Want to start reloading, seeking advice

[Buffman]

There are lots of reasons to reload-
-Custom loads for specific purposes
-Expensive calibers

That's why I got into it. I got tired of waiting for people to work up custom loads for my testing, and the volume in which I had them do it, got to be expensive. It's a very time consuming adventure for me. I had gotten all the stuff to tumble/clean brass, but the case prep is what eats into a lot of my time. I'm almost better off just buying new brass in the calibers I need, then try to trim case necks

[Mkc451]

That's why I got into it. I got tired of waiting for people to work up custom loads for my testing, and the volume in which I had them do it, got to be expensive. It's a very time consuming adventure for me. I had gotten all the stuff to tumble/clean brass, but the case prep is what eats into a lot of my time. I'm almost better off just buying new brass in the calibers I need, then try to trim case necks

For the OP -- Cost of some calibers was my driving issue getting into reloading .. don't reload 9mm at all or 45acp - ammo it to cheap to waste time with it. I have to admit I do like reloading as a hobby - basically I find it relaxing as I am alone in my gun room when I do it. Turn up the radio and pull levers.

Case prep for rifles drives me banana's ... can not imagine re-loading 223 in any volume. Never trimmed or swagged a pistol reload, for pistol if it's military case, I toss it rather swaging the crimp out of it. I only tumble in walnut media with some flitz. 45LC & 38sp are cheap to reload, I have 38sp down to around 0.10$ per round using 148gr LWC coated. If I cast my own bullets (way to much work) I could get it down another to 7 or 8 cents I bet. I do 45LC for 15 or 16 cents a round vs 0.40-45$ - using coated lead bullets.

I do always(pretty much) reload rifle because instead of 0.75$ to a 1.50$ per trigger pull, I get it down by over 50%, get a more precise accurate reload with the bullets I want. IE 6.5cm Berger 130g VLD bullets are 0.40$ each, I use 0.17$ worth of powder and 0.03$ primer for a total cost of 0.60$ -- vs 1.20$ - 1.45$ea for commercial load. 6.5cm and 243 are the most expensive rounds I load.

[Guns N Glory]

For the OP -- Cost of some calibers was my driving issue getting into reloading .. don't reload 9mm at all or 45acp - ammo it to cheap to waste time with it.

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Actually thats not entirely true. If you cast your own bullets from lead and wheel weights, it's a LOT cheaper. I got started by casting and reloading for a .40. The lead and costs were so low that I didnt really have to calculate them into the equation. The wheel weights were free from tire stores, and I bought a 5 gallon pail from a junkyard once for 35 bucks. I was really just paying for the powder and primers. My charge was 7.1 grains of HS-6 powder, and there are 7,000 grains in a pound can that sells for under 30 bucks. primers are about 5 dollars. So, I could load a hundred rounds this way for about $5.50

[Mkc451]

Actually thats not entirely true. If you cast your own bullets from lead and wheel weights, it's a LOT cheaper. I got started by casting and reloading for a .40. The lead and costs were so low that I didnt really have to calculate them into the equation. The wheel weights were free from tire stores, and I bought a 5 gallon pail from a junkyard once for 35 bucks. I was really just paying for the powder and primers. My charge was 7.1 grains of HS-6 powder, and there are 7,000 grains in a pound can that sells for under 30 bucks. primers are about 5 dollars. So, I could load a hundred rounds this way for about $5.50

I agree, you can save real cash with 9mm or 45acp by casting your own lead bullets. But unless you shoot thousands of rounds a year, not sure it's enough savings.

For most it's comes down to ROI -- I include a discounted value but still of my time there to. Melting down wheel weights (if you can get them for free - not so common today), then casting ingots after you clean up everything, then melting it back down and casting bullets, then lubing them.. just to complex for my ROI - YMMV though. I know a couple of guys who hit the gun range and dig up buckets of lead from berms to get free lead. But it's still a lot of work. If you enjoy it, it's a viable way to do it. I am sure I could get 38sp down to 4-5 cents a round if I cast my own, that includes 3 cents for a primer. I load 3.2gr of Bullseye - like 2185 rds/lb @ 21.99 per pound of powder. 9mm is 4.6gr of W231, 45acp is 4.6gr of W231 or 3.6gr Clays. So powder costs for 9mm/45acp is higher but could get it down under 8 cents I am sure w/home cast lead.

[joepistol]

While cutting cost is certainly one of the major reasons people start reloading, & improved accuracy,
by customized load development may improve accuracy VS factory loads, there's another reason I don't think was mentioned (yet)

That is..if / when you have a stockpile of brass, bullets for the calibers you shoot, + a supply of both powder & primers,
you'll never NOT be able to shoot, because you can't find ammo. Changing political climate, with shortages @ times have those
that don't reload scrambling to find ammo they need / want to make a range trip, or to have for personal defense.

Those who have been shooting for awhile remember these times.. in the not-so-distant past.

[Guns N Glory]

I agree, you can save real cash with 9mm or 45acp by casting your own lead bullets. But unless you shoot thousands of rounds a year, not sure it's enough savings.

For most it's comes down to ROI -- I include a discounted value but still of my time there to. Melting down wheel weights (if you can get them for free - not so common today), then casting ingots after you clean up everything, then melting it back down and casting bullets, then lubing them.. just to complex for my ROI - YMMV though. I know a couple of guys who hit the gun range and dig up buckets of lead from berms to get free lead. But it's still a lot of work. If you enjoy it, it's a viable way to do it. I am sure I could get 38sp down to 4-5 cents a round if I cast my own, that includes 3 cents for a primer. I load 3.2gr of Bullseye - like 2185 rds/lb @ 21.99 per pound of powder. 9mm is 4.6gr of W231, 45acp is 4.6gr of W231 or 3.6gr Clays. So powder costs for 9mm/45acp is higher but could get it down under 8 cents I am sure w/home cast lead.

Yes it was a LOT of work, but if I wanted to shoot on my fixed income, that was my option. I've probably run 35-40,000 rounds through my EDC. Every chance I got, I was returning pop cans so I could buy primers. I'm into swaging now. I make the .40 bullets out of spent 9mm casings. I'm buying my lead from rotometals at 133$ a pig (50-55 pounds), and I cut it half and half with wheel weights. I had collected so many wheel weights that I wont have to buy lead for years. Theres so much zinc in the wheel weight now, it's better to just buy the lead and tin from rotometals, and make your own alloy. About all I cast anymore are the lead cores for the .40's the 22lr to 223 converts, and the 30 caliber stuff. Best to use pure lead for cores, but my mix is about 10.5-12 brinel which is good enough for swaging.

[Guns N Glory]

You're right JoPistol. You can indeed make a more accurate round. And yes, struggling through the bullet shortage was one big reason why I decided to invest in swaging. They would have to ban copper refrigerant line and lead in order to stop me now.