looking at starting reloading

[docholiday]

Up until now I have been culling about 30 deer a year and have found that the factory ammunition has been adequate, however I have just taken on more land that will require that number to rise to 200, (amongst three of us) I have also started shooting at a local club and realised my ammunition costs are going through the roof (shot over a £100 this afternoon at the range) so have now to consider reloading. this will be for

223 6.5x55 and 7mm-08

 

so the questions are

 

1. what do i need,

2.whats the best to look for

3.and is anybody looking to sell a complete kit

 

 

thanks

doc

[MiLisCer]

You are going to need to reload an awful lot of ammo to save any money!!

 

If you do get bitten by the reloading bug then it will probably lead to you shooting to reload as opposed reloading to shoot!!

 

Time you spend out on kit, then realise that what you bought is not up to the job and buy again!! (Take a deep breath and buy just the once - spend more pennies and it hurts less in the long run!!)

 

You then need to buy, brass, powder, primers and bullets to feed your new hobby!! - it will be a lot of rounds down the line before you break even, let alone save money.

 

Mike

[Beretta28g]

Get a RCBS Rockchucker Supreme Kit.

 

If you need any pointers reloading for a 6.5 PM me.

[docholiday]

You are going to need to reload an awful lot of ammo to save any money!!

 

If you do get bitten by the reloading bug then it will probably lead to you shooting to reload as opposed reloading to shoot!!

 

Time you spend out on kit, then realise that what you bought is not up to the job and buy again!! (Take a deep breath and buy just the once - spend more pennies and it hurts less in the long run!!)

 

You then need to buy, brass, powder, primers and bullets to feed your new hobby!! - it will be a lot of rounds down the line before you break even, let alone save money.

 

Mike

 

 

Mike

I dont understand your reply, having just put 80 quid down the range this afternoon I cant see it taking to long to make reloading worthwhile, if I go to the range 40 to 50 times per year plus my stalking thats a lot of ammunition.

However does anyone else feel that I would be wasting my time and money by starting reloading ?

[njc110381]

Reloading doesn't save that much money in the short term and for it to work you have to enjoy it and set yourself limits.

 

Do you hope to make a round that shoots like factory ammo which you can fire a lot of or do you want to get hole on hole performance? Reason I ask is that if it's more to make bulk cheap then a Lee press, dies, thrower and scales are all you really need. There are a few other little bits like a case trimmer but nothing expensive. With that you will make 1/2" at 100 yards ammo with ease just by throwing an easy to meter ball powder.

 

If you keep trying to pull in the groups you'll buy loads of powders, bullets etc to try to find the best recipe and OAL and it will cost you a lot. You'll most likely want to spend more on your kit too.

 

I use some Lee kit, some RCBS and some Redding. My .223 will shoot the bullet hole it shot last time using a Lee press and RCBS full length dies but that's at 100 yards. Push out a long way and the little variation that cheap kit can create start to matter more. It'll still be a mile better than factory ammo though.

 

Try to get a used kit or pick up bits as you go along. There's plenty about and if you don't take to it you won't lose a fortune when you sell it on.

[Beretta28g]

As a quick estimate my recent batch of 6.5 handloads are coming in at around 0.70p each. (probibily less than that i only used round figures)

[docholiday]

Reloading doesn't save that much money in the short term and for it to work you have to enjoy it and set yourself limits.

 

Do you hope to make a round that shoots like factory ammo which you can fire a lot of or do you want to get hole on hole performance? Reason I ask is that if it's more to make bulk cheap then a Lee press, dies, thrower and scales are all you really need. There are a few other little bits like a case trimmer but nothing expensive. With that you will make 1/2" at 100 yards ammo with ease just by throwing an easy to meter ball powder.

 

If you keep trying to pull in the groups you'll buy loads of powders, bullets etc to try to find the best recipe and OAL and it will cost you a lot. You'll most likely want to spend more on your kit too.

 

I use some Lee kit, some RCBS and some Redding. My .223 will shoot the bullet hole it shot last time using a Lee press and RCBS full length dies but that's at 100 yards. Push out a long way and the little variation that cheap kit can create start to matter more. It'll still be a mile better than factory ammo though.

 

Try to get a used kit or pick up bits as you go along. There's plenty about and if you don't take to it you won't lose a fortune when you sell it on.

