[bebop4212000]

I have been considering reloading. I was told than ammo will double in price in 2008(?). I have read several threads and articles on reloading and it appears to me it is more of a hobby than a cost savings. From the information I have read it appears that a kit is the way to go. "Everything you need is here" BUT, you also need this and this and that also. I would like to know what it will REALLY cost me to get started, where to buy the powder, brass, etc., what type of bench set up I need and so on. The only place I have to set up is in my workshop that is a large tin building without any insulation and is not climate controlled.

Any advise will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Lone_Gunman]

In the end, there really is not cost savings. Its a hobby. You will find there is always some new gadget to buy, always something you can get that will tweak your rounds and make them just a little better, or allow you to make them a little (or a lot) faster. I am not sure the savings you get offsets these costs. Its a lot of fun though, and opens whole new worlds of experimentation. You can do so much more if you reload.

I guess if you approached it strictly from a cost standpoint, and wanted to turn out minimally acceptable ammo at a slow rate, you could get a kit and do OK. Its not going to be a lot fun, its not going to be very fast, and your ammo isnt going to be as good as it could be..

[Grandpa Shooter]

Peace of mind. All depends on what that is worth to you. If you enjoy working with your hands, seeing something you undertake come to a successful resolution, and benefit from the knowledge gained, it's worth every penny.

If you are going to do it take advantage of the sales BEFORE Christmas.

[TN Shooter]

I'm with Lone Gunman.

It's hard to justify reloading just from a cost savings point unless you shoot thousands of rounds in competition. For me, it is about performance and the satisfaction that comes from "rolling your own", kind of like tying flies for a fly fisherman.

Not having a climate-controlled environment would be a detriment, too, especially in the extreme heat of summer/cold of winter when I would rather be inside reloading than suffering in the elements.

[John4me05]

My advice would be to hit Ebay... Sometimes you can find a group deal but look for idividual items like presses and stuff... Look for the "off" brands as well (not cheap but also not the big names)..
I scored a Pacific press and thrower, 30-06 RCBS die set, caliper, funnel, case lube pad, BNIB 5-0-5 RCBS scale, and a couple other things for 115 a coulpe years ago.... Got my .223 dies of Ebay for 12 delivered for a RCBS set, shell holders for 2 bucks apiece... It takes a little investment to start up but its well worth it when you can create perfect ammo...

After start up it costs me about 7 dollars per 20 for my 30-06 and 5 bucks for 20 for my .223
Compare that to 20 a box for the 06 and 15 a box for the .223 and the fact that my ammo is fit to my guna and wayyy more accurate it justifies the expense and time

[ny32182]

I am currently buying the equipment to get set up reloading. I don't think it will save me much money as far as plinking ammo, but I hope to one day build high quality accurate ammo for considerably less money than factory match grade stuff.

My equipment expenses so far have come to just under $800, and I'm not done yet. Set aside about 1K for your initial setup money. If you come in at less than that, congrats. And you certainly can, depending on what you buy.

If you are building quality plinking ammo, say, .223... it will take about 4000 rounds before you break even on the equipment cost.

[Starter52]

I shoot a variety of calibers and reloading has saved me thousands of dollars over the years. It also allows me to shoot the loads that I want and not just what the factory offers.

Custom ammo, lower price. What's not to like about reloading?

[armoredman]

I like it. I shoot more, but it's cheaper ammo, and I know each one has powder, and primer installed correctly, because I didit, not the Big 3 machines. I just got into casting bullets for 38 and 9mm, and that's a blast, too. Initial startup is a bit, but with swapping guys on the Internet for some equipment they don't use any more, (which is how I got into it!), can save you oodles over new.
And it doesn't have to take up a bunch of space - this is the same "bench" I have been using for years. Shelves on the side hold brass, the only things stored separately is powder and primer, both safely secured away from each other, and all the casting gear/raw lead is in the garage.


http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b13/armoredman/PICT0047.jpg

[zxcvbob]

It depends a lot on what you shoot. If you shoot a lot of .45 Colts, for example, you can save a ton of money reloading -- more than enough to offset the cost of the equipment. If you shoot 9mm, the savings are still there but not really.

Mostly it will become another hobby. You will save money on ammo, but you will spend that money msking more ammo (you will shoot a lot more.) Plus you will probably spend a lot on upgrading you equipment, buying 1 pound cans of every imaginable powder, etc. But you can get by very well with a used top quality (or a new Lee) single stage press, a used Lyman or RCBS or Herters scale, Lee dies, and one 8# keg of powder, and never upgrade from this.

