Given the number of posts I’ve seen about starting in reloading, I figured I would throw my $.02 up the flagpole and see who slatues it.
I figure somewhere in the neighborhood of ~$150-$175 to get started.
Lee Scale - $20 You can go fancier, but the purpose here is to get started for a minimum investment. I still have the one I bought many years ago and still works as advertised.
Lee Load-All II - $20 +/- I know some people will criticize this choice and say get a MEC 600 Jr. Nothing wrong with the MEC. But here’s why I recommend the Lee. 1. It comes with all the bushings for both powder and shot. 2. You can get one for $20-$40 compared to $100 +/- for the MEC, 3. You still will have to buy additional bushings for the MEC at $2-$3 each, or for additional $40 you can get a Universal Charge Bar. 4. I think the process is easier to learn on a Load-All then a MEC. So it boils down to $100+ for the MEC vs $40 tops for a Lee Load-All II. I still have two Load-All (12 and 20ga) that I use to try out new recipes. Easier to change settings on the Load-All then the MEC.
Hulls: - If you don't have any on-hand, either buy some Winchester AA’s or any type Remington to shoot first, [all current production Remington use the same data; STS, Nitro, Game Loads, Gun Clubs, Shur-Shot, etc]. If you don’t have some on hand already or see if you can find them lying around at your range/club. You can use other hulls but there are more recipes for these to brands then all the others. As you gain experience and start to learn what you’re looking for in a load you can start trying other brands of hulls – Free
Now at this point you need to get some recipes or load data. The manufacturer’s websites are a good source. Start at
www.reload-nrma.com in addition to links to websites there are also: Step by Step (Virtual) Reloading instructions, a listing of NRA certified reloading instructors, and Safety Rules. You can also get printed manuals from the manufacturers via mail or at gun and sporting goods shops that carry reloading supplies. Once you have some recipes you want to try you can go buy the components listed. Try to limit yourself to three or four different types of each component if possible or below is my suggested list that should give you enough variety to find a load you like. Remember we’re trying to find out if reloading works for you.
Powders: Buy a 1 lb jar of each of Clays, WST or WSF, Red Dot or Green Dot - $50-$60. Again this will give you a broad range of recipes to use...
Wads: One bag of Duster Blue (1 1/8 Ounce Loads) or Green (1 Ounce and 7/8 Ounce Loads) or Claybuster FIG 8 or TGT12 or CB12L wads, If you can’t then use OEM wads if need be, but I say get at least three different kinds - $25
Primers: – 1 sleeve (100 primers) each of Rem 209P’s, Winchester 209’s and CCI 209 and 209M - $10-12
Shot: - $30- $45 for 25 lbs. This is the ouchy part. Depending on what you’re looking to do, you might be able to find sources for reclaimed shot that is cheaper.
Initial total cost ~$150-$175
Other costs:
Lyman Book: A great resource and has an excellent guide to hulls and a plethora of recipes ~$20. If you decide that reloading is for you then you must have the new 5th edition. An invaluable resource for reloaders, but for someone just dipping their toes in the water, it’s a “nice to have”. Between the instructions in the Lee or MEC owners manual, the NRMA website, and/or an experienced reloading instructor/mentor, a newbie can safely learn the basics of reloading.
The reason I recommend this setup is a few years back one gentleman at my club decided that he was tired of buying new shells all the time and was going to join us reloaders and start saving piles of money (plus he was tired of watching us fight like spoiled children over his once fired hulls…..MINE, NO MINE, ALL THE ONES FROM THIS ROUND ARE MINE, I CALL DIBS ON NEXT ROUND). Following the Go Big or Stay Home philosophy, he went out and bought the top of the line Poness-Warren 2000 Platinum reloader with hydraulics and all the other bells and whistles you can add, a $250 RCBS scale, a half ton of various sizes of shot, eight or so 10 lb kegs of various powders, tens of thousands of different primers, 30-40 bags of various wads, and even some hulls off E-Bay. He probably spent $2,000-$3,000 total. Once it all arrived it took him about a week to get it setup and running.
And he hated it. “It’s the most boring thing I ever done, I’d rather watch paint dry.” He absolutely despised the reloading process. Took him about 6 months to sell off everything. Most of us who bought the wads, primers and powder off of him gave him what he paid, but I know he lost money on the P-W reloader and some other items.
With this minimal investment, someone can find out if they like reloading and if so begin the long, slow, dark, descent into the madness that is reloading. If they decide reloading isn’t for them, they can sell what little equipment they have for probably right around what they paid for it. Same with whatever left over components they have, or just give them away. That way they’re only be out a few bucks at most.
