Do you reload and do you think it's worth it?

[hometheaterman]

For you shooters out there I was wondering what your opinion was on reloading? Do you do it? If so do you think it's actually worth it? I've asked this question on reloading forums and of course they tell you how great it is.

Now my Christmas present was a reloading kit. However, since I didn't know exactly what I wanted at the time I was told just order it when I found it and they would pay for it. I went and bought a die for one caliber and a tumbler today and spent $107. I still have 2 or 3 other dies I want at $40 for one and $30 for the other. Then the reloading kit from RCBS guys keep recommending me is $290. So they would pay for the kit and I'd pay for the rest. I'm really starting to wonder if I really want to do this.

So I figured if I save $5 a box it will take me almost 100 boxes to pay for the upfront cost. I'm paying $14 a box for 30-06 ammo from Federal at Wally World. It doesn't seem like I will save more than $5 a box over that. I just don't shoot anywhere near a large number of rounds like that. I shoot maybe 5 or 6 boxes a year at most. I wouldn't mind shooting slightly more than that but not that much more. I shoot a .22 a lot more than that but you can't reload a for a .22 anyway.

So that will take me almost 20 years to get my money back. Then I also have the hassle of sitting there reloading my bullets which I really don't care for. Seems much much easier to just go to Wal Mart and pick up a box of ammo to go shoot.

Another thing is my 30-06 is super picky about ammo when it comes to accuracy. It shoots good groups with Federal Fusion ammo and Federal soft points but nothing else I've tried groups all that well. I've tried many different brands to find one that shoots great. I'm thinking with reloading I'm going to have to shoot many different setups again and try to find one that works which I really don't want to go through again.

So I'm just wondering if I should take back the stuff I bought today and tell the person getting me the kit that I really would rather have something else. They have told me if I want something else that's fine.

So what should I do? Should I get the kit? Or should I just keep buying factory ammo and get something else?

I'm just really worried about being able to reload ammo that shoots well in my gun since it was so picky accuracy wise with factory ammo. Some like Winchester ballistic tips shot like 8" groups. Others shot 4-5" groups. I finally got it down to about 1.5" or sometimes 2" groups with the Federal ammo. I don't want to try a ton of kinds again and I don't want to be able to not find one that works either.

What do you guys think? Do you that don't reload think it would be worth it? Or is it not? What about the ones who do reload what do you think?

 

[Shung]

it's worth it all the way for most calibers.. the only I dont reload is the one I can get for the same price as components all together.. and these are 9mm, .223, and 7.62x39 .. all the others are worth it big time.. imagine if I was to buy 45-120 for my Sharps replica, or even 30.06 for my Garand.. I would ruin myself..

 

[kabrn]

if you think that its going to b a hassle then i probably wouldnt start reloading i find it relaxing and enjoy reloading my own ammo.

 

[ny32182]

It is worth it for me, but my shooting is nothing like yours.

Based on your description, it *is not* worth it for you, period. Use the money on a lifetime supply of loaded ammo.

 

[EddieNFL]

I load a couple of calibers that aren't available commercially.

 

[Sam1911]

You're the first person I can recall saying this to, but no, it doesn't sound like you should get into reloading. If you're content to shoot 5-6 boxes of ammo a year -- or anything close to that -- then reloading for cost savings doesn't make much sense.

Further, if you know of a couple of factory loads that work well in your rifle, and you're content with 1.5" - 2" accuracy, AND you don't like fooling around with tons of different components and endless testing to determine which combination gives you the best possible accuracy, then reloading is a waste of your time and money.

Those of us who reload a lot either love the "quest" and appreciate being able to shrink our groups down that last 1" or 1/2" better than the factory stuff will go, or we shoot so much that the equipment pays for itself quickly. Or both.

For my part, I do enjoy the quest for precision rifle accuracy when I get a chance to shoot the rifles, and I go though close to 10,000 rds. of ammo a year (mostly handgun), so reloading is the only way to go, for me.

For you, I just don't see any reason for you to trouble with it. Hate to see you end up with several hundred dollars of equipment just rusting away, if you really don't need it.

