The economics of hand loading

[44Blam]

You simply MUST shoot that gun a lot! 44 Mag is my favorite caliber and what got me into both reloading and later casting.

The economics of 44 magnum is:
Factory ammo: $1 / round
Full tilt Ruger only ammo: X for primer + 0.20 fow W296 + 0.03 gas check ... I was paying about 3 cents for WLP so 26 cents
Moderate load: X for primer + 0.05 for unique (8 grain) ... 8 cents!
Cowboy load: X for primer + 0.08 for Trail Boss (6 grain) ... 11 cents!

Nothing like shooting full tilt 44 magnum...

So now primers are 11 cents so:
34 cents
16 cents
19 cents

VS a dollar +++

Forgot the cost of lead... I generally average say $1 / lb of lead. You get about 30 240 grain boolits in a lb. So... Add about 3 cents.

[JoeJames]

I just finished a sleeve of Win Large Pistol (MAG) primers I had dug out of storage. I happened to look at the tag on the sleeve - Walmart $1.14 - my math ain't perfect; but that would have been at most $11.40 a carton. Must have bought them in about 1982 or so.

[Drew P]

I just finished a sleeve of Win Large Pistol (MAG) primers I had dug out of storage. I happened to look at the tag on the sleeve - Walmart $1.14 - my math ain't perfect; but that would have been at most $11.40 a carton. Must have bought them in about 1982 or so.

I finished off some primers I purchased in 2018 for 19.95$ a brick, which is even cheaper than yours, inflation adjusted.

[JoeJames]

I finished off some primers I purchased in 2018 for 19.95$ a brick, which is even cheaper than yours, inflation adjusted.

That is true - one year into the Trump Administration - buyer's paradise!

[35 Rem]

I started reloading when I was 16 and my Father bought me a MEC 600 in 12 gauge. I was a farm kid so worked all the time but since it was on our farm never got paid in actual money so i had zero money to buy ammo with. The most significant change that happened when I got the MEC was that I no longer had to beg for ammo one box at a time. Now I had a whole bag of shot, a lb of Red Dot, bag of wads, several boxes of primers....in other words I had the capability to load near 400 shells all of a sudden before having to restock! Same thing a year or two later when I started loading for my 30-30. I got bullets 100 at a time rather than a box of 20 rounds of factory ammo. I could shoot a lot more with one "batch" purchase of components. When i started casting bullets for my 44 magnum revolver a couple years later all of a sudden shooting became almost free. It was as cheap to shoot it as it was a 22 LR if you used Red Dot or Unique and loaded mild loads with wheel weights bullets.

Once I got out of college I had my own money of course and got a real practical deer rifle - a Weatherby Mark V in 460 Mag. I'd never have been able to justify such a chambering if I didn't reload. Much later I got one of the Remington 700 chambered 257 Weatherby's. Again, I'd have never bought that one either if I had to buy factory ammo for it. But for a reloader the only difference is in the up front cost of the brass for the more exotic/proprietary cartridges. So it all depends on what you are shooting as to how much you save by loading your own. As others have said loading gives other advantages besides cost savings that in some cases is more significant than money. Magnum revolver cartridges are one class that comes to mind. I love the 44 magnum but if i had to shoot nothing but factory ammo, even if it were free, I'd give serious thought as to whether or not I even wanted one. But once you have the flexibility of loading your own, the 44 magnum is extremely fun and versatile. The current situation with availability of factory ammo and components is another huge plus with loading your own and buying components in bulk when price and availability favor the buyer. If you do it right, these cyclic ammo famines don't affect you nearly as much as they do the majority of gun owners.

[Rich/WIS]

Been reloading for over 50 years and casting for 48. When I started this journey equipment and components were reasonable and have added a lot of stuff from the original basics. Even adding the cost of the original and later items, and doing a lot more shooting than if buying factory, my equipment paid for itself many times over compared to store bought ammo. As an added plus my shooting skills improved with all the shooting. Still shoot a good bit but have slowed down some due to age (71) and arthritis.

Used to load for 38/357, 9mm and 44 Mag but those guns are gone down the road, still load 45 ACP, 243 Win, 30/40 Krag and 30/06. Except for a few J rounds for hunting all my shooting is with cast. After components got tight during the Obama years decided to stock up when times of plenty returned. Fortunately my finances permitted me to do this and have enough powder, primers, J bullets and alloy to see me off and leave a reasonable quantity for my son (who is also fully equipped and well stocked).

[todd9.3x57]

back when i first started reloading, it was two rifles. now i need a bigger safe!!!!

[Froogal]

When you first start shopping for reloading presses, dies, etc., the price CAN be a bit intimidating, but the real beauty is that you have to buy it only once. Take care of it, don't abuse it, and you can pass it on down to your grand kids.

