"You should reload.."

[buck460XVR]

You need to reload

The title is a standard comment these days for when someone posts about the difficulty in finding (insert caliber here)...

Altho I reload, I understand not everyone wants to reload their own ammo, nor do they need to. Their needs are fulfilled by factory ammo and either they can afford to shoot factory all the time or shoot so little ammo that reloading is impractical. Seems to some, reloading is a sign that one has advanced to a whole another level of manliness and that non-reloaders are Girly Gun Men.

Over the last few years, finding components has been as difficult as finding factory ammo(the exception being .22LR which no one reloads anyway) so the point of reloading to avoid running out is a moot point. I think the difference is that reloaders tend to buy in bulk so their supplies last longer than the average Joe that buys a box of ammo when he needs it. Lately I have seen just as many hoarding factory ammo as I have seen hoarding components. So again, it's a moot point.

IOWs others should refrain from telling others to reload so us that already reload, have more supplies on the shelf......:banghead:

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Remember shoppers it's only two years until HRH Hillary assumes the throne and is crowned as Queen.

And some of us are old enough to remember the "Great Primer Shortage" back in the 90's when her consort was president.

 

[earlthegoat2]

IMO, there are a few different kinds of reloaders.

Reloading to save money on ammo. So for folks who really burn through ammo. Im talking like 2-300 rounds + per week. These folks regard shooting as a serious hobby and it may be their only hobby.

There are other folks who reload to save ammo but do not shoot as often. These folks want to take their shooting hobby to the next level by involving themselves more deeply in each shot they take. It is just another extension of the shooting lifestyle.

Reloading to supplement factory ammo that is sporadically unavailable. I find it very depressing that 6.5x55 and 7x57 are most often only loaded in economy loadings with few bullet choices or variety. A handloader can load these cartridges with infinite variety.

Then there are loaders who load because that is their only option. They either shoot oddball cartridges or wildcats that have no factory loadings available. This is interesting in that these wildcatters are creating a custom round every time they complete a cartridge. It must be a great feeling pulling the trigger with all that at stake.

Im sure there are other handloading philosophies but that is all I will expand upon here.

For me: Reloading is a horrendous time suck. It is crazy how much time it takes. If shooting is your one and only hobby and you also reload to add on to that hobby then you cannot have time for any other I would think. To put this in perspective: I have a day job with an hour commute each way with totals to 11 hours per day on average and 61 hours per week on average. I have 3 different sources of hobby income that take away 15-20 hours per week. Those alone take up half the hours in a 7 day week.

Add sleep at roughly 8 hours per day or 56 hours a week and you see the time start to drain fast. That totals to 132 hours in a 168 hr week. 36 hours of free time. Well I did not add in the half hour before I leave for work for eating/toothbrushing etc. Dinner time and all that which comes to about maybe 10 hours a week. So I have 26 hours that are only given to me in hour here or a half hour there throughout the week.

I go to the range once every two weeks for roughly 4 hours at a time. I usually only do pistol and shotgun shooting but throw in a 22 or 308 here and there. It should be noted that the range is sort of on my way to my work so I will hit it after work when I go. If it was not on my way to or from work I probably would go much less.

So, I have a reloading setup for rifle and shotgun and I load a few hundred 20 ga shotshells and about 100 .308 rounds per year.

It just does not make time sense for me. I just go buy the ammo at ANY price. If they have it then I buy it. I guess, since I work so much and so much of my time is spent producing income it stands to reason that it is a trade off of time over ammo savings. I put more time into work so I can afford to buy more ammo. Hence the reason I only shoot common calibers. 308, 20 gauge, 38 special and 9mm.

 

[cat_IT_guy]

Similar to Earl, I know I could save a few cents per shot by reloading (once I break even on the equipment in about 4 years), but frankly since my son was born, I have a hard enough time even getting to the range (and its only 20mins away), so I suspect I'd have even less time and motivation to reload. I also know that most of the economy ammo shoots as well, or better, than I am able (I usually shoot Tulammo if its an option, never had any trouble with it).

If I ever get into more exotic calibers (say the long-range specialty cartridges), then I could really see reloading start to make sense for availability as much as cost.

 

[Skylerbone]

IT guy, I'm raising 3 kids and spent a 7 year stretch changing diapers on one or another so I can relate to time issues. Earl, I used to work 70+ hours a week so I hear you too but...reloading for me, when I wasn't nodding off from sleep deprivation, was a refuge from the daily grind. It kept me attached to my hobby when I could not spare range time and gave me a quiet, orderly retreat to unclutter and refocus after hours of screaming kids.

I didn't focus on the economics of loading or worry about shortages. I picked a day each week to stop in to the LGS for supplies and some banter. Far preferable to scrubbing club faces or organizing tackle boxes and don't get me started on boat maintenance!

 

[WestKentucky]

Remember shoppers it's only two years until HRH Hillary assumes the throne and is crowned as Queen.

