Silly newbie question

[dstoneburg]

Just purchased my first CCW weapon, glock 19. I am a notorious penny-pincher frugal person and like to get the best deals and spend the least amount of money, ie, throw away as little money as possible. I am very interested in reloading and have been reading about it for a while. I don't think I can afford a reloading setup from the get-go. I would like to purchase one in the future, prolly a 550b. Given that, can I purchase wally world ammo and save all the casings for when I do decide to reload? How long will the casings be re-loadable ( up to a year? ). How much would I be into a full setup to reload 9mm if I did go with the Dillon 550b? It got confusing when I tried to price it out because there were so many options for each required piece. Will a 550b be a good reloader for the long haul, I do plan on getting more guns in the near future and would most surely want to reload for those as well. Is it a good all-arounder? Thanks guys!

 

[falldowngoboom]

Cases are reloadable indenfinitely so long as they're brass and don't become corroded, so yes, save your brass.

I reload rifle ammo only, so I've got limited knowledge on pistol reloading (it's not that much different), but I suspect you will eventually want a progressive press if you intend on doing any volume. If you're fine doing not much more than a hundred rounds at a time, you could stick with a single stage. It really depends on how much you enjoy the reloading process or if it's just a money saving thing.

I would recommend going with a budget kit to get started. A Lee single stage kit (about $100 @ cabelas) will have everything you need to get started (other than dies and any case cleaning machinery). People tend to start off this way to get the hang of things before switching over to a progressive. Jumping right into a progressive can be confusing and a bit more hazardous in terms of accidentally double charging, etc.

High quality presses (like a dillon) and accessories can really run up the price. Nice setups can cost anywhere from several hundred to over a thousand bucks. Remember that that will significantly up your break even point. Personally, I save about half by reloading my own. If I spent $1000 on equipment, I'd have to spend $1000 on reloading components just to break even.

 

[RoostRider]

A good cheap way to get into it is to buy a single stage, a scale, the dies you want, a primer tool and a tumbler.... you can then see if it is for you and start out in the least confusing way...

Good DATA and a good manual on technique is essential! especially if you want more than crappy plinking ammo...

 

[dstoneburg]

If I were to go into a single stage, how much would I be all in it to reload 9mm? Is there anything I am not going to be able to reload on a single stage provided I have the time? Thanks for the quick replies guys. I really appreciate all the information.

 

[mlaustin]

Put in another vote for getting a single stage press - old equipment can be had off of ebay for next to nothing, but there's an even better reason:

You *need* to understand how the reloading process works. If you start off with a progressive press, so much is going on at once that it's hard to follow, and if one cartridge gets a double powder charge, or a cartridge that didn't get deprimed winds up in your firearm when your house is being broken into...you can do the math. A single stage press and die kit, along with a nice powder measure, priming tool, and even a tumbler can run less than $150-200 if you shop around and buy used, and these are all but indestructible. If you treat them right, your grandchildren can reload on them. I'd recommend a Lee single stage press of eBay to start with, but you can shop around, everyone has a different opinion on brands.

Reloading requires a great deal of knowledge and concerted effort as well as keeping track of everything and quality control, and as a beginner, it's hard to do that with a progressive press. Cut your teeth on a single stage, then move up.

Also, you don't mention if you are a pistol man only or perhaps hunt or target shoot - if you do, single stage or turret presses are the best way to load really accurate rounds for yourself, even if you own some super-fancy progressive press for handgun rounds. If you own a rifle, you'll get years of use out of a single stage press regardless of what else you own.

Also, a manual is a ~must~ if you're going to start reloading. 9mm can be finicky about overall cartridge length - it has a big effect on accuracy. Get a good caliper and stay sharp.

 

[Grumulkin]

Blazer ammo (aluminum cases) and any military Berdan primed brass is not reloadable by usual methods.

I have ALL the stuff to reload 9mm cartridges and have never felt the need since I don't shoot it that much and cheap ammo is available. If you decide to reload, definitely go the single state press route to begin with.

 

[The Bushmaster]

First purchase...Buy a manual. Read it...Read it again...May I recommend Lyman's 49th Edition? ($20.00). This will help you with most of your questions and give you a start in aquiring a library of load data manuals.

