Non-reloader is curious....

[marktx]

I saw this breakdown in another section regarding .308:

Reload.

1000 round breakdown:

Primers - $30
Brass - 200 pc. R-P brass - $100
Bullets - 1000 168gr SMK - $270
Powder - 8 pounds - $150

Total - $550

1000 rounds of factory Federal Gold Match (from Bud's)

Total $1497


You'll make out EVEN WITH your initial purchase of the reloading press and equipment (that's even considering buying the cheaper stuff at Walmart). And your ammo will be better and tailored to your gun. Shouldn't run you more than $300 to start, maybe less.

Sorry to be one of the for-Pete's-sake-are-you-nuts-RELOAD guys, but it's worth it.

So how long does it take to reload 1k of ammo? Gotta imagine it that it takes some time to clean, deprime, resize and then go through all the actual reloading stuff? I have seen those some nifty Dillon reloaders rigs that look like they could process through a lot. So how long does it take from start to finish?

 

[1858rem]

you want to trim the new brass and clean up rough edges, priming is quick, 200 rds in maybe 15 min or less, charging takes a while if you weigh every charge( would be a good idea if you want an accurate load) seating a bullet is easy too only takes a second. depending on the press it varies, on my lee turret press i can load 50 rds of 45 colt in 20 min easily, on a single stage probably half that or less. progressives are way fast but not so good on the accuracy department. get a turret an it would only take an evening to load up your first 200 once you get things figured out, but you will want to do some load testing before you plop down an load up 200 shells you have not tried and prooven good yet.

 

[Claude Clay]

dillon sq deal about 450 rounds per hour 9mm, 40 S&W or 45 acp
figure an hour set up/case prep per hour of actual machine time.....
so, 200+ rounds per hour.

lee 4 hole turret 32 acp 38 S&W 357sig about 150 per hour
rifle 75 to 100 per hour [lube takes time]

 

[Shimitup]

Total $550

Satisfaction ........ Priceless.

 

[CU74]

How long depends on the equipment used and the "work style" of the reloader. I'm a "hobby reloader" - I don't reload JUST to save money, I enjoy reloading. I do almost all of my reloading during the winter because that's when I have the most time available. On a typical cold and/or snowy day, the dog and I slog over to the shop and spend 2-3 hours reloading - we may repeat in the afternoon. In the spring/summer/fall I have way too many outside chores/projects going on to spend much time at the reloading bench.

For necked rifle cases I use both a single-stage press and a turret. I batch the brass through the single stage to decap and size, then batch trim. I switch to the turret to finish the rounds. Given that I only reload for 2-3 hours at any one sitting, a thousand rounds of .308 would take me the better part of a week. As Shimitup says, "Satisfaction ...... Priceless".

 

[ants]

For 308 rifle...

Consider the time to pack your gear, load it in your vehicle, drive to the range, set up on the bench, set your targets, shoot 20 strings of 5 rounds each, retrieve your target after each string, pack up and return home, clean your rifle and stow your gear.

Consider the time to inspect and prep 100 cases, load them, check them visually, then place them in labeled boxes.

It actually takes less time to load 100 rounds than it takes to shoot 100 rounds.

Reloading pistol is different. They reload faster, but you can shoot them a lot faster yet. Either way, time isn't the issue when you enjoy your hobby. That's why reloaders don't spend money on therapists.

 

[Samgotit]

So how long does it take to reload 1k of ammo?

Here's the thing: that original post you mentioned was someone with a bolt gun wanting to shoot at 500 yards, I believe, so there's no need to have 1000 rounds on hand. I shoot 50 .308's nice and slow during my range trips, and I only have to reload 50 rounds for my next. 50 careful .308 take me about an hour to relaod.

If you're shooting from the same bolt gun, there are advantages to reusing and only neck sizing the brass shot previously. The brass is fire-formed to your chamber, increasing potential accuracy. You can get multiple loadings out of the same brass. I've seen posts where some reloaders get up to 20.

So, really, the idea for a bolt gun is to keep reusing the same set of brass you're shooting; that is, most accuracy shooters don't stock pile their ammo.

When I do .308, I use a Lee Classic Turret press like a single stage. When I load handgun calibers, I use the turret indexing and can crank out about 200 and hour.

 

[Afy]

Takes me about 4 hours to load 20 rounds, between worrying about:
Primers.
Pwoder,
Charge
Bullet wieught,
Trimming,
COAL,
Run out.
Meplat,
et al.
Then again.. if the loads are not shooting sub MOA ... they are crap.

When I do lock a load in... about 40 seconds a cartridge. Then again I am single stage...hand prime and wiegh every charge.

 

[1858rem]

50 careful .308 take me about an hour to relaod.

i couldnt do that even starting with clean primed and sized and trimmed brass.....i might get 20-30/hr starting from scratch.... for rifle anyhow.

 

[moooose102]

the best part of it is you can tune the load to your rifle! can you say sub-moa?

 

[ar10]

So how long does it take to reload 1k of ammo?

I loaded 2k .308. Took a couple of days using 2 SS presses, but I'm sort of a lazy-ass and had to eat and go to the toilet a couple of times.

 

[Samgotit]

i couldnt do that even starting with clean primed and sized and trimmed brass.....i might get 20-30/hr starting from scratch.... for rifle anyhow.

You got me. That's starting with trimmed, cleaned, and inspected brass. I trim about every 4th or 5th load. Cleaning doesn't take up time unless you get mesmerized by the tumbler . Neck sizing and priming takes about 20 minutes. I size first then tumble a bit (so I'm not counting tumbling time again here). Drop charge, weight charge, seat bullet - about 40-60 minutes. Done. Go shoot. Trimming adds about an hour with Possum Hollow tools and a drill.

What does take time is setting everything up initially. I fully admit that.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I use a Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret press and I can load 180-200 handgun round per hour safely.

I never timed rifle rounds because there's a lot more to do than when loading handgun rounds. I like to take a lot of time with rifle rounds because I want them very accurate.