Still cheaper to reload

[Wolfdog91]

Popped I to a few places today just looking at ammo prices and I gotta say for anything past just burner ammo or if you shoot less then a box a year is still cheaper to reload. I don't shoot anything I can't shoot game with so Heck for an average practice session with my 06 if I bought ammo i could have gotta pound of power or box of bullets for 20 loaded rounds for two boxes for alot of this stuff I could have gotten 1000 primers and by the time I tried enough different ammo to see what shoots the way I want in my gun at these prices I could have paid for powder primers bullets and hazmat! Jeeezzz

[Shawlerbrook]

Cheaper and any ammo I need is available in my shop after a few hours of work.

[T-Bird]

Used to be that shot shell reloading was all about loading the shell you want (7/8 oz 12 ga shells etc) and not saving money so much. Now shells are so high that you save money too, as long as you don't have to buy shot and powder etc. at todays prices. You might save money at todays component prices, but I haven't put a pencil to it. Loading pistol and rifle ammo is much cheaper especially if you cast. The prices I see on ammo at the LGS make my toes curl.

[sloughfoot]

If you can keep from allowing reloading from turning into a major rabbit hole. No one needs a dozen different calibers that each require it’s own special components. A streamlined Arsenal and streamlined equipment and components saves big money. All 3 of my deer rifles are 30 caliber except a 44 magnum carbine. The 30’s share molds and powder selection can be used on all 4 rifles. 2, 30-30’s and 1 308 Winchester. 12&20 gauge use same buckshot mold and same powders and primers. 9mm and 380 I use the same mold and same powders. Streamlining where you can will save you time money and storage space. Hurt the j word manufacturers by buying a mold and never again passing your hard earned dollar their way again.

[Idaho45guy]

My son-in-law wanted to compare the Gen 5 Glock 23 to the Gen 5 G19 while at the cabin this weekend and while I had plenty of 9mm, I was all out of target ammo for the .40 S&W, so I was forced to stop by the local gun shop and pick up some plinking ammo.

I paid $28 per box of 50 for Federal FMJ 165 grain. Cheapest ammo they had.

Current price at that same store for components is $25 for a bag of 100 brass, and you get about 10 loadings from each case, so figure 10% of 50% of the bag cost, so that's about $1.25 for the brass. Primers are $10 per 100, so $5 for primers. Hornady FMJ bullets are $27 per 100, so $13.50 for bullets. Powder is now $40 per 7000 grains (1 pound), and figure 5 grains for plinking loads, and that is about $1.50 worth of powder.

So, my total cost for 50 reloads is $21.25. If plinking ammo gets back down to "normal" prices of $15 to $17 a box for .40 S&W, and components remain stupidly high, then buying commercial ammo will be cheaper.

If you figure in the cost of brass, then the 50 brass cases I get makes the commercial ammo significantly cheaper.

[buckwheatpaul]

Popped I to a few places today just looking at ammo prices and I gotta say for anything past just burner ammo or if you shoot less then a box a year is still cheaper to reload. I don't shoot anything I can't shoot game with so Heck for an average practice session with my 06 if I bought ammo i could have gotta pound of power or box of bullets for 20 loaded rounds for two boxes for alot of this stuff I could have gotten 1000 primers and by the time I tried enough different ammo to see what shoots the way I want in my gun at these prices I could have paid for powder primers bullets and hazmat! Jeeezzz

A lot of us remember the days of a penny for a primer; a nickel for the powder and a dime for a boolit.....those days are gone forever! Wolfdog91 you are right you can still save roughly half and with a little work have a more accurate round....IMHO. Casting and reloading is relaxation for me and I seldom use my Dillon's anymore and have gone back to a single stage press for the pleasure and pride!

[Three44s]

There are lots of shooters that used to reload that got into it to: 1) make cheaper ammo or 2) to make faster/hotter ammo than they could buy.

The ones that stick it out realize that there is much more to handloading than making cheap stuff and that over powered ammo is a fools errand and dangerous.

The main reasons I handload is that I want to be very self-sufficient and also build loads that perform at a premium level but for a reasonable cost.

Three44s

[reddog81]

Current price at that same store for components is $25 for a bag of 100 brass, and you get about 10 loadings from each case, so figure 10% of 50% of the bag cost, so that's about $1.25 for the brass. Primers are $10 per 100, so $5 for primers. Hornady FMJ bullets are $27 per 100, so $13.50 for bullets. Powder is now $40 per 7000 grains (1 pound), and figure 5 grains for plinking loads, and that is about $1.50 worth of powder.

So, my total cost for 50 reloads is $21.25. If plinking ammo gets back down to "normal" prices of $15 to $17 a box for .40 S&W, and components remain stupidly high, then buying commercial ammo will be cheaper.

I have piles of .40 S&W brass that I've got for free and cast bullets that cost me about $.03 each. That makes my costs $8 even with expensive primers and expensive powder.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

There are lots of shooters that used to reload that got into it to: 1) make cheaper ammo or 2) to make faster/hotter ammo than they could buy.

The ones that stick it out realize that there is much more to handloading than making cheap stuff and that over powered ammo is a fools errand and dangerous.

The main reasons I handload is that I want to be very self-sufficient and also build loads that perform at a premium level but for a reasonable cost.

Three44s

20+ years ago, I got into it, to shoot more.
same reason I'm still doing it today.

[slim1836]

I don't shoot any 40 S&W but save them for swaging into .45 bullets.

Slim

[dverna]

I was reloading 9mm and 12 ga when most folks thought it was not worth the minimal savings.

I cannot see that changing.

