Reloading advantages?

[ForneyRider]

I get to work with nitroglycerin!

 

[johnnyk]

"This does not factor in the cost of purchasing the reloading equipment."

"stop excluding the cost of the reloading equipment and the brass"

Which way do you want us to figure it? Without or with equipment? You can get started in reloading for a lot less than $800.

"We typically consume about 4 boxes of ammo each per month. Hers is 270, mine is 30-06. Our distances rarely exceed 300 yards. As far as accuracy, I'm not sure if factory is good enough because in my 25 years of shooting I've never shot anything else so I wouldn't know. My rifle is holding about a 3/4" group at 200 yards with the Federal ammo I buy"

At the current rate you're paying for factory ammo per year ($1536.00) you could have all that equpment and a shed to put it in!

JohnnyK.

 

[Harvey/ Ga]

How are you not "jiggy" on the math? It's very simple really, stop excluding the cost of the reloading equipment and the brass. Those items must be purchased and their cost absorbed into the net cost of initial reloading. At $16 retail for a box of "store bought" factory ammo, and the gross cost of 20 rounds of factory equivalent hand loaded ammo being roughly $14, it would take me nearly 400 boxes (of 20 rounds) of handloads to simply recoupe the cost of a decent reloader and all necessary equipment. That's allowing me $800 for ALL the equipment to reload. Anything after that 400 boxes then would be money saved. Easy enough, right? Mind you I'm looking at it from a retail (not wholesale) factor plus being a benchshooter that's happy with 3/4" moa from factory loads. If I was determined to get my moa's much tighter, well then of course custom hand loading would be the only way to go, without regards to cost.

$800 is a lot of money to spend on reloading equipment, unless you're buying top-of-the line BR stuff, electronic scales, neck reamers, etc.

RCBS has a complete starter setup for $340 (Midwayusa.com). Just add dies..another $30-40, unless you have a special caliber. Lots cheaper if you go the Lee route, with the cast iron frame)

Cases are something most shooters save if they're even remotely thinking of getting into reloading. They can last thru many reloads unless yoy MUST shoot primer popping loads.

 

[Shooter98]

$800 is a lot of money to spend on reloading equipment, unless you're buying top-of-the line BR stuff, electronic scales, neck reamers, etc.

RCBS has a complete starter setup for $340 (Midwayusa.com). Just add dies..another $30-40, unless you have a special caliber. Lots cheaper if you go the Lee route, with the cast iron frame)

C

I cannot find a complete RCBS starter set up on Midway anywhere, I may just be missing it. The $800 was a press, powder measure, scale, bullet puller, tumbler, 2 sets of dies.

No worries anyways, our club is offering a reloading class for $350 which includes an RCBS press, and scale and one set of dies plus a 4 hour course. So I signed up and we'll see how it goes.

 

[Shooter98]

What would you guys think of this kit as a "starter" set ?

Lee Challenger Breech Lock Single Stage Press Anniversary Kit - MidwayUSA

 

[dud]

the lee kit will work but the scale is junk,you really dont need a tumbler to get started.

 

[Shooter98]

the lee kit will work but the scale is junk,you really dont need a tumbler to get started.

Well I pulled the trigger on the Lee kit. I ordered it, plus 30-06,25-06, and 270 plus 9mm and 40 cal dies, brass resizers, a primer pocket cleaner,a few additional quick releases and an rcbs powder scale (thanks to Duds input).

Our club sells reloading supplies at below retail prices, so I will be making a trip out there tonight and loading up.

Thanks guys, we'll see how this goes.

Mike.

 

[Harvey/ Ga]

I cannot find a complete RCBS starter set up on Midway anywhere, I may just be missing it. The $800 was a press, powder measure, scale, bullet puller, tumbler, 2 sets of dies.

No worries anyways, our club is offering a reloading class for $350 which includes an RCBS press, and scale and one set of dies plus a 4 hour course. So I signed up and we'll see how it goes.

Not a bad price for the training and equipment! Be sure that you get at least 1 reloading manual...2 is better!!

RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Single Stage Press Master Kit - MidwayUSA
The Midway url for the press kit, FWIW. Hope your kit is similar!

Harvey

 

[Quarter Round]

Truth be known we handload because we like to and it doesn't have a blinking thing to do with economics. So take a snort of bore cleaner, light off a dram a powder, and jump in with the rest of us. You'll be rubbing your head and scatching your butt in a couple of years trying to figure out how to wring out a couple more tenths of an inch or a little more speed. Have fun.

 

[7 loader]

Truth be known we handload because we like to and it doesn't have a blinking thing to do with economics. So take a snort of bore cleaner, light off a dram a powder, and jump in with the rest of us. You'll be rubbing your head and scatching your butt in a couple of years trying to figure out how to wring out a couple more tenths of an inch or a little more speed. Have fun.

So says the sheppard so says the flock. AMEN!!!!!!

 

[tuck2]

I started reloading ammo in 1953 with a low price press so that I could shoot more with the limited money I had at that time. I based the decision on being able to reload a rifle case five times when computing my cost per round with out including the cost of the reloading equipment. Back then I found that I could reload ammo that was far more accurate than factory ammo. The quality of the higher cost factory ammo has improved since I started reloading but the hand loaded ammo accuracy has also improved. Reloading has ben a life long hobby for me but I also learned how to give bolt action rifles a tune up so I could get better groups with my reloads.

 

[Mikecr]

I actually took reloading in high school, along with archery, and hunter, snowmobile, and driver safety courses. It was pretty much assumed that any male would engage in these activities.
70s Local thing..
It was flat out taught that factory ammo was wasteful to a good weapon and deer meat.

 

[Harvey/ Ga]

I started reloading ammo in 1953 with a low price press so that I could shoot more with the limited money I had at that time. I based the decision on being able to reload a rifle case five times when computing my cost per round with out including the cost of the reloading equipment. Back then I found that I could reload ammo that was far more accurate than factory ammo. The quality of the higher cost factory ammo has improved since I started reloading but the hand loaded ammo accuracy has also improved. Reloading has ben a life long hobby for me but I also learned how to give bolt action rifles a tune up so I could get better groups with my reloads.

I started about the same time...and for the same reasons!

If I wasn't a reloader, I wouldn't have the knowledge of capability to amaze my high power shooting friends when my 223 HBAR beat their M-1A's at 600 and 1000 yards. 80 grain bullets were only available to reloaders in '89-90's. Now, nearly everyone's shooting them in competition.

 

[Shooter98]

Well, I'll be loading up my 1st batch tomorrow with the new loader. I'll be loading up 25.06 with Nosler 117gr bt, H4850 powder and cci primers. So, we'll see how they work out at the range on Saturday. Thanks for all the info on this thread guys.