Do a little shopping & find out, reloading equipment will make a ammo for whatever you have provided you buy the right equipment, I enjoy reloading a lot.

 

You don't say what your current firearm inventory is, understandable, but personaly I would be looking to get into reloading. I would also buy supplies as often and as much as can be afforded, especially primers and powder. Many people find reloading to be as enjoyable as shooting.

 

Both affordable factory practice ammo and reloading components are in short supply and will probably remain so for the next several months. In the long run, if you like to shoot much the reloading equipment would be my vote. A Dillon Square Deal is a great value for loading handgun rounds.

 

1. How much do you shoot? If you're an occassional shooter, running a box of ammo thru your gun now and the, then the press may not be a good choice.
2. Do you have more than one caliber? If all you own is 9mms, factory ammo is (was?) relatively inexpensive.
3. Do you have the time or inclination to start a new hobby? I always looked at reloading not only as a source if cheap ammo, but as a gun-related hobby of its own.
4. Do you take pride in something you've made by hand? It puts a smile on my face when I can custom tailor a load to my specfic firearm that produces spectacular results that no commercial round can match.

 

Thanks for the replies. I'd consider my collection moderate by local standards though most here would likely consider it small. I've been pretty choosy with my calibers, and went for consistency as well as cost. .22, 9mm and .357/.38 in handguns and 5.56mm and 7.7 JAP.

I'm kind of weird in that I'm not a big fan of .40, or .45, but I do like .44 magnum and would like to own one eventually, my primary consideration is to reload .357 as it is my favorite caliber to shoot and the 7.7 JAP due to being unable to find ammo reliably. I have been saving my brass so i have a few hundred of each and I'd like to shoot more, but it's kind of cost prohibitive.

I don't mind a new hobby as it is really more in support of my current hobby of shooting.

From some of the comments here, it may be a near future next step, but maybe not really a priority for the an immediate future.

 

Saving money thru reloading takes a while due to the investment in the equipment and the fact you'll shoot thru lot more supplies--which isn't a bad thing. While rare or uncommon ammo, such as the 7.7 Jap, reloading is truely a way to making that caliber affordable.

With that many different calibers (if you're going to reload, might as well reload for all), I'd recommend a single-stage press, not fast, but easily adaptable to most any caliber. One can easily get started in the range of $400, sometime less depending on brand equipment and number of acessories. And really, how many bozes of ammo does that equal? Not to many.

 

I like to reload but it takes a lot of time! You can purchase lots of ammo for the cost of the equipment so It is an investment in both time and money.
The main reason I reload is for the custom ammo I use to shoot in matches. I have to seat bullets out to the throat and I need to be able to change powders for the temp and season. With the time and the system I use to reload, I believe it cost me more but I get custom ammo. I can make more money at work then behind my press. Reloading is a hobbie for me and I enjoy it. Execpt when I have to come home from a match and make another 200 rounds for the next day. That sucks.

 

Handload would be my vote. Love my Lee Classic Turret Press and while it hasn't saved me a dime (shoot much more now), I can work up all different kinds of loads. Plus, as the knee jerk reaction continues, it wouldn't surprise me much if the powers that be decide it'd be much easier to go after ammo instead of the bang sticks. Even if they don't, the panic will cause .223/5.56 ammo to skyrocket more than it already has. And, 9mm will be the next big one. Think about it-- what gun caliber that's popular out there holds the large amounts of double stacks? 9mm. Feinstein and her goons will try more than one way to skin a cat.
Good news is they usually overlook handloading. To most people it's all Greek and not worth the effort.

 

I'd have to go with reloading as well. My daughter has a .380 and .45, my g.son has a .45 and one of those crazy AKs.
So I hand roll for them and my .380 Auto, .38 Sp, .40 S&W and .45 AP. Can get time consuming but we love to shoot.
9mm is very common and you can usually pick up a lot of brass from shooters who don't bother to reload.
Sometimes I get lucky and find a guy shooting .45s and doesn't reload.
Finding that perfect recipe is a challenge I'm still working on.

