like the title states should I start reloading now or just continue buying my ammo like have from the store. I want to reload 300blk sub, 9mm sub and 223. I was thinking of getting a Dillion press not sure which one yet. I have already purchased some reloading books. I understand the cost up front will be high. just wanted to get advice from those that have been reloading pros and cons.

thanks for your help

It depends on why you want to reload.  If you want more control over what you are shooting, then start now.  If you're doing it to save money, it may not be worth it.

To keep the initial cost down, start off with a single stage.  Once you get comfortable with the process, you can always sell the press and get into a progressive press.

Find a used Dillon press.  Don't hesitate if you find one, or someone else will beat you.

I have never owned a single stage, there is zero need to start with one, especially if you intend to load volumes of rounds.



Don't wait, start looking now.  I bought one of these on Craigslist, leaving the house within seconds of seeing the posting.

It's pretty easy to save money reloading. Nobody likes to do it that way though. Get a Lee challenger kit and enough components for a thousand rounds of 458S and that press will have already paid for itself 10x over.

This topic has come up from time to time either in this sub forum or in GD.

The most common theme or “refrain” that you will read in these threads:

“You won’t save money.  You’ll just shoot more!”

If you are the least bit mechanically inclined….you can change your own motor oil….for example… then my recommendation is to skip the single stage and jump right to a progressive press like a Dillon 550, 650, 750, or a 1050.

Keep in mind that whatever press you choose, it is all the other paraphernalia that can add up fast:  a scale, digital calipers, case gauges, plastic flip lid ammo boxes, tumbler (vibratory vs. wet).  Etcetera….

I'll second this post from wildearp.

If you are wanting to load 9mm, 300 BO & 223, you will probably want to reload in volume, so go with a progressive press. I use a Hornady AP, but if I were getting into it fresh, I'd get a Dillon 650 or 750, especially if I could find a deal on a used one.

-ZA

When this was asked in GD just last week, I went through and did some maths.

With current prices you could buy a Dillon 750 and components to load 10k 9mm and 5k .223 for a little less than 10k 9mm and 5k .223 go for.


Yes, it is worth it to reload.



ETA loading .300 blk makes it even more cost effective

Going to go against the grain potentially here and say try to start with a 550. It's not a true progressive so you don't have to worry about the press doing something you're not ready for. You can simply treat it as a "turret" press until you're willing to have more than one case at a time. Buying on the used market expect to pay 80% of new price, but the good news is if it's not for you, you'll get the 80% pretty much back when you decide to sell.

Costs for components are coming down, but they will likely never fall back to where they were. You will still be lower per round than factory ammo, in addition it'll be better quality and accuracy if you put the time into it.

And that's where the difference is mainly made. Do you have the time, and how much is your time worth.

thank you everyone for your input. time to go shopping lol.

Highly recommend Dillon for a progressive press.

Rock chucker would make a great first single stage press.

Start buying primers and powders that you would like to try.

I don't think its ever a bad time to start loading, but its a really bad time right now to jump in with both feet. Prices right now are horrendous. I don't know what the future holds, but now is not the time to be stocking up on anything. Looking back at the last 30 years, it has always been in cycles. I don't know if things will be better in a year, or if it will be 3 years, but eventually prices will come down a little. Or at the very least, everything else will become so expensive to offset we wont notice as much.

I did some math, if I were to start with nothing right now, and go to my stores, this is how things are. Powder varies widely. I've seen from $40 to $70 per pound. Primers have remained consistent at about $80 per 1000 for all sizes. Brass really depends, it can even be free if you pick it up. To even break even on 223, it looks like you have would have to get your brass for free. It looks like you could do pretty good on 300 blackout. For 9mm, you would have to do something. Even with free brass, $45 per pound powder, cheap $60 per 1000 primers, and bulk FMJ bullets which the lowest I see is $110 per 1000. Depending on where you live, that would come to about $340 per 1000 after tax, and thats assuming you don't have to pay shipping or hazmat, or anything else, which is unrealistic. It doesn't look that hard to find 9mm luger for under $300 per 1000.

