Reloading on a Budget

Muir

Well-Known Member
If anyone knows a person who should be shooting more but can neither afford to buy factory ammo, nor buy reloading equipment, consider pointing them towards the simple Lee "Classic" loader. I just got done coaching a fellow through 40 rounds of 30-06 with a total equipment outlay of $40 US. We loaded Speer 180 grain HP bullets over 50.5 grains of IMR 4350 and had a great time doing it. It took 2 hours, 10 minutes and that included all instruction time. Everything, including the Lee trimmer, chamfer tool, primer pocket cleaner, 1 pound of 4350 and 1000 primers fit into a shoe box. This guy was so pleased at how easy it was and how relatively inexpensive it was that I finally had to toss him out into the cold to chill his babbling enthusiasm.~Muir
 
Nothing wrong with using one of the lee dippers to measure your powder, that's what I use for my guns. It just goes to show that you do not need all the high priced kit to get started and produce perfectly good hunting ammunition.

John
 
Dippers are all you will find in my loading set up, but they get tipped straight into the pan on the Rangemaster scales, five minutes or so to do some ladder charges for Potman on Saturday morning. :)
 
As my space is so reduced until we can get the shed sorted out so I can reload in there ;) I have been using the Lee Dippers but also weigh the charges on the Lyman scales. I have a Uniflow powder measure but no where to put it so reloading takes a bit longer.

Our place is quite small.
 
i am on a budget and to get me going i am going to get one i have watched a few tutorials on youtube it does look easy to do,i will let you know how i get on.
 
JAYB said:
Nothing wrong with using one of the lee dippers to measure your powder, that's what I use for my guns....
John

I'll second that. With practice you can get very good at scooping charges. I use them regularly.~Muir

222group5shotsRED072.jpg


This 5-shot group was from my .222 and loaded with a Lee unit while sitting at the range.
 
all i bought when i started reloading was a lee aniversery set for £100 on top of that i bought a couple of tools a pot of powder heads and primers i expect the total out lay was about £180-£200 with that i could reload 100 .308 bullets costing me £2 a bullet a box of .308 is now about £40 so i could throw away all the kit icluding more than half a pot of powder and still be quids in
 
The problem is now the price of the stuff. I just brought a 1lb tub of Reloader 19 =£37, a box of 100 Speer 120 grain .257" bullets =£28:48 primers are around £40 per 1000 now I worked out the cost of my handloads for the 25-06 to be £0.73 or £14.60 per 20.

Not like it used to be that's for sure. I don't factor in the cost of the tools as once you acquire them you have them. I also buy a lot of S/H reloading stuff ;) even the 25-06 dies are S/H RCBS ones I got off E-Bay USA ;)
 
I used to scoop the powder for one of my .300 mags with a tea-spoon. Two tea spoons was a perfect charge (I forget which bullet). In any case when weighing charges I used to scoop the powder into the pan on the scale and then trickle (maybe a couple or three kernels) to weight. Was very accurate.
 
sir-lamp-alot said:
you say £14.60 for 20 aka a box but what are you paying a box for 25-06 i bet there up around £50 a box ?

Your quite about out on your prices. In my local shop they gave me these prices:-

1) Federal 90Gr HP £16 per box
2) Federal 117 Gr BTSP £32:40 per box
3) Federal 117 Gr SP £27 per box
4 )Federal 100 Gr Nosler Ballistic Tip £26:20 per box

5) Sako 117 Gr £25:40 per box

6) Remington 120 Gr SP £23:60 per box

So far I have tried Nos 2, 3 & 5. Of course since I was quoted them the VAT has changed and probably the prices for the next batch.
 
Well! Well! Well!, 8) Sometimes I am in the right place at the right time! :eek: On my visit to a company in North Wales this morning, I called in at a well known clay venue, (I always call when passing this place), I only found some powder that was looking for a home, 1x 1lb tub Hodgdon H4350, & 1xtub Reloader 15, still with the old price tags on!, so I says (as usual) "How much for this OLD STUFF at the back!" :lol: :lol: £40.00 THE LOT! result cos I know these two grades are what I've been looking for for a while to drive my 100 grainers in 7mmWSM..........potentially @ 3,600fps OOOOH Charlie will luurvve these. :evil:
 
Brithunter said:
sir-lamp-alot said:
you say £14.60 for 20 aka a box but what are you paying a box for 25-06 i bet there up around £50 a box ?

Your quite about out on your prices. In my local shop they gave me these prices:-

1) Federal 90Gr HP £16 per box
2) Federal 117 Gr BTSP £32:40 per box
3) Federal 117 Gr SP £27 per box
4 )Federal 100 Gr Nosler Ballistic Tip £26:20 per box

5) Sako 117 Gr £25:40 per box

6) Remington 120 Gr SP £23:60 per box

So far I have tried Nos 2, 3 & 5. Of course since I was quoted them the VAT has changed and probably the prices for the next batch.


I was in the sportsman at exeter last month and federal 100 gr Nosler Ballistic tip were £46.00 a box for 25.06 and just reasured me that i had made the right decision to start reloading.
 
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