For the type of shooting I do, I don't need match ammo. I need cheap ammo that I can shoot a ton of.
1) If you only get 5 loadings out of new pistol cases, you are doing something wrong. I get 5 out of bottle necked rifle cases.
2) If you only get 1000 rounds of 9mm out of a pound of Unique, see #1.
There are 7000 grains in a pound. So 1000 rounds from 1 pound would be 7 grains per round. A BIT stiff of a load.
I think there is a miscommunication somewhere.
I am saying to compare your reloads to top tier/match ammo for the prices, because you are controlling every single step along the way. You are creating ammo that is to your specs and you verify measurements every 5, 10, 20, 50, or 100 rounds (depending on your choice and your comfort level with your equipment). Your ammo will be more precise and accurate than anything you can buy off the shelf at a gun store or Wal-Mart. That is the reason why I am saying to compare the cost of your reloads to top tier/match ammo. To compare your reloads to anything less than top tier/match ammo is selling your abilities short.
I can mass produce a ton of 223 plinking ammo using non-match components that is equal to or better than FGMM. I took the time to do the load dev and I got what I wanted out of my reloading abilities. Even with pistol, I see more consistency with my reloads, than I see with mass manufactured ammo.
I am all for a lot of cheap ammo, but when you look at how you control every variable from cradle to finished ammo, you have a much more stringent QC effort than mas manufacturers and that equates to a higher quality of ammo produced.
I guess the true comparison is figuring the cases are free when pricing out raw materials for reloads, but deducting the value of the cases when comparing the price of factory ammo. For example, I can buy factory 9mm from SG for $200/1000 and get $30 worth of brass that I could sell so my real cost is $170/1000 for factory ammo. So I compare $170 to the $122 cost to reload and I save almost $50/1000. This is helpful in knowing how long it takes reloading equipment to pay for itself.
As much as I recommend Dillon, a press is a press, and it is better to have any press than not have a press. One day you may decide that the Lee isn't doing it for you anymore and you want to upgrade to something different, that does happen from time to time.I know the Lee Challenger press is bottom of the barrel but I have to say I'm pretty happy with how it primes. I had an issue with the powder measure so I called it a day. Will pick back up tomorrow!
The disconnect in the exchange between DA and Alpha is regards the qualities of the ammo, be it accuraccy per se, unusual bullets, specific velocity levels etc.
With rolling your own , if you had an hankering for140gr SWC at 987 fps, that would group into the left eyeball of a rat , you could do that for essentially the same $$ as generic. Meanwhile , if you are primarily doing holster drills, and da/sa transitions at 7-10yds , anything that goes bang, and lands nose first 10yds away will meet your needs, and anything "better" is irrelevant and pointless.
Loaded my first 17 rounds of 9mm! Used 5.3 gr of unique and 115 gr X-treme bullets with CCI primers, all in some Speer nickel brass. Gonna try these at TMGN tomorrow and hopefully not blow my face off!
If you have that much, you have brass, which is the priciest part of reloading.How it cost effective for the guy who shoots mostly Russian, surplus,and economy ammo? I pay 50 cents or less per .308 round already.
I need someone to help me with my .500 loads.
I have a recipe that I like and has been excellent in my gun.
I did a few batches that were fine and suddenly I'm screwing something up with the crimp or something that won't allow the cartridges to chamber.
How it cost effective for the guy who shoots mostly Russian, surplus,and economy ammo? I pay 50 cents or less per .308 round already.
Dillon. If you want to try one, let me know and I'll let you run mine.So what’s the bees knees progressive reloading press to get these days? Dillon 1 handle pull does it all ? Lol