Dirtshooter

You guys are correct you don't need to build an addition onto your house to reload, now that would be nice, but. I built a small shed, a little less that 8'x8'. I have a workbench on 1 side, on the opposite side is the maybe 30" wide counter top on a 2x4 frame that I started working on in a corner of the utility room. I have the dillon square deal on the 30" counter, opposite is the Rockchucker with powder measure, I keep ammo cans under counter and workbench. I have 2 MEC shotgun loaders that I leave under the bench and attach to the workbench with bolts when I need some shotgun fodder. Oh yeah it would be nice if it was 20x20, but it serves the purpose, had a 5,000BTU A/C and a ceramic heater. Unless it gets into the 20's I can be quite comfortable and get some peace and quiet.

Pop Pop, that was a great story, especially the ending when this man met his maker!! That has always given me problems about what to say, but like you said pray and God will give you the words. You know when you guys first started talking to him, it was like you were discussing the weather, and football and everyone was hedging around the subject at hand. If any of you want to hear a great street evangelist, his name is Ray Comfort and he teamed up with Kirk Cameron and their business is The way of the Master, very uplifting and gives you lots of ways to reach people for the Lord. I won't preach, just that I heard a preacher the other day say don't look at the person, no matter what color or sex or whatever. Look at them like GOD does, he is looking at us as a soul, here is the deal. Everyone has a soul, everyone will spend eternity in 1of 2 places, it is your choice, God wants you to spend it with Him in Heaven or you can do absolutely nothing and go to Hell. Not for a few day, weeks, months or years, but for all of eternity. I will just ask everyone to examine themselves and say if I died in 10 minutes where would I spend eternity. If you are unsure, please either go to your pastor, a pastor or one of us. A lot of folks want to make it a difficult thing, but salvation is very simple, you have to first admit that you are a sinner, we all are born that way. Next you must repent, turn from your sins, ask Jesus to forgive you and try to walk in a new life everyday thereafter. You won't be able to turn from your old ways by yourself, you have to ask God to send the holy spirit to lead and guide you. After that you should find a good Bible believing church that preaches the word and start studying your Bible. And getting baptized isn't necessary, Jesus saves not the water, it is just an outward expression telling the world you have changed and you aren't ashamed of Jesus or being called a Christian.

Ronald let us know what items you need to get up and running and you would be surprised at the excess most reloaders have.

And he will want to load another 5K or so. Lock n load, don't worry about how long it takes to get the powder dispenser set. Just remember you are making custom ammunition, not the run of the mill that we buy just to get by. Just double check yourself and don't assume anything. I won't load if someone stops by unless I am teaching them to load. If you stop by to chat I will finish the round I am working on and turn around and talk as long as you want. No computer, no T.V., no distractions. I like to stay focused and it is a good thing to forget all your every day worries. It is a fun hobby don't turn it into work. It sure is a good feeling to break a clay with a reload, kill a turkey with a reload or a deer. And it is a really good feeling to look at the growing pile of ammo. But it is addicting don't say we didn't warn you.

A.J. I have read and re-read this thread and I really enjoy the down to earth conversation. We had a young man who ended up being our pastor's grand-daughters husband. He got saved and baptized and you could just see him growing in his faith. One day in a morning prayer time, when he prayed it was something like this, Hey Jesus and he talks with Jesus like me and you might talk. It was really refreshing, because I think too many times we want to paint God as a being so far away, but he isn't. I have this idea that God is leaning down cupping his hand to his ear listening for all of us to have a conversation with Him. I haven't told anyone this and hesitate to do it now and I am not bragging so please don't think that. Sometime in July we had a flash flood and me, my son and grandson had been shooting and stopped by a LGS well as we were leaving a fellow in a well used car had his hood up and it is still lightly raining, he had misjudged the water and got his engine flooded. Well we hook up the jumper cables and it took 30 minutes or more of fiddling to get the car going and the fellow had told me he didn't have but a few dollars and was waiting on a check. So I put the jumper cables up and it just hit me to give this guy some money, I was kind of like you I had about 5 Benjamins and some Washingtons and I said to myself, you have much more than this guy, so I hand him a Benjamin and he looks at it and said are you kidding me and I said nope, not kidding you. You want to know what happened next, he asked me if it was okay if he prayed for me. I almost broke down crying. My son saw me give him money, but didn't see how much, I never told my wife. You know the saying it is better to give than to receive, believe me it is so much better. I used to use the word coincidence, I don't use it anymore, if someone is in your path, they are there for a reason. Stop and figure out the reason and what you could do for them. Hope all of you have a blessed day. Thank you Jesus for all the many blessings you have rained down from Heaven upon me and my family.

At least ole Bernie had the good sense to dress for the cold weather. Plus he couldn't get the 12 supporters together like Ole Joe.

I am kinda wondering how dumb they can get. I like to watch the man on the street asking these dumbos questions. Now these are college age kids mind you, supposedly have a high school diploma. What year did Christopher Columbus discover America and gets answers like 1942, granted that is the correct numbers just not in that order. Like Bill Engvall says here's your sign!!

