My 2 cents for new reloaders

[ZebLocke]

I started recreational shooting in 2009, vividly remember paying 28 bucks for 100 rounds of CCI stingers to shoot out of a single six. also trying to feed a taurus .357 and a ruger P89 became a futile exercise. i made a trip to sporting goods stores, LGS, etc. at every chance. i had got ahold of a lee pro 1000 to reload 9mm and .357 but components were as elusive as .22 LR. every now and then i would find a brick of primers or a box of ammo. it was a very frustrating experience.

fast forward a few years. i dont recall specifically when, but somewhere around 2014-15 i was working 20+hours of OT a week and primers, powder, projectiles and factory ammo were available. week by week i washed that bitter taste out of my mouth leftover from the 09 shortage by buying something once a week. if i could squeeze it in, i would buy a case of primers, 8 pounds of titegroup etc...

this time around i don't have to alter my range plans and have been able to help a couple of friends with components.

my advice for the newcomers is to be diligent right now in looking for components you need. prepare to pay higher prices. that pound of H110 that was 25 bucks at the sporting goods store is going to cost probably double at a gun show. most importantly dont forget how difficult it is right now to get your hands on what it takes to reload. hopefully the pendulum will be able to swing the other way sometime in the future and then youll be able to walk into a LGS and have the trouble of deciding between spending money on primers or powder.

when/if that time comes take advantage of it.

Sent from my SM-A515U using Tapatalk

 

[JeepHammer]

2009 ammo shortage, I simply made my own...





Tubes in brass wind up as rim fire brass,
Tubes in copper wind up as bullet jackets.
1900 brass button making scroll press with die changes makes these, bought it for scrap weight.

 

[JeepHammer]

Then there is the recycle route,
Cartridge brass for scrap weight by the ton,



Qualification on the left, 3,000/hr
Lower case sizing back to SAAMI/NATO middle, about 1,200/hr
Not shown is annealing to restore brass back to correct consistency, about 3,000/hr
Right is a common top down die press to resize the shoulder/neck to specification, about 1,200/hr



Qualification of brass is the most mind numbing thing you will ever do,
Mechanical doesn't get tired, doesn't make mistakes, and a remarkable amount of volume brass producers don't have and let their mistakes slip through.

The same is true with annealing, most don't do it at all, and the few that do don't get anywhere near proper heat treating.
Science isn't exactly a lot of brass recyclers strong suits...



Since I buy bullets by the ton in bulk bins like the brass,
And I stock up on primers/propellants when they AREN'T being panic bought,
I have to ask, "What Ammo Shortage"?

 

[xxxleafybugxxx1]

Agree. I just paid almost $80 including shipping for small rifle primers.

 

[sheepdog697]

Agree. I just paid almost $80 including shipping for small rifle primers.

Nice, where did you find them?

 

[DRob]

Agree. I just paid almost $80 including shipping for small rifle primers.

So you only bought 100 primers? I kid but I have seen them recently as high as $50 per hundred. Everything you need to start reloading today, from components to dies to presses, is very hard to find. If you do find it, be prepared to pay a very high price.

 

[tsm]

If you reload, Precision Delta has 9mm 115gr FMJ bullets in stock. Ordered a couple thousand this morning. We’ll see how long it takes for them to arrive.

 

[76Too]

If you reload, Precision Delta has 9mm 115gr FMJ bullets in stock. Ordered a couple thousand this morning. We’ll see how long it takes for them to arrive.

Thank you for the heads up!

Just ordered 3000 so as to not overwhelm the system any more than necessary (and let others have some too). That should keep me shooting through 2021 with what I have in stock currently.

Precision Deltas are definitely the best deal running. Much more cost effective than even Everglades Ammo...they raised their prices 20% in the past two months. I’m all for supply and demand, but bullets aren’t exactly hard to make.

 

[DRob]

Check Hoosier Bullets in Trafalgar, IN. Been shooting the 125 gr 9mm and just picked up 2K 124 gr. Coated lead. Good bullets, good guy.

 

[HonkieKowboy]

I just got a lee hand press for $63 on optics planet, should be shipping out soon. Very good deal since I normally see them at $90 on ebay.

 

[Usmccookie]

So you only bought 100 primers? I kid but I have seen them recently as high as $50 per hundred. Everything you need to start reloading today, from components to dies to presses, is very hard to find. If you do find it, be prepared to pay a very high price.

Holy jeez! I have the components to make 1k rounds of 556, I just never tried it yet... Maybe I can just trade the components for 1500 factory rounds!

seriously though, I have the components with the intent of learning how to reload 556, by the time I figure it out, I might be better of trading them...

 

[MRP2003]

Looking to get into reloading by getting a dillon 550C. Picked a bunch of 40 cal brass. There is no rush. Still have to finish my work bench in my gun room. Looking at reloading as more of a hobby than to save money as I will likely spend more than I save.

 

[dprimm]

I am very curious about your setup. One thing that has put me off from loading is the mind numbing amount of TIME required to get things ready.

I have access to a single jobs press and a progressive press. But getting the once-fired brass brass ready simply numbs my brain. (Crates of brass that has been saved).

being able to plan would be nice. Time and $$$ are limited.

 

[tsm]

I am very curious about your setup. One thing that has put me off from loading is the mind numbing amount of TIME required to get things ready.

I have access to a single jobs press and a progressive press. But getting the once-fired brass brass ready simply numbs my brain. (Crates of brass that has been saved).

being able to plan would be nice. Time and $$$ are limited.

Start with a couple hundred cases and get those ready for loading. You may find it’s not as onerous a process as you fear.

 

[wingrider1800]

Reloading is time consuming and if not enjoyable then don't do it. No different that making a thousand casts to maybe catch a bass or sitting in a tree to maybe see a deer.

 

[DRob]

If I don't reload the caliber, I'm not shooting it nowadays. If I do, I'm not shooting it much. I like seeing boxes of primers and bullets and jugs of powder sitting on my shelves. That's the part of reloading I appreciate now.

 

[Dakota]

I used to reload quite a bit of shotgun shells when I was shooting a lot of trap and I can honestly say I enjoyed reloading them. Seemed relaxing to me. I think reloading pistol or rifle cartridges is a fair amount more involved though, than shotgun shells.