Should I start reloading again?

[psteinmayer]

I started reloading back in the early 80s with a LEE handloader, and then moved on to an older LEE Challenger press, which I still use to this day! I started because of the cost and availability of ammo for one of my rifles, and now it's about cost saving and loading for Match shooting. I now load several rifle and a few different handgun calibers. Once you offset the cost of equipment, you can reload for dimes instead of dollars! You don't need to go out and buy the most expensive equipment to start out either. A LEE press will cost you under a hundred bucks, and serve you well for decades. I agree about the dippers... toss em' and get a scale (the volume in the dipped charge can vary by several grains from dip to dip). I use an inexpensive digital scale and back it up with a beam scale to check accuracy.

[bruce]

Re: OP. Reloading is the way to go. A Lee press will give good service. There are used RCBS presses for the same money or even less that will work extremely well. As to costs... it depends. For my part, I buy bullets when I find them on sale. Blemished bullets are a good buy. Also load a lot of cast lead bullets in both handgun and rifle. Shoot nothing but cast in my revolvers. Have gotten extremely good results shooting cast bullets in my 03 and 03-A3 rifles. Single loading cast loads in a M-1 has worked well, as well as any other rifle. Have not loaded them heavy enough to get semi-auto function.

Even at current prices, there are great savings to be had shooting handloaded ammunition compared to factory loaded ammo. Even in military surplus rifles, the costs are worth the investment as the supply of cheap surplus ammo is about dried up. JMHO. Sincerely. bruce.

[Matt Anthony]

I solved the cost problem with plinking and target practice by using Berrys 150 grain 30/30 bullet in my 308's and 30/06 rifles. Using 12 grains of green dot or 13 grains of red dot I can get 583 cartridges out of a pound of green dot or 538 using the red dot.
Cost per cartridge is so low it's pathetic. The plus is the load is extremely accurate. Fps out my rifles is 1690. Last weekend I fired a round through two 2×4's. Good deer load for under 100 yards.
Cost per round is 18 cents by using the components I bought years ago. I bought bulk whenever I could. I estimate I have 20 years of reloading without buying a single component.
Extreme bullets are even cheaper but in my opinion Berrys are more accurate.
Matt

[psteinmayer]

+1 on the Berrys. I use em in .45ACP, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, etc. Great for plinking and fun at the range!

For my rifles, I use Hornady, Sierra, Nosler, and some cast bullets.

[Hefights]

http://ultimatereloader.com/tools/re...ts-calculator/

Here's a reloading cost calculator to give a decent approximation. At Bartlet's GI Brass you can get 1000 7.62 for $150. Going by my rough figures for jacketed bullet reload components, about $0.45 per round for 7.62, roughly $0.36 per round 5.56. However, if you factor in brass going 5-8 reloads (or more), it gets cheaper. Using lead or plated bullets in rifles and plinking loads like Mr. Anthony, you can save a lot more. What it does not factor in is the cost of reloading gear if you are just starting, or the cost of your time, which you may or may not want to consider. Reloading is in itself a hobby and for fun, but you can reload for better accuracy in rifle cartridges in many situations.

Handgun can be much cheaper to reload than rifle and big savings over factory ammo, especially if your brass is (free) range brass, or you just saved once fired from factory ammo you or a friend shot over the years.

[psteinmayer]

That's a great calculator! Thanks for sharing it.

[blackhawknj]

One of the benefits of reloading is you can tailor your loads, finding the right one for your gun can take, but the results are well worth.
I have the Lyman and Lee hand presses for those calibers-45-70 e.g.-that my RCBS can't handle. For a very casual/small scale reloader, or where space is at a premium, they'll do the job. The Lyman can be bolted to a base if so desired. Recall reading articles in years gone by where shooters made their own dippers, grind down a cartridge case when you find the load you want, attach a wire handle.

[CJCulpeper]

I reloaded ammo quite a few years ago. Sold all my equipment because I did not have a place to shoot. Now I'm thinking about getting back into it, cartridges are .308 and .38 Special.

I don't shoot that much or often, so I think the Lee Loader would be ok for me.

I'm struggling with cost. Bullets seem expensive, and when I factor that in to my math, and right now I can find 20 rounds of .308 for 10 - 12 dollars, it does not seem worth getting into reloading again. Am I missing something? Is there a source of lower priced bullets out there?

Get the reloading stuff and pick up the hobby again if for no other than you will have everything you need in case of bad times. We have just come off a very bad period for the Republic and it could either be better or worst depending on who wins the Electoral College on the Monday after the second Wednesday in December.

Jump on the various auction sites or usual sales outlets to get the tools you need on sale. Try to find what you need cheap since the Federal Reserve (meaning the Congress) are always inflating the Federal Reserve Notes and decreasing the value of what we perceive as money.

May you live in interesting times.

CJC

[Dollar Bill]

Roll your own. Put out some WTB ads here and any other forums or ranges you may visit. I've given away inexpensive presses before and I know people will sell them at a very reasonable price if you explain your situation. Shoot cast bullets. They are cheap to buy and will deliver good accuracy when you find the right load and they are very frugal on powder charges. If I don't count the initial cost of brass, a loaded round cost me about $0.13. Match quality 308 and 30-06 loads, which can be produced on the cheapest equipment just as well as the most expensive, run about $0.35 with the cost of once fired brass spread across 10 reloads.

Just shop smart.

[Jiminvirginia]

Thanks for all the good advice. I'm going to look for the equipment and get back into it I think.