-Sam

 

[rugerman]

The only thing that I shoot that I don't reload is rimfire. Most of my guns have never fired a factory round, yes its worth it. I can make ammo that can't be found factory loaded, its much less expensive and I just enjoy making my own ammo.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Do you reload and do you think it's worth it?

I've been reloading since 1961.

I'm shooting all the centirefire ammo I want at a cost of about $2.00 to $4.00 a box.
Yeah, it's worth it.


Then add in the fact that a ammo shortage or sky high prices mean absoutely nothing to me, yeah, reloading is really worth it.

 

[rfdallas]

i have been reloading about a year now. i enjoy it and can customize my ammo the way i like them.

 

[Deanimator]

1. I couldn't afford to shoot if I didn't reload.
2. The handgun ammunition which I shoot the most isn't available where I live. I know no place in the Cleveland area which sells .38 Special 148gr. lead HBWCs or .45acp 200gr. LSWCs. If they did, it'd probably be twice the price (if not more) of my reloads.
3. NO commercial manufacturer loads my .30-06 load. If somebody makes a .30-06 load with a 200gr. Sierra Matchking over IMR4350, I've never heard of it. It's 100% guaranteed that nobody makes one with the OAL tailored to MY gun.

 

[9MMare]

I went with "I dont reload and I dont think it's worth it"....which isnt the full truth.

I dont reload...but I'm sure it's worth it in $$ savings. But I have no interest and spend that time on other things.

 

[halfded]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=469820

Start a little simpler, maybe with a single stage press to learn the ropes and decide if it's something for you.

I posted the link above to show how quickly you can shoot A LOT more for your money. You don't really save any, it just stretches further when you reload.

 

[longdayjake]

Reloading is something that I started looking at to save money in the very distant future. I just bought a Hornady LNL. I had to buy shell plates for all of the calibers I shoot. I had to buy all kinds of crap to get it to the point where things are ready to reload. The press and all the stuff I bought to go with the press are just over $700. Then I bought about $1100 worth of powder and primers. I already have the casings and I sell bullets for a living so I don't worry about that as a cost even though there is a cost. The way I see it is that by the time I finish using that much powder and primers, the press will have paid for itself a hundred times over. I could have bought a lot of bullets for $1100 but because I bought components in bulk I am making very accurate .223 for about 13 cents a round and great 9mm for about 10 cents a round. Compare that to factory load costs and you will see how much money I save in the long run. Though it costs me a TON of money to start out with, I don't think I will have to be buying any more stuff for many years to come.

 

[John Wayne]

It's definately worth it. Even the OP will eventually pay for his investment...technically much faster since he isn't actually buying the press himself.

By planning on buying a box here and there rather than buying the press, you're assuming that the cost of the ammo isn't going to go up (it will), and that it will always be readily available (it may not be).

Handloaded ammo is equal or superior to factory-loaded rounds, and is much more cost-efficient. Buy yourself a Lee press for 1/3 the cost of the RCBS. It will serve your needs just fine.

 

[oneounceload]

I reload shotgun, pistol and rifle and couldn't shoot them if I didn't - at least in the volume I do. Since moving to FL my metallic is down, my shotgun is up, somewhere north of 15,000 a year.

If you find factory loadings that are acceptable and you only shoot a few boxes - don't reload, and buy that particular load in the lot number that works in bulk so you have it. Save the brass and either trade it or sell it to someone who reloads

 

[hometheaterman]

Being able to custom tailer loads to my gun seems like a benefit but I really don't have time to mess with it and try a ton of different setups. If I did I'm sure I'd love it. However, I have other things I have to do in my free time. If I was retired I'm sure I'd love it however, I'm not nor anywhere near the age to retire so I just don't have a ton of free time for stuff like this. That's why I shoot so little. I just don't have time to do all that much shooting.

 

[JJE]

If you don't mind paying for factory ammo and it does what you want, then there's no point in handloading.

I handload because I can't afford to buy factory ammo for all the different shooting I do, and the factory ammo isn't exactly what I want for practice.

 

[danprkr]

if you think that its going to b a hassle then i probably wouldnt start reloading i find it relaxing and enjoy reloading my own ammo.

