New to loading, advise on equipment please

[NickZag]

I was looking for some advise on purchasing a loader. I shoot 1-3 times a week and I go through a ton of 9mm, 40, 45, and .223 ammo. My friend said that the bulk prices on those calibers aren't worth reloading because the savings would be minimal, but I'm not so sure.

I know nothing about reloading, and want to make sure that the loader I buy will be worth the money I pay for it and last a long time. I was told Dillon is the best way to go, but do any of you have any other suggestions besides Dillon? It's the most expensive, but if it's worth it in the long run then I guess it's money well spent. Thanks

[XDRoX]

Dillon is the most expensive, but yes worth it.

A good general rule of thumb is you'll be able to load any of those calibers for about half the cost you would pay at walmart.

[Pugster]

Your friend is partially right. My typically savings from reloading is usually around 30-50% of what factory ammo costs. Hence, I can save more reloading 45acp than 9mm.

If you are new to reloading, you should definitely purchase the ABC's of Reloading by Bill Chevalie. It has a lot of good information on all the steps of the reloading process for pistol, rifle and shotgun. As to what type of press you should start out with, it would be good if you can try before you buy. If I had to do it all over again, I would start with a single stage and then save up for something nice.

I was looking for some advise on purchasing a loader. I shoot 1-3 times a week and I go through a ton of 9mm, 40, 45, and .223 ammo. My friend said that the bulk prices on those calibers aren't worth reloading because the savings would be minimal, but I'm not so sure.

I know nothing about reloading, and want to make sure that the loader I buy will be worth the money I pay for it and last a long time. I was told Dillon is the best way to go, but do any of you have any other suggestions besides Dillon? It's the most expensive, but if it's worth it in the long run then I guess it's money well spent. Thanks

[sonnyt650]

Reloading using the premier equipment available to us is a long-term investment, and if long term to you means you're sure you'll be shooting/reloading as much a few years from now yes it's worth it. I get no pleasure from reloading for handgun and if there wasn't a $5 savings per box of 50 (40S&W runs me $10/box) I wouldn't do it. That's like $15 a trip to the range and over the course of five years at only one trip a month I'll easily make back my initial equipment investment. Go once a week and you'll pay off the press w/ case feeder in a year.

For rifle it's not really about savings over the cheapest blasting ammo you can find -- if that's your thing no you won't save any money. Reloading .223 or any rifle cartridge I think you'll be surprised that the quality of the ammo takes a dramatic step upwards from bulk ammo at comparable cost. At 100 yards bargain bin ammo alone can account for five inches of grouping, not worth shooting and having to clean the rifle IMO. In my own experience hand loaded ammunition out of a particular rifle can be 3-4x the group size of the same bullet model with a different amount of powder. Reloading for rifle nets you savings only when compared to similar performing match loads at $1/shot.

[Rock6.3]

Reloading will not save you any money.

You will spend just as much as you did before, but you will shoot more (a lot more) for that same amount of money and the rounds can be far more accurate if you do your job at the reloading bench.

[MaHoTex]

I went with the Lee Loadmaster and am confident I made the right decision. I am not going to even comment on the "Buy and read this book cover to cover" discussions.

I would recommend finding a single stage press "kit" that has everything you NEED to get started. I know RCBS and Lee both have one. I would image that Dillon does as well. This will include a scale, press and other goodies to get you started for a fair price. Learn the process for a few months and then acquire a progressive. While you can learn on a progressive, a lot of things can go wrong very quickly. Besides, you will always use the single stage anyway.

I know that with the single stage Lee kit you can get going for just about $100. I think RCBS is about $200. Both are great starter kits and worth every penny.

I disagree with Rock and that type of comment in general. For me reloading has saved mega dollars. I save about 50% on a box of 9mm and way more on .223. Of course, I am not charging for my time because I consider it entertainment reloading.

[Cowboy T]

+1 on the single-stage recommendations. Some people can jump straight into a progressive, but not everyone. Therefore, for safety's sake, I always generally recommend starting single-stage first and really learn what you're doing. You don't need to spend a lot of money to get started, and even if you go turret or progressive later on, a single-stage is always handy to have on the bench. Even though I load primarily progressively now, I still use my $30 single-stage a whole lot for various tasks.

You have plenty of time to consider a progressive (e. g. Dillon) later on. Seriously, there's no rush. And when that time comes, you have plenty of brands to choose from--Lee (which I use), Hornady, Dillon, RCBS, and maybe others I don't know about yet (those four are the big names). And furthermore, both Lee and Dillon have more than one model in their line-ups for you to choose from, depending on your shooting throughput.

Seriously--there is no rush. Take your time, and be safe.

BTW, depending on your cartridge, even though you will shoot a lot more due to lower cost/round, you might still save money even on an absolute scale as well. I shoot a lot of .45 Colt, which is close to $1.00/round. I make the same box for 10 cents/round. Even if I cut my shooting down from 3x/week to, say, 1x/week, I'd be saving a boatload. .38 Special, which I also shoot a lot, I'm still slightly ahead, but not quite as much as the .44's or .45 Colt.

