OK, so bear with me here on this little diatribe. I've been on the forum here for a few weeks and have been itching to try casting for my centerfire rifles (I already cast for my ML pistols and rifle) and have been bouncing back and forth. See, one of the main reasons I'd consider casting for CF is cost savings. But, the startup costs are throwing me a little. I've been on Midway's site pricing out things, and if I miss my mark, I'd have to do quite a bit of casting just to break even on the equipment! To use Midway's prices (sort of middle-of-the-road, from what I see) I come up with the following, based on casting for my .35 Remington:
LYMAN-
4500 Sizer 128.00 w/o heater
157.00 w/ heater
Sizer die .358 19.99 per caliber
Top punch (each) 8.99 per bullet style
This comes to 158.98 or 185.98, depending on whether or not I get the heater. (Do I need the heater? Why or why not? )
RCBS Lube-A-Matic 2 164.99 (no heater offered)
Sizer die .358 28.99
Top punch 15.79
This comes to more, $209.77 to be exact.
Or say I want to go SAECO......
SAECO Lubrisizer 182.00 (no heater mentioned?)
Sizer die .358 36.99
Top punch 15.49
Even more yet.... $ 234.48. Hardly inexpensive. I could buy a lot of jacketed bullets for that kind of layout. This only takes into consideration one caliber. I'd also potentially cast for two handgun calibers as well.
This also doesn't take into consideration moulds (and handles)
LYMAN- double moulds 53.56
handles 30.00
Comes to $83.56, if my math is correct
RCBS-double moulds 67.77
handles 33.00
Comes to a little over $100.00 for ONE CALIBER (OK, so yeah, you can use the handles on other moulds.)
And then, Lee comes along with their Alox sizing die that costs.....$15.00??? Huh?
And it works on my Rock Chucker? I realize there aren't a lot of fans of the Lee Alox stuff on this forum, but how bad can it be? I mean, 15 bucks.....
Of course, Lee doesn't sell a bullet mould for a .358 200gr bullet. (of course they don't, silly!) And the one thing people have mentioned regarding the Lee sizer is, it's OK IF you use the Lee moulds because the tolerances are tighter. Can I use the Lee sizer die with a Lyman or RCBS moulded bullet? Why or why not?
Gotta tell ya, I'm a little discouraged. If I can't save money on casting for CF guns, there's not a whole lot of push behind "get'n 'r dun". Jacketed bullets are
still readily available, and not that expensive. Am I missing something here?
Can somebody please 'splain all this mumbo-jumbo to me in layman's terms?