I heard the same stuff a month or 2 back when I poked my toe into the shot-making pool. I've been reloading metallic cartridge for decades and lead casting for a while...but just started shotgun earlier this year. I've accumulated about 5 free mec press over the years..and had a few boxes of new hulls and bags of wads and a box of 209 primers. Finally got into it and loved shotgun reloading. Which was great..shells were up to 30$ a box. We had a new sportsmans warehouse open and they got a few bags of shot on the shelf for 45$, sold out and don't expect anymore this year. In the store I met a guy getting out of loading and bought 2 bags from him.
Rotometals wants 180+$ a 2 - bag order plus freight. Locally? Nothing at least within a 2 hour drive ..called every store in a 3 county radius. Saw a total of 2 bags at shows this year... 75$ each.
I took the plunge and got an oasis shot maker. I drip #6 and #7.5. ( I also cast 1oz 12g slug, #4 buck and OO buck ).
It took about 6 hours to get my oasis dripper setup..and figure out a good tank..the geometry..etc.. I use Wal-Mart fabric softener and big a big ammo can set inside a big plastic basin. Shot falls into the can and fabric softener is the coolant. Coolant stays at the can top and slowly overflows as shot accumulates in the can. I have a good setup going with a dripper and other buckets.. I can remove shot and dip coolant back in..works great. I rinse the shot in a tight colander and put the rinse water into the empty fabric softener jugs ( you use a few gallons ). I will add the fabric softener rinse water to the coolant as it heats to keep it under 140. I've found that from 100% up to a 70/30 softner/ water dilution works great..any thinner and the shot cools too fast and is oblong.
Your setup costs should be about like this:
Dripper 500$
3g softener 10$
Ammo can?
Big plastic tub 10$ Wal-Mart
Colander and dipping ladle..3$ dollar store
Powdered graphite or graphite/talc mix... Shop around.. 13-18$ per 32oz
Get a window screen panel.. I got a 12x16 for 11$... Pour shot on to dry in Sun
1-2g plastic container with wide mouth. Put shot in with a couple teaspoons of graphite per 25# shot..shake vigorously. I re used an animal feed bucket with lid.
Then you need buckets or bags to store shot. Kitty litter buckets become free once used..or smaller 2L dollar store containers work.
Lastly..a spendy bit..get a lab grade wire sieve. Same one will do 6 and 7/7.5/8/9. It will grab anything big or clunkers... They go 50-90$. You pour shot into them over a bucket.. Shake am..goot shot goes thru..dump clunkers into a bin to dry and run them in the next sessions melt as clean lead.
Grab a couple extra buckets to manage coolant and pour shot back and forth during stages. 2-4$ each at Wal-Mart or dollar store.
Tips:
use less graphite than you think you need..its hard to separate excess from the shot without a black mess.
Talc/ graphite is cheaper..works near as well.
Soft lead won't work. Seems something 10 or better is needed. Wheel weight is perfect..or lead/lino mixed about 40/60.
Put clean ingots in the lead dripper... The drippers will clog if there is dross.
You can make more shot than you can shoot..pretty fast..once it starts..all you have to do is feed lead..ladle out shot as it starts to build..manage coolant tank.. You can drip almost i0# shot in a couple hours and that's just playing... If you stay in it..probably 50# an hour. More full the lead dripper is..faster it drips... Thus the quantity difference I mentioned.
Add up your startup costs..compare that to non existent 75-90$ bags of shot...figure your lead consumption... You can break even in a DAY, if you just set there lime a machine and drip... Just have to manage Cool and temps... Having excess coolant on hand to pour and swap out is they key if dripping more than a couple hours each session... Pour new in, ladle excess out to cool.. Get a rhythm going.
It's easy to break even at 75-90$ per bag of unobtainable shot....