heavydluxe
Member
Alternatively, I could entitle this thread "Checking Myself Before I Wreck Myself".
I've been interested in getting into reloading for some time, starting with loading .223 and, in time, branching out into other calibers (likely 40S&W and .308) as arms are added to the arsenal. I was interested in handloading before, but the ammo crunch and price inflation of the past year or so has convinced me I should start.
I'm on a bit of a shoestring budget, and trying to figure out how best to manage that... I'd love to jot my tentative plan below and get some thoughts from those more experienced. Given the constraints we're feeling, this seems like a good route forward (since the startup costs for reloading are the most prohibitive part of the deal) but perhaps I'm just being foolish.
FWIW, I don't want this thread to turn into a brand war, per se. Also, the use of the pronoun 'we' below refers to me and my slave labo... er, volunteer helper (my 12 year old son).
So, any comments welcome...
STEP 1: Buy a cheap single stage press, like the Lee Reloader, dies, lube, and basic case prep tools. That will put me at about a $100-$150 layout and allow me to work on prepping the spent brass that we already have on hand. I have access to several reloading manuals already (recent editions).
STEP 2: About the time we're done slowly reading/studying and working through the brass we have, we'll probably be able to layout another $100-$150 which we could spend on primers, priming tools, and perhaps some powder measure/scales.
STEP 3: Once we've, again, read/studied and primed what we have on hand, we'd hopefully be in a position to put out some money for powder and bullets. At that point, we can finish loading and be (very) modestly setup for
STEP 4: Look to upgrade the press and any other prep tools based on lessons learned... Not sure whether that will lead to a more hearty single-stage, or something like the LCT.
Thoughts? The crucial decision point is obviously buying a bargain-basement press to start... My thought is that I won't feel like I've lost much by getting in the game with the Lee Reloader and then upgrading later (perhaps keeping the Reloader press for decapping or the like).
Anyway, I'd love to hear from you...
PS - Right now, each of these 'steps' represents about a month because of income constraints. With the holidays, there's a chance the timeline can accelerate, but it's unclear by how much.
I've been interested in getting into reloading for some time, starting with loading .223 and, in time, branching out into other calibers (likely 40S&W and .308) as arms are added to the arsenal. I was interested in handloading before, but the ammo crunch and price inflation of the past year or so has convinced me I should start.
I'm on a bit of a shoestring budget, and trying to figure out how best to manage that... I'd love to jot my tentative plan below and get some thoughts from those more experienced. Given the constraints we're feeling, this seems like a good route forward (since the startup costs for reloading are the most prohibitive part of the deal) but perhaps I'm just being foolish.
FWIW, I don't want this thread to turn into a brand war, per se. Also, the use of the pronoun 'we' below refers to me and my slave labo... er, volunteer helper (my 12 year old son).
So, any comments welcome...
STEP 1: Buy a cheap single stage press, like the Lee Reloader, dies, lube, and basic case prep tools. That will put me at about a $100-$150 layout and allow me to work on prepping the spent brass that we already have on hand. I have access to several reloading manuals already (recent editions).
STEP 2: About the time we're done slowly reading/studying and working through the brass we have, we'll probably be able to layout another $100-$150 which we could spend on primers, priming tools, and perhaps some powder measure/scales.
STEP 3: Once we've, again, read/studied and primed what we have on hand, we'd hopefully be in a position to put out some money for powder and bullets. At that point, we can finish loading and be (very) modestly setup for
STEP 4: Look to upgrade the press and any other prep tools based on lessons learned... Not sure whether that will lead to a more hearty single-stage, or something like the LCT.
Thoughts? The crucial decision point is obviously buying a bargain-basement press to start... My thought is that I won't feel like I've lost much by getting in the game with the Lee Reloader and then upgrading later (perhaps keeping the Reloader press for decapping or the like).
Anyway, I'd love to hear from you...
PS - Right now, each of these 'steps' represents about a month because of income constraints. With the holidays, there's a chance the timeline can accelerate, but it's unclear by how much.