[chino]

want to start rolling my own but want to know how hard it really is. Every time that darn Blue Press shows up in my mail my mouth starts watering.
I buy win. white box .40 for 14.95 per 100 rnds. what would the cost be if I were to load my own? Another thing that worries me is the stories of K.B.s and no accuracy. I know I'm not the only one to feel this tenitive, please give me a good reason to buy a 650. With auto case feeder of course!
Thanks, Mike.

[SmittyFL]

I'll give you six

1) It's easy
2) You'll cut your cost in half
3) Won't lose any accuracy, might gain some
4) Much, much, much better recoil control
5) Your friends will think you're cool
6) Chicks dig it

[PaulW]

Smitty, Smitty, (shaking my head) I love numbers 5 and 6!!!

[SiG Lady]

I like all six--they're ALL true, but I particularly love No. 2... and No. 1 was what made it all happen in the first place. DO IT.

[EricW]

chino, on Feb 12 2004, 06:42 PM, said:

Another thing that worries me is the stories of K.B.s and no accuracy.

Lesson One: Ignore all the gun store commandos, most magazine authors (ones here excepted), and all range Nazis. Most everything that comes out of their mouths/word processors is total, utter crap.

Surf the bejeezus out of this site and you'll figure out what's real and what's bunk in a hurry. We've got a ton of excellent reloading resources pinned up for ya at the top of this forum.

You're in the right place! We've been here waitin' for ya!

[trickpony]

Here's why I load my own: (these figures are from memory)

There are a lot of options out there and if you buy supplies in bulk you can save more.

Say you want a clean burning smokeless powder - Vita N320 @ $20/Lb
Use Winchester WSP primers @ $15/1000
Buy 1000 new Starline cases @ $98
Buy 1000 Zero 180 gr. JHP's @ $66

Load 5 grains of the N320 at 1.170" OAL to make roughly 172+ pf.

1400 rds/Lb = $.014/rd.
primers = $.015/rd.
"new" brass = $.098/rd.
Zero's = $.066/rd.
Total per round = $.193 x 100 = $19.30

Use Precision bullets, WST powder, and your cleaned brass = $7.10/100 rounds

LOTS OF OPTIONS Buy 2 650's!

[TBF]

Chino,

Most of the KB stories seem to be due to one of the following :

1. Glock 40 chambers, and overworked brass. ( a search will reveal much on this subject. )

2. Overloading the living crap out of stuff. Nothing except common sense will prevent this.

3. Failed experimentation with heavy bullets and fast powder. There may be a reason a load is not listed in pressure tested data.

I have reloaded for close to 20 yeaars and NEVER had a KB.

Contrary to most others experience with the financial aspects, I have not saved a dime. But I have shot alot more for the same price.

Travis F.

[BSeevers]

I have met very few who could not reload. One had his brass get wet and reloaded it right away. Had a bunch of PFFFT-bang rounds. I had him quit under the unsafe ammo rule. He agreed. Correctable problem but not too smart huh. The other person just could not make his ammo correctly. His measuring and press adjusting was SOOOO poor. This was related to eye hand coordination and common sense. If both of these cases seems like silly people with no common sense, and not you, then you too can reload. Almost anyone can. The ones that can't are the type of people who end up assembling bikes or toys with Channel locks and super glue, and have 10 extra pieces left over.

I like a very bright light right over the press turret. Helps catch problems as they happen.

PS The 6 reasons are VERY valid. BEnos sells a reloading tape also.

[Sludge]

Alot of truth previously in this thread.

I suggest taking it a step at a time and buying a single stage press and working that for a while before ya step up to a Dillion 650 or another progressive. A RCBS Rock Chucker for instance wont cost ya that much and will let ya experiment, and get used to the process. Walk before ya run kinda thing...

It really will surprise you how easy it is.

TBF made an important point that I have seen is true at least for me. He said,

Quote

I have not saved a dime. But I have shot alot more for the same price.

