Made a decision: No more .38 Specials for me.

[thatguy]

I was working my way through a stack of about 600 empties, catching up on my reloading, when I realized that this was stupid. I go through maybe 12-15 boxes per year of .38 Special "plinking loads." You know, standard velocity stuff with lead bullets. I have always "rolled my own" since 1976. Well, I got to thinking about it and I figure there are two reason to reload. The first is because you can't buy the ammo you want, like a wildcat or an obselete cartridge, or because you are loading for increased accuracy or velocity over factory fodder. The second reason is economy. I can reload lead 38s for about $2.50 a box compared to $9 for store-bought. There is $6.50 difference between buying and loading.

That last part is what hit me when I said it out loud to myself.

In other words, I am spending my weekend working for about $4.25 an hour? It takes me about 90 minutes to reload one box. So for every 90 minutes of working at the loading bench I save $6.50? Screw that!

I guess there is a third reason. Some people actually enjoy reloading. Well, I don't. I have to load for some of my guns because of reason number one, but for lead .38 Special loads, I decided that I am buying them from now on. At work my time is worth $37.80 per hour, so why the Hell am I working at home for less than minimum wage? Sure, I could invest in a progressive reloader and cut down on the time spent reloading, but I would prefer to invest NO time rather than LESS time.

Am I nuts or does this make sense? When I was a young man, earning $5 per hour, spending time at the reloading bench seemed like a wise investment. Now it seems like a waste of time. Am I wrong?

I believe I am through reloading lead bullet loads for the .38 Special. I wonder if there are any other calibers I can give up reloading?

 

[The Rabbi]

Why anyone would want to reload .38spc or 9mm or 7.62x39 is beyond me. The stuff is available so cheaply commercially that it just doesnt make sense. Unless someone had some very special load they worked up.

 

[Justin]

Makes sense to me.

 

[KONY]

Makes sense to me.

Ditto ... though, I will admit that I have no reloading experience. Still, in my revo, I'd much rather put magnums through it than 38 specials.

 

[jdberger]

It takes you 90 minutes to load 50 rounds? You, my friend, need one of THESE BABYS:

The Dillon 650

 

[jefnvk]

I could see if you worked up a bullseye load, or went with through a lot more than 10 boxes a year, making it economical.

I'vve even quit loading my deer rounds. The half inch better grouping I get just ain't worth it for half a box a year.

BTW, try online for ammo. You may be able to find it even cheaper yet.

 

[mutt]

Reloading?

Let first say I'm 67 old. Not young, old, I just think and reason young most of the time. Many years ago I reloaded on and old single stage reloading system .3006 for a 1903 A3. Bought from the cmp for 9.00 dollars (new) and 10.00 shipping. six months waiting. Never reloaded after selling the the gun and equiptment. I can buy reloads about as cheap as I can make them. I don't get to prctice near as often as I would like. Don't hunt any more.and make on about 2 gunshows a year,I'm retired , halfa--ed healthly, beautiful young wife thats thinks I'm it, Love TV and the web, but why load any more. I was making about 19.00 and hr, when I retied. So I believe you have a very goodpoint. I have a young friend with who he his wife and daughter shoot around 10,000 rds per year. Cowboy Action. Now his reloading is needed. I would have my free time for other things . Reloading is too time comsuming , with the availability of store bought reloads. And never had a missfire or problem with reputable comapnys. My sugestion,,,,,,Carry on , I at least under stand. Even if you get to shoot much more than I do... Good Times.......MUTT

 

[whm1974]

Why anyone would want to reload .38spc or 9mm or 7.62x39 is beyond me. The stuff is available so cheaply commercially that it just doesnt make sense. Unless someone had some very special load they worked up.

Let's see, I can reload 9mm and 38spl for $3 a box instead of paying $10. Now If I made $20 or more....

I could see if you worked up a bullseye load, or went with through a lot more than 10 boxes a year, making it economical.

Even at 500 rounds you would see some savings. 10 boxes of reloads $30 vs &100 for factory.

-Bill

 

[tc300mag1]

DEff need a progressive loader

 

[cracked butt]

Now it seems like a waste of time. Am I wrong?

Nope.

I find that my time is much more valuable now than it was 10 years ago.
Spending an extra hour with my kid is much more valuable than the couple $s I can save by reloading a few hundred 9mm. Even casting my own bullets which makes bullets that are for the most part, free, is too costly for me to do unless the wife and kid are gone for a day and I have nothing better to do.

When I worked in a factory 10 years ago at $10 per hour, a dollar was worth a lot more to me then than it does now when I'm making 3x as much.

 

[The Rabbi]

Let's see, I can reload 9mm and 38spl for $3 a box instead of paying $10. Now If I made $20 or more...

I can go to Sports Authority and get CCI Blazer for 3.99 a box. Even WalMart white box is probably like $4. You want to spend your time saving .99 a box of 50 9mm, go to it, bubba.

 

[P95Carry]

There certainly is less incentive than once but - for me whilst reloading can be a chore - I try and work it in here and there - time that really would not have to ''earning time''.

More important tho - and instance last week. I loaded 200 38 spls. Why? Because I was resuming some PPC shooting with 686. My fave load all the years way back when I did it is a light load with 158 SWC. I want the same again. Can't buy it - so load it! If I get going on the ol' turret I can do those in about one hour twenty. Still a saving that is significant too.

