Aren't you glad.......

[Ben]

Aren't you glad that you can cast and reload ? ?

My calculations show these 20 rounds of 357 mag. for $32.49 to be $1.62 per round :

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=714835

A cylinder full would be $9.78 Those figures don't include shipping, so you can tack on another $9.00 for that.

[Bwana]

Comparing that to cast is kind of like apples to oranges. Still, I can make a similar round with my 9mm or 223 case bullets for next to nothing. And they clock at 1350 fps (not 1130fps) out of my 357 BHK, expand very well and stay together. There is much to be said for being able to do it yourself.

[RobS]

The cost of ammo seems expensive if you are like most of us here. Those who only shoot once or twice a year don't think much about it. Most all of us here cringe, shake our heads and then smile as another reload fills the loaded round bin in our reloading room.

[Doby45]

There is nothing better than the sound of a new round falling in the collection bin. Well maybe the sound of a piece of spent brass hitting the floor. I would have to say it is a toss up. :)

[geargnasher]

I still prefer the soft thud of a shiny, hot boolit landing on the towel. Or better yet, the gentle rain of them landing six at a time.

Gear

[white eagle]

I haven't bought ammo for any gun be it rifle, shotgun or pistol for 20 + years :Fire:
I went with my non handloading bil and was amazed,.shocked at the prices for a box of 20 rifle 270 Win.:shock:

[warf73]

Isn't that crazy as you can buy a box of (20) 480 Ruger with a 400gr XTPs for less money.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=194465

[*Paladin*]

Yeah, ammo prices are rediculous. I just bought a nice old Super Blackhawk .44, but I haven't shot it yet, because I am not willing to pay $34 for a box of CCI Blazers. I'll just wait until I get a mold. The good thing is my wife, who's not a shooter but IS good with money, recognizes the value. So, she doesn't give me a hard time when I want to buy a bucket of WW's or a pound of powder.

[XWrench3]

my brother has a winchester model 70 chambered in 300 H&H magnum. that is an expensive rifle to shoot! cheap shells start @ about $45.00 a box (20) and go to about $75.00 a box! i can load them for him for around $15.00 a box (and up depending on the bullet). which makes it affordable to shoot again. i am happy to do it for him, as it is the gun i learned to shoot with (it was my fathers) and he and i have always had a good relationship. as for me, i would have to shoot so much less if i didn't make my own boolits and reload, that it isn't even funny. so, YES! i am glad i "roll my own"!

[bobthenailer]

Shooting / reloading / casting / and hunting are my only real hobbies , and take alot of my extra time and extra money, but i wouldent have it any other way, im happly addicted !

[Von Gruff]

I havent bought factory ammo since I got my first reloading gear in the late 70's. The price would mean I couldn't shoot except to hunt and that would take away from 99% of my shooting.

Von Gruff.

[reloader28]

The average price for 380 ammo here is about $20/50. The cheapest is $15/50.

I'm reloading with my cast boolits for $1.50/50 = $3.00/100.

I can reload 700 rounds for $21. :smile:

[JeffinNZ]

If I didn't load my own I would own only a .22RF for sure.

[303Guy]

The downside is that's cheaper to by Chinese 7.62 Soviet ammo (Barnaul) than to reload for something else more worthy!:???:

[dverna]

For many years I never fired a factory shotgun shell for CAS or Clays. I have probably fired less than 5000 rounds of factory centerfire pistol and rifle ammunition in my life (40+ years of shooting).

When I was young I was too poor to shoot anything but reloads and 90% of the bullets were cast. Now that I am less poor, I continue to reload. I can make my own ammunition at a fraction of the cost. It is as good or better as what I can purchase.

I load factory ammunition in my carry guns.

Don

[Big Boomer]

I haven't bought any factory ammo for several years now ... and only then, way back when, for a .45 ACP (carry piece) and .38 Spl. (also a carry piece). I only bought that ammo because some suggest it best to lawyer-proof all issues by using factory ammo. Soon I'm just going to load my own and forget the factory stuff even for CCW purposes. 'Tuck

[lylejb]

My neighbor owns a 308 norma mag. Last year, he couldn't find a box of ammo, anywhere.

He's now interested in learning to reload. He said he has paid about $70 a box before, when he can find it. I choked when I heard that price.

[JeffinNZ]

The downside is that's cheaper to by Chinese 7.62 Soviet ammo (Barnaul) than to reload for something else more worthy!:???:

If you are happy with minute of barn door.

[cbunt1]

I take great pride in the fact that I have a couple of guns that have never fired factory ammo (at least in my hands).

I do keep some factory around for my more common calibers (9mm, .45, .38/.357) but mostly as baseline ammo to work my own stuff up with.

I started shooting cast right after I started reloading just because it was cheaper than J-word bullets...frustration with the commercial offerings in my area led me to start making my own.

Well, now the only j-word stuff I have on my bench is some Hornady rifle bullets, one box of XTP Hollowpoints for my .41, and 3-4 partial boxes of Herter's Wasp Waisted Super Sonic's that my dad was fond of back in the '70's.

I can't really justify my obsession with cast boolits, but it's there...to the point that I rarely shoot indoors, and then only in ranges that will let me shoot cast...

As far as cost, after considering my alloy costs, primers, and powder, I ran the tally on the last 1000 .45 ACP (230 grain) rounds I built....$107.00. And that included foundry metal (6/2/92 Hardball) since I can buy it locally for about $1.80/lb. ready to cast.

I woudln't be able to shoot as much, and I sure wouldn't be able to shoot IDPA with factory ammo.

So yes, I'm glad I can roll my own.

[jameslovesjammie]

I bought a .45 Colt before I looked at the price of ammo. After pricing the cheapest "plinking" stuff ($19 for 20 rounds of Super X) I walked over and bought a can of Trail Boss, 2 bags of brass, and a NOE mould.

[markshere2]

I reloaded only .38 spl & .357 way back in the day. I bought bullets then.
About 3 years ago I saw how badly our politicians were acting with respect to our taxes and personal rights and the economy.

I decided to store some of my limited budget in articles that will not lose value during inflation or an economic meltdown like Argentina had.( see this link http://members.cox.net/theprof/UrbanSurvival/Thoughts%20On%20Urban%20Survival.htm )

Mosin Nagants and SKSs can still be bought at reasonable costs.
When a deal on a gun appears, I try to take advantage of it.
I reload for everything I own except 22s.
I cast for everything except one .323 unit, and I bartered for a boatload of those boolits.

I try to build my supply of primers and powder whenever I can.
I scrounge and barter for wheelweights every chance I can.

Of course, the hobby is addictive, too.

Yes I am happy I cast and handload!