Long-time shooter, never reloaded, first post

[Cujo]

I will never recoup costs but am having fun doing it. Reloading is like tying fishing flies. There is pride of production and technical precision involved.

Not to hijack the thread but isn't that the truth!

I have 4 fly tying vises and enough material for thousands of flies (saltwater, freshwater, salmon/steelhead). The same applies to reloading. . .and to think I was going to save money!

 

[snert]

Buy several manuals...read them over and over. Find someone to sit with you who has all his fingers and eyeballs, no burns on his face, and all his guns are still in one piece after years of loading, and learn from a mentor. Read, read, read those manuals. Start off simple with the basics. Shoot a lot and as you get to be a better shot, then consider things like more expensive dies etc.

For me, after years of using an RCBS iron Jr. press, basic 10-10 scale, wood load blocks, standard dies, the best money I spent was on a Redding COMP seat die for each of my accurate groundhog guns. Cheapest accuracy I ever bought, with greatest payback on the dollar. Playing with seating depth easily opened the whole world of precision loading to me. i got into the arcane stuff and THAT is when the loading equipment began to cost a lot more than factory ammo!

PS, I paid off my investment of $159 (1975) for a press, scale, load block, trimmer, set of dies and shellholder, funnel and trickler in about 3 years of shooting a 222.

I will have to load and shoot for 70 more years to pay off my new stuff!!!

 

[savagedasher]

Welcome on here what are figuring on loading Hunting fun longrange The equipment you have will work. Great Give us idea many here will give good advice .
Larry

 

[johnfred1965]

For those who are burdened by having to shoot more to support their reloading hobby, I would gladly do the shooting for you. I'll be needing about 500 .223 for my next 3gun match, and you can throw in that many 9mm to boot!

 

[ireload2]

I don't know what kind of shooting you do or plan to do but there are a couple of items that will help a lot that are not reloading tool.

1. A very good quality rest like a Hart Heavy Varmit rest and a good set of bags will accurize every rifle that you own. It will vastly improve your groups without doing anything to the rifle or the ammo.
2. A good spotter is the most used optics you will own since it goes to the range with every rifle.

Believe it or not a good rest and spotter will probably pay for itself faster than any of the loading tools.
When your accuracy is noticeably improved across the board for all of your rifles you will not have to shoot so many components doing accuracy testing.
You will reach acceptable accuracy faster less testing means less time and money burned up exploring new loads.

 

[MS50]

Find someone you trust, have them teach you how to size your cartridges for your chamber. All of the problems I experienced when learning to reload involved inadequate case prep and sizing. If a cartridge fits in a case gauge, it may not fit your chamber. I have to resize all cases for all of my rifles to some degree. Neck sizing only has never worked for me.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I work too shoot.... My plan every year is to shoot 2000-3000 centerfire rounds down range. Quality shots between practice and comps. Then there is rimfire for a little training. I don't know what the total cost is. What I do know, is I'm not taking it with me when I go.

 

[wapiti25]

Welcome to this site. One of the best things to have is a note book that has info on everything you try/do and the results, keep good records. The records you keep will save you money. As this has been recommended by other is to learn to size your brass to your chamber. Do not follow the directions that used to come in the RCBS die box, bumping the shell holder is wrong without checking your chamber. I use five or six manuals and have found they do not always give good advise.

 

[yotehater]

Like others have said, it's great enjoyment to roll your own to fit the rifle. Best advice is don't bump your brass back to the shell holder "like the instructions say" unless you just have to to rechamber it.

You're gonna love the Rockchucker, then a turrent, an arbor, another single stage...lol

Welcome to the reloading family.

 

[Nirbhao]

Guys, thanks, I do appreciate all the advice. As I've told others wading into inviting but unfamiliar waters, "festina lente."

 

[CTK]

I have bought everything twice. Get good stuff on the front end. Most expensive is sometimes not the best or necessary. Keep asking for opinions. I recently bought a Miyutoyo caliper for over 100 bucks. It is a nicer tool than my 2 other calipers but has confirmed that my 17 dollar caliper is dead on.

One piece of hard earned advice.. Do not trust OAL measurements for seating depth. Buy and use a bullet comparator. Leave on one caliper and you will use it often. Well spent money.