Beginner question re economics of reloading

[bullseye308]

Look around on Craigslist for people selling reloading setups and/or components. Maybe someone got out of reloading or someone passed on and the family doesn't need it. Good deals can be found. I got half a ton of lead for free a few years ago from Craigslist just for the asking. Some Facebook reloading groups sell components cheap if you do Facebook.

I cast my own and have picked up 10's of 1000's of cases over the years so all I'm paying for is powder and primers. My cost to load 9, 38, 357, or 45 is about $45/1000. Occasionally I'll buy some RMR bullets and my cost goes up to around $110/1000 or so but I tailor a load for each gun for the most accurate. My Springfield Range Officer has a load I found that puts 7 rounds in a .71" hole. I also have a terrific load for my 357 at 4.5-5.0 cents a round. Factory 357 around here is $1 per round, but I've never bought any so I don't know how it shoots.

You need to determine how many rounds you expect to shoot in a year, how many of each caliber, how much time you can dedicate to reloading, and if you have a safe place to load with no interruptions. Also what your budget is for equipment and consumables and we can give better advice from there on recommendations as to what will likely be best for you.

 

[Cannibul]

From your post I'd guess you're either an accountant or an engineer.

That's a pretty good guess. Didn't know it showed so much.

I appreciate all the answers. I am going to read some more and then maybe take the plunge, starting with .44, which is always painful to purchase. I also take the consensus wisdom that I won't really save anything, I'll just shoot more. That's fine with me.

I've known enough of both to be able to spot them pretty quick. When they start counting 1/10th of a cent it's pretty obvious.

 

[Speedo66]

I started reloading again when I was practically gifted with an original '73 in .38-40. Had no previous experience with the caliber and was shocked at the price of ammo, $40-75 a box, when you could find it. I had a 40 year old Lee turret press from when I used to load .38Spl. wadcutters way back when.

I upgraded with a progressive kit for that press and can load rather inexpensively now for that caliber, makes financial sense.

9mm is so cheap right now there's no way I'm going to spend time and load that. A local distributor sells Fiocci, S&B, or other like brands for $9 a box, one of them is usually on sale for that price. I'm stocked up for the foreseeable future, maybe forever. lol

AIM Surplus, Sportsman's Guide, and others usually have 9mm range ammo on sale for around $9, unless you are loading special accurate target loads, stock up and save your time.

 

[Legionnaire]

Good thread. I'm mostly a revolver guy when it comes to hand guns, and the savings are real and immediate reloading .357 and .44 spl/mag ammo, even without casting your own bullets. I still shoot 9mm, but don't bother reloading it; too easy to find factory ammo on sale these days.

 

[thomas15]

This thread assumes, based on remarks by the OP, that the OP is contemplating handloading 9mm as the main thing. It also assumes that cost savings is a main consideration. Missing however is a discussion of the amount of 9mm shooting the OP currently does or is preparing to do future.

If the OP currently consumes 4 or 5 thousand rounds of 9mm/year then consider handloading. If the OP is looking for a new hobby to spend his spare time or spare money, then consider handloading. If the OP consumers 1000 or so rounds of 9mm/year and already has enough places to put his time, money and interests then don't expect handloading to be a fun or economical pastime.

I occasionally shoot .45 ACP, .380, 10mm, and .44 Special. The last two I can rarely find for less than .60 a round and sometimes more like a dollar.

To get up and running a handloading bench in 1 handgun caliber will, when everything is considered and using entry level tools, will cost at least $500.00 This will get you a set up that will produce between 100-150 rounds per hour. For handguns this is slow but possible. More money=more speed. Add 4 more seldom used calibers and its not even close to worth it from a budget standpoint.

I'm not bashing those who load up 100 rounds a month and go shooting for an hour. I am not bashing those who buy the least expensive reloading kit on the market. I am not saying that it isn't possible to do this for less than $500.00 but in all honesty if $500.00 scares the potential handloader off then I've made my point. Handloading is a great hobby. But if money is an issue with respect to the decision to start this endeavor then the deciding factor is then amount of ammo consumed.

 

[Guitarmike]

No, you will save. What you do with the savings is up to you.

Some folks take their significant other out for a nice dinner. Some folks shoot more. And the list goes on.

I suggest you do both, take your significant other out to dinner first then shoot more.

 

[Dudedog]

Bullets $70/k RMR FMJ HPs $90/k
Primers on sale $20/k otherwise $30 lets use 30
Powder 1lb $30 ($25 is possible but I will round up here) 1200 rnd /lb (lets call it 1000 rnds for easy math)

so .07 Bullet
.03 primer
.03 powder
.00 brass (free)
= .13 a round, HPs would bring this up to .15
.13*50 = $6.50