The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Reloading => Topic started by: philw on July 03, 2010, 08:56:14 PM
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Ok. Who here reloads
And if you reload what do you caliber's do you load
If you don't reload why not?
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Ok. Who here reloads
And if you reload what do you caliber's do you load
If you don't reload why not?
I'll chime in on the last bit. Reloading is to shooting like tying your own flys is to fishing. Its a totally different hobby. Yes folks take satisfaction from it, but that's the point. You can say that its a money saver, but show me someone with a Dillon press, or a pro-grade vice, tons of gear, or high end fur and feathers and I'll show you a lying bastard. ;D Its great if you enjoy it and are good at it. Not so much if you're not. Me I like to fish and shoot. I'm not much into the arts and crafts aspect. If I was in love with an oddball cartridge like .338 Lapua I would probably change my tune. But I'm not. Anything I need for fishing or shooting I can order from Cabelas at a reasonable price and I do so. If you are more of a DIY guy, I salute you.
FQ13
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I have reloaded 9mm, 40SW, and have 45ACP dies. I just can't get to the reloading desk at the moment :'( I do need to get a bunch of components and build some stuff up.
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I have reloaded all my competition ammo since the early 1980s and still going strong. When shooting 40-60,000 rounds a year, I didn't have much choice. Now I am down to about 20,000 rounds including Marshal'ette's ammo, but I am still levering the presses.
For me, reloading is also a way to relax from the real world.
I reload mostly for Cowboy Action Shooting and Wild Bunch and the presses are set up for .38 Special, .45 Colt and .45ACP.
Occasionally, I sit down to reload some .380 and 9mm (practice rounds for the carry guns).
I am using Lee Pro 1000 and Load Master, but am considering a Dillon to add to the mix.
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Phil, I have firearms that have never seen or felt a factory round. I have two Dillon 550's, a Rockchucker, and a Lee turret press, not to mention a Mec 600 for shotgun.
Pistol.
.38 short colt
9mm parabellum
.38 super
.38spl and .357 mag.
.40 S&W, 10mm
41 mag
.44 spl and .44 mag
.45acp
.45 super
.45 colt
Rifle.
.221 fireball
.222 Remington
.223/5.56 nato
.243
.243 Ackley improved
7mm Ihmsa
7mm 0/8
30/30
.308/7.62x51 Nato
30/06
.338 Win Mag
Shotgun.
12 GA.
In the past, if I could not reload, I would not have been able to shoot, not to mention the benefits for accuracy through reloading.
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I have been reloading since the mid 80's
I load for 9mm,.38 Long Colt,.38/.357, ,30 carbine,.44spc/mag,.45a.c.p.,.45Colt,30-30,.223/5.56,45-70,12 and 20 gauge.
I shoot mostly CAS and if I had to buy ammo I wouldn't be able to afford to shoot.
I use a Hornady Pro-Jector and a RCBS Rockchucker for metallic and have 2 MEC for shotgun.
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I have reloaded .357 and .38's when I was a Kid, and more recently .308 and .300 Win Mag.
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I started shooting to reload in High School with .45 colt. Then I moved on to .45-70, .303 british, and .30-40 Krag. Now I have too many calibers and too little time due to a 3 and 1 year old daughter. Pistol .380, 9mm, .38/.357, .40 S&W, .44 special/mag, ,44-40, .45 ACP/Auto Rim. Rifle .30-06, .308, .270 Win, 8mm Mauser, .56 Spencer, 50-70, .38-55, .223, and 6.8 spc.
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I'm just starting out. I got into reloading due to two things: competition shooting and the ammo crisis we have been through for the past two years.
I shoot IDPA and USPSA, which I shoot 9mm (9X19), 45 ACP, and 38 spl.
I use a Lee Classic Turret Press with a Redding Competition die (9mm only); use all Lee stuff for the other calibers. I have a RCBS powder dispenser/powder scale combo, plus a variety of tools to help with the process.
I did my calculations and I figure that at the rate I shoot it will take about 3 years to break even. That's OK with me because I like putting the stuff together and testing.