I have all but quit 9mm reloads - the reason there is pretty obvious now we have such good deals on it... and the factory ammo is fine for what I want.

 

[rbwillnj]

10 boxes a Year? How about 5-10 boxes a week. But I load 450 rounds an hour on one of several progressives.

 

[Bill Z]

Wanna get rid of your 38 Special dies? I enjoy reloading between working on pistols, it takes the edge off, kind of like theropy, besides, my wife is finally quitting smoking and I'm getting her interested in it as opposed to eating.

 

[Old Fuff]

Ya, there is some inexpensive ammunition out there. I've used some of it but decided the quality (read that "accuracy") isn't up to my standards. Also, most of it uses jacketed bullets that are harder on a barrel then lead ones.

Ma' Daddy always told me,"if it's cheaper they're is a reason ..."

 

[Standing Wolf]

My decidedly less than quickly made hand loads are much more accurate than factory stuff.

As far as I'm concerned, accuracy is worth more than dollars, especially since any nitwit can earn dollars.

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

I used to do a lot of reloading when I was younger. Had an RCBS Rock Chucker press and all the extras. It saved me money; and moreover, I really enjoyed it. Ammo is cheaper now and I make more money at age 56 than in my 20's and 30's.

The real reason I don't reload anymore is because it is just too difficult to bend over and pick up the brass. Gravity works cruel tricks on those of us over 50.

 

[g56]

I reload about 500 an hour on my Dillon, is it worth reloading? Yer darn tootin it is! The only caliber I don't reload is 7.62x39 for my SKS, at the current prices for Wolf it doesn't make sense, and the SKS and soon to be AK are just for fun. When I shoot my AR's I want accuracy, when I shoot my pistols I want accuracy, and I'm always interested in economy, my Dillon paid for itself 20 years ago!

 

[Bullet]

g56 Quote - "The only caliber I don't reload is 7.62x39 for my SKS, at the current prices for Wolf it doesn't make sense,"

I'm with you on this plus you don't have to chase your brass (steel).



thatguy Quote - "Some people actually enjoy reloading. Well, I don't."

I think you made the right decision for yourself to give up loading 38's.

 

[caz223]

I don't have any .38 caliber guns, and if I did, I prolly wouldn't load for 'em unless there was a specific reason.
That being said, I do load 9mm, but it's because it takes the same 124 grain bullets as my 357SIG, and in steel plate matches held here locally they don't allow FMJ. I can buy rainier 124 hollow points cheap, cheap, cheap.
Even on my dillon 550 I can only load 6 boxes or so an hour.
Cheapest price for good accurate 124 hollow point ammo?
Don't know personally, but I suspect it's about $7 or $8 a box.
At $7.50, (Assuming I can load plated for $4.50 that's $18.00 an hour.
That's about what I make in an hour, and I can tell you in no uncertain terms, I enjoy reloading a WHOLE lot more than going to work.
If I had a single stage, there is no way I would load 9mm. Just no way.
But look at some of the other calibers I load:
10mm, .45 colt and acp, 357SIG, all three magnums, etc.
Yeah, it's definately worth it to load any of those.

 

[HSMITH]

Reloading 38's makes a lot of sense for me. I typically shoot 400-600 rounds per range session, sometimes more. Ballpark figures last winter were around 2000 rounds per month. My ammo is more accurate than cheap factory stuff, and there is no way I could afford to shoot more than 400 per MONTH if I had to buy factory ammo.

The time spent could be flipping channels on the boob tube or other wasteful activities. I don't enjoy reloading and view it as a chore I have to do so that I can shoot as much as I want to, but I don't mind the time spent as I would waste it anyway in some other way.

If I only shot a couple boxes a year I would buy them.

 

[armoredman]

I love reloading. I reload 9mm. I do 50 in about 45 minutes. I costs me a minimum of three gallons of gas to get to the closest place that sells ammo, WalMart. That is about $7. Add in the $10.95 for the 100 round value pack, plus tax, and I am better than breaking even.
Reloading is relaxing, and is something quiet to do when the wife is online, and we just want to spend some time together. She can surf or sew, and I can reload. A hobby that is relaxing and productive, a good thing.

 

[halvey]

I find these "it's not worth the time to reload" comments amusing. Of course if we REALLY wanted to use our time wisely, we'd quit posting here

 

[goon]

I don't load 9mm anymore for the same reason. I don't have the time to even shoot like I want to, let alone reload. For $11 I can have 100 Win 9mm rounds. Not much more expensive than reloading, especially when you consider the time. I do load for rifle rounds though because I can really compete with commercial factory ammo. Now if we get to talking about 7.62x39 or 7.62x51 surplus, I still can't beat them.

If ya' can't beat 'em, shoot 'em.

 

[griz]

It sounds like you have made a reasoned choice and I have no problem with somebody deciding to buy something to save time and trouble. But I would argue your point about it depending on how much you make. That only matters if you can work as many hours as you want. Otherwise any money saved is money earned, as little as it is.

I enjoy reloading, but hate yard work. I could hire somebody to cut the grass at less per hour than I make, but I still cut the grass. I spend the savings on reloading.