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Show us your budget reloading gear!

mingaa

mingaa

Raconteur
I started reloading with a Lee turret - yes, they cut some corners but they make some darn good dies! After I got 9 and 40 up and running I moved to 223 - AND the need to lube cases. Here's a thrift store find that really fills the bill for me - broiler trays. The plastic bag method looks good but going this way gives me more control. I picked up the sm tray first to give it a test. I laid out 20 shells open mouth away gave them a spritz then a half turn and another spritz. It's controlled, no unwanted lube down the neck - worked great. a $.50 winner. Next trip back I spotted the larger tray. You see it can hold 3 per slot for a total of 84 rounds - that one cost me a buck so for $1.50 I have a heavy duty 104 round lube station!

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Next - the Tupperware media separator! :D
 
That is one AWESOME idea!!!!!!!! I have never seen those anywhere for such a low price but WOW you were smart to jump on that.

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I have a lot of LEE die sets which may seem like budget stuff but they've always been GTG.

I also have a LEE 4-20 casting pot that cost me around $70 compared to a Lyman that would run $250.

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I've smelted down FREE range lead bullets culled from the berm, how's that for cheap?

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The 140-gr semi-wadcutter mould that made these bullets was FREE from a gift exchange. And the 6-cavity LEE double-ended wadcutter mould (plus handles) that made these soup cans was under 50-bucks.

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Then there's this:::::

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OOOPS, I have no idea how that sneaked in here......

My very first lead smelting setup was a cut off R-22 Freon tank between two cinder blocks and a Coleman camp stove to heat the wheel weights.. Worked great!

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I keep resized and flared and primed cartridge brass in French's Fried Onion and JIF peanut butter containers. They stack really well and save a lot of space.'

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Knocking out tough crimped-in primers from Mil-Spec brass is easy with LEE decappers, which cost about four bucks each for small or large (5.56 or .308) cases. Never had a broken decapping pin problem this way.

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WOW brother - you've got the spirit. Spend money when you want to by saving when you can!!! I've become a real brass rat picking most popular calibers and keeping mine in service. I'll trade or give away 380, 38 or 38 super that I don't plan on using but I have a good cache of 45 ACP that I'm sitting on - that gun is on my list. BUT what do you call a lead digger?? A hill pig?? In the highest sense of the word - like hunting truffles, maybe. I'm big on thrift store Tupperware and the Ziplock bags WITH the Zipper - they squirrel away like brass filled pillows.

Media separators sell for $40-70 all over the place. Here's my shake out system. just bounce 'em upside down over the big bowl and all the Zilla shells come out really quickly - even 223 is clean as a whistle.
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THIS for $.50

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not this

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Call it polishing media and it's no longer the $1 a pound that I pay for the lizard litter! :D

AND where did you get the Lee HD primer removers - I need one for 223! I have a ton of Lake City etc that WILL wear out the standard stuff even if I'm careful. I need to order that ASAP! I didn't find on a quick Google - I'll try again. Send a source when you can!

Oh and SOMEONE is bow hunting in pretty good company. "12 point buck - no, never saw it" hehe - woah!
 
Nothing to show yet but I'm hoping Santa brings me a Lee starter set, some dies and other misc things I have been reading that I'll need. I have a manual already and have been reading it.

Thanks for the tips as I'm trying to make like a sponge and absorb ideas.

Nitesite, which Lee set does the blonde with the bow come with?...or was it the smelter? I can't imagaine that that she's considered budget. :lol:
 
Nitrsite: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/297408 ... 22-caliber

Is that the 223 decapper you are using? Yours looks better and the reviews on this one are love / hate or works / breaks!

Yeah - carbinemike, some stuff you gotta buy and buy right but improvising and creative problem solving is part of the fun for sure! Having a decent workshop to back up your thinking is helpful I love the first smelter "My very first lead smelting setup was a cut off R-22 Freon tank between two cinder blocks and a Coleman camp stove to heat the wheel weights.. Worked great!" a little vision, some concrete blocks, a cutoff wheel - voila!!
 
I have no idea why some reviews are given 1-star and folks claim they broke it, unless they were stupid and tried decapping a Berdan-primed case with two flash holes instead of one in the center (Boxer primed).

These just plain work and they are robust as hell. I give them 5-stars.

Midsouthshooters has a better price then MidwayUSA, and cheaper shipping as well!
 
Yeah the price is the best On the net. I'll add them to my supplier list. Thanks for the quick response. Graf's may have one in stock here in town. I'm loading 9 powder puff 147s tomorrow for a possible match Sun. and want to start stockpiling 223 ASAP as well.
 
Got one locally nitesite - it's pushing everything out with ease! Excellent use of $5. Bit of a drive do I picked up some Hornady 223 and primers to pay for the gas. Got a couple of pics to post once I'm off the phone...
 
Well, great that you found one so quickly! See, they really work, even on the really stubborn crimped primers.
 
Ok...I am in the game. I picked up a MEC 600 jr 12g reloader for $80.

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Next on the list....stuff. lots of it.

;)
 
Just got into reloading in December - I have the Lee Progressive 1000 press was 170. set up for 45 I also bought a set of lee dies in 9mm. Press got mixed reviews but it has been nothing but a joy for me I have loaded arounf 1000 of each with no problems.

Just my .02!

Joe
 
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