I liken the hobby of reloading to the hobby of cooking. If one likes assembling and preparing their own ingredients to make a great sauce, stew, etc they might like reloading too. If gourmet cooking to you is opening a can of something that has "gourmet" on the label, then maybe reloading might not fit your style; but that is my very early and developing opinion. Give it a try, you might find it enjoyable. :)
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Mostly .40 S&W
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yep I reload
reload for the .303 so far
I have the dies for the 9mm just need to get all the extra gear
I will be also loading for the ,357 when I get that
I also cast lead balls for the .44 cap and ball and am on the look out for some moulds for the 303, 9mm and the .357
no doubt I will load for more firearms as I get them
as others I load as it add's that extra to the sport and i enjoy it. I also do it not to save $$$ but to shoot more for the same I spend.
MH I have dreams about shooting 20k per year or more :)
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I started reloading on my kitchen table in 1972 with a Lee Loader in .30-30 and a plastic mallet. I'm still at it 38 years later, more so now than ever. I still have all of my original Lee Loaders. I believe they cost around $9.95 each back then. When Melanie and I were doing a lot of ATA Trapshooting back in the 90's, we were reloading as much as 1,000 rounds of 12 Ga. a week. Sadly, many of the Trap ranges we used to shoot at are now closed due to building encroachment. The most painful was the Phoenix Trap & Skeet Club that was just 3 miles from my house. They hosted the Spring Grand, the second largest Trap Shoot in the world at the time. My Trap guns don't get used anywhere near as much now as they did then.
Since then I've gotten more into military style "Black Rifles", along with auto pistols, and they have opened up a whole new avenue of shooting for both of us. Because we've expanded our shooting hobby so much, the reloading aspect of it has grown proportionately as well. Bill T.
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Phil, I have been reloading for 25+ years. I started with a single stage RCBS press and graduated to a Dillon 450 when they first came out. When the 550 Dillon came out they produced a unit to convert their 450 to 550 so I upgraded. I never have kept track of hom many rounds I have reloaded/shot but the component cost would probably pay for a nice house! LOL Sitting at the press (computer also) is a chore because of back problems - the Dr. says I don't have so I limit that. I reload .45 ACP, .38/.357, .380, 9mm, .38 Super and .40 S&W soon. Have reloaded .44 Spl./Mag., .45 Colt and 30.06.
Richard
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I want to reload. FQ - again, surprise? - misses the point. It is not just a hobby, or a way to save money. It is a life-assuring skill. And in that regard I want to learn it and do my own ammo.
Truth is, I don't shoot that much, nowhere near as much as I want to. Either I work full time with commute time (30 minutes) thrown in for good measure, or was unemployed and had to conserve cash - either way it limits shooting. Plus the ranges (rifle) are 10+ miles away from my house. The pistol range is actually on the way home, but we are still working out the volunteer schedules and it isn't open when I leave work, unless I am late. The days of shooting from my porch evaporated when I sold the ranch and moved into this little town.
All that said, I do have a Dillon 550B with dies for:
.38 Special / .357 Magnum
9mm
.45 Colt
6.8 REM SPC
.308
I picked up the Dillon and first 2 dies from a local dealer in Bismarck - it belonged to the Bismarck PD pistol team that fell apart, so they unloaded the reloader and dies.It does have a low powder sensor, and all in, I picked it up for $300.
I've never used them, though, and I suspect I am missing parts. They are in a box, waiting for space to open up here. I do have a lot of components, picked up in various sales or just because they were available (like 6.8 brass!! ;) ), so I am almost ready to rock and roll as soon as I get the space issues here resolved.
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No. Because I live with 2 Smokers, one of whom is too stupid to where he'd go into a room full of gun powder with a lit cigarette.
If I did reload, I'd reload .223, .45 ACP, and .357 Mag. Oh, and .45-70 of course. Oh, and I'd probably reload .380, and .45 Colt too.
