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Good time to get into reloading?

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  • rmantoo

    Cranky old fart: Pull my finger
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    Jan 9, 2013
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    My #1 question to potential reloaders is: What is your expected volume, per year?

    If you're only loading 500 or a 1000 rounds a year, then even a single stage, or a turret, or a Lee loadmaster will be fine.

    If, however, you plan on reloading 500+ per MONTH, that is a completely different situation, imho. Almost any dillon will fairly easily turn our 400-500+ rounds per hour once you get a bit of experience.

    The thing that made me start with a 550 was reading, literally, 100s of posts where various reloaders would say something along the lines of, "I can easily reload 100 rounds per hour," or, "I don't care about speeding through reloading. I enjoy the process. Rounds per hour is a dangerous metric for a home reloader." etc... All I can see reading that is that my normal practice rounds per month for USPSA/3 Gun is north of 2000 rounds, and if I was loading 100 rounds per hour, then it becomes a 2nd job.

    My goal when reloading pistol ammo is to spend as little TIME as possible per round (while maintaining safety, reasonable accuracy...yada yada yada)


    Rifle reloading (other than 5.56 for volume) is an entirely different matter... I do NOT reload any of my semi-precision (that's about as high a claim as I'll make about me or my ammo) rifle ammo on a progressive press.
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    Deavis

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    Oct 20, 2011
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    I'll take a look at that book! If I'd decided to reload it'll only be for what i need so 9MM and 5.56 Nato, don't want to have too many calibers as I'm not really a gun collector rather shoot what i own type person.

    Right, the two highest volume calibers for shooting. I only can tell you that if you actually start reloading those two you may face the motorcycle issue.

    "A 600cc is enough... nope... bought a 750...it is enough... nope... bought a 1000cc... finally... d they make something bigger?"

    The dillon is worth it
     

    Axxe55

    Retiretgtshit stirrer
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    Dec 15, 2019
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    Lost in East Texas Elhart Texas
    I don't think there is really a bad time to get into reloading, just due to some events we are seeing and experiencing, there is a shortage of some components which will make reloading a little more difficult.
     

    rotor

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    Nov 1, 2015
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    There will be components again, meantime read the books, set up your dies, mount the press, clean your brass, figure out what additional things you will need and order as it becomes available. A lot of pre loading work can be done now so that everything is ready when you have components.
     

    C7Z062019

    Active Member
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    Jul 19, 2020
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    Sugar Land
    I did some reloading a few years back when I owned a property where I could shoot. I sold the property so now only place I can find to shoot is at a range here in the Houston area. I personally don't care to shoot at just targets for very long. When I do go to the range a box of 50 is about all i shoot. So not much need to load my own. I prefer shooting as WHO_TEE_WHO does on Youtube. At make shift targets, etc. Nothing against those who hunt but I personally do not shoot animals either so again no need to reload.
     

    TxStetson

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    May 9, 2013
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    Right, the two highest volume calibers for shooting. I only can tell you that if you actually start reloading those two you may face the motorcycle issue.

    "A 600cc is enough... nope... bought a 750...it is enough... nope... bought a 1000cc... finally... d they make something bigger?"

    The dillon is worth it
    I started reloading 44 Magnum on a Lee Pro 1000 that I traded for, and it had a second carrier and tool head for 45 acp. Later I added a Rockchucker to use for 308 and 45-70. Then I acquired a used Dillon 550 and shit canned the Pro 1000. Now I don't even have the Rockchucker mounted on the workbench anymore. I load everything on the 550 including precision 308, 6.5 CM and 338 Lapua. Now that I have used a Dillon I could never go back to anything else. IMHO the Dillon 550 is the perfect balance between reloading speed and control over the entire process.
     

    bagman45

    New Member
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    Jan 22, 2020
    8
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    Texas
    As others have said, reloading is a great hobby, but getting components - especially primers just now is nearly impossible. That said, press-wise, I've reloaded thousands of rounds on a single stage RCBS Rockchucker. I tried out a buddy's Lee progressive once, and had nothing but trouble. Neither did he; he was the squib reloading king.... Plus, I'm an engineer, and anal retentive about the safety and consistency of my loads.

    While my production rate isn't as high, it's plenty high to easily reload hundreds of rounds a week in only a few hours once you get your dies set up and load developed. I just do it in batches over a few evenings as I have time and interest. I tumble the brass, then decap/size a bunch, then maybe prime them - I do that off the press and can prime while watching tv. Once I have the cases I need prepped, It's a pretty quick thing to bell the case mouth, drop powder (measuring every tenth charge on a scale), put a bullet in the case mouth and seat/crimp. Rifle loading can be bit more involved, but follows the same general process...
     

