Reloading ammunition

Question
Hello Bob,
I have a couple questions about getting started with reloading ammunition for pistol, rifle and shotgun ammunition.
What equipment (including brands if possible) would you suggest for a novice re-loader wanting to get started?

Is it possible & cost effective to load sabot slugs for a 12 gauge slug gun? I ask because the slugs I typically use cost about $4-$5 each, and I can blow through $200 "worth" of ammo through my 1911 pretty quick!
What manuals would you recommend?
I would like to be able to reload all of my types of ammunition with one press is this possible?
I am looking to reload 12 & 20 gauge slug and shot shells, 7.62x54R, 7.62x39, 300 win. mag., 7mm, .308, .45ACP, .40 S&W, 357 Sig, 9mm Luger, 10mm, and 45 Long Colt.
What scale, crimper, brass trimmer, de-burr tool, and other tools necessary would you suggest?
Is it true that loading your own ammunition can yield more accurate and "cleaner" shooting ammunition? If so how is this achieved?
I know these are kind of stupid questions, but I have become fascinated with loading my own ammo. I hear other folks at the range talking about how much better their firearms shoot and how much money they save by loading their own ammunition. I have also heard that it can be quite tedious, but it sounds like its right up my alley! I know that there is quite a hefty initial cost, but a few of my friends and I are going in on the cost together and we have settled on about $700-$800 being the high side of what we wish to spend. If this is to low I can probably convince the guys o go as high as $1000, but I would prefer to stay as far under that as possible and still get quality tools that we will hopefully never, or at least rarely have to replace. Thank you very much for you time I sincerely appreciate it, and I know my friends do as well!!!

Answer
Hello Glen.

You have asked a lot of questions and it would take a book to answer them fully. I will give you as much info as possible here but I can't possibly cover everything you need to know via this single response.

I highly recommend the Dillon brand for presses, dies, and related loading tools. They cost a little more but they have a lifetime warranty and will replace any lost or damaged parts free, no questions. If you load as much as you plan to then this will be money well spent. The brands of the components will vary with each cartridge type so I can't possibly list them all. In general I tend to use Winchester and Red Dot powder, CCI primers, and brass from the cheapest online supplier such as Cabelas or Midway USA.

If you are paying up to $5 for a single slug round then it would be worth it to reload those depending on how many you shoot. If you only spend $5 per box of slugs then I wouldn't recommend reloading shotgun shells unless you really shoot a lot, more than a few cases per year. You won't save as much money on this side and it takes just as much time so the primary advantage is for high volume shooters or people that like to customize their loads.

Any reloading manual will work if you get an up to date version. I have Speer, Winchester, and Hornady loading data and you can even find loading data online for free but be careful of the source. You don't want to experiment with someone else's errors.

You won't be able to load all of those cartridges and shells on one press. You will need 2 presses at a minimum, maybe 3. Eliminate the shotgun shells and you can load most of those on the same press provided that you buy the right press. See the Dillon catalog for more details.

Any good digital scale will work. Buy from one of the major reloading vendors and not from that news stand on the corner that also sells velvet posters and rolling papers.

Most of the Dillon dies have the crimp function built in. Shotshell presses come with a crimping function as well. I have never needed to trim my brass. I don't reuse it that many times, I simply throw it out when it gets too long. After reusing some cases 4-5 times I have yet to find a case that was too long but it depends on which calibers you are loading. Some will lengthen and stretch much faster than others.

Reloading can indeed yield more accurate and cleaner shooting ammunition but it all depends on your selection of components, the quality of your press, and the amount of time and attention that you put into it. By reloading you can custom fit the cartridges to your specific firearm and adjust the individual components until you find the ideal load for your specific need. You can also select cleaner burning powders, lower charge weights, and fully jacketed bullets to minimize smoke and lead pollutants.

If you eliminate the shotshell press and related tools from your equation then you should be able to get a full setup for the other calibers within your budget. Of course the brass, bullets, powder, primers, etc. will cost extra. Each new caliber requires a new set of dies, tool head, and special components so the cost goes up with every round that you add to the mix. I personally own and shoot a wide variety of firearms but I only reload for the basic cartridges such as 9mm, .38 Special, and .357 Magnum which I shoot often enough to justify the time and cost.

The actual amoung of time is a bit steep when you are learning but once you have done your first few batches then it can go pretty fast provided that you setup the press once and run a bunch of cartridges through all in one batch. Changing and setting up the press takes more time than the actual loading. Your choice of presses also has a lot to do with the speed. The Dillon catalog has a lot more info and it is free.

I highly recommend that you stop by a local store that sells the reloading equipment and just hang out for a few hours. In most cases there will be several experienced people there that can teach you a lot in person for free. They usually have demo equipment setup so you can get some hands on experience too before you buy.

Good luck!

Bob