Talk me into reloading

[tommy610]

Here is my situation.
I own a reloading setup. Never opened the boxes.
I own all the components I need for a while. Never opened them up.
I have an indoor room/desk I could use, but would have to set up, then take it down to be used for other things.

I only own one gun at a time. I'm in the process of switching to a 9mm CCW pistol, so 9mm is all I would reload. I'm settled on 9mm. I will probably only shoot it enough to maintain a training level for CCW and home defense, but I'm half interested in getting into competition shooting, just to give me a measurable goal for practice and improvement.

I'm planning on joining a shooting range that is over an hour away from my house, so I plan to keep my visits down to once a month.

Considerations:

• Cost - from what I can tell - savings for me are almost non-existent given the quantity of rounds per month and that it is 9mm only. But I do already OWN everything, which I could sell, but probably at a loss.
  Convenience - Being able to crank out some rounds if the shelves are ever empty is attractive.
  Fun - Yes.
  Accuracy - to create loads that work well with my firearm sounds like a great thing - part of the competition - with myself, to continually improve.
  Practice - I will shoot more, because of the trial and error of load specs, and the fact that it will cost a bit less to shoot a round as opposed to off the shelf
  Time - Takes more than going to Walmart, but I do watch a ton of TV that I could do without.
  Showing off - I know there are some guys I'd show this setup to, and they'd say "You build your own WHAT???"

OK, after typing out this list, my request has changed.... you have to talk me OUT of it, because I really want to do it. I guess if it doesn't go as planned, I can always sell everything anyway.

[OakRidgeStars]

Dude, you're going to be making your own bullets! That's like making your own beer.

[SHMIV]

I'm not about to talk you out of that. You have the set up, so the sensible thing to do is to start reloading.

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[ShotgunBlast]

OK, after typing out this list, my request has changed.... you have to talk me OUT of it, because I really want to do it. I guess if it doesn't go as planned, I can always sell everything anyway.

I would think if you really wanted to do it you would have at least opened the boxes by now.

Yes you may take a loss now selling the equipment, but when you finally do open the boxes, finally get around to setting things up, and finally get around to doing your first batch only to find out you'd rather watch grass grow, you'll take even more of a loss selling the equipment then.

If you went shooting a few times a week or did competition shooting I'd tell you to get busy unboxing (nevermind your "half interested in competition shooting" since you also "really want" to reload with equipment still in the box). Bring a few boxes of ammo to the range and call it a day.

[Jollyrogers66]

What is your setup? Is it a progressive or single stage. I wouldn't load 9mm on a single... the cost to time savings just isn't there unless the shelves are empty. I question why I load 9mm on my progressive, but I can crank out some rounds pretty fast, and already keep powder on hand for other calibers. During the draught, it was terrible as powder, primers, and projectiles where hard to get also. So stock up if the plan is to have on hand to load in times like that. Now if you are loading for competition, different story, and would still want a progressive to handle the quantity.


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[trailrunner]

When I started shooting 20-25 years ago, my friend and I bought some reloading equipment. But when I priced 9mm, I realized that I'd barely be saving money, even if I didn't factor in my time. So I never opened the boxes and sold my half of the equipment to my friend.

Another factor that turned me against reloading is that I shoot a fair amount of 9mm. On a typical trip to the range I shoot 250-400 rounds, and sometimes more. That's a lot of reloading. My friend who is a hunter reloads, but he shoots far fewer rounds than I do.

As far as your fourth point (accuracy) goes - I doubt that you will notice a difference for handguns. Maybe when you get really, really good you might, but for now, you are the limiting factor in the accuracy equation. Going back to my hunter friend - one of the reasons he reloads is for accuracy, but when he goes to the range, he records every shot he takes.

OTOH, if it's something you want to do, go for it. I taught myself to build bicycle wheels and I enjoy doing it. Sometimes it actually costs me a bit more to order the parts separately and do it myself, even with labor, but I enjoy it, and I take my time and do a really good job. And there's a bit of pride looking at and riding a wheel that I know I built. Same thing for reloading - it can be part of the overall gun experience, and if you enjoy it, then go ahead and do it.

[jmax]

I started reloading with an old Lyman C press with my grandfather a very long time ago. Now I have 3 Dillon presses, a LeeClassic cast for making gas checks and a very nice a Redding turret press. I shot both Bullseye (expert) with my own cast bullets, took the Canadian IPSC national championships a long time ago with my cast bullets and now shooting cast in a variety of CF rifles. I could have never been able to afford buying ammunition to satisfy my needs then or now.

Reload away lads and enjoy it BUT take a class or two and start with a singly stage or a good turret press to learn the fundamentials.

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[Poisontail]

I've been hand loading for about 11 years now and it's great but I do spend a lot more money. It's a satisfying hobby. But I've turned into a brass whore especially when it comes to my 10mm and .50 ae brass

[CCFan]

Reloading lets you do cool things like not worry if you can find ammo for that .50 Beowulf....

Beo350s.jpg (140.69 KiB) Viewed 6137 times

[CCFan]

Or load some accurate .223 for hunting varmints out of the AR (on the right) or some accurate .338 Lapua for long range targets (*not* the short ones), without shelling out $5 a cartridge....

338-223.jpg (48.64 KiB) Viewed 6137 times

[bachnglock]

I'll play devil's advocate here. If you're only going to shoot once a month, and only once pistol which is an semi-auto, here are the negatives.

You will have to chase your brass at the range.
Reloading is time consuming and if you do not enjoy it, will be cumbersome.
you're not going to save much money, especially in 9MM since steel case ammo is dirt cheap.
Finally, you're probably going to want to buy more guns to reload for.

[jdonovan]

we thought this thread was a goner, but no!
back from the dead!

[Newgunguy]

Well I finally started reloading my self and it is a little time consuming for that case prep. I'm only reloading for 9mm and .223 right now but I'm selling some stuff and I'm going to start reloading some 30.06. I don't get to shoot all that much but I would like to get some nice rounds made for my .223 Savage Axis.

Charles.

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