reloading for the cheap ass.

[45calibre]

what would be the cheapest way to reload .45? .45 ammo is expensive compared to 9mm. $30 for 50> $20 for 100(kinda makes me wanna trade my 45 for a 9mm). what would be the basic things i would need to start? im not looking for anything time saving, it could take long ass hell as long as its cheap.

 

[Joe Williams]

Lee Classic Loader. It absolutely doesn't get any cheaper than this. Everything you need to reload ammo except a mallet, and a place where you can hammer without bugging people.

This actually makes really good ammo, and you can easily turn out 30-45 rounds an hour after a bit of practice.

Cabela's -- Lee Classic Loader Kit

 

[NateIU10]

What about something like this? I was actually looking into this too

Cabela's -- Lee Hand Press Reloading Kit

 

[Joe Williams]

What about something like this? I was actually looking into this too

Cabela's -- Lee Hand Press Reloading Kit

That's the press I use. It works very well, but you've still got to buy dies and all the other odds and ends you need for any single station press.

 

[45calibre]

Lee Classic Loader. It absolutely doesn't get any cheaper than this. Everything you need to reload ammo except a mallet, and a place where you can hammer without bugging people.

This actually makes really good ammo, and you can easily turn out 30-45 rounds an hour after a bit of practice.

Cabela's -- Lee Classic Loader Kit

What about something like this? I was actually looking into this too

Cabela's -- Lee Hand Press Reloading Kit

these are great! i was expecting something like them to be about $80. how much do 45 bullets,primers,powder, brass go for? am i missing something? i plan on reusing any spent brass again, no need for a tumbler to make them pretty. how much would a good scale go for?

 

[antsi]

.45 cal,

Midwayusa has an inexpensive Frankford Arsenal digital scale that works very well for me. MidwayUSA - Frankford Arsenal Micro Reloading Electronic Powder Scale 750 Grain Capacity

Scales like this MidwayUSA - Lee Safety Magnetic Powder Scale 100 Grain Capacity can be even less expensive.

Sometimes you can get a "starter kit" that gets you all the basics in one package like this MidwayUSA - Lee Challenger Single Stage Press Anniversary Kit with "Modern Reloading" Manual which actually includes a powder scale.

If you can find something used, that will probably be your most economical solution. Have you tried craigslist or ebay for reloading stuff? Sometimes it comes up on the classifieds here for somebody's "starter kit" that they bought and didn't wind up getting in to reloading as much as they thought they would.

Component prices are all over the map. There are literally millions of choices and combinations you could go with here. If you're using range pick ups for brass, bullets will probably be your greatest expense. Generally plated or cast lead bullets will be most economical, but some guns don't like to be fed strange bullets. A great way to explore this would be to post on a reloading forum including what kind of gun you have; something like "favorite economy loads for .45 Glock." That way you'll be sure to get info from people who are shooting out of the same gun you are.

For powder and primers, the dilemma is usually a) buy small quantities, expensive, in town or b) buy mail order and pay special shipping fees for "hazardous" materials. Sometimes gun shows are a good way to get the hazardous components cheap. Sometimes you can buy used (or, more correctly, "bought but never used"), but beware that very old or improperly stored powder may not do what you want it to do.

Just one suggestion you may not have considered: if your only real goal here is to be able to practice with your .45 more economically, there is a way to do it that will build better skills and be overall cheaper than reloading - get a .22 LR conversion kit for your .45!

Particularly if it is a 1911, these are easily available and high quality. Do the math yourself - if you change your range practice pattern to shooting 75% .22 LR and 25% .45 acp, you will save as much or more than you would by reloading. Plus, you will not be having to invest all the time and effor that reloading requires.

Don't get me wrong - I reload, I enjoy it, and it works out well for me and for many other shooters. But the folks I know who are the "happiest reloaders" are generally doing it for multiple reasons including 1) oddball calibers that aren't readily available for purchase 2) special 'custom ammo' requirements for competition or hunting 3) saving $ somewhere down on the list.

