What does it cost to get started in reloading?

[Lonesome Dove]

After you read some manuals on getting started try your damndest to actualy sit down with someone and get a hands on lesson. I waited a while but really glad I did it. Since then I've help or at least incouraged many to get started reloading. Just helped out a neighbor not long ago.

 

[Axxe55]

After you read some manuals on getting started try your damnest to actualy sit down with someone and get a hands on lesson. I waited a while but really glad I did it. Since then I've help or at least incouraged many to get started reloading. Just helped out a neighbor not long ago.

Very much agree. Once a person has read several books on the reloading procedures, sitting down with an experienced reloader actually going through the process of reloading rounds, helps a lot in seeing how it actually takes place.

It may also bring up questions that might not have come up simply from reading about the reloading process.

 

[TX oddball]

I am the odd one- I started out on my current machine, a Dillon RL550B, just dove right into a progressive system. And I love it, you can go as fast or as slow as you want. I load only pistol calibers, and it has been set for 9mm the last couple of years.

The trick is, I bought it over a dozen years ago. My whole setup from Brian Enos (machine, 3 sets of pistol dies, converters, scale, etc.) set me back approx. $700, basically half of today's prices. And I purchased all of my components back then also, again half of today's pricing. If you choose to get into the progressive world, it will be pricey. And expect to spend time hunting down components, they are scarce.

 

[CodyK]

I got a lee turret press a couple years ago. I really wanted a Dillon, but thought a $225 Lee may be the best option to try out reloading before investing the $1,000 plus a Dillon would require. I fell in love. And I have stuck with the Lee. I can crank out 200 rounds pretty quick, and for the amount of shooting I do, that’s plenty. And I can take the rod out of the turret, and effectively make it a single stage, to hand load precision rifle rounds. The Lee Turret Classic Kit came with the press, scale, powder measure/drop, beam scale, Lee reloading book (a must have!) and a few other odds and ends. Lee makes 4 die sets for most pistol calibers that are around $40 and they come with the shell holder. And extra turrets use to be like $10, so you could set up each turret with a different caliber, then just change out the powder measure, and switch calibers pretty quickly. I enjoy reloading quite a bit, but with the limited availability of components, it’s not the most ideal time to start. The stuffs out there if you look hard enough or are willing to spend what the scalpers want.


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[GasGuzzler]

I just made a post with a bunch of pictures but I wiped it out accidentally and don't have time to re-post it now...

 

[xdmikey]

I started with Lee flimsy single stage, moved to flimsy turret(still have it)then to Hornady LNL.

I made lots of ammo with the original Lee. Nothing wrong with it if you don't care about what the loading snobs say!

 

[Coyote9]

Reloading is something that I've always kinda wanted to do, but don't know if I have the space for it. But I was accidentally gifted 9mm bullets instead of ammo this year. Where I work has tons of lead, possibly literally. I'm sure I could buy some super cheap from them. It was mentioned before. I just don't know if it's the right type of lead. Like low tin or something. But yeah, I see a basic Dillon XL750 is $700 while a nice package is $2,300~. Lee stuff is $200-$400 or so. I'm sure there is a lot of other stuff that is needed. All I have are the 9mm firearms, some 9mm bullets (200) and access to free/cheap lead that may or may not be the right type. What else do I need and how much to expect to spend for basic and more advanced setup? I'm sure a Dillon would have a higher resale and be easier to do so?

Thanks,
Higgins909

Join a gun club with a reload set up OR find a friend who can help you get onto it, don't spend money until you know it is worthwhile for you..... Progressive loaders are way too much overkill for recreational shooters even at todays ammo prices.

 

[popper]

Buy cheap lead from your company, resell here to finance what ever you want. Powder and primers is the expensive part now.