Ding, Ding, Ding, you win. That is one reason I started reloading. At $6.00 per hundred me and a shooting buddy will go thru $24 worth of ammo. I always make sure to take plenty of ammo in case my shooting partner that day doesn't have a whole lot, I tell him there is the ammo can, have fun, just help pick up the brass. So before the next range trip I can fill 'em up again.

Well other than the primers those prices I quoted were today's prices that is if the XTP's were in stock. If they shop around there are still good deals. You have to hunt. Plus I also cast lead bullets for .38 cal and .40 cal for my plinking loads and it would really hurt your feelings to tell you about $0.06 per round or $6.00 per hundred for plinking ammo than other that reloaded were on Gunbroker for $150.00 per hundred lead round nose bullets for .38 special.

Smart man, good manual scales that are accurate is a must, unless you spend lots of money the digital scales are so so, IMHO. I started with rockchucker single stage and still load all my hunting and defense ammo on it. I have a Dillon Square Deal B progressive that I load .40 S&W and .38 special for training/practice ammo and can easily load 300 per hour. It took me awhile today to load 200 .357 hunting rounds on the rockchucker. BTW both my presses were used, got the Rockchucker at a pawnshop and the Dillon off of evilbay. The Dillon is still under warranty also, if you find one in a ditch and it is blue they will honor the no b.s. warranty no questions asked.

Well the 2400 powder this month $28.00, primers 13 years ago $19.96 per 1K, bullets not sure, but Natchez shooters supply had them listed for $23.29 per 100.

Red I assume you use the lead hammer to knock bullets out of mold? I use a hardwood 3/4 dowel.

But do you really blame the ammo makers, I am afraid if I was the CEO or CFO I would say 50% increase and see how they sell. If they sell well, make it 60%. Like the old saying make hay while it's right for making hay!!

Howdy, I thought I would post this just in case someone has that question rolling around in their noggin. I loaded .357 magnum with158 gr. Hornady XTP HP for hunting and defense. It cost me a tad less than $30 for 100 rounds. Ammoseek had 158gr Hornady XTP HP for $174.99 for 50 or $349.98 for the same thing I loaded for less than $30. Granted it took my time to do the work, but most hobbies like fishing, golf, hunting etc won't pay you $319.98 per day. Plus it was a nice rainy day and I was dry and all by myself.

Glad you liked you experience Lock n' load. Many years ago like mid 70's I had a customer and he let me go to his place and load up .38's. It got me hooked. Nice of your co-worker friend. It is a hobby in itself. I find it peaceful, when you are reloading and you are focusing on what you are doing, you don't even think about life's challenges like mortgage and car payments. Plus at the end of your reloading session you are X number of bullets ahead in your quest to have ammo on hand whenever you feel like shooting. Then you get to pick up the brass and start all over again. It really is a viscous cycle!! LOL Btw it isn't about how many you can load in a session it is about the quality of your creations.

For those needing dies, I bought a set directly from RCBS when I couldn't find them anywhere. Just an FYI. Red that is a nice set up for sure. Isn't it nice to make, load and shoot your own bullet creations!!

No kidding, sir are those treble hooks on that fishing lure? Put the rod down and put your hands behind your back, we are arresting you on the grounds you may hurt a sweet little fish that is swimming in his own backyard minding his own business. Judge says 25 to life!! But Hillary still walks free as a bird!!

Hi guys, on a whim I went to Midsouth shooters supply and looked at in stock pistol bullets. They had exactly 4 choices, 2-32 caliber and 2-50 caliber. It is pretty bad when I have more bullets than the supply house that I usually buy my bullets from do. Sad, sad days!!

Palmetto had Pmags for $13 and change. Saw on GB .38 special lead round nose 100 rds for $155.00 plus shipping not an auction a set price. Yea don't spend all your money on ammo, save it for the $7 a gallon gas we will be buying shortly.

Need to include where to buy them!! You could put somebody's eye out with that thing.

It's decent, in this climate anyways. It would be better if it was JHP's

It was all explained at the 4th word Kalifornia. The land of fruits and nuts!!

Beltfed, note to self don't loan said nephew anything. Note # 2 tell said nephew to bring your chainsaw back and while he is at your house get him to clean the rust off your square deal. Then on his way to his vehicle give him a good swift kick and tell him Adios Amigo!!!

My worst reloaded hull didn't look that bad. Looks like a 3rd grader did it out in the back yard with a rubber mallet. LOL

Derek you have been given some good advice by many. I might add trying to find or make friends with somebody that reloads. It is much easier to learn by seeing it done firsthand. You still need to have and read reloading books. If you friend will teach you and let you load some, you can find out first hand is this something you would enjoy. If you aren't a perfectionist, I say leave it alone. I enjoy reloading almost as much as shooting and I can do it in the dead of winter at night. If you still want to reload your best bet for economy is finding used items, they rarely get worn out. I will 2nd what Paul Revere said, I started with and still load on a Rockchucker, but my dillon square deal is nice. Bought it used off of evilbay and it had belonged to a shooter so no telling the tens of thousands this machine has made, if I have something break, Dillon replaces it free, I told them the first time I needed something that I bought it used off of evilbay and the guy said it's blue isn't it and I said yes and his reply was I don't care if you found it in a ditch is has a lifetime warranty. Start looking for your newest best buddy!!