[Geezer in NH]

When I started loading for shotguns {1972 or so} it was for my 12 Stevens pump. I bought a used 12ga Mec 600 JR {$15.00) with two bars one was an "0" bar the other a # "2". I used the 0 for trap and skeet, crows and upland woodcock and Patridge using Rem All American hulls $1.50 clay case full at club.


The 2 bar was used with #4's for snowshoe hare and pheasant, ducks. I bought 2's and BB's for geese. Also slugs and buck for deer. Hulls used were Winchester papers given to me by a guy who worked at Login airport shooting gulls and anything else that flew around the runways. Cases of them never needed to buy any.

Bought 2 types of wads Rem AA 1 1/8 load and Win 1 1/4 load if I remember right 500 count bags at $1.99- $2.50. Whoever's primers at $8.99 1K.

Powder was Red Dot the most expensive part at $40 buck an8 pound cardboard cylinder full. {why I learned to use it in pistol and light rifle loads)

I am sorry those days are past wife and I had lots of fun loading shells for the next trip out.

[P Flados]

In my mid teens (in the 1970s) a new kid moved in across the street. He talked me into going bird & bunny hunting with him. My dad had a few guns including a 12 ga pump. We did not have good choices for where to hunt, but we did what we could.

Pretty soon, we started going to a gun range (not real close) and would use the "do it yourself" clay bird launchers and shoot an assortment of rifles.

Early on I got a 12 ga Lee loader and it payed for itself real quick. As we started spending more time shooting & hunting I tried one whack-a-mole (30-06) and was unimpressed. I think my Mom got me a real press for Christmas or a birthday. One of my Dad's guns was an old model 94 in 32-40. With reloads, I probably shot that gun more in a couple of years than any previous owner ever had.

Not long later, I ended up with a TC contender with a 10" octagon 357 mag. Then came the other barrels including a 30 Herrett.

For me, reloading has both enabled shooting at a reasonable cost and it has enabled shooting guns that otherwise would not have seen much if any use.

Now days I shoot quite a bit at a very close indoor range with my youngest son. We go through lots of handgun and AR-15 ammo. I supply almost all of the ammo we use.

I cast and either tumble lube or powder coat depending on gun / power level. I made one stroke check makers for a couple of calibers.

I stocked up with big internet primer/powder purchases before the current crisis. This included lots of Titegroup, Promo, WC 680 & WC 844 along with ample SRP and LPP, but less SPP/SPM than I really needed (at least 75% of my loading is small pistol).

Last December my stash of SPP was getting low (just over 2k). Instead of forking out $220 or so for another 2k, I invested that money in primer reloading stuff (thanks Castloader). Now most of my pistol ammo cost is down to under $0.05 a round with some as low as $0.03 per round.

Reloading has enabled me and my son to shoot what ever guns we want to shoot, as much as we want to shoot them, with ammo customized to meet our needs. Because I am cost careful with the details (select powder that cost less per round, use lighter boolits when possible, buy in bulk, scrounge lead, etc.) I do this without thinking much at all about my overall shooting costs.

In the past couple of decades, I have only bought "new cartridge" guns that I knew I would shoot enough such that the "tool up" costs would be minimal on a per round basis (327 fed, 7 tcu for IHMSA, 223, 300 BO).

[Rickf1985]

Was watching a video by Jerry Miculek a while ago and he mentions that he checked his records and he had reloaded about 23,000 rounds so far that year! The video was posted in April of 2020 so 23,000 times three equals 69,000 rounds. Yea, I think he probably saves a bit by reloading. Link to video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ2CjzW0Dww

[414gates]

There are other much more important benefits to reloading - the medical and psychological benefits.

Those of us who have been reloading for several decades understand this better.

Reloading is relaxing, lowers blood pressure, calms the mind and centers the soul.

Reloaders are better able to deal with the stress of daily life and more psychologically capable of dealing with adverse outcomes.

Reloading cultivates philosophical optimism towards life.

[Land Owner]

I like your thinking *gates.

[Estacado]

Got into shooting "Trap" in about 1970. I was in the Navy. I made almost zilch for money. Bought a MEC 600Jr. (Still have it!). You know what? I discovered I loved reloading as much as shooting Trap. I reloaded mine and any friends who supplied the components. Somewhere along the way I got into metallic reloading. Besides the enjoyment I get, I like the freedom. I can load what I want when I want. I learned my lesson several "shortages" ago. I am most likely set for life. What a wonderful hobby!

[fredj338]

At the cost of factory ammo, it makes sense to buy dies even for something shot occasionally. I dont buy factory for anything but self def ammo & even that is too painful.

[Shiloh]

We casters/reloader don't save money.
We get a lot more shooting per dollars spent.
Plus, I like it.

Shiloh

[Drew P]

We casters/reloader don't save money.
We get a lot more shooting per dollars spent.
Plus, I like it.

Shiloh

That sums it up very succinctly