J

 

I would go for a reloading set up particularly because you have the 7.7. You will find that reloading for the 38/357 and 44 mag is a real benefit because you can tailor the loads to your desires--from mild to moderate to hot. I would recommend a Dillon. They are relatively expensive, but have a wonderful warranty. Perhaps you can find a used one already set up with one or more of the calibers you need.

 

That is more of a personal choice. I am in the same boat, but will probably go for the reloading press. I know many people love the Dillon. I am looking at both the Dillon and Hornady. Both are very good and if you get the Hornady before the end of the year, you get 500 rounds of ammo.
This is the link to the free ammo. Get Loaded 2012 - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc

And here is a very good read on the comparison of Dillon, Hornady, and Lee presses.

http://www.comrace.ca/cmfiles/dillonLeeHornadyComparison.pdf

Good luck!

 

Also, for what it is worth, I am still at a toss up between the Dillon 550 and the Hornady Lock and Load. I think the Hornady is a bit better for the money, but my Uncle lives walking distance from me and he has the Dillon and loads of dies so I would not have to buy many. LOL! Also for me Dillon is about a 45 minute drive from my house. They both have great warranties too.

 

Depending on how much you shoot...you can get away with a reloading hand press for cheeeep. I like my classic turret, but having an entire reloading kit in a little toolbox to take to vacation...hide under my desk at work...take to the range for tweaking trials is nice. Slightly off point, but unless you just don't have any firearms, I might go for a reloading setup and stockpile components. I don't even have a .223 anymore (liquidated in divorce) but still have a bunch of ammo and components - I figure if SHTF, it'll be useful at least for trade.

 

Thanks everyone for the comments. There are so many good points and suggestions. Thanks for the link to the comparison PDF though, that was very helpful. I was leaning towards Hornady already and that clinched it. I'm a fan of the LNL setup and for me.

...I might just have to bust out the plastic and get both the press and the pistol (ugh!)

 

Your welcome. Glad to help pass on good info. Since you ARE breaking out the card, eh hem...I could use some stuff. LMAO!!!! :haha:

 

Reloading........

 

I did end up going with the Hornady LNL just waiting for it and my bullets to come in. Recipe books, primers and powder are good to go, and brass is tumbling as I type.

Though I was tempted to let a .44 Super Redhawk follow me home I decided against that. I figure I'll be plenty of busy just trying to keep all this stuff straight. Thanks all for the suggestions and the helpful links!

 

Its fun to reload, you get away from the family and have fun

 

Problem with reloading setups right now is Cheap primers have been gobbled up and even the more expensive primers are gone,I'm sure you will be seeing some posted on Gunbroker for $60.00 1000 then you will have to pay a $27.50 hazmat fee to ship them,most of the powders that are the favorites for reloaders as far as economy have been out of stock.
When ammo runs out on the shelves everybody then thinks I might need to reload,by that time every primer and common type of reloading powder is unavailable,even reloaders that buy bullets online find that they are sold out,so if you don't plan for it you get caught either way.I decided about 8 years ago to stockpile powder primers and brass,I also cast my own bullets so I'm not affected by the panic buying.

 

One place I was at Saturday had Federal small pistol for $37 per 1000, I didn't think that was TOO bad, but that could just be me showing how green I am to the reloading scene.

My intention is not really to save money, but rather to teach myself a hobby and a skill. I have saved some brass so with the 600 free bullets from Hornady (press from press and 100 from dies) and the brass I already have, I don't feel like I'm too far in the hole.

I was going to buy something for Christmas so instead of a new gun mags, holsters, ammo, sights, I opted for the reloading rig.

 

One place I was at Saturday had Federal small pistol for $37 per 1000, I didn't think that was TOO bad, but that could just be me showing how green I am to the reloading scene.

A pretty decent price considering every online retailer is out of them,and even when they aren't sold out run around $30 1000