I think that is true for my shooting. Yea reloading cuts my costs of producing a round way down. On .45ACP it goes from about 20¢ per shell if your shooting Winchester White Box 230gr FMJ down to about 9¢ or a little less for the same thing reloaded. HOWEVER, I have ended up spending about the same money and shooting more.. so in a way I negated the savings because I continued to funnel the same amount of money into my habit Now, if ya dont mind lead and ya wanted to load with lead bullets instead of jacketed bullets then ya end up dropping the price of reloading even more down to about a nickel per shell or so.

My two cents, your mileage may vary...

[Precision40]

chino, on Feb 12 2004, 07:42 PM, said:

I buy win. white box .40 for 14.95 per 100 rnds. what would the cost be if I were to load my own?

For 1000 .40's, this is what I pay.

Precision Lead bullets $45/1000
Winchester Primers $15/1000
Titegroup Powder, roughly $12/thousand
Once fired brass $9/thousand

This comes up to $81 per thousand and they are loaded the way I like them. If you want to shoot alot, reloading is the only way you can do it.

[Erik Warren]

It's not really a cost thing, it's really about making a commitment to shooting as a hobby or sport. People who shoot factory ammo are the casual shooters and peripheral players.

[Skywalker]

Erik Warren, on Feb 13 2004, 09:22 AM, said:

It's not really a cost thing, it's really about making a commitment to shooting as a hobby or sport. People who shoot factory ammo are the casual shooters and peripheral players.

Well, hope Erik won't get angry for this, but I'd like to take exception on his last sentence.

It slightly implies if you reload, shooters will look at you and think "he's serious", otherwise not.

It might give the wrong impression that you won't be accepted by other shooters if you don't reload (i.e. you don't look good), which is not really the case, and I believe it is not really what he meant.

I started reloading because to play IPSC shooting I needed a rich inheritage or a way to cut down costs.
I ended up spending a quite large amount of money as well, during the years, because I decided to reinvest part of my savings in more shooting.

But cost is not the only driving factor here. Think of it this way: would you ever feel comfortable in going skiing steadily with borrowed skys and clothing? Would you ever feel comfortable in daily wearing gloves that are not the right size for your hand? Sure you can get used to it, but to be able to play the best you can, you need to have the right size of gloves, to fit your hand perfectly.

Reloading your own bullets will give you the flexibility to adapt the rounds you shoot to your personal preferences in terms of recoil, muzzle flip, Power Factor and so on. You might not appreciate these factors at the beginning, but in the long run you'll feel the difference.

[dajarrel]

TBF, on Feb 12 2004, 10:30 PM, said:

Contrary to most others experience with the financial aspects, I have not saved a dime. But I have shot alot more for the same price.

Travis F.

Chino,
What TravisF says is, IMO very true. On a price per bullet basis, you will save a ton of money. That helps get spousal approval
However, you WILL shoot more and eat up the savings but the enjoyment I get from reloading and shooting is worth the expense involve. Plus, you can't find finer people around than those that frequent this forum.
just my $.02 worth,
dj

[SmittyFL]

Quote

It slightly implies if you reload, shooters will look at you and think "he's serious", otherwise not.

It might give the wrong impression that you won't be accepted by other shooters if you don't reload (i.e. you don't look good), which is not really the case, and I believe it is not really what he meant.

Sky, did you not see #5.

[Skywalker]

Well, actually my non-shooting friends call me bomber and think I'll be arrested and prosecuted for the amount of bullets, powder and primers I have stored.

But I try to look cool anyway!

[Tokarev]

Take a good hard look at the Hornady Lock-N-Load AP before you decide to purchase a 650. The Hornady can be had for $500 with a case feeder (no dies but those are pretty inexpensive) from Cabela's. Also, Hornady's customer service and warranty are as good as anyone else's in the industry.

