The cost of reloading

[fatelk]

I think I talked an acquaintance out of reloading. He had been asking about reloading for a while, wanting to save all that money on his ammo.

Turns out he uses maybe a couple boxes of 30-06 per year sighting in and hunting, and maybe some 9mm once in a while. He's happy with the $14/box Remington hunting rounds that Bi-Mart has on sale every year, and the cheapest bulk 9mm, so the issue is cost not quality.

We looked at the cost of components: $30 for a box of jacketed .30 cal hunting bullets, $4 for a box of primers, $27 for a pound of powder. When he saw that he would be saving maybe $3 per box, or at most $20 per year (not including brass), and compared that to the cost of the "Supreme Reloading Kit" on the shelf, he lost interest. He seemed surprised because he though it was supposed to be cheap to reload. No, I didn't offer to load for him. He really is better off buying some factory rounds.

Of course I know why we all do it, casting bullets and all that. What I wonder about is the guy who spends $300 on the gear only to rarely use it.

[country gent]

I know several that have bought full reloading set ups. Presses scales dies (sometimes several diffrent sets) and all the odds and ends back in the early 80s and it has yet to come out of the packages. Like alot of high power ( centerfire) rifles they are bought and looked at or used very little.Ive seen several used reloading presses with no rubs on ram or where shell holders snap in. Ive seen guys in local gun store that buy the complete set up in one shot brand new and you just know its not going to be used.

[Mauser48]

You can buy a box of ammo for $20 and components will cost $20 for powder, $10 for bullets, and $3 for primers. Let's say it's .38 ammo. That is about the smallest quantity of stuff you can buy to load. The $20 a box doesn't sound too bad if you only shoot a few boxes a year. You have to load a good amount to make it worth while. Basically, you will shoot more for the same amount of money. If all you do is go try to blast stuff for cheap then don't reload. I like the idea of making whatever kind of ammo I want, and making excellent quality ammo for cheaper. I'm going to start casting soon. I think it will be really satisfying. By reloading, I simply know exactly what's going on in my ammo. By starting to cast, I will gain more knowledge about the bullet itself. I also like the idea of buying 50 pounds of lead and turning it into whatever I want to. I don't have to choose what I want for $50.

[Butchman205]

Some folks pay a therapist $250 per hour to listen to their problems, some folks smack a little white ball around a golf course, some folks knit, and some folks cast bullets to load and shoot.

One day while depriming a mess of brass, it hit me that my mom always enjoyed crocheting...she called it her knitting. When I'm casting bullets or prepping brass, it's the repetitive sort of hobby that my mom enjoyed, and found much relaxation of the noggin while doing it.

My wife calls my bullet casting/loading/shooting my knitting.

It relaxes my mind, to spend a little time each week making bullets...then I get to shoot said ammo (which is very relaxing), and start all over.


-Butchman

[Kskybroom]

I reload,cast, ect because i enjoy doing it
Last time i got shot gun supplies it would be cheaper to buy ammo.
But still do it. Though the years i been reloading the guys that start to save money dont make it to long. The guys that enjoy it are still around.....
Give a new bee 5 5 gal buckets of pistol brass. The one that sorts it out will make the other one well.........

[flyingmonkey35]

Reloading, = you shoot more for less.
But 1st and foremost it's a hobby.
I reload for fun. Not to save money that's a bonus.

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

[M-Tecs]

Most people that start reloading also start shooting more.

[MaryB]

Range twice a month in spring/summer/fall, call it 8 months of the year I shoot... so 200 rounds of 9mm a month, probably 500 5.56x45, maybe 200 .380acp... 900x8 months... I save money reloading!

[NavyVet1959]

It's not just the cost of it. It's the independence. I have enough of an assortment of powders and primers that I can last for a long time even if we have another ammo and reloading components shortage. Maybe I only have enough components to reload 40K rounds, but I can choose which of the calibers to reload for on an as-needed basis.

[dh2]

over the years my casting and reloading as went in waves but not stopped since it started , as my time gets more in demand I have thought about going to factory ammo for 9mm and .223 Rem. for plinking at the range, Now days most of my casting is rifle boolits from .366 (9.3 mm) to .458 dia. Last time I looked locally I seen .375 H&H Mag. ammo was $80.00 for a box of 20 so it may not be as much about how much I cast and reload as it is about what I reload, So I will keep doing it ,

[DrCaveman]

After committing money to some reloading presses, a bunch of die sets, a bunch of bullet moulds, and casting equipment, one may feel they have the capacity to make as much ammo as They want. Once one accumulates a variety and quantity of brass, primers, powder, and lead, then, with frugal shooting for utility only, they would have a lifetime supply of ammunition. That is a priceless possession.

I mostly like to just shoot more, but i still don't think I've recovered my money in 7 years of reloading/casting, meaning that I could have bought factory this whole time and probably spent less. I guess I count the loading and casting time as almost equally enjoyable to the shooting. If you don't have some inkling that direction then reloading is probably not for you.

