Advice Needed

[RottenApple]

With the current plandemic ongoing (and other issues) and no end in sight, my wife and I are looking to get into reloading. We need to load for 5.56, .45 ACP, .40 S&W, and 12ga. And we need to do it as "on the cheap" as we can due to my current job situation (I'm currently in a contract-to-hire position). Sadly, I'm making about $30k/year less than I was before I got laid of.

Being technically minded, I'd love to build a computer controlled system, but I'm quite sure that's going to be out of my price range for awhile. Neither of us minds some manual labor, and it would be kind of a fun activity for us to do together, so if a manual press is what gets recommended, so be it. Can someone point me to some resources and possibly give some hardware recommendations?

[mrvmax]

You will be hard pressed to find primers these days and powder and brass are hard to find. You're not going to be loading at this point in time on the cheap, sorry to say. It's really about the worst time to start, even reloading equipment like presses are selling like crazy.

[mrvmax]

BTW,look for used presses on eBay and other forums (like 2coolfishing). You need to start learning how to load, if you don't have someone to teach you start watching videos. RCBS has some basic ones. Once you know what your loads will be I'd try and find primers, without them there's no point in buying the rest. If you find them then you can wort about powder, bullets, brass. It's not going to be cheap, we won't see that until 2022 or later.

[Paladin]

LEE is the low cost option for reloading.

[SQLGeek]

Unfortunately mrvmax is right. It is a terrible time to break into reloading to save money.

Primers can be found on the secondary market but you’re going to pay astronomical amounts for them. Bullets are hit or miss but 9mm is tough to find.

I’d take this time to research presses and learn the process through videos online. See if you can get your hands on components first.

[OneGun]

Unfortunately mrvmax is right. It is a terrible time to break into reloading to save money.

Primers can be found on the secondary market but you’re going to pay astronomical amounts for them. Bullets are hit or miss but 9mm is tough to find.

I’d take this time to research presses and learn the process through videos online. See if you can get your hands on components first.

I went to the range the other day for the first time in 3 weeks. Shot 100 rounds of 9mm. The lady in the lane next to my lane was a brass bunny. No sooner than I started packing up my range bag than she asked if she could pick-up and keep my brass.

[RPBrown]

Unfortunately mrvmax is right. It is a terrible time to break into reloading to save money.

Primers can be found on the secondary market but you’re going to pay astronomical amounts for them. Bullets are hit or miss but 9mm is tough to find.

I’d take this time to research presses and learn the process through videos online. See if you can get your hands on components first.

I went to the range the other day for the first time in 3 weeks. Shot 100 rounds of 9mm. The lady in the lane next to my lane was a brass bunny. No sooner than I started packing up my range bag than she asked if she could pick-up and keep my brass.

BRASS BUNNY--Love it. Never heard that before

[SQLGeek]

Unfortunately mrvmax is right. It is a terrible time to break into reloading to save money.

Primers can be found on the secondary market but you’re going to pay astronomical amounts for them. Bullets are hit or miss but 9mm is tough to find.

I’d take this time to research presses and learn the process through videos online. See if you can get your hands on components first.

I went to the range the other day for the first time in 3 weeks. Shot 100 rounds of 9mm. The lady in the lane next to my lane was a brass bunny. No sooner than I started packing up my range bag than she asked if she could pick-up and keep my brass.

I've also called them brass goblins. At least she asked.

So what did it feel like to shoot $400 worth of ammo?

[OneGun]

Unfortunately mrvmax is right. It is a terrible time to break into reloading to save money.

Primers can be found on the secondary market but you’re going to pay astronomical amounts for them. Bullets are hit or miss but 9mm is tough to find.

I’d take this time to research presses and learn the process through videos online. See if you can get your hands on components first.

I went to the range the other day for the first time in 3 weeks. Shot 100 rounds of 9mm. The lady in the lane next to my lane was a brass bunny. No sooner than I started packing up my range bag than she asked if she could pick-up and keep my brass.

I've also called them brass goblins. At least she asked.

So what did it feel like to shoot $400 worth of ammo?

It was $80 worth based on actual cost. I buy on a regular basis and keep an inventory. I"m not into the expensive inventory layers yet.

[SQLGeek]

I was hoping pricing ammo at $4.00/round for 9mm would have made it obvious it was a joke.

[pushpullpete]

Unfortunately mrvmax is right. It is a terrible time to break into reloading to save money.

Primers can be found on the secondary market but you’re going to pay astronomical amounts for them. Bullets are hit or miss but 9mm is tough to find.

I’d take this time to research presses and learn the process through videos online. See if you can get your hands on components first.

I went to the range the other day for the first time in 3 weeks. Shot 100 rounds of 9mm. The lady in the lane next to my lane was a brass bunny. No sooner than I started packing up my range bag than she asked if she could pick-up and keep my brass.

I've also called them brass goblins. At least she asked.

So what did it feel like to shoot $400 worth of ammo?

I gathered a lot of components early on, now I find that a lot depends on many different things. Trying to gather
them now is tough/expensive to say the least.
OneGun, I was raised by parents that TRULY believed in 'The Golden Rule' and I think that is one of the few times
that it's better to ask permission than to ask forgiveness. I would NOT be happy if someone in the next lane started
gathering my brass.
I am old & hairy so I guess I could get mistaken for a giant 4 legged snow bunny if someone were legally blind.



Edited to add: SQLGeek, sarcasm or a joke is one of those things that doesn't always translate across.

[KC5AV]

I decided a few years ago to get into reloading. Then, I just didn’t do it. That isn’t exactly true. I bought a press, dies for .308, several hundred bullets in a variety that I know my .308 likes, a few pounds of powder that I know will push the bullets my .308 likes, a couple hundred primers, and a few other odds and ends.
Now, I’ve decided to get into reloading, and I’m just buying whatever is available whenever it’s available. I’ve added 6.5 Creedmoor to the mix. A few weeks ago I picked up 100 piece of Lapua brass and 50 pieces of Peterson brass. This morning, I was able to get 100 pieces of Lapua .308 brass from Natchez (
Still in stock and on sale) in case anyone needs some. I still need bullets and primers (who doesn’t?).
I’ must getting what I can when it’s available, even if I have to pay a little bit of a premium.

[Pawpaw]

Years ago I bought a bunch of used reloading gear. The way things have worked out, I did not get started reloading and now it looks like I never will.

Rottenapple (my son, for anyone who didn't know) is planning to come out just after Christmas so I can give him all the stuff. I don't remember everything that's here, but here's what I do remember:

Lee Classic Turret press: Includes equipment for several calibers including (I think) 9MM & .45 plus others.
Hand priming tools (2 I think)
Hammer-type bullet puller
Lee Load-All for 12 gauge
The Lord only knows what else.

I'm pretty sure there's a box of .45 boolits too.

Oh yea, there's a vibratory tumbler and media separator in there too.

[Syntyr]

I was hoping pricing ammo at $4.00/round for 9mm would have made it obvious it was a joke.

Today's hyperbole... tomorrow's unfortunate reality...