Considering reloading

[tanks]

He has a simple set up. He was telling me he wished he had a Dillon or whatever because he has to do each step himself. With one of those other ones I guess you just put the primers, cases, and bullets in then pull the lever and a bullet comes out?

Not quite, but close. Here is a basics video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOibBqkiDMc

Now, reloading is not for everyone. You have to be a bit OCD to reload in that one has to pay attention and be careful. No tv, drinking, distractions etc. while reloading or KABOOM at the range.

[Germ1]

Not quite, but close. Here is a basics video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOibBqkiDMc

Now, reloading is not for everyone. You have to be a bit OCD to reload in that one has to pay attention and be careful. No tv, drinking, distractions etc. while reloading or KABOOM at the range.

One of the things that's on my mind already, lol. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs, so I guess that's one less thing to worry about.

[elmontemike]

You'd be saving about $25 per 500. In a year that is $1,300. Whether that savings is worth to you or not is your decision. In reality people do not save any money, they just shoot more .

This is true. You think you're saving money but you end up shooting more so you're spending more. I like having this problem though.

[rsrocket1]

I'm shooting 9mm at 6 cents a shot but I cast and I don't get lead free, I'm pretty much paying open market cost of just under $1/#. If I can score some for real cheap or free like folks used to do, it would be 4 cents a shot. The interesting thing about casting and reloading is that regardless of caliber it's all about the same cost of 6-8 cents per shot depending on your cost of lead.

Primers are 2.5-3 cents, powder is about a penny, brass is free, lead can vary between 1.5 cents for a 120g 9mm bullet to 3 cents for a 230g 45ACP bullet.

[scotchblade]

One of the things that's on my mind already, lol. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs, so I guess that's one less thing to worry about.

Are you the detail oriented, organized type? Able to remain focused on the task at hand? Reloading isn't for everyone.

My big savings comes with .44 Special and Magnum, not to mention the ability to really vary the load. I load 9mm as well.

[stranded1980]

Yeah, he's already trying to teach me since I mentioned it earlier today. He's shoving books into my hands and telling me I can use his press & tumbler.

Then your decision should be a no-brainer: Go learn from him! It's only going to cost you components, but the really valuable thing is time with your grandfather.

A large part of who we are, and why we act the way we do is genetic. Yea, some of it is learned behavior, but we also inherit characteristics that make us react the way we do. Spending time with our ancestors helps us to understand ourselves. Their stories help us as we forge our own.

Furthermore, I'm guessing you're under 35 if your grandfather is alive. You may only shoot 9mm now, but there is a good chance that'll change as you get older. If you already know how to reload, it'll be a valuable skill in case you ever move to rifle or more expensive pistol cartridges.

[Eljay]

He has a simple set up. He was telling me he wished he had a Dillon or whatever because he has to do each step himself. With one of those other ones I guess you just put the primers, cases, and bullets in then pull the lever and a bullet comes out?

Yeah, pretty much if you're living on the higher end. Here's a video of a 650 with a bulletfeeder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsroWATZWQc

Every 100 cases it runs out of primers so you dump in a primer tube and I take that time to throw a couple of handfulls of bullets into that hopper, and to do whatever level of brass inspection I'm doing (more for match rounds, less for practice) and throw those into THAT hopper.

I'd totally learn from your grandpa in either case even if you decide not to do anything about it until later in life.

[Paseclipse]

Hello people, I'm considering reloading. I already have reloading equipment available to me, all I would need is a 9mm die. I shoot 500 rounds of 9mm every weekend, and at the end of the day I pick everything up. Usually the brass just sits around waiting to be thrown away(cringe if you must). Every time I pick it up I think to myself, I could be doing something with all of this.

So here's my question, is it worth it? So far from what I've found it's 67 dollars for 500 115gr fmj bullets. Plus whatever the primers and the powder cost. So at the end of the day I will be lucky if I'm saving what, ten or twenty bucks? Which comes at the cost of my time. I know nothing about reloading, I'm not the reloader in the family my grandfather is.

Is 9mm worth reloading if you shoot high volumes of it like I do?

Go learn how to reload from your grandfather and spend time with him while he's still here. The money saved reloading 9mm will be minimal but the memories you'll have with him will be priceless.

[MrElectric03]

When I started reloading I went big and bought a Dillon 650. Not because I shoot a lot but because I value my time. I don't shoot near as much as you OP, but I can load 500 rounds in 45 minutes pretty easily. I spend about one day a month reloading. I enjoy it a lot and wish I could spend more but I work a lot and spending family time comes first. In one day I'll load whatever caliber I'm getting low on (I reload 9 calibers on my 650 and 5 calibers on my rockchucker but prep all brass on the 650) and I'll prep brass and tumble to I have brass ready to load when needed.

My 9mm 115 gr cost is just over $0.10 per round not counting brass. I bought about 3k 9mm cases at under $0.03 per case and haven't needed to replenish yet.

You may not save a ton shooting 9mm but you are saving. Later if you want a buy a 10mm, .44 mag, or start shooting rifle matches your investment will pay off much quicker.

[MrElectric03]

Go learn how to reload from your grandfather and spend time with him while he's still here. The money saved reloading 9mm will be minimal but the memories you'll have with him will be priceless.

As I have a grandfather with Alzheimer's who taught me to weld, fabricate, and work on cars I very much agree with this^^^

[Jjwisled]

Jump on this opportunity i missed the chance to learn from mine, he passed many years ago and I only recently started reloading. What I wouldn't give to spend a little time with him at his bench now.

[Germ1]

Then your decision should be a no-brainer: Go learn from him! It's only going to cost you components, but the really valuable thing is time with your grandfather.

A large part of who we are, and why we act the way we do is genetic. Yea, some of it is learned behavior, but we also inherit characteristics that make us react the way we do. Spending time with our ancestors helps us to understand ourselves. Their stories help us as we forge our own.

Furthermore, I'm guessing you're under 35 if your grandfather is alive. You may only shoot 9mm now, but there is a good chance that'll change as you get older. If you already know how to reload, it'll be a valuable skill in case you ever move to rifle or more expensive pistol cartridges.

I am under 35, I'm 27. My grandfather has already had two strokes which resulted in permanent brain damage. He had to relearn how to walk. The crazy part about it was that he just slept through both of them, he thought he was sick and just spent two days laying in his recliner. He ended up driving himself to the hospital.
He's not a pleasant man in general so everyone just left him alone thinking he had the flu or something. Tuff guy, I don't feel so good I better go lay down. Turns out it was a couple of strokes, lol. He's a retired iron worker. Any way I probably will learn how to reload.

[stranded1980]

Good decision! Here's some great topics to discuss while you're learning to reload from him:

1. How did you meet grandma?
2. What was your mom or dad like as a kid?
3. Did you serve in the military? Any combat stories?
4. How did you choose your career?
5. What was it like when you grew up?
6. What were your great-grandparents like?
7. Did he get along with his dad?
8. What were his siblings like?

In short, learning to reload is a perk to just spending time with your grandpa. Guys on this board can argue all day about the value of loading 9mm, single stage vs progressive, the mentality to reload,etc. But I doubt any of us would disagree on the importance of spending time with a grandparent. Learn everything about their life you can. Enjoy them while they are still alive.

Best of luck to you!

[Germ1]

He has a Lyman turret press. A Lyman expert I think.

[Jjwisled]

Ha-ha sounds like my dad , he was on his third stroke and hallucinations before he realized something was seriously wrong.