Buy or Reload?

[Lost Sheep]

Consider that a 'cheap' single-turret reloading setup can eat up $800-1000 once you've got all the small bits, gauges, and some inevitable quality-of-life upgrades.

Lee Classic Turret $100, 7 sets of dies, $250, scale $100, Calipers $35, case prep tools, maybe $100 for hand tools brass tumbler $50 folding workbench $50.
Yeah, $700 is about right.

(edit: Each additional set of dies is about $30-$40 and about $10 for an additional turret, or about $$40-$50 each additional caliber.)

It will take up a small dedicated workspace, and will eat a decent amount of time, especially when learning, but there is no hurry and you can go at your own pace.

I don't know about that. My entire loading stable packs up into three medium-small toolboxes, the largest of which is 24" x 12" x 10" exterior dimensions. This does not include the brass cleaner (which is not really necessary, but nice to have) or the folding workbench.

It really is quite compact.

But if I left my bench set up all the time and particularly if I had a progressive press with case feeder and stuff, I could easily fill a 10 x 10 foot room.

You are right about the time thing. You can while away many hours (enjoyably, though).

You don't need a personal instructor if you're willing to read a lot, ask questions, and watch a few online videos. Private individuals have been reloading for as long as cartridges have existed, even before the internetz, so you're almost certainly capable of doing it safely.

Very true, but it is still nice to have a mentor.

Reloading will allow you to shoot a little more, or shoot higher quality ammo, but the initial costs may take 1500+ round to recoup (so 1-2 years?).

Me? I'd just buy the cheaper pistol rounds and focus on reloading a few types of expensive rifle rounds, and perhaps some of the expensive or harder to find pistol rounds.

Another plus, is that once you're setup to reload, your tools and setup will last a very long time. In the long haul, its very possible to save a lot of money, at the expense of personal time. For me, the hobby eats up otherwise dead-time, so I don't mind a few hours here and there.

Absolutely right! Loading itself is almost like a form of relaxation to me now that I have a press I like to use.

Regards,

Lost Sheep

 

[Ex]

Reloading cost calculator:
http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp

I spend a lot of time worried about where our country is going. No, I'm not a prepper.

I do however find, that reloading makes my budda belly happy! It is a potentially dangerous
...hobby. The attention demanded during reloading makes all the other stuff go away... it demands my attention and focus! That alone is for me, reward enough!

Then there is the "potential" savings. Great on some, break even on the worst scenarios.

Then there is the consistency/accuracy issue. Hands down, reloading wins. Though I've only been reloading a year, (I do 9mm, .40 and 10mm currently) I have found that my handloads are consistantly more accurate than commercial. I certainly save money on the 10mm. ALOT! Savings on the .40 (since all I load is defense rounds) pays for itself and then some. 9mm is an even break but gives me the advantage of exact velocities and the ability to design my own load. I enjoy testing with different powders/primers and chronographing the results.

After a year I have developed my own books with several different loads for each caliber.
Documenting the results of each trial and (oops, error) has left me with no injury or damage to any pistol, and a great sense of satisfaction.

Take from all these posts what you will, and run with it. It sounds like you have an interest in building your own ammo and form the $s your spec'd, you can afford to get whatever press and equip you desire.

Go for it!!!

Personnaly, I use a Dillon 550b press and love it. It's a little more to get setup, but worth it in my opinion. I beleive that most Dillon owners would agree.

As for the mentoring, there are lots of youtube videos out there to cover most machines... watch them,. then ask questions here before proceeding. Some youtubbers are...shall I say, "full of it"?

 

[Ex]

Here's a Hickok45 video on reloading basics I recommend you watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irC3NuIKDm4

 

[joed]

When I got into reloading it was cheaper then buying factory ammo in most cases. But the last couple years have seen some big increases in the price of components in my opinion. Granted there are still some places that are proud of their ammo and the price reflects it. But for the most part you can find factory ammo at reasonable prices.

If I didn't have the equipment now I don't think I would invest in reloading. If it's something that you think you'd enjoy try it. Just start small at first.

 

[Certaindeaf]

It's a personal decision. There have always been "costs" involved achieving mastery/knowledge of any given thing. How one goes about arriving there really is an individual thing and doesn't really matter, as long as one arrives, perhaps.

 

[kingmt]

Where can you get .223 for $0.08 a shoot? I can shoot 30-06 for that. I can load the stuff that cost $40 a box for $7.20. Everything I load is just a small fraction on the cost of factory.

 

[rdhood]

Discounting time (which is a BIG factor to some people), reloading WILL save you money. I went through this exercise in 2007. At the time, I figured it would take me about 2000-3000 rounds of 9mm/40S&W to recoup a Lee 4 position press, and a couple of dies, electronic scale. At the price of current ammo, I am sure it would take even less.

brass gets amortized out over the number of times it is reloaded. Figure about $55 shipped for 1000 of a handgun caliber (or pickup for free).

When I go to the range by myself, I shoot about 100 each of 9mm/.40/.45ACP, about 20 rifle(retail) and about 200 22LR, and multiply times 1.5 for an invited buddy. Thus, I shoot about 300 reloads per outing. It takes me about 2 hours prep to reload 300 rounds (that includes cleaning, decapping, primer/powder/bullet and quality control).


I never bought a book, never took a lesson. I simply read on the internet, and follow manufacturer's recommendations. Of course, I am not trying to get the most accurate or most powerful load. I establish my "standard" load and leave it at that.

If you truly believe, OP, that you will make at least a couple thousand rounds, then go for it. You will be able to shoot 2x to 3x as much per dollar ( pistol reloads ).

Price out what $700 will buy (retail) in your chosen calibers. Decide if that is enough to shoot for a year. If not.... reload. Start picking up all the brass that you can...now.

BTW, someone wrote:
"Lee Classic Turret $100, 7 sets of dies, $250, scale $100, Calipers $35, case prep tools, maybe $100 for hand tools brass tumbler $50 folding workbench $50.
Yeah, $700 is about right."

For me, that was a $20 scale, $10 calipers, no case prep tools for pistol, no brass tumbler (cleaned in sink!), mounted my press to some 3/4" ply and clamp to a table. Startup cost for three calibers was only about $300.

 

[RustyFN]

I know I pay less per round now that I handload.
I also know that I spend 3 times more money than I used to, because I love loading as much or more than I love shooting. You absolutely do save money, per round. But the fact is, more money is leaving my wallet than it used to. That means I'm not saving money. The whole, "You don't save money" concept is from a personal budget mindset, not a cost per round mindset.

Bottom line, when I'm talking to my wife it's always, "But baby, I'm saving money." Women understand crap like that.
In actuality I spend much more than before, but have a lot more fun.

Yes and while that's true for you how do you know the OP and everybody esle is just like you. To say " you won't save money " or " nobody saves money " is false. For example I cast my own bullets with free lead and can load any pistol I shoot for around $25 per 1,000. There is no way I'm going to shoot 2,000 to 3,000 rounds every time I go to the range.