2 Quest.for reloading.
- Thread starter Reyn
- Start date
- Status
Berek
Member
There's a sticky regarding this.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=18835
There's also an Excel spreadsheet running around that may help. If you want to get into reloading just for saving money, you may be disappointed.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=18835
There's also an Excel spreadsheet running around that may help. If you want to get into reloading just for saving money, you may be disappointed.
Savings is a bad term! You only really lower your cost per round! And, if you are just shooting a few boxes a year, starting reloading is not really validated, but if you are looking to enhancy your accuracy, bullet selection, and other parameters reloading is a good way to go!
It becomes validated when you are shooting a lot!
It becomes validated when you are shooting a lot!
JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone
Member
Like others have said, don't reload just to save money. There are other rewards that come along with reloading, but the dollar return on investment is long to come.
Here's my numbers. I have more than 10,000 rounds of brass for various pistol calibers that I shoot. So my initial outlay for the reusable component cuts my 'per round' cost from about $.12 to about $.04 per shot fired.
(my example is .45acp. with 7000gns of powder per pound, 1750 rounds loaded per $20. Primers at $.02 ea. I have a stockpile of lead and linotype, but you could say $.50/lb is a good rate. Pouring my own bullets gets me 35 bullets per pound. That's $.01 ea.)
For rifle loads it's a bit different. As an example, I have some 1000 rounds of brass for 30-06. 300 or so are fireformed for my rifle. (I don't compete with this rifle. It's just for hunting. Sees maybe a hundred rounds fired in 2 years. I haven't purchased factory ammo for it in more than 15 years.) That said, the same math can be applied. 130 powder charges from a pound of powder = $.15 ea. Primers are still $.02 ea. I've got a stock pile of brass, but you can figure on $.15 ea in bulk. A box of 50 quality bullets at $18.00 runs you $.36 each. Lets just call it $.75/loaded round if you don't have your own brass, and near $.50 each if you do have your own brass. Add 10% for your .300WinMag.
I havent purchased factory ammo for years, but I can imagine that .300WinMag for a box of 20 is quite near $30? That's what? A buck fifty each?
Can you save 50% in cost per shot by reloading. Well certainly! More if you shoot pistol and do all the things that can help cut costs. For me, since I may shoot a couple hundred rounds in a week, I'm sure I'm saving -well, A LOT!
But, and now there's the equipment needed. I probably have thousands of dollars worth of reloading schtuph. Can you start out with a good beginner kit for just your two listed rifle calibers? Yup. A good RCBS Rock Chucker kit for the .300 belted magnums and that 30-30. (By the way, it's not cost effective to load for 30-30 when Wally World sells loaded cartridges for $8/box of 20 when you factor in the time.) Not just the presses and dies and primer pocket reamers and case length guages and trimmers and brass tumbler and polishing media and storage facility and gun room and gun safe and various manuals and chronograph so you know your bullets are traveling as fast as you calculated them to be and and and...
Now, I wouldn't expect you to run out and buy a Dillon version anything for what you've asked. But here's a pretty good article on Dillon's web site. (Even though I have an older Dillon press on my bench. Just down from it is that Rock Chucker for the belted magnum rifle cartridges.)
http://dillonprecision.com/reloadingsaving.cfm?dyn=1&cookieClean=1
I gotta tell ya, this can be an addictive hobby. I spend four to ten hours week in the gun room. Reloading, cleaning guns... The rewards are incredible though. Fireforming brass and measuring things just perfect by the book then 'modifying' that standard to your particular rifle to attain the most accurate offering possible on paper at the range. A 'one ragged hole' group is a very pleasing success. Then taking that same amount of knowledge and doing the same at altitude in the freezing rain to get the same results are exceptional displays of knowing the challenges of the science. Placing one of your own fired bullets, your own creation, into the heart of your chosen game for a clean humane one shot kill, or scoring a high score in a target match resulting from your own time, sweat and frustration creating accurate offerings is something only you can really appreciate.
