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My first reloader?????
204targetman
Member Posts: 3,493
I've been shooting for years and have always thought of getting a reloader but never have. Now I'm definitely going to get one. I will only be interested in loading for my 204 to start with. I've looked at some of the kits such as the Hornady. It seems to come with everything.....but i'm not sure.. Any help would be appreciated. The 204 ammo I shoot runs about 17.50 a box. Can I really save that much by loading my own??
Comments
You will save mucho denero if you shoot often. Figure about .60 around the first time and less after that (the brass can be reused upwards of 15 times).
Keep in mind that ammo manf. are gonna raise prices about 15% in the next few months, so hurry and stockpile bullets, brass, powder, and primers.
Get the Lyman 48th edition reloading manual BEFORE you buy anything else. Cost about $24 new.
Welcome to the sickness.........[}:)]
I cannot however punch a grapefruit at 75 yds very often.:)
I"m talking sixguns and lead boolits here.
It is a fun hobby for most of us,and the money you think you'll be saving just goew for more bullets/powder/primers so you can shoot more.>grin<
If you talking Single stage kits I bought RCBS kit $250 some yrs ago, if i had to do it again I'd buy a Lee reloader Kit. 75-100 bucks and you have more stuff than you'll know what to do with.
Progressive reloader are a diffent story, buy the best one you can't afford.
If you go with a single stage, there are many good sets. Lee is a good starter with everything, but not heavy duty, RCBS great long lasting (had mine since 1964)but a little more money, and several inbetween.
If you really want to crank out the rounds the best is a Dillon 550, it's easy but may be intimidating for a new loader.
With ammo going up in cost, reloading is the way to go. Just assure you follow the recipe and check your loads carefully (you don't want a bullet stuck half way down your barrel, but I'm sure every reloaded has had this happen).
Best of Luck
I've been shooting for years and have always thought of getting a reloader but never have. Now I'm definitely going to get one. I will only be interested in loading for my 204 to start with. I've looked at some of the kits such as the Hornady. It seems to come with everything.....but i'm not sure.. Any help would be appreciated. The 204 ammo I shoot runs about 17.50 a box. Can I really save that much by loading my own??
Hornaday/ Lee/ and RCBS make good stuff the kits are very well thought out! Once you get hooked on reloading the cost savings really start to show up. There is not much one ca do on a rainy day so loading ammo is a fantastic hobby. That 17.50 a box will be cut in half by reloading. The rifle will respond to your carefully assembled hand loads by shooting better.
Also; do a search on the reloading topic in this forum. It will have a ton of useful information. Getting a reloading manual and READING IT FIRST is the best way to start. Do NOT purchase a progressive press for your first press. It is not the best way to learn and assemble high grade rifle ammo.
I have 2 rockchuckers and they are awesome presses I load some very accurate and very consistent ammunition on them [;)]
But in the end your budget and how serious you want to get about reloading will dictate what press you will buy. But buy the highest quality that your budget or your wife will allow [^]
I like RCBS as well. Lyman, Redding and RCBS all all very good companies and back up their stuff very well, but with RCBS, if you break small parts-you usually just call them and they send you the part and you don't even have to mail the old part back to them. Lee is OK but they usually only warranty their stuff for a year and after that-they want you to send one half of the current retail price (and almost nobody pays retail on reloading equipment) and they will send you a current, replacement item. If and when you decide to go progressive-go with Dillon-they are just like RCBS.
Another thing with RCBS-I once bought some Lee (regular) dies to use to make some 7.65 Argentine Mauser Ammo-My plan was to form the brass from some 30-06 brass I had. I bought the Lee dies as they were less expensive but would not form and size the brass enough to chamber and when I called Lee-they told me that I would need case forming dies at extra cost. I called RCBS and they told me that I could use their regular reloading dies to form the brass so I sent the Lee dies back and bought the RCBS. RCBS was right. They worked perfectly! RCBS has been my company of choice for non-progressive reloading equipment ever since. And guess what-those dies were paid for after reloading only 2 boxes of ammo.
I would like to make several suggestions-
1) Get a good reloading manual (like RCBS) and look thru it to see what you're in for.
2)Check the auction sites like Gunbroker (or even the other sites nobody mentions here) for used reloading equipment. There is usually lots of reloading stuff and you might find an auction for lot more than what you would get in a kit for less money.
Or buy a starter kit from RCBS with a Rockchucker press, but plan to spend another $100-$200 for the extra stuff you will want to buy after you start with the basics. I bought my first Rockchucker in 1979 and still use it for small jobs and special operations when I don't feel like firing up one of my Dillons-(I have 4 of them).
3)Then, (or before) get in touch with other reloaders
in your area-They are the ones hanging out at your local gun club or shooting ranges. Ask them if they would be willing to show you how to get started-(this is not as hard as it sounds-most reloaders are very friendly and are willing to show you the ropes to get you started)-Sometimes they might even have extra equipment to sell for a lot less money than buying new. Plus you will have made a friend and have someone to swap info and other gun stuff with.
Most reloaders find that after they get started, making up loads and reloading is almost as much fun and relaxing as the shooting and often move into progressive reloading where you can really crank out the ammo.
The only drawback I've found is that since I have 2 boys, 10 and 13, I get so busy watching and trying to get to their sports games and other activities, I don't have as much time to reload as I would like, BUT it was quite gratifying when my son and I stopped at a range a couple of weeks ago (we heard they were having a shooting match where you shoot bowling pins in a combat match) and asked if we could join in and shoot a few rounds with them. These guys had been shooting this for a few weeks and we walked up and ended up taking first and third place for that evening. Well, we would never had gotten that much shooting experience without reloading (and shooting) so much out in our backyard. And guess what-My son said it beat the crap out of his video games!
Anyway-check it out! Reloading is rewarding for those willing to follow some simple directions! And good luck!
The lyman will let you keep the case in the shell holder until the round is complete. I don't like Lee dies, other than the factory crimp and taper. They don't work well in the Dillon & are lousy for the M1 carbine.
You'll see a huge savings for rifle, and abut 50% for pistol, especially 357, 45& 44.
dies $42.95
after rebate the dies costed 17.95
with the rebates they have killer deals on the presses specially the progressive
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