Handloading start-up costs?

[JSam]

Two questions:

1. About how much is it gonna cost me to get set up to reload .45 colt?
2. What's the approximate cost per round after I'm set up?

Thanks fellas.

Immediately after posting this, I saw the sticky at the top of the page "Interested in reloading"
If anyone is real bored and would still like to take the time to answer my questions, I'd be grateful.

 

[gregs45auto]

If you start with a used RCBS rockcrusher (rockchucker) a NEW manual, dies, scale. and odds & ends. You are looking at 200+. A kit is @ 250. As too how much to reload. Figure 60% of factory. Price out 100 brass-bullets-powder-primers. Used brass is cheaper. Then devide into how many rounds come in the factory box. Cheaper still is using lead bullets. AND find someone to show you how to reload. Follow the reloading manual. hth greg

 

[oldyeller]

Depends on how you start. You can by asimple lee single stage from midway for about $30 delivered, dies at your local gun shop,gander mountain, cabelas,etc. you want to by carbide dies. at about 35? a hand primer at about 15-20 beans. you can start with a set of lee scoop measures for about 20. an alternative to this is to buy a set of lee hand loaders it is slow but it will give you an idea of what it's like I think you can pick one of those up for about 30.that 1lb of powder will run you about 20-25 primers will run you about 30 per 1000. if you start with Unique a pound will reload about 700 to 1000 rds depending on how hot you want to load. lead bullets will run about 55 per 500. i assume you have brass. so primer .03 per powder .03 lead .10 i think i did the math right so figure ,20 per round 50 rounds 10.00. I might be off for your area.good luck JS it is relaxing. and it saves alot of jingle.mike

 

[Sharp Shooter]

If you've been following this message board for the last few months, you know how hard reloading components (primers, bullets and powder) have been to come by since last years election. I expect things to loosen up pretty soon though.
I'd go ahead and get set up now, do some reading and studying, and then when components get back to being readily available, you'll be ready to go.

 

[railroader]

I would recommend a Lee turret press. They aren't very expensive and it will be much quicker than a single stage press. Here's a kit that I have been using for years. You can make about a hundred rounds or so in an hour so, a hundred and fifty if you hurry. If you got this kit you need a set of dies and I would recommend the primer attachment and you need the riser for the powder dispenser. You will also need a tumbler for your brass. After you clean the brass I pour the brass and corncob through a cheap plastic collender to get the corn cob out of the brass. 45 colt brass should last a long time too if you don't load your rounds too hot. Good luck, here's that press. Mark
http://www.fmreloading.com/cgi-bin/miva ... Press+Kits

 

[sixshot]

Buy quality stuff right from the start, that way you only have to "start up" once. Get a bullet mould off ebay (used) so you can cast your own slugs, if you do the cost goes way down. Buy 2-3 good reloading manuals, make sure one is a Lyman, they show a lot of cast bullet loads. Use safety glasses when you load & don't get distracted, especially when despensing powder. A double charge is bad news, a no charge can also be bad news. Start with mild loads & 90% of the time stay there!

Good luck, Dick

 

[JSam]

I appreciate all the great advice.

 

[Lost Sheep]

I appreciate all the great advice.

You're welcome. I am coming late to the party, so I will try to make my contribution worthwhile.

There is a nice little calculator to figure out cost of handloading here.
http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp
handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp

Just make sure to allow for the fact that you can get a lot more than one use out of a cartridge case.

If all you have for your reloading setup is a shoebox, you can get a Lee Load-All kit for under $30. Add a chunk of 2x6 and a mallet and you can produce good quality ammo, though slowly. For under $300 you can get a pretty decent setup with all the necessary parts to produce first-class ammo. My first setup would fit in a footlocker. Single stage press, dies, scale, loading block, a few other tools.

Always wear eye protection, especially when working with primers.

Good luck, good shooting, and don't pinch your fingers in your press.

 

[kcoruol]

I just started reloading British 303 from a Lee Loader which cost me less than 30 bucks.

It is slow going but I usually do it while watching TV anyway.

