How many Really count costs?

[GhostHawk]

Brass is reuseable, ignore that and your at a dime a round.

In the realm of .22lr, only with a whole nother level of THUMP!

You give me a choice between 10 rounds of .22lr and 8-10 rounds of reloaded centerfire.
I'll take the centerfire, most of the time. But once in a while it is just fun to shoot 50 rounds of .22lr through the Ruger Mk III 22/45's. Not as much thump, but the precision is fun.

Put 4 dots around the outside of the target at 3, 6, 9, 12. Then go run the bases.

As fast as you can put 10 downrange and still hit a 1" dot 3 out of 4. Pushing for speed, 12, 3, 6, 9, round and round.

Run a couple clips like that. And then look at those groups.

Get a target like that with tight clusters of holes you can cover with a pop bottle cap, where you know you were faster than 10 shots in 15 seconds. Builds confidence.

[DerekP Houston]

I don't really consider my time or count the costs of reloading. I like the satisfaction of well produced accurate rounds that are relatively cheaper than factory. I do buy in bulk to get the components for cheaper.

[marshall623]

I never saved a dime loading but have got to shot more for my money!

That is it for me , shooting = relaxation - more shooting = more relaxation . For me range time recharges the batteries.

[6bg6ga]

You simply cannot ignore the brass when you don't have it. I started out with zero 9mm brass and purchased 1K from a forum member. Regardless of it being re-usable I still put out money for the first round I loaded thus I still factor that into the costs. After that round is fired I can drop that off the price of a reloaded round.

I started out with about 50 spent 40 cal rounds and now have 3K or better that I simply picked up off the ground. It makes the 40 cal cheap.

The point is if you have to purchase it you have to factor it into the cost of reloading. If you get it free you don't figure it into the cost. I do make an exception for cast bullets however because I factor in the cost of electricity for running the Mark IV bullet caster and running the sizer.

[dragon813gt]

You simply cannot ignore the brass when you don't have it.

I agree. I've never been able to pick up any 35 Remington, 356/358 Winchester, 375 H&H.....pick a rifle round other than 223/308 and no line leaves it lying at the range. If they do I consider it scrap since there is no telling why it was left there.

[reloader28]

You cant ignore it if you dont have it, but you only figure in the cost of brass once. Some people continually add on that cost and thats not an accurate figure

[mdi]

Just a thought; for those that closely count costs, do you amortize the equipment costs into the cost of reloads? Do you include shipping and hazmat where applicable? Do you count the utilities (lights and power) used in the reloading area? How about the cost of driving (wear and tear on the vehicle, fuel, insurance) to the local dealer, added to the component costs and factory ammo? Is any special clothing used when reloading/casting? What does one do about spillage? I occasionally spill a grain or two of powder, and maybe splash a bit of lead, or when sprues are dropped on the floor and forgotten to be later swept out? One problem on my part would be the cost of the components at the time I purchased them; primers from 2000, 2004, 2010, 2015. Powder from 1990, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2014. Bullets from 1990-2017. Lead from 1995-2011.

Whew! Too much figgerin' fer me!

[quilbilly]

Years ago I almost quit shooting my 338 WM because of the cost per round. Then I bought the mold for it.

[Biggin]

Hi guys I'm new to this site and I'm just getting back into reloading after several years absence. Like one of the other members said if I counted costs for my shooting it would probably scare me . I try to save money when I can but I just do it cuz I love it!

[Smk SHoe]

I figure it the easy way. Every year around x-mas, I take out my 1911 and shoot a box of .45 that cost me about $6,000. Everything else is free. I once tried to just look around the reloading room and write down what I spent. Then I figured if the wife found the sheets, she would get half of my stuff in the divorce. She has no idea what I really spend, and I want to keep it that way. Mortgages are paid, bills paid and the young in feed. time to buy more lead

[Harter66]

Just a thought; for those that closely count costs, do you amortize the equipment costs into the cost of reloads? Do you include shipping and hazmat where applicable? Do you count the utilities (lights and power) used in the reloading area? How about the cost of driving (wear and tear on the vehicle, fuel, insurance) to the local dealer, added to the component costs and factory ammo? Is any special clothing used when reloading/casting? What does one do about spillage? I occasionally spill a grain or two of powder, and maybe splash a bit of lead, or when sprues are dropped on the floor and forgotten to be later swept out? One problem on my part would be the cost of the components at the time I purchased them; primers from 2000, 2004, 2010, 2015. Powder from 1990, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2014. Bullets from 1990-2017. Lead from 1995-2011.

