Considering starting reloading

[Sakoodin1]

£300-£500 ish

Yup we all start off at around that mark then 20 years later somehow you’ve managed to spend £1000’s to try and find that extra wee bit of accuracy and quickness in the procedure , the biggest mistake I made was I bought the rcbs kit and if I was doing it again I would buy all the bits individually so you can choose what you want and don’t want. Get a decent press that’s not going to break the bank like a rockchucker (there’s one in the sales I think) or a Redding, then build your set from there. Good luck and happy spending

 

[Bowland blades]

First thing is " how many rounds do you need to store ?" , Then where are you going to be working on building the ammo ?
Its at the longer ranges well made rounds matter as regards accuraccy , well until you get into 100 yards bench rest and shaving another twenty tho' off LOL
You see there is a lot to say for a little arbour press and hand dies , if you need to set up on say a kitchen table , if you want to get into cowboy action shooting / gallery shooting etc you might need an automated turret press etc etc
Personally i use a single stage large press and also an arbour press with hand dies depending on the task at hand

 

[Bowland blades]

I think I spent around £6-700 when I started loading which bought me everything from brass trimmer, brushes, RCBS dies, presses and all the components needed to load ammunition. Ammo loaded hasn't recouped that cost yet but I don't think that's really why reloading is done. The level of confidence you have when you can load and shoot a 1/4" group does wonders for you in the field

20 years on your kit will be worth at least double what you spent and you will have saved a fortune and shot more / had more fun and hopefully learnt to produce way better ammo

 

[MAH]

main reason isn't just the price, I find it interesting too. I'd also like to try and improve my groupings and see if I can better factory loads.

Reloading is very interesting for sure.
I started like you, 22.250 pest control & roe.
Then I started reloading.
I know spend more time on, and shoot more rounds on the range than in the field.

Cost:
PPU factory are £20 a box.
To set up might cost 500.
That's about 500 rounds of ppu.
What do you currently shoot per year?

Accuracy:
Load development is interesting but you might want to think through;
Do you have access to a range?
Zeroing over you land might be 2 or 3 rounds.
Load development might be 20 or 30 plus. That might attract attention on your land
Do you have time?

M

 

[Bavarianbrit]

A head start?

 

[long_range_rob]

Don’t do it! It’s a slippery slope into a rabbit hole of fractions of a grain and over all lengths which ends in mild OCD and the eternal quest for the next must have thing.

Anyway, enjoy!

 

[Bowland blades]

Remember shortages occur , you can keep thousand of components but try asking for 6,000 allowance loaded because this stuff sometimes goes off the shelves and always increases faster than inflation .

 

[Klenchblaize]

NEVER keep track of reloading expenses.

K

 

[Heym SR20]

NEVER keep track of reloading expenses.

K

Not correct I am afraid

Should read

NEVER keep track of SHOOTING expenses, or that of any other hobby, interest or past time.

 

[Stalker62]

Not correct I am afraid

Should read

NEVER keep track of SHOOTING expenses...

I've read so much, about how expensive, Hunting, Shooting, Fishing, Reloading and Diesel costs - that, reluctantly, I have been forced to give up reading.

 

[cjm1066]

What I don't really want to do is buy something that I won't be happy with after 6 months and need to upgrade.

Most of us had that thought with our first gun/scope/binos/thermal etc etc, better kit comes along, needs and understanding change and of course at times we get caught by fancy advertising. Be prepared to change, most second hand reload stuff makes good money on SD or ebay.

I still have my first press after a Wamadet Canterbury Auction Galleries - Lot 805 kept in the house for seating bullets, resizing is via a RCB in the garage. Dies Lyman/Lee/RCBS/Hornady, I tend to buy Hornady now.

Primer seater Lee.

Powder measure, Lyam scales and RCBS now replaced with a RCBS Chargemaster Lite

Case Trimmer Redding now RCBS with the Trim Pro Cutter, the best new tool I have ever brought.


