Is Reloading too Expensive?

Truth be told . . .

Truth be told . . .

On a per shot basis, yeah you can save money. I started reloading because I didn't want to pay 80 cents a shot for 44 mag. I got my cost down to 30 cents a shot so it's half a buck per shot savings. Most recently I'm reloading 30-06. At today's off the shelf prices I'm saving a dollar or more per shot. Even when I reload 9mm I'm saving 10 to 15 cents a shot. At those rates one can pay for simple equipment quickly.

Do you save money over all? Generally no. I shoot a great deal more than I would if I had to buy all my ammo off the shelf. And I've upgraded my equipment a couple of times so the investment to pay off takes longer.

Life is good.
Prof Young
 
Do I save money by reloading? I think so, but I don't know for sure, as I haven't bought any loaded ammo for about 10 years now. I don't shoot a lot, probably 20 rounds rifle per trip to the range. I don't think I would shoot less than that even with loaded ammo.

Reloading cannot be too expensive as long as shooting itself is not.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
Prof Young said:
Truth be told . . .

On a per shot basis, yeah you can save money. I started reloading because I didn't want to pay 80 cents a shot for 44 mag. I got my cost down to 30 cents a shot so it's half a buck per shot savings. Most recently I'm reloading 30-06. At today's off the shelf prices I'm saving a dollar or more per shot. Even when I reload 9mm I'm saving 10 to 15 cents a shot. At those rates one can pay for simple equipment quickly.

Do you save money over all? Generally no. I shoot a great deal more than I would if I had to buy all my ammo off the shelf. And I've upgraded my equipment a couple of times so the investment to pay off takes longer.

Life is good.
Prof Young
Click to expand...
My rough calculation is I'm paying around $5.59 for 50 rounds of 9mm. That cost is probably lower based on my bulk purchases. I can reload 50 rounds in 30 minutes; I find it relaxing, so I don't add an extra fee for my time. The cheapest component is the powder, and it's hard to calculate even with my record-keeping, so I used an estimate of 7,000 grains per pound of powder to come up with the cost. Brass is free, so don't add that as a cost. Bullets are all lead cast bought in bulk.

Where can I get boxed ammo at that price?
 
I have a number of older rifles that are pretty much reloading only.
.50-70 Government with black powder for an 1866 Trap Door.
The 'assault rifle' of its day.

Same with Trap doors in .45-70.

Some varmint rifles in .22-250 AI and 6 mm REM AI.
Both barrels are tight neck and scary accurate.

Factory ammunition will not even fit in the chambers.
 
The last primers I saw online from a reputable source were $75 per 1000 not including hazmat. Powder locally is $40 per pound, give or take a couple of bucks. At those rates I won't be restocking components until the market settles down.
 
Senior Member

Join Date: November 21, 2013
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 1,607
I bought 97,000 rounds worth of reloading components over the past 8 years. So do your math and explain to me how / when i will "save money" . Guys who claim to be saving money by reloading are just kidding themselves. Guys who also brag by posting a hard dollar CPR are also kidding themselves as when you reload your brass is an ever changing cost variable. I reload for the precision, the passion, and most importantly right now , i reload for the independence.
Click to expand...
Saving money must be evaluated on a comparison basis. Assuming that a shooter is going to reload and shoot 97000 rounds of ammo....he spent a lot of money. How much would it cost him to buy that amount of ammo from the factory? On that basis, yeah, he saved money.

When I cast bullets for my 1911, the cost per bullet is only the value of my time. The equipment has long since paid for itself. A cast iron pot, an old Coleman stove, a Rowell bottom pour ladle, a six chamber Lee mold. Lead I get for free. I am using primers that were bought in 1995. Powder is from an eight pound keg of Bullseye..
So....a box of 50 185 grain LSWCs cost me about 10 minutes of my time to load and costs about $3.50. Replacing the powder and primers will raise the price.
.44 magnum....30-06...I am old enough that some friends have passed on and left me their stock of components.....I doubt that I will be able to shoot it all before it is my turn at the great divide. Meanwhile.....44s and .30 calibers are only primers and powder. I shoot a lot of both.
.223....I bought 75 and 77 grain bullets in bulk over the years. Powder from 8 lb kegs, cases from a factory case of primed Winchester brass. Cannot buy this ammo for less (or at all).
 
Last edited:
Read all the posts.
Trying to figure out the point to this thread?!

I have saved money reloading,
I still save money reloading and
I will continue to save money reloading.
 
Unread Yesterday, 09:12 PM #88
RaySendero
Senior Member

Join Date: August 23, 2010
Location: US South
Posts: 854
Read all the posts.
Trying to figure out the point to this thread?!

I have saved money reloading,
I still save money reloading and
I will continue to save money reloading.

But the bottom line, is, "I shoot more, so I don't "save" any money." I just become a better shooter.
 
