Getting started...

[alfsauve]

Powder and Primers:  Powder Valley is definitely a good place to mail order Primer and Powder.   You have to weigh the shipping and HazMat fee against your local store prices (including sales tax).

I have one store in town whose powder price is about the same, but primers is 20% higher.  So if I just need powder I buy locally.  If I need primer I get about 10,000 and the powder and that spreads the hazmat fee, so the price per 1,000 is well worth it.

Sometimes the big named retailers (MidwayUSA, MidSouth, CTD, etc) have a sale on primers that makes it worthwhile, but the stars have to align (their sale, my need, and my funds).

Bullets:  I've pretty much settled on two suppliers for most of my pistol bullets.

For lead bullets and for jacketed .357, I buy from Magnus (http://magnusbullets.com/) though they can't keep up with production of the jacketed so you have to give them a long lead time (4-6weeks). 

An alternative to lead bullets is copper plated.  Loads the same as lead, doesn't cost much more.  As long as velocities are under 1,200fps they work great.   I get .45, 9mm and .44s at Berrys (http://www.berrysmfg.com/).   

Both companies use USPS Flat Rate, so up to around #50's ships for about $11.

Brass:  No reason to buy 9mm or .38spl, unless you're a purist.  Plenty of stuff on the ground at a range.  Even .45ACP and .40SW  isn't hard to find.   When I go shooting, and I'm feeling needy, I ask everyone on the range (7 bays) if I can have their brass.  Just come get me and I'll sweep your lane for you.  Only other reloaders say no.   You do need to be careful with 9mm and sort our the ones with swollen bases.  These are typically IPSC/USPSA shooter making max PF with 9mm.  Not a big price to pay for free brass.

But for all my brass purchases (.357 and .44) I've settled on Starline (http://starlinebrass.com/).  You can buy it direct as well.  Everything I've bought from them has been first rate.   They're endorse by a number of the pro shooters, including Golob, Tequila, Koenig, Jarrett and Platt.

Tumblers/Vibrators:  People are all over the map on this topic.   I only clean really really dirty cases.  I use a vibrator  with walnut shell medium.   I use to deprime and then clean so there was some chance of cleaning the primer pocket, but typically the pockets just clogged with medium.  So now I clean before I deprime.  I've never tumbled completed ammo.   The bullet itself shouldn't be "dirty" and if the case is that dirty then I do it before reloading.

Casting:  I've moved away from lead for pistols and gone to copper plated.   Much cleaner and much safer medically, especially if you shoot a lot indoors.  I've never felt the need to cast.   Some like to do it and some don't.



Hope all that is a help, others will I'm sure chime in with other resources and opinions. 

[ellis4538]

Check out Powder Valley web site to see what they have.  I have also heard Graf's is good.  Brass can be found at gun shows as well as .223 bullets in quantity and some ranges sell their range brass at good prices.  Ranges might also have quality lead bullets.  For jacketed bullets I like Roze Dist. if you can order at least 1000 of each (free shipping).  Montana Gold is also good.  Berry's makes plated bullets but I haven't tried them.  Rainier and Precision Delta supply bullets...haven't tried either.  You might find supplies available at local clubs that order in large quantities.  Start out by buying 1# cans of powder and do your load development.  Once you have settled on a load you can buy powder in 4 or 8 pound cans.  I like WW Super Target for the pistol cals. you mentioned but have not reloaded .223 yet so can't help there.  Wheel weights are hard to get and have gotten expensive unless you have a friend in the tire business.  I gave up casting years ago but you might like it.  It takes time which I prefer to use shooting.  I try to do all of my loading in the winter also.  

FWIW

Richard

[les snyder]

I cast a lot of bullets early in my shooting career, but would not recommend it unless you are shooting something unique like a .460 Roland and want a homogeneous solid in a custom mould....I would suggest a serum lead level yearly if you do... mine was 8 micrograms per deciliter after about 30 years, but don't shoot indoors anymore, nor shoot cast or polymercoated bullets

I never got as good accuracy out of the copper plated bullets, including the double struck ones compared to a commercially cast lead bullet in .45acp

polymer coated bullets greatly reduce smoke, but check to see that the polymer doesn't have any abrasive in its application process

my 147grain 9mm bullets come from Delta Precision

[Magoo541]

Update, I've been off most of this week and had a chance to get started.  So far I've got my bench set-up with the press bolted down and have de-primed 50 rounds.  Went to BiMart and bought 1000 CCI 300 primers (Large handgun) for $31.90 and a pound of Bullseye for $20 went out to the Gun club and bought 500 200 grain bullets for $51.90.

The lube I was given is STICKY but did its job when resizing but now I have to remove the gunk to start the reloading process, any easy way to do this?  Should it be this sticky?  When I think of lube my mind goes to slippery stuff, this is RCBS resizing lube but who knows how old it is.

Once I get the cases clean it'll be time to prime, flare, charge (5 grains Bullseye) and seat the bullet (OAL ~1.235" IIRC)  I'll take them out to the range this weekend and run them over a chronograph to see how close they are to the book.

[Solus]

Update, I've been off most of this week and had a chance to get started.  So far I've got my bench set-up with the press bolted down and have de-primed 50 rounds.  Went to BiMart and bought 1000 CCI 300 primers (Large handgun) for $31.90 and a pound of Bullseye for $20 went out to the Gun club and bought 500 200 grain bullets for $51.90.

The lube I was given is STICKY but did its job when resizing but now I have to remove the gunk to start the reloading process, any easy way to do this?  Should it be this sticky?  When I think of lube my mind goes to slippery stuff, this is RCBS resizing lube but who knows how old it is.

Once I get the cases clean it'll be time to prime, flare, charge (5 grains Bullseye) and seat the bullet (OAL ~1.235" IIRC)  I'll take them out to the range this weekend and run them over a chronograph to see how close they are to the book.

did you use a lube pad and neck brush with the lube?  It should be applied very lightly.  Too much on the outside could put a "dent" in the shoulder of a bottle neck case.  Too much inside and it could foul the powder or primer.  I've never had to remove any excess.

Two ways to avoid much of the sticky lube problem.  One is to use a spray lube.  I use Dillon's Product and the other is to use carbide sizing dies.

http://www.dillonprecision.com/content/p/9/pid/23666/catid/8/Dillon_Case_Lube__8_oz__Bottle_



 

[Sponsor]

[1Buckshot]

+100 on the spray lube. I gave up the lube pad years ago.

[droggsey]

+100 as well on the spray lube, I would never use the pad again, too messy and a lot of dented shoulders. I re-size before tumbling, cleans off the lube. The exception is really grungy brass. I used to run then the de-primed cases through the dishwasher after re-sizing to remove the lube, then I got married.

[Solus]

+100 as well on the spray lube, I would never use the pad again, too messy and a lot of dented shoulders. I re-size before tumbling, cleans off the lube. The exception is really grungy brass. I used to run then the de-primed cases through the dishwasher after re-sizing to remove the lube, then I got married.

So you convinced your wife to clean them?  Good work 

[droggsey]

Baby steps, , baby steps, at least she doesn't gripe when I buy primers.

[les snyder]

I think I missed something.... are you loading a .45acp?...... there is no need to lube the cases if you use a carbide sizing die...

please ignore this if I missed something