 

[Brojon]

Five pages and nobody thought to comment on the 9mm aspect.
9mm shoots plated and jacketed bullets just fine.
Not all will shoot bare cast (*cough* Glock *cough*).
Most 9mm's with "polygonal" rifling will lead up something ferocious.
One way around that is to powder coat which is dirt cheap and effective.
As far as equipment I'd say that depends on your goals.
I started out with a Lee "C" press and quick change collets.
Still use it for small batches. Then I bought a Lee turret press. I found I didn't like the primer loading station as it had a tendency to cock the primer requiring re-seating. No bueno.
So I bought a Lee hand primer loader.
My process now is to hand prime the brass, then use the turret for the other operations. I use the Lee 4 die set with FCD crimper.

Good luck!

 

[Aus_Schwaben]

In '13, I tried a Dillon Square Deal B rig for .45 LC and I was able to crank out 150 rounds an hour with it. So I looked around and found one for $300 plus shipping. It came with turret heads and dies already set up for .380, .357, .40 S&W, .44 Mag, and .45 ACP.

The only drawback I found so far is that the dies are not interchangeable with the dies from the other Dillon series.

 

[bigtex10mm]

Almost 40 years ago I asked the same question and a good friend introduced me to the Lee Loader. It is a complete reloading system for both rifle and pistol. It is inexpensive, slow but does a very good job. I loaded several hundred rounds of .357mag/.38 Special with mine before I bought my first press. It was a single stage RCBS Rock Chucker.

 

[striker55]

Almost 40 years ago I asked the same question and a good friend introduced me to the Lee Loader. It is a complete reloading system for both rifle and pistol. It is inexpensive, slow but does a very good job. I loaded several hundred rounds of .357mag/.38 Special with mine before I bought my first press. It was a single stage RCBS Rock Chucker.

Thats how I started, pounding out rounds on a table in my living room. I had a box of powder measures.

 

[Dimonback]

Reloading is something that I've always kinda wanted to do, but don't know if I have the space for it. But I was accidentally gifted 9mm bullets instead of ammo this year. Where I work has tons of lead, possibly literally. I'm sure I could buy some super cheap from them. It was mentioned before. I just don't know if it's the right type of lead. Like low tin or something. But yeah, I see a basic Dillon XL750 is $700 while a nice package is $2,300~. Lee stuff is $200-$400 or so. I'm sure there is a lot of other stuff that is needed. All I have are the 9mm firearms, some 9mm bullets (200) and access to free/cheap lead that may or may not be the right type. What else do I need and how much to expect to spend for basic and more advanced setup? I'm sure a Dillon would have a higher resale and be easier to do so?

Thanks,
Higgins909

I set up this little portable Lee turret press, with a scale, powder measure, dies(.223) and case cleaner for something less than $300. For faster production, the Dillon progressives always worked well for me. I went through two Square Deals over the years, and now have a 550 for my .45ACP. I did try a Lee Pro 1000 for a short while, but had nothing but problems with it, including squib loads leading to an unfortunate incident at a match (see barrel)..

 

[BuzzinSATX]

I took the leap today after a 30 year hiatus. Been researching and picking up components. Had a friend who was moving give me some odds and ends like a vibrating tumbler.

But I decided against trying to piecemeal everything together and just ordered basically everything I needed (excluding components) for 9MM. So I went to the Scheels website and ordered the following for a few dollars south of a grand:

- Dillon 550C
- Dillon strong mount
- Dillon conversation plate
- Dillon handle upgrade
- RCBS carbide dies
- RCBS bullet puller
- RCBS primer plate
- Hornady digital scale
- Hornady digital calipers

It’s a start. Funded it through selling a couple safe queens.

Fed ex delivering everything but the dies on Friday. Dies being sent via USPS so no delivery date yet but they were picked up at the distributor center.

Again, everything total cost $990ish.

Main reason for the 550C was versatility and a buddy who has one with a couple dozen caliber conversations I will be able to borrow as needed until I fill in the rest of the calibers…but 9MM was my immediate concern.

 

[Vaquero]

Man!
I was way off!!

Heh

 

[Ruprex]

$1,000 for a hell of a setup - see my post here: https://www.texasguntalk.com/thread...imers-lots-of-other-stuff-austin-kyle.110187/

 

[Mike_from_Texas]

It can be relatively cheap to get started.

And eventually you end up with this.

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