A few reloading questions

[Fordtough25]

I've been tossing the idea of reloading around for a good while now, I have a variety of calibers and some are expensive to just go buy and shoot! 45 Colt, 357 Magnum, even 45 acp these days. I use the first 2 calibers to hunt with as well so from what I have seen on here and read I could possibly make some good loads for that myself. My main question is will a Lee press get it done for me ok? I love to shoot but don't have lots of free time to do it so I won't be reloading a ton weekly but it has interested me for awhile. I'm reading through the sticky's now but was just curious I guess. Thanks for the help

 

[shibumiseeker]

Yes it will work just fine. While it may be worth it to a large volume reloader to spend more, a casual reloader will be served just fine with Lee equipment. I reload a hundred or more rounds a week on Lee equipment.

What I will recommend is taking Aszerigan's class, it'll be money and time well spent.

 

[Fordtough25]

Yes it will work just fine. While it may be worth it to a large volume reloader to spend more, a casual reloader will be served just fine with Lee equipment. I reload a hundred or more rounds a week on Lee equipment.

What I will recommend is taking Aszerigan's class, it'll be money and time well spent.

Thanks much, and good idea. I've bought some of his ammo before and it was great!

 

[wsenefeld]

When you want to figure out how much to spend on your reloading equipment, consider these factors...

How much ammo do you plan on producing?

How fast do you want to produce that ammo?

How convenient do you want your reloading to be?

How much time can you afford to be down if something were to break?

How much do you like a lifetime warranty?

I have a Lee single stage and a Dillon RL550B, love the Lee for depriming/decapping, but for the money, my Dillon is KING.

Either way, take Aszerigan's class. I plan on attending next month. I have read nothing but page after page of great reviews. The man really is a master of the trade.

 

[45pro]

Go buy the Lee turret and dont look back. its the best bang for the buck, IMO. Yes the dillons are nice but unless you shoot 10,000+ rounds a year, its not worth picking one up.

I have the Lee turret. EASY to use. You can start single stage or turret style. Switching calibers only takes seconds. The turret disks make it easy to get the right charge you want quickly. Im currently loading about 6-8000 rounds a year on mine, and i could EASILY double that if i wanted.

So my .02 worth, get a Lee Turret.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I use a Lee single stage and it gets the job done. I'm producing rounds that are more accurate then the cheapest factory loads, shooting more for the same ammount of money.

 

[Skip]

Here is a post that I posted in another thread.

I like that last part there _jm, very well put indeed!

I would rep you but.................

At any rate, here is something to ponder for the "time concious" folks.
My son and I talked today and he said he would like to go to the range. He is one of those, gun rich, ammo poor type of fellows most of the time and I am only too glad to help him out. Read the other post about family, yada, yada. So, he calls. I look in the 45ACP bin(figuratively) and see I am low on the type of ammo he usually runs through his Glock 21SF. A 230gr ball type ammo @ 800 to 820fps. Its all hands on deck, so to speak as I am baching it this weekend and I head to the reloading room.

Fire up the Dillon XL650, fill the primer tube, fill the powder hopper and begin to crank the handle. 16 minutes on the nose and I had 200, that's right, 200 rounds of quality, 45ACP ammunition that will make that Glock sing in his hands! (I hate it that he is a better shot than me now!)

@ what I get paid an hour on my normal 0700 to 1530 blue collar, union trades job, that added just $7.82 to the cost of that ammo. Now, granted, what I loaded today is not the same as the $1.50 stuff that I mention above BUT that additional cost is spread out over 200 rounds! IMAGINE!

Cases were still free. Bullets were purchased plated. (That about kills me too! ) Powder just a tad differet than normal but still, all in all, pretty cheap ammo and if you forgot my statement that _jm says I say so eloquently, I could repeat it..................just in case!

Even with the additional cost of the purchase bullets, that comes to $8.62/50. What is the cost of WWB per 100?
From WalMart.com
Winchester 45 Automatic 230 Grain USA Full Metal Jacket
0002089221416

Had to call the local store to get a price. $35.97/100. So, for the same 200 rounds that I just got done making, that would be $71.94 and that is for the cheap stuff. Oh, and by the way, they were out of stock and it shows no WalMart in the area has any either, please refer to my earlier statement.

Ok, now, can you save money reloading EVEN if you figure in your time? You be the judge.
Cost of 50 rounds of my homemade ammo: $8.62 or $34.48/200. Add in the cost for my 16 of $7.82 for all of those rounds and.....................it comes to............wait for it.........................$42.30/200 rounds of quality boutique custom made ammo!

So, subtracting the $42.30 from the $71.94 means a savings of $29.67 and that doesn't take into consideration, to be fair mind you, the time you spent in driving, the cost of gas to get there, the cost of gas to get home, the cost of your time to drive both ways, nor the time spent in frustration in having to deal with the register clerk at a typical Wally World......................

So, the answer to your question is pretty simple really. Yes, even in figuring your time in to your reloads, you can save money doing so.

Just another reason that I haven't bought ammo in 15 years or more unless I needed cases so I could reload.............

Just sayin'

Now, I am not tooting my own horn, honest, but, it sure pays off to reload. Even if you count your time.

Tonight, I am setting up an XL650 with a new caliber conversion that I got from Down at the Tracks in Galveston. (Really great folks by the way and stocking Dillon dealers!)
Mostly this is for my son. He is a reserve officer for a local department and needs cheap 40S&W loads for practice ammo. (They are okay with reloads)

But, what I am trying to say is this, once you learn, pass it on. Prior to this job, he was very disinterested in learning, I didn't force him either. I knew that he loved to shoot and that he would run out of cash at some point.