There are some ways to save money right now, but they are slim, and I would not go deep into buying equipment. Buy used if you can. Dillon is a fantastic brand. You can buy a Lee 6 pack, which is not as good as a Dillon 750, but it's actually a pretty dang good press. Mine has been chugging along since day one with no issues. They are less than half the price of a Dillon 750. This is just my opinion, but I would not waste money on a Dillon 550. It's way outdated, it doesn't even have auto advance. It's basically an overbuilt turret press. It used to be cheaper, but now the price between a 550 and 750 is not great enough to justify it. I would buy a 750, or not buy a Dillon at all. In the future you might save some money on 300 blackout and 9mm by casting your own bullets, but I would not start right away. I would buy the bullets you want first, find out how they work, then buy the mold and casting equipment later if you want it.

So my advice is only buy the minimum you need. One or two pounds of powder, 1000 primers, and I would not bulk buy bullets to start with. Buy a few different ones you are interested in in a small quantity. If you can find a used Dillon 750, go for it. For new, I would definitely consider the Lee 6 pack. I wouldn't worry about a single stage press. They are nice to have, but for what you want, don't worry about it. Reloading is about the long game. When things are good, thats when you buy lots of powder and primers, and lead or whatever else. Now is not that time.

Reloading 9mm and 5.56mm fmj bullets will not save you any money. Reloading those calibers with premium bullets will save you a lot of money.

The other day I got an email for 124 grain 9mm FMJ's, purchased in bulk, at only $11.00 per 50. Between today's primer prices and availability, that's hard to beat.

Loading Gold Dots or XTP's, you will save a bunch over retail.

The same applies to .223. Loading Sierra Match Kings or their BlitzKings, you will save a bunch over factory ammo. Loading FMJ's, not so much.

I would get started loading for other reasons, mostly being self-sufficient. I've been reloading since 1984. I have never reduced my ammo consumption through at least a half-dozen "ammo panics" because I buy stuff on sale and stack it deep. I remember at the height of one panic, my brother and myself, fired over 1000 rounds of .38 Special at my local gun club to the amazement of onlookers who were dumbfounded as to why we could afford to shoot so much during the current shortages. The only reason we stopped is that my revolvers got so hot it felt unwise to continue. I didn't even put a scratch my inventory that day.

If any national emergency should ever come to pass, nobody is going to find ammo on any store shelves. Too many people own firearms and too many of them have not planned for that emergency. The store will charge anything they want, and people will pay it, because they have no other option.

Add me to the group that says start now and get a Dillon 550. While you are learning to load, do yourself a nice favor and start with preprocessed brass.

Do both, like I did.

I went progressive (Dillon 650) for my first press.  Zero regrets.  Got a Rock Chucker later on.

You'll need to load a bit for the equipment to pay itself back.  Powder and primer prices are dumb right now, and likely will be for a good while, but bullets and brass are still reasonable.

Reloading is like planting a tree.  Best time to start was 20 years ago.  Second best time is right now.

And you did right by getting books and reading up first.  Don't forget to check YouTube for TONS of helpful videos.  So much really good information out there.

Youtube can overwhelm a new reloader.  Tread slowly, lots of bullshit out there.

If the OP goes forward, I agree with avoiding the internet and YouTube up front and instead would suggest getting a live mentor who can teach you in person if at all possible.

It isn’t impossible to start without a mentor, but it will be much safer, faster, and with less waste and mistakes when being shown and instructed by an experienced mentor.

Reading the loading books and tutorial sections in the better load manuals before starting up is still a good use of your time and will help you prepare for the first lessons. If you have your homework done and you have questions, they will be good questions based on good information rather than risk being influenced by the peddlers, shills, and fools on the internet.

A good instructor will demonstrate many different alternate methods and options for different steps and types of loading. By getting live exposure to several methods and techniques, you will be more likely to buy the right tools for your tasks and less likely to waste time on the wrong ones.

Like many other topics, reloading has several places where a process step will mean selecting from “good - better- best” and if you have had a live demonstration you will make an informed purchase rather than be victim of hype or snake oil salesmen.

There is nothing wrong with purchasing good quality starter tools while you ramp up. Good stuff can be kept for back-up or sold when you upgrade. However, there are some places in reloading where buy once cry once will apply. That is where a good mentor is worth their weight in gold.

Good luck and welcome to the affliction.

GOOD!

Glad  to hear it!

And the reasons are:

1.  Election coming in November, there very well could be a run on all things guns and ammo

2.  You don’t know when the next terrorist attack or mass shooting will occur.  there very well could be a run on all things guns and ammo.

Beat the rush.