Whew! Too much figgerin' fer me!

Actually I have done all of that . I base every tool on 1000 rounds . 1 new NOE mould that's $.01 per keeper . 1974 RC $20 at a yd sale in 96' , 2010 I picked up an RCII for $25 , last year I scored a $75 A Max A4 , I put the 1974 RC up at $75 shipped and was practically trampled in the stampede . The 2 RockChuckers have loaded probably 10k between them and I cringe to think how many have gone through the partner press but probably that many as well as it was part of my original kit . Those and the 38/357 , 9mm , 06' , 243 and 12 ga gear paid off in 2000 . I've paid real money for only the 20# Lee dipper pot and cast enough to pay it off . This is especially true if I do the math back the other way .
NOE mould 2C $79
Die set 264 WM $42
Primers /100. $ 2.50
Brass /100. $42
Powder /. $23
Power etc/100. $10
Total first 100. $198.50
Cost from Miwall per 100 264 WM
$229.75 + 8% tax .
$248.13
$198.50 -
$48.63 difference
Currently 45 Colts runs about $72/100 + tax it gets loaded for $14/100 on my bench at $58/100 difference the new NOE mould pays off in less than 200 rounds .
6.8 in FC FMJ on sale goes for $60/100 + tax . $14/100 off my bench with everything figured in buying new brass at 5 cycles . If I only get by with at $20/100 that's still $40/100 ahead over 1000 rd that's $400 .

Just those 3 cartridges at 486.30 , 400 , 580 every 4 years because I shoot 12 other cal and 18 other cartridges is $1466.30 vs store bought ammo . I sight those because they are among the highest priced shelf ammo I use and the 264 and 6.8 don't share moulds or allow salvage of spent brass to or from other cartridges at this time . Chances are I would shoot as much as I do now if I had to buy the ammo but it would be Wolf steel case 223 and 9mm not 45 Colts , Schofield , ACP , Raptor or 45-70 and certainly not 7.7 , 358 , 32 Rem , 222 or 264 WM .

[Smk SHoe]

The average reloader isn't going to get his components for free. Consider the average reloader trying to reload 45acp is going to spend lets say 4.5 cents for brass, 3 cents for a primer, 5 cents for a lead cast bullet and 2 cents for powder. This would equate to 14.5 a round or $7.50 for a box of 50.

Yes, but after the first reload, you don't have to buy the brass again, so now down to 5 dollars a box for 50. So when your friend shoots 100 rounds for 50$ and you shoot 250 rounds for 25$. it's a no brainer.

[Smk SHoe]

During my heavy shooting times, I have financed some components and reloading tools with friends money. They buy a new gun, no problem, you buy the dies and we can load up some ammo for X$. Way less than factory, I get another set of dies, they get to tailored ammo for the gun, and always have extra components left over ( mostly primers and powder). They know the type's of primers and powder I prefer to use and just buy extra ( kinda my payment for all the work and them not having to spend a lot of $$$ on reloading equipment)

[Bazoo]

I count cost per round based on powder, bullet, and primer. I sometimes will count brass when I figure what its costing me per box, based one about the number of loads I expect on each piece. I do not count equipment at all though. First, i dont buy much new, mostly its used, and a decent deal. Not to mention that I was given some after a housefire from some of the kind folks here.

I dont think that you can count the cost of used equipment because at any time, you could sell that equipment and recoup any money that is invested in it. It would be the same as counting the cost of a hunting rifle in the cost of meat from havesting deer.

I started reloading for 3 main reasons. The hobby aspect, the savings aspect, and the self sufficiency aspect. That has lead to another aspect, the ability to have a gun in a caliber for which ammo is not available, either a wildcat, or obsolete.

[LAKEMASTER]

last friday, my shooting family was in town. we had saturday planned to shoot/ plink at the local range.

i sat at the reloading bar with them for 20/30 minutes and "hammered" out 100 40cal rounds stopping and checking charges every 3-5 rounds and oal

it was priceless. they had never seen reloading done before and now they wanna reload for their guns.

so, the savings i get per round, and the relaxing "summer" hobby in my honest opinion, is truly priceless.

not to mention, making sub MOA ammo.............................................. ...................