[white eagle]

If you can keep from allowing reloading from turning into a major rabbit hole. No one needs a dozen different calibers that each require it’s own special components. A streamlined Arsenal and streamlined equipment and components saves big money. All 3 of my deer rifles are 30 caliber except a 44 magnum carbine. The 30’s share molds and powder selection can be used on all 4 rifles. 2, 30-30’s and 1 308 Winchester. 12&20 gauge use same buckshot mold and same powders and primers. 9mm and 380 I use the same mold and same powders. Streamlining where you can will save you time money and storage space. Hurt the j word manufacturers by buying a mold and never again passing your hard earned dollar their way again.

that is exactly why I roll my own
what fun is it to only have 2-3 rifles that's like eating vanilla ice cream all your life never to have tasted chocolate
having many rifles and many different cal's is rewarding different cal's have their own challenges and issue's to deal with
if you only have one cal to load for the challenge is lost
making my own cartridges is way better than buying from some factory cause I know I can do better
that was my own reason for handloading from the beginning I know I can do better
if you want to save money you are better off to buy a box or two for ol Betsy for deer season and leave handloading alone

[Winger Ed.]

It's always been pretty much relative.
Back when components were cheaper, so was loaded ammo.

For plinking, practice ammo, at any point in time I could cast and reload .38Specials
for about the same price as buying premium .22s like CCI Stingers.

For shotguns, It costs about the same to reload the hulls as it is to buy that cheap #8 shot promo stuff by the case.
However; for that same price you can load the real expensive 3" magnum and 'high brass' stuff.

In a perfect world, the cost for reloading rifle ammo is about the same as buying good, name brand boxes of 20 at Walmart.
But again, you get better ammo with a real premium Sierra or Hornady bullet and can tune it for your rifle.

[GL49]

my expenses for 9mm are as follows, they're nothing special, just loads to go out and make some noise, bounce some tin cans, practice trying to get back on target quicker.

brass is free, I just picked up another 2500 at the gun club after the police were done qualifying.
cast boolits cost about 1/2 cent each, made from WW's, that's probably a bit high.
primers - assign the price you feel is fair
powder, about 2-1/2 to 3 cents each.
Add about a nickel each to move up to 45 colt, only about 1 cent to move up to 45 ACP

If I were to go to work and get paid, instead of spending my time finding and sorting WW's, smelting, casting, lubing, loading, cleaning brass, picking up brass, sorting brass by headstamp and times fired, I would probably be ahead if I went to work. But where's the fun in that?

[Idaho45guy]

Very few reloaders get their brass for free, and few also get their lead for nearly free.

You have to remember that most people on this forum are retired hoarders who have tons of brass and lead stored up.

Most reloaders use purchased lead and brass, or those darn J-words.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’ve always agreed with the the statement that you don’t save money reloading, you just shoot a lot more for the money.

[armoredman]

Very few reloaders get their brass for free, and few also get their lead for nearly free.

You have to remember that most people on this forum are retired hoarders who have tons of brass and lead stored up.

Most reloaders use purchased lead and brass, or those darn J-words.

I have a buddy who brings by buckets of brass of all calibers from the range he uses. He also brings by buckets of berm mined lead, which I take to another awesome buddy who smelts them down, alloys for various mixes, and we split the lead. The first guy asks for nothing - I am helping to clean up the private range he teaches on, so the people that paid for it left it all behind. Now I will buy lead once in a while for certified bullet metal, but that's kind of rare.
My wife likes shooting my stuff so she buys powder and primers for me when she can find it - I have been at the point that I was loading 9mm for literally the cost of the electricity to run the lead pot and the powder coating oven.
I load because I like it - it's a fun and productive hobby that fuels my other hobby, shooting, and even if I had to pay out of my pocket for everything, I'd still do it. I make better ammo than I can buy for even close to the price.

[Land Owner]

PLUS, we OWN the reloading equipment! RCBS estimates there are four (4) million private ammunition reloaders, primarily in the USA. That's 4 million "small reloading factories" making ammunition! That's YOU and ME!

We amortize ALL of our reloading equipment such that it approaches "zero equipment cost" per round. To put a finer point on that, suppose it cost $500.00, all in, to get started (ymmv). Ignore the cost of powder, primer, JB or CB, brass case, Man Cave, utilities, and YOUR (recreational) TIME in the following:

For the first reloaded round, the SUNK COST of equipment adds $500.00 to the round. Instantly, that's INSANE!
For the 2nd reloaded round, the sunk cost has dropped to $250.00 per round. Now, one-half INSANE!
After 1,000 reloads, the sunk cost has dropped to $0.50 per round. Still insane!
After 10,000 reloads, add $0.05 per round. That's reasonable.
After 20,000, add $0.025 per round.
After 50,000, add $0.01 per round.
After 100,000 reloads, the sunk cost of the equipment has dropped to a mere $0.005 per round, which is approaching zero, and easily attainable over a lifetime of shooting.

Adding calibers adds minimally to sunk cost in equipment. Adding calibers expands the number of rounds reloaded arithmetically! Since most equipment is "warranted", add zero cost for maintenance.

For rifle calibers, if that is all that is reloaded, sunk cost is probably high for the reloader. Add pistol, revolver, and semi-auto calibers, and as the number of reloaded rounds approaches "infinity", the sunk cost of equipment approaches zero per round, and WE OWN the equipment.

[dverna]

The other thing I would add to Land Owner's post is that if you keep your equipment for any length of time you can recoup most of your "sunk" costs.

For older guys who have been doing this for a while, we will get more for the stuff that what we paid for it. My Co-Ax press cost $68...my Star sizer about the same. Even my Dillons can be sold for what I paid for them or a bit more.

[Thumbcocker]

No one needs a dozen different calibers that each require it’s own special component.


BLASPHEMY!