How much does reloading really save?

[Mike1234567]

After reading about reloading I've decided not to bother reloading unless I add calibers that cost $1+ per round for factory loads. One example is .300 Whisper which cost $3-6 per factory loaded round but can be reloaded for 50 cents or less. For just 1000 rounds that's "at least" a $2500 savings. I still don't reload because I have yet to buy a firearm for which I can't buy decent cartridges for 60 cents each or cheaper. Well... there's the .375 H&H Mag but I may sell that one. But... I'll probably buy a .300 Whisper or similar. So, yeah, I'll probably eventually get into reloading but, more than likely, just for those very pricey cartridges. Until then... nope.

ETA #1: I don't need super-duper accuracy. Also, I don't shoot that often.

ETA #2: I've been buying .30-06 Federal Power-Shok for about 67 cents per round shipped.

 

[Ultravox]

I currently reload for .45 ACP and .30-06.

With my .45 ACP loads I am currently loading at about $0.12/round using lead SWC bullets. Factory RN FMJ sells for around $26/50 here - or $0.52/round. That's a huge savings when you shoot a bunch.

With my .30-06 loads I am currently loading at around $0.36/round. Most .30-06 factory ammo costs about $20/20 - or a buck a round. Again, a pretty good savings.

If I didn't reload, I couldn't afford to shoot.

 

[Old krow]

Am I missing some savings here, or just getting really high prices for stuff or what?

I normally run about 1/2 on the cost. Sometimes it is a little more, sometimes it is less. I save the most on what would cost me the most to buy factory ammo in.

Buy in bulk any time that you get the chance! That makes a big difference.

I think that CraigC's assessment on brass is pretty spot on. I don't count the cost of brass for most handgun rounds. 10mm and rifle rounds might be the exception.

 

[Fishslayer]

Am I missing some savings here, or just getting really high prices for stuff or what?

Brass. You're using new brass. When I was starting out I bought used brass & now that I've been scrounging awhile my brass is essentially free. I don't even consider cost of brass anymore when calculating.

Also I can load rounds to suit different purposes. Such as powderpuff target loads in .357 Magnum cases that don't leave a carbon ring. Or light .45ACP target loads that don't scare away n00bs (Side effect of these are that they toss the brass about a foot & a half)

I think my ammo is more consistent as well.

 

[forgetitohio]

I figured it out about 5yrs.ago.
I figure after you shoot the brass 1 time it's free or I picked it up at the range.
I'll use the brass for practice til it splits out of my .45. It's safe but I won't use it at a match.

The lead I buy from a guy at the club
I bought 10K of Federal small rifle primers
I bought 8lb. cans of WST powder

For .45 LSWC PF. 175

.03 primmer
.05 bullet
.02 powder

A wise old guy once told me "reloading doesn't make shooting any cheaper just means you can shoot more"
from April 24th post on same subject by ....Me

 

[webfox]

I think it's been posted before, but there's an Excel spreadsheet here:
http://westernsafellc.com/Reloading.xls. The spreadsheet is color coded and easy to read. It even pops up a warning if you don't have enough of a component to finish a batch.

If you don't have MS Office, you can use openoffice.org for legitimate, free software that will open the file, and there are browser plugins that will read/run it, too, I believe.

Not that this all can't be done by hand, but you can quickly tinker with cost vs. brand to see if you're willing to pay the difference.

Hope this helps.

 

[RustyFN]

Depends how involved you want to get. I enjoy casting bullets as well as reloading. I can load any pistol caliber I shoot with my own cast bullets for $25 per 1,000. I am told that I don't save money.

 

[Funshooter45]

It saves me a ton of money. If I wasn't handloading all the time, I'd be spending all my time drinking beer and chasing women. At least that's what I tell my wife.

 

[Springfield0612]

IMHO it saves you as much money as you want, obviously you have to pay off the cost of your equipment with your savings before yo are really saving money. So as long as you are not buying a $1000 super wam-adine press and then another $500 in dies and other equipment before you even get to your ammo components you are lost without a map. If you start out with one of the Lee "kits" for about $100 you'll learn the basics and pay it off in no time. Especially if you are only loading one caliber a single stage is very cost effective and it will keep you from cranking out 1000 rounds an hour that you will then want to go shoot. Its like checks and balances. I agree with everyone else range pick up or once fired is the way to go. 1fired .40 s&w is very affordable. Powdervalleyinc.com sells Small Pistol Primers for $15/1000. Remember high cost does not equal high quality 100% of the time. Most of the time your paying for a name rather than a quality product. Also look into plated bullets vice FMJ's.

 

[GaryL]

Seems like one of these threads pops up every other week. Answers tend to be the same too.

How does the cost of a new gun factor into the cost of reloading? Seems inevitable that once a guy accumulates enough brass to start reloading a caliber he doesn't even own a gun for, a new gun shows up in the safe that just happens to use that caliber.

 

[CraigC]

It's a tangled web, Gary.

