The price of admission?

[WestKentucky]

Reading a few posts on another thread made me wonder at what people pay to get into the hobby of reloading. So, what was your very first setup, and what did you put into it?

As a kid my dad had a couple Lee Loader sets (whack-a-mole) and I used them to load a lot of .256 Winchester magnum. It got me started and it got the basic drive going.

Fast forward to a yardsale where I got 38/357 dies, a lee C frame press, and a coffee can of 357 brass for $10. I added .270 dies for about $25 pretty quickly. Add powder, primer, bullets and I was around a hundred bucks in. Richard Lees book on reloading also was bought cheap somewhere used.

Fast forward again. The bug has hit hard and I want to load everything that I ever shoot. A guy at work was moving and I bought the contents of his reloading shed. Old metal desk, MEC 600, MEC Jr, shot, powder, wads, primers, RCBS Single stage press, about a dozen various die sets, brass, bullets, powder, data, literally everything needed. The only thing he didn’t have was a nice scale, and for a year or more I used a Lee safety scale. That buy was $300 and I couldn’t get the money To him fast enough. I’m cleaning out the shed we found an old double barrel he had forgotten about. Was essentially nothing more than barrels and the reciever, but it traded for more powder.

I bet I’m pushing $1000 on gear now, but I have done well buying benches and parting out what I don’t need. Patience is huge and negotiating a deal is also big, but cash is king. If you have it handy, people are willing to take it more often than you would think.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

I did a lot of research and found a lot of bad info.

So I picked up the LEE book and read that.
After that I pieced together a setup with a press, dies, a scale, a powder measure, a set of calipers, a priming too, and a few other odds and ends.

A friend Helped me stay safe and I made my first rounds. Nothing fancy, nothing fast, but good safe ammo.

since then I’ve slowly added things to make things easier and faster.

the reality is reloading can be fun and it can get insanely expensive fast. But I’d you do homework, shape wisely and learn you can get started fairly inexpensively and go from there.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I have bought virtually all of my non-consumable reloading equipment second hand from swap meets, garage sales, flea markets, eBay, and web forums like this.

I have a Hornady LnL, Lyman 6 hole turret, the smallest Lee bench mounted press, Lee Hand Press, Redding scale and case trimmer, RCBS hand prime tool, Lee Loader for 38, and basically everything else you would need. I think I am all in on this stuff at maybe $350. Plus I have accumulated a bunch of brass from the same sources included in that cost. I have, 357, 44, 450 BM, 45-70, 220 Swift, and 30-06 dies. I currently don’t even own a 30-06, 220 Swift, or 45-70. Haha.

I really don’t load that much so I’m glad I have such a low investment.

 

[mdi]

Another thought; there are a whole lot of "dedicated" reloading tools that are just renamed plain old hand tools. When I first encountered crimped primer pockets I immediately thought of a countersink, even though I did research "primer pocket reforming/reaming/swaging tools", I have successfully decrimped several thousand primer pockets with the countersinks I had in my tool box...

 

[Hokie_PhD]

Another thought; there are a whole lot of "dedicated" reloading tools that are just renamed plain old hand tools. When I first encountered crimped primer pockets I immediately thought of a countersink, even though I did research "primer pocket reforming/reaming/swaging tools", I have successfully decrimped several thousand primer pockets with the countersinks I had in my tool box...

True
I’ve also found that tools branded by the reloading companies are marked up quite a bit. Shopping wisely the same stuff can be had for much less. For instance the same calipers can be had at Harbor Freight. Aka all are the same Chinese stuff.

so one has to learn what really is out there.

 

[Frulk]

Started With a Lee Classic Reloading kit for about $119 or $129. The Lee press is still responsible for sizing and priming every handgun round I produce.

Everything else is done on Redding T7’s. About the only used reloading gear I’ve bought is older manuals.

 

[Alex Clayton]

When I started it was late 70's or so. Had seen it done, never paid much attention. Bought a couple 5 shot .44,s that were VERY hard to find ammo for. So ordered a Lee kit, came with his book then. Read a little of the book, off to the store for supplies and started rolling. Still use a couple Lee presses. Have upgraded things like measure and scale. If someone wants to start with strait wall pistol which are super easy a Lee kit is great. Many will later want to go faster which is fine. The Lee kit is so little it's no loss if they later decide to get something better. After this panic is over looks like someone could get their feet wet for around a C note and go from there. The great advantage now is the net. There is step by step video's of everything you need to know.

 

[Rembrandt]

At the time seemed a sizeable investment with a progressive Mec Grabber doing 12ga. (Maybe $300+) Didn't know much about reloading other than what fellow trap shooters recommended. Those folks steered me correctly, showed me how to reduce ammo costs. When kids began shooting the savings were amplified times three. In those days we were cranking out 50-to-60K rounds a year.

As we progressed into rifle and pistol it made sense to go the same route and reload for the savings. Learned some lessons early in buying cheap equipment.....all of which has since been upgraded. Over the years it's become a sizeable investment, but most enjoyable hobby.

 

[labnoti]

Maybe $400 - 500 the first time 25 years ago.

Then $1000 - 1500 the last time a few years ago.