I just don't see the reason for the advice of a Dillon 550 to start. Dillons are investments, they aren't something you want to buy and resell later. They aren't cheap. The idea of spending $600 on a 550 to start, then buying a 750 later for almost $750 seems like a huge amount of money to me. I say buy one and use it for years or decades. There is not one thing the 550 can do that the 750 can't. There's plenty the 750 can do the 550 cant, and that includes auto indexing, a 5th station, case feeder for rifle catridges, automatic bullet feeders, and more. If you don't want to start with auto advance, then don't. All you do is take the auto advance pawl out of the 750, it takes like 30 seconds, and now its a manual press.

If you want a press to start on and upgrade later (or not), get the Lee 6 pack. At under $300 it has some really good features. It's not as refined or smooth as a Dillon, but it does work good. It comes with a case feeder that works with both pistol and rifle brass. With 6 stations you can run all kinds of things including a bullet feeding die, although personally I don't use mine much since you still have to manually load the bullets. It's a solid press. It too is auto advancing, but all you do is pull out the indexing rod if you want it to be manual.

For used presses, a Dillon 650 might be a good one, I don't know much about them. Also a surprisingly good machine is the Hornady Lock n Load. They are too expensive new now, but if you could find a used one for a good price, they are a solid machine.

Over the years, at the Brian Enos forums, I have known or seen guys jump right to a Dillon 1050 or even an automated press like a Mark 7 as their very first press.

That certainly is the very deep end of the pool.

But in shooting USPSA, you meet all sorts of people from different “walks of life”.

Some are very smart.

Some are very motivated.

Some make it to Master class or Grand Master class very quickly.  

And it just so happens that these same people are just as motivated in their business lives as well, so their pocketbooks can afford them the Rolls Royces of reloading presses right from the “git go”.

EDIT:  obviously those people are outliers, and definitely the exceptions rather than the rule.

The best day to start reloading was yesterday. The second best day to start reloading is today.

You don't need a mentor, but a short class or a demo.  I did this for a guy, answered a lot of questions, and then found a used SDB for him, gave him brass, primers, and a box of projectiles.  He then overwhelmed himself with youtube videos and never reloaded a single round.

I also did a demo for an experienced single stage loader with my 650.  He then went out and bought a 550.  He had it a week and then sold it and bought a 650.  

There is no right answer, other than you have to get started, to get finished.

Well whsle on 223 ammo 55gr FMJ is pretty steep right now.  So is makes sense to reload that.
Whereas right now 9MM 115/124 FMJ pricing is pretty low.  So reloading that type of ammo might not be especially inviting.

Reloading allows you to shoot more for less.  Craft loads for a particular gun to maximize it's potential.  Tune loads to allow for new shooters
to progress up the ladder so to speak.  Create ammo that you simply can not buy.  

Some forget at times shooting is a hobby, and putting it bluntly....hobbies can and do cost money.  But some here want twist it to suit their
strange agenda.  Frugal is good.  But, frankly I am quite tired of people flaunting that they are reloading for XYZ; because they
bought it cheap and stacked it deep.  Some people are just starting reload for do not have resources to buy large amounts components.  

Reloading is an offshoot of shooting.  I have enjoyed it since I was 13 years old.  

The best thing a new reloader can do is come up with a budget.  
In this day and age people can check over the interweb and price out stuff.

I literally do not care what others offer up.  A reloader will always have a need for a single stage press. Conversion kits for Dillon presses are not cheap.  And for some cartridges is make NO FREAKING SENSE to buy the stuff to load magnum cartridges on Dillon 750/650 when you are loading a very small amount off ammo.  Especially if all you are doing is one magnum cartridge.

To me the best value is the Rockchucker Supreme Master Kit.  Great Press, good Powder Measure, a mechanical scale, misc. tools.  The stuff will last you life time.  
Sure some people want to hunt and peck at acquiring stuff.  So be it!  

I appreciate everyone's advice, I did go to the hometown page started a post for a mentor in my area. I think that will be big help as I learn. I have not made any purchases of equipment or tools as there are so many options.

That's true it's a hobby, I only said what I did for the same reason you did. Some people get this idea that they have to jump fully in, super expensive press, jugs of powder, thousands of bullets, this and that. Only to later found out the bullets they bought aren't even that great, they want to try different powder, etc. I don't know about the Ruckchucker supreme master kit, but what I've found is staying with a single brand often isn't the best choice. I guess you could say I like to hunt and peck for stuff. I still do, I started with the bare minimum, actually less than many would call the bare minimum. I started with lee loader hand kits, but I would never recommend them, even though they do work acceptably. My first press was a rockchucker, it's a great single stage press. Over the years I picked up a Lee hand press, another single stage, a handful of shotgun loaders, and most recently the Lee APP, and they all serve a purpose. I also picked up plenty of gadgets like a hand primer, various special dies, a bunch of measuring tools, etc. All stuff you can live without.

