Reloading

[catwithboost]

Is it worth it to start reloading ammo? The firearms I have are 7mm mag, 243, 45, 44, 25, 410. With hunting and target shooting is it cost worthy? 

[bobcat]

You will spend more money if you reload but you will also shoot more. Don't take it up if your only reason for doing so is to save money.

 The handgun rounds probably won't be worth reloading unless you buy a progressive press. You will then need to purchase a different press for the rifle cartridges.

 I am also not sure about loading 410 shotgun shells. I think you may be better off buying those off the shelf as well.

But where you will save money is with the 7 mag and 243 when loading "premium bullets" like Nosler Partitions, Barnes TSX, Scirocco, etc.

So in the end, if you reload, you will become a better shot, your ammo will be more accurate in your rifles than factory ammo, you will likely shoot better bullets since you won't be paying $40 for a box of 20...but, you will more than likely spend more money than you did before.

[Bookworm]

I agree with bobcat. I didn't start reloading to save money. I did it to have a more hands on approach to my shooting. Plus back when I started they did not offer much in the way of premium loads.

[catwithboost]

My winchester balistic tips were $35.00 a box. Not looking so much in saving money. Any one have a cost of a starter kit that is good but low cost?

[ICEMAN]

My winchester balistic tips were $35.00 a box....

Try a .300RUM in Scirrocco...Sheesh.....
I have geared up to reload this caliber, already had everything but dies, so for me it will be a money saver.....fun too!

[bobcat]

I would go with this kit:

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000449357

[Bookworm]

What I do is buy the seconds from Nosler. You have to buy them directly from them but they are a visual defect. Sometimes they are messed up but most of the time you cant tell what is wrong with them. They are usually quite a bit cheaper than buying them elsewhere.

[ICEMAN]

Visual defect? You mean like something irregular about the copper jacket, or similar? Wouldn't this mess up things...? Seems like if you can see a defect of sorts in the jacket, the result would be less than average pattern at range?

[dbllunger]

I could go on and on, but I will try to sum it up as best I can.  First if you are only going to shoot a hundred (Rifle) or 2-3 hundred pistol rounds a year just buy factory ammo and watch for sales.  If you want to shoot more then reload and you will shoot a lot more and your quality will be far superior.  There has been a huge increase in component cost, but the same increase has hit factory ammo.  
     I have been reloading for 30yrs.  Started with a Mec 600 Jr 20ga for my first press. Then for a obsolete (for that time) 218 Bee, I got a RCBS RS-5.  Then another Mec 600 Jr in 12ga, but stayed with the RS-5 for quite a few years.  By the time I graduated high school I was realoading all the family hunting and plinking ammo for everything.  I have not counted, but I have a lot of different dies, but not everthing under the sun.  Currently have a Rock Chucker (Sold the second one), RCBS Auto 4x4, Hornady Lock n Load Auto, and both Mec's still.  I don't reload shotgun anymore because you can buy the shells cheaper then you can reload them for POS bird hunting.  If I was going to do some waterfowl, and get back into upland bird hunting I would start reloading again.  
     Factory ammo has greatly improved, but reloads are still better in the cost, accuracy and velocity department.  Shotgun loads due to the little differences are hard to beat pattern wise then factory, but for the premium stuff it can be much cheaper.  It will take several years to cover the cost of the equipment, but if you buy cheap (used, on sale) you will cover it quickly.  Also buy equipment that you will really need not what you think you need.  Talk to several guys with experience then make a decision on what you want.  Everyone has preferences so decide based on several options.  You can go super exotic and spend hours and hours doing things not really needed, but at times the addiction can take over.  
     I would start with one of the kits from RCBS, Hornady, Redding.  Find the one that has the most stuff for the price.  All are top notch good quality.  Buy any of the dies, and you don't nee the high dollar "Match" stuff.  Just their basic dies with a neck sizer (3 die kit), and only carbide pistol dies.  I have mostly RCBS dies, but I think Redding makes a better rifle die.  I love my Hornady pistol dies!!  RCBS customer service is probably the best I have ever found, and I could barely tell that Hornady was any worse.  Sent back some scratched dies (my fault) and needed progressive press parts.  I have never paid for anything yet that I needed.  Never had to send any dies back to Redding.
     It takes time to reload, but personally the ammo quality and quantity easily covers the time.  I reload for a numerous people, and they are always amazed at how well their guns shoot.  Now WAB has a Remington that will one hole green box remingtons at 100, so it does occur but for the vast majority reloads can be made more accurate.  I would try to get together with an experienced loader for some hands on training.  Read books and some of the web sights have good info.  
     My daughter and son both killed their first deer/buck with reloads, and every deer past my second one were killed with reloads.  There is satisfaction in that for sure, and I build my own arrows from components also.  On mags and premium ammo you will save a fortune on cost.  I don't use old brass for big game hunting, but all my practice  stuff is old brass.  Neck size and it will last a long time.  I have some 300 RUMs totally stuffed that have five fires with no trim still rocking along.  Oh yeah don't wast the money on the X-die.  Too much work involved IMO.
     You used to be able to buy 410 cheaper then you could ever reload it but those shells are scary expensive now.  You would have to look into the cost on those.  I bought a second shotgun press because for a little more money I did not have to mess around changing things over.  I have not used them since my last bird dog died 7 years ago.  I use the heck out of Nosler seconds, and they kill just like the more expensive ones.  I still have many many 100ct boxes of Nosler BT's that I just don' t use because I use seconds.  You can also buy bulk bullets like Winchester and Remington.  If you buy them by the 500 or 1000 you save more.  
     My opinion start reloading immediatly but only if you want better performance and shoot more then a few hundred rounds a year.  Any questions I would be glad to answer.  Oh a balance scale works really great and is fast.  I have both and use the digital, but the balance works great.  

[dbllunger]

The defects are in the coloration "stain/discolor" and tips.  I have weighed a lot and they are the same.  I talked to Nosler and if they have weight variations then get recycled due to liability.  The shoot just the same in the accuracy department.  Been using them for years.  You used to get free shipping if you ordered more then 10 bags but not anymore. 

[sisu]

I'm going to buy powder, lead and shot every time I get the extra money do to the political atomsphere in the USA.

[dbllunger]

Sisu,  I agre I buy as much as I can every chance I can.  It does not go old as long as the temp does not fluctuate a lot.  I have powder/primers that are 15yrs old and works just fine.  I try to buy it in 8#/1000 primer lots if I can.

[Bigshooter]

I know in the long run I have saved $1000's of dollars reloading. The only factory rounds I shoot are shotgun shells (for hunting) and 22 shells.

[MuleySniper]

I just started doing some reloading myself. At first I was thinking of the sixty-five bucks a box I would save on Wetherby .300 Nosler Partition, but after finally getting sort of set up, Ive started to get some doe wrapped up in it. Now, my focus is more on making that "perfect load" for a few of my guns. I have a lot of fun doing it too, especially with this crap weather we've been having the last couple of months.

[Bookworm]

You can also go to the factory store in Bend,Ore. to buy them. I go down there every year to a bow shoot and stock up. I have never had a second that had anything wrong with it other than something funky with the tip. Most of the time I can't tell the difference.