A good deal for loading ammo?

[HelenWheels]

I'm getting ready to purchase my first Glock 19 and would like to build up a supply of ammo. A friend of mine loads his own ammo and has made me the following deal:

You pay 75% of the cost to set up my press for your caliber (dies, press conversion kit, etc) I’ll load them for you. You will also have to buy (pay for) the brass, bullets, powder, and primers (I don’t load or shoot that caliber so I have no use for the components)

It does sound like a great deal to me but I wanted to check with ya'll here. I'm not sure what the setup costs would be and how much ammo he'd have to make for me to "break even" with buying ammo from a store.

Thanks ya'll.

[Minotbob]

Why not learn to load your own. You can get a good RCBS Partner Press for @$80, Dies @$50, + consumables. It's fun and very rewarding. Besides I'm reluctant to trust anyone's reloads.

http://www.gunaccessories.com/RCBS/Default.asp

[chris]

Second reloading your own. Helps pass the winter months.

[cohutt]

If you load on his press you are OK; if he loads for you on his press, even if you provide 100% of the components, he is crossways with the ATF.  He needs a type 6 FFL to do this as technically he is in the business of manufacturing ammunition when he makes it for you, even at no charge.

Yeah, I know, who would ever find out?  And would the ATF really get worked up about it if they discovered it?    I wouldn't test it based on some of the extreme measures the ATF has taken on other seemingly minor infractions.  (He would be the one at risk)

Learning to load your own is the way to go.  You'll come out with a much better understanding of ballistics and will have better than commercial ammo for your specific gun.

In the meantime, pick up all the brass you can when you shoot regardless of the caliber.  Don't be picky, you can sort later.  The calibers you don't shoot or load for can be traded or sold- the market for fired brass is alive and well.

[Craig67]

I'd be very cautious about shooting somebody's reloads. I take the time to make sure my reloads are safe.

A Lee Classic 4 hole turret press is inexpensive and will allow you to make 100 rds per hour working at a decent pace.

Craig

[Jack Crabb]

BATFE/Legal issues aside, when it comes to reloads, I trust mine, you trust yours, and otherwise we shoot factory.

[RipTombstone]

Make the counter offer that he shows you how to reload on his press, and you use his press. Then you are learning if you like it, how to do it, and getting some experience all in one shot. Buy the dies needed for yourself to use on his press, and then when you can get your own press, you will already have that part, and be experienced to boot!

I have had several friends want me to reload ammo for them, but I simply suggest that they can come and use my press, with their own componenets. If I already have the dies, they are welcome to them, otherwise, they buy them and keep them.
RipT

[dudekrtr]

Rips got a real good idea. Gets my vote.

[bushidorobb]

Get your own and learn to do it yourself.  If you and your friend ever have a falling out... he may keep your stuff.

[Duc1]

I enjoy doing it myself.  If you ever had something go wrong it may end the friendship. 

[Plainsman]

I concur with many here:

I don't reload for others due to liability issues primarily.

Anybody that wants to LEARN to reload is free to come to my place and use my equipment and I'll teach them.  If I have the dies, all they need to purchase is components.  If I don't have the dies, they need to buy their own set.  They reload their own on my equipment, but I don't touch their reloads.

I don't shoot somebody else's reloads!!  I did that ONCE and never again!  You just never know how careful they were or what the load really is!

Good luck!

[r1kk1]

That's what I do. If people are interested, they use my equipment with their components. Then they buy what they like for press, dies, etc.

take care,

r1kk1

[jbm555]

I concur with many here:

I don't reload for others due to liability issues primarily.

Anybody that wants to LEARN to reload is free to come to my place and use my equipment and I'll teach them.  If I have the dies, all they need to purchase is components.  If I don't have the dies, they need to buy their own set.  They reload their own on my equipment, but I don't touch their reloads.

I don't shoot somebody else's reloads!!  I did that ONCE and never again!  You just never know how careful they were or what the load really is!

Good luck!

I do this also.  However, after a sort of scary experience with my brother I make sure that they posses at least a wee bit of intelligence and common sense before I make the offer.  There are some people that, for their safety and the safety of others, should never reload. 

[RipTombstone]

There are some people that, for their safety and the safety of others, should never reload. 

The same thing can be said about breathing and reproducing too....
I am always right there with them when they are using my equipment, but they are the ones feeding the machine.
RipT

[dicko]

I see that you have been given some excellent advice already.   I can only concur.   Do not, under any circumstances, shoot anyone else's reloads.   I am a serving range officer and you wouldn't believe what I've seen with some people's reloads.   

Very few of us can afford to shoot factory ammo, so all who shoot regularly have to reload.   But its not a chore, its a challenge and a vital part of shooting without which it is an incomplete activity.    As others have said, it greatly improves your knowledge of ammo and ballistics.  With respect, I don't understand why a regular shooter would not want to load his or her own.    Reloading is a mechanically simple thing.   About the only caveat is that it is not for the careless, because mistakes can be unforgiving.   But that is no problem for any normally intelligent and responsible person.

Start with good but modest equipment that need not cost megabucks.   Stay away from progressive presses and other sophisticated stuff until you have accumulated some experience.   And make sure whomever teaches you is a solid type whose main concern is safety.

[hd45hunt]

I agree with all the above in regards to loading your own.  Another thing to check and I don't see it mentioned above is be sure your gun can shoot reloads.  I'm not a Glock owner, but I believe I read somewhere that Glock barrels are not very forgiving of reloads??  Any of you Glock owners got further on this for HelenWheels?

