How much did you spend on equipment (not supplies) to reload?

and as soon as i figure out how tp lock up all my guns,ammo and sharp metal objects so they are not accessable to her ill CONFIRM that with her BUT NOT until all sharp metal objects and firearms are safely secured
 

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I would be interested in how much you spent back when. I have been reloading since 1972. Started on shotshells, 12ga and 16ga. Have around 3200 in it now over the years. NOT including expendable supplies.

At age 14 (1967) I think that I paid a hard earned $9.95 for a Lee Loader for a .308 Win.

I have no idea what I paid for my first press, a Lyman All American Turret press somewhere around 1971 or '72! Some of my dies, my Ideal Powder Measure and much of my early bullet casting supplies came from yard sales.

I'm not a good source of info, as it was a few days ago, and much was used! When you're just a kid picking up pecans, or mowing the occasional yard, or making minimum wage when first married…..you don't get very extravagant! Much of those early purchases are still being used…..we'll, maybe not the Lee Loaders! 😁

I don't load or shoot nearly as much as most on this forum…..I do what is necessary for my needs! memtb
 
I have heard lots of folks asking how much does it cost to reload. There is the initial expense and there are the ongoing expenses. Like updating equipment when something new or improved comes out. Or you get into another caliber. All in, how much do you have in equipment only?
Started at around $2000 And then things were gradually replaced and the hole went deeper
 
This is just a WAG but since 1978 on just presses, dies, tools etc.....
15-20k...
Probably spent close to 10k past couple years with an AMP and a Apex10 and Zero.
 
This hole gets deeper all the time. Went with a new cartridge and just dropped around $300 on dies and bushings for this one rifle. I'm a single stage slow loader. The old rock chucker still can get it done, but there always seems to be something else that I think I need. It keeps me interested and having fun. The wallet takes a hit, but you better enjoy it while you can.
 
How much for all equipment?
Rock chucker Supreme kit is less than $700 off Amazon. It's basic but we used pretty much everything in it. My old setup was pieced together over 60 yrs ago by my grandfather and I've since been using it for the last 30 years we have a Redding scale though. Dies were mostly rcbs $40 today depending which ones and under $10 for shell holders. No bushing dies or anything fancy starting out just a full length sizer with decap and seater die. We'd set the powder throw a little light and used to use a plastic spoon and or a hobby paint brush to add powder to scale instead a trickler. Also a vld chamfer/deburing tool would be good also. The birch wood brass cleaner is a consumable and all you need is a bucket and some warm water. So about $1k should get you maybe 3 sets of dies, a couple shell holders, deburing tool, and the rcbs kit. Shell holders may work for multiple calibers depending on family ie 243, 308, 270, 30-06 vs 7 rem mag, 300 win mag, 375 H&H etc.

Now I'm dabbling with bushing dies, trimming cases, salt annealing with a hand primer. I'm not sure if the newer stuff helped my hand loads but the old pre64's still shoot about a minute or less and the custom shoots under .5. I was trying to see what all the added processes would do to my groups.

For the guy who's not shooting over 4-500 a basic reloading setup should do them fine to get going. I could be wrong but it's worked for me so far.

Search the forum. It's been covered before with members chiming in on what they would have bought knowing what they know now.
 
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