Sadly, I believe you are right. The American people who paid 2 grand for a $600 ar15 are in the voting pool...and they may or may not be smart enough to vote for whoever opposes the woman who stood by her lying, cheating husband rather than stand up for herself...So when ISIS or whoever kills americans, she's already really good at forgiving and forgetting...

 

[orionengnr]

Similar to Earl, I know I could save a few cents per shot by reloading

No, it's not "a few cents", even on 9mm and .38Spl. It is fully 50% on common chamberings, and a whole lot more on items like .45LC, 10 mm and any rifle rounds.

Example: I can load .380. 9mm, .45acp, .38 Spl for about .12 each, or $6/box of 50. I can load 10mm. .41 Mag, .45LC for a penny or two more for each round.

Yes, these are all lead rounds, and if I want copper plated or jacket rounds, I would have to add a cent or two per round. Still, an impressive cost savings.

Have you checked low-end .380 rounds lately? Easily .40-50/round (if you can find them). Mine are .12/rd.
Check .45LC or 10mm rounds? Pretty close to a buck a round.

I skipped the part where buying 5000 SP primers can facilitate the loading of .380, 9mm, .38Spl, .357 Mag, and .40 S&W rounds. And 5000 LP primers will take care of 10mm, .41 mag, .44spl/Mag, .45acp/LC and so on.

Powder? Buy four pound or eight pound jugs of W231, Bullseye, Unique, or several others, whenever you find one....and you are covered for low-medium pressure pistol rounds.
A pound or two of W296 or Blue Dot, and you can build some serious Mag/10mm rounds.

Brass--I started picking up my own brass years ago. If you haven't, you can find once-fired brass on this forum for reasonable prices. For 9mm or .40, practically give-away prices.

You may choose not to reload...that is your choice. But make sure you are making that choice based upon actual data.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Brass only lasts so long and there is still the cost of the hardware that gets further marginalized every round you load but never goes away. Is this being computed?

 

[WolfHollow]

I am feeling the same way. I want to get into reloading but being able to find what I need is very frustrating.

 

[Trent]

People who think they save money by reloading aren't real reloaders.

... Or at least they haven't gone all the way down the rabbit hole, yet.

I guarantee I haven't saved money reloading.

I'm able to shoot more often, and with better ammo.

But save money? HAH! That's a good one!

 

[orionengnr]

Brass only lasts so long and there is still the cost of the hardware that gets further marginalized every round you load but never goes away. Is this being computed?

Brass for low-pressure pistol rounds (like .38 Spl, .45acp, .45LC) lasts almost forever.
If you load your .357/.41 mag/10mm rounds at normal-for-lead levels, the samre is approximately true.

For 9mm/.40, the brass is so cheap that it is not a factor.
For all semi-auto pistols, losing the brass is more of a concern than wearing it out.

As far as 'marginalizing the hardware", are you talking about depreciation in the dies, scales, calipers, press, etc.?

If so, then no...I am not factoring that in. Depreciation on reloading gear approximates zero, because of inflation. The stuff you buy today...if you sell it next year, you may take a hit. Keep it, use it for ten years, you will probably sell it for what you paid, or on a cost-per-round basis, your loss will be in the hundredths of a cent. Inconsequential.

 

[BobTheTomato]

50 AE is wickedly expensive. 30-06 for a garand is expensive. Most center fire rifle ammo is expensive. Reloading is about the only cheap way to shoot larger calibers.

 

[longknife12]

230RN....Terry, pm sent. I'm in Lakewood.
Dan

 

[earlthegoat2]

orionengnr: thank you for the good response.

I was actually commenting on the original startup cost of the reloading hardware. The press, powder measure, scale, etc. The up front cost of that becomes a lower and lower marginal cost after every round you load but it never disappears entirely. Then there is the cost of replacement or maintenance of said hardware which I will concede is probably a non issue when your current equipment is used properly.

Again, I am talking of the initial investment in reloading equipment, which becomes less and less of a factor the more use you get out of it.

 

[mstreddy]

Earl,

Again, I am talking of the initial investment in reloading equipment, which becomes less and less of a factor the more use you get out of it.

The cost of the equipment is calculated and can be amortized over the loading of XX number of rounds. It really all comes down to how much you shoot as to how quickly it's paid off. The calculations that some of us have done is based on the reloaded cost of a box of ammo, vs the retail cost of factory ammo.
In another thread I mentioned my buddy who just started reloading last month.
His upfront equipment costs, press, dies, powder measure, scale, tumbler, book, loading block, etc... was $410.
At the rate that he is loading and shooting 9MM, 45 ACP, 38 Spcl, he will pay off his equipment in 1.9 months (IIRC).
In my own case, I added up all the equipment I've bought in the last 5 years - 2 Hornady LNL AP presses (1 used, 1 trade in), scale, books, 27 sets of dies and some assorted tools -- $1800. At the current rate of shooting I paid it off in 9 months.
So, yes the equipment is calculated, but it really is an insignificant cost.
As to longevity of the equipment -- reloading equipment, used - not abused, will last practically forever.
You also mentioned brass -- pistol brass in the common calibers is free for most of us -- just pick up wherever you shoot. Rifle brass in common calibers is also easily found -- 223, 308, some times 30-06.
Some of the "oddball" calibers require purchasing, but they should last for at least 5-10 or more loadings. How I calculate it is I include the brass cost in the first time I load the rounds. Any subsequent loads factor the brass as 0. Some may use an amortized method, but I figure pay for it once and then it's free -- in a way is the same as buying some factory ammo to shoot and keep the brass.