Lets see. Before someone start's reloading they fire off two box's of factory ammo a year, stuff is expensive. So to cut that cost they go out and buy a reloading kit and they get a really popular /expensive kit on recommendations of reloaders. Say the kit cost $500. Then they need primers, bullets, case's and powder. Don't know where you could buy two box's of ammo worth at one time. Add that onto the $500! First year your two box's of ammo will run you something over $600 as opposed to $40 for two box's factory! Then you'll have to get a few tools that did not come in the kit and just to be sure your getting better ammo you'll have to test different bullet's, Primer's and Powder not to mention cases in your rifle. Now instead of shooting 2 box's a year your shooting about 20 box's a year. The good news is those 20 box's cost less per box than the 2 box's you use to shoot! :-)
 
Going back to the OP's post of "...some people ask me if they should start to get into reloading for the cheapness of it!" Personally, I would say if all you want is cheaper ammo, you are missing the boat. It is a fascinating hobby in and of itself for guys who like to use their brain and work with their hands. But, it's not for everyone. I have taught reloading to guys who just don't seem to be able to grasp it.

Don
 
There is reloading and there is handloading. Both are respectable,worthwhile pursuits. I intend no snobbery. Its about personal priorities.

Reloading is essentially recycling the brass case. It mainly requires carefully repeating a chosen book load with available components. It can be done quite well with a minimum of equiptment.
The main focus is more ammo for not much more money. It does require following instructions and diligence to be safe. It does not require what some would call "overthinking"
The reloader may or may not find it enjoyable. It might be a chore done in order to shoot.

Handloading is a whole 'nuther ball game. Its about optimizing and tuning ,trying,maybe without success,trying again, learning and enjoying a hobby.

Sure,a Dillon 1050 with feeders and all sorts of prep and measuring tools and gauges ,automated precision powder dispensers ,case annealing equiptment,power trimmers ,vibratory bowls, etc is about saving money. Uh huh. Right. It all pays for itself in how many thousand rounds?

No. A person needs a source of problems to solve for a distraction from the mundane. And its great when a plan comes together.
We enjoy our successes.
 
Nah. You guys are getting too philosophical. You need ammo, and you make some. You spend less money and get better rounds. But you spend your time. That simple.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
You guys are getting too philosophical. You need ammo, and you make some. You spend less money and get better rounds. But you spend your time. That simple.
Click to expand...

Perhaps. But it takes some intellectual effort when you desire better rounds that may be something that is unavailable commercially. And then their is the "time" issue (warning: opening up a can o worms here). If reloading is an enjoyable hobby, then you don't figure the cost of your time spent in the cost of your reloads. If reloading is simply a means to an end.....

Don
 
Don Fischer said:
Lets see. Before someone start's reloading they fire off two box's of factory ammo a year, stuff is expensive. So to cut that cost they go out and buy a reloading kit and they get a really popular /expensive kit on recommendations of reloaders. Say the kit cost $500. Then they need primers, bullets, case's and powder. Don't know where you could buy two box's of ammo worth at one time. Add that onto the $500! First year your two box's of ammo will run you something over $600 as opposed to $40 for two box's factory! Then you'll have to get a few tools that did not come in the kit and just to be sure your getting better ammo you'll have to test different bullet's, Primer's and Powder not to mention cases in your rifle. Now instead of shooting 2 box's a year your shooting about 20 box's a year. The good news is those 20 box's cost less per box than the 2 box's you use to shoot! :-)
Click to expand...
Some of us inherit tools. I have my grandfather's and father's press, dies, bullet moulds, lead pot, bullet sizer, powder scales, case trimmers.
Adding the dies for a new cartridge is, or at least has been, "two boxes of ammo" or often quite a bit less and amazingly many times bullets, powders and primers can be used in multiple cartridges.

Some of the cases I load for were hard to find before any of the problems. Seen a box of .25-20 lately (the last I saw and bought was like 9 years ago). Or matching performance to rifle.

Plus the time I spend reloading keeps out of trouble but I do count it as a hobby.
 
Ordered brass for an 1888 Mauser.
It (and bullets) where actually in stock.


43 Mauser (11.15X60R) Black Powder Ammo 385 Grain FN Box of 20
$107.69

So is reloading to expensive?
 
I don’t concern myself with the price of most components,because I have had them for at least 5 years. Over 5 years ago I bought 2K Small rifle primers.
3 years ago I got 4 pounds of Varget at a LGS. 3 years ago I got 500 pieces of pe primed .45 cases ... 500 pieces of nickel .38 Spl. Cases ... 100 bullets of this , 100 bullets of that.
Time to get down to my loading bench on the rainy days coming.
 
post #55 is where I'm at, other than BP. I started in '77-'78 and never thought of trying to save $, just make better ammo for my needs. Now, I mostly load for .45 Colt and bought everything I'll ever need about two years ago. Saving money never entered into the equation. I enjoy the heck out of handloading. More so now that I retired four years ago.
Back to the bench tomorrow after breakfast.
 
Reloading is only cost effective when enough times passes and if someone shoots enough. the price of components only goes up when ammo goes up, so the savings are relatively stable over time. If someone starts younger in life (which is very relative) and plans to reload enough ammo, then it is always worth the cost. I also find it a part of my "gun hobby" and something I can do most nights, when going to the range is something I do much less often.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top