It doesn't have to take up a lot of room. I have an old C&H "H" style press and a bullet lubrisizer (I'm also into bullet casting) set up on a sturdy sawhorse in my basement. It's easy to move around. I just wanted to see if that was an adequate minimalist reloading bench, and it is.

[jeepmor]

It depends on caliber. You're not going to save much with 9mm plinking fodder, but if you own a 10mm, it quickly makes sense.

Also try craigslist.org for your area, I've found some good deals this way. If you are a frugal person, this and ebay, and patience, are the way to go.

[rcmodel]

I've been saving money since I started reloading almost 50 years ago.

By buying all that expensive reloading equipment & supplies I just have to have, I save even more money.

Heck, I'll still be saving money when I run clean out of money

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j219/rcmodel/KTOG/1224.gif
rcmodel

[jfh]

IT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW AN INDIVIDUAL USER MAKES HIS CHOICES.

For example--I set up a major reloading project this year--which so far, has cost me several hundreds of dollars in components alone. To keep the example simple, I can now load ammo that replicates a factory PD round for

1. about 25 cents a round using the factory JHP bullet or
2. about 10 cents a round using a Lead cast bullet.

Now, how much do I shoot?

Buying factory ammo in small quantities, I would have probably shot no more than 50 rounds a month--that's $600.00 a year for the ammo alone.

With the factory bullet reloaded, I can shoot 200 rounds a month for the same cost, and 500 rounds a month with the lead bullets. These costs, BTW, include a 1.5-cent amortization for the brass--e.g., buying new starline brass and allowing no more than ten loadings.

Before, with a cost of $1.00 down to nominally 50 cents a round for the factory ammo, I (would have) shot little, and it was really driven by budgeting. IMO, with PD ammo--ammo for a carry gun--that's a false economy. The carry gun is a lightweight j-frame, and I needed to shoot a lot to get used to it and become proficient.

About six months ago I costed out a Lee Classic Cast 4-die Turret / .45ACP reloading package, with everything a new loader would need, ranging from a tumbler and media up through a max case gauge. From Kempf's, that package would come to about $350.00 with shipping; it could be done for somewhat less.

Components to load 2500 rounds came to about $250.00, IIRC. The breakeven over buying WWB ammo was at about 2500 rounds if one shot economical loads--i.e., 200 gr. LSCWs over 231--and one would have powder left over and brass to reload.

So, if one were disciplined, you could shoot 200 rounds of .45ACP per month and pay back the entire investment, and yet still have powder left over and 500 pieces of brass to reuse indefinitely.

The question is, will you get the payback and shoot less, or do you want to now shoot more?

ABOUT THE SHOP NEEDS: There's a thread here that shows reloading bench pictures. The 45ACP package above could easily fit into a 30-36" workbench setup, and people have even set up temporary workspaces of B&D WorkMates and a file cabinet.

Jim H.

[jenrob]

If you have spare time and like to shoot and like to tinker with stuff and are happy with yourself when you get it done. then go for it. Like others have said you can save money but you won't. you'll find this and that then that's not as good as this then you wife will tell you that you can't afford to save anymore on reloading. But if you are just doing it to try and save money and don't have any spare time don't like to tinker. We will enjoy bidding on your stuff in 6 months

[C.F. Plinker]

If you are shooting 200-300 rounds a year of one caliber, you probably want to think seriously about reloading with a single stage press. By the time you get to 1000 rounds a year, you will be considering adding a progressive press. Look at Midway and Midsouth for prices of both the kits and separate pieces of equipment. A minimal setup based on a Lee Classic Cast press will be over $200 when you include dies, powder measure, scale, books, primer tool, etc. If you go with RCBS equipment it will be over $400. It's sort of like getting a car. You pick out the make, model, and features you want. This site is an excellent source of both information and opinions.
You will probably not save a bunch of money. You will just spend it differently. But along the way you will get loads that are more accurate than factory ammunition, and will be able to load them for a cost that is lower on a per round basis than the equivalent factory ammunition.
If you get reasonable quality equipment you will be able to use if for decades. Try to find someone you know who is a handloader and have him or her show you what is involved. They may even allow you to start loading using their equipment. This would allow you to see what works for you and what doesn't. Also check with the large sporting goods stores such as Sportsman's Warehouse and see if they have any reloading classes.