[RipTombstone]

I think the Glock concern was more with loading lead bullets. I think the polygonal rifling strips lead off and then begins to foul very quickly. Then pressures can build and boom.
Other than that, I havent heard anything.
RipT

[cohutt]

Rip's right, I have 2 glocks that have never fired factory ammo

[hd45hunt]

Copy that, I knew it was something, just wasn't sure what it was.  Thanks for clearing the fog away.

[dicko]

I think the Glock concern was more with loading lead bullets. I think the polygonal rifling strips lead off and then begins to foul very quickly. Then pressures can build and boom.
Other than that, I havent heard anything.
RipT

A few years back, a story was started that cast bullets should not be fired in Glocks.  Dunno who started it, I heard it was Glock's north American distributor, but I can't confirm that.   It has circulated the world and is believed by so many that it has become entrenched as a hard fact.   It is BS pure and simple.   Polygonal rifling is not new.   It is just one of various rifling forms that existed a century ago, and I have inspected an early 20th century Westley Richards rifle with polygonal rifling.   Conventional land and groove rifling became dominant probably because it was both succesful and easiest to produce with the cut rifling machines that dominated barrel production from late 19th to mid 20th century.

The important point to note is that all ammo of a particular calibre made in hundred of factories around the world must be made to tolerances to fire safely in any firearm of that calibre, also made in many factories.  That is true whatever form of rifling that firearm may have.   The same factory ammo is fired in Glocks of various calibres and in firearms with conventional rifling.   To put it differently, Glocks fire exactly the same ammo as all other firearms.   That includes handloads, because they must also be made to specifications that will function safely.   Excessive leading in polygonal barrels ?   Nonsense !   Leading is a function of alloy hardness, lube quality, velocity, and bore smoothness.   As Glock bores are very smooth, leading should be less not more.

I am a commercial bullet caster.  I cast more bullets in a year than most home casters will cast in a lifetime.   Several of my customers have Glocks.  One has three in different calibres.   All have fired thousands of cast loads with no problem.   Trust me, you can shoot cast loads in your Glock just as you can in any gun.   The story to the opposite is pure BS with no basis.  Beats me why otherwise intelligent reloaders believe it.

I strongly suspect that if it came from Glock, it was really just the usual voidance of guarantee if reloads are used.   All gun manufacturers say that, and I suspect that Glock's was misinterpreted as being against only handloads. 

[RipTombstone]

One of many other forums and websites talking of the same thing...
http://www.glockfaq.com/content.aspx?ckey=Glock_FAQ_Reloading

RipT (who has no fight in the matter, as I got rid of my Glock years ago)

[r1kk1]

A few years back, a story was started that cast bullets should not be fired in Glocks.  Dunno who started it, I heard it was Glock's north American distributor, but I can't confirm that.   It has circulated the world and is believed by so many that it has become entrenched as a hard fact.   It is BS pure and simple.   Polygonal rifling is not new.   It is just one of various rifling forms that existed a century ago, and I have inspected an early 20th century Westley Richards rifle with polygonal rifling.   Conventional land and groove rifling became dominant probably because it was both succesful and easiest to produce with the cut rifling machines that dominated barrel production from late 19th to mid 20th century.

It's funny. How we manage to come full circle and invent nothing new. Polygonal rifling being nothing new. We can't seem to leave our black powder roots. Thank you for this post. Wolf sure made a lot of money selling replacement barrels for the Glock. I have seen gun writers regurgitate misinformation over and over again. I use to do custom brass case forming for obsolete and wildcats years ago. Reloaders were either my best friend or worst nightmare. As a commercial caster you understand this.

take care,

r1kk1

[joeinwv]

I thought the issue with Glocks and reloads was that they do not fully support the case....

It will be tough to make money on 9mm compared to factory FMJ. Reloading pays real dividends on larger calibers, especially rifle.

I reload for most calibers I shoot, but not 9 or 380. 44 mag is well worth the time and effort, as are 308, 30-06, etc.

That said, reloading is a fun hobby in and of itself - get a Lee single stage press, a reloading manual and a set of dies. For under $100 you will be in business.

[r1kk1]

I reload for everything. I don't shoot many jacketed bullets unless it's for a subcaliber. I make some of these. Some of the semi's have unsupported chambers. I do not know which ones. I may own one or two but have not noticed a bulge. At least visually and they seem to function fine. My wife loads 9mm once a year. I load 45 ACP once a year, the wheel guns are loaded at least twice a year. She will load 2k of 9mm and I load about the same as we have three 45 ACPs. My son loads 1k a year of 40. Someone will need to chime in about a list of semis that do not fully support the cartridge. It may be caliber related, it may be firearm related. I do not know.

take care,

r1kk1

[dicko]

I use to do custom brass case forming for obsolete and wildcats years ago. Reloaders were either my best friend or worst nightmare. As a commercial caster you understand this.

take care,

r1kk1
[/quote]

I sure do.   Very interesting stuff, that sort of case forming.    I've done some very simple case forming, 308 Win from 30-06 and similar, but nothing as complex or esoteric as you describe.

[red123matt]

Do what Riptombstone recommends.  learning on someoneelse's press is a great idea.  i don't trust other people's loads at all even though they may technically be better than mine.  plus i doubt you are going to save much money on that set-up.  it really depends on whether you are just loading target rounds or for self-defense.  if for target rounds, then you are going to have to shoot a lot to overcome the substitute cost at China-mart.  if defense loads you will have to load a lot to overcome the "set-up" costs.  alternatively, go to Craigslist in your local area and see what they got.  don't pay more than 50% of retail for the equipment and learn yourself.  good luck.

[Smurf Hunter]

$100 Lee anniversary kit and $40 for the 4 carbide die set will pay for itself after a few hundred rounds (assuming free brass).

I understand the upfront cash outlay, but if you buy and shoot 50+ rounds per week, it's only a few months worth of ammo cost to be able to roll your own indefinitely.