I had two starts. The first one was about 25 years ago and I bought a full RCBS Rock Chucker kit with the press, powder measure, the beam scale, a case trimmer, lube pad, some hand tools and the book - which was the only source of knowledge I had. Notably, I did not have a way to clean brass in bulk. I didn't have much brass anyway. I bought a MEC shotshell single-stage (turret sort of) machine at the same time. I used the MEC to load a lot of 12 gauge, but it eventually fell apart and was trashed. The RCBS is still good but I no longer own it. I don't remember what I spent, but I would guess it was between $300 and $400 for the RCBS gear. The dollar back then was worth about twice what it is now, so it was not a cheap deal. I never loaded enough rifle cartridges on that Rock Chucker to break even in savings, but the RCBS equipment kept its value very well. The MEC was probably about $100 and I'm sure I broke even and then saved some compared to buying loaded shells before it was junk. I didn't shoot handgun back then, wasn't 21.

I got restarted a few years ago, after being out for more than 20 years. I bought a Lee ABLP primarily for handgun cartridges but it loads my rifle cartridge as well (Grendel). The press itself was $99, but with the accessories, press stand, dies, chronograph, wet tumbler and everything else, I spent about $1000. I've since spent about $500 more on accessories, tools and dies, not counting components, but I've produced something like 25,000 rounds at a savings of ten to twenty cents savings per round. So I broke even and have saved at least $2000.

The first time I got into reloading for rifle primarily because I was interested in it. I thought it was cool. I wanted to load my own cartridges. I wanted creative control over what I was doing. My main deterrent was living in the city and not having a place to shoot a high-powered rifle that was easily accessible. I got into reloading shotshell to have more ammo for the money, and I could shoot a lot of that.

The second time, now out of the city, I got into reloading handgun cartridges because I wanted more ammo for the money, but very early I became very particular about a lot of the details. I've done a lot of experimentation and trials on different powders, primers, bullets, and brass processing procedures to determine the things that meet my exacting criteria. My results are measurably better than premium factory cartridges and they meet my own criteria for performance, safety, and cleanliness. Because I load 357 Magnum, I can also load cartridges over a wide range of velocities, bullet weights and bullet types, many of which I would not easily find in commercial loadings. I have a very accurate gun. I credit the gun rather than the ammo, but if there was a problem with the ammo, it would show up.

I suspect my volume of handgun ammo will probably go down gradually. I'm still training and building skills, but I anticipate that weapon-manipulation and shooting skills will begin to shift towards maintenance mode and my focus will be more on tactics and critical thinking -- things that involve a lot more effort per shot, and training that probably has a lower round count.

Sometimes I think about upgrading to a Dillon, but if things go as anticipated, I will probably be happier with a RCBS or Forester single stage or a Redding turret. If I go that way, my capex for reloading will only increase slightly because they're not very expensive and most of the other costly items like tumblers, Redding dies, and other shop equipment (storage bins, racks, furniture) is already accounted for. Going Dillon would easily double my capex and it's a rabbit hole from there.

 

[SlowFuse]

I had no interest in reloading, but a co-worker talked me into it "because of how much I was shooting."

I got a RockChucker and a Pro1000 from him, $100 for both. Slippery slope from there. Still use the rockchucker, loaded many many rounds on it before trying the Pro1000.

I would say those presses along with Lee equipment mostly (scales, powder measure etc) and powder bullets and primers all in would be about $300. Didnt have to buy much brass to begin with. I had some saved up and was given gallon bags full of common calibers when others found out I had started. Manuals were an investment but glad I got them.

Cost of entry is negligent now, all considered. I won't place a guess on how much has been "invested" over the years, my wife may find this somehow...

 

[hdwhit]

Reading a few posts on another thread made me wonder at what people pay to get into the hobby of reloading.

How much are you willing to risk?

My father had a friend who reloaded cartridges using an open flame for illumination. Are you willing to take such a risk?

At it's base, reloading is the process of replacing the primer, powder and bullet (we can assume in such a basic case the case is going back into the same gun, so only neck sizing is needed). This is the process of the original Lee Loader which relied on a rubber mallet/hammer. So, at the absolute bottom line, the answer is maybe $40.

So, what was your very first setup, and what did you put into it?

Skipping the Lee Loaders, my first setup (the one I still use today) was an RCBS Reloader Special non-compound leverage press. I have used it since 1977 and am still using it today.

In 2016, I bought an RCBS Rockchucker press hoping to take advantage of its compound leverage, but when I got the press and discovered (as confirmed by RCBS technical support) that the disparity between stage height and die height would require me to readjust my dies and thus re-develop all of my loads.

Since I took great pains to develop three loads (and associated press settings) that could allow me to develop a round that would achieve the same point of impact at 100 yards regardless of whether loaded with IMR-4198, IMR-3031, IMR-4064 of Wichester 748, I would expect my children to follow my loadings.

 

[Walkalong]

A $100 kit from RCBS, had everything I needed, even a set of dies.

I feel for folks buying new today.

 

[Vkt]

I bought my Lee Challenger kit around 86 for $50, still use it today.
Added die sets, calipers, trimmers and loading trays.

