Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire $1308.91 ...

I don't consider myself a penny pincher, but that's the number I get when, after a lot of research, I place the items I think I am going to need to get set up to reload a single caliber, .45 ACP, in the shopping cart of a popular reloading manufacturer.

At a rough savings of $0.10 / round reloaded over factory (under normal circumstances), that means 13,089 rounds of .45 ACP before I break even, and an initial cash outlay of a couple grand in equipment and components to get there.

By all accounts, it's a great machine, capable of loading many other calibers, but adding equipment to make the press capable of loading another caliber can be, again, a couple hundred bucks per caliber.

I'd like to load .223, .257 Wby, .6.5 Creedmoor, .270, 7-08, .308, .30-06, .300 Win, .380, 9mm, 10mm, .38 Spl, .357 Mag, .41 Mag, and .45 ACP, at LEAST.

Somebody pull me off the ledge, or push me over, please.

Damn, I thought that was the ransom amount to be paid to free Flave.....

I handload an azzload of stuff but I do not load 9mm, 40, 45 ACP and 7.62x39 these days.

79S
Cinch
RenoH

Run Dillion presses iirc. Maybe they can help you decide whether to jump or bail.

😎

I enjoyed handloading for decades. It benefited my shooting but for me it was almost as rewarding a hobby as shooting itself. That stage has passed and I only load now for cartridges that are insanely expensive to purchase or difficult to find.

Are you looking for another hobby?

No longer is reloading about monetary savings, rather, it's about tailoring a specific load to a specific firearm to produce the desired results. That and the stress-relieving value reloading can provide.

Just a guess...

I used a single stage Lee for years, worked just fine but slow. Upgraded last year to a turret press. Faster now, and my many other calibers dies are in the heads all adjusted and easy to switch. Depends on your volume. The Blue ones can load a lot in a short time, but do cost a bit.

Really?


You guys cant save money by reloading?

I reload for cartridges that are expensive to buy or if I want a specific bullet, or it’s a cartridge that’s not readily available or I am loading for accuracy.

I thought it was his Stimulus Check.

Not really. Been reloading shotguns on a 600 Junior since I was a kid and rifles on a Rockchucker since I was in my early 20's.

This is about wanting to shoot pistols a lot more, getting into a progressive press, and, being in Cali, getting ahead of the game.

Sounds like you are looking at a Dillon. If you want to produce metric schittloads of ammo, they are the way to go especially for handgun and military rifle calibers.

Ah, the folly of youth.

Just shoot a 6.5 Creedmore and skip the reloading.

Well, since you have nothing better to do....

Cut the 6.5 gear since you'll be loading the 270.

Rick goin for Smartest Man on the Fire LOL.

I quit reloading anything I have to go chase brass on the ground for, to include .45 ACP.

That said, I think that even if you don't shoot enough to ever break even money wise, the satisfaction you get plus the ability to shoot the bullet you want to shoot at the speeds you want makes up for it, at least it does for me.

This is accurate ^^^^^😬😎

If you don't need a progressive, run a turret press (or two).
Buddy had a 650 full setup, hated it.

He has a used Lyman Spar T for a couple pistol cartridges (left set up) and a new T mag set up for a couple rifles.

My dad bought a 650, full setup, to run .45 acp and .357.
It was such a PITA to the old cranky bastid, he bought a 2nd 650.
Of course its still in the box, has been for the last 3 yrs.

IPSC and full auto owners, progressive makes sense.
Hunter guys............proly don't need em.

I could make a couple calls and probably get you everything you need gratis.

Man... you sound just like me.

Just do it.. A year from now you won't even remember debating it.