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Minimalist reloading

Really depends upon what you shoot and what your goals are. For standard "bulk" 9mm and 223 (55gr FMJ) you are ahead to just buy it when it's on sale online and save the time and hassle.

If you plan to reload specific rounds for your rifles/pistols or you shoot odd calibers, that's where you start to save money. as others mention, anything with Magnum in it's designation, or anything else that's $15/box or more. 9mm 147gr might be worth while.

In order to do any kind of bulk reloading for the standard calibers, you would need some sort of progressive press or a Dillon 550. This will start to get you into bulk reloading and the only way to get close to or save compared to buying 1k rounds when it's on sale online.

Just an example:
1k 55gr FMJ bullets, usually $70-100
1k small rifle primers $30
powder 3.5 pounds $95 (roughly $28/pound)
free brass. If you don't have it already budget $45/k

You may be able to find deals, but that's around $210 for just the parts if you have free brass. Could be $250 while you can buy 1k rounds already made for less than $300 and it's in nice boxes and delivered to your door.

Costs of machines and tools to get started from scratch, maybe $500 on the low end, $1k on the middle of the scale (Dillon 550, tumbler, trim tool, primer pocket swager if you are using mil spec brass, dies, chamfer/debur tool, measuring devices, etc)

Not saying to get into it, I love reloading, but when friends ask me about 9mm and 223, I tell them to just buy when it's on sale. Unless they want subsonic 9mm or shooting 77gr HPBT match 223 or want to load other calibers it's not worth the money to save the money unless they have lots of free time on their hands. If you shoot something that's $20-50/box it can for sure save you lots. 44 mag, 218 bee, 22 hornet, 35 remington, 32-20, 348 win, etc. etc. etc.
 
Really depends upon what you shoot and what your goals are. For standard "bulk" 9mm and 223 (55gr FMJ) you are ahead to just buy it when it's on sale online and save the time and hassle.

If you plan to reload specific rounds for your rifles/pistols or you shoot odd calibers, that's where you start to save money. as others mention, anything with Magnum in it's designation, or anything else that's $15/box or more. 9mm 147gr might be worth while.

In order to do any kind of bulk reloading for the standard calibers, you would need some sort of progressive press or a Dillon 550. This will start to get you into bulk reloading and the only way to get close to or save compared to buying 1k rounds when it's on sale online.

Just an example:
1k 55gr FMJ bullets, usually $70-100
1k small rifle primers $30
powder 3.5 pounds $95 (roughly $28/pound)
free brass. If you don't have it already budget $45/k

You may be able to find deals, but that's around $210 for just the parts if you have free brass. Could be $250 while you can buy 1k rounds already made for less than $300 and it's in nice boxes and delivered to your door.

Costs of machines and tools to get started from scratch, maybe $500 on the low end, $1k on the middle of the scale (Dillon 550, tumbler, trim tool, primer pocket swager if you are using mil spec brass, dies, chamfer/debur tool, measuring devices, etc)

Not saying to get into it, I love reloading, but when friends ask me about 9mm and 223, I tell them to just buy when it's on sale. Unless they want subsonic 9mm or shooting 77gr HPBT match 223 or want to load other calibers it's not worth the money to save the money unless they have lots of free time on their hands. If you shoot something that's $20-50/box it can for sure save you lots. 44 mag, 218 bee, 22 hornet, 35 remington, 32-20, 348 win, etc. etc. etc.
I want to load my own PD and match grade. I'd like to buy the bulk target ammo and reload it with HP and 77gr. Im sick of throwing away brass.

Plus ammo price and availability are the only reason I dont own a .300blk or 6.5
 
My humble reloading opinion..... I wouldn't tumble at all. It makes your brass look like pimped jewelry sure, but totally not necessary. I wouldn't trim either. 9MM and .223 won't require you to trim, unless you are going nuts with wanting the EXACT length on each case. I trim my .223 because I cast bullets for it and it helps with the mouth flare and taper crimp for them to be all the same. If you're only reloading jacketed bullets in .223 I would not trim. I don't trim auto pistol brass at all for any caliber. Revolver brass is a different story.