I too would not load magnum rifle rounds on a progressive. Not everyone loads or shoot magnum rifle rounds though. Even regular rifle rounds, and I do handguns too, it can be nice to have the single stage for load work ups, but you can get by without one at first. Single stage presses are fairly easy to find used.

I still maintain, that no matter your budget, now is not the time to be using that budget. That money is better used put away for the future. Buy only what you need, then stock up on things when it makes sense, and you can greatly extend your dollar. I couldn't imagine going to the store and buying stuff every time you wanted to load ammo, that would be nuts.

where do you guys buy your powders and primers locally or online? also same for brass and Bullets?

It depends on what you have locally and how much you are willing to spend at once.

Primers and powder have to be shipped as hazmat which is usually an extra $20-50 charge in addition to shipping, so if ordering it makes sense to fill out an order rather than just order a pound of powder and a thousand primers.

If you have a Scheels local to you they usually have a decent selection of powder and primers at competitive prices.

Online, Grafs and Powder Valley are standbys with reasonable prices although again hazmat fees.

American Reloading sells demil components and is where I would get brass and bullets.

If you have a mentor American Reloading's primers and powder have hazmat built into the cost but they have much less loading data than canister grade powders

550 is a great starting press IMO with a couple conditions attached.

It is a larger up front investment so you have to know that you are A) likely to stick with it and B) shoot enough to make it worthwhile C) you are somewhat mechanically inclined.

Additionally I think it’s best to start rifle on a single stage.  There is a bit more going on and even when I load 223 on my 550 I do my brass prep on a single stage.  

I started on a 550 loading 9mm. But when I went to bottleneck cartridges I added a Redding big boss.  But I had no issues learning on 9mm with the 550.  I ran it as a single stage for the first half an hour then I was up and going at speed and never looked back.  By the time you finish the setup and first 100 rounds it’s pretty easy to understand.  

As far as components.  Online you have to buy in bulk for it to make sense.  For load development and buying 1# of powder I try to do it locally unless i can add it to a bigger order online from midsouth, powder valley, Natchez, etc.

If looking for deals- #1- check the deals thread at the top of the reloading forum.  Also a thread in Team as well I believe.

American Reloading is the go to place for “cheap” practice ammo loading- lots of blem bullets, pulled bullets, etc.  example is 55 gr .223 pulled bullets, can be found for about 6 cents each if you wait for a sale, stuff goes in and out of stock rapidly.  You will see lots of 9mm, .223, .308, and a smattering of others.  They also have powder, sometimes pull down, sometimes stuff that is lesser known brands (likely over runs of major names or different lots, who knows).  They have some primers as well.  Best thing is shipping is built into the prices, along with hazmat.  

After that- gun shows, estate sales, facebook marketplace, and craigslist.  But only for cheap stuff- too many people think their 1995 era primers should still be worth $100!  So you need to know what current best retail pricing is, and then figure out how much to discount for the fact that it might not be as fresh.  I would have the most concern about old powder, but honestly I buy old powder all the time, but I know how to read lot numbers, estimate age, and check to make sure it is still good.  

For hunting/accuracy work- just bite the bullet on first quality components, but wait for sales from the major online suppliers when they do free shipping/hazmat type of deals.  


I would pick one or two calibers to start with for loading.

And always be prepared to fork over a wad of bills for a great deal that drops in front of you as well.  It happens now and then, but only if you move quickly.

I’m definitely of the belief that you’re best served to start with a single stage press for a number of reasons. It’s definitely easier to learn the process for most people. Single stage presses are considerably less expensive, and definitely easier to find used. I tell people all the time, in reloading speed costs money. You can put together a basic reloading kit for not a lot of $. But when you start trying to do things faster is when you’ll start spending. And that’s perfectly fine. But for most people, starting simpler is better.

But another aspect to consider is that even after you get a progressive press-you will still use the single stage press for various things. Tooling up a progressive press for a different caliber is fairly expensive.  And you will probably end up at some point wanting to load a different caliber in small quantities to where it doesn’t make sense to spend the extra money to do it on a progressive press. Or perhaps you might not want to tear down a particular setup you have on a progressive, just to load a box of something else. Some people will do their initial sizing/depriming on a single stage press before doing the rest on a progressive. I size my cast bullets on my single stage(as well as mess around with swaging). If you get into oddball calibers, like I am(I like WWI era stuff), you can do case conversions on the single stage.