 

[m_deaner]

i plan on reusing any spent brass again, no need for a tumbler to make them pretty. how much would a good scale go for?

If you don't tumble your brass you will ruin your dies. IMO a tumbler is a must-have.

The lee scale works well and is about $20.

Just about the best deal on powder is from Powdervalley.com - but you have to buy in volume to make it worthwhile (there is a $20 hazmat fee for powder and primers).

I started out loading with a Lee anniversary kit, and it was OK for the price, but I thought that virtually every part of it was shoddy. And it took forever to load using the single-stage press. If you plan on loading in any volume, go for a progressive. Lee makes a decent progressive press, and better ones can be had from Hornady and Dillon.

 

[NateIU10]

If you don't tumble your brass you will ruin your dies. IMO a tumbler is a must-have.

The lee scale works well and is about $20.

Just about the best deal on powder is from Powdervalley.com - but you have to buy in volume to make it worthwhile (there is a $20 hazmat fee for powder and primers).

I started out loading with a Lee anniversary kit, and it was OK for the price, but I thought that virtually every part of it was shoddy. And it took forever to load using the single-stage press. If you plan on loading in any volume, go for a progressive. Lee makes a decent progressive press, and better ones can be had from Hornady and Dillon.

Got the old press still?



Would the extra cost of a press like this be worth it? MidwayUSA - Lee Pro 1000 Progressive Press Kit 45 ACP

What else is needed? I have no 45 brass, so that would be a pretty big expense at the on-set of things...

 

[45calibre]

I'm only looking to reload 45. Don't want a 22 conversion kit. What does a progressive kit mean? I just want a cheaper way to shoot 45.

 

[42769vette]

i just bought a lee chalenger reloader from midwayusa.com last night for 105 it comes with everything you need except dies components and a case trimmer i think im hoping i dont get started and find out i need more but i may i ordered at 7pm and got a email at 10pm that said my order was on the truck

 

[antsi]

What does a progressive kit mean? .

Progressive means that the press can do multiple operations all at the same time. Kind of like an assembly line.

For example, on my Dillon 550b, there are four stations on the press. The empty cases are loaded on a rotating turntable. Each time you pull the lever, the case in the first station gets decapped, resized, and primed on the down stroke. The case in the second station gets filled up with a pre-measured powder charge and gets its mouth belled out if needed. The case in the third station gets a bullet seated in it. The case in the fourth station gets crimped if needed. Then you rotate the turntable, and the case that was in station 1 goes to station 2, 2 goes to 3, 3 goes to 4, etc. This way, every time you pull the lever you are essentially producing a finished cartridge.

In a singe stage press, you do each operation separately. You run all your brass through the decapper. Then you run it all through the sizing die. And so on.

Progressive is generally easier if you are producing large volumes of ammo. Some people say it's too complicated for a beginner and you should always start out with a single stage. I'm not sure I agree with that.

If you're making 100 rounds or less at a time, the single stage is fine. Some folks believe that single stage is more precise and will do this for their specialty ammo like hunting ammo or rifle match ammo. Again, that is conventional wisdom but I am not sure it's always true.

PS - on the case trimmer, you may get away without needing one for pistol ammo. To produce the most perfectly consistent match ammo, you would certainly want to trim all your cases to the exact same length. However, if you are producing range ammo from once-fired brass (which is what most range pick-ups are) the cases may not need to be trimmed to be within spec. THIS IS NOT TRUE FOR RIFLES but I was going on you saying you're only interested in .45 (I assumed you were talking about .45 ACP?)

 

[Joe Williams]

these are great! i was expecting something like them to be about $80. how much do 45 bullets,primers,powder, brass go for? am i missing something? i plan on reusing any spent brass again, no need for a tumbler to make them pretty. how much would a good scale go for?

If you are really wanting to reload on the cheap, you don't need scales, or a powder measure. Get Lee Powder Dippers instead. $12 or so. The Lee Classic Loader comes with one dipper, but the whole set gives a wee bit more versatility.