You can clean your brass with hot water, lemon juice (citric acid) and Dawn dish soap. Put all the goodness in a coffee can, cap it and shake the fool outta it. It will get your brass unbelievably clean and you won't have to fool with tumbling and media separation. Dry your brass out and reload it. Looks like new brass when done. The GA sun will get it nice and dry for you.
 
You mentioned being mobile and not wanting a bench? When you start the full length resizing of most rifle brass you will find that it is much easier when the press is mounted to some pretty sturdy bench, you can make a base for the reloading machine and C-clamp it to the kitchen counter or other type table? Much like the hobby of shooting in itself the initial purchase (the firearm) can get pricey, same with reloading equipment, back in the early 80's wifey bought me a RCBS Rockchucker supreme kit, had the press, powder measure and scale, with a book contianing loads, its a single stage, meaning you have to put in each die separately for each operation. I still use this to this day and reloading for the most part is cheaper than factory, I shoot plenty of hard lead cast bullets, I load them pretty hot then shoot some factory plated rounds get rid of most of the leading in the bore. Then cleaning is easier.
 
How much are you all finding for 9mm nowadays? Best I can find is about $10 for 50 or $20 for 100. Are you all finding 9mm for 10 cents per round? The reason I ask is because I can load a box of 100 for Roughly $10

$60 - 1k plated bullets (=$6/100)
$20 - 1k primers (=$2/100)
$150 - 8lb of powder (=$1-$2/100)
Free brass

*i haven’t bought components for about a year as I stocked up a while ago. So prices may have fluctuated.

I use an ultrasonic cleaner and the solution has lasted me for god only knows how many rounds. The brass doesn’t come out jewelry shiny, but it’s clean. I bought a Dillon 650 loaded out for about $700 here, dies for about $50 per set and some other accessories. Let’s say 1000 all in. So if I load 10k rounds I break even (saving $10 per 100 rounds I load/shoot). Has worked out well for me. Plus u can always sell off range brass u don’t need...just my thoughts.
 
I feel its a little late to get into it at any savings right now.. But then again it is
hard to find ammo so it could be worth it to those with time. However components are getting hard to find and more costly..

From what I've found @ Today's prices (retail):
$118 - 1k 115gr fmj bullets
$40 - 1k primers
$32 - 1lb of powder will load 1,300-1,400 9mm
Free brass
+ Equipment/Tools & Time =
$160/1000

I have components on hand that only cost me $70/1000. If you really have the time, passion, and an eye for deals you can swoop on some stuff and make it pay for itself. I once gathered/purchased 10k 10mm brass and sold it all and had it pay for my own 10k 10mm brass. I've turned 16lbs of powder into 32lbs.. It's probably the only hobby I've had that has not only paid for itself but has made me some money while getting to shoot as much as I want.

Not everyone is going to take the time to make it worth while either in savings or time to work up loads for your guns that can out perform Good quality Factory loads.. and if/when you decide to sell it all off, someone like myself will gladly take it all and part it out passing the savings on to others..

Also in my opinion.. A stainless steel media tumbler will pay for itself with a little time.. a lee universal de-capper, squirrel daddy hardened pin, and peck the crap out of ranges.. Sell the cleaned *Bling Bling* de-capped brass easier to people who can't afford the time to do it themselves.
 
Lots of reloading calculators out there, run the numbers. Even at todays prices, if you can find the components, you will save 40-50% of what you can buy retail. It will boil down to what your time is worth.
 
Is there a secret to getting brass for $.02? I usually buy questionable brass from a local guy and feel lucky to get it for $100/5K. Is there a source online that I’m missing? I’ll keep picking it up if I have to buy it for $.03 or more but I don’t like it.
 
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