I was just curious how much cash I would need to fork over to be able to load my own .270 Winchester, .45 acp, 9mm, and 40 S&W rounds.

What all equipment do I need?

I know I can get some of the stuff used, but are there some things you would recommend buying new regardless of savings?

Use the search feature in the blue bar above (not the white search box—that is web wide—but the one between the words New Posts and Quick Links, to search on this topic. You'll find tons of past posts covering it. The most common recommendation is that you start with a manual or two on the subject (the Lyman manual is a good one) to learn how it works. Then buy the Lee anniversary kit, and a set of dies for every caliber you intend to load for.

You'll also need powder, primers, and bullets, but don't chose those before reading the manual and the load information specific to your round. For load data, it is a good idea to check more than one source, such as Hodgdon's online data manual. And I would start with just one caliber and learn the ropes before diving into the rest. Later, when you know how it all goes together, you can decide whether or not you want fancier equipment? It's not uncommon to keep loading rifle rounds on the single stage press from the kit, but get a progressive or self-indexing turret press for higher volume for handgun loads.

Anyway, you can still get started for under $200, I think, if you shop around.

To answer your 2nd post, it's pretty hard to wear out a press. If nothing is broken or sprung and the ram isn't extremely sloppy, it's probably OK. Dies can get scratched and mark your cases. Run a small thin straight knife blade around the inside of the die and note any rough spots or snags. You can often scrape out a piece of embedded grit with a knife like this. Avoid steel pistol dies and if you do get them, avoid nickel plated cases like the plague. Get dies with carbide or titanium compound inserts. Steel is all you can get for the .270.

A used scale might be off, so borrow or buy a set of check weights. You need a scale to verify a powder measure or powder dippers. You can get by with one powder for pistol. Something in the mid range for pistols like Unique. The .270 requires a completely different powder, something like IMR 4350, H4831 or Reloder 22.

Bye
Jack

Lee Anniversary Kit less than $ 100.00 and three sets of dies and powder, primers, and bullets. A reloading manual like Lyman or if you use Lee equipment Modern Reloading by Richard Lee. Total for everything approximately $ 350.00. This assumes you are using equipment from Lee Precision otherwise add about $ 100.00 or so.

Check out EBay. If you're carefull you can get some good buys there.

Awesome, thanks a lot guys. This site is the best!

aaron
Also check out the Swap/Trade/Buy/Sell Forums on this,and other Shooting related websites for bargains.Just be sure that you know the actual cost of the items
Frank

I'd suggest several articles in the "Tech Notes" archieves on this site would be very helpful. One excellent choice would be Marshall's (site owner) article on handloading on a shoestring and can be found at http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/51

Another artilce I've personally enjoyed is loading the 45-70 by Flashhole, also in Tech Notes. A very complete step-by-step explanation that would apply to any reloaded cartridge, not just the 45-70.

Dan

To answer the question of price... between 3 and $400 minimum considering a press, 4 die sets, tumbler, trimmer etc... For a 200-250 round per hour loader (pistol) I suggest a Lee Classic Turret press, 3 extra turrets, Lee Deluxe die sets, a zip trim (I love the zip trim, others loath it) Lee trimmer sets, a tumbler, a scale,primer pocket cleaner and a Lee pro disk measure.

I'm showing $590 that includes Lee Turret press, one set of dies, powder measure, shellholder and a few odds and ends such as low-end chamfer tool, primer pocket brush and a powder trickler and a plastic funnel. Add in a bullet mold, handles, a luber/sizer with die and top punch, a case cleaner with media and plastic reloading trays.

Another $120 for a propane burner, lead pot and ladle. For me. loading .45 ACP, casting bullets was a requirement. I've not found too many bullets available that aren't about 1/2 the price of commercial ammo, and the same with brass. So, to make this remotely cost-effective, brass and lead has to be very cheap or free.

So, about $700 or so, so far, to reload one caliber manually, plus just under $75 for shipping on everything just mentioned. Everything purchased new because I got tired of trying to find a press on eBay that wasn't within $10 of a new one.

I try to track every penny I spend on my hobbies in an Excel spreadsheet, and have found that I tend to remember a total expenditure that's about 1/2 of the actual number. With my jeep, I thought in terms of $2500 or so, but when I put it in Excel, the number was about $6,000. :)

Everything brand new from RCBS, several caliber dies, several powders, several projectiles, several different primers (very high at the time). I spent about $700 out of pocket, for everything. but I don't cast bullets yet, so another couple of hundred to go that route.

For a 200-250 round per hour loader (pistol) I suggest a Lee Classic Turret press...That rate sort of surprised me, in a good way. Is this with pre-primed brass or using one of the other Lee priming methods? I'm real confused about the best way to go as far as priming. 200/hr would be great.

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/51

This is how I got started but with much less than listed. I think I had a MANUAL FIRST, a Lee Loader, some powder, some bullets, some used cases, primers and a hammer. Less than $50 in late 70s dollars. And so it began...

I began with a set of dies for each caliber, a Lee Hand Press, a Lee scale, Lee case trimmers, Hornady powder trickler and Lee autoprime. It all fit in a shoe box. I didnt need or have a tumbler, I just used the vinegar and salt washing method to wash then dried my cases. Powder and bullets was the greatest expense I had.

For a single stage press, the Lee Classic Cast is the way to go. As good as any press made and a lot less expensive and handles any case from .22 Hornet or .380 acp to .416 Rigby and for reloading larger bunches of ammo and not breaking the bank, the Lee Classic Turret Press.

I'm into my setup for about $3000 right now and thats not including components, its an addiction, a fun one though. You'll never save money reloading, you'll just shoot a lot more for the same money.

I have 4 presses, 20+ die sets, countless tools, casting equipment and moulds, and other odds and ends.

My piece of advice is, don't worry about the color of your press but get a good scale (Ohaus, RCBS) and don't use Lee's dippers without a scale. Also, everybody makes good dies nowadays, I wouldn't buy used ones if they are rusty, if you get RCBS dies, they will clean them and polish them for free and repair anything that breaks. I have all RCBS equipment because of their awesome customer service and warranty. I started with a $50 Partner press and $80 scale and some other little stuff that cost me under $200 total, and I've pretty much gone totally overboard, but I load between 10-14K rounds a year. Its an addiction.

You are right about checking the dippers with a scale but once you are certain you have the powder on the label on the container you can put your scale away until you buy some more powder. That is the beauty of the dipper - if you know what kind of powder you have then you can forget about the scale.

You'll never save money reloading, you'll just shoot a lot more for the same money.Oh my god. You just answered a question that's been on my mind for several days now. I now have several hundred rounds of ammo on the shelf, and have been wondering why I now feel it's not enough--er, know it's not enough. The answer, which you've made clear now, is simple: a day at the range is no longer a pathetic 50 or 100 rds...it has to be several hundred rds! I now don't even want to 'bother' driving to the club unless I have at least 200 rds in the bag...what a waste o my time!

Boy that Lee Anniversary kit is a good start up. I have a lot of the same stuff, but acquired piece meal. I have a lot invested in reloading, but consistently use my Lee equipment. I have the classic turret and love being able to pull one turret and plop in another. I second the recommendation of the Lee's Modern Reloading. I also like Speer and Nosler manuals, but they are somewhat limited in that they only carry their own bullets for the loads. The Lee manual covers many different bullets and powders, as well as being a really good reloading manual.