. Without reloading, I would not have this load.

I suggest at least buying reloadable brass rounds, so later on, if you decide to, you can reload.

 

If you don't shoot often enough and don't need to customize the bullets I'd say wait and just save up the brass you shoot and I'm sure eventually you'll have a few other calipers you'll want to reload, and by then you'll have a good amount of brass to start.
Another option is to slowly get components over time. Can start with a hf rock tumbler with stainless steal media

 

I already reload....14 other calibers actually. Only ones I dont are 762x39 and 762x54r (and 22lr) and the 8x57 is the toss up. So cost wise is literally just dies out side of components

 

For rifles, if I own it, I reload for it. That's how I decide. I'll admit to buying a gun in a certain chambering just because I wanted to reload for it more than once.

Handguns are a bit harder to decide. I only reload for about half of them.