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Like BillT I started in 1970's with a Lee hand loader and a plastic mallet. After my first 100 rounds of 38spl, I bought a Herter's single stage press, that I still have. Have added another press and many dies.
.38spl/.357mag/.357max
.44spl/.44mag
.40S&W
.45ACP
.223
.338Fed
Like others said, several of my guns have never seen factory ammo.
If there's one accessory I would really want it would be some more Flambeau 60rd reloading trays! They only made one run of them. I have 4 but would love to have 6 more. Wrote the company and they replied that someday they may make another run.
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If there's one accessory I would really want it would be some more Flambeau 60rd reloading trays! They only made one run of them. I have 4 but would love to have 6 more. Wrote the company and they replied that someday they may make another run.
Are you talking about the yellow ones that work like an "inverted checkerboard", small cases on one side, and larger, belted magnums on the other? I've had one of those for 35+ years. On one end it has a plastic, molded in large tab to help hold it that has a hole in it so you can hang it up on a hook. I also have one of their clear, yellow, plastic, powder funnels. I works great on everything from .223 up to .460 Weatherby. I haven't seen either in years. Bill T.
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Are you talking about the yellow ones that work like an "inverted checkerboard", small cases on one side, and larger, belted magnums on the other?
Yep those are the ones, Bill. Flambeau makes a lot of plastic products for hunting and fishing but they only made a limited run of those.
I really like the fact that they hold 60 rounds. Every now and then I check GunBroker to see if anyone is selling them. I also check the "bargin" bins of older gun stores just in case.
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I'm surprised by the whole "limited run" thing. It's not as if it's a collector plate or something. As a mold maker looking at the unit, I can see where a plastic mold to produce it would cost many thousands of dollars. I'm surprised they can afford not to run it. Usually products like that, (low cost high volume), have to be made and sold by the millions to be able to produce any kind of profit margin. A lot of the exercise contraptions, along with all of the Ron Popeil infomercial crap, falls into this type of category. Bill T.
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I started reloading a little over a year ago because I'd drive for hours all over the closest counties and come home with two boxes of .38 for my wife to shoot. I now load .38, 9mm, and .45 acp with a Lee turret press. The equipment new cost me around $250 total. NOT including that but including all the supplies (except for brass- I scrounge that) I'm averaging #9.50 a box. That's about what 9mm is going for if you can find it, but 45 is at least double that if not 2.5 times, so it's saving me money.
The best thing, though, is that I have ammo when I want it and I don't have to go searching for it.
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I've had all the 'stuff' for 45 colt and 44 mag for about 3 years now....maybe someday I get it set up and give it a try!
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I want to reload. FQ - again, surprise? - misses the point. It is not just a hobby, or a way to save money. It is a life-assuring skill. And in that regard I want to learn it and do my own ammo.
Very good point. Learning how to reload uncovers a wealth of information you otherwise would not know. How pressure effects accuracy. How different overall length can improve or degrade accuracy. What happens to the cartridge brass metallurgically when it goes through the reloading process. How different powders effect velocity, accuracy, as well as pressure. It is all but endless. I don't think there is a reloader out there, regardless of experience, or amount of rounds loaded, that isn't still learning. I'll put myself at the head of the list. Bill T.
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I'm surprised by the whole "limited run" thing. It's not as if it's a collector plate or something.
"limited run" were my words not theirs. I think as you said, they made a huge quantity, distributed them and then decided there were more profitable ways to use their time and equipment.
They have become somewhat of a collectible....or at least desirable. Sort of a very small niche thing among reloaders from the '70s. I've seen $8-$9 advertised for used ones, which I'd be willing to pay if I could find some.
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Yup, me too! I still think of myself as a beginner. I reload .38, .357, 9mm, .45ACP for side arms and 7.62x39 and .308 Win for my long guns. Just stated out with a simple Lee turret press, and now adding a Rock Chucker to the mix for the .308. I've been reading every manual I can get my hands on as well as on-line resources. (You can never read enough.) Some on-line forms can be helpful, but use you BS filter on the data until you can find the reliable posters. (Not like we would have to worry about that here on DRTV, at least I hope we have a higher caliber of people amongst us. (Pardon the pun.))