    RangerDoc275

    New Member
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    Oct 14, 2018
    26
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    Greater Austin, Texas
    I know you may think by now that we’re picking on you (OP), but I’m going to pile it on too. I started reloading with a Rock Chucker. It worked well. I then made the terrible mistake of buying a Hornady progressive. I could never get it right. My CO then convinced me to buy a Dillon 550. That was 1992. I’ve not regretted that ever since. If you only want to dip your proverbial toes, get a single stage or at most a turret. If you ever consider a progressive go with Dillon.

    I’m still loading on the 550 I got in 1992. But it’s been upgraded to the “C” version and Dillon paid for most of those upgrades over the years. I now have two 550’s mounted to one bench. One set for small primers and the other large. It literally takes me less than three minutes to change calibers this way. I also still have the Rock Chucker on a second bench. It’s been just as reliable all these years.

    Like what’s already been said, the only real issue you will have today is finding components. I have dies on backorder from Dillon along with another powder measure. Primers, brass, bullets are near impossible to find now.

    Regardless, enjoy it. Reloading can be very rewarding. Just don’t expect to save money. You’ll just shoot more to reload more to shoot more to reload more to....
     

    unicom

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    May 19, 2016
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    It’s always a good time to get into reloading. Just not a good time for supply of needed items. I have a Lee single stage press. And I like it just fine. I also don’t reload that much at all so this works for me. If I was reloading a few hundred rounds at a time, I would spend the money on a Dillon 550.


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    unicom

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    Also. I’m the kind of person that measures each powder charge. I may change that one day but right now I’m happy with checking every powder charge. But I only load 10 to 15 rounds here and there so the single stage press is perfect for me.


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    Axxe55

    Retiretgtshit stirrer
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    Dec 15, 2019
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    Lost in East Texas Elhart Texas
    Also. I’m the kind of person that measures each powder charge. I may change that one day but right now I’m happy with checking every powder charge. But I only load 10 to 15 rounds here and there so the single stage press is perfect for me.


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    I think buying the right type of equipment is necessary for the objective one is looking for. A single stage is an excellent platform for reloading, and learning to reload on. And they still serve a purpose for many reloaders and serve their needs very well.

    They also can serve in other aspects of reloading even if most reloading is done on a progressive or turret style reloader.

    Currently, I have three single stages presses, but do plan on adding a turret type press to my reloading equipment in the near future.
     

    rotor

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    Nov 1, 2015
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    I went out to the range today. Normally there are hundreds of brass casings to pick up. All I found were steel and aluminum. The range was picked clean which I have never seen before. I was shooting .38 special so no need to bend over to pick up brass, my wife was shooting 9 mm so had to pick up hers. I have a ton of components though. Things will eventually get better. Go step by step.
     

    Mills

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    Brass, what brass ?

    7B8AD039-A134-487E-9200-D36E823783EE.jpeg
     

    SQLGeek

    Muh state lines
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    Sep 22, 2017
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    I'm convinced the primer situation has only gotten worse. It's a sample of one but Midway used to have semi-regular stocks of small pistol primers come in. I am subscribed to their in stock notifications and haven't received anything in over a month if not longer.
     

    TxStetson

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    I'm convinced the primer situation has only gotten worse. It's a sample of one but Midway used to have semi-regular stocks of small pistol primers come in. I am subscribed to their in stock notifications and haven't received anything in over a month if not longer.
    I believe you are correct. I believe most of the primers being made are being sent to the major ammo manufacturers, and until they get caught up, I don't expect to see primers on the shelves for the rest of us. But then again, I could be wrong.

    Maybe there's a shitload of primers out there we just haven't found yet.
     

    SQLGeek

    Muh state lines
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    Sep 22, 2017
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    Maybe there's a shitload of primers out there we just haven't found yet.

    Yeah, sitting on a couple of reloaders' shelves and they won't even get used. :)

    But you're right, they're being used up by the ammo manufacturers to make completed ammo. Oh well, at least it is somewhat possible to buy 9mm with enough patience.

    I've noticed that Speer handgun bullets are becoming scarcer as well.
     

    Mills

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    Mar 22, 2020
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    no primers, no ammo .

    gun broker , white box 9mm target is going for 1.50 per round .

    small pistol primers are going for .15 to .20 cents ea.

    ouch

    but that’s none of my business
    slack-imgs-1.com.0.0.jpeg
     
    Last edited:

    mad88minute

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    Oct 13, 2017
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    Houston
    I think buying the right type of equipment is necessary for the objective one is looking for. A single stage is an excellent platform for reloading, and learning to reload on. And they still serve a purpose for many reloaders and serve their needs very well.

    They also can serve in other aspects of reloading even if most reloading is done on a progressive or turret style reloader.

    Currently, I have three single stages presses, but do plan on adding a turret type press to my reloading equipment in the near future.
    I have a progressive, a turret, a single stage and a hand press.

    My single stage sees the majority of the action. Ive been preparing brass on it, sizing, trimming, if needed swaging primer pockets all on the single stage.

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