 

[moooose102]

first of all, welcome! yes, save ALL of your cases, EXCEPT steel or aluminum. almost all of them will be reloadable. brass will last a long time (well over 100 years) if taken reasonable care of, but it does wear out after many reloads. how fast it wears depends on a lot of variables. my 300 magnum brass is usually only good for 5-7 reloads before it cracks, and i have to toss it. so even the best brass, taken the best care of will not last forever. as for the press, i am not real familiar with a 550b, that sounds like dillon, which is cream of the crop. if you are frugal, i am not sure why you are picking that. but, do not buy the cheapest thing you can get either. you will have to upgrade many things as time goes on, and that gets expensive. the best buy is a quality press KIT which will come with most of what you will need at a reduced cost. as long as you buy quality, you can not go wrong. single stage presses are what most of us started off with, and many of us still use. unless you are loading a large quanity, then, you may want to check into a multi stage machine. even then, a good single stage press can prove very usefull. especially for working up loads. much less work than altering your multi stage every time you want to change something.

 

[watchman101]

Single staged press will teach you a lot more at the beginning than the progressive like 550. If you don't mind pulling a few "hundred" of reload ammo out (waste time and material-powder) then progress. If you really want to learn about reloading then single will be a good start. Besides when you think that you are ready for a progressive press, your single press will not be a waste. A lot of pro shooters use single stage press for precision.

 

[rfwobbly]

Silly newbie question

1. Sir, I must take exception. In reloading there is no such thing as a "silly question". You did right to ask, rather than to assume. No one here is going to give you information that will allow you to hurt yourself.

2. Welcome aboard!

3. Let me re-affirm the 'reading before reloading' answers you've already received. Since you're frugal I can tell you that you can find used Reloading Manuals at Amazon.Com in the $5-$7 range. The reloading technique has not changed in 30 years, but the powders have. So you can read and study the process, but don't use the data. If you want a new manual to read the process AND use the data, then you can't do any better than the Lyman manual.

4. On the subject of reloading equipment brand.... you're really going to see responses all over the place. Let me say, there is no such thing as JUNK reloading machines. All the equipment made today is excellent. What does vary widely are the features, which in turn affect the cost.

So in that sense, reloading machines are a lot like cars. One frugal man drives a Yugo becasue he can buy it for $50, and he can buy all the repair parts he needs by buying a second Yugo for another $50. Another equally frugal man buys a Mercedes diesel becasue he knows that he can drive it for about 20 years. Both men make it to work on time each day. Both are convinced they are saving money. So the question is.... which frugal man are you?

5. IMHO starting with a used, name-brand, single stage press from CraigsList is the direction to go. Complete loading sets with hundreds of small accessories can often be bought for excellent prices.


Hope this helps!

 

[qajaq59]

I'd suggest you read this, http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=238214 Then pick up a copy of the Lyman's 49th edition as The Bushmaster has suggested. Once you've read those both over several times you will be able to decide if you want to reload. My guess is you will and then you can start looking for some equipment.

Oh and by the way, there aren't any silly questions. None of us were born knowing how to load and at one time or another we all had to ask someone something. If you ask you can only get smarter!

 

[ny32182]

A book is good to start.

You will find that you need or want a *lot* more stuff than comes in a basic kit. If you really want to save money, the best thing to do is probably buy it used one item at a time. My initial purchase for everything I wanted, decent quality stuff, was around $800. My press is a Redding Turret for about ~250, considerably less than a Dillon. And there are very nice-to-have things I still don't have that aren't cheap, like a nice trimmer and powder measure.

A single stage is fine (I would still like to get a top quality single stage to go with my turret, mostly for rifle case sizing), but getting started on 9mm I would recommend a turret. I went with a turret and have no regrets. Conceptually it doesn't add any complexity, and "changing dies" is *much* faster and more convienient.

I load other calibers as well, but since you asked about 9mm: I load it for 11.4 cents a pop for my practice FMJ plinking ammo. About half the price of the cheapest good quality brased cased factory plinking ammo (WWB), at Walmart when you can find it. To break even on my $800 investment, I'd need to load over 7300 rounds.

That is the least amount of savings that you can possibly have on any cartridge, however. Up until a couple years ago, you barely saved any money at all reloading 9mm... only recently are you saving 10 cents a pop on 9's. I got started loading .223, because on accurate ammo, say, a cartridge with a 77gr SMK, I was saving closer to 60 cents a pop. And it only goes up from there on rifle ammo. On other handgun ammo, especially something less common like, say, 10mm... you are probably saving close to 40 cents a pop on plinking ammo.