 

[pvtschultz]

LEE single stage presses are a great way to get started for minimal $$$ invested. If you ever decide to switch to a progressive (please don't start with one) a Dillon should be in your future.

I started out with this one: $85
http://www.fmreloading.com/cgi-bin/miva ... ng+Presses

Definately get the Carbide die set: $35
http://www.fmreloading.com/cgi-bin/miva ... ading+Dies

Pick up a trickler if you start getting close to max charges: $20
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?p ... ber=487186

Case Trimmer: $5
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?p ... ber=476992

Case Length Gage: $4.50
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?p ... ber=561725

That's $150 in equipment. I would also add a calipers to the list (~$20 at Harbor Freight).

Get some brass if you don't have any already: $22
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?p ... =941195841

A pound of Hodgdon Universal: $18 (Buy local)
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?p ... ber=956127

You'll need some primers: $35 (Buy Local)
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?p ... ber=276481

And finally some lead: ~$50

That is another $125 in reloading supplies for a total investment of $275 which will cover your first 500 rounds. This is less than the current $320 asking price for 500 rounds of Winchester cowboy ammo. The first 2000 times you pull that lever (four times for each round), you'll have paid for the machine and then some. See how much more you can shoot for the same amount of money. You won't save any money, you'll be able to shoot more for the same.

For my favorite plinking load of 7.3 grains Universal under a 250 gr LSWC, the first time will cost you $18.90/50 since you had to buy the brass. After that, just $7.90/50 and the brass will last a very long time at the pressure of this load.

 

[Pal Val]

When getting started in handloading, keep in mind that you will end up shooting a lot more simply because it's cheaper. This is specially true with the big-bore handguns. Once you get the hang of loading those '45 LC, you'll be shooting them by the hundreds, I guarantee!

I started reloading some 5 years ago, with a Lyman turret press kit. I've added little to it, and now go though a good 200 to 300 rounds of ammo every visit to the range, compared with the old 50-round box. My shooting has improved a lot, and the fun doubled because I enjoy the reloading.

I recommend it, but with the warning - be safe, be mindful of detail and keep good records. Knowing what works best will make your ammo work for you better than the factory stuff.

Best of luck!

 

[slippingaway]

This is a PERFECT kit to get you started ($105):
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?p ... ber=121744

You'll need dies, for 45 colt a 3-die set like this is all you need ($27):
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?p ... ber=159803

The kit has a lock stud, but no case length gauge, here's the one you'd need ($5): http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?p ... ber=561725

Pick up a couple manuals as suggested, and you'll be all set. I still like my Lee manual, it's what I learned from ($14): http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?p ... ber=484416

My only suggestion would be to upgrade from the Lee scale to something like this when you get the chance:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?p ... ber=758842

The Lee scale works ok, but mine ended up breaking fairly soon after I got it. For starting out, single stage stuff, Lee works just great. When you decide to move to progressive, there are better brands. If I add all that up, your start up cost for equipment is $151. You'll recover that in less than 500 rounds, especially if you already have brass.

 

[Rick Courtright]

My only suggestion would be to upgrade from the Lee scale

Hi,

"Amen" to the suggestion to upgrade from the Lee scale. I have one, but it's hardly easy to use (compared to many), and only has enough capacity for powder charges, not most bullets.

I've played w/ several scales over the years, both balance beam and digital, and if I had to buy ONE scale to last me the rest of my loading career, it would be the RCBS 5-0-5. Come to think of it, the 5-0-5 I bought around 1975 WILL probably last that long!

Regardless of your choice of scales, get a set of check weights (about $25) and use 'em. Religiously!

Rick C

 

[revhigh]

Buy quality stuff right from the start, that way you only have to "start up" once.

Translated ... this means skip over the 'LEE' equipment altogether. Hornady or Dillon for progressive. Hornady, Lyman, or RCBS, for single stage. The LEE equipment will tempt you because of price, but don't give in ... the good stuff doesn't cost that much more.

REV

 

[slippingaway]

Buy quality stuff right from the start, that way you only have to "start up" once.

