The Cost of Ammo Is Killing My Hobby. Solutions?

[TWBryan]

My advice is to consider buying a Dillon 550,it's a progressive machine. Initial cost is probably more than you would like,but it's a good investment. It will reload ammo quickly and accurately. You can save a little by buying Lee dies (it's what I use on my 650) and do a lot of comparison shopping. Midway and Midsouth seem to be the best places to get new .223 bullets,hit the gunshows for powder and primers. +1 on getting a decent reloading manual and dial calipers. YMMV.

TWBryan

 

[VARifleman]

Ragsdale, I noticed on your midway order you said you had unfired brass on there. Use once fired that you find on the range or buy once fired from sellers in your area or brassman online. http://brassmanbrass.com/

Also, if you're into using 230 gr bullets for 45 or 55gr for 223, look at hornady for their dies, single stage or progressive. you get bullets for shipping costs (100 for $5 for a die set, 500 for $10 for a single stage press, 1000 for $13 for their progressive). www.hornady.com (get loaded offer)

 

[thebaldguy]

I guess it depends on how much and what you shoot; my cousin reloads for his .50 AE because of the cost; even the cheapest .50 AE rounds are pretty expensive. On the other hand, reloading 7.62 x39 may not have quite the savings. If you count your time for free, it's tough to beat the cost of reloading. With the increasing cost of ammo, it may not take too many handloaded rounds to make the cost of your equipment back. Also, you have the opportunity to make low cost custom tailored rounds for your firearms.

I think a good idea would be to buy cheap ammo and save the brass for reloading. Tell your non reloading shooting friends to save their brass; I don't reload but I always save my brass and boxes for those who reload.

 

[def4pos8]

OP: if you aren't willing to spend time to reload -- don't. You never receive something for nothing. Time IS money. Stick with .22 and/or your handguns, although .45 brass is up to 17 cents/case.

A couple of years ago ammunition was so cheap that it DIDN'T pay to reload .223 or .308 hardball. I only reloaded .30-'06, .375 Hollands' or other hunting cartridges. Times change. Now I MUST reload to continue shooting .223. So it goes.

I could spend less cash if I stopped shooting and stuck with building plastic scale models but modeling doesn't provide much recoil.