[Walkalong]

IF you buy cheap, and just the bare necessities, and you only shoot as much as you did when you were buying ammo, then you would save money, but that is not going to happen.

I am like rcmodel. I have saved so much money I can barely take it. :D

[jenrob]

1000 rounds a year I wouldn't even think about a progressive that is less than 20 rounds a week. at one point and time both me and my wife together was shooting around 3000 a month. I have loaded 700 rounds a week on a single stage with planty of time to do other stuff.

I think at this time for starting out that the Hornady classic kit is the best deal. One reason it comes with every thing but the trimmer and dies and micrometer. You get 500 bullets free from Hornady worth about $180 The Hornady press kit is on sale at Cabelas for $289.99 minus the $180 that you would have spent on the bullts you just got that press kit for $110 If you load that up and decide that you dont like it you will get all well over $110 that you have in it.

IMO you should always start out with a single stage. You can do more on a single stage than a progressive ever try to swag on a progressive (unless you have a 1050) Load development is easier and start up cost is less so if you don't find it to be you cup a tea then your not into it for as much. If you find that you enjoy doing it and as you start to shoot more then upgrade.

[Lazuris]

Zero, nothing, nada, zip, zilch. Why because once you get into it you have to keep buying something. Or you need a new gun to load new brass. Its a never ending cycle.

[jmorris]

The true savings is in the soul as you get to shoot more than you would otherwise.

[jlficken]

I started out doing it to save money but that quickly turned into more equipment to load more calibers which in turn required more components and on and on. In the end it will only allow you to have about double the loaded ammo for the same cost as buying retail. The question is do you want to be able to load to your own specs or have a company tell you what your loads should be. It is the versatility of reloading that drives alot of people. I want to say I save money by reloading but looking at my monthly credit card bill you wouldn't be able to tell :)

[Thirties]

If you live in a sparsely populated area, as I do, you will save a lot of time and gasoline not having to drive far away to the only gun store within 150 miles that has a larger selection of ammo (and I'm talking even popular -- .45acp).

When you load your own, you can be as exotic as you wish, and you reload your brass (that's where the money is saved, really).

Like the others said, it's a great hobby, especially with the right caliber (thinking .38spl, .45acp).

[scout26]

You will not save any money, but you will be able to shoot more for the same amount of money.

[Although Mrs Scout thinks I'm saving money..;)..]

[SASS#23149]

wow,so many naysayers on savings.

In my case,I load .45colt for cowboy shoots.They run at least 20.00 a box of 50 for factory ammo,closer to 5.00 rolling my own.
I'll take a 75% savings anyday.

shotshell is a whole nother ballgame with shot being sky high these days.

So,it depends on what you are loading ,etc.

[Roccobro]

Price per components used in each trigger pull goes down. Spending stays the same. Enjoyment of your new AND old hobby goes up.:D

Justin

[VARifleman]

I save about 10 cents a round versus the factory stuff I used to buy. Now I'm using premium components with accurate JHP bullets, and going right at the power factor I want to be at, instead of 15 higher than I want. I load .45 ACP at 170 pf.

[redneck2]

I mainly shoot .45 Colt. I can load a box of 50 (at today's prices) for about $5.50. Factory stuff is maybe $20-28 per 50 now. I also load 10mm and save about 75%. That doesn't take into account the various rifle calibers.

I also shoot a lot of .223. Match grade stuff can be loaded for 1/3rd of what run of the mill stuff runs.

While a lot of the posters here think it's cute to say "I don't save money, I just shoot more".....

that's a load of crap if you shoot anything other than milsurp or .22's. That line's getting REAL old real quick. IMO, you're doing a disservice to guys that want to justify getting into reloading.

If you shoot 45Colt, 44 mag, etc. you can pay for a good progressive (as in Dillon or Hornady) and all the stuff you need in maybe 20 boxes of ammo.

Look at it this way...when I go to the farm to shoot, I take minimum 200 rounds of reloads. Costs me maybe $20 for all the shooting I want. If I buy factory, I drive 15 miles, shoot 50 rounds in 15 minutes, and spend more money.

