I am pondering?????

[ozark]

First, since I don't shoot much I know that I can't justify buying the items necessary to reload cartridges for my .243. It shoots great with factory ammo but I thought I might enjoy the process enough to spend some money. I have absolutely nothing except powder scales and would need to buy all the rest. What items would I need to buy? What powder should I use and roughly what would be the cost? I don't want inferior stuff and if I do set up I would want to know that I was using quality. Since it would be just for my personal use and since I have all kind of time speed stuff isn't even wanted. Would someone do me a favor and advise me? Thanks in advance.... The works, bullets, primers etc.

[youp50]

Hey Mr Ozark,

I just bought a new Lee cast iron press, set me back less than a hundred. Lee Manufacturing puts out some fairly good stuff and a good price. I would look into there stuff, you can google them.

Bullets and brass are kind of high now and it doesn't appear to be going down soon. Bullets are around 25 per hundred and up. Run of the mill brass at near $30 per 100. Haven't bought primers for some time. Powder runs around $20 a pound. Be careful mail ordering powder. there are hazarous shipping charges, primers too. Buy it locally.

I have been watching e-bay for bullets and brass. You have to be patient. There are decent buys, I find it impossible to get a good buy on an auction ending on a Saturday or Sunday. Midway Sales has a good selection of fair price equipment and supplies.

IMR powders has a pretty good web site with reloading loads for their powders.

I don't own a .243 so I have no load suggestions for you. I like netRifle.com. I seem to find commonsense information there. There are quite a few reloading forums out there. Always weigh replies with commonsense until you trust those guys. Some guys have larger testicles than brains. Have fun!!

[RAF]

;DOzark, on this topic I have plenty to say and none of it negative. Facory loads shoot good but hand loads shoot better if done right.
I got started because of my son, who thought he'd like it. He lost interest but I didn't. It's a growing addiction and you acquire more and better reloading equipment.
The first thing I'd buy is a good reloading manual. There are plenty out there and I'll recommend one. Some have reloading data but the one I'll recommend is full of info. It explains the procedures and steps to follow and explained the whys. I read it and re-read it until I understood it. The one I'd get is Lymans. My first was the 47th edition. It has since been replaced with the 48th edition(surprise ;D). The newer one includes data on the newer calibers but the first half is still the same.
As far as equipment is concerned, the sky is the limit. I will suggest a starter kit. I know Lee and RCBS have them and am sure the others do too. They're reasonably inexpensive and have everything you need to make bullets. As you get into it you'll find that there are other things you can get that make the process easier and quicker. As I said, it can become an addiction. Of course being a savage shooter you understand that .
Again, my first advise is to get a good manual and read it.

[wilmsmeyer]

Ozark,

I reload for my .243. Once you have brass, you can reload for about $5-6 per box (20).

You will definatley need the following equipment:

-Single stage press
-Set of dies
-A caliper to measure case and over-all loaded length.
-some sort of case trimmer
-Powder scale
- loading manual(s)

You may WANT the following eqipment.

-An adjustable powder thrower
-a case tumbler for very nice cleaning of the brass

As said by others, the sky is the limit in terms of gadgets and such.

The .243 I own is a very very nice gun. Model 700 26 inch bull barrel w/ laminated stock. Everything is stock, no customizations. The best thing I did was to feed it handloads. It gave me something stimulating to do as well as saved me money.

I would suggest an RCBS starter kit. (RockChucker) 14 years ago mine cost $260.00. Came with the press, the thrower, scale, quality adjustable trimmer, chamferer, brushes, cleaning pad and lube, reloading block, primer tray and a Speer manual. At the time, I bought it for my .357. After I got the .243 years later, all I needed was the set of dies.

If you go through with this, I'd be happy to share some of my favorite loads!

[ozark]

Thanks for the replies. Sounds interesting but since I shoot less than one box in two years I am yet pondering. I may forget the logic of shooting little and look at it as a worthwhile experience. I will still be reading all I can about it.

[chuck41]

ozark said:

Thanks for the replies. Sounds interesting but since I shoot less than one box in two years I am yet pondering. I may forget the logic of shooting little and look at it as a worthwhile experience. I will still be reading all I can about it.

Would you like to shoot more than one box in two years?? If the answer to that is "No" you need go no further. At the very least, reloading equipment is going to cost you 20 years worth of that kind of shooting.

I got into reloading many years ago when I had a lunatic neighbor that led me astray in so many ways . . . . Reloading was the best of them and I enjoyed it for a number of years. Am just now starting back.

The most fun for me was with reduced loads with my own cast bullets. When you are "rolling your own" the shooting becomes relatively inexpensive and your own load that will shoot the eye out of gnat is a thing of great pride. Its lots of fun and does help to keep you off the streets and outta the bars.

[ozark]

At age 79 I am ready to get back on the street and into the bars. If I do reload it will not be to save money. I have more of that than I will ever need if I die tonight. Back in the 50s and 60s I did some re-loading with Army Marksmanship equipment. We were always looking for an edge (not the one here) but discovered it was hard to beat the Match Grade Ammo available to us. We did shoot some 1000 yard any rifle matches with hand loads. I can't justify any of the valuable stuff I have in my shop now but there is a lot to be said for pleasing the spendthrift little boy that lives within.

[RAF]

I don't shoot nearly as much as I used to but have plenty of bullets on hand. I won't be in my reloading room for weeks and one day I go in there and see all the things that have to be done. I suddenly find my self there for hours. I'll realize I only have a 100 of one bullet and still have a pound of it's powder and away I go. Some day I'll just have to go out and make some noise, and chase some of the spiders out of some of my rifles bores ;D.
Handloading can be a very rewarding hobby. Nothing more fullfilling that make some ammunition, going to the range and putting one after another almost through the same hole.

[jims]

To Ozark: If you have more time than money, I have the same dilema, you might consider the Lee loader. It is as I recall a starter set (very manual and slower) but I think they sell for only about $25 and that could get you at least started. Another thought is used equipment on ebay. Often you can do well there. I do not reload much now but have been doing it for 45 years and only soon to be 59. I had to because when I got my 25-06 it was a wildcat and if I was to shoot it I had to reload it.
If you enjoy muzzleloading it is a bit like that, you can fine tune your loads and can try many different combos. There is alot of satisfaction in finding some combination that really works.
Various loads can be gotten from information off a number of internet sites.

[mistered]

All pretty good advice here. What I did about twenty-eight years ago was to start by purchasing a Speer reloading manual, and studying the how to stuff contained in it (showing RCBS equipment of course) which taught me basically what I needed. I actually started with a money saving RCBS set that included a good press (never needed more), a powder measure, a basic scale, case lube, lube pad. In addition to the set all I needed was decapping, resizing, bullet seating, and trim dies. I have since added some items that most guys can get along just fine without including a powder trickler, neck turner, RCBS rotary case trimmer, a Lee priming tool, some mica powder for lubing inside case necks, a primer pocket brush, a flash hole uniformer, a dial caliper, and a neck sizing die. By the way....plan on a good solid bench for mounting your press or you may be struggling.