Reloading to Save Money?

[matsaleh]

Does it make sense to take up reloading strictly to lower the overall costs of shooting? I'm thinking of getting one or two surplus rifles (e.g. Mosin, Mauser, etc.), primarily because they are reliable and inexpensive. However, I can see how certain calibers could become cost-prohibitive for me to shoot.

What are the costs and other factors I need to consider to make reloading worth the investment in equipment and time? I don't really have a burning desire to do it as a hobby, and I'm not all that interested in "perfecting" personal handloads to achieve some marksmanship goals; I'm just cheap.

Thanks.

 

[Bacchus]

I got into it to be able to shoot cheaper and didn't think that I would enjoy the process much. After a while, it has become fun and I've been able to easily save more than 50% over the cost of factory ammo for pistols and closer to 70% for rifle cartridges.

Take a look at the online catalog for Midway, for example. You can buy 100 bullets for a 30 caliber rifle for about $10-15, depending on brand. If you have the brass already, figure that the primer and powder costs won't raise the price for 100 rounds more than $5-10. So you have 100 rounds for $25. Can you buy four boxes of rifle ammo for less than $25?

 

[Bacchus]

I forgot to mention that you can save even more by buying components in larger quantities, like primers per thousand and bullets per 500 or thousand.

Even if you're not sure about reloading, start saving your brass now. You'll thank me when you do start reloading...

 

[Werewolf]

Example:

45 Colt: Most inexpensive ammo for 50 rounds MagTech - $15.26. PMC runs around $18 to $22 depending on the bullet type. I've seen Rem and Win at >$25 and that's at a gun store that sells ammo at prices below the best you can find on the internet.

It costs me $4.25 to reload 50 rounds of 45 Colt using Titegroup powder, Win LP primers and 200gr LRNFP bullets purchased from Midway USA. I have as yet not had to buy brass as what I have continues to work just fine and shows no signs of wear.

On the other hand I do not reload .40 S&W which I shoot quite a bit of because I won't shoot lead thru my Glock. Consequently it would cost me about $7.50 or so to reload 50 of those with FMJ bullets. I can buy a box of Speer Lawman 180gr FMJ for $9 at the gunstore. Not worth my time or effort to save a buck fifty. Add to that that the Glock doesn't fully support the cartridge and you end up being able to reuse your brass only once or twice (if that much) and your cost is up in the $8 range because you have to buy brass more often than you should.

Then there's 38Spcl/357 Mag. Shoot lead and you can reload 50 38Spcls for about $3.50 compared to $7.95 for the cheapest 38Spcl I can find - that's worth my time. Even if I load in FMJ's the cost only jumps to a bit over $5.

So reloading to save money pretty much depends on what calibers you reload.

 

[Zeke Menuar]

In pistol calibers, reloading is a real money saver. For rifle calibers I am not so sure.
I like having the choice of seven bullet types and two powders on the shelf for my 270. I can load for almost any type of game or situation.
I have two milsurps so I will be doing some reloading for 7.62 x 54R. With the Wolf ammo so cheap and available locally I doubt I can reload cheaper than $3.95 a box. I would like to have some ammo on hand that is more accurate than the stuff from Wolf. One of my guns might need .312" bullets and that is a handload only proposition.

ZM

 

[Mike Irwin]

Chances are very good that in the long run you won't save anything, because you'll find yourself shooting much more.

 

[308win]

Mike Irwin hit it on the nose. Check the reloading forum and you will get all kinds of info on the cost effectiveness.

 

[matsaleh]

Chances are very good that in the long run you won't save anything, because you'll find yourself shooting much more.

Well actually, that's my point I want to get in more actual shooting for the money without the self-imposed guilt I know I would have shooting as often as I would like at today's ammo prices.

 

[Dave R]

Mats, yes, can save money by reloading. You can get everything you need (but not everything you may want) to get started for @$100 or so if you shop smart and buy used, or buy the Lee Anniversary kit.

I got forced into reloading by inheriting a rifle in an oddball caliber.

But now I even reload 9mm and .308 because its cheaper. Yes, I can reload 9mm for less than Wal-Mart's econo-paks (using Laser-Cast bullets). Reloading .308 is about breakeven with surplus, but I get better bullets & better accuracy.

I'm not sure of the economics of reloading for 7.62X54R or 7.62X39, but if you want a 7.5 Swiss, or a 6.5 Mauser, or an Enfield, its definitely the way to go.