 

 

Excellent

I am going to be using an awful lot of rounds in the coming years and want to just reproduce factory ammunition accuracy. it just got to me sending £80 down the range today

 

will look for some second hand kit, someone else mentioned the Lee kit

[Beretta28g]

If you get the lee kit, get some decent scales. Lee scales are very hard to set up and read. RCBS 505's are much better and easier to read. You dont wanna get it wrong with powder.

[njc110381]

I'll second that. I've got RCBS 10-10 and they're much more steady and easy to read.

[magman]

Bought the lee anniversary kit 5 years ago , found a load that would shoot 1/4 inch groups and stuck to it only extra i bought was another press so the sizer and seater stay in the press

Only load for 223 and happy with what load i have

[njc110381]

The Lee turret press is a good piece of kit. You can buy spare turrets so just set your dies up and swap turrets for each calibre. They're only about a tenner per spare so not too expensive.

[Luckyshot]

I only use Lee reloading gear aswell apart from the scales as mentioned above they are pretty poor so replaced with RCBS ones. I reload for 243 and 22 hornet just for the cheapness and not to try and shoot the smallest groups possible. My whole setup cost less than £300 and reloads perfectly usable ammo.

 

My reloading setup.

 

 

3 shot grop from my 243 at 100yards.

 

[Redgum]

This question seems to be one of the most regular ones posted up and reply's vary greatly. I reload using Lee gear for 243 and 308, the ammunition is very accurate and reliable. I reckon that my rounds cost me about 45 pence excluding brass ( which I'm luckily enough to get for nowt but still get 10 firings at least from each case). PPU is not far off this price but I have never found it reliable or accurate in my rifles, you have to also consider availability of ammunition supplys. My rifles both like the expensive stuff upward of £26 a box so compare that against less than a tenner for 20. The start up cost will be around £200 but the reloading gear will last alot of years,even the much slated lee gear. You can buy the components for 5-600 rnds without bankruptin yourself and not worry about availability if you plan it right. Its an interesting hobby and very very rewarding, especially when you see a small ragged hole in a 100yd target.

[Imperfection]

I reload using Lee equipment and get along just fine with it.I use a single stage press which admitingly takes longer than a turret,but my time is my own and i dont actually mind reloading-its relaxing.Kit wise,you could get the challenger kit which contains everything you need.I dont possess a tumbler and simply place dirty cases inside a hiking sock and stick it in the washing machine with rest of clothes and they come out looking like new.

 

Reloading cost wise-303 for example works out at £34.60 per 100 rounds...opposed to £65 for factory so is a substantial saving.They're accurate at 600mtrs and im happy.

[bedwards1966]

As njc110381 has put rather well, the money saving is down to what you try to achieve.

If you are happy with the accuracy of factory ammo and aren't looking to seriously better it, then you can save a lot of money. As an example, I started reloading for a .243 for foxes and spent £52 on the gear. Even after using a few rounds to get sub MOA groups I estimate I'll have broken even after a mere 60 rounds!

The danger is that it's easy to try to upgrade your equipment, improve the accuracy and also to shoot more as it's costing less. They are the things to watch out for.

 

For your quantities I'd have thought that a multi-stage lee press (one of those that does about 4 rounds at a time, where you just keep pulling a handle) could be a good way forward, something that will work quickly enough for your ammo quantities but without spending a fortune. Lee is good budget gear, it works well.

At you're reloading for 3 calibres that'll help you save too, as the main costs will be in the press, scales, powder thrower, that kind of thing. The dies are the only thing you'll need to change for each calibre, so I'd have thought that you could save money very easily.

It's worth keeping an eye on here and putting up an ad in the wanted section, and checking eBay for reloading gear, there can be some cheap stuff around if your lucky.

[Shootingman]

Yohave pm.

[Redgum]

If you get the lee kit, get some decent scales. Lee scales are very hard to set up and read. RCBS 505's are much better and easier to read. You dont wanna get it wrong with powder.

 

Did exactly the same, the lee scales drove me around the bend I use the lee disc measure system set for a tad under the weight of powder I want to use and use a rcbs powder trickler into the 505 pan. Works an absolute treat for some excellent accuracy.

