What Do You Need For Reloading And How Much Will It Cost In 2022? 

Midway is great, so is midsouthshooterssupply

Way to go Ken. Now that's starting him off right. Not only for reloading but saving money in general. My big problem these days is time and I've developed a really bad habit of just buying whatever rather than looking for a much cheaper and simpler solution and I want to thank you for reminding me of that. And I especially like the homemade lube and cleaning your brass in a bucket with your own solution. I'm going to have to try both of those at some point, if I ever get the time.

Smart man. We have a big gun store in San Antonio that has a whole room ( like 14 x 20 ) stacked with used reloading equipment and components. They get most of it from elderly widows. Cheap cheap cheap

@@nohandle257 Uhhh, you wanna tell me which one? Is it Nagels? Sounds like it'd be Nagels.

@@RogerCharlamange Yup.

I wouldn't say it's more cost effective for someone that doesn't shoot very much. But these days it seems we're less and less able to depend on ammo manufactures so with the times we're in reloading is starting to prove a lot more valuable than just a cost savings.

Over time, yes. Cost savings isn’t as important as the security of knowing you will never be short of ammo. Let alone WITHOUT ammo.

As soon as I saw this I thought "Equations". The cost of the necessary hardware to be set against the difference between shop bought cartridges vs home made multiplied by the shots fired. It is just how things catch you.

No

That’s a ridiculously ignorant statement.

The number of reloads you get from a case is also dependent upon the pressure of the loads and whether or not you annealed the case necks. Sometimes you will have to discard some cases after the first shot and each loading there after.

When reloading you will learn which cartridges are more efficient than the others.

I really struggled with what items to list. I know a person could make some perfectly good cartridges with the handheld tool, just a measuring scope, and some basic components. And it doesn't take everything I listed. But I also figured that the person that would benefit from a really simple setup like that isn't going to shoot many cartridges and a person that isn't going to shoot many cartridges is probably better off just buying up a few boxes? It was a tough call and I eventually decided to just list the stuff that I found the most useful for me.

@@TomRiverSimpleLiving I think your presentation was a difficult subject to cover in a short video and you did a great job of explaining the tools and systems for reloading. Reloading is as complicated as you want to make it. A simple Lee Loader kit is a great leaning tool. If you never tried one you should. Just to see how simple the set works. The cost of shooting is just out of reach for some people. Don’t underestimate the reloads they produce using one. They will make some accurate ammo with a little practice. If you have limited space and money everything comes in the set you need. You can start out with simple tools and progress to more complicated systems. It is pretty fun to have a reloading system that fits in a lunch box. Shooting and hunting has been made to complicate with ideas of what it once was.

@@TomRiverSimpleLiving.

@@TomRiverSimpleLiving.

Thanks, I really appreciate that.

Same problem I've had over the years with my 303 Savage. I did find some new brass though.

And something I should have mentioned in the video is that it's a one time purchase for most of the equipment. Most of it will last a life time so buy it once and done. That's pretty considering what inflation is doing the price of everything.

Thank you Mark.And I have to say that's a lot of calibers! It's funny but when you reload you just seem to develop an appreciation for all cartridge and what each has to offer, and they all have something to offer or they would have never been created in the first place. I guess reloading for them just lets us really get to know a cartridge?

Mike I picked up a box of the white box CCI and I think they are #39? I haven't tried them yet and they are made specifically for semi autos so not just 7.62x39. But the box I mentioned that I found in the video were standard CCI Large Rifle primers. So some are starting to show up. Just be patient and keep looking. I go to Midway and in the filters for whatever I'm looking for I just select "available". Today they had a good selection of small rifle primers. As for powder, it seems like powder is getting harder to find and not easier. I keep checking but I haven't seen much. And you are right about Hodgen powder being from Austrailia, or at least some of it is. I'm not sure about H4350. IMR powder is a good option including IMR4350. It's made in Canada so a little closer to home. And if you run across IMR 4451, I think it's a great powder and almost identical to IMR4350. But be patient and you find the stuff you need eventually. Best of luck, and Merry Christmas!

@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Thanks my friend, God bless.

I learned how to make my own black powder. I fortunately had the foresight to stock up on components when obama was elected president in order to continue to have ammunition for my cartridge rifles. I am considering getting a flintlock rifle or a percussion cap making kit to go along with homemade powder.

Mister Lewgee, that is something I'll have to check into. I just really haven't seen an advantage to the steel pins but no media with a sonic would be nice.

@@TomRiverSimpleLiving I'm a tight arse, poor too....I've just been using citric acid, sometimes some tartaric acid too and dish detergent. I've found that hot water seems to help alot I'm looking into adding some bore tech carbon remover. Or even buying some boretech sonic cleaner stuff. I drilled out plastic chopping board to make stands...so .no air bubbles and trimmings can easily exit the case. Sonic vibration doesn't travel through plastic ..but, it does metal and glass. If you get one...or find a cheap one...do get a big one if you can . Always fill with water or you'll break it I like to avoid media...sounds like problems... Thanks Tom. I'm finding the way you hold your tongue when shooting seems to make a big difference... Consistent position et all .. Keep well.

@@TomRiverSimpleLiving the carbon in the neck acts as lube...but..it build up every firing and changes...thus inconsistent neck tension...see annealing made perfect video... So...in pursuit on simple and effective (I Lee neck collet die size, no lube) I dip case neck in Redding dry media lube etc...small ceramic balls and graphite I think...then wipe off excess exterior of shoulder.. this is to promote a consistent lubricated neck tension...sonic cleaning makes the brass very clean...dry..and not slippery etc. Recently found water temp at 75drgree Celcius gets helps the citric acid get the last bit of stubborn carbon out of the neck .. Look for citric acid at home brew shop... probably best n cheapest..