 

[MiniZ]

Once you get over the initial investment, you will "save money". But like previously pointed out, in reality you will be able to shoot more for the money you were originally spending.

 

[redneck2]

The more "exotic"

your caliber, the more cost effective it becomes. I just came in from reloading 200 rounds for my 10mm. I have a Glock 20 so I shoot FMJ. Haven't done the total math, but it probably runs about $5.25-$5.50 to make 50 rounds. Say it saves $15 a box. In a little over 30 minutes I saved $58. Add that to the 100 lead .45 LC's I loaded yesterday and I've saved almost $100.

I guess I don't get it when guys complain about the cost of getting into reloading. I can get a top-of-the-line (Dillon 550 and everything I need) for maybe $500. If you're doing rifle, cost would be considerably less.

If I can save that in 5-8 reloading sessions, what's the problem??? If you shoot only 9mm and other military calibers, or you shoot very little, that's a different program.

Thing is, as above, you do shoot more. I cringe when I have to pay $20 for 50 rounds of handgun ammo. When I know that I can pop out a couple hundred rounds in 30 minutes for maybe $20 and shoot most of the afternoon, it's no big deal.

I'd STRONGLY suggest getting set up right. Buy good, cry once.

 

[Steve Smith]

Moving to the Handloading forum.




FWIW, reloading is much more than a way to save money. It is THE way to have enough ammo to truly get PRACTICE with a rifle or handgun.

 

[scalinghammer]

I just had to figure what I was paying for reloading pistol ammo.

40 cal
brass 8
bullets 60
powder 11.14285714
primers 11.6
$/m $90.74
$/50 $4.53

9MM
brass 5
bullets 37
powder 6.5
primers 11.6
$/m 60.1
$/50 3.05

This is using Montana Gold bullets, Winchester Small Pistol primers, Vitivori N320 powder. I can buy the brass at a local gun show. If you pick up your brass your cost will fall as shown.

Good Luck
Ed

 

[g56]

The largest savings are on pistol calibers, if you stick to moderate loads the brass lasts almost forever. I shoot a lot of 38 special, 9mm and 45 ACP, I always inspect my brass and seldom find a reject, like a split mouth or a similar problem, rifle brass doesn't last nearly so long.

The biggest deal is how much you can shoot, back in 1969 I got into Bullseye pistol competition, I was using a single stage press, so I couldn't practice a lot, I worked my way up to just break into the Expert class. Back in about 1985 I got into shooting PPC, I bought a Dillon 550 so I could load easily and practice a lot, because I was able to practice, I made it to Master class, that's the difference that quantity reloading made. This illustration works for buying factory ammo or reloading, if you are buying you will shoot a lot less, reloading allows you to shoot for a lot less money.

Factory 9mm ammo starts around 17 to 20 cents each, I can load that for about 6 cents each, that's a pretty significant savings.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Given how long pistol brass lasts, I figure that after 2 loadings the cost of the brass is no longer a factor in the cost of the load.

 

[stans]

I have never saved a penny by reloading, I just get to shoot three times as much ammo as my friends who did not reload.

 

[Coltdriver]

I just started reloading a few weeks ago.

After going through my first pound of IMR 4895 here are my results.

287 rounds of Hornady V Max ammo for my .223.

Average cost per round for brass (reused but calculated at its full cost once), primers, bullets and powder came to 24 cents each. That is pretty cheap shooting for world class (if I do say so myself) varmint ammo.

I understand why so may re loaders are target shooters now. They probably did not start out as target shooters but they had to do somthing with all that ammo!

 

[Dave R]

Summary: yes, you can save a lot of money by reloading. (Maybe less for calibers where you'd shoot surplus ammo instead.)

Many shooters plow all their savings back into more equipment, or more shooting.

But you don't have to.

 

[g56]

Many shooters plow all their savings back into more equipment, or more shooting.

Guilty as charged!

 

[Sunray]

"...I'm just cheap..." Shooting isn't the sport for the cheap. Nothing about it is cheap. Especially when you're talking about an obsolete cartridge. The days of good cheap surplus ball ammo are over. WW II ended 59 years ago. Yhe supply of surplus ammo is drying up fast. The .30-06 is gone and the rest of it will follow soon. Reloading is the only game in town.