Reloading questions.

[Texas42]

If I were you , I would reload for the .40 first. Pistol ammo doesn't need to be trimmed or lubed before sizing(with carbide dies of course), so you can produce pretty quickly even with a single stage press. Cast bullets can be had for about $50 per 500 and a pound of powder will last 1,000 rounds or more. You will recover your setup cost pretty quickly if you are a regular shooter.

Big rifle rounds on the other hand, will cost $25+ per hundred bullets and a pound of powder will last more like 100 or 150 rounds, so you don't save much if any at all. Plus most people just plain don't run through a lot of rifle ammo per range visit.

I get plated 9mm's for something like 7 cents/ bullet.

I think reloading magnum rounds is much more cost effective. (those 7mm rem mags are expensive. 100 rounds would cost like $130-$175. Granted I haven't actually started loading the rifle rounds . . but I will as soon as I'm out of rifle ammo.

 

[wshbrngr]

I don't think I can drop this mutch money to get started right now. Thank you all for the help and please keep going I'm learning and I'm sure there is someone else learning to. I do regret that a new rifle (deer rifle or a 22) is a little more than I can spend out of the tax return, and so is a reloading set up. I might be able to get a new scope for my rifle but we'll see.

It's definately not as cheap to get started as I first thought.

However, you can always try to pick up used equipment. I think between Christmas and tax time there may be people that bought equipment this past year that have decided they don't like it or don't use it.

 

[megafatcat]

For about $35 you can get a classic lee load kit from lee precision. The bare bones basics, but within its limitations it will turn out good rounds, but slowly. I started with one and I bet many of the folks telling you that you need to get $500 worth of equipment to begin used one to start also. Try one and if you Load 100 rifle rounds with it you will make up the cost. If you decide to do more then start getting the expensive equipment. Some folks NEED to drive a 18 wheeler because of what they do, others just get by with a ranger pickup and are happy.

 

[Dawico]

+1 for Lee

They rank up with the best in quality, and kill them all in price. Their customer service is excellent as well.

I love their rifle dies. If you stick a case in them, you can easily remove it yourself with no special tools.

Lee is a great place to start for a beginner. Very cheap, about 1/3 the price of others for their kits, their dies (except the RGBs) come with shell holders, loading tables, and loading instructions.