New to reloading

[Prepped and ready]

So with talk of Non-lead ammo not being able to be used at ranges anymore, I decided to get into reloading.

Just started to look at prices of non lead ammo and its not really as bad as I thought, but it looks like reloading will save quite a bit of money.

Im getting the impression theres a fair amount of equipment that is needed to reload and from browsing a little bit, you guys really get into it. Charting and calculating every bullet and container your loads go into. So this is right up my alley.

I will do more research and try not to bug people with too many questions, but any advice on any part of the equipment and products would be really helpful.

Thanks for any help/input in advance.

[petree_777]

Honestly if your getting into it for the non lead law that’s coming out I wouldn’t. If your looking to get into an addiction then by all means I would love to point you in the right direction.

[iareConfusE]

Step 1. Buy a reloading book and read all the bits up until you get to the recipes.
Step 2. Buy the necessary equipment after learning what you need, your expected volume.
Step 3. Take it slow and double check your processes while starting off.

Good luck finding non lead projectiles. They may be incompatible with most of the load data currently out there and because their weight to size ratio is much different from lead based bullets, may not work as well out of certain guns if the rifling twist rate is not suited to stabilize the weight of bullets you find. (probably more problematic in rifles than handguns).

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[elk hunter]

It's not as much about price as it is how available will it be when everyone runs to get it. I personally believe that some of the makers will respond to this situation should it come to pass and some will not. I do believe that the prices will go up for non-lead slugs for reloading and loaded ammo. Good luck.

[elk hunter]

There's plenty of reloading data out there for the non-lead.

[Prepped and ready]

Thanks for the early input. I listen and absorb everything, so nothing is dismissed.

I dont sleep much, so this will give me something to do at night. This will most likely become a new and entertaing hobby for me.

Everyone has opinions on equipment and products. Since there is so much to choose from, I would like to know what users have that they like best. I will do my research, but info from people that have done thousends of rounds are the ones with hands on experience and the people I like to hear from.

[JackEllis]

I'm not dismissing the bill that requires non-lead ammo at shooting ranges but it is so badly written that it's unlikely to get out of committee this year. However...

If you think reloading is going to save you a lot of money, think again unless you shoot hundreds of rounds a month. I got my press for nothing but I'd estimate you'll be spending about $500 for a basic setup that includes a single-stage press. If you save ten cents per round it'll take you 5,000 rounds to break even, not including the cost of the brass, primers, powder and bullets you'll have to buy for load development.

iareConfusE has the right idea as far as the steps to get started. See if you can find someone who will walk you through the process once you have your equipment.

My press, my scale, most of my dies, most of my small tools, my powder measure and my priming tool are from RCBS. My sense is that most rifle shooters use a single stage press whereas high volume pistol shooters tend to gravitate toward progressive presses that allow them to crank out more ammunition in less time. You'll have to decide for yourself how much you're willing to spend and what manufacturer's gear you prefer.

I'm a rifle shooter and I can find lead-free projectiles for all of the centerfire calibers I shoot (.223, .243 and .30-06), but they are considerably more expensive (2-3x). If you're loading centerfire calibers with lead-free projectiles, it's doubly important to work up instead of using someone else's recipe. I found Hornady's data for lead-free ammo to be a bit aggressive, with pressure signs showing up at well below their published maximum loads.

[divingin]

So with talk of Non-lead ammo not being able to be used at ranges anymore, I decided to get into reloading.

We're not there yet.

but it looks like reloading will save quite a bit of money.

Initial expense is pretty high (comparatively), but continued reloading amortizes the initial cost. Break-even point is a ways down the road if you're only looking at money. The biggest advantage is being able to tailor your loads to your purpose and your firearms.

[iareConfusE]

Thanks for the early input. I listen and absorb everything, so nothing is dismissed.

I dont sleep much, so this will give me something to do at night. This will most likely become a new and entertaing hobby for me.

Everyone has opinions on equipment and products. Since there is so much to choose from, I would like to know what users have that they like best. I will do my research, but info from people that have done thousends of rounds are the ones with hands on experience and the people I like to hear from.

I've been reloading on an inexpensive Lee single stage press for several years now. My shooting volume when I first started reloading was around 1000 rounds per month, and the single stage was good enough for me without feeling the need to go up to a progressive. That will also be determined by how much time you have on your hands. If you don't have the time to reload and your volume is high, maybe a progressive makes more sense for you.

Personally, I would advise you start with a single stage and learn the basics and go step by step before jumping into the complexities of setting up a progressive and running it smoothly. It's probably not difficult but you'll be able to worry about a lot less and focus more on the process with a single stage.

Once you're comfortable and you feel the need to upgrade to a progressive to match your shooting volume, you can keep the single stage around if you ever want to make very precise, consistent, customized-to-your-rifle rounds.

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[Featureless]

I started with a Lee Loader in 1972

https://leeprecision.com/classic-lee-loader/

[pacrat]

I started with a Lee Loader in 1972

https://leeprecision.com/classic-lee-loader/

And I started with a LeeLoader in 1968. Price sticker is still on the box

Universal Arms Paramount Ca.......$9.95.

Making "reloaded" ammo that goes bang, is perfectly ok for range paper, tin cans, and an occasional deer at 100 yds is easy and fairly inexpensive.

Getting into "handloaded" ammo that is tailor made for individual rifle/pistol for optimal accuracy can be as expensive and complicated as you want it to be.

[Prepped and ready]

So Im thinking of getting a progressive loader for pistol and single stage for rifle.

I was pricing non lead ammo today and its not really as bad as I thought, but reloading seems interesting to me and I like to learn new things.

[baranski]

So Im thinking of getting a progressive loader for pistol and single stage for rifle.

I was pricing non lead ammo today and its not really as bad as I thought, but reloading seems interesting to me and I like to learn new things.

Have a fun time, it's a great hobby.

[Whiterabbit]

Hop on youtube for a couple hours. It doesnt replace a good book like the Lee handbook, but its a great supplement. What cartridges are you looking at loading?


You used to be able to get cheap copper only projectiles COP from midway, for pistol. Frangible HP. Not anymore. But there may be other cheap vendors out there.

[Prepped and ready]

So Im looking at getting a Lee Challenger for rifle and a Dillon 650 progressive for handgun.

I figured, if Im going to go all in, I may as well make it interesting. Any thoughts on this? Single stage for precision and progressive for common handgun.

Ive also been looking at powders, getting into load data for various calibers.

Here are my main calibers:

Rifle : 223/556
308
338Lpm
Handgun : 9mm
45acp
40
And now 10mm