Now, if you can quantify that with a dollar amount, please tell me. Cause' I gotta tell the wife. She doesn't understand why I bought another bullet mold last week.
-Steve
Here's my numbers. I have more than 10,000 rounds of brass for various pistol calibers that I shoot. So my initial outlay for the reusable component cuts my 'per round' cost from about $.12 to about $.04 per shot fired.
(my example is .45acp. with 7000gns of powder per pound, 1750 rounds loaded per $20. Primers at $.02 ea. I have a stockpile of lead and linotype, but you could say $.50/lb is a good rate. Pouring my own bullets gets me 35 bullets per pound. That's $.01 ea.)
For rifle loads it's a bit different. As an example, I have some 1000 rounds of brass for 30-06. 300 or so are fireformed for my rifle. (I don't compete with this rifle. It's just for hunting. Sees maybe a hundred rounds fired in 2 years. I haven't purchased factory ammo for it in more than 15 years.) That said, the same math can be applied. 130 powder charges from a pound of powder = $.15 ea. Primers are still $.02 ea. I've got a stock pile of brass, but you can figure on $.15 ea in bulk. A box of 50 quality bullets at $18.00 runs you $.36 each. Lets just call it $.75/loaded round if you don't have your own brass, and near $.50 each if you do have your own brass. Add 10% for your .300WinMag.
I havent purchased factory ammo for years, but I can imagine that .300WinMag for a box of 20 is quite near $30? That's what? A buck fifty each?
Can you save 50% in cost per shot by reloading. Well certainly! More if you shoot pistol and do all the things that can help cut costs. For me, since I may shoot a couple hundred rounds in a week, I'm sure I'm saving -well, A LOT!
But, and now there's the equipment needed. I probably have thousands of dollars worth of reloading schtuph. Can you start out with a good beginner kit for just your two listed rifle calibers? Yup. A good RCBS Rock Chucker kit for the .300 belted magnums and that 30-30. (By the way, it's not cost effective to load for 30-30 when Wally World sells loaded cartridges for $8/box of 20 when you factor in the time.) Not just the presses and dies and primer pocket reamers and case length guages and trimmers and brass tumbler and polishing media and storage facility and gun room and gun safe and various manuals and chronograph so you know your bullets are traveling as fast as you calculated them to be and and and...
Now, I wouldn't expect you to run out and buy a Dillon version anything for what you've asked. But here's a pretty good article on Dillon's web site. (Even though I have an older Dillon press on my bench. Just down from it is that Rock Chucker for the belted magnum rifle cartridges.)
http://dillonprecision.com/reloadingsaving.cfm?dyn=1&cookieClean=1
I gotta tell ya, this can be an addictive hobby. I spend four to ten hours week in the gun room. Reloading, cleaning guns... The rewards are incredible though. Fireforming brass and measuring things just perfect by the book then 'modifying' that standard to your particular rifle to attain the most accurate offering possible on paper at the range. A 'one ragged hole' group is a very pleasing success. Then taking that same amount of knowledge and doing the same at altitude in the freezing rain to get the same results are exceptional displays of knowing the challenges of the science. Placing one of your own fired bullets, your own creation, into the heart of your chosen game for a clean humane one shot kill, or scoring a high score in a target match resulting from your own time, sweat and frustration creating accurate offerings is something only you can really appreciate.
Now, if you can quantify that with a dollar amount, please tell me. Cause' I gotta tell the wife. She doesn't understand why I bought another bullet mold last week.
-Steve
Berek
Member
Ok, I do have to agree with some of my colleages in that there are some calibers that you will save money on. As an example, my cost to purchase .300WSM rounds cost in the neighborhood of $1.80 per round. My cost to reload is $0.61 per round. I save $1.19 per round or over $23 bucks a box of 20. On .45-70 Gov't, I save about $19 a box.