- T

[Fishslayer]

I was looking for some advise on purchasing a loader. I shoot 1-3 times a week and I go through a ton of 9mm, 40, 45, and .223 ammo. My friend said that the bulk prices on those calibers aren't worth reloading because the savings would be minimal, but I'm not so sure.

Your friend is full of...

...ummm.. let me try this again...

Your friend is misinformed.

Edit: Unless $$$ is no object, you're OK with steel case milsurp ammo or you're a big name comp shooter who gets pallets of free stuff delivered to your door...

[Bill Steele]

Tracks my experience exactly.

Reloading using the premier equipment available to us is a long-term investment, and if long term to you means you're sure you'll be shooting/reloading as much a few years from now yes it's worth it. I get no pleasure from reloading for handgun and if there wasn't a $5 savings per box of 50 (40S&W runs me $10/box) I wouldn't do it. That's like $15 a trip to the range and over the course of five years at only one trip a month I'll easily make back my initial equipment investment. Go once a week and you'll pay off the press w/ case feeder in a year.

For rifle it's not really about savings over the cheapest blasting ammo you can find -- if that's your thing no you won't save any money. Reloading .223 or any rifle cartridge I think you'll be surprised that the quality of the ammo takes a dramatic step upwards from bulk ammo at comparable cost. At 100 yards bargain bin ammo alone can account for five inches of grouping, not worth shooting and having to clean the rifle IMO. In my own experience hand loaded ammunition out of a particular rifle can be 3-4x the group size of the same bullet model with a different amount of powder. Reloading for rifle nets you savings only when compared to similar performing match loads at $1/shot.

Spot on.

[Fishslayer]

Spot on.

Your "spot on" is spot on!

Especially the part about saving $$$. No $$$ will be saved, just a lot more shooting will be done.

DoG help me if the wife finds out how much $$$ is under the bench & in the powder locker.

[damndave]

I recommend the Dillon 550. A single stage will be worthless with the amounts you will be loading.

Agreed with everyone else. You do not really save money, you just get to shoot more of the good stuff.

[Bongos]

I usually suggest a single but since you mentioned "ton" on a weekly bases, a progressive is the way to go in your case, you will need to read the manual but also find someone who has been reloading for a while to show you the ropes... getting a auto-indexing loader like the Dillon XL650 is not a bad idea if you also buy the powder check die. I run a 550B and can see if you are not fully focus on what you are doing (in this case, no watching TV while reloading) a double charge for calibers like 9mm, 40s&w can occur, more so for the likes of 38spl, 357 & 44 mag.. a 650 with powder check will be good. Please keep in mind it's going to cost you around $600-$700 for just the press with one set of Dies, adding calibers cost around $160 per caliber with dies... In your case you will be over $1000 with all of your calibers listed. That said you can crank out about 400rd per hour if you go slow and +600rd if you get in a rythem, the lenghty part will be loading the primer tubes and coverting to a different caliber.

[CalTeacher]

Reloading will not save you any money.

You will spend just as much as you did before, but you will shoot more (a lot more) for that same amount of money and the rounds can be far more accurate if you do your job at the reloading bench.

Bingo.

Additionally, Dillon makes great products and they have excellent customer service, but I'd advise against getting a progressive if you've never loaded before. Start simple and learn the process. Get a few good loading manuals and a decent single stage press. They're cheap, simple, and great for learning the process on.

[Divernhunter]

First buy the Lyman reloading manual and read it. That will answer many questions. I have the ABC's book also and the Lyman is far better.

I do not know what you consider "a ton" of ammo but I shoot up to 1000/week and I load on single stage presses. I batch prep and load so it goes fast. "I" would suggets a single stage KIT to start with and then latter if you feel a need get a progressive. You will find you still use the single stage very much. I like the RCBS/Hornady (or Lyman/Redding) stuff since they have a no BS warr. Lee is cheap but the warr sucks. If you get lee dies then be sure to buy real locking rings from another manufacture. Buy the time you do so they will cost about the same as RCBS/Hornady/Lyman dies and the warr will not be as good. Be sure to get a hand primer and you can prime as you watch TV.
You will need boxer primed brass to reload so save or buy that type if you plan to reload.

[bohoki]

thats a lot of shooting

i think i have saved money reloading

but i am a cheapskate so much i started casting my own 9m and 45 acp

223 ive not seen much savings over wolf but my stuff is better quality but then i have to scrounge my brass as opposed to carelesly strewning the area with wolf casings

223 reloading was more of a chore than 9 and 45 as there is the trimming

which i started out with the annoying lee trimmer

then got the awesome possum hollow with power adapter

then there is the crimped pockets on pmc and various others that i fix with the hornady pocket reamer