[coyotemaster]

This question seems to be one of the most regular ones posted up and reply's vary greatly. I reload using Lee gear for 243 and 308, the ammunition is very accurate and reliable. I reckon that my rounds cost me about 45 pence excluding brass ( which I'm luckily enough to get for nowt but still get 10 firings at least from each case). PPU is not far off this price but I have never found it reliable or accurate in my rifles, you have to also consider availability of ammunition supplys. My rifles both like the expensive stuff upward of £26 a box so compare that against less than a tenner for 20. The start up cost will be around £200 but the reloading gear will last alot of years,even the much slated lee gear. You can buy the components for 5-600 rnds without bankruptin yourself and not worry about availability if you plan it right. Its an interesting hobby and very very rewarding, especially when you see a small ragged hole in a 100yd target.

 

Concise and to the point! Reloading is a hobby unto itself and rather enjoyable to save money----long term. There may be circumstances stopping one from reloading but if have the space and time I heartily endorse it! You can attain better accuracy have a wider choice of"heads" as you call them there and find a load that is magic for your guns.

[fruitloop]

i got so peed off with the lee scales i got one of these

http://www.hornady.com/store/Lock-N-Load-Auto-Charge-dispenser/

plus i was haveing a big problem with the neck tention on the cases with the lee dyes .so a nice chap lent me a set of rcbs dyes and anealed the brass for me .

so now in the market for a set of .222 rcbs dyes to replce the lee ones i have

as been told buy cheep buy twice and the lee dyes and scales are cheep

Edited May 20, 2012 by fruitloop

[phaedra1106]

I have a lot of Lee gear and reload for 9mm, .44mag and .308.

 

As said get a set of RCBS 505 scales, I've just had to replace my Lee 308 f/l sizing die as it's out of spec, not bumping case shoulder far enough.

 

Rounds are fine in my Steyr and I only found out when I got a second .308 as it wouldn't close the bolt on them, my gunsmith took 20thou off the bottom of the die allowing 1 full extra turn of adjustment to get it working, an extra 1/4 turn did the trick. I've ordered a set of RCBS dies.

 

Other than that the rest of the Lee kit is fine, don't like the autoprime XR, sold mine and bought an RCBS Universal hand prime which is excellent.

 

If you're going for a turret press get the 4 hole classic cast version, has enough height to load upto .308 and is much more solid than the standard turret, will last forever!.

[12borejimbo]

Ive just bought one of the "budget reloading kits from optics warehouse" and it seems very good. I also bought a set of digital calipers and a Hornady Lock n Load OAL guage whic also seems good. I spent £250 and am pretty much setup apart from powders and brass. Got over 150 cases (maybe even 200). It says out of stock onine, I bought the reloading kit and they will send the tumbler out to me when they have them instock. I have found Opticswarehouse service very good. Buy one of these kits, you will struggle to beat a whole setup for £170.

[Redgum]

i got so peed off with the lee scales i got one of these

http://www.hornady.com/store/Lock-N-Load-Auto-Charge-dispenser/

plus i was haveing a big problem with the neck tention on the cases with the lee dyes .so a nice chap lent me a set of rcbs dyes and anealed the brass for me .

so now in the market for a set of .222 rcbs dyes to replce the lee ones i have

as been told buy cheep buy twice and the lee dyes and scales are cheep

Never had a problem with neck tension on Lee dies though I did get some spare insert rods and took them down a bit with some 600 emery in the drill to get a bit more neck tension on the collet neck sizing die. The only problem I have had with dies is when I thought I would spend a little more and buy a set of Redding dies,the full size die leaves the rnds slightly tight in the chamber, probably the neck not being bumped back enough. No problem with the lee die though so went back to that, more expensive dies are no doupt better quality but this just prooves they can have their problems too.

[Tod]

got a speer reloading manual number 12 if its any good to you, just look in other sales, you can have it for 15 quid + 2 quid postage.

[kent]

dont cost in the gear if you buy decent stuff you will have it a lifetime, spread across a number of rifles it will work out at peanuts. Get fed up and want to sell up? Well there is always a few willing buyers on the net.

all i might add is buy the gear appropriate to your requirements. There is a lot of difference in requirements and many so called nesassary requirements are not for many

[docholiday]

got a speer reloading manual number 12 if its any good to you, just look in other sales, you can have it for 15 quid + 2 quid postage.

 

Thanks Todd, still looking around