[shoot-n-lead]

Apparently, a lot of y'all use different math than I do, in regards to figuring your cost of reloading. And, apparently, y'all must overwhelmingly shoot 9mm ammo.

A lot of the savings in reloading is directly dependent on what type ammo you shoot...and what you shoot the most of. I have always shot more bigbore revolver ammo than any other ammo. I will use 44 special as an example as I shoot it more than any other cartridge.

About the best price that I have seen online for 44 special ammo, is about $580 per thousand shipped. Okay, normally I shoot at least 1500rds per year of 44 special...at a cost of $90 per thousand for my reloads. So, if I purchased my ammo, I would have no use for the brass and it could be sold for about $225...to help recoup some of the cost. That would make purchasing my 1500rds of ammo cost me $870 minus $225...for a cost of $645 for the years worth of ammo. But, since I cast and reload during what would otherwise be my TV watching time...that same quantity of ammo cost's me $135... Now, $645 minus $135 leaves a savings of $510 per year on one cartridge.

Now, that may not be your definition of saving money...but it works for me.

And, as for equipment costs...I have some pretty good equipment...including some Dillon presses and powder measures and scales...but I also have some RCBS and Lee stuff...but all together, after shopping wisely and buying packages from folks that bought stuff and didn't use it...I would be willing to bet that I don't have $200 dollars invested in reloading equipment on my bench. As an example, when I bought the Dillon stuff...I bought everything that an Army Doctor had...it was all new...and I sold off the stuff that I had no use for and it sold for $65 dollars less than I paid him for everything...matter of fact there is still a little of that stuff that I don't use, still boxed up out there. The other stuff that I have came in buy out deals like that and I have almost nothing in it, either.

Anyone, that has reloaded for years and says they have not saved money over buying ammo...has really made some bad decisions in purchasing equipment and components or shoots a VERY small amount of ammo.

[toallmy]

Customizing your ammo is priceless .

[Beagle333]

If it were purely about the cost, I'd just work more hours and buy my bullets. I make more per hour than I save per hour by reloading. Casting/reloading is my hobby and I enjoy it.

[Hickory]

I take a somewhat different approach when someone I know and trust wants to get into reloading. I have in the past offered to let individuals use my equipment (under my supervision) load ammo to get the feel & knowledge of reloading. Teaching them what I know and have learned over the years.
Most times they are not high volume reloaders, (prairie dog shooters) but, like the person in the OP just wants a 100 rounds or less for deer hunting every 2-3 years.

[Idaho45guy]

I had to get into reloading when I lived in AZ because I got hooked on BPCR competition; silhouette and 1000yd matches. There are very few sources for black powder loaded cartridges for .45-70 and there is no way you can be competitive without handloading your own rounds and finding what works in your particular rifle. Plus, at $2 a round, and needing about 60 rounds per match, it was very cost prohibitive.

I got all set up and reloaded my own cartridges for matches when my wife decided she wanted a divorce and I moved back to Idaho. No longer was there a 600yd range off my back porch and a world-class range and competition 5 minutes from my work in Phoenix.

All my stuff has been in storage for over 4 years and it wasn't until I purchased my .45 Colt Ruger Blackhawk Bisley that I became interested in reloading again.

My dad is a major reloader and casts around 40k boolits a year for a retailer. When I moved back to this area, I bought a house about 15 minutes from him and his outdoor range and shop. I started casting bullets out at his place and discovered that I found it very relaxing and enjoyable, so I decided to start doing it for myself. I'm still waiting for my lee pot and other stuff to get here this week.

I rarely shoot my guns, but have a carry pistol in .40 S&W near me at all times. I also have four hunting rifles, an AR, my 1885 Winchester competition rifle, a couple of shotguns, and six pistols; two in .45 Colt, two in .40 S&W, a .22 and a 9mm. Hoping to get a sniper rifle soon to round out my collection.

Reloading for me is not about economics at all but is about relaxation and self-reliance.

[RogerDat]

Reloading on it's own might not be as frugal as casting and reloading. The casting part is where a whole lot of savings are to be found. Take 200 grain 45 RNL so 500 bullets costs $80 in laser cast or $15 worth of lead and Lee Alox or White Label Xalox. So save $65 per 500 projectiles which pretty much covers the dies (which lose little if any value). Next 500 cast and reloaded and with the savings JUST over buying the projectile you have covered the primers for the whole 1000. Another 500 cast and reloaded and the powder for all 1500 have been covered by savings over buying the 1500 laser cast. So at this point your total running cost for 1500 rounds is $45 worth of lead and tumble lube plus a box of primers. In other words for just about the same as the non caster paid for the first 500 laser cast bullets you have 1500 rounds of shooting.

That same 1500 rounds would have you spending around $570 for reman 45 ACP ammo less whatever you can get for the used brass from reloaders

Brass gets multiple and variable number of reloads. Also some buy new, some used, and some smaller quantity that sees frequent cycles of reloading, others buy 500 cases and reload big batches. Just too many variables to come up with cost BUT reloading or casting and reloading brass cost is the same.

