Reloading 9mm on a single-stage press

[Bass Ackwardz]

I use a single stage for 9mm, 40 S&W, 45 ACP, and .223. I do want to eventually get a Dillon 550, but for now, if I prep 1000 pcs one night, the next night I can charge, seat and crimp them all in a couple hours. My wife and daughter go to bed at 8:30 every night, and I dont go to bed until at least 11, I can get a whole lot of finished rounds done. The only thing holding me back is components...I dont have enough of all of them...lol.


Bass

 

[MrWesson]

I live in a condo(townhouse) in a city with 250,000+ and no problems here. The smoke/smell is a minimum/non existant.

 

[clone]

I have figured my loading cost for 9mm to be about $6 per 50 (.12 per round/$115 per 1000) for 115gr FMJ. That is half the cost of the cheapest store bought I can find. I have spare time here and there and I enjoy reloading, so to me its worth it.

I use a Lee single stage. I'm not a high volume shooter though, maybe 300 a month.

 

[essayons21]

WB, where do you set up your casting operation?

I have 2 bedrooms, and a kitchen/living room that is all one big room. My reloading setup is basically in the living room opposite of the kitchen. No garage or basement. GFs cat is also an issue as she can get in/on everything. I'd really like to start casting, but molten lead in such a small area with relatively poor ventilation worries me.

 

[MrWesson]

WB, where do you set up your casting operation?

I have 2 bedrooms, and a kitchen/living room that is all one big room. My reloading setup is basically in the living room opposite of the kitchen. No garage or basement. GFs cat is also an issue as she can get in/on everything. I'd really like to start casting, but molten lead in such a small area with relatively poor ventilation worries me.

I would never cast indoors just seems to dangerous to me with bad fumes and molten lead(people do it). I cast on my porch outside. If I had to I would get a bottom pour pot and cast by a window with a fan pulling the fumes outside.

Heres a simple solution if you dont have a porch. Get a folding table and an inverter that hooks to the battery of your car/truck and cast somewhere away from people.

 

[bullseye308]

I do like some others with regards to pistol. I first deprime/resize in batches of 1000. Next I run them back through and flare them. After that they get hand primed. About every 5th round goes in a gauge. Whenever I get around to loading them they are ready to go. For 9mm I try to keep 5000 ready to load at any given time. For 38 & 357 only around 1000 ready. I do keep at least 1000 loaded at all times though.

I do occasionally get in a mood and fire up the Loadmonster and run a bunch, but I prefer to use the Lee Reloader presses I have.

 

[armoredman]

I use a single stage RCBS Rs press. Case prep of decapping/resizing/priming is all done before hand. I can crank out 100 in about an hour or less. Fun times.

 

[zxcvbob]

I once loaded 100 9mm's in less than half an hour on a single stage press with no prep ahead of time other than setting the powder measure. Just to see if I could do it. I don't like to move that fast. Usually I do about half that rate, so I can briefly inspect each cartridge.

It's not an ordinary single-stage press though; it's an "H" style press that holds 3 dies and 3 shellholders on a single stage, and a really nice priming post. I also have an old musclebound "C" style press; I tried using it once and it was painfully slow, but probably OK for loading big rifle cartridges.

 

[rquack]

I use my single stage press for load development and purchased a Dillon Square Deal B press [about $350 new, also available used on Ebay, others] for volume production work. I save about 50% by loading versus buying. But I also buy components in volumes to obtain cost reductions. For example, Montana Bullets sells 9mm 115 grain FMJ for about $300 for 4000 bullets. Bullet cost about 7.2 cents, primers @ 3.5 cents, powder @ 2 cents per shot. A 50 round box costs about $6.35. I also use this same equipment [with different dies] to load for my son in law's .38 spl/.357. We can enjoy shooting at a fairly reasonable cost; although dad made the capital investment in the equipment, but that is another story; I 'm just glad to be able to help out.

 

[Rifleman6555]

I hope I never have to equate reloading to values other than enjoyment. I like reloading 9mm's. Yes it's not much more to buy Wally World ammo, but there is just something about knowing I did the rounds. We wouldn't do half the things we do for enjoyment if we had to put alternate values on them. Nobody would fish because it's cheaper to get it at the local market. Nobody would golf because we can walk around our own lawns and swear at small objects. There are cheaper ways to do things, but sometimes the result is more important than the cost or time spent.

 

[lgbloader]

Rifleman,

Good post.

LGB

 

[fields]

Just finished loading 3000 on a single stage press over the past two weeks. Now I have enough to last for a while.

ro=ichard

 

[azyogi]

I started reloading 9mm 20 years ago with a Lee Classic [sometimes called the whack-a mole] and could bang out better than 100 per hour. I moved up to a press and then added an automater. Still sometimes I'll wack out a box or two if for no other reason than to destress, for back to basics nothing beats a Lee Clasic.

 

[shootinxd]

You will start like the rest of us (honey it will save us some money) yeh,right.Then you will load for another gun (found one yet?),then you will need to start casting.Do ya see where this is going yet?Just have fun!Shoot lots more!

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

keep an eye peeled for a deal on another press and set it up in tandem.
after all the prep is done I flare/powder charge useing Lee expander then if a nephew or shooting buddy is here have them run the 2nd press (Lee) to seat/crimp. have to have another shell holder for this.
be surprised how many rounds you can churn out. I much prefer the Lee hand primer for primeing. I pulled the RCBS primer feed off mine (chucker jr.) it just didn't do to suit me.

 

[LiveLife]

I enjoy reloading as a relaxing hobby.

Reloading allows me to shoot for less than 1/3-1/2 the cost of retail.

I also enjoy the fact that I am supporting US vendors and manufacturers and keeping US taxpayers employed (With primer shortage coming to a close, I will be back to 100% US made primers soon).

What I have noticed at the range is that those shooting factory ammunition often get flyers, but I do not get flyers with my reloads. I also find that I get smaller shot groups with reloads than factory.