Anybody change cartridge reloading decisions?

[Certaindeaf]

I remember a lot of the reloading threads wondering if it was economically viable/advisable, yada yada to reload in general. You know how those go/went.. good stuff. Quite a few voiced that some common cartridges, namely the 9x19, .223 and 7.62x39 "weren't worth" reloading since it was so cheap.
Well, maybe times have changed for some?. what with potential legislative saber-rattling driving up prices of various goods recently.
Has anyone changed their mind regarding loading for these or other "economically marginal" cartridges?

 

[jr_roosa]

I don't own anything that shoots those. Almost picked up a colt le6920 Monday but decided that if I didn't want one before an impending ban then I probably had better things to spend $1100 on.

ARs/glocks/aks lends themselves to high volume shooting of cartridges that are less worth reloading.

I already find myself overwhelmed feeding my Garands and 1911s. I would go batty trying to keep up with an ar, and I would also be frustrated looking for the cheapest bulk ammo all the time if I didn't reload for it.

Maybe someday, but I'd need a dillon and a giraud trimmer and a much higher efficiency system to have it make sense. Maybe ARs will go away before then. I hope not, but I'm going to leave an AR where it is on my shopping list, about five guns down from the top.

J.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

The only problem is, in the past when ammo prices went up component prices really didn't go up all that much. That changed in 2008. Component prices went up a lot and really never did come back down. Add to that the fact components were also as scarce as ammo, well, all I can say is if you're thinking about starting to reload right now, good luck to you...

 

[cfullgraf]

No changes here. I already load for 9x19 and 223 Remington (I have not shot any 7.63x39 in at least a decade, but I do have components and dies on my shelf if i need them).

Anyway, I enjoy reloading and I have seen components always cost less than any ammunition I would shoot in my firearms.

 

[jwrowland77]

Nope no changes here. I just got into reloading back in March, but still able to load 9mm cheaper than they sell it locally and definitely load cheaper for my .223.

 

[hentown]

I'm reloading quality .223s @ around $.15 per round. Haven't seen any commercial ammo anywhere near that price for a loooooong time.

 

[45lcshooter]

No dooms days here yet. Before work going to crank out some rounds. Nothings changed here. Its always been worthwhile for me to reload, saves money for other toys or diesel for my pickup, or gas for my car.

 

[James2]

I don't load for those calibers. I suppose if I were to get a gun that fired them, I would load for them though as all it would take is a set of dies to set up. I still think you can shave some costs loading your own, plus I enjoy the reloading.

 

[788Ham]

No, things haven't changed any here, other than trying to get some components locally. I messed up not getting more SPP at a local GS awhile back, might play hobbs getting more right away, again, my fault. I won't make that mistake again, when finding anymore !!

 

[mmay1]

I found reloading 9mm and 223 economical even before the most recent increases. Loading 308 is really economical at today's prices. But for me, it's a hobby first.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

No change now or anytime soon.

 

[tcanthonyii]

I just started reloading. I always thought 9mm was not economical. So I did the math and from just looking at midways site I could load 9mm for 8-9 bucks a box using brass I already had. Buyin locally I brought it down to 7 bucks flat. I found 223 you can do about 100 bucks less per 1000 using midways site.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I just started reloading. I always thought 9mm was not economical. So I did the math and from just looking at midways site I could load 9mm for 8-9 bucks a box using brass I already had. Buyin locally I brought it down to 7 bucks flat. I found 223 you can do about 100 bucks less per 1000 using midways site.

You can do a lot better than that if you want. I think Missouri bullets are about $30/500 with shipping included.

http://www.missouribullet.com/results.php?category=5&secondary=8

I don't really keep up on all the good bullet places/prices though.. I've cast for 9 etc. since I was 16-17 and rarely buy bullets for most of my stuff. I don't cast .22 though.. don't know if I ever will.

 

[tcanthonyii]

Yea using lead bullets will save you more. I'm loading jacketed 115 grain. Buying 1000 ata time instead of the 250 I've been buying will save me about 10 bucks per thousand. Since I'm new at this I started with a low number. Plus I want to start loading for my other calibers so I can't load too many 9 and not get into 45. 44. 30-30 270 and 7.62x54.

 

[Otto]

I don't own anything that shoots those. Almost picked up a colt le6920 Monday but decided that if I didn't want one before an impending ban then I probably had better things to spend $1100 on.

I bought a new Colt LE6920 yesterday for $995. When I saw used ones selling for $2000 on Gun Trader it was a no-brainer.
I have since ordered two more.
Today, my son sold a used no-frills Bushmaster for $1500 cash...unbelievable.

Staying on topic....Reloading 7.62x39 is hard to justify but so was 9mm when Walmart sold it for $6 a hundred. Time will tell.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I never had a 7.62x39. If I did, it'd probably be that CZ bolt gun and I'd reload for it. I think it's a pretty interesting round.

 

[FROGO207]

I took the time when things were not as expensive to buy tooling/work up loads to reload anything I own that I can possibly can. Now IF I need an accurate round for something my data will save me a LOT of time. I will not change much other than shoot more of my hoarded .22 ammo IF things dry up for an extended period. I just hope others had the foresight/extra cash to plan ahead this time around. Seeing these issues new firearms owners should take heed and buy SOME ammo ahead to save for a "rainy day" if they possibly can. If nothing else it will insulate them against price spikes/increases while allowing them to shoot some.

 

[capreppy]

Nothing will change for me except I am adding a bolt action 260 Rem. I am stocked up to last a year or more for most calibers. I would like to add some additional components for the 260, but H4350 is out of stock in most places and not reasonably priced at those places that do have it.

 

[Kp321]

I don't shoot any factory center fire ammo. I load for everything I shoot including 9mm. Might not save a lot but my $6.00 per box ammo is much better than the cheap 9's from the store.
I do have a stash of mil surp rifle ammo for SHTF purposes but shoot reloads day to day.
I have seen shortages of some components in addition to higher prices but loaded ammo is short and high too.

 

[JLDickmon]

you might get me to say yes on this one..
I'm preserving my stock of small pistol primers by concentrating on .44 & .45

 

[Walkalong]

I bought 7.62X39 dies to try reloading, but it didn't go far. All I have in that caliber is an AK. I set everything up, put back some bullets and brass, and am just buying steel cased ammo for it. If I should buy a bolt gun in 7.62X39, which is possible, I would reload for it.

The only other caliber I loaded for, but don't right now, is .380, but only because I do not have one right now. I have the dies, a goodly amount of brass and bullets, and am ready to go if I get one again.

 

[Wildbillz]

I cast my lot with the reloading crowd years ago. Some reload cheaper then others. I reload for everything I have. One of the first (if not the first) accessory I buy for a gun is reloading dies. Some I have never used (7.62x39, 5.45x39 and 7.62x25 and so on) due to the cheap cost of imported surplus. But I have allways keept in my mind that surplus would either dry up or no longer be importable. So I have the means to load them if needed. Now some of them as I sell off the guns that fire that caliber I sell of the die and brass I have for them. But I hang on to most of it and try to stay with standardized calibers that I can easly get or get components for.

YMMV
WB

 

[Armored farmer]

yes for me.....
I am moving toward the .30-30 as my go-to because I can cast bullets for it from my lead supply. It seems to me that the jacketed factory bullets for my faster calibers may get hard to find. Also .30-30 can be loaded with a variety of powders, even black or Pyrodex if need arises.

 

[horsemen61]

I am going to start loading 223 and 9mm because those $6 boxes for a 100 dont exist anymore at walmart the 9mm they have now is Remington and they want 39.99 for it its crazy. They keep saying they will get more but I hate being dependent.