I use both manual powder load management, as well as the disk set-up that came with the Lee kit, back checking it often. "Accuracy-ness is next to godliness" ;D. Especially when my fingers, face, and other body parts are concerned........ And talking to other reloaders, in person, to help you finesse you technique is a real plus, too.
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Just getting started.
9mm and .223, hope to add .38 spl and .357 mag. soon.
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I have everything needed to load .45acp, .44 spl/mag, .30-06, .243win now and will add .223 and .308win dies soon.
My hold up is finding room to set up a permanent loading bench for my Dillon RL550 and Lee single-stages. Plumb shameful that I've had the Dillon since '98 or so and it is still in the box :-[ .
When my older son got married and moved out, I targeted his old room....but alas, the m-i-l had to have a room to sleep in when she comes to visit.
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I started reloading in 91. Now it's the only way I can actually afford to shoot.
380, 9mm, 38S&W, 38/357, 44/44mag, 45ACP/AR, 45Colt
.223, 30-30, 243, 308, 30-06, 7.62x54(hunting rounds)
I've got dies for, but don't reload 32 auto, 9 MAK, and 7.62x39.
I got rid of my 32 and the last two calibers are still pretty cheap for store bought.
I try to keep 500 rounds of each on hand for that spur of the moment trip to the range, but the garage is hot and humid during the summer on the gulf coast. I've been somewhat remiss on my reloading duties.
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Lot of good stuff here, now some tips, mount your presses on 3/4" particle board or plywood, and then you can C clamp it to the table, next with a single stage press, do it in batches, clean cases, don't deprime 1st as you have to dig out the media from the primer hole, now resize and deprime, and on once fired rifle brass, meant for accuracy, deburr the flash hole, from the inside out, Now if you have adjusted your resizer, to just neck size ( for accuracy ) of have small based resized for Semi auto firing, both have their place, the place the appropriate amount of powder and seat the bullet to the correct overall length, take a little time with this as this is where accuracy really begins to start. Neck crimp is a personal decision also, if you cannot push the bullet back, against the bench by hard hand pressure, then you don't need t further crimp it further, however if it does move farther down the case, you do need to.
To be continued and best of luck.
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m25
that is why I started the the set up thread ;D
sounds good though
I have seen a bench that had bits of ply wood that you slide in to the bench and swap them over with different bits
I think it was in rifleman mag
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I love people who dont reload. Leaving all your once fired brass next to me at the range. THANK YOU! Its brass gold.Especially odd ball calibers that are expensive and or hard to find.
I started reloading 6 months ago.Ive been meaning to do it for years,(saved all my brass) but didn't cough up the money to get started.Figured I could just buy more ammo. Its paying off now.Reloading I found to be a love /hate relationship.I knew no one whom reloaded, and it was tough for me to pony up the money when I didn't believe I could do it. Turns out reloading is caveman simple as long as you follow proper recipies and pay attention.Go to a reloading clinic or ask local pro's. I'm cooking up some hot 10mm loads now on my hornady reloading kit and lee dies. Bought a real nice rcbs10-10 beam scale after frustrations with a digital one. I say just do it! its rewarding and you can now buy weapons that shoot expensive ammo!
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I started reloading in the late 70's with a .45acp lee loader and quickly moved up to a Pacific single stage press in .38/.357. For several years I used the Lee hand press and found it has some virtues like resizing, flaring and priming while sitting in front of the TV. My Pacific got remounted recently and I have yet to upgrade to a faster press, both the Dillons and RCBS progressives look interesting.
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I love people who dont reload. Leaving all your once fired brass next to me at the range. THANK YOU! Its brass gold.Especially odd ball calibers that are expensive and or hard to find.
