Should I start reloading again?

[psteinmayer]

That's a great calculator! Thanks for sharing it.

[blackhawknj]

One of the benefits of reloading is you can tailor your loads, finding the right one for your gun can take, but the results are well worth.
I have the Lyman and Lee hand presses for those calibers-45-70 e.g.-that my RCBS can't handle. For a very casual/small scale reloader, or where space is at a premium, they'll do the job. The Lyman can be bolted to a base if so desired. Recall reading articles in years gone by where shooters made their own dippers, grind down a cartridge case when you find the load you want, attach a wire handle.

[CJCulpeper]

I reloaded ammo quite a few years ago. Sold all my equipment because I did not have a place to shoot. Now I'm thinking about getting back into it, cartridges are .308 and .38 Special.

I don't shoot that much or often, so I think the Lee Loader would be ok for me.

I'm struggling with cost. Bullets seem expensive, and when I factor that in to my math, and right now I can find 20 rounds of .308 for 10 - 12 dollars, it does not seem worth getting into reloading again. Am I missing something? Is there a source of lower priced bullets out there?

Get the reloading stuff and pick up the hobby again if for no other than you will have everything you need in case of bad times. We have just come off a very bad period for the Republic and it could either be better or worst depending on who wins the Electoral College on the Monday after the second Wednesday in December.

Jump on the various auction sites or usual sales outlets to get the tools you need on sale. Try to find what you need cheap since the Federal Reserve (meaning the Congress) are always inflating the Federal Reserve Notes and decreasing the value of what we perceive as money.

May you live in interesting times.

CJC

[Dollar Bill]

Roll your own. Put out some WTB ads here and any other forums or ranges you may visit. I've given away inexpensive presses before and I know people will sell them at a very reasonable price if you explain your situation. Shoot cast bullets. They are cheap to buy and will deliver good accuracy when you find the right load and they are very frugal on powder charges. If I don't count the initial cost of brass, a loaded round cost me about $0.13. Match quality 308 and 30-06 loads, which can be produced on the cheapest equipment just as well as the most expensive, run about $0.35 with the cost of once fired brass spread across 10 reloads.

Just shop smart.

[Jiminvirginia]

Thanks for all the good advice. I'm going to look for the equipment and get back into it I think.

[RED]

Dippers... I love 'em

I don't think I could reload without them. First of all, I weigh every rifle powder load and the dipper is perfect for that. I can put a close charge in the pan and quickly adjust the load to the exact weight. I fill a small glass bowl with powder and run the dipper through it and can usually come within a grain or two... after a while how much to add or take away becomes intuitive, but O'haus never lies.

I have tried measurers, tricklers, and salt shakers but nothing works better than the little dippers for me. I once bought a Dillon 550 and used it for four months. I loaded more bad ammunition in that four months than I have in forty years so I went back to using my RCBS Rock Chucker press and my 40+ year old O'haus 10-10 scales. I don't shoot thousands of rounds a day like a lot of you guys but I can load 50 rounds of rifle ammo in (don't laugh) an hour. For me that's good for a month.

Pistol ammo. I do sometimes use the dippers directly into the cases. I load .38 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol, not .380 and not .38 Spc.) with 5 grs. of Unique and you cannot get too much of that powder in the little .5 cc dipper.

[psteinmayer]

RED, I'm like you... I can do 50 in an hour too. I just don't use the dippers anymore, but I also don't use tricklers or shakers either. I use a little scoop and I've got pretty good adjusting my load by a grain or two by digging out or tapping in. I weigh each and every charge too!

[PhillipM]

Before my 550B, I used the dippers to scoop powder from old pill bottles directly for plinking pistol ammo.

If one is too big, the mouth can be sanded down to get a more precise charge.