New to Reloading opinions advice w/e

[Uncivil]

I have been researching for a few weeks now and this seems like a good downtime activity to me. I have read through what I could find online that seemed credible and the ABC's of reloading at this point. Currently I would just be loading 9mm .40 and .45. The latter of the two probably nowhere as much as the first two at this point. Down the road I will probably be looking for a rifle and will be loading for that as well. Cost savings is definitely my motivating factor...Not that I can save so much but I want to shoot more. Seems most of the cost of reloading is in the bullet. Is it reasonable to assume you are going to pay about .20 per bullet no matter where you shop for .40? I think through all my research with raw component cost it will be about .23 to .25 per round reloaded.

Primers are a bit of a question since I haven't really seen any anywhere to price as of yet. I was at Dongs and they appeared to have alot but I didn't check the price. I have read anything I can get my hands on at this point. But I haven't seen anywhere that specifically answers this question. Will all my calibers use small pistol primers?

As far as presses I think I have decided on the Hornady Classic Lock and Load Kit. With the manual, scale, hand priming too etc it seems the best route for me. I understand it will really slow the process down but on any given time I go shoot I only use about 100 rounds of each ammo. Plus I think using the single stage will force me to focus more on each step until I get alot of rounds under me reloaded and feel more comfortable with the process. Also as far as changing dies and such out it seems the lock and load for me will be the simplest. 500 free bullets with the kit and another 100 with the dies will definately be nice as well. I have looked at the Lee, RCBS & Lyman stuff locally. I would love to keep my money in Tulsa but I can get this kit 30 cheaper from midway and not have to pay tax. I doubt shipping would eat up the difference.

I have been collecting all the brass I can from my recent shoots and have a few hundred of 9mm and .40. So I think I can get everything online from midway like my kit, tumbler and media. However I am not sure its worth the hazmat fee for the primers and powder at this point considering the volume I will be buying at this point.

Like I said I am open to any suggestions, recommendations or advice.

 

[tulsadave2003]

I would go with a progressive press, for several reasons.
1.faster
2. less likely to double charge with powder
3. resale value (if you ever want to get rid of it)

with a single stage you must pull the lever
once for depriming
once for repriming
once for resizing
once for your powder charge
once for seating your bullet

for everybullet if you do 100 bullets you have to pull the lever 500 times
and you have to change dies in between each step

for a progressive you pull the lever 105 times to get 100 bullets.
20 minutes (easily) on a progressive press vs who knows how long on a single stage

 

[RangeHound]

I don't know if they still have any but Medlocks did have some small pistol primers. Unless you can put together a big order, the $25 hazmat hurts. You also might look at PowderValleyInc.com for bullets. They ship real quick.

 

[Uncivil]

TulsaDave2003- I have considered the amount of pulls and for whatever reason I think I would rather handprime vs using a press. I dont know why but it just seems to me like I would have better control something I could do away from the bench. Double charging is something I worry about.

 

[NikatKimber]

If you order a full case (or split an order with another reloader) from Montana Gold, you can get 9mm for ~ .08/bullet, .40 for ~.10/bullet, and .45 for ~.13/ bullet. One case is approximately $300 +/- and number of bullets depends on bullet weight. IE, for 115gr 9mm, a case is 4000, where for 230gr .45, a case is 2000.

Primers, I would count on $.04 per primer, large or small pistol doesn't seem to make too much of a difference.

For pistol rounds, powder cost is almost negligible, maybe a penny a round.

As for the press, if you are pretty sure you are going to load a lot, and keep it up for a long time, get a good progressive. The Hornady LnL with the 1k free bullets is a good deal for a good press. I have a Dillon that works well, got it used. Considering the reading you've done, you're probably going to be in this boat.

If you don't shoot much, or aren't sure how much / how long you are going to load, you can get into a Lee turret kit on the cheap, they are decent, and will still last a long time, they just are not the quality that the Dillon or Hornady are, and won't hold their value the same.

Be safe and have fun. It's a great hobby.

 

[Mitch H.]

We sell 180gr. .40S&W lead bullets for 6.8 cents each. You can find them at jkbullets.com. Thanks

 

[NikatKimber]

Forgot to mention using lead bullets is cheaper. JK is right, if you are ok with shooting lead bullets, it is a significant savings.

 

[Uncivil]

Unfortunately Tulsa Firearms will not allow me to shoot anything not jacketed. I love the cost of those. Perhaps if I can find a different place to shoot I will get some of those.

 

[gl89aw]

I have been reloading with mainly lead bullets for 35+ years, I think that for general plinking they are hard to beat and they are easy on the barrel.

Depending on where you live it might be cheaper in the long run to join a club like Red Castle, there you can shoot just about anything but tracers with a good choice of rifle, pistol, cowboy shoots, silouette etc. They also have an indoor range in town that is open for a few hours twice a week that is free to members.

Almost forgot, if you invest in molds etc. and scrounge your lead then reloading gets really economical. I timed myself today and with a 2 cavity mold I was turning out 50 bullets in under 10 minutes.

 

[Fyrtwuck]

Unfortunately Tulsa Firearms will not allow me to shoot anything not jacketed. I love the cost of those. Perhaps if I can find a different place to shoot I will get some of those.

Is this an indoor or an outdoor range?

What is the reason?