Looking for some guidance.. Thanks in advance

[donut757]

I have been interested in reloading for sometime but just dont have the room to really have a set up. I have been reading a little here and there and am thinking about maybe trying to get it going, but will be doing it backwards. I have the summer off so will have time to really sit down and read some of the manuals seriously.


Im still looking into a single stage press and all the accessories needed but figure i will add a little bit as time and money allow. I would like to eventually be able to reload for 9mm, 38/357, and 45 acp... and maybe 45 LC.

I would like to start reloading as somewhat of a hobby and also to save a few bucks down the road, but i believe i can save a little money right now on bullets. My job and schedule allows me currently shoot maybe 500ish (maybe more, maybe less) centerfire rounds yearly mixed in with 2-3000 .22s within a years time. if i was able to reload for bit less i would certainly be shooting more.

There is a local forum and an order is being put together to order a full truck load of stuff through one of the manufacturers . If we can get the order big enough it will be discounted at the bulk prices.

All bullets are cooper plated per 1000:

9mm 115 gr RN..... $55

38/357 158 gr RN.... $72
158 gr HP.... $73


45 230gr RN.... $99


I have been saving brass for about a year or so and will continue to do so until i can start reloading. I shoot mostly .38, followed by .357, 9mm, and 45acp.


Any guidance that yall could offer me would be great.

 

[Geoff Timm]

One of the Black & Decker folding worktables can work as a bench, some need an add on tray for accessories and a custom set of holes drilled and reinforced with metal washers. You still need space to hang the big pieces and a tool box modified to hold the accessories.

Geoff
Who couldn't find the design that was online...sigh...anyone know where it went?

 

[Clovishound]

Don't know that I have any real advice to give you, but will relate my recent experience. My best friend and I have been shooting a lot lately. He has been reloading rifle ammo for years with an older single stage Lee press. We decided to try our hand at 9mm, since that is what we are shooting, and don't have a ton of money to spend on ammo.

Got the dies and decided to get a 2 cavity mold, as this is the only way to save any real money on 9mm reloading. The first batch we cast and reloaded gave us some bad barrel leading, and were very inaccurate. We slugged my barrel and decided to order a bullet sizer/luber. The latest batch we made and fired left the barrel clean. We also adjusted the powder load. Accuracy seems to be on par with factory ammo.

I was almost ready to give up on reloading when I had so much trouble getting my barrel clean. I am now seriously thinking about picking up a press and start doing some reloading on my own.

Buying bullets will increase the final cost of ammo, but will simplify the process of getting started. From what I have seen $55 a thousand for plated bullets is a good price.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

I can't comment on the bullet prices as I cast most of my own these days, and bought fair supplies of plated/jacketed bullets when prices were still what we can only dream about today!

As for room, whether you have a 15 ft square corner of a bedroom, a 150 sq ft room, or a 1500 sq ft shop, you'll eventually figure a way to fill it up w/ loading equipment/supplies!

So, to start small, as I did, when you get a press, mount it on a piece of wood so you can move it around, and secure the wooden base plate to some kind of surface w/ C-clamps. For wood, I've used plywood, esp. for shotshell loaders, and 1x6s for my rifle/handgun presses. The harder the wood, the better, but don't worry if you start w/ the cheapest pine. I did, and finally got around to making some nicer oak bases (only took 35 yrs or so!)

For mounting, I've had presses clamped to tables, desks, the top of a two step ladder, work stools, and probably some things I've forgotten. The Black & Decker workstand is a popular "store bought" answer. And Lee came up w/ a three legged stool kind of stand a couple of years ago that looks like it might be ok. Midway used to have some heavier stands, too, at higher prices. Haven't checked 'em to see what they still carry.

Good light is a necessity, as is a stable place to use your scale. You don't want it rattling about on a press stand that wiggles around a lot. A decent sized metal tool box should hold all your "goodies" for a while when you're beginning. Later, as your inventory expands, it can still hold what you need for a "weekend" trip or range use if you turn into one of the guys who likes to work up loads right next to the shooting bench.

Today most of my loading equipment and supplies can be fit into a Craftsman metal work bench w/ drawers. I added a couple of layers to the top, 3/4" particle board, for weight. It's about 2' x 4'. If I didn't have multiple presses, scales, etc. I COULD trim it down to where everything would fit in there. It sits in a corner of a bedroom and doesn't take that much space...

If you look back thru some of the "let's see your loading room" threads, you'll see enough pictures that something will probably pop out as a "that's just right for me" item.

Best of luck!

Rick C

 

[mattsbox99]

My current bench started out with just a single stage press in an apartment, now its got quite a bit more equipment in quick change bases and I've added an upper shelf. Its not particularly pretty but it works well for my uses. Eventually I'll get around to building a much bigger setup. My reloading space is much larger than what I started with as I have other shelves for storage now.

 

[DGW1949]

My reloading journey began with one of those LEE handloader kits that requires being hit with a hammer. Shortly after I managed to explode a primer while seating it, I bought a LEE hand primer.
The first single stage press I bought was an RCBS Jr. After dern near 40 years, it's the only press I've ever had to buy... and I'm still using the same LEE hand primer.

Rick C is telling you right on the C-clamp thing. I did that myself for years. The only thing about that I can add is that if you clamp a press to your wife's kitchen table, be sure to use an old magazine between the press and the table top so's you don't scar-up the wood.

Can't comment on your choice of bullets because I'm not familiar with them, nor do plated bullets appere in any of the loading manuals that I use.

As for saving money, me thinks that you'll find your biggest savings while loading for the bigger calibers. That, and if you are only shooting 500 rds per year, you might want to skip reloading 9MM for now and concentrate on the calibers that are a bit more cost effective.

A final thought;
Be aware that some 45ACP brass uses a small primer these days and that it seems to be a coming trend. Like it or not, I suspect that that is something that we are all going to have to deal with sooner or later.

Hope something here helps.

DGW

 

[Snake45]

So, to start small, as I did, when you get a press, mount it on a piece of wood so you can move it around, and secure the wooden base plate to some kind of surface w/ C-clamps. For wood, I've used plywood, esp. for shotshell loaders, and 1x6s for my rifle/handgun presses. The harder the wood, the better, but don't worry if you start w/ the cheapest pine. I did, and finally got around to making some nicer oak bases (only took 35 yrs or so!)

Rick C

+1 on this. I have two presses bolted to wood beams, and simply C-clamped them to the kitchen table or whatever when I wanted to load, and then put all the reloading stuff away when I was finished with that session. I've loaded tens of thousands of rounds this way and have never had a dedicated "loading bench" or "loading area" in my house at all.

 

[WESHOOT2]

Eye protection = mandatory.

My absolute best "reloading" advice.