Reload
- Thread starter ITCH
- Start date
No offense, but you might be a little late in the game. Presses should be easy enough to find (I've got a spare single stage I'd be willing to sell you if it came down to it), but components.. if you shoot .223Rem or .308Win, forget about it. A lot of the rifle powders are hard to find, and primers are hard to find. Handgun components are fairly easy to find, primers are still a bit of a hassle though. If you've got a local shop that's got some stock you might be in business, but I suggest stocking up as much as you can reasonably afford for right now if you do start - I'm talking at least 8lbs of each powder (1lb = 155 .308, 300 .223, 1,000+ .40S&W, etc), at least a thousand (if not a few thousand) bullets, and same with primers. Spent cases.. well hopefully you've been saving for a while.
Hopefully there will start to be some stock soon, but it's anyone's guess when at this point. Most of the online dealers are out of everything. I've had to order some 34gr bullets for .223 because I didn't stock up, and it's almost impossible to find 55gr bullets. I've essentially retired the .308 for now because I didn't stock that up either, and match bullets are hard to find as well.
Hopefully there will start to be some stock soon, but it's anyone's guess when at this point. Most of the online dealers are out of everything. I've had to order some 34gr bullets for .223 because I didn't stock up, and it's almost impossible to find 55gr bullets. I've essentially retired the .308 for now because I didn't stock that up either, and match bullets are hard to find as well.
ITCH
New member
I have a complete storage building filled with empties. I don't even wanna guess how much but boxes stacked all the way to the roof and only a little 2 foot path. We are talking several years worth and no boxes have got wet. Seems like all mixed calibers. Sad thing is i was cleaning a shed out and forgot all those empties were even in there. Guess they will come in useful. I had a book on all the stuff but i cant find it !
NotTwoShure
Well-known member
Dillon is six to eight weeks back ordered. This is unheard of for them. The Blue Press is famous for overnight delivery. Just an email response was auto responded to with a note that it would be maybe two weeks before they could send a simple response to a question.
Since 1974, I have been preaching this to friends and family. Stock up, stock up, and stock up.
Food may be next. I went thru the 1970’s oil embargo and inflation. I fear full dollar failure then, G_d forbid; your brass will be worth more than gold.
If you are able to find the press, the components and the time go for it big time. The .223 Rem that should sell at Wal-Mart or Big Five for $7.00 is now $22.00. The cheap South Korean 5.56/.223 pre-Thanksgiving here was 1,000 rnds for $389.00 now $800.00.
Since 1974, I have been preaching this to friends and family. Stock up, stock up, and stock up.
Food may be next. I went thru the 1970’s oil embargo and inflation. I fear full dollar failure then, G_d forbid; your brass will be worth more than gold.
If you are able to find the press, the components and the time go for it big time. The .223 Rem that should sell at Wal-Mart or Big Five for $7.00 is now $22.00. The cheap South Korean 5.56/.223 pre-Thanksgiving here was 1,000 rnds for $389.00 now $800.00.
I use a Lee Progressive and fricken love it. Just be sure and do yourself a favor and get the factory crimp die.
Just remember opinions are like &@$holes and everyone has one: that being said reloading press equipment tends to give birth to faithful followers. Dillion guys can't stand Lee guys and vise versa. This is the way it is across the board for reloading press brands. I bought the Lee because it was well priced and has proved dependable and fast. I check length, and concentricity every 1 in 5, I was checking every piece but have run enough without tolerance issues to check 1 in 5. I found a store selling reloading supplies 60 miles out if town in the middle of farmland Iowa, and they always have the stuff I need. They don't sell over the net just face to face. I suggest you find a mom and pop shop in the country to supply your needs. Good luck!
Just remember opinions are like &@$holes and everyone has one: that being said reloading press equipment tends to give birth to faithful followers. Dillion guys can't stand Lee guys and vise versa. This is the way it is across the board for reloading press brands. I bought the Lee because it was well priced and has proved dependable and fast. I check length, and concentricity every 1 in 5, I was checking every piece but have run enough without tolerance issues to check 1 in 5. I found a store selling reloading supplies 60 miles out if town in the middle of farmland Iowa, and they always have the stuff I need. They don't sell over the net just face to face. I suggest you find a mom and pop shop in the country to supply your needs. Good luck!
On the opposite spectrum of the two above, I own a Hornady Lock-n-Load and absolutely love it. They're not too hard to find now, and run in the sub-$400 range. Finding shell plates can be a bit difficult if you shoot the popular calibers, but it's not impossible at all. Not trying to turn it into a (progressive press) brand debate, any of them will work for you, and all of them require a lot patience, understanding, and some mechanical ability. You will have to work on all of them to get them working to where you want it - don't be fooled in to thinking any of them are going to be 100% out of the box.
With that said.. it depends on a lot of factors for what type press you should start with - the brand is up to you to research and figure out which one you want. How often do you shoot? Are you mechanically inclined? How much disposable income do you have? How many calibers do you shoot, and how much of each one? Do you shoot rifle, pistol, or both? What kind of space do you have available to you? How much is your free time worth to you?
With that said.. it depends on a lot of factors for what type press you should start with - the brand is up to you to research and figure out which one you want. How often do you shoot? Are you mechanically inclined? How much disposable income do you have? How many calibers do you shoot, and how much of each one? Do you shoot rifle, pistol, or both? What kind of space do you have available to you? How much is your free time worth to you?
NotTwoShure
Well-known member
I would not “Throw rocks” at any one who uses, operates and/or owns a reloading press, be it the very old, tried and true “Lee-Loader” to the Dillon top of the line. They all work. I have the old Lee hand loader for some very specific purposes. It is as with anything, when I was young and started in the backpacking thing a very wise sales man informed me to buy the cheap backpack as opposed to the then top of the line “Jan sport” to see if I liked it first. I still have the $19.99 special in my shed. Used it maybe four or five times in the early 1970’s. Only thing I would buy top of the line for reloading is the scales and case gauges.Single Stage - Lee Precision
I'm a little late on the bandwagon here. I also don't have a lot of disposable income to go out and buy a nice shiny new press w/all the bells and whistles. Been looking for older stuff that I can afford, nothing has caught my eye yet. However I have another avenue for a press that I might implement: build my own. I have all the equipment and tools for the job and have identified the required parameters that need to be met. Time is not an issue as I'm retired and have nothing better to do. Plus the satifaction of building my own stuff is well worth it.
I only shoot one caliber, 9mm, and have been collecting all the brass that I can find. This simplifies the design of my press as I don't need the long stroke of a .223 or 30.06. Still would need to buy the dies though and other items that I'd have to buy if I got a used press (case hoder).
Somewhere in the shop IIRC, there's the ram out of a small hydraulic jack, time to go look.
FL
I only shoot one caliber, 9mm, and have been collecting all the brass that I can find. This simplifies the design of my press as I don't need the long stroke of a .223 or 30.06. Still would need to buy the dies though and other items that I'd have to buy if I got a used press (case hoder).
Somewhere in the shop IIRC, there's the ram out of a small hydraulic jack, time to go look.
FL
NotTwoShure
Well-known member
Yup, with out question.
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