Beroen's reloading question/opinions thread

[Beroen]

I can't stop reading and thinking about reloading I need to reload some stuff!

But I still don't have everything and don't know enough yet. So I have questions.

5.56 loads 62 grain+ what's your favorite pet load?

Lee pro auto disk with adjustable charge bar for handgun but what about 5.56 with double disks & ball powder?


Digital auto feeds who's is king of the hill?


300 sav pet load?


Is reloading 9mm luger really worth it?

[Pauliedad]

I stopped thinking in terms of cost savings pretty quickly after I started. Yes, you save money vs. factory but that's not why I load. Its a great hobby and the results are far more consistent than store bought.

RCBS ChargeMaster.

Pet loads for me depend on powder availability and goal.

If I'm cranking out plinking rounds, Varget is my preferred powder. It meters great in the Dillon 650
IMR4895 for individually weighed precision loads.

Enjoy and keep reading. You can't have to many reloading books.

[1bulletBarney]

Is reloading 9mm luger really worth it?

IMO absolutly.

I did a rough calculation for my cost to load 9mm. Comes to about $6.75 a box of 50. I do not add brass into calc. Lead casting would signifcantly drop cost.

Pauliedad nailed it. I would add that with a reasonable inventory of components on hand, I am in control of my ammo supply as well as QC...

[noylj]

If you have the reloading equipment, any cartridge is worth reloading.
If you like cheap ammo, you can still make ammo almost as bad for less money. Of course, you might want to make ammo better than factory.
9x19 was one of the first cartridges I reloaded (I started with 9x19 and .44 mag in 1972) and I have reloaded for every gun I have (most have NEVER seen a factory round), except my unfired AK.
Then again, to me, if you have to ask, please don't reload as it does take some commitment to following proper procedures and reading.

>5.56 loads 62 grain+ what's your favorite pet load?

Sorry, but only for 60gn bullets and 26 to 26.8gn BL-C(2), but that is just me. Start at starting load and work up.

>Lee pro auto disk with adjustable charge bar for handgun but what about 5.56 with double disks & ball powder?

Never got the ACB to work unless it was open almost all the way. I found the disks are close enough to any "pet load" I have that the difference isn't worth worrying about.
I love the Lee pro Auto-Disk, but ONLY for pistol rounds and only for charge weights less than 18 grains. For rifle, buy a different measure or buy an RCBS ChargeMaster and weigh each load. I am very happy with the Lee Perfect Powder Measure as a bench-mounted measure, but some can't stand it when it leaks. Leaking doesn't affect accuracy and a piece of paper catches the leakage and use will wear in the parts so it stops leaking, but some can't stand it. It also feels like junk, but still work great. The Hornady L-N-L is one of the very best measures for consistent charge weights.


>Digital auto feeds who's is king of the hill?
If you mean powder dispensers, then I have only tried the old RCBS (like the PACT) and the ChargeMaster. I love the ChargeMaster.
If you mean case feeders/collators, then Dillon. If you mean bullet feeders, never needed or wanted one.
If you mean a progressive press, I vote first for the Hornady L-N-L (for a beginner) and second for the Dillon 1050


>300 sav pet load?
No idea


Is reloading 9mm luger really worth it?
See above. My current cost for 9x19 is 7 cents per bullet, 1-2 cents for powder, and 1-2 cents for primers. With the way prices are going up, replacement cost will be higher. If I ever need more bullets, I will go back to cast lead, unless cast lead and Zero jacketed again start to cost the same—but it will be more than the 7 cents a bullet I paid. Currently, I think I can get Zero 9mm bullets for about 11 cents each and lead for 8 cents each.
If you can get accurate factory ammo (<2.5" at 25 yards) for 12-15 cents a round, you might want to stay with that factory round (and buy a LOT of it, as factory loads do change). I know you can get steel cased Brown Bear for about 20 cents a round and Speer factory for a dollar a round.

[Beroen]

Who likes the RCBS quick change powder measure ?

Is there any inexpensive digital scales that anyone recommends? It sounds like most do not work very well
I want to use it in conjunction with a beam scale.