for factory ammo look for the commercial imported ammo. You have to order it online most of the time but it does say alot of money
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Cheapest .38 reloading
- Thread starter GAgunLAWbooklet
- Start date
If it is purely a cost thing look at Tulammo at walmart. They have some very cheap 38. $27/50 is really high for range ammo. You can easily find it for half that (25c/rnd) online.
The lee loader is a method, but is most suited for people who reload a few for hunting season or need in the field reloading, not a pistol shooter trying to decrease their round cost. It is simply too slow. At a minimum I would recommend a single stage press. You can pick up a lee or a rcbs partner press for around $40-50. I gave away a spare RCBS partner press at a swap meet, they are inexpensive
The dies will run around $30-40 for a basic set. The good thing about this plan is if he keeps with it and wants to upgrade the dies can be moved. Buy a turret press and the same dies and shellholder will keep working. If you buy the lee loader and upgrade it will get tossed in a box and never used again. It is also less resellable if reloading gets abandoned.
If he isn't asking about reloading I'm not sure I would start buying equipment. Reloading is a passion, especially pistol rounds on single stage. I would recommend finding some side jobs making about $20-30/hr. At 25c a round that will buy ammo at about the same hourly rate you can load it on a single stage, plus no cost of materials (or driving around looking for powder/primers) and will likely develop skills that are useful in life.
The lee loader is a method, but is most suited for people who reload a few for hunting season or need in the field reloading, not a pistol shooter trying to decrease their round cost. It is simply too slow. At a minimum I would recommend a single stage press. You can pick up a lee or a rcbs partner press for around $40-50. I gave away a spare RCBS partner press at a swap meet, they are inexpensive
The dies will run around $30-40 for a basic set. The good thing about this plan is if he keeps with it and wants to upgrade the dies can be moved. Buy a turret press and the same dies and shellholder will keep working. If you buy the lee loader and upgrade it will get tossed in a box and never used again. It is also less resellable if reloading gets abandoned.
If he isn't asking about reloading I'm not sure I would start buying equipment. Reloading is a passion, especially pistol rounds on single stage. I would recommend finding some side jobs making about $20-30/hr. At 25c a round that will buy ammo at about the same hourly rate you can load it on a single stage, plus no cost of materials (or driving around looking for powder/primers) and will likely develop skills that are useful in life.
i started loading .38 special w/trail boss for low recoil target practice. cant double charge trail boss
Another vote for trail boss. I'd skip the Lee for a used press. I set up a buddy of mine reloading with extras from purchased reloading setups from here and other online sources.
You can find a good single stage press on ODT for $40-50 dollars. If he doesn't take up reloading, you will always be able to get your money back out of it. IMO the Lee Loader risks boring someone from the electronic generation.
The risk of double charging a .38 special is overstated, as any modern .38 can safely handle a double charge of standard .38 target loads. If it's a real concern, start him out with Double ended wad cutters, loaded flush. Plus wadcutters have a high satisfaction quotient because of those neat round holes they make. If he uses Red Dot or one of it's equivalents, he can't load a WC with a double charge.
A Lee mold for .38 wadcutter is about $20. 25 lbs of wheel weights would last a might long time.
The risk of double charging a .38 special is overstated, as any modern .38 can safely handle a double charge of standard .38 target loads. If it's a real concern, start him out with Double ended wad cutters, loaded flush. Plus wadcutters have a high satisfaction quotient because of those neat round holes they make. If he uses Red Dot or one of it's equivalents, he can't load a WC with a double charge.
A Lee mold for .38 wadcutter is about $20. 25 lbs of wheel weights would last a might long time.
"Crimp is not critical with 148gr wadcutters or 150gr SWC."
afraid I can't disagree more.. If you are looking for accurate loads then a positive crimp is critical for the 38 spl.
try different crimps and you'll see for yourself
course if you are only shooting at 7 yards who cares.
afraid I can't disagree more.. If you are looking for accurate loads then a positive crimp is critical for the 38 spl.
try different crimps and you'll see for yourself
course if you are only shooting at 7 yards who cares.
