Thanks Guys...

[jvpark]

One of the smartest things I did for shooting was to start reloading (a year ago).
I hesitated to start reloading because I was told... " you got to shoot a lot for it to make sense". I listened for a while but then took the leap.
Well I don't shoot as much a maybe some of you, but the good news is I can AFFORD to still shoot.
I reload a lot of 223 and 308 and my cost is less than .30 cents for 223 and under .50 cents for 308 (for match grade quality).

Most importantly, you learn so much about the technical side of the cartridges and it translates into better shooting and an appreciation.

Thanks guys for the advice most of you have shared and where CalGuns forum can get fill with BS comments (I'm guilty of it at times). This sub forum is still extreamly helpful with little flaming and arguements.

Thanks!

[jonc]

Nice!!!

Thanks my next project

[Divernhunter]

And to think you started too late to really save cash. Many of my supplies were purchased 10 or more years ago. That is saving. I still have some trays of primers with $.89 tags on them and $3.95 boxes of jacketed SP rifle bullets.

Those just getting started are really doing it wrong. All that is happening is the prices are stupid high and people are doing just about anything to get stuff.
Same with ammo. Should have stocked up before and you would not need to scramble and get raped on price now if you can find it.

[jvpark]

Yeah... I was caught a little off guard myself.
One thing I have learned it 2000 or of anything or 10 pounds of powder is not enough.

[Don@Tahoe]

Absolutely agree! This website has a wealth of unsurpassed knowledge like I've never seen before, what a great thing! I learn something every time I go on it!

[nothing4u]

And to think you started too late to really save cash. Many of my supplies were purchased 10 or more years ago. That is saving. I still have some trays of primers with $.89 tags on them and $3.95 boxes of jacketed SP rifle bullets.

Those just getting started are really doing it wrong. All that is happening is the prices are stupid high and people are doing just about anything to get stuff.
Same with ammo. Should have stocked up before and you would not need to scramble and get raped on price now if you can find it.

Damn 8.90 per 1k primers 10 years ago and 3.95 per 100? Someone needs to create a time machine already.

[Divernhunter]

Those were before 10 years ago. But I bought primers for $13.??/1000 ten years ago. I bought mil-surplus pull down powder for $3/lb. Commercial powder for $13-17/lb and less if bulk purchases. I have some old powder that cost $3.95/lb in one pound cans(real cans). I bought 8lb jugs for $89 also not too long ago. Ten years ago I got bullets for $6-9/100 and sometimes less. I have 5-6 spam cans(7.72X39 and 7.62X54R) that cost me $49 each and loose .308(mil ammo) that I paid $115/1000 or maybe 1250 rounds. I loaded up on lots of good bullets for good prices when e-bay use to let people sell them also.

[jvpark]

Those were before 10 years ago. But I bought primers for $13.??/1000 ten years ago. I bought mil-surplus pull down powder for $3/lb. Commercial powder for $13-17/lb and less if bulk purchases. I have some old powder that cost $3.95/lb in one pound cans(real cans). I bought 8lb jugs for $89 also not too long ago. Ten years ago I got bullets for $6-9/100 and sometimes less. I have 5-6 spam cans(7.72X39 and 7.62X54R) that cost me $49 each and loose .308(mil ammo) that I paid $115/1000 or maybe 1250 rounds. I loaded up on lots of good bullets for good prices when e-bay use to let people sell them also.

The best part of reloading supplies, is that it's not Milk... They don't really expire.

[BigBronco]

Just wait until you get the bug to start casting bullets.

[Wrangler John]

Just wait until you get the bug to start casting bullets.

Or worse yet swagging jacketed bullets. Then there is all the tooling to cut, draw down and even make your own copper jackets. Nice to shoot a match with bullets from your own hands, even win, but the factory bullets of today are so good it's hardly worth doing. I had purchased an odd lot of short 7mm jackets that made a nifty little 112 grain open point bullet. Those things shot really little groups out of a 7mm TCU 10" Contender, so I loaded 'em up and went to a IHMSA Silhouette match. Shot a perfect 40x40, even the 50 pound rams toppled like cardboard. Came the tie breaker, 10 shots at 4" diameter "turkey eggs" at 200 meters, and I cleaned 7 of the 10, but lost to a guy that hit 8. Still, that little bullet was something no one else on the earth had, and it was the result of a whim and a oddball batch of jackets.

Loading is like that, always fun, interesting and entertaining.

[dragon7]

I started reloading for the reason many of us did, to save money and shoot more. 30 years later, even though I have the resources to buy factory ammo now reloading has become a in it self a hobby. I enjoy the research and the endeavor of assembling an accurate safe cartridge now as much as I enjoy shooting them.