Need advice on reloading

[at_liberty]

With the cost of ammo, and as many as you can crank out, I went with a Dillon XL 650 with everything I needed for .223 and 9mm, and even with the price tag of about ~$1400 (everything for the 2 calibers) it has more than half been paid for in 1.5 years (and the last 6 months I really haven't reloaded more than 600 rounds). You really don't want to buy twice, and with what you can crank out with a progressive, it will save you more than in the long-run over a few years and never be out of ammo like many people are right now. On the XL 650 you CAN easily push 400/hour after getting to know her. I know it isn't inexpensive, but it is in the long run.

"Paid for itself" is an abstraction I read a lot. It assumes that one would have actually purchased an equivalent amount of retail ammo during the same period. I wonder what is the proper way to amortize the cost of reloading equipment.

[jwc]

I want to start reloading .233 what is a good inexpensive kit to get

These are the items I use:

Lee 90064 Classic 4 Hole Turret Press
Lee 90997 Primer Feed for Classic Cast, Large and Small
Lee 90521 R4 Universal shell holder
New Hornady Series 2 Die Set .223 223 Remington 546228
Little Crow Gun Works Worlds Finest Trimmer, 223 REM
Dillon Precision model 20095 Super Swage 600
RCBS 09575 Primer Pocket Brush Combo
Thumbler's Tumbler Ultra-Vibe 10
Berry's Rotary Sifter & Media Separator 301-547869
RCBS Uniflow powder measure
RCBS 5-0-5 Scale
Harbor Freight 6" digital caliper
MTM Case-Gard Universal Loading Tray LT-150M-30
Dillon Precision model 13254 Stainless Steel 223 Case Gage
Kinetic bullet puller

[jwc]

Just .223 for now maybe 9mm later and I want to start reloading one at a time to avoid mistakes and really get the hang of it. Also plinking but you I'm always in competition with friends.

Add the following items to those listed above to load 9mm:

Lee 90429 Pro Auto-Disk Powder Measure
Lee 90041 Auto-Disk Powder Measure Riser
Lee 90269 Classic 4 Hole Turret
Lee 90963 Deluxe Carbide 4-Die Set 9mm Luger
Lyman 7832330 9mm Pistol Maximum Cartridge Gage

I had a Dillon 550 but could not get the priming system to work properly even with help from Dillon's technical support. It must have been a lemon, as most 550 owners love their presses. I have also owned single stage presses and a Lee Load Master. I recommend you avoid the Load Master. It works, but the phrase "Rube Goldberg" best describes it in my opinion. The Lee Classic Turret press offers many benefits for a relatively low price.

Lee's pistol dies work great, but I prefer Hornady rifle dies over Lee's.

There are many good choices available for reloading equipment. I was not able to find an inexpensive kit that offered everything I was looking for, but enjoyed finding the combination that works well for me. Hopefully you will too.

[the86d]

"Paid for itself" is an abstraction I read a lot. It assumes that one would have actually purchased an equivalent amount of retail ammo during the same period. I wonder what is the proper way to amortize the cost of reloading equipment.

You are probably correct, I probably wouldn't have spent over $900 on Ammo in the last 1.5 years, but close, if Walmart had stocked shelves. "Paid-back 50% of the press-cost in savings for equivalent amount of retail ammo during the time I have been tracking retail ammo prices" would be more accurate, so to many people it HAS "paid for itself" with the joy of shooting when ammo-shelves are empty, not to mention the ability to pick 75% of the lanes at the shooting range these days...

[CK_32]

Get a brand name $600 to $800 kit. The lower end kits work but you end up replacing half of the stuff later.

Same with the $750 kits like mine but most will hold and work well for a while I've been loading for 4 years now and have only upgraded one thing and purchased a tumbler, dies and a micrometer other than that I was set from day one

[mark501w]

Got my RCBS rock chucker supreme kit in 1977 added a tumbler, case trimmer some good measuring tools & a lee auto prime still useing it today. You can get the kit less add ons for 250.00 with 50.00 rebate. Oh ya, you get the priming tool with the kit.

[ExtremeX]

"Paid for itself" is an abstraction I read a lot. It assumes that one would have actually purchased an equivalent amount of retail ammo during the same period. I wonder what is the proper way to amortize the cost of reloading equipment.

It’s no different than a sale prices at a store… you save more by not buying it, but if you need it, you have to spend money to save it.

With reloading, the more you spend, the more you save, and the press pays for itself. Then again you have to be a shooter, with the need for the ammo.

Like most people who start reloading, the cost savings is what drew me in… but now cost savings has become a secondary benefit to me.

It’s no longer something I do just to save money even though that’s why I started doing it. I do it because I like it, it’s a hobby, and also allows me control over the ammo I make. I shoot more, I make better ammo that I can buy for my rifles, and it’s actually helped mold me into a better shooter because of that.

Yes I save money per round, but I shoot substantially more ammo too. At the end of the day, I have probably spent even more money on components and equipment that I ever would have on factory ammo. I have more than doubled my initial budget for equipment soon after I started, and continue to add tools, dies, and even a second press. So really I stopped worrying about trying to amortize the cost of reloading equipment.

[krwada]

This could not have been better said. Initially, I got into reloading for the economic reasons. Then I discovered a whole TON of other facets to this fine hobby.

1. Self-improvement
2. Knowledge, (learn stuff about firearms I never would any other way)
3. Access to odd-ball calibers and antiques
4. Learn even more stuff, (armory work)
5. Satisfaction of sending very high quality ammo downrange

These are some of the few reasons why I enjoy reloading and shooting so much. Now that I have been well on my way on this journey, (3+ years now) ... I shall never turn back!

[Lead Waster]

Just .223 for now maybe 9mm later and I want to start reloading one at a time to avoid mistakes and really get the hang of it. Also plinking but you I'm always in competition with friends.

You easily can do this with a progressive press. Put one case in, pull handle, index shellplate, repeat until a single round comes out. The machine works fine without being constantly fed brass. However, you might see some slight variations in OAL when you feed a single case around by itself and when you feed a constant stream in, because more cases in all the station puts pressure on the shellplate.

[jameshenry]

I use a Dillon 650. My buddy wanted some 357 sig , so I listed the items needed to load em and he bought them, conversion kit and dies. You can do the same. Start with your 223 and your friends will want in.

[the86d]

Be advised: a caliber conversion, dies, shell-plate, etc for another caliber for a progressive might cost substantially more than a single stage, but you can crank out WAY more ammo.

For the XL650, if you need everything it can run you like $299+shipping to add a caliber with carbide dies, but you CAN reload like 400/hour.