I hope this helps cover your questions.

 

[Longhorn 76]

It will be a good time to begin reloading soon.
I expect that a lot of people who bought reloading equipment during the past 6 years will be selling it off cheap, as soon as the ammo prices return to normal.

 

[USSR]

I expect that a lot of people who bought reloading equipment during the past 6 years will be selling it off cheap, as soon as the ammo prices return to normal.

Ha!!!! Best laugh I've had today.

Don

 

[Grub Master]

The initial cost of the equipment to start reloading is not a total waste of money. It's more of a place to park some cash not an investment. The components are used up but only at the rate you choose to shoot. The equipment will always have some value and if you buy quality equipment you can always sell it here for close to what you paid for it.

 

[Rory McCanuck]

Brass only lasts so long and there is still the cost of the hardware that gets further marginalized every round you load but never goes away. Is this being computed?

I got started so I could afford to shoot my 444.
With a Lee Anniversary kit on sale for $99, by the time I'd reloaded my first 100 rounds I was ahead of the game.
It was fun, too.
Then the sickness took hold.
If I "save" much more, I'll be in the poorhouse

 

[Surly]

Again, I am talking of the initial investment in reloading equipment, which becomes less and less of a factor the more use you get out of it.

My reloading equipment is a necessity, just like a screw driver or wrench in a tool box. If I looked at everything as an investment, I wouldn't own anything. My Dillon 650 was purchased to help feed two subguns I purchased at the same time.

I reload because it does lower the cost of shooting...especially with .416 Rem. Mag. and other things that aren't available like subsonic 7,62x54R.

 

[Magnum Shooter]

Then the sickness took hold. If I "save" much more, I'll be in the poorhouse

But if you didn’t reload and you shot the same amount you would already be in the poorhouse.

I have a Dillon XL 650 that I could easily sell for more than I paid for it. So how does the cost of equipment figure in to that?

 

[buck460XVR]

It will be a good time to begin reloading soon.
I expect that a lot of people who bought reloading equipment during the past 6 years will be selling it off cheap, as soon as the ammo prices return to normal.

There is also that percentage of folks that buy the equipment and then realize they do not enjoy to reload. I have several friends that bought equipment, really good equipment and have reloaded only a few hundred rounds on it. It sounded like a fun thing to do, and me and other friends were doing it, but between the few rounds a year they shoot and the time and effort it takes to do, they just stop at the local Ace Hardware and buy a box or two of factory when they need ammo. Like the guns they bought and rarely if ever shoot, they hold on to the equipment, "just in case". In all honesty, a good portion of folks that hunt/shoot probably shoot less than 100 rounds a year. Amortizing the total cost of initial setup would take their lifetime, if at all.

I shoot Sporting Clays and the league I shoot in shoots twice a week. That's a 100 rounds minimum per week. While I reload metallic and would like to reload shotshell, I really don't have the room or time to load shotshell too. At the club I shoot at, 100 round boxes of 12 ga. cost me about $18. While reloading those 100 rounds could probably save me $8-$10 a week, right now, it's easier to buy them. In all of those calculations figuring cost of reloading, folks never include the value of their time. One side job that takes one Saturday will buy me enough shotshells for a year. Go figure.

My metallic reloading is as much of a hobby and relaxation as it is a cost saving measure. Thus the cost of the initial setup and ensuing components, like with any hobby, really is a moot point. The cost savings as time goes by tho is. So is having ammo custom tailored for my firearms. While reloading for my rifles and handguns will always be a priority to me, I understand there are folks where it will never be. Nuttin' wrong with either.

 

[cfullgraf]

Reloading is not for everyone, and that is OK.

Reloading is another hobby for me that I can do in the evening. The reloading room is an important part of the house and it has all the "conveniences of home". I am not stuck out in some shack or out in an unheated/un-cooled garage. Through several moves, space for reloading has been an important consideration for the new residence. (Note, my wife has her hobby areas as well)

My cost per round is less than factory ammunition. It affords me the chance to shoot more and become more proficient. I get to load and shoot obsolete cartridges (6.5x54 Mauser) and wildcats (38/45 Clerke, 7mm Int Rimmed and soon 22x6.8). And I get to hand craft ammunition that perform better in my firearms.

There are all sorts of reasons that folks do not like or want to reload. Justification of time seems to be the largest reason but there are others.

I am not immuned to the time thing. I used to do all my own maintenance on my cars. The appeal is less important these days so most of my repairs are accomplished with the check book these days.

Probably, 2015 will be a good year to stock up on components or factory ammunition to get ready for 2016 assuming inventories return. At this point in time, the 2016 political climate is not a done deal, but no sense taking a chance. Get ready.