how to start reloading

[cali shot doc]

I first want to say thanks for all of those who replied to my other topic! I really appreciate it!

How can i get into reloading? I have a .22 sig mosquito which i know you can't reload and I have a Springfield XD9 (9mm) which is such a great gun. I'm close to going to Samuel Merrit (one of the top Nursing schools in California) so I can't spend tons of money on top notch presses and stuff. I live in the bay area and the closest store where there is a selection of more than 5 different ammo's is 40-50 min away plus $5 bridge toll. I just bought 1000 9mm rounds for $175 at a Gun Show 2 weeks ago. Gun shows and online are really only my options for buying 9mm ammo.

What is a good press to begin with? I know the Dillon 550b is the best for most people. Where is a good place to get primers, gun powder casings and bullets? I looked around and Midwayusa.com seemed to be the only place that had primers. I added up all the components and it added up to where 1000 rounds would cost over $300 which doesn't seem very economical for me when i got 1000 for $175 about.

Should I pick up my brass and start saving it up? How do you clean it up other than a tumbler?

Are there good beginner kits. For a while i will only be reloading 9mm since that is all i own. I do think reloading will be fun and a great stress reliever and because i do want to shoot alot and do ton's of competitions it will be beneficial.

Thanks for all the help and advice.

[yoshidaex]

Powder Valley for primers and powder.

Pick up your brass at the range and then some...

A Dillon Square Deal B would be a good cheap starting point for reloading. You can find used units on the classifieds here periodically.

[G-ManBart]

A Square Deal B is the way to go for a press...anything else is either much slower, or bigger and more expensive. You can easily do 400 rounds per hour with the SDB and it comes pretty much ready to go (dies are even adjusted pretty close).

You'll need a good manual that explains things, a scale, an inexpensive set of calipers, and a few other things like a tumbler and media separator.

For components, Powder Valley (they handle Midway's powder and primer orders), Graf and Sons, Wideners, and Freedom Gunworks (a sponsor here) are some that I've dealt with regularly. There are a couple of others I can't think of right now, but I'm sure someone will mention them.

If you need to buy more ammo in the meantime, check out www.sgammo.com (somewhat mom and pop, but great prices, fast shipping and easy to deal with), and www.ammunitiontogo.com

If you need to buy some brass to get started (yes, save it after you use it from now on), www.brassmanbrass.com is a reliable source. R,

Edited August 4, 2010 by G-ManBart

[Jman]

Here are some links to some great help videos. Enjoy!

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=100662

[old506]

If I where you I would post an ad on Craigslist for an RCBS single stage press. You should be able to buy one under $50. You can buy a used set of dies for around $25 or a new set of RCBS carbide dies for $50. There are all kinds of places to find a scale, search around, you might even be able to get a used one on CL. If you can get lucky you can probably find a whole kit for under $100 that someone has had lying around for years. Don't worry about putting the money out, you should be able to get it back out when it is time to upgrade. I wouldn't be afraid at all reloading on something 30+ years old, it will work just fine even if you have to knock the rust off.

Save all the brass you can find, all calibers. You don't have to tumble your brass before reloading it, especially if it is the shiny "new" once fired brass. You can pickup a tumbler pretty cheap and may be a able to find a used one on CL. Just don't put an ad on Craigslist for a Brass vibrator, you will get the wrong crowd! You can find all kinds of load info on the web, try hodgdon.com (this should save your from buying a manual). If you can find Winchester 231(powder) I would start with that or maybe Clays, Clays is pretty cheap and that sounds like what you need right now, cheap. You don't need a powder measure, you just need a spoon, a bowl, a scale, and a lot of time.

Don't worry about buying primers in bulk online and having to spend a bunch of money upfront, you should be able to find a sporting goods store somewhere that sells them buy the 100 pack. Find that place and buy a 100 pack every time you go by. You probably spend more at Starbucks than you can for 100 primers. Bear Creek Bullets is somewhere in Cali, I would call them and see if they are anywhere near the area or maybe someone you know drives by? At worst you can buy 9mm for under $40/500 bullets.

It is expensive at first and even though it is much, much, less expensive than factory loaded ammunition, you will spend more money reloading than buying loaded ammo as you will shoot more!

Lastly, try to find a mentor. He will save you a lot of money. There should be some kind of state/regional/local forum where you can find a mentor. You are looking for the guy who is 60+ years old, built his own home by hand, is a master carpenter but was never a carpenter, and has never taken his truck in for an oil change (he has always done it himself).

I started out pretty much the same way, there is always time to upgrade. It would be great to start out with the Cadillac but the old beater Chev pickup will get you where you need to go too. Good Luck!

[cali shot doc]

If I where you I would post an ad on Craigslist for an RCBS single stage press. You should be able to buy one under $50. You can buy a used set of dies for around $25 or a new set of RCBS carbide dies for $50. There are all kinds of places to find a scale, search around, you might even be able to get a used one on CL. If you can get lucky you can probably find a whole kit for under $100 that someone has had lying around for years. Don't worry about putting the money out, you should be able to get it back out when it is time to upgrade. I wouldn't be afraid at all reloading on something 30+ years old, it will work just fine even if you have to knock the rust off.