Translated ... this means skip over the 'LEE' equipment altogether. Hornady or Dillon for progressive. Hornady, Lyman, or RCBS, for single stage. The LEE equipment will tempt you because of price, but don't give in ... the good stuff doesn't cost that much more.

REV

This is where the argument usually starts on these threads

A lot of people can't stand any Lee equipment. That's fine with me. However, I personally maintain that as long as you stick to their single stage stuff, the Lee stuff is just fine. Except for their powder scale. Get a 5-0-5.

My setup now is a Lee challenger breech-lock single stage press, and a Dillon Square Deal progressive. I have no need or desire to change from this.

 

[Jeff H]

Since I recently started reloading, I can answer that it cost me about $400 ish for the bare necessities needed to reload 1 caliber and that includes the $100 or so I spent on 2x4s and drywall to make a separate lockable room in the basement to put all that stuff in. (domestic requirement) :roll:

Of the consumables: primers,powder, bullets, and tumbling media, I probably blew another $200 on that stuff but have enough for many many rounds.

I'm using a Lee classic turret for the record.

 

[pvtschultz]

There is nothing wrong with LEE (single stage) presses whatsoever. This group was shot using ammo loaded on an "inferior" LEE aluminum Challenger press using LEE dies. Heck, the powder was even weighed using his balance beam as well.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Yep, despite all the recent bashing, I think the Lee Classic Turret Press is the best value going out there. It gives you near-progressive speeds if you want it, but still only does one operation at a time so you can pay attention to what's going on. The best thing (for me) is that with the interchangeable turrets you don't need to re-setup the dies each time you change calibers (or stages, as you do on a single stage).

I started out with the RCBS Rockchucker kit, and still use some parts out of it (mainly the scale), but prefer the Lee Turret, with the Auto-Disk powder measure. I'll probably set the Rockchucker up for rifle calibers when I get my workspace straightened out.

-- Sam

 

[revhigh]

It gives you near-progressive speeds if you want it,

Actually Sam, it doesn't give you anywhere near progressive speed, but that's not a reason not to use one. My 20 year old Hornady Projector does 1000 rounds of any pistol caliber in 3 hours. Every time you pull the handle you get a finished round. I have much less of a problem with the Lee single stage presses which includes the turret press. The Lee progressives are poorly designed, lightly constructed, and need constant tweaks and adjustments, and that's not even considering that the priming system simply DOES NOT WORK reliably. I've done literally 200,000+ rounds with my Hornady over the years, with virtually zero adjustments. THe ram on my Hornady is about as big around as a tennis ball. THe same can be said for Dillon A Lee press will be in pieces before you do ten percent of that many rounds.

IF you're doing 500 rounds a year, or just want to play around at reloading, the Lee stuff is fine. If you're doing serious volume, forget LEE and buy Hornady or Dillon to start. Ask ANYONE who's gone from a Lee to a Hornady or Dillon progressive if they'd go back.

Regarding the Dillon, I would NEVER buy a progressive press that doesn't automatically index ... that's just plain silly. THat's why the Dillon 550 is a poor choice. THe SDB isn't bad, but uses proprietary dies, so that one's out too, as far as I'm concerned. That leaves the Hornady LNL AP and the Dillon 650. The Hornady LNL AP is pretty much free after they give you the 1000 free bullets for buying one, and it's almost half the cost of the 650.

REV

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Considering this thread was about "start-up costs", and the generally overwhelming consensus is that a newbie reloader should not start on a progressive, I think talking about $1000 Dillons is kinda silly.

I realize that a true progressive press does a number of operations per lever pull. That's the issue most new users have with it: Keeping track of 3, 4, 5 operations, which you are unfamiliar with , all going on at the same time.

The Lee Turret is a good compromise between this and having to setup the dies for each stage in a single stage. You can easily pay attention to each step (since you do one thing at a time), and still turn out 100 rounds in 45 minutes or so. Yes, the primer feed is still cheaply made, but there are going to be corners cut when the price difference is as great as it is between these two products.

The "gotta have a Dillon" guys remind me a lot of those that say all 1911s are junk except the $3500 Ed Brown they just bought.

-- Sam