I started reloading 6 months ago.Ive been meaning to do it for years,(saved all my brass) but didn't cough up the money to get started.Figured I could just buy more ammo. Its paying off now.Reloading I found to be a love /hate relationship.I knew no one whom reloaded, and it was tough for me to pony up the money when I didn't believe I could do it. Turns out reloading is caveman simple as long as you follow proper recipies and pay attention.Go to a reloading clinic or ask local pro's. I'm cooking up some hot 10mm loads now on my hornady reloading kit and lee dies. Bought a real nice rcbs10-10 beam scale after frustrations with a digital one. I say just do it! its rewarding and you can now buy weapons that shoot expensive ammo!
I always come back from the range with more brass than when I got there.
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Pistol
9 mm
.38 Special
.357
.44 Magnum
.45 ACP
.45 Colt
Rifle
.223 / 5.56
.30-30 Winchester
.30-06
7.65 x 53 Mauser
Shotgun
12 Gauge
20 Gauge
RCBS Rockchucker press, Lee hand press, RCBS 505 scale, Herters powder thrower, Lyman Universal case trimmer, have a mix of Lyman, RCBS, and Lee hand tools for case preperation, and Lee and RCBS Dies.
Mec 600 jr. for 12 ga.
Lee Load-all for .20 ga.
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I started a couple of years ago using a RCBS kit dad had bougt back in the late 80's and never used. I'll reload .38/.357, .44spc/.44mag, .45acp .243, .30-06 and have the dies for 7mm rem. The one thing that showed dad how reloading was worth it was when he was sighting in mom's .243 and using factory ammo, couldn't get a group under 1.5" at 100 yards. I had him try some of my .243 reloads and the group dropped down to under an inch. The only time I use factory ammo is either for the brass or for speciality ammo.
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I don't reload.....yet. Have been gathering some of the equipment and materials for a number of years.
Will probably start with .32-20, .32 mag, .45 Colt, 6.5x55 Swedish and .223/5.56.
The biggest 2 obstacles I have to getting started is time and a place to set it all up.
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I started out reloading with Lee Handloader kits out of my rucksack and in the barracks. Soon had a folding table with a RCBS RS2 press in the barracks which I've carried around the US and Germany. Finally got this set up last year.
(http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/reloading_room2.JPG)
I reload the following
Pistol
.32 ACP/7.65mm Browning
.30 Mauser/7.62x25 Tok
.380 ACP/9mm Kruz
9x19
.38 Smith and Wesson
.38 Special
.357 Mag
.41 Mag
.44 Special
.44 Mag
.45 ACP
Rifle
.223 Rem/5.56
.270 Winchester
7x57 Mauser
.30 Carbine
.308 Winchester
.30-06 Springfield
7.62x39
7.62x54R
7.9x57/8mm Mauser
45-70 Government
Shotgun
12 ga
Dies that I've haven't used yet 38-40 and .338 Win Mag, both Handloader kits that I've gotten in trade. Gave my 30 WCF dies to my son.
CD
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I've been reloading for my hunting rifles for years, but recently got set up with a progressive press for pistol and have been having a blast. Over 1100 .45 rounds reloaded in my first two weeks with the new press.
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Bought my RockChucker press in the early 70s. Reloaded all my rifle and pistol ammunition on it ever since. I only shoot about 10k of pistol a year 9 and 40 mostly. I guess my outfit is bare bones by most standards, but it is relaxing and a great winter project.
Yes , you will save money. One of my friends recently bought a 250 round pack or 40 S&W at Dunhams $89.99. I can reload about 500 rounds for that.
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I love people who don't reload. Leaving all your once fired brass next to me at the range. THANK YOU! Its brass gold.
And I'm getting quite brazen about it. At the new indoor range I've made signs I hang over my lane that says, "I Reload" "Please don't sweep brass". Guy next to me sweeps up his lane then pushes the pile over to mine and nods! SCORE!
Later I see this one guy sweep his shells downrange instead of picking them up and putting them in the bucket. I mosey over and says, "What 'cha shootin?" ".45?" "Cool" " I see you don't keep your brass. Want to push them down to my lane?"
I also keep anything I pick up whether I need it or not. When I get about 10# then I take it to the range and barter for free range time or targets.