Bottom line of course you don't save money, you spent the savings on a new hollow point mold, big batch of primers to make the hazmat less painful and then spent even more on some lead that was a good deal. But you may as someone pointed out end up in a place where you will have a lifetime supply of ammo available.

[OnHoPr]

Ah the cost of reloading, that only comes with the true psychy or persona of the shooter. It also depends on the intent of the shooter. Many to most hunters or shooters come from different backgrounds where they have been just weekend warriors educated from the deer camp or cable tv and such. Actual bullet/boolit construction is so important for duty at hand. Most all general weapons should harvest a deer within a 100 yds. But, that is not the case always depending on caliber, ammo, hit, and actual range. Then the tracking starts if they really know how and then the deer camp stories start. What does most gunfire sound like in the first two days of season.lol There are a few one shot reports, but most are 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 shot reports. An old indian proverb I heard once was "one shot probably deer, two shots maybe deer, three shots no deer". A lot of hunters say its good enough when they can hit a 6 or 9" paper plate @ 100 yd. A most of them will never be reloaders unless they find that they can shoot pistola pretty cheap for basically little headache and a pretty decent return on investment for pleasure.

I started reloading in '75 (circa) with a 700 versa mec. It definitely was a cost savings. I got to where I could load 12 boxes an hour and made good huntin loads. My first couple of deer seasons were with Rem 220 gr SPs for that MI brush HUNTIN. Then I had a doe permit and a deer walked out on the road, Oh maybe 350 yds away about the same time I walked out on the county fire trail. I took a shot and seen that 220 gr hit about 50 or so yds in front of it. The bullet must of skipped under the doe's legs and it just looked at me. So, I aimed a little higher and hit a little closer, but the deer just looked at me. lol Then I said I need to fix this scenario before next season. So, I bought a Lee Loader and copied a load out of a Outdoor Life story. That 51.5 gr of IMR 4895 and a Sierra 150 gr Spitzer was accurate and a lot flatter shootin in the 06. This was still my teenage years. Then in my 20s I started killing deer and that load is like Zues within a couple of hundred yds. Then about mid 20s I shot a big doe at 347 paces and dropped on the spot, but she got up and ran with the group. Didn't find and started investigating actual bullet construction instead of the Whoa that's a cool looking bullet/cartridge combination, man. Even started at 2900 to 3000 fps with that bullets BC it slows down way to much after a couple of hundred yards for its stoutness and hitting deer effectively. Just the opposite a Nosler BT at those speeds at 50 yds and hitting bone and meat is pretty destructive. I am not an expert, but a lot of hunters don't even really realize bullet construction and in the scenarios where they might take a shot. I moved up to a old CH press and when reloading for the rifle my concern is accuracy for the individual rifle beyond what most commercial ammo can provide. It's always good to load up 5 or 10 boxes of plinking ammo before gun season. So, there is an improvement in performance and cost if someone wants to add a little weight to those ideals.

When it comes to reloading for the pistola there is a big savings as well as performance in accuracy if the shooter can shoot well enough to notice. The savings per round is there. The performance is undetermined. At our local DNR range a couple of years ago the pistola shooters complained all the time because the range was 25 yds. So, they made a temporary 10 yd range and then just this year I seen where they made a permanent 10 yd pistola range. I watched a few of the pistola shooters the last I time I was there. They are still having difficulties hitting targets printed on regular printer paper on that range. I did see a young asian lady that was keeping a whole clip in about 3", though. Back in the '70s before they had range officers, tower, cement shooting tables, flush toilets, and the whole kittin kabuddle I use to hit a cig pack 4 out of 5 shells at the 100 yd range with my SBH. Though, a bud and me use to load 1000 cast 357's a week on a RCBS press and shoot them which was very cost effective.

[6bg6ga]

Well, I don't know if I agree with the saving money part. I looked thru a notebook that I keep in which I have written down the costs of my bullet caster, magma and ballisti-cast bullet molds, star dies and punches(custom made) reloading die sets, reloading presses Dillon 650, Lyman T-mag, OAL length gauges not to mention powder scales and powder droppers, bullet droppers, and bullet and brass collators. Add up the cost and its in the 5K range for me. What this does for me..... IF I have primers and powder on hand I can avoid the component runs of a few years back. I can reload .223's for about .23-.24 cents each and 300 blackout for .28 cent each. I can reload a box of 38's, 357's, 9mm, or 45 acp for somewhere in the $5-6 dollar box range. Savings? Not really when you consider the investment of money in the necessary equipment and the time involved in the actual reloading of the ammunition. Oh, I forgot to mention the biggest Dillon tumbler that sits in the garage that is needed to clean the dirty brass and or to remove the lube that is necassary to re-size the rifle brass once its been shot. Saving money? Probably not when you consider how much it takes in time and money to purchase the necessary equipment to reload. Call it an obsession or a calling or something along that line.

[OnHoPr]

@ 6bg6ga Your the type of guy that shouldn't be talking a newbie into reloading from many angles. After a few years to see if the newb likes it or not then they could go BONZI on their own accord.