[RustyFN]

I would have to say that I am one of the few that save money. I would still shoot the same as I shoot now but at a lot higher price. With the new component prices I am loading 9mm for around $90 per 1,000. Store bought will cost you at least $160 per 1,000. I am loading 223 for around $95 per 1,000. Store bought will cost you at least $350 per 1,000. I bought a Lee Classic Turret press. The set up cost me $200. You can see by the difference in prices that it didn't take long for me to pay off the press. To me the enjoyment and relaxation I get from reloading is worth doing it even if I didn't save money.
Rusty

[Roccobro]

Redneck2 I know what your saying on the savings.

BUT-- in my case I have yet to realize the savings of buying a nice Hornady progressive and the best dies I thought were necessary. I still need to get some components and so far the wifey mad at the outlay (sucks for her :D).

My goal is to end up with 10K of .45, 5k 9mm and 5k .223 quality reloads from once fired brass, and own the machine and spare components- all for the same price I would have spent on stockpiling the same amount of new ammunition.

I KNOW this will happen, but load development consumption wasn't taken into account, and neither was an increase in my shooting. I feel both will be very enjoyable using stuff I rolled myself. :D

Once everything is paid for (especially if a cheaper single stage press was bought) a massive savings would be realized in short order. I just wish I got into this years ago and had already saved more than I'm paying now for equipment!

Justin

[rc109a]

There use to be a link to a nice reloading calculator on this site. It computed how much you spent on equipment and the cost per round that you would spend. That program might just answer your questions. I am sure with all these great guys and gals on here that the link might just show back up...

[Curator]

The most expensive money-saving hobby I have found to date. I don't save money but do much more shooting for the same money and have gadgets to wish for. Life is good!

[sublimaze41]

Not that I would buy ammo from Gander Mountain....... Was in there the other day and saw .40 cal yellow box for $99 per 250 rounds :what:

And that was on sale. Store just outside of Buffalo, N.Y.

[The Bushmaster]

There is NO savings in this hobby. The more you save the more bullets, powder, primers and loading accessories you buy.

The only savings you will get out of this is you won't have to hire or go see a shrink...Just go to the loading room or where ever you reload and load a few [hundred] rounds and you'll feel relaxed and see the world in a better light...

If you are prudent or you have a lot of self control you might save a few dollars. Maybe...

[evan price]

The savings depends on how much you shoot and what calibers. You don't need an expensive setup and tons of time to reload if you budget your time and get the right equipment.
I started reloading with a Lee Pro-1000 progressive reloading press. It takes the 3-hole turrets like the turret press does. I also recently bought an older Lee 3-hole turret press for rifle that uses the same turrets.

A progressive has a learning curve but if I had it to do over again I would still get this press. Once I learned its quirks and kinks and how to set it up right I am making 300 rounds an hour of finished ammo ready to shoot. Each pull of the lever drops a finished round in the box. Not to say that a single-stage is a bad way to reload, it's just I wanted to load ammo and shoot it quickly. Single stages you need to run a lot of stuff through each step at a time. It's up to you, though.

I am right now loading 9mm, .45 acp, .38/.357, .44 magnum.
With components I bought this month and brass I collect at the range for free, I can load nearly anything for about $5 a box using lead hard-cast bullets. Add $2.50 a box for FMJ or plated bullets.

So for equivalent jacketed ammo,

9mm is about $6 a box. Versus, $7 a box for new. No real savings here. I don't load much 9mm anymore except +P ammo for the carbine using Rainier 124-gr plated JHPs, which a factory equivalent is over $10 a box.

.38/.357 or .45 are about $7.50 a box. Versus, $12 for .38 or $20 for .357 factory ammo.

.44 mag is about $8 a box. Versus about $30 a box of factory ammo.

A new Pro-1000 press setup for a single caliber comes from the factory for about $130.

A cheap caliber conversion would be a new set of dies and a shellplate and possibly a different size primer slide & punch, and a different size case feeder maybe.

You could change calibers for about $50. Add another $30 and you can just buy a second carrier assembly, which is what I did, I have one set up for large primers and one for small primers. Or buy another Pro-1000 and make it simple.

Figuring you load .45 acp at $7 a box savings, the first 1000 rounds you load pays for that press setup.

If you are loading a lot of revolver ammo, let's say .44 magnums, if I load 6 boxes of .44s I just paid for the press setup in savings alone.

Now you'll need more stuff. A powder check scale. A case tumbler is nice to have. But you can make ammo as good as factory plinking ammo for much much less.

Those who say you save no money, you just shoot more, are forgetting the entire point of shooting: To practice and be a better shooter.

