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?
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?