2
« on: November 27, 2023, 06:16:50 PM »
To re-load or not re-load is the question. the answer to this one could take pages of different answers / solutions. I do agree keep all your brass even 22 rim fires (Corbin equipment you can make small caliber bullet jackets using spent rim fire cases), keep all your wheel weights. Then you can add once fired brass to your collection when either buying them or picking up range brass. Buy used re-loading equipment once you get the knowledge of what to look for. the only thing I might buy new is a powder scale beam type (they last forever if taken care of). This is tongue and cheek I'm just throwing it out there. If you are looking at down the road of re-loading supplies shortages or worse, think consolidating guns, calibers, useful powders, primers, etc. A little off script here if you don't shoot very much it doesn't make sense to re-load just buy ammo or you can buy for each caliber a set of dies, shell holders, powder, primers and bullets and have a friend teach you to re-load on his equipment or buy your own down the road if need be. Back on consolidating if the shxt hits the burner long term you really only need a handful of guns, a good bolt action rifle probably in 308, ar-15, 9mm, 22 Rim Fire rifle and a 12 ga pump. thinking long term availability of everything something along these lines, tier 1 consolidate powders to what can work in multiple calibers 4895 is a good one to start you can load big game rifles and 5.56 cals, unique powder is another good one for shot guns to pistols, these 2 powders may not be the absolute best for all cartridges but good enough for most, get some 22 rim fires buy in bulk and keep them around. now we all know no one is going to do this right. the next tier 2 stuff you have right now that you like to shoot whatever that may be and keep enough supplies on hand. right now primers are the hardest to find and buy them in 1000 packs, if you shoot hand guns buy small pistol and small pistol mag primers and large pistol primers and large pistol mag primers, in rifles buy small rifle, large rifle and large rifle mag primers, shot guns 209 and 209 mag primers, all of this is dependent on what you shoot of course. I don't think a lot of these supplies are going down in price for the most part, powders and primers are the most important without them you don't shoot. brass can be formed from other cartridges if needed, bullets can be made on lathes or cast, you can cast or swage bullets then plate them just depends on how far you want to go.
On the original question to re-load or not, it's my relaxation time to myself, I've done it for year's, I'm set up for it and still to this day buy equipment that I don't need or a duplicate. these single stage presses today and old school presses, you would have to drive over one to bend, not talking the aluminum stuff, buy good quality standardized equipment used when you can, buy mutiple re-loading manuals. buy a good scale electronics are fine down the road but not to start. used reloading dies when you can, of ourse shell holders, get a good case trimmer, with all the pilots, a good vernieer caliper 0" to 6 " we have the good machinist grade but we use them on car's and other things. get a good vibrating tumbler and go the pet store and buy ground pet litter ground walnut as a cleaning polishing media far cheaper than commercial stuff. I use additives to our polishing media to make it faster, you can use corn cob also takes a little longer, you might want the get a good powder measure for throwing powder charges, not the same as a powder scale. loading blocks you can buy or make. case lube you can make or buy or use carbide sizing dies on pistols and some rifle calibers or just lube and size with regular dies. I roll my rifle cases on a concentric tool but not needed if you load carefully and rotate bullets 180 degrees upon bullet seating half way down and rotate before you bottom out, keeps bullets straight. get a set of case guages mostly for auto pistols, you can case guage by pulling the semi auto barrel and using it as a case guage, same with a revolver just drop each sized loaded case into the open cylinder and see it it drops in. Lee makes the best final size die for auto pistols I have and use them to ensure correct feeding. preparation and inspection is the best thing you can do when re-loading . I probably forgot some stuff the other guys will chime in, keep good re-loading records and keep targets in file folders with loading by each group, all info is good info.