In the beginning... saving.

[ollifl]

I asked how much can I SAVE.... fast forward to present, I was perusing old receipts and surprisingly I haven't saved a penny I've shot everything I've loaded.

I started loading for .243win, 380acp and 9mm and have accumulated (herded) nice quantities of brass for all the calibers, ofcourse I had to buy powder measures and other caliber specific tools (toys) but it was all in the name of "SAVING" , then I came by some 38 and 357 brass, enough so I started thinking about trading or selling some to buy more for my other calibers but in the end I calculated that if, instead of selling the brass I should buy a 357 mag so I could continue SAVING even more, I can shoot both calibers with one gun, now that's SAVING, so I bought one. While I was happily loading for my now 4 calibers I kept on collecting brass and ended up with some 2000 44mag cases, what's a man to do, and since I was SAVING so much already by reloading myself it was an easy decision, so back to my dealer (feeling like a junkie) to buy a 44 so I wouldn't waste perfectly good brass and loose any "SAVINGS" I had coming my way, one has to be careful with money nowadays since we're (not) in recession.
Keeping tabs on how much I SAVE, so far, I'm planning on buying a lever action 357 or a 44, but that really doesn't count because I'm not adding another caliber, right, but instead I will be SAVING even more since I have to shoot the same calibers with several guns and I would be spending humongous amounts of money to buy factory loaded ammo for rifles and revo's since one can not shoot the same load in them, and at the same time I'm SAVING a lot of trees because I'm not buying ammo packed into cardboard boxes, so while I'm SAVING and keeping economy rolling I'm also SAVING the world one tree at a time.

Do those sound like excuses or should I just check into somekind of rehab center, is there something like Ammunition Anonymous (AA) available?

 

[rcmodel]

I'd just keep reloading, and SAVING money, till you run clear out of money for reloading!

I just SAVED nearly $100 a couple of weeks ago loading 9mm for my son to shoot up!

rc

 

[W.E.G.]

Most reloader-folks end up spending MORE money on ammo than they would have otherwise.

Those folks also get to SHOOT a lot more than they would have otherwise.

 

[oneounceload]

I just spent $600 on a used RCBS shotshell reloader. Now that the wife is taking up sporting clays, a progressive was mandatory - and at the current cost of my reloads versus factory, that reloader will be paid for in less than a year, after that, there will be enough savings to really pay for more components.............

 

[Walkalong]

and surprisingly I haven't saved a penny I've shot everything I've loaded.

We are not surprised. We know better, having been there.

 

[LiveLife]

But I do have more fun shooting more, which is priceless.

 

[FROGO207]

You are NOT addicted unless you have purchased at least 5 (that's five) firearms to use the extra large quantity of brass in each particular caliber. Ask me how I know. FWIW one was a .25 ACP.

 

[J.R.W.]

Since I started loading, I've bought two new guns just to try new calibers. A Marlin 1895 in .45-70 and I'll be picking up a G21SF tomorrow that has a 400 CorBon barrel waiting for it. Good thing I saved a bunch of money by switching to Geico.

 

[Tim the student]

I don't save nothin' - other than all the brass I find at the range!

However, I do shoot a heck of a lot more.

 

[dsv424]

I completely sympathize with your situation. I too went into this reloading to save on ammo purchasing. When I started I reloaded for 3 calibers, 10 mm, 9mm, and .223. Now 3 meager years later I reload for 15 different calibers and constantly looking for more. I admit I have become a reload junkie myself and it has been harder and harder keeping it from my wife. I'm still trying to think of a way of convincing her I need a new safe for Christmas.

 

[kutter]

And I thought I was the only one, I bought a 357 Sig, so I could have a good defense round, because my .40 and 45 somehow just didn't fit the bill, but I can reload it like a 9mm so it is nice and easy to shoot, oh and inexpensive with those cheap .356 bullets vs. the expensive .401 ones, only now, well I am thinking that a single stack 9mm Sig would be nice, since it is so easy to conceal and it is so cheap to shoot I could save so much more money, oh and I came across a cheap used set of dies at a local show, how could I pass up those savings!

Is there an end somewhere, or is it like the interwebs, it just goes on forever?

 

[1SOW]

If you're married you won't 'need' a rehab center, limits are already built in.


Just like rcmodel, my son finds that it's waaay cheAper to reload.

 

[Curator]

Reloading, my most expensive money-saving hobby. I don't really save money as most of you note, but do a heck of a lot of shooting. Sometimes when I come back from the range I realize I just learned several new thinks that didn't work. Great therapy however.

 

[LiveLife]

Thanks to Powder Valley and Missouri Bullets, I reduced my reloading cost down to:

38Spl/9mm = $4.45/50
40S&W = $4.60/50
45ACP = $5.50/50

I mean, how can you not help but shoot more at $5.50/50 for 45ACP?

 

[MrOldLude]

As stated by others, my per-round savings is countered by increased shooting volume.

 

[mcdonl]

If you are on a limited shooting budget like me you save a LOT more -

So I spent $50 on two things of powder, $60 on 2000 primers and I cast my own boolits and have plenty of brass....

So, take those 110 dollars in supplies and I can shoot at least 2000 rounds of 9mm, or 38/357....

Total cash investment was around $300 for everything (Yup... I use Lee products...) so with supplies I am out lets say $500

at $10 a box of 50 9mm that would be $400 for 2000 of them... but... as it were, I am on my 4th or 5th sleeve of 1000 primers so my setup has long paid for itself!!

And, has anyone ever noticed that wheel weights seem to be bottomless when in a 5 gallon bucket?

 

[Jesse Heywood]

Saving money by reloading is only a fallacy we tell our wives. They either act as if they believe, or feign an argument about the money spent. This gives them justification for saving money at sales and allows them to know where we are.

Y'all will have to excuse me while I go hide in the basement.

 

[MrOldLude]

And, has anyone ever noticed that wheel weights seem to be bottomless when in a 5 gallon bucket?

Doing a number's crunch, assuming 85% stacking of pure lead.

A 5 gallon bucket should weigh about 182 kg or about 400 pounds.

1 pound is 7000 grains, so 2.8 million grains. Assuming 200 grains per round, that works out to 14,000 rounds.

So yeah, for all but the most serious reloaders, that much lead would daunting.

 

[ollifl]

Yup, lately I haven't been able to say anything about her buying more shoes "since they were on sale".

 

[GP100man]

There`s worser things to spend ya money on !!!!


I spent all my money on guns, ammo , reloading, boolit castin, trucks, boats, beer ,& women , the rest I wasted !!!!

 

[Tuckerp229]

I confess to a reloading addiction. First thing I do each time I go to the range is check out both the handgun range and the rifle range for brass.
It is a sickness.

Each piece I find I imagine can "save me money" most often it costs me more because once having found the brass I must of course reload it.

 

[rfwobbly]

Do those sound like excuses or should I just check into some kind of rehab center, is there something like Ammunition Anonymous (AA) available?

Good evening. My name is Wobbly and I'm an addict.

 

[greyling22]

I tell everybody who asks me about reloading that they won't save a dime. you just shoot more.

 

[noylj]

Where do you find 2000 rounds of .44 Rem Mag brass to scrounge? In 35+ years of reloading, I think I have only found about 200 rounds.
I hate revolvers—their people keep taking the brass with them.

 

[GaryL]

You are NOT addicted unless you have purchased at least 5 (that's five) firearms to use the extra large quantity of brass in each particular caliber. Ask me how I know.

QFT
I couldn't afford a 44mag before I got a reloader. Once the ammo became affordable.....

Still holding off on a 10mm. Don't have quite enough brass yet...