Powder and bullets, I remember Winchester and Remington bullets were cheap back then about $8 per hundred glad I stocked up.

I probably have a couple thousand in everything.

Thinking about diving into shotshell now.

 

[jmorris]

I paid $12 for a Lachmiller 12ga press I bought from a garage sale, the neighbor also gave me wads, shot and hulls for them. I had to ride my bicycle to the gun store to buy the primers and powder, he told me to get.

The shot and powder tubes bit the dust a few decades ago but I still have it, just in case. I even wired the other crimp starter to it so it wouldn’t get lost.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

I started in the late 1980s with a Lee handpress - sometimes called a Thigh Master press.

That, along with a set of Lee 9mm dies, a couple sleeves of primers, and 1/2 interest (with a buddy) in a pound bottle of Universal Clays, was all I needed.

The Lee dies had load info, and a powder scoop. I didn't even own a scale for several years.

I couldn't have spent more than $35 or $40 all in. I didn't have much money.

 

[labnoti]

A $100 kit from RCBS, had everything I needed, even a set of dies.

I feel for folks buying new today.

Why? Because of the incompleteness of the new kits? The prices? or just the temporarily low availability of some components?

I'm not sure when you started, but RCBS kits never came with "everything" you needed. If they did, you wouldn't have acquired so much stuff since then.
Maybe you paid $100, but it was probably when that would have paid the rent for a 1 bedroom apartment or groceries for a family of four for a month.

I think people getting into reloading today have it made. Most of all because of the super availability of information and readily accessible help at their fingertips. Just about everything is better than it was and relatively less expensive. The current demand cycle notwithstanding, I could have only dreamed of what we have available now when I started 25 years ago.

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Dad used a Lyman Comet that he bought in the early 60's I used it up to 2016 still have it but I upgraded to a Coax

 

[jmorris]

The first progressive was the SD, my Brother and I went in on it 50/50.



They still make it today but it costs a bit more.



Back when they first came out one could buy a chop beef sandwich and fry’s for $2.99 and a pitcher of Old Milwaukee for another $2.99 though and if all you earned was minimum wage, you’d have to work an hour for either.

 

[sparkyv]

Started with a .223 Rem Lee Loader, next the Lee Hand Press, then Lee Turret, and finally a Rock Chucker. With specialty tools and an upgraded beam balance, I'm in for $1,091 including dies for 11 calibers, but not accounting for brass (you just don't come across much 460S&W brass lying around at the range). But, I've more than offset that sunk cost years ago in savings had I'd purchased comparable amounts of factory ammo.

 

[edwardware]

I started with a Lee Whack-a-Mole in .270, a pound of IMR4320, and a box in 150 Interlocks.

I now have. . . well let's just say my reloading equipment + supplies is worth more than both cars.

 

[AJC1]

I started reloading on my own 2 years ago. I'm using a rcbs jl3 that my buddy found at the curb going out with the trash. Picked up a 3 die set at bass pro with some hornaday bullets and my mom mailed me my dads chargemaster. Bare bones operation that I put thousands of rounds together with. I have a set of mitatoyo calipers because I'm a project kinda guy. Have a few more die sets now and I load a bunch for my friend. Looking to cross the 10k reload mark here real soon. That's a bunch on a single stage

I have more money in components than anything. I cheat by picking up brass and casting rounds for the last 6 months.

 

[ballman6711]

I also started loading about two years ago. Bought a Hornady kit for $200 + $20 shipping, added dies and shell holder for a total equipment cost of about $280 not counting tax.

Fast forward to today and I'm right at or just under $1000. Only expense now to start a new caliber would be dies, shell holder, and bushings.

And components!

chris

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

and my mom mailed me my dads chargemaster. Bare bones operation that I put thousands of rounds together with.

It's funny to me to hear that a Chargemaster is part of a 'bare bones' loading setup.

Scoops ? Sure.
A Lee scale ? Okay
A Lee Perfect Powder Measure ? I could be convinced of that.

A $350 Chargemaster ? Ummmm....well....


No harm intended my friend, just seemed strange to me.

 

[Demi-human]

Admission fee?

Priceless...

 

[375supermag]

Hi...
My admission fee to this hobby was pretty cheap back in the late '70s- early '80s.
I had just started shooting in a couple of local pistol leagues and the cost of my wife and I shooting in two leagues was getting to be a burden.
I bought a Lee C frame press, an RCBS scale, a Lyman caliper and a set of Lee .357Magnum dies. Add in some Hornady jacketed bullets and a pound of Blue Dot and I was in the game.

Can't remember what it cost but it worked well enough for a few months.
Then I "upgraded" to a Lee 1000 progressive press.
That didn't work out very well at all.

Then I bought a RockChucker, a Little Dandy powder measure and a set of RCBS .357Magnum carbide dies.
Still using them to reload big bore revolver cartridges today

In the interim, I have bought four progressive presses and another RockChucker and a multitude of powder measures.

I have literally spent many thousands of dollars on reloading equipment in an effort to "save" money.
Never saved a freaking dime...but my son and I do shoot a lot for the money I have spent.
The cost of admission was well worth it.