Logcabinlooms uses a Lee classic loader and loads quite fast.

I love the Lee Loaders you won't set any production records but you can load anywhere. Wish more people knew about them. A 1000 yard world record was set with the Lee Loader.

It’s only reloading. Chill

You're very welcome Luis.

That's what happens when a cabinet maker fools with electrical! LOL

I have been heading in the same direction as far as smaller but faster calibers. No point in taking a beating if we don't have to!

@@TomRiverSimpleLiving I should add ….I’m also excited by what I’m finding out about monometal bullets. I’m getting good accuracy AND superior wounding. So far. I’m loading just to moderate velocity as I never shoot beyond 200 yds and using 120 grain bullets which keeps recoil down even more. Now my 7mm 08 is my ‘big gun’ and with these light bullets even it is painless. We do have wild elk running around here in my corner of SW Texas and I have some 140 grn partitions loaded up for the highly unlikely occasion I would shoot one. They’re considered ‘exotics’ here and unprotected. I really wish I had gone to 243 and or 6.5 Creedmoor years ago. I don’t like to think about all the money I wasted on 300 WSM, 45/70 or even 270 either. I still have a bit of a flinch those guns caused me to develop. Flinching is weird. It’ll pop up when you least expect it. %^))

I'm glad you like the videos and I appreciate you letting me know that. It's comments like yours that make this worth doing.

I'm praying you're right about the midterms!!!

Have it shipped

@@jhscheppele2448 yeah not a bad idea I'll have to call her up and see if she still has them.

I'm so glad that helped Wes.

The lee perfect powder measure is adjustable to allow for metering of of various powders. It only leaks when not adjusted properly. Otherwise its broken or worn out.

1. I don't remember if I added that cost in but the corn cob media is very inexpensive and last for years. Every so often just add a little brasso to it and it will polish up brass with no problem. You can also get walnut media from Harbor Freight for very little it to will last for a long time. 2. Yes 3 shots was factored into the total. And normally you can get more than 4 firings total and depending the chamber of an individual rifle you may get twice that many firings before you start seeing split cases especially if you're just neck sizing. But your accuracy can suffer a little bit as the case neck gets worked. Not much but you can tell a difference. 3. Yes the trickler is normally used in conjunction with the dispenser. There are new fully automated dispensers that don't require a trickler but they are pretty expensive. And the reason for the trickler is primarily stick powders. Ball powder is very fine and will dispense very accurately from the dispenser, but stick powder is much courser and it feels like running rocks through a blender when you dispense it. That's an exaggeration but you can tell a big difference. The dispenser will literally cut the fine sticks on some charges and that roughness can cause some variation on the powder weight so you set the dispenser a little light and then use the trickler to add a view grains as needed. That isn't required because you can still get very good accuracy and consistent velocity even with a little variation in the powder charge weight and that's one of the benefits of stick powder it is very stable and forgiving. But with the trickler you'll know your charges are the exact weight at least up to the accuracy of your scale. 4. I do not anneal just because for me it's not worth it. I can conservatively get 4 shots per case with new brass and that's 200 shots for a bag of cases. I can go through some rounds doing load testing but after I find a good load for a hunting rifle 200 rounds will most likely last me from then on unless I just decide to do some experimenting for what every reason. My target rifles are different and will get shot a lot more, but 200 rounds is still a lot of firings. And a new 50 round bag of brass isn't that much ($30 to $40) and it used to be even cheaper. If you do anneal you can probably get at least twice as many shots per case before you start having problems with the primer pocket. And I recommend you watch the video by Gun Blue 490 on annealing. He has a great video that explains almost everything on that subject. And you should also watch his reloading videos to see his approach. His videos are long but he goes into much greater detail than I did here. 5. And you do not have to have a chronograph but it really helps. I didn't have one for several years and just set up my loads for accuracy and would check them at different distances and that worked. I took deer with those loads no problems but the chronograph really helps by giving you precise velocity on the loads. That helps you fine tune your loads but also with calculating your trajectory and bullet drop at distance. A chronograph is definitely worth the money and they aren't nearly as expensive as they used to be. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and I hope this helped answer your questions and if you have any more question just ask.

@@TomRiverSimpleLiving wow! If I could “like (thumbs up)” more than once, I would do so, countless times. I really enjoyed the in depth text you provided along side the in depth video. I’ve found both extremely helpful and am absorbing all the excellent information. I appreciate the years of experience and learning you’ve endured so that you may be in this position to share, genuinely more than words can convey. Thank you very much!

If you check often and regularly at the usually places you can find large rifle primers every now and then. I recently got 2000 Federal Large Rifle primers from Nachez. And the small rifle and pistol primers seem to be readily available right now. So it's getting better slowly but surely.

I completely agree about ultimate accuracy not being necessary for hunting, and that reloading isn't really a benefit for someone that doesn't shoot very much. And wish I had stressed that a little more in the video.

My hand loading is about the security of knowing I will have ammo for the rest of my life, putting food on the table and being fully independent. To heck with the cost.

Mike I watched my Dad load with a hand held system and a powder scoop and kill deer. I was being generous in saying that all of this was needed. But I do think this is what is needed to do a good job and safely? If you think I left something out please let me know.

Having reloaded for about 60 years my self and well as collecting guns and my father worked with a gunsmith who was good friend with a guy who lived in Ashland oregon back in the 50’s and 60’s you might know him by his last name Nosler so I have been around the block a couple times too! I think Tom covered most of the basic things needed to do basic reloading! Now someone could always say you need this or that but getting started it’s better IMHO to start with the basic processes first!