Reloading BS thread

I forgot to add, I have two friends who do/did reload, one is in Louisiana and too far for me to learn, the other is 2 minutes from my house and has said he would teach me. I know what he uses for reloading, but he reloaded for precision rifle.

My friend in LA uses a Dillon progressive press for reloading handgun. I liked it but don't have the money and want to be able to load the 30-06 and the 7mm-08 for accuracy

I was thinking a single stage press

I would just like to find a kit for all inclusive (except dies) to make my life easier

 

Thank y'all, if I don't take a trip during spring break this year every bit of brass that I own will be loaded....if I can manage to get the supplies

Does anyone know anything about the rcbs kit at Walmart? The price attracts me (though the fact that it is Walmart doesn't)

 

I have been handloading handgun and rifle ammo for 28 years. Because I like revolvers a lot I load 38 Spl, 357 Mag and 44 Special often. I shoot long range competition and this is handloaded single-stage to optimize accuracy in my 6.5x284 rifle.

Thousands of 223 for the AR15's has been made and turned into noise, and 30-06 as well as a boatload of 308 over the years. All but the previously mentioned 6.5x284 was made on my Dillon RL550B.

 

anyone use IMR 700x powder? it's one of the common powders between 38 and 9mm, 3.3 grains for 38 and 4.3 for 9mm

 

Bought a bunch of hardcast 158 gr SWCs for my S&W 64. Goal is 1100 fps. I think I can do it with unique. I want a classic load with maximum penetration for the 38 for backpacking.

I tend to think of 38 SPL as a light gun, but ain't nobody sending a 9mm that heavy that fast...that's almost 357 SIG territory.

 

I need three more items...well two but one would be nice.
A Dillion 600 pocket swager, a decent case trimmer, and a RCBS powder dispenser.

All the brass that I've been resizing is measuring 1.770 instead of 1.750...

I've got a scale but I don't want to have to measure every damn load every time...

 

mostly use hornady and RCBS stuff, currently reloading the following
45 acp
40 s&w
6.8 spc
.223
.308
here are some pics of my setup

 

Wow that's a clean workbench! I swear every time I go to reload I have to clear off a bunch of stuff just to set the shells down.

 

thanks it used to be messy until I put the cabinets up its much easier to keep track of what components I have or need now too

 

That is a sweet setup. Jelly...

 

Raptor, Yes, nice bench setup. I have as much space but (sadly) messy. I load for monthly NBRSA Match and shoot Service Rifle (AR15) once a month, plus I love my revolvers and load 38's and 357 and 44 special for them. I shoot a good amount of 9mm but have a stash of Speer factory ammo for them.
right now I have a 8 lb jug of Varget on backorder for my 308 shooting, when it will appear is anyones guess....

If there is anything I have learned in handloading for 30 years it is to find a load you like and then STOCK UP on those components. If you know you will be shooting a firearm for several years it is wise to buy enough primers, powder and buillets to keep is running for at least a year in case there are dry spells. I have seen and survived three component dry spells in the past 15 years. Try to make yourseld immune to this. Right now most everything in in short supply.

 

I don't know where you've been buying ammo. My 1911 eats it like crazy, and the cheapest I can buy is $21 for 50 rds, or $0.42/round.

Reloading:
Bullets:$0.055/round
Brass: Free range brass
Powder: $0.02/round
Primer: $0.02/round

Total cost per round: $0.095...

vs MAYBE $0.35 if you find it cheap...? HUGE difference.

 

You do math a little different than I do.

 

I calculated around .2389 cents/round. I've been buying them for .34 cents/round. I know reloading is cheaper (about $100per1000) but the time in requires and the amount of 45acp I shoot it just isn't worth it to me to spend the time reloading it. I do however reload all my rifle cartridges, and 38/357mag

 

Haha yeah that was supposed to be $0.055 Per bullet... $55 for 1,000 of them. Forgot a Zero in there...

I love reloading. Keeps my hands busy when I'm studying.

 

Where are you buying bullets that cheap?
The lowest I've seen is copper washed for about $.12 per bullet.
Montana Gold, Rainier Ballistics, Berry's.
I deprimed and sized and cleaned in solution and have 500 ready to prime and charge.
I found about 75 SPP pieces in the lot.
I will probably sell those or find a somebody that will sell a small number of SPP for me to charge them.
I figured I'm at $.18 per round, if I don't amortize my equipment.

 

Buy all-carbide dies for 45 Colt...straight-walled cases will run more smoothly and no lube to screw with.

 

why thanks, I'm hoping to start once I can get my taxes dealt with and my tax return back (hopefully)

 

For my favorite big caliber, 44 Special, loaded ammo is $35 or more for a box of 50 rounds IF YOU CAN FIND IT. Handloads are way less than half that, but what really makes it worth while is that I can load the bullets the I like at the velocity the works best in my revolvers. 44 Special can be loaded hot, but if you want a magnum buy a 44 Magnum revolver. Full Speed 44 Special is on par with 45 ACP ammo and this is all I ever want. I do load it milder for fun shooting and it is quite accurate too.

In rifle rounds I shoot 218 Bee and it is a lot of fun. The 218 Bee case has about half the gunpowder capacity of the 223 Remington, yet with a 45 grain bullets is still a fast round for varmints inside of 200 yards or so and fun on targets. This ammo is about 40 cents a pop with premium bullets which makes it way less expensive that the only factory round still loaded (a Winchester 46 grain flat-nose bullet load) and tailorered for my Contrnder Carbine it is MOA accurate too.

Handloading is at its best advantage for;
1) handloading cartridges no longer popular
2) special loads like reduced power loads to tame recoil in the bigger cartridges
3) Cost saving loads for volume shooting typically with handguns and cast bullets.
4) Times when factory ammo is hard to get like now!

This last comment brings me to my last comment...
Right Now is a tough time to start handloading as reloading equipment (Press, dies, scales, etc.) and Components (Brass, Powder, Primers) is in high demand ans short supply at the moment.

If you do start up remember to be cautious in loading, NEVER exceed maximums published in the manuals, keep good (complete and thorough) records of your handloads.

And once you do find a load that you like use those records to stock up on the specific components used to make your favorite loads so that you can build ammo at YOUR convienience, this way YOU control your ammunition supply, not what is on the shelf at the gun store at the moment.