The way I see it, if I have $300 a year to spend on ammo, would I rather buy 1500 rounds of factory ammo to shoot, or reload 4000 rounds of ammo to shoot. Sure the cost is the same but at the end of the year I am that much better of a shooter. You were going to spend the money anyway. Might as well get the most bang for the buck.

[rg1]

The old saying about reloading cost vs. factory ammo was, "You can shoot twice as much for 1/2 the price". Now it seems to me that cost is about 2/3 the price. Still it's a hobby and you can create ammo that shoots best in your rifle. You'll end up shooting a lot more, which is good, and also end up buying more tools, and stockpiling components. Then when you find you have too much of a particular caliber you'll find yourself adding a new pistol or rifle since you have so much of that ammo.
Years ago, I took 5 teenagers to the range. For curiosity I figured my cost for components at approx. $85 and later looked up the cost of factory at normal prices. $380 was what the factory ammo shot by the six of us would cost. Now the cost for 6 people shooting, well I don't want to know.

[BruceB]

Not much mention here of the more-extreme examples.

My Ruger #1 in .416 Rigby has now fired about 2500 rounds. To buy that much commercial ammo (at $8.00 per round or more), and thus to develop an equal amount of skill in the use of the rifle, would have cost about TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS! Since I'm using my own cast bullets, the actual cost-per-round runs about 25 cents for full-power loads, and a good bit less for reduced loads. D'you think I'm "saving money"?

More importantly, I don't believe we "save" much money at all, except on a straight per-round basis. We just shoot a heck of a lot more. My current consumption runs between 5,000 and 10,000 rifle rounds per year, and I don't bother keeping track of the handgun load totals. There is no way in the world that I could/would attempt to justify paying for that much factory ammo, but handloading combined with bullet-casting makes it very feasible for me.

[Deavis]

pquote]In the end, there really is not cost savings. Its a hobby.[/quote]

There is a huge cost savings if you shoot the same number of rounds even factoring in your time if you invest in quality equipment and buy in bulk. There is not a cost savings if you triple your shooting, at least for me. Either way their is a huge economic benefit to reloading aside from the pleasure it brings to some people.

[Sport45]

My cost per round is less, but I've got quite a bit of money tied up in equipment that spends most of it's time in drawers in the garage or bolted to the workbench. I've also got several 1000 bullets that I may never get around to using, not to mention powders that I tried and didn't like as well as another.....

That said, I like reloading and wouldn't change a thing. Where else but my garage can I come up with 7.7Jap with 190gr cast bullets or .375Win with a single round ball?

[Zeke/PA]

I reload for several rifle calibers and three different pistols and have been for quite some time.
Truthfully I have never thought of reloading in terms of economy.
Reloading is an integral part of the shooting hobby and quality ammo is the result.
Prices of components increase daily so I guess we just have to "bite the bullet". (no pun intended)

Zeke

[Eric F]

Some say you do not save money you just shoot more. Some say you do not save anything. Some say you save a bunch. All are true it just depends on your circumstances.
I shoot 38 super at varring rates per month but roughly 1k-2k per year I reload to save about 1/3-1/2 the money over factory loads.
I will also be shooting 50-90 sharps next year at a rate of perhaps 500 per year. At $80 per 20 shipped ($2000 per year) I will be loading these at roughly $135 counting price for new brass(50 peices) the first year since lead is free to me right now from the local tire shop.
this is how it works for me as I do not have alot of free time for shooting these days.

For the next person they might have alot of free time to shoot so they might shoot all they can meaning they reload to shoot more.

For some calibers the savings is so minimal say 223 for example last I checked I could only save about $28 per 1k so whats my time worth? certinaly not the $14 per hour its too pain steaking for 223 for me I would just assume go buy factory for that.

You must look to yourself for the real answer.

[Noxx]

9mm is about $6 a box. Versus, $7 a box for new.

I don't know where you're getting 9mm for $7/50, locally it seems the cheapest stuff I see is about $11. There are deals to be had online of course, but ammo is heavy and shipping is not cheap.

Personally I reload 9mm by the thousands, and am saving myself right into the poorhouse!:neener:

[Art Eatman]

The true saving is that reloading keeps you out of the beer joints at night. This makes for more peace in the family; divorces are expensive. Fewer DWIs, and you use less gasoline.

:D:D:D

[taliv]

the trick is being patient. in reloading, you often see deals that you don't see in loaded ammo. for instance, read http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=311563 about the "blemished bullets" sale at midwayusa.