You can get cast bullets for $35-$40 per 500, primers are about $25 per 1000, powder about $20 a pound, which will get you 1000-1500 loads or so.

Brass is about $18 per 100, or you can get some cheap ammo, shoot it, and save the brass.

 

[Jack Ryan]

what would be the cheapest way to reload .45? .45 ammo is expensive compared to 9mm. $30 for 50> $20 for 100(kinda makes me wanna trade my 45 for a 9mm). what would be the basic things i would need to start? im not looking for anything time saving, it could take long ass hell as long as its cheap.

Start with pouring your own lead bullets.

 

[in812]

I've got a used lyman press 30$ and used 45acp brass 7$ 100

 

[m_deaner]

Got the old press still?

Would the extra cost of a press like this be worth it? MidwayUSA - Lee Pro 1000 Progressive Press Kit 45 ACP

What else is needed? I have no 45 brass, so that would be a pretty big expense at the on-set of things...

I think it's worth it to spend the extra on the progressive press. In the lee line, I'd look hard at the Load Master - it has an extra turret position and a little more versatility. Just load one cartridge at a time until you know exactly what's going on.

You will need a tumbler, calipers, primers, powder, bullets, and a scale. A manual is a good idea but not necessarily required (I gave mine away long ago).

I can sell you some of my primers at my cost.

At Chuck's gun repair you can get 45ACP brass for $35/1000 in b-town. You can get a good deal on bullets from Missouri Bullet Co (google them... they're on the web).

MC Sports is selling Unique at $14 a pound... it's not my preferred powder for 45ACP, but it will work. I plan on putting an order in with powdervalley soon if you want to piggyback on my order and split the hazmat.

 

[45calibre]

I think it's worth it to spend the extra on the progressive press. In the lee line, I'd look hard at the Load Master - it has an extra turret position and a little more versatility. Just load one cartridge at a time until you know exactly what's going on.

You will need a tumbler, calipers, primers, powder, bullets, and a scale. A manual is a good idea but not necessarily required (I gave mine away long ago).

I can sell you some of my primers at my cost.

At Chuck's gun repair you can get 45ACP brass for $35/1000 in b-town. You can get a good deal on bullets from Missouri Bullet Co (google them... they're on the web).

MC Sports is selling Unique at $14 a pound... it's not my preferred powder for 45ACP, but it will work. I plan on putting an order in with powdervalley soon if you want to piggyback on my order and split the hazmat.

I'm only looking to reload .451. My local range won't allow you to fire lead bullets for some reason. Fmjs are kind of expensive. That's expensive considering they $28 per 100 the same as already loaded round box of 100.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Keep in mind that if you're using a Glock...don't use un-jacketed lead projectiles.

-J-

 

[m_deaner]

That's expensive considering they $28 per 100 the same as already loaded round box of 100.

Where are you getting your prices? That's really high.
The Missouri bullets are about $60 per 1,000.

I shoot lead out of glocks all the time but that's a whole other issue...

Will the range let you shoot plated bullets? If so, you might look into buying berry's bullets or Raniers.

 

[in812]

if your going to go progressive dont waste your time and money with junk buy a dillon all the rest are hit and miss ask anyone that has owned both and unless they are trying to sell you thier used lee or ? it will be a dillon hands down done get me wrong lee single stage presses are fine for pistol calibers a little rough for rifle calibers which my choice would be RCBS rock chucker if i were going to do both now lee dies i like better than the dillon they cost a lot less the sizer die sizes farther down (less radius on the lead in) and the seat and crimp dies are easy to adjust

on brass if you can buy it for 35$ 1000 you better buy all he has at that price

 

[in812]

I'm only looking to reload .451. My local range won't allow you to fire lead bullets for some reason. Fmjs are kind of expensive. That's expensive considering they $28 per 100 the same as already loaded round box of 100.

Where are you getting your prices? That's really high.
The Missouri bullets are about $60 per 1,000.

for jacked bullets ???
last i priced jacked bullets 120-160$ K depending on what they are but the good thing prices are starting to come down

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Widener's Reloading and Shooting Supply INC