Talk me into or out of reloading

[Blacktail Hunter]

With the price of ammo these days, I am considering learning to load my own. The problem is, I have no clue how its done. After doing some reading on what all I will have to get to get started, I am reconsidering. Maybe I am just apprehensive I will do it wrong, lol.

I just bought a .300 WBY. Ammo for this gun is eye-popping expensive. This gun is mainly what I would be loading for, but I also have a .41 mag revolver that I would also consider loading for.

I dont shoot at the range much, mostly just go there to practice or sight check before hunting season. In the past I have gone through probably 2 boxes of ammo a year in all of my guns, but that may change in the near future. I have recently got into shooting more (maybe because I have bought a couple of guns the last few years) and would probably shoot more often if I was loading my own.

I believe reloading is something I would enjoy doing. When I got into archery 10 or so years ago I began making my own arrows and still do to this day. Not only build my own arrows, but for everyone I know also. Really enjoy doing it and I build them right. I think reloading ammo would be the same for me. I'm just apprehensive about learning to do it right.

Sorry for this rambling post. I just dont want to spend a bunch of money on equipment that I dont know how to use. Is there maybe someone in the bay area that would consider teaching me the ropes? Or should I just forget it?

[Dark Mod]

Its really not hard, if you can follow simple directions you will make a fine reloader. There are alot of steps though, and each must be performed properly. Ill give you a quick rundown:

The whole reloading process is done with dies. You will need a couple different dies for each caliber. and complete the process in the following order.

1. clean the brass (not absolutley necessary but its nice to have clean brass).

2. Resize: brass grows and deforms a bit when shot, it needs to be put back to the correct size. You do this by ramming a peice of brass into a Sizing die, the inside of the die is the exact shape the brass needs to be, and it has a little pin inside that pops out the old primer once its inside.

3. Trim: your rifle brass will grow after being sized, so it needs to be trimmed back to length. There are several trimming tools out there, i use possum hollow trimmers or Lee trimmers for calibers i dont load much of.

4. reprime: you need to put a new primer in there, this is done usually on the press, and you basically just ram a new primer into the primer pocket.

5. Charge the case: heres where its important to pay attention, you need to put the right amount of powder in there, don't exceed max load, and its best to work up your own load anyway.

6. Seat the bullet: this is done with a seating die, you ram the cartridge up into the die with a bullet, and add a light crimp if you want to.

Done! you now have a ready to fire cartridge.

If you want to get started, you can get the lee anniversary kit with most of what you need for under $100. I suggest starting with a loading manual and read up on the process. Its not hard, just tedious.

[tiller]

Youve chose the worst time to start...

I would wait a few months... Even if you did start as soon as you go out to find components hou will be turned off as soon as you look online or walk into a store!

[Bill Steele]

Buying all new components, brass, bullets, etc. Your new homemade ammo will cost about half what factory 300 Wby ammo will cost. Each successive reload of the brass lowers your average round cost.

All you need is a simple single stage press, dies, scale, calipers and a few other bits and pieces. For sure, your investment in everything you need will be paid for within 100 rounds. Rifle reloading, while slightly more complex from a brass prep standpoint, is actually about as fool proof as anything might be from a safety standpoint.

You will also be able to get better accuracy from your handloads than any factory ammo. In some cases, a great deal better.

[Sac-AR15]

If you can get supplies now good luck. Reloading will save money.

[M27]

I think you should reload.

Many people who reload say they do it to save money, all the while they are reloading 9mm which doesn't save much money at all.

loading the 2 calibers you are talking about would save quite a bit per round

there are a few things that might keep you from reloading, how hard it is should not be one of them

the initial investment cost may be a deterrent

There is also a large time investment requirement, not just in actual reloading time but you will probably have to go to the range 3-5 times with test loads before you develop a load that you will take into the woods with you. Same with the 41 you will probably go to the range 2-3 times with test loads before you settle on a recipe that you decide to take to high volume production.

right now with all the panic buying it is hard to find components, especially primers. I have a friend that has $300 in brand new reloading tools and $75 in components but no primers.

[Rider1k]

Just got into it myself. It can be a bit confusing but I like a challenge. Looking forward to shooting my own as soon as I can locate all the components lol!!

[510Kal]

I too am interested in starting to reload ammo but due to the recent shortage of components I will continue to just collect brass for now.

[stand125]

If your rifle is a bolt action then look into a LEE CLassic loader if available in your caliber. Super cheap way to get into reloading and makes as good of ammo as any press will. If you use the powder recommended for the bullet weight you will not even need a scale since the included dipper is calibrated to throw the recommended powder safely. You will eventually upgrade if you continue to reload but why spend hundreds of dollars when you are not even sure if you will ever reload more than 100 rounds. When you watch the loader on Youtube keep in mind that those people are talking and not reloading during 99% of their video.

[dominic]

I'll never reload again after the third squib load I made.

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

If you only shoot two boxes a year, you would be wasting your money.

Its pretty easy to figure out your beak even point. Do the math. If it makes economic sense and you are so inclined, you will enjoy it. You will also shoot more and therefore, never save a dime.

[bruce381]

the rifle may have better luck with finding componts than the 41 mag right now but both will show 50-70% saving over factory.

[lincoln45]

I'll never reload again after the third squib load I made.

so what do u have for sale?

[rm1911]

the biggest advantage you'll find from reloading is that you can load down and enjoy shooting more.

for instance, the 300 Wby mag. I shoot an '06 (a garand and an 03A3. the A3 is my hunting rifle) which is more than enough gun for me. I shot a friend's 300Wby once, and once was plenty!! Anyway, you can load 150's for it at more reasonable speeds, and get more practice in. My guess is that you flinch every squeeze. And it don't matter if that round is going down range at 3300fps or 2600, if it's on target, that's all that matters. so you can shoot more, as well as cheaper. and you'll save wear and tear on the brass.

and the 41 mag as well. it'll shoot cast lead bullets really nicely and you can shoot alot more and alot more cheaply. I rarely shot heavy loads from my .44. Wasn't much fun after a few. plus, you'll get several reloads out of the brass.

a decent single stage will work fine for both calibers. for the .41, do in lots, in stages. do 50-75 decap/prime. put aside. adjust powder measure, swap/adjust dies. throw powder charge, then seat bullet. then swap/adjust dies, crimp.

you can probably get 50-75 done in under an hour. a couple of hours and you're good to go for the range.

should you reload? absolutely.

I have a dillon square deal B for my 45, 9, 357, and 44. it kicks out, and I go slower than others, about 200-300 rounds per hour. still go single stage on the '06.

[22popnsplat]

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