TSS Reloading setup cost

[crow]

For the buffer vibrater I use an old Dr. Scholls foot massager, works fast to settle the buffer.

one time I used one of those old vibrating football games I still had in the attic from when I was a kid.
lined the 20  gauges up against the 12 gauges and let it rip, 20gauges had the speed but the 12 gauges had the muscle

it was fun until 2 of them tipped over and the #8's mixed with the #9's

[RiverRoost]

Here's the stuff I bought to get started. Tried using a hand drill but wasn't happy with how it turned out. Used a drill press on the lowest possible speed setting and it turned out great.

Good to Have
Reloading Block - $10
Shell Case 3.5" 12g 25 Rounds - $4
Shot Dipper - $5
Buffer Dipper - $2
Dental Vibrator - $40

Needed
BPI Ballistic Scale 1500 Digital Scale - $30
Roll Crimper 12g – $40
Funnel - $3

So if you have a drill press or a hand drill and are convinced a hand drill is all you need you could get by with $75 for the tooling to get started. I'm big on consistency and quality control which is why I handload. I never got into it to save money but there is a savings there. Five 2.5oz shells from Apex are $58.49/$11.70 per shell. I can load 2.5ozers for $8.14 a shell.

Is there a difference in a shot dipper/ buffer dipper? Can you use the same one for both or even any type of scoop/spoon, just whatever?

[mtns2hunt]

Here's the stuff I bought to get started. Tried using a hand drill but wasn't happy with how it turned out. Used a drill press on the lowest possible speed setting and it turned out great.

Good to Have
Reloading Block - $10
Shell Case 3.5" 12g 25 Rounds - $4
Shot Dipper - $5
Buffer Dipper - $2
Dental Vibrator - $40

Needed
BPI Ballistic Scale 1500 Digital Scale - $30
Roll Crimper 12g – $40
Funnel - $3

So if you have a drill press or a hand drill and are convinced a hand drill is all you need you could get by with $75 for the tooling to get started. I'm big on consistency and quality control which is why I handload. I never got into it to save money but there is a savings there. Five 2.5oz shells from Apex are $58.49/$11.70 per shell. I can load 2.5ozers for $8.14 a shell.

Couple ways to cut costs even more. If you have a drill you can drill out your own reloading block from a piece of left over wood. You can get used lee dippers (come in a pack of various sizes) on e-bay for next to nothing I paid 4 bucks for mine and use it for powder and buffer. Russian Roll crimper for 12 gauge or 20g for 10 to 15 bucks. They work very well. Most any vibrator will work and again ebay . However be forewarned if you just search vibrator you will end up in the adult section. Hull vise, nice to have but not really necessary. Hull trimmer is easily made as is hull vise. Videos on you tube. You can even make your overshot cards our of plastic or cardboard using a punch from Harbor freight.

It is very helpful if you already reload and then you already have your scale and funnel. Also on the scale you do not have to have a digital one. A 10 10 or 5 5 works fine. Although I do use a digital scale but reload rifle with an RCBS 10 10. On the drill press it is not necessary but but works much better than a hand held drill. Drill press provides a steady platform to crimp. I was making perfect crimps after just a few tries. I did not trim my hulls enough on the first two attempts.

Rolling your own is easy and fun to do. It started out before the manufactures jumped on the wagon. Now we are starting to see many manufactures making TSS and all you have to deal with is supply and demand and quality. You cannot go wrong with TSS either hand loaded or manufactured although I think hand loaded has an edge in quality. But if I were to shoot five or six shells of TSS per Turkey season I would just buy Factory. I"m shooting more then a few like twenty or thirty I would hand load. I also only hand load for my TC 20g as I believe that TSS in a 12g is overkill. I shoot #5 LB in my 12g even though I could hand load TSS for my 12g.

Finally I wanted to mention cost. It is just my opinion but I can only laugh when I hear someone complaining about cost. I feel that good ammo is one of the most important  aspects of hunting and will spend what ever it costs to have what ever I think is the best. Be it rifle, shotgun or bow. It is fun to try and cut costs in reloading TSS but be sure you have the right equipment that works to provide the perfect end product. Just my 2 cents. (Enjoyed this topic).