When it comes to handgun rounds, My dad's .44 Mag doesn't seem to like factory loads, but loves my reloads, so it's more of a functionality thing. When it comes to 9mm and .357Mag, there is no savings to speak of so it's nothing more than quality time away from the family.
When it comes to handgun rounds, My dad's .44 Mag doesn't seem to like factory loads, but loves my reloads, so it's more of a functionality thing. When it comes to 9mm and .357Mag, there is no savings to speak of so it's nothing more than quality time away from the family.
i guess that depends on how much you shoot. round for round, i'm not aware of a centerfire cartridge that can't be reloaded cheaper than the cheapest factory ammo (incl crap like wolf)
the only question is, do you shoot enough to recoup the cost of the investment in the press, dies, tools, etc?
e.g. ammoman's cheapest price for wolf is $129 for 1000 rnds of 115g.
you can buy 1000 115g FMJ bullets for $40.
1000 nickel processed cases (sized deprimed) are $40, maybe cheaper.
1000 primers are $15
powder is probably $10 or less.
So you're saving $25/1000 and getting BETTER AMMO.
otoh, if you've been shooting 9mm for a while, and were smart enough to save your brass, then that 1000 rnds at the top would only cost you $65, which is half the price of Wolf.
again, the question is, will you shoot enough to recover the cost of your press and equipment?
(btw, those numbers don't work for me. i mean, i don't reload 9mm because i don't shoot it enough. i reload the crap out of 223 and 45acp and .480ruger)
you can buy 1000 115g FMJ bullets for $40.
1000 nickel processed cases (sized deprimed) are $40, maybe cheaper.
1000 primers are $15
powder is probably $10 or less.
So you're saving $25/1000 and getting BETTER AMMO.
otoh, if you've been shooting 9mm for a while, and were smart enough to save your brass, then that 1000 rnds at the top would only cost you $65, which is half the price of Wolf.
again, the question is, will you shoot enough to recover the cost of your press and equipment?
(btw, those numbers don't work for me. i mean, i don't reload 9mm because i don't shoot it enough. i reload the crap out of 223 and 45acp and .480ruger)
The Bushmaster
Member
Who's savin' money at this "HOBBY"??? I'm havin' too much fun shootin' ta save money reloadin'
trickyasafox
Member
9mm brass is 7-10 bucks a 1000. 40 bucks for a k of fmj or hp's. 13-14 bucks per 1000 in primers. 16 bucks for powder.
not tons of savings, but for me definatly worth it. right bout 70 bucks a thou. so 60 dollars really helps when your in college.
22-250 has tons of savings. 8 cents for powder 35 per k of bullets. 14 again for primers.
357 and 38 have a lot of savings too. i could keep working it out but what it really comes down to is your cost per shot drops by 50% percent give or take, but your set up costs eat up a lot of any savings you might incur.
it is definatly addicting, and definatly worth it though. for me its easy to keep components around, ammo usually goes though. so instead of needing to go buy ammo whenever i want to go to the range, a quick zip to the bench saves a trip.
not tons of savings, but for me definatly worth it. right bout 70 bucks a thou. so 60 dollars really helps when your in college.
22-250 has tons of savings. 8 cents for powder 35 per k of bullets. 14 again for primers.
357 and 38 have a lot of savings too. i could keep working it out but what it really comes down to is your cost per shot drops by 50% percent give or take, but your set up costs eat up a lot of any savings you might incur.
it is definatly addicting, and definatly worth it though. for me its easy to keep components around, ammo usually goes though. so instead of needing to go buy ammo whenever i want to go to the range, a quick zip to the bench saves a trip.
Berek
Member
For the amount of pistol ammo I shoot, there is no savings to speak. It's the occasional type thing, except 9mm, I guess. Between my Taurus PT92 and my Hi-Point carbine... other than that, my dad & I don't shoot enough .357, .38, .44Mag, or .45ACP to make it financially worthwhile. I just reload it for a hobby.