Plainly put, there are a lot of things you might want to do in the future that are done on a single stage press, even if you get a progressive. So it makes a lot of sense to start with one, even if you’re fully intending on getting a progressive press.


That’s my .02 on the matter anyway.

Now.

I doubt anyone wishes they would have started later or bought less components for “back in the day prices”.  

Someday today will be the good old days. Start now, pay attention prices and availability, look for deals.

<snip> off topic trolling removed. dryflash3

Agree 100%

Stocking up on most components is going to be very, very costly if trying to do so right now. (primers, powder to be specific)

It will be more costly later. Prices aren’t going down and availability is actually pretty good right now.

I've been reloading on the same Lee single stage press since I was 14. I taught myself back then from reading gun magazines. I've loaded a lot of ammo on it over the last 26 years.

I'm not saying you should start with a single stage but it's certainly viable.

Primers are down to about $50/k so it's actually a good time compared to the last few years. Powders getting expensive but you can still find 8lbs jugs for $200 if your not picky and you're quick.

I haven’t seen $50 sleeves yet.  I am not looking hard either.  I am stocked for the most part.    I would pick up some Large Rifle Magnums but really am not in a big yank their either.  My .300 win mag loads are all fine even in cold weather with LR primers.  Swapping powders to one needing a magnum start could happen.  I am not short of H4350, 4831, RL22,Hybrid 100v and N160.   Not super magnum powders but decent stuff.

I have been using a short stack of cci mil spec primers for the M14 lately.  I’d buy more #34s but likely not #41s.

Maybe primer availability will increase due to decreases in powder availability and high prices??   crazy markets.

I was a bit stunned when I was looking at restocking plinking bullets.  They run the same prices as “good” stuff.  Gone are the savings from using .30 125 grain bullets for light target use.   No real savings in selecting a fmj either.

If I were starting today, I would get a solid single stage AND a progressive press.

Like an RCBS Rockchucker and a Dillon 650 or 750 with a case feeder for either Dillon you choose.

If you are planning on forming .300BO brass from .223 brass, you'll need to figure out all the trimming/cutting stuff you will need.

Be sure to get a decent repeatable scale. I prefer digital, but a decent one isn't cheap.

All of your accessories will start adding up fast, so plan for that.

Would you be wet tumbling or dry? I prefer wet, but dry tumbling has it's place. Good for doing quick lube removal etc. I use both methods, but wet tumble a majority of the time.

What are you going to mount the press/presses to? Will you be making a bench, or do you already have a sturdy work area?
I reload in a very limited space and do not have room to have multiple presses set up....so I use the Inline Fabrications mount and have adapters for each press I use. Super solid and handy.
Make a dedicated area for your scale and leave it there.

Between all of my gear, presses, scales, trimming/chamfering tools, tumblers etc, I could fill up a whole garage if I had everything set up at 1 time. I'm forced to work the space I have, so everything is modular and can be put away when not in use.

Best way to purchase components is online in decent quantities, to offset hazmat/shipping charges.

Why are you wanting to start reloading?  If it's to save money on plinking ammo...it's not worth it.  Reloading components have gotten really expensive.....it's cheaper to just buy the ammo online when you see it on sale.

If it's to make precision target rounds dialed into your rifles......go for it.

It's been a long time since I bought a case of 556. Can you get it for under $230 shipped? Because that's what I can load a case for. As long as you have your own brass.

Yeah, and take a good look at what a box of .30-06 or 30-30 costs these days, even the cheap stuff.

Really, if you’re talking anything beyond 9mm & .223, the cost advantage to reloading is even more significant than what you said.

A case, as in 200 rounds? Yes, you can buy 200 rounds 0f 5.56 for significantly less than $230 shipped.

The savings in reloading are in pretty much anything else, including 308. But not 223 or 9mm, unless you are as other said, loading precision 223 ammo. There's good reasons to load 9mm too, but it's probably not going to be world changing in price.

You want subs, reloading is the best bet.  If you were just plinking occasionally with 115 9s or super 300s, I'd just buy factory stuff.

Keep in mind, things will only go up in price.


I only load subs, regular supers I just buy, as it's not worth my time anymore.   Unless you're shooting 20K a year of lead like I used to do.

No, a case is 1k rounds