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Anyone reload for their 40cal??

CubsloverCubslover Member Posts: 18,601 ✭✭
If you then please......

1.) How much does it cost you to reload 50rds?
I have about 100rds of brass already that I've shot (mainly Winchester White Box, and Remington Green box)

2.) What are the products do you use?
a.) Press
b.) Powder, amount
c.) bullets
d.) brass
e.) etc.

3.)What literature?

4.) Would it be a good idea to reload? I'm a weekend shooter, but would shoot more if I didn't have to run to the shop and pick up more ammo, or if it was cheaper.

5.) Fill in the blank ___________________________________

I'm trying to decide if I could start a new hobby - reloading various ammo for myself and friends at work.

Any web site links???

I know it may take a while to complete this, but your help is greatly appreciated!
Half of the lives they tell about me aren't true.

Comments

  • gunnut505gunnut505 Member Posts: 10,290
    edited November -1
    Best bet is to sort the cases you already have into brand name piles, then sort as to how many times fired.
    Tumble (clean) your brass in a tumbler (pillowcase with 1/2lb. of rice in dryer), clean the primer pocket/flash hole, use your calipers to determine the shortest case, and if it's still .840"-.850"; trim the others to match.
    I use a Dillon RL550B and sometimes a RCBS Rockchucker, RCBS carbide dies, whatever bullets I feel like loading (from 135gr to about 200gr), various powders depending upon my intended use (HS6, Blue Dot, HS7, Unique,Win231), CCI/Winchester primers, and either the Loadbooks USA manual or one of my other reloading manuals to get an idea of a good starting load for that weight bullet.
    The amount you spend on powder and bullets will help you determine whether you're saving money or not.
    If a box of 50 40S&W 165gr,JHPs costs $15; then that's .30 each.

    If you buy a box of (100) Sierra 165s for $15, and a pound of Win231 for another $16; you've spent $31 and haven't got that $1 box of primers yet! ($32 so far)
    A pound of powder weighs 7,000 grains, and you'll be using 5.4 grains in each case; which gives you 1,296 charges of powder! Can you say,"economical"?
    Since primers are about a penny apiece, you own 100 cases and a pound of powder; your only major expense would be bullets.
    Soooo, if you buy that $15 box of bullets; you have 50 empty cases afterwards.
    If you buy a large box of component bullets, reload the 100 cases 10 times, you've actually spent less on shooting than you ordinarily would have, and you learned how to shoot more often and for less money than you would have if you only "bought & shot" the factory stuff.
    Free advice: if you reload for your friends; you now have the liability if anything breaks on their guns (and SOMETHING will break), and the added benefit that you spend all your time reloading for them instead of for YOU.

    It's a fun hobby, it's challenging sometimes, and you learn a lot about the particular fodder your guns will digest.
  • PinheadPinhead Member Posts: 1,485 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    cubslovers, I have about 300 enpty .40 cal. cases that I don't need anymore. If you want them shoot me your address and I'll send them to you.
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