The RCBS Chargemaster Lite & Trim Pro Cutter are the best time saving items I have ever brought for reloading,

 

[Pete6.5]

Most of us had that thought with our first gun/scope/binos/thermal etc etc, better kit comes along, needs and understanding change and of course at times we get caught by fancy advertising. Be prepared to change, most second hand reload stuff makes good money on SD or ebay.

I still have my first press after a Wamadet Canterbury Auction Galleries - Lot 805 kept in the house for seating bullets, resizing is via a RCB in the garage. Dies Lyman/Lee/RCBS/Hornady, I tend to buy Hornady now.

Primer seater Lee.

Powder measure, Lyam scales and RCBS now replaced with a RCBS Chargemaster Lite

Case Trimmer Redding now RCBS with the Trim Pro Cutter, the best new tool I have ever brought.


The RCBS Chargemaster Lite & Trim Pro Cutter are the best time saving items I have ever brought for reloading,

I love my wamadet I only ever neck size and seat the bullet so it's great and you don't need to bolt a press to a bench. Just a flat surface and away you go.
It's the only bit of my reloading kit I would hate to loose because they don't make them any more.

 

[Klenchblaize]

I my Wamadet!

Indeed. Forever to remind me of Bisley’s “Pistol 1982” trade show that, compared to what the Phoenix fixtures now offer, is sad in the extreme.

K

 

[Klenchblaize]

Ps: Think I purchased some pistol primers last year so must try and collect in 2023!

K

 

[Len the dog]

Yup we all start off at around that mark then 20 years later somehow you’ve managed to spend £1000’s to try and find that extra wee bit of accuracy and quickness in the procedure , the biggest mistake I made was I bought the rcbs kit and if I was doing it again I would buy all the bits individually so you can choose what you want and don’t want. Get a decent press that’s not going to break the bank like a rockchucker (there’s one in the sales I think) or a Redding, then build your set from there. Good luck and happy spending

McAvoys are selling the rockchucker supreme kit for £421, to buy the press, scales & hand primer alone would cost you £456 but the kit also includes the powder thrower, loading block, lube pad, lube, etc etc.

Buying the kit absolutely makes sense if you want new kit.

 

[Spix]

Or just take your time and spend your £500 on a twenty-five year old rifle that shoots bugholes with PPU

 

[Sakoodin1]

McAvoys are selling the rockchucker supreme kit for £421, to buy the press, scales & hand primer alone would cost you £456 but the kit also includes the powder thrower, loading block, lube pad, lube, etc etc.

Buying the kit absolutely makes sense if you want new kit.

As soon as I got the kit I realised it wasn’t for me as I wanted to be as time efficient as possible so I wanted the chargemaster instead of the balance scales and the bench primer was better for me than the hand held version and the lyman case prep centre was better than the hand tools, so all I ended up needing out if it was the press,trays and funnel the rest got sold straight away. That’s just my experience though

 

[Len the dog]

As soon as I got the kit I realised it wasn’t for me as I wanted to be as time efficient as possible so I wanted the chargemaster instead of the balance scales and the bench primer was better for me than the hand held version and the lyman case prep centre was better than the hand tools, so all I ended up needing out if it was the press,trays and funnel the rest got sold straight away. That’s just my experience though

Fair enough, but that little lot isn’t cheap. I personally always go for new and usually the best I can afford, but I had to rein it in with the reloading because based on what I shoot I will never recoup the outlay in the rest of my shooting career. But then that’s not why I took it up.

 

[Sakoodin1]

Fair enough, but that little lot isn’t cheap. I personally always go for new and usually the best I can afford, but I had to rein it in with the reloading because based on what I shoot I will never recoup the outlay in the rest of my shooting career. But then that’s not why I took it up.

Good point mate, Christ if I done that then my cabinets would be a lot emptier than they are at the moment I’m a big believer of if you want it just get it if you can afford it coz tomorrow might never come

 

[long_range_rob]

NEVER keep track of reloading expenses.

K

Just keep telling yourself “I’m saving 65% of the cost of the round by reloading!”