How loads their own ammo?

[Medic82]

Shooting is extremely fun and I can't get enough of it but sadly it's a very expensive hobby if you are an active shooter and have guns in more than one caliber. So to save some money I am going to start loading my own ammo, was really going to wait until I got a revolver but I figured out I might as well start loading some 9 mm seeing that I can cut the cost by almost 100$ on a 1000 round basis, I buy my ammo in bulk so I get some discount.

But anyhow, what press are you using? I am stuck between a Dillon 550B http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/23594/catid/1/RL_550B and a Hornady Lock-n-Load AP http://www.hornady.com/store/Lock-N-Load-AP-Reloading-Press/ but I am favoring the Dillon press. I'm not only going to load handgun ammo but also some 223 and 308 when I get my hunting rifles.

[jerseydevil]

Wow, way too fancy  . When I handload with a buddy of mine, we use an old Lee single stage press. I also have Lee Loader sets for four different calibers, you don't even need a press with them, just a mallet!

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/Lee-Loader-Rifle/

Those are just the current calibers, I have one in 7x57 Mauser that my father got ages ago. The only issue with the Lee Loader is that you can only neck size brass, so the brass has to come from your own rifle, not used empties from another source. You know, I don't think that they'd handle Berdan primers, though. That would be a problem, since here in the US we use Boxer primers. US reloading gear is usually not set up to handle Berdans. 

[Medic82]

I really don't know if I need a progressive press or a single stage one in the beginning, but knowing me I will most surely get hocked and upgrade within a few months

[Threeme2189]

Is this thread in chinese?

[Medic82]

It's a rare English dialect called gunspeak, it's not that common in Europe but pretty wide spread amongst Americans.


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[J-sews]

I use an RCBS Rockchucker, which is pretty slow and basic, but plenty adequate for the small number of cartridges I load each year. Between my .25-06 and my dads .308 (7.62mm) I probably load only 50 rounds a year.


From what I've heard, the Dillon presses have an outstanding reputation among the high-volume shooters.

[Medic82]

I use an RCBS Rockchucker, which is pretty slow and basic, but plenty adequate for the small number of cartridges I load each year. Between my .25-06 and my dads .308 (7.62mm) I probably load only 50 rounds a year.


From what I've heard, the Dillon presses have an outstanding reputation among the high-volume shooters.

Well I use more than 50 rounds a year, more like 4-5000 and that's only 9 mm.

Been reading up on both Dillon and Hornady and I can't find any bad word about either so it looks like I will be going for a Dillon press since they have extremley god rep and it's cheaper than the from Hornady


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[J-sews]

Is there any problems getting powder and primers in Norway?

[Medic82]

Is there any problems getting powder and primers in Norway?

No problems at all. Norway is a hunting nation with ca 600 000 registered hunters (we are 5 000 000 Norwegians) and we have 1 600 000 registered hunting weapons in the country, so every sporting goods store that wants to make any money have a good supply of powder and primers since the hunting ammo that we must use averages in the 20$ range per round for the cheapest ammo, so there are lot's of hunters that reload. But the thing that puzzels me is that we can't send live ammo in the mail but when it comes to powder and primers there is no problem


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[J-sews]

$20 per round?!! Yikes!

As far as I know, there are no restrictions on shipping powder and primers here in the U.S., but there is a $25 hazmat charge. (hazardous material) So I just buy my powder at the local shop.

[Medic82]

$20 per round?!! Yikes!

Yeah, but I forgot to say that the price was for the most comon caliber, 308, that is used during the Elk hunt wich is the most popular game in Norway and we have to use ammo that expands when we are out hunting, FMJ are a big nono, and if you want to hunt deer or elk you must document that you have been at the range 3 or 4 times numbers of times during the year before the season starts in September and fire X nr of the ammo you intend to use when hunting. When you have done that then you have to pass a shooting exam with the same ammo that is to be used during the hunt, after that you can go and hunt what we call big game that is deer and larger animal.


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[jerseydevil]

$20 a round! Good Lord! I think that the most expensive ammo I've ever purchased was some new mfg .577-450 Martini-Henry, about $10 a round. The Martini is one of the rifles my father reloads for, it's such a large cartridge that we need a separate press modded to handle the dies. I have paid more for individual cartridges for my collection, actually one of the most expensive ones I own is a .56-56 Spencer, original Civil War manufacture. For the collection, I'll spend the money. To shoot, no way.