As for brass, I have yet to buy any pistol brass. There's enough "free-range" to keep me going...
Attached is that Excel spreadsheet that can help you compute how much you'll spend reloading, not including time. Keep in mind that the line for the number of times a shell can be reloaded is estimates and modifyable. i.e. the .300WSM says '1' but I have some shells that have been loaded 8 times and still going strong...
As for brass, I have yet to buy any pistol brass. There's enough "free-range" to keep me going...
Attached is that Excel spreadsheet that can help you compute how much you'll spend reloading, not including time. Keep in mind that the line for the number of times a shell can be reloaded is estimates and modifyable. i.e. the .300WSM says '1' but I have some shells that have been loaded 8 times and still going strong...
Attachments
Smythe77
Member
Must admit I am a handgunner so we hammer a lot of rounds compared to rifle people AND we have an indoor range for h/gun target shooters, but the Cdn Govts are very fussy & in our range we need to ease off the loads pressure due to to the concrete walls & safety. Fine with us for we shoot anything from .22, to 9X19.38Spl to 45ACP to well reduced loads of 44Mag & 41 Mag to an even light load of 44 Spl or 41 Spl. Still they say NO partially jacketed or fully jacketed SO that means we all reload & use cast bullets.
Actually reloading becomes a challenge & fun in shooting to try & come up with the ideal bullet tip & load of whatever powder to where we are shooting indoor or even outdoors better or as good a target loads. The above takes away the demand for something like a Glock so in 9X19 we see Browning P-35, CZ-75, Sig Sauer P-26, to Ruger, Bretta & such.
While I have two tuned 9X19s, being a CZ-75 & Browning P-35, I prefer a 38 Spl using a PPC revolver. Though tops is two semi-auto Browning action 45ACP revolvers built from a Colt Govt model in frame & slide only while another has been made to my specs with STI slide & Casian bbl along with all the rest being specail components One costy three grand & the latest to be 4 grand (not I am referring to Cdn dollars) with just 2.5 lb trigger pulls & deadly accurate IF I am in the mood even at my old age.
As a gift I gave a friend 150 pieces of NEW never used brass for his 45ACP & two boxes of new empty brass for his 44 Mag. Hey we handgunners are the best of friends since we all reload & like doing it.
Actually reloading becomes a challenge & fun in shooting to try & come up with the ideal bullet tip & load of whatever powder to where we are shooting indoor or even outdoors better or as good a target loads. The above takes away the demand for something like a Glock so in 9X19 we see Browning P-35, CZ-75, Sig Sauer P-26, to Ruger, Bretta & such.
While I have two tuned 9X19s, being a CZ-75 & Browning P-35, I prefer a 38 Spl using a PPC revolver. Though tops is two semi-auto Browning action 45ACP revolvers built from a Colt Govt model in frame & slide only while another has been made to my specs with STI slide & Casian bbl along with all the rest being specail components One costy three grand & the latest to be 4 grand (not I am referring to Cdn dollars) with just 2.5 lb trigger pulls & deadly accurate IF I am in the mood even at my old age.
As a gift I gave a friend 150 pieces of NEW never used brass for his 45ACP & two boxes of new empty brass for his 44 Mag. Hey we handgunners are the best of friends since we all reload & like doing it.
RugerSAFan
Member
I haven't saved any money. I either shoot more, or am purchasing new components, or upgrading equipment.
It is a hobby that brings me a great deal of satisfaction, and seems to be a stress reducer. Biggest challenge is keeping compents / tools organized.
It is a hobby that brings me a great deal of satisfaction, and seems to be a stress reducer. Biggest challenge is keeping compents / tools organized.
Sunray
Member
It's not about saving money. It's about using the best ammo possible out of your rifles. Especially for hunting. Have a look at the RCBS Beginner's Kit.
- Status