 

[FlyinBryan]

Flyin - If you shop around, you can still load rifle ammo (either .30-06 or .308.. not sure about the big magnums) for less than a dollar a round. Good luck purchasing it for that. You may not save as much per round, but if you are making an apples to apples comparison vs. factory loaded premium ammo (barnes, partitions, berger, nosler custom, etc.) then you are still only spending 1/3 - 1/2 of the cost per round.

oh, i definitely agree. i save a lot reloading rifle calibers, i just think it saves even more with pistol calibers, but absolutely yes, it saves on rifles ammo too.

and all of it completely kills anything i can buy of the shelf for pure accuracy and performance.

i have found various places to get great deals on the rifle bullets i use, and superbly accurate ones at that. my 223 bullets are less than 80 bux per 1000, and ive found a h322 load that very consistently shoots sub 1" five shot groups, and ive never been able to match that with factory ammo, even the really high dollar match stuff like black hills.

if high quality, brass cased, new 223 prices dropped to 150 bux a thousand, i would continue to roll my own.

 

[scythefwd]

Flyin- I cant touch that with anything. Closest I can come to cheap bullets (I don't cast or shoot cast as I dont want to fight leadding) is 120 for 800 match kings.

 

[Jonah71]

I doubt if it would result in actual savings for me. I'd just be spending more time at the range shooting up the savings.

 

[kingmt]

I shoot more & still spend less. I have less then 15 cents in a 30-06 Sprg round & less then 8 cents in .223 Rem. The money I save does buy other things but the car needs gas & the house needs built.

 

[FlyinBryan]

Flyin- I cant touch that with anything.

well here are the 223 bullets
http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=7234&dir=278|281|727

and if you load for any 308 caliber, check these out. they are an absolutely wicked garand/m1a bullet.
http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=8439&dir=278|281|727

 

[Bozack]

I found this helps with figuring out the cost savings with reloading.

http://10xshooters.com/calculators/Handgun_Reloading_Cost_Calculator.htm

I can't say I am spending less, but I can say I am shooting more.

 

[Lanius]

People sweep the brass towards you?

One of the ranges I go to.. I swear the range guy tries to count the cases I have to make sure I'm not taking any of 'his' cases.. that is cases of people who don't want to reload.

 

[Blue68f100]

It does not save me any money because I shoot up my savings. I shoot mainly 9mm and 45acp, over 5k/yr. The actually savings is over 50%. The key is buying in bulk to get the best prices. 20k primers, 8# powder, 10k bullets you get the idea. Get your local reloaders together to do a bulk buy to save on shipping and any HAZMAT fees. If your going to buy local I dought you will save anything at all. But you will probably end up with a more accurate round. I shoot twice as much due the the cost being lower. Not a bad trade off.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Yeah, as someone already pointed out, you're using new brass. You're only going to have that expense the first time. With the .40 you can get a dozen or more loads out of one piece of brass, so that cost is deceptive.
As far as how much I save, a box of Federal Premium ballistic tips for my .30-06 cost about $42 a box. I can handload them with brass I got for free, for around $11-$12 a box. That's a substantial savings. Also, I shoot a .280 Rem, for which ammo isn't always available and it's expensive when you find it. So with that gun, there's two reasons to reload.

 

[ErikO]

My wife was fighting my idea of getting a tshirt printed up with 'brass hound' on the back of it. Until she realized she likes firing .45 ACP that is.

At my range I'm polite. I'll ask folks I don't know if they reload and if they don't would they mind sending their over my way. If the range is too busy I just police my own.

I got lucky once and had most of the range to myself. My range bag was straining the shoulder strap that day.

What was the question again? lol

 

[Clark]

If your time is worth North of $100/hour, and you stay up all night loading for one trip to the range, you could have bought a lot of factory ammo, by spending your time doing homework.

But handloads are part of the hobby.

 

[lightman]

Shot for shot,its a lot cheaper.You can more than pay for your basic equipment,pretty quickly.However,most of us end up shooting more and buying more equipment.The cost difference to reload expensive cartriges like Weatherbys or other exotics is not much more than loading common cartriges like 270's or 30-06.So,you savings can vary.Oh yeah,I've never found a factory cartrige that I could not beat,in the accuracy department, with my handloads.
If your only thinking savings,yeah,there are some,but be prepared for the reloading bug to bite!! Lightman

 

[Sin City Shootist]

I didn't read the whole thread but go here and check out the cost per round.

http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp

 

[Too_Pure]

How does the cost of a new gun factor into the cost of reloading? Seems inevitable that once a guy accumulates enough brass to start reloading a caliber he doesn't even own a gun for, a new gun shows up in the safe that just happens to use that caliber.

All of a sudden I want a revolver. I want to load for 45 Long Colt and 454 Casull, .357 magnum, etc. Before I handloaded I had no interest in revolvers. Now I drool over them. More guns. More dies. More cans of powder. More money.

Handloded ammo is less expensive than factory ammo, but like several have said, you'll end up shooting more often and more calibers.

Totally worth it.