Now, we are working together to make him suitable range ammo AND the Dillon XL650 will put a bunch of good ammo out in a heartbeat.

Concerning your question about the Lee press. The answer is a resounding yes. That is another great press to start on, especially if you don't have a mentor.

Read my byline though. You really need to get off of the fence and start now. Even if you just buy a manual, some primers or bullets, something as you move toward loading your own custom ammo.
Have fun and BE SAFE!

 

[Fordtough25]

Here's what I am thinking about getting, what do you think value wise? Does it come with needed items?

Lee Value 4-Hole Turret Press Set FREE S&H 90928. Lee Gunsmith and Reloading Equipment.


I plan on buying the press next week then a couple sets of dies the week after. Then a couple reloading manuals by the looks of it and then I will see what I am missing to start the process. But yes I agree waiting is not helpful.

 

[Skip]

That press is fine BUT, I would like to make a suggestion if I could.

Buy the manuals first, then the press.

That way, you will have a week of reading on HOW to reload BEFORE you get the tools to do so!

I know for me, if I had the press sitting there, I would start before I knew how to do the work. The manuals are valuable for the data in them, that's true BUT, they are much more valuable for the "how too's" in the front.

Get them and read them over and over in the next week as you save to buy your press.

Also, there are forum members that sell equipment, while I am not one of them, that should you purchase from them, you may get some hands on help too.

FWIW

 

[squirrelhntr]

I've used RCBS equipment for decades, and I'm very pleaed with it. Having said that i purchased some Lee equipment to cast and mold lead bullets recently and found The Lee gear is also very good and easier on my wallet. Also the folks at Lee are a pleasure to do business with. You can look up the leeprecision.com web site and learn more. And u-tube lee reloading and check it out.

 

[Fordtough25]

Thanks for the info and tips! A lot of options out there, shew wee!

 

[Broom_jm]

Thanks for the info and tips! A lot of options out there, shew wee!

Yep, but the good news is pretty much all of them are GOOD options! All four of the major players in the reloading biz (Hornady, Dillon RCBS and Lee) are reputable companies and they make quality stuff. For the money, most folks will concede that Lee can't be beat. In fact, they make some inexpensive tools that can't be beat for ANY price, IMHO. (Their case length gauge/trimmer, Factory Crimp Die and collet neck-sizers are ALL exceptional tools that you simply can't do better than...if ya ask me. )

The Lee Classic Turret is simply the best press for anyone to start out on, IF they shoot a fair amount of pistol rounds, but are not competitors at it.

The other great thing about reloading is that there is an entire community of enthusiastic, handle-pulling fools like me who are more than willing to help you over any speed bumps you might encounter. We almost WANT you to come across a problem, just so we can help ya out!

So, fear not and to the club!

 

[Adrian8]

Just get a simple single stage and go for it.. the hobby itself is fun and "over a period of time" you definitely save $. Over close to 40 years of reloading I have saved a buck or two and have shot much more than I ever would have buying expensive factory ammo.

 

[hueycrew]

When I started reloading on my Lee Turret press I disabled the auto index at first. Used the press like four single stage presses. Did this until I got the hang of each step. Once I was comfortable with the process I put the auto index rod back in and took my time at first. I can reload about 150+ rounds per hour on a turret press. I cannot reccomend a progressive press for a new reloader (650, SDB, LnLAP, Lee 1000) too many things to keep track of and bad results can kill you.

Most of my reloading is now on a Hornady LNL AP. After 4 years using the turret press it was time to upgrade. Competition shooting chews up ammo quick.

 

[Fordtough25]

Woohoo! The Lee turret press seems like the one for me, I'm going to get a couple manuals and do some reading in my next to no spare time.

 

[XtremeVel]

Here's what I am thinking about getting, what do you think value wise? Does it come with needed items?

Lee Value 4-Hole Turret Press Set FREE S&H 90928. Lee Gunsmith and Reloading Equipment.


I plan on buying the press next week then a couple sets of dies the week after. Then a couple reloading manuals by the looks of it and then I will see what I am missing to start the process. But yes I agree waiting is not helpful.

The Lee turret would be a great choice. Just be aware of the one in your ad isn't the heavier built classic. You might want to compare cost and see it the heavier one would be worth the price difference for you... IMO, it was worth the difference for me.

 

[hueycrew]

I did start with the lightweight turret press. Bought it at Kempfs in Michigan City. It was a kit. Had to buy dies and supplies. After I managed to break two of the cast aluminimum arms (from the ram to the arm) I bought the classic cast press. Probably could have avoided the breakage by using some sort of spray sizing lube(hornady) or spray silicon.

The classic cast press is pretty indestructable. I have the pro auto disk powder measure and the safety prime setup.

Here is a link for a supplier FS RELOADING

A really strong and steady reloading bench is a must. Bolt the press down tight for best results.

Get a reloading manual and if classes are available, take them.

 

[Fordtough25]

Thanks for the clues guys, I didn't realize that was a lighter model. I too think the heavier press would be worth the money, no question!

 

[Jarel]

I don't know about the rest of you but I think the Lee safety scales are very hard to read. I think you would be a lot better off getting a simple set of RCBS 502 scales.

 

[45pro]

I don't know about the rest of you but I think the Lee safety scales are very hard to read. I think you would be a lot better off getting a simple set of RCBS 502 scales.

If you take the time to learn how to use it properly, it works very well. At least for me.