Reload or Not

[Ed/Pa]

2 12 ga. shooters in this family. Paying $4.50 a box. Shoot average 10 boxs a week which equals $45.00 a week. Shells have risin on my end $10.00 a flat since spring.( was $35.00) I'd have to make the initial investment of buying a press, shot, wads, primers.ect. I hear reloading components are on the rise as well.

So...the question is .Would reloading save me any money?

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yes.

You might have to buy large quantities of components, like 500 to 1000 wads instead of 250, at a pop, but ...,

Since you're only doing one gauge, and only one type of load (target) yep, you should be able to pay for the investment. I'd suggest the MEC 600 Jr.

LD

 

[Dave McCracken]

Yes, see old threads in the Archives...

 

[Winger Ed.]

I sure like my little MEC 600.

I've found that you reload a premium shell for about the cost of the cheapie/promo stuff you buy.

Check around, some ranges sell cleaned, sifted/sorted, reclaimed shot they gather up off thier ranges. It normally costs about half of what buying new shot costs.

That and buying large cans of powder and 5,000 count cases of wads will hold your prices down too.

.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

You really have to be shooting quite a bit for the average gauges...,

Roughly, buying minimums, 14 oz. of powder, 1000 primers, 250 wads, and 25 lbs. of shot..., I got an average of $4.50 a box for 12 ga. shooting a 1 oz. load, and my 16 will cost me $4.90 a box (including the shipping). Your choice of realoaders will dictate the savings. You get to the $5.50 a box level when you do 80 boxes of shells (2000) when buying a MEC. I get to the $5.25 a box with 40 (1000) boxes of shells with a LEE load-all, BUT how long with the Lee last compared to the MEC??? No question the quality of the load is closer to the $8-$12 range of shells in either case, BUT unless you shoot quite a bit, you might do better with a bulk purchase discount for say 20 boxes.

NOW, if you go to 28, or in my case a 16, then you almost have to reload if you shoot only a fair amount.

LD

 

[RNB65]

Don't forget time. That has to be factored into the equation as well. Loading 10 boxes of shells on a single stage reloading press will take a couple of hours each week. Time that could be spent with family or friends.

Just something to keep in mind.

 

[Ed/Pa]

Dave....thanks and also to the rest of the folks that replied.

One of two things are gonna happen......either I save up some bucks and buy factory loads in bulk or I reload......I figure I better do something soon ,as the prices just dont seem to stop climbing. Again thanks!

 

[Scoupe]

Winger Ed. makes a good point. With 12ga you can usually find cheap enough ammo to make a case for not reloading, but what you can reload at the same price is a much better shell, equal to target loads such as Win AA or Rem STS.

I would reccomend that you look into progressive reloaders, such as the MEC 9000GN. You mention that you shoot a flat a week. It will get old pretty quick loading that volume in a press that takes 6 handle pulls per shell. Connie's components on the web has the best price on 9000GNs that I've seen. $339 delivered.

As mentioned, the bigger volume of components you buy, the more you save. I try to buy in lots of about 10,000. With continually rising prices, the more you can buy now just keeps the cost down that much longer.

Here's a decent calculator that even figures how long it will take to pay for your reloader in savings over off the shelf ammo.

http://10xshooters.com/calculators/ShotshellReloadingCost/

I mostly load 28ga, as that's our prefered practice round for skeet at my house. I load those for about 2.90/box when I buy the wads/powder/primers by the 10K lot. I can't buy factory target ammo for even twice that, more like 7.50 if I buy mulitple flats.

 

[Ed/Pa]

Scoupe.....thanks for sharing your knowledge!

 

[Nortonics]

Don't forget time. That has to be factored into the equation as well. Loading 10 boxes of shells on a single stage reloading press will take a couple of hours each week. Time that could be spent with family or friends.

Just something to keep in mind.

Amen. I really, REALLY wanted to reload in 12 Ga., especially if I could find proportionate savings to larger caliber brass reloading - then and only then could I personally justify the time and expense. After doing my homework with my needs I determined something like a .25 to .50 cents in savings per box, not including time involved. Bummed me out...

 

[dmarbell]

Reloading costs

I just joined a local club. With their bulk buying and discounts, I can get my 1 oz. loads down to about $3.40 per box. I haven't found a source commercially that can match it.

Danny

 

[MCgunner]

The time doesn't bother me, I reload rifle and handgun. I just don't think shotgun reloading is worth the pain when i can buy 10 boxes of dove loads and that'll last me the season. I don't wanna mess with steel shot, either.

If I shot a lot of clays, I probably would buy a shotgun press, could justify the expense and time. But, I only hunt with a shotgun. I very seldom shoot any clays. If you shoot a lot, it probably pays.

 

[BozemanMT]

Yes

 

[1911 Shooter]

Ed in Pa,

You canot go wrong with a mec sizemaster for single stage loading. You mentioned there was 2 shooters in the family, maybe a son?. if so, teach him how to load & maybe yourself , & maybe he won't have time for rap music & video games. Your call anyway.
if your shooting clays for trap or skeet a 7/8 ounce load will save you quite a bit, some now shot 3/4 loads.. the rest of the replies are all correct. Good Luck

 

[Will Fennell]

If you value your time...no

TO the original poster, if you value your time, I don't think you can save $$ in today's world on reloading, if you also look at buying shells in bulk.

I get my shells from these guys....over 25 flats...those are delivered prices.


http://www.claycartridge.com/

 

[scout26]

Hmmm, time spent with a least one other family member on a shared hobby.

Priceless.

Tomorrow I'll be spending time with my 13 yo daughter (she reloads 20ga on a MEC 650) and 6 yo son (he reloads .410 on a MEC 600 jr) at the reloading bench.

If the weather is somewhat nice in the afternoon we'll head to the range and shoot a few rounds of trap and skeet, if it's not we'll just scrounge up hulls and sweep up some of the brass over the rifle range to recycle and support our hobby.

A Lee Load-All is a good, inexpensive learning tool, comes with everything you need and you can get one for $20-25. But I'd also get a new "whatever you can afford" progessive in 12 ga. Preferably a MEC and a new one. With two shooters you need atleast a Sizemaster or a Grabber so that you resize each hull. Only down side to MEC are having to buy charge bars and bushings, unless you get the Universal Charge Bar. Once you get a little experience then you might want to either upgrade or buy additional (possibly used) presses.


Nortronics,

After doing my homework with my needs I determined something like a .25 to .50 cents in savings per box, not including time involved. Bummed me out...

That's $2.50 to $5.00 per flat (10 boxes) and you can make a better load tailored to the game, your gun, your shooting style and you. I make (and shoot) loads that are as good as if not better then Remington Nitros (using Nitro hulls) for around $3.60 per box (I used up all my old cheap shot) Dick's had Nitro (not sure if 27's or Gold's) and STS's on sale for $5.82 per box. That's a savings of $2.20 per box or $22.00 per flat. But again, I scrounge hulls and wads at my club, buy my other components in bulk (1,000 to 10,000 primers, several hundred pounds of shot, 8 lbs jugs of powder.)

For smaller gauges and all hunting loads the savings are even greater, YMMV.