[Sludge]

LOL Skywalker

Its comical when some ppl esp some of the anti's come across your hobby.
The first time my father-in-law (gun control freak) saw that I had about 4000 rounds on the shelf his eyes just kinda glazed over LOL

Back when I used to buy my ammo (win white box at the time) I always got a kick out of the response I got at the local walmart when I would take everything they had of two or three calibers. Once the clerk even called the manager. I think because he was scared to sell that much ammo.

I always wondered what some unsuspecting LE would think if he stopped me and my friends all loaded up in the explorer on our way to a 3 gun shoot. That could be interesting too..

[Loves2Shoot]

Relaoding is too easy, especaily is you go with a 650 (or my preference a 1050) that's why you hear horror stories about people who make mondo hot loads and double charges. You have to remember how much "common sense" the average person has. Read all the warning labels we have around these days.

There just really isn't much too it. Have someone who knows what they are doing help get you set up, get a good formula for reloads, then leave you toolhead alone and you'll be very happy for years to come. Remember if you get the 650, you need to get a primer filler to (poking those primeres with a pick-up tube is just lame ), calipers, scale, tumbler, and media seperator. After the sticker shock wears off, you will have that increased shooting budget established and the bullets, brass, primers, and powder will seem cheap Have fun and be not afraid.

[Sludge]

LOL the 650 is too damn easy. However, if ya have it set up right your not gonna double charge. Your powder check sensor will catch that. Single stage loaders dont need attention deficit disorder thats for sure. Dont watch TV while powdering etc LOL Just pay attention, stay below the book specs and you will be fine.

Yea the accessory market esp for rifle reloading is a tempting thing.. I fell prey to much of what you mentioned, with my tumbler, caliper, digital scales and powder dispenser, neck turner, anealing equipment, ... However, I made a media seperator out of a big spagetti strainer and a 5 gal bucket saved a dollar or two there ... because im frugal LOL

I dont know about getting that primer machine though LOL I havent grown that lazy... YET.. pretty lazy, but not that lazy

[chino]

Thanks Brothers and sisters! I'm going for it let you know when I am on my way.
Thanks again, Mike.

[SiG Lady]

Sludge--
Before I began reloading (and before I sold the 9mm blasters) I would wipe out the local Wal*Mart for ALL their loose-pack, white-box 9mm and then make 'em order more! They finally got used to it and kept themselves well-stocked or they knew I'd come after their a**es rather vehemently every week. Sometimes they'd have to cannibalize their other stores to keep me off their backs.

Got into the 1911 and the .45ACP thing, though, and never looked back. Don't like patronizing Wal*Mart much anyway--on principle. I've saved GOBS of money on .45ACP ammo in the 6+ months I've had the blue press, and have found reasonable deals on both powder and primers, too. I get by nicely.

[.40AET]

Simply put- If you shoot 200 rounds once a week, which is easy when you are devoted, pans out to 1000 rounds a month including one match each month. You can easily justify a 1050 based on the math that has been previously noted for 50 rounds. When our scores start going up, you start reloading more to shoot more, looking for more componets and more time to shoot. The faster you go, the rounder you get. Reloading saves money, and you will have custom ammo. If you dump your savings into reloading more, then you will only shoot more.

Reloading is addicting...Any 10 free minutes=100 rounds.

[SiG Lady]

Quote

"Reloading is addicting...Any 10 free minutes..."

That's what I do... what with a hidden, closet-mounted reload station that's ALWAYS ready to roll, it's 50 here, 50 there... which all adds up to the weekly needs. Fortunately, I don't have to set up and tear down... I just open the door, turn on the light and crank. Gotta love it.

[SiG Lady]

See...? I just walked across the room, loaded 35 rds and came back in time to post. (not kidding.) Gotta love it.

[kevin c]

Actually, I kind of like loading 500 to 700 at a time. I like the meditative nature of the repetitive motion. I also think that it makes my ammo more consistent, and, for me, I'm less likely to screw something up by starting and stopping over and over.