When you pay $8.16/100 ct of hornady xtp 230g .451, add another 2.5 pennies for primers and powder, you're looking at about $5/box of 50 45acp that is an OUTSTANDING practice round to duplicate your SD ammo, unlike wally world white box, which feels nothing like a SD load.

[XD-40 Shooter]

For me, its being able to shoot twice as much of my reloaded ammo, for the same price as half the ammount of factory ammo. I used to shoot 100 rounds/month with factory ammo in 40 S&W, at $15/box. Now I shoot 200 rounds/month with my reloads, at $5.75/box.:D The money that I am actually saving over factory ammo, a good bit of it goes to more powder, primers, and bullets, because this a very fun and addictive hobby, educational and rewarding.:D I'm ok with this.

3000 Ranier's from Midway (40 S&W) = $225
4 lbs Unique = $58 at Sportsmans Warehouse
3 bricks of Primers = $60 at gun show

Grand total for 3000 rounds = $343
Factory ammo cost at 3000 rounds = $900:eek:
I'm saving a grip of money!:D

2000 125 Grain Rem SJHP's (357 mag) = $150
3 lbs Unique = $54, 1 lb containers
2 bricks of Primers = $40

Grand total for 2000 rounds = $244
Factory ammo cost at $20/box = $800.:eek:

My reloading press is basically printing money.:D I've also got better ammo that I can suit to my particular needs.

[jeepmor]

Ever notice saving always requires more spending? And people tend to ignore the value of their time.

At the income leve that I'm at, it's a hobby. If I were to pursue interests outside of work for income, and this was one of them, it would require a Dillon 1050 or greater to make it worth my while, seriously. I think it would for most of us also.

I'm saying this just to point out that people tend to value their free time at a considerably lower rate than even their employer does is all.

I like saving money too, but this is my hobby. I do have this hobby to save some money, but it namely keeps me having fun in the firearms hobby when I can't be plinking or hunting. Which, is most of the time.

[zxcvbob]

Just remember that good equipment doesn't depreciate all that much. You can get most of your money back out of it on eBay or craigslist.

I still say with some cartridges (like .45 Colt) you can save enough money to quickly pay for your equipment, and shoot twice as much, and still have some money left over.

Plus has anyone yet mentioned the satisfaction of shooting ammo that you built yourself? :)

[YodaVader]

Unlike most I do consider it a cost savings , especially if you are shooting target rifle and use match components. Buying , lets' say , Federal Gold Medal match in .223 factory loaded with the 69 Sierra MatchKing is like $25 for 20 rounds mail order! I simply would not own any centerfire rifles if it were not for reloading. And the reloading gives me better ammo anyway , the bullet is seated to optimum length for my rifle and the brass is fire formed to my chamber.

Shooting cheap bulk factory ammo is not a fair compairison against shooting reloaded ammo with match components. Even in my handgun shooting loading rounds using bullets like Hornady XTP saves me quite a bit over buying factory ammo loaded with the same bullet.

Once you have your brass the cost of the following reloads drops significantly since it is the one component that is re-usable.

And people tend to ignore the value of their time.

This is one that always gets me?
Akin to the wife taking the time to make a good dinner? Next time tell her , "Honey ,don't waste your time doing that! Let's just go down to McDonalds and eat the high fat/sodium foods and save you valuable time for sitting in front of the tube."

I never regret the time spent reloading , or washing/waxing the car , or working out - my time is my free time. The only time I get paid for is at work. At home it is no difference if I am reloading or typing here.

[RustyFN]

Ever notice saving always requires more spending? And people tend to ignore the value of their time.
I don't figure in the value of my time. Nobody is paying me to watch TV, be on the computer, go fishing or go shooting. I reload instead of watching TV or computer time, it doesn't take time away from shooting or fishing. How do you see it? Do you only figure your time for reloading and not any of your other hobbies or do you figure your time for all of your hobbies?
Rusty

[Sunray]

"...more of a hobby than a cost savings..." Yep. It's not about saving money. It's about using the best possible ammo. It gives you ammo that is tailored for your firearm(be that match grade ammo or hunting ammo), eliminates the endless search for the best price for ammo and lets you shoot obsolete or difficult to find ammo.
Buying or selling anything on E-Bay financially supports people like the Brady Bunch who don't think you should be allowed to own ANY firearm. E-Bay is an evil Empire.