[mtns2hunt]

Here's the stuff I bought to get started. Tried using a hand drill but wasn't happy with how it turned out. Used a drill press on the lowest possible speed setting and it turned out great.

Good to Have
Reloading Block - $10
Shell Case 3.5" 12g 25 Rounds - $4
Shot Dipper - $5
Buffer Dipper - $2
Dental Vibrator - $40

Needed
BPI Ballistic Scale 1500 Digital Scale - $30
Roll Crimper 12g – $40
Funnel - $3

So if you have a drill press or a hand drill and are convinced a hand drill is all you need you could get by with $75 for the tooling to get started. I'm big on consistency and quality control which is why I handload. I never got into it to save money but there is a savings there. Five 2.5oz shells from Apex are $58.49/$11.70 per shell. I can load 2.5ozers for $8.14 a shell.

Is there a difference in a shot dipper/ buffer dipper? Can you use the same one for both or even any type of scoop/spoon, just whatever?

Neck on the buffer bottle is small. Lee dippers come in a box of various sizes. I like a larger dipper for powder and shot and the small one for buffer. Suppose you could you could use a small dipper for both but would be slow. Could use a spoon for powder but would not work as well as a dipper. Dippers are very inexpensive. Lee is the standard.

[RiverRoost]

Starting to put stuff in my midway USA cart. What about powder dispensing? Just a plain old trickler or which style?

[Gobble!]

Starting to put stuff in my midway USA cart. What about powder dispensing? Just a plain old trickler or which style?

I bought a trickler, used it once and it seemed to slow me down. Just scoop with the dipper and tap it in.

[Big Jeremy]

Instead of a dental vibrator, I use a set of clippers that trim my beard with. Does the trick!

[Spitten and drummen]

I broke down and bought a 60 buck drill press from harbor freight. Roll crimped 8 in about 3 or 4 minutes. The rolls look factory. Much much better than hand drill. Love it.

[strum]

 You guys got me very interested .  Any videos yall would recommend? So far i know zero about loading.
I do have a decent drill press and a shop full of carpenter tools.

[Spitten and drummen]

You guys got me very interested .  Any videos yall would recommend? So far i know zero about loading.
I do have a decent drill press and a shop full of carpenter tools.

No video needed. If you order your shot from Hal , he will give you the loads and tell you how to do it. It is very easy to do. You do not have to know anything about handloading to figure it out. Also you can email him any wuestions and he will get back to you pretty quick.

[strum]

You guys got me very interested .  Any videos yall would recommend? So far i know zero about loading.
I do have a decent drill press and a shop full of carpenter tools.

No video needed. If you order your shot from Hal , he will give you the loads and tell you how to do it. It is very easy to do. You do not have to know anything about handloading to figure it out. Also you can email him any wuestions and he will get back to you pretty quick.

Thanks . I did find a video so at least i see what we are talking about how do I get up with Hal? Then I may wanna do this just for the fun of it .  I didnt see anything complicated at all and I can make some of the stuff no problem.

[crow]

You guys got me very interested .  Any videos yall would recommend? So far i know zero about loading.
I do have a decent drill press and a shop full of carpenter tools.

there is a very good youtube video on loading TSS by 01foreman400

[Gobble!]

You guys got me very interested .  Any videos yall would recommend? So far i know zero about loading.
I do have a decent drill press and a shop full of carpenter tools.

No video needed. If you order your shot from Hal , he will give you the loads and tell you how to do it. It is very easy to do. You do not have to know anything about handloading to figure it out. Also you can email him any wuestions and he will get back to you pretty quick.

Thanks . I did find a video so at least i see what we are talking about how do I get up with Hal? Then I may wanna do this just for the fun of it .  I didnt see anything complicated at all and I can make some of the stuff no problem.

He's on Facebook, Hal Abbot.

[Big Jeremy]

Here's a pic of a few freshly loaded shells, and the tools I use.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Spurs Up]

Nice!  Those hand crimps look as good as any I've ever seen out of a drill press.