What reloading stuff to look for at gun shows?

**Suburban** · September 10th, 2006, 11:03 PM

Ammo prices are going up and I've been shooting more, time to pick up reloading, I guess. I'm pretty sure that I'm going with a Lee Classic Turret press.

What components and equipment should I look for at the Valley Forge gun show, so I don't have to pay the hazmat charges and shipping?

Right now, I'm only looking to load 9x19 and 45ACP. Ammo loaded will be practice fodder, not bullseye ammo. Plan to use the Lee hand primer, so that limits me to CCI or Winchester primers.

... or is there somewhere in Delaware County or nearby that has what I'll need at decent prices all the time?

**aubie515** · September 10th, 2006, 11:58 PM

Go look for the guys at TNT Reloading...cannot beat their prices.

I personally wouldn't bother reloading for 9mm...the cases are so small...just a PITA. Just picking up 9mm cases on the range is a pain.

First and foremost, I would recommend buying a good reloading manual. I have a Hornady, Barnes, Lyman and Hodgdon manual. I recommend buying different manuals. It really depends on which brand bullets you are going to be shooting.

I say if you are going to be cranking out 45's to go with a good turret from Redding...or go top end progressive Dillon 550/650 or Hornady Lock N Load. Sure the Lee line will be alright, but their parts are aluminum...If you can afford it...get the better quality presses. Save you some headaches and time down the road.

I covered all of this in another thread.

For dies I recommend Redding dies or RCBS dies.

Powders...Hodgdon's Universal Clays or Winchester 231.

**Suburban** · September 11th, 2006, 02:28 AM

I shoot a few thousand rounds of 9mm per year, between the G17 open gun, G26 and Kahr PM9 carry guns. Could save significantly with reloading. I actually don't shoot all that much 45, but factory ammo costs more that 9mm so it hurts more.

Ratings for the Lee Classic Turret and Redding T-7 are the same, and there's more reviews on the Lee model. However you've got more experience than me obviously, so I'll look into it.

Lee may just have the KIA/Hyandai price advantage thing going for it. The cheaper model gets better reviews because you can overlooks the faults better at the lower price.

Thanks for the tips! Had not expected a reply so quick. Particularly needed a clean burning powder that works well with powder drops.

So, current list:
ABC's of reloading, 7th ed.
reloading manuals
Hodgdon's Universal Clays or Winchester 231, preferably 8 lb. jug
Redding dies or RCBS dies
Check out Redding Turrets

**Farbmeister** · September 11th, 2006, 09:19 PM

Gun shows are GREAT for bullets... simply to save on shipping. Powder is an OK buy to save haz-mat.. but many places will waive haz-mat if you but X jugs... plus if you are not shooting MILSURP powder you are wasting money.

Best buys on primers seem to be online. $15 per k, less if you do 25k.

And don't forget the jerky!

**Suburban** · September 11th, 2006, 11:33 PM

Where can you get primers mail order without haz mat fees?

**Suburban** · September 16th, 2006, 05:27 PM

T & T seemed to be the only table with reloading stuff.

Wasn't sure about their Frontier plated bullets, so I picked up a bunch of Remington. I paid a few bucks more per thousand than the Rainier's and Berry's go for online, but I won't have to worry about cutting the plating with the crimp.

Winchester primers were $17.99 for small pistol, and $18.95 for large.

Got the powder for less than what Natchez asks, plus no haz-mat or shipping.

Not much in the way of manuals though.

$92.27/1000 rounds of 9mm, and $127.37/100 rounds of 45 according to the spreadsheet. That's with the brass I've saved from factory ammo. I can live with that.

**Farbmeister** · September 16th, 2006, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by Suburban

Where can you get primers mail order without haz mat fees?

I've ordered bullets and primers from hitechammo.com

Thier shipping policy:

What are Haz-Mat Fees?
Shipments containing Gun Powder must be accompanied with Hazardous Materials Documentation. There is an additional charge of 20.00 per shipment on any orders containing powder. Up to 3 containers of powder may be shipped on one Haz-Mat fee.
This Haz-Mat fee is not reflected in the shopping cart's totals. Instead, 20.00 will automatically be added to your total cost when we process your order.

Order a case of powder (four 8 lb. containers) andd we will pay the Haz-Mat fee.

If your supplier is HAZ-MATing your primers they are stealing $20 per shipment from you...... demand it back.

**Farbmeister** · September 16th, 2006, 07:22 PM

UPS will straight up tell you they are boning you for more money:

From http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/res...efinition.html

In many cases, UPS requirements are more restrictive than those of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). UPS "conditions incident to transportation" differ from those of other systems due to our unique method for sorting, handling, and moving packages. UPS only accepts hazardous materials shipments from customers that follow these variations. Thats a nice way to say our employees steal and couldn't care less about your stuff.... pay us more and we may actually do it right... right after you win the powerball 4 weeks in a row.

Let me translate: USE THE POSTAL SERVICE.. WE WILL STEAL FROM YOU CAUSE WE CAN, THEN QUOTE SOME MADE UP REGULATION TO JUSTIFY IT. - UPS Customer Service

**pghplr** · September 16th, 2006, 10:13 PM

I won't get into who's a better service, UPS or USPS but as a postal worker I can tell you that most of your packages sent USPS, if flown, are flown by FEDEX. And beginning this month by UPS as well. They've cancelled all contracts with commercial airlines last month. Registered mail doesn't even fly into or out of Pittsburgh at all since June. It gets trucked to and from Cincinati Ohio. Thats a step backwards I'd say. The postal service had a policy called "Sanctity of the mail". Just about all postal facilities in the country have catwalks on the ceiling of every workspace. You are always being watched. Thefts happen, but concidering the volumes we're talking about, very rarely. As a member of the American Postal Workers Union, I don't like those changes and fought hard to keep things out of the competitors hands. Now you don't know who's handling your stuff. And since USPS has basically handed over all airmail operations to "for profit companies", it won't take an act of Congress to raise the rates, it'll be stockholders and greedy execs looking to make a profit. But thanks for the good word on us!