[rundm]

I can get 9mm blazer, 50 rounds per box for 7.50 at a store called Academy on the gulf coast so I don't even load for that round. I save a pretty considerable amount on the 223. Right now if you want to buy supposedly good factory ammo, it is around 400.00 for 55 gr fmj brass cased loads per thousand from Winchester or Federal. This does not include specialty stuff like tap or other stuff from suppliers. My price from Midway and such for 55gr fmj is about 120.00/2k or 60/k. I buy once fired cases for 55 to 60/k and primers either match or reg rem for 23/k. I can load about 275 rounds/lb of powder so that is around 80 bucks for the powder for a grand total of 220.00 dollars or so plus my time. Once I fire the cases they are free after that so remove 60 dollars from the equation. That is at least 200-250.00/k that I save on the first load and that is probably not the most updated prices for Win and Fed. I know that you can buy some of the other stuff for around 350/k like SandB and Pri Par and Ultramax but I do not consider these to be up to the quality and accuracy that I can make for my gun. Side bar, wolf is much cheaper but you have to clean alot more and not as accurate in my stuff. You also can not reload or I have not tried to anyways. I do not even want to get into what it would cost to buy vmax or nbt topped ammo because it is outragous but I can as well as anybody else here can get vmax and nbt's in the 250 count from midway or natchez I think a couple of times a year for 30-35.00/box. Not cheap but much cheaper to load yourself then give to a company that does it for you. If you want to pay a 1.00/round for Fed match go ahead. I can load it for just about as cheap as the fmj depending on bullet cost which I think is about 2-3x what a fmj cost but put out over 1000 rounds it is not that much. I can also load up exactly what I want in a round. I have some bullets from a company called swamp works that was formally JLK that makes 52gr vld hollow pt match bullets that have around a 300 or so bc. I want to use these in my 223 and 22-250 because I can generate much more speed out of them and they will carry as well a 69gr smk. They run a little more but for long range coyote work they will get there a lot faster and carry some steam with them. This is not for everybody but if I were to buy those loaded already, I do not think that I could afford them. Just my .02 cents. I do not save tremendous amounts of money because I choose to load some high end components but my reloading allows me to reload what I want without worrying about breaking my ever decreaseing bank account. By the way, after 15 yrs or so with a couple of single stage presses, the rcbs partner and then the rockchucker, I have moved up to the world of blue. For Christmas, I will be getting a brand spanking new Dillon xl 650 with 223 and 308 set up. Talk about an increase in speed. I have a new son and this will allow me to free up time to spend with him as well as load quality ammo at very reasonable prices. Now to get more components. Peace out, RG

[aka108]

On a price per round basis, reloading is less costly. Lot of guys shoot a box or two of large rifle cartridges a year. Not worth reloading for this type of shooting. But if you shoot several times a week and run thru several hundred rounds of large rifle cartridges doing this, it is a hell of a lot less costly to reload. Good hobby and always a challenge trying to get that perfect load (if one exists).

[ReloaderFred]

I currently load for 27 different calibers and some of those can't be purchased. Have you ever walked into a big box store and asked for a box of .45-120 Sharps ammunition, 9x25 Dillon, or 9x23 Winchester, etc.? For me, it's an enjoyable hobby. I hate television and the pablum it spews. My loading bench is my friend.

As for savings, I guess I would have to say that isn't even a factor most of the time, but since my wife and I are both shooting Cowboy Action now, there is considerable savings in the truck loads of ammunition we're going through. Also, she doesn't complain about all the time I spend at my bench anymore, as long as her guns have something to shoot all month long.........

Hope this helps.

Fred

[308win]

If you shoot enough and approach reloading as a cost savings endeavor you can certainly save money - a lot of money - if you have access to free brass, buy surplus or 'canister' powder (nothing wrong with canister powder), pulled bullets if available for your calibers. You also save the aggravation of not being able to shoot exactly what you want or not finding your ammunition on the shelf. I personally reload for everything I shoot including my 9MM and .223 and I know I am shooting cheaper than I can buy it.

The plus is the satisfaction of making your own.

[langenc]

Savings will be many thousand rounds later.

[rundm]

not necessarily, if I make 4k rounds of 69gr smk's with lc once used brass I have enough to go out and buy a new dillon xl 650 with the saving. I can make 1k rounds for roughly 280 when the bought boxes cost upwards of 500/k for black hills ammo. After 3k rounds I can buy the press but with 4k rounds I can buy the press and goodies to go on it. RG