Save all the brass you can find, all calibers. You don't have to tumble your brass before reloading it, especially if it is the shiny "new" once fired brass. You can pickup a tumbler pretty cheap and may be a able to find a used one on CL. Just don't put an ad on Craigslist for a Brass vibrator, you will get the wrong crowd! You can find all kinds of load info on the web, try hodgdon.com (this should save your from buying a manual). If you can find Winchester 231(powder) I would start with that or maybe Clays, Clays is pretty cheap and that sounds like what you need right now, cheap. You don't need a powder measure, you just need a spoon, a bowl, a scale, and a lot of time.

Don't worry about buying primers in bulk online and having to spend a bunch of money upfront, you should be able to find a sporting goods store somewhere that sells them buy the 100 pack. Find that place and buy a 100 pack every time you go by. You probably spend more at Starbucks than you can for 100 primers. Bear Creek Bullets is somewhere in Cali, I would call them and see if they are anywhere near the area or maybe someone you know drives by? At worst you can buy 9mm for under $40/500 bullets.

It is expensive at first and even though it is much, much, less expensive than factory loaded ammunition, you will spend more money reloading than buying loaded ammo as you will shoot more!

Lastly, try to find a mentor. He will save you a lot of money. There should be some kind of state/regional/local forum where you can find a mentor. You are looking for the guy who is 60+ years old, built his own home by hand, is a master carpenter but was never a carpenter, and has never taken his truck in for an oil change (he has always done it himself).

I started out pretty much the same way, there is always time to upgrade. It would be great to start out with the Cadillac but the old beater Chev pickup will get you where you need to go too. Good Luck!

Thanks alot!

[G-ManBart]

You can find all kinds of load info on the web, try hodgdon.com (this should save your from buying a manual).

While Hodgdon's site is very helpful for reloading data, it doesn't do anything for teaching him about the process. Telling someone to embark upon reloading without at least one real manual is a very bad idea for something that can be dangerous if done wrong. R,

[old506]

You might have missed the mentor part. The mentor will show you more than reading in a book.

You can find all kinds of load info on the web, try hodgdon.com (this should save your from buying a manual).

While Hodgdon's site is very helpful for reloading data, it doesn't do anything for teaching him about the process. Telling someone to embark upon reloading without at least one real manual is a very bad idea for something that can be dangerous if done wrong. R,

[G-ManBart]

You might have missed the mentor part. The mentor will show you more than reading in a book.

You can find all kinds of load info on the web, try hodgdon.com (this should save your from buying a manual).

While Hodgdon's site is very helpful for reloading data, it doesn't do anything for teaching him about the process. Telling someone to embark upon reloading without at least one real manual is a very bad idea for something that can be dangerous if done wrong. R,

Nope, didn't miss it

There really is no way of knowing if that old "mentor" really knows what they're talking about. I meet people all the time who've been loading for decades and still are completely ignorant of some very basic reloading facts. Manuals don't cost that much, last for years, are available 24/7 and aren't wrong very often. R,

[old506]

Cali Shot Doc. If you need a book, I will send you one.

[kevin c]

"You are looking for the guy who is 60+ years old, built his own home by hand, is a master carpenter but was never a carpenter, and has never taken his truck in for an oil change (he has always done it himself."

See my post in your other thread - I'm local, and while I'm not handy with a hammer and can't tell transmission fluid from wiper fluid, I can at least walk you through the reloading process.

Kevin

Edited August 4, 2010 by kevin c

[old506]

That's who you want right there! Bet he has a reloading manual too, since you didn't take me up.

"You are looking for the guy who is 60+ years old, built his own home by hand, is a master carpenter but was never a carpenter, and has never taken his truck in for an oil change (he has always done it himself."

See my post in your other thread - I'm local, and while I'm not handy with a hammer and can't tell transmission fluid from wiper fluid, I can at least walk you through the reloading process.

Kevin

[cali shot doc]

Cali Shot Doc. If you need a book, I will send you one.

Yea i'll take a book lol

[470nitro]

Here are my favorites for components:

Bullets: powdervalleyinc.com, montanagoldbullet.com

Powder: powdervalleyinc.com, midsouthshooterssupply.com, natchezss.com

Primers: powdervalleyinc.com, natchezss.com, midsouthshooterssupply.com

[470nitro]

oh, forgot a couple of things:

Low cost and good tumbler: Cabela's Case Tumbler Item:IA-212867

Brass: In case you run out of your own pick-ups, send an email to Bill Hoff at Southern Brass z56panhead@yahoo.com. Good prices, especially on 9mm right now.

Edited August 10, 2010 by 470nitro

[MARKAVELI]

Once you pass the initial start to loading the rest shouldn't be that much, as long as you buy in bulk that will help with the loading cost! It might cost you a little it might cost you a lot the point is its gonna cost you! Lol!!