There is also something satisfying about crafting your own ammo and having control over each parameter of the cartridge. I really like it.

 

[bennyboy311]

I have a Glock 19 as well but was sad to learn that you are not suposed to use reloads in a Glock. This is because of the chamber it has is unsupported to aid in reliable extraction of dirty ammo. People do shoot reloads in glocks but you may not want to chance it if you are new at it. Glock may also not not cover the damages if you gun goes BOOM!

 

[ny32182]

I shoot my 9mm reloads in my Glock 19. There is no reason not to shoot reloads in a Glock. My definition of "reload" is a cartridge where the case has been used at least once before.

When people say "don't shoot reloads in a Glock", especially for 9mm, they mean "don't shoot lead bullets in a Glock factory barrel", because the rifling is apparently constructed in a way that can result in lead buildup and therefore the chance of excessive pressure. Load with FMJ bullets, and you won't have any such problem.

 

[The Bushmaster]

ALL firearm manufacturers state "NO RELOADS" or you will void the warrenty...No other reason. Just lawyers...

Glocks do use a barrel with a different type of rifling that they do not recommend the use of lead bullets...

 

[GodGuns&Guitars]

Pay attention to what has been covered in the previous posts. Manual - read, read, read. Single stage is a good way to start. I started with Dillon 550B and I also have a single stage RCBS. Another question to ask yourself is - "How much do I shoot now on a monthly basis, and how much do I intend to shoot in the future?" If it's not over 200 rounds a month, then it's probably not worth the effort. I shot 400 plus rounds a month before I started reloading on my own. Once I started reloading, I started shooting more. Like you said, reloading for a Glock is different, as you can't be shooting the lead cast bullets in it. Something to do with the polygonal rifling. I can't speak for the copper plated bullets, so I could not recommend them either perhaps someone else on here can.

No question is stupid when it comes to reloading especially if you have little or no experience at it. It only becomes stupid when you do something wrong before jumping off into it with no knowledge. Read the manuals, Lyman, Seirra, Nosler, Hornady, just to name a few.

 

[fprefect]

You will without doubt save money in the long run by reloading plus you have a wide range of options as far as bullets and muzzle velocities although with a semi-auto you may have to stay near factory velocities to insure proper operation.

As you will probably find out, you picked a bad time to get in to reloading as there are shortages in most components, particularly primers, and prices are considerably higher than 3 or 4 years ago. But it will pass and I expect prices will eventually come down as componet makers in other counties are now ramping up production to get their share of the windfall profits. But even with the higher prices reloading is far more economical than buying factory ammo.

F. Prefect

 

[fourdollarbill]

I'm not sure of the 550b set up and the cost but I have used diff brands of loaders and for pistol they all work well. I would suggest a single or turret press of any brand. You could make some loaded bullets for about $225 or so if you shop it. $100 for a single stage deal, $30 for dies, $25 powder, $40 for primers, $40 RELOADING MANUAL, $30 for bullets will get you started. Don't buy the Aluminum Blazer Bullets from WalMart in the black and silver box. Make sure you buy the "Blazer Brass" in the gold and black box.

 

[rick300]

I'm new and loving every minute. I got the rockchucker sepreme master kit. ($270 something at midway) comes with speer manual, three more books, a case tumbler, media, three sets of dies, ammo storage boxes, a bullet puller, a couple extr loading blocks and I'm sure a couple other odds and ends I forgot to mention for about $600. I'ts single stage and I'm glad I went that way. Once the die is set up and the cases prepped and primed I can load about a hundred an hour checking the charge every three or four. I'm frugal also but I'm teaching myself and wanted new in the box stuff with written instructions not to mention having everything all at once so I did'nt have to wait for one last tool that I couldn't find on ebay. You're still gonna have to wait for components. If you are sure your gonna do this I would suggest you put a "remind me" in Midway USA when primers come in or your gonna have everything but these. REED THE STICKIES these guys taught me every thing I know. They have saved me some money and maybe body parts, lots of good safety tips in there. I found an uncharged case in a loading block with the flashlight check. I wouldn't have caught that I'm sure. It's worth it, I started loading in April an my stuff has allmost paid for itself. Not to mention There's no ammo on the shelves in the stores here. Good luck....Rick