Ditto that, I often shoot to empty brass so that I can spend some time reloading. I enjoy the reloading as a hobby in and of itself. My friends and I split the costs of equipment, and combine orders to get bulk discounts. With all of that it's even financially worthwhile.

 

[Mags]

Why do people always factor start up costs into reloading? Think about what you said "the startup costs will be paid off in about 100 boxes of ammo being made". That's no way to think about think about the potential number of rounds your press can make. Let's say you have a 500 dollar press with the potential of making 10 million rounds that puts the cost of the press per round at .00005 a round. If you think of it as a hassle and start out to save money you won't like reloading. Reloading is a hobby all in itself. For the future reloaders DON'T CONSIDER RELOADING EQUIPMENT A "START-UP COST" IT IS AN "INVESTMENT".

 

[nulfisin]

Reloading is fun. In fact, I sometimes enjoy it as much as shooting. If it's not fun for you, you won't do it and you won't save money.

 

[Claude Clay]

i reload more than 20 calibers
a 308 Federal Gold Match i can replicate for under 40 cents
for my friends garand he got dies and a lee plate for under $50.00
so i make 30-06 for under 40 cents that his gun loves

if you are not interested in making 'the' load for your gun
[many find reloading as rewarding an aspect of the hobby as the shooting]
or do not shoot often
and think that loading will be a chore,
than perhaps it is not for you.

--different strokes for different folks--

 

[Redneck with a 40]

For me, its absolutely worth it. Reloading centerfire rifle ammo, .308 and .223 is an awesome lesson in external ballistics. Once you start reloading, you really start to learn the impacts of various powders, charge weights, and bullets have on trajectory and accuracy. Also, reloading has really illustrated what happens when the firing pin strikes the primer, assembling ammo with components really demonstrates this process.

In my case, I shoot about a thousand rounds of .308 and probably 2000 rounds of .223 every year. Most factory ammo runs about 45 cents/round in .223 and 90 cents to a dollar/round in .308. I'm loading .223 for 22 cents/round and .308 for 45 cents/round. Do the math on that for 1000 rounds +. You can generally beat the factory velocity for a given load too, especially in 30-06.

In addition, reloading allows me to play around with different powders and bullets to see which is most accurate, its fun!

I also reload pistol ammo, but not nearly as much as I used too. A couple years ago, I was a pistol ammo reloadin' fool, 40 S&W. I built up a huge stock of ammo, so I won't need to load anymore for quite awhile. I actually enjoy shooting and reloading .223 and .308 more than pistol rounds.

Lastly, its an immense source of pride for me, loading my own ammo, its fun and I like spending time doing it. Reloading is something you have to have a passion for, you pretty much have to be a gun-nut. Most of the casual shooters out there aren't nearly as serious as us reloaders, we're hardcore!

 

[Mags]

Reloading is not for you HomeTheatreMan

 

[Smokey Joe]

Going at it wrong-end-to...

Home Theater Man--STOP!!!!! Don't spend a cent more for equipment! Don't spend your friends' money either! With respect, you have no experience reloading, and therefore don't know what you want/need.

The wise thing to do (in ANY new activity, really) would be to study up FIRST, look into getting equipment AFTER you have some idea where to start.

The "standard textbook" on reloading is, surprise, surprise, called The ABC's of Reloading, published by Krause Publishing, www.krause.com Get it @ yr local sptg gds sto, gun sho, order it over the Web, bid on it thru Amazon, or order direct from the publisher.

Krause must be doing something right--the book is now in its 8th edition, I believe. That book covers all aspects of reloading from beginner through past master--Has things to learn for every reloader; belongs on every reloaders' bookshelf, well thumbed, IMHO.

Anyhow, after reading The ABC's, you will have a clear idea of what you need to get started, what you want in addition, and what you can wait until later to add--and more importantly, HOW to use all that stuff. Or, if reading The ABC's helps you decide that reloading is not for you, you will have a much clearer idea of what goes into this ammunition we shooters use. I fail to see a downside to this.

But for Heavens' sake, READ and STUDY--BEFORE you buy.

 

[wvshooter]

If you do much shooting reloading will pay for itself. It can be fun too.