When is reloading profitable?

[Spetsnazos]

So I am collecting my brass slowly and I casually browse the reloading supplies. It seems to me tthat the cost is almost the same as buying factory ammo. I know you will get better accuracy since you have more QC reloading, but is the time spent reloading+collecting brass worth the cost?

Thread: Is it worth it to reload unless you're doing it in massive bulk??

[stand125]

If you shoot 45ACP lead you will save over 50%. When I shoot 45ACP 200gr lead I can load a box of 50 for $5.75. When I load plated it cost me about $8.00 a box of 50. It really pays off when I can load 100 rounds of HORNANDY 200gr XTP hollow points for $25.00.

I have a hand loader, single stage and Turret press. I love the Turret press, but would be just as happy if I only used the Single stage LEE press. You can pick up a LEE single stage kit for around $100.00 + $25.00 for the dies. Very rarely will I sit down and reload for more than about 30 minutes at a time. If I am bored or just feel the urge, I will sit at my bench and reload a box or maybe deprime and prime for a little while and then get up and do something else. I find it very enjoyable and do not dislike any part of it, so it is definately worth the time to pick up range brass and then reload it.

[Spetsnazos]

Is it profitable to reload 9mm Luger, .380ac or .308?

[bohoki]

well its like buying tampinco or just buying tang and mixing it yourself

its never going to make you a profit

but you save money the minute your round count savings vs factory ammo pays for your equipment

from then everything feels cheaper

i started out with the "lee loader" in 30 carbine it paid for itself in the first 100

if you can get your powder and primers local at a fairly good price you can keep costs low

otherwise you need to really stock up when you mail order as the hazmat charges are excruciating

[rjh4758]

It all depends on how much you shoot and what you shoot. If you shoot FMJ 9MM it will take tens of thousands of rounds until you recoup the cost of the equipment and start saving money. If you shoot say 10MM, 44 mag, 357 mag, 454 Casull, 500 S&W or a lot of rifle ammo. If you reload cast bullets instead of jacketed ammo you will pay off the equipment faster and save the most.

[MaHoTex]

Is it profitable to reload 9mm Luger, .380ac or .308?

Yes. I reload 9mm for about 1/2 the cost of Federals at Wally World. And it does not take tens of thousands of rounds to break even. Figure you can save $6/50 rounds. Do the math from there. You can be up and running on a Lee Single stage for well under $200, closer to $130 or so. By the time you reload about 20 boxes you have broken even. That is only just over 1K rounds.

If you do the rifle rounds, or larger pistol rounds, the savings will pile up much more rapidly. Ignore the comments that say you will not save anything, those are absurd.

[Stonewalker]

Reloading .30 carbine is a 30%-50% cost reduction.

[Spetsnazos]

Yes. I reload 9mm for about 1/2 the cost of Federals at Wally World. And it does not take tens of thousands of rounds to break even. Figure you can save $6/50 rounds. Do the math from there. You can be up and running on a Lee Single stage for well under $200, closer to $130 or so. By the time you reload about 20 boxes you have broken even. That is only just over 1K rounds.

If you do the rifle rounds, or larger pistol rounds, the savings will pile up much more rapidly. Ignore the comments that say you will not save anything, those are absurd.

What do you think for .308 or .380 acp? I'm looking at buying a super cheap reloading press/dies??

[rjh4758]

Is it profitable to reload 9mm Luger, .380ac or .308?

Profitable ..... Uhhh no, because in order to make a profit you would have to sell ammo which unless licensed and insured to remanufacture ammo it is illegal to reload and sell ammo.

If you meant "can I save money reloading 9mm Luger, .380ac or .308?

The answer is maybe. Like I said previously depend on what you are reloading. 9MM FMJ I just bought 2k in the last group ammo buy at $160 per 1K, because it would have cost me like $140 in components not including the brass which I already had it. So the $20 I would have saved was not worth it. 380 is more expensive so there is some cost savings there. 308 what are you loading for? Plinking ammo? There is some decent surpluss or steel jacketed stuff out there for that. If you are buying match ammo you will be able to load similar or better ammo for about 1/2 the cost of factory match ammo.

[MaHoTex]

What do you think for .308 or .380 acp? I'm looking at buying a super cheap reloading press/dies??

I am not familiar with .308, but .380 will save more than 9mm simply because the cost of factory ammo is higher. Material cost is nearly identical if compared to 9mm.

As RJH pointed out, if you buy factory ammo in bulk it will take longer to realize any per round savings.

I started with the Lee Single stage and then went with a loadmaster progressive and it has already paid for both. I load 9mm, 357/38, and 223.

The initial component outlay will likely cost at least as much as the press/dies etc. I easily have 3 times the dollars in componets as I do in presses/dies/tools. Once you buy it in bulk it feels really good to not have to purchase more components for a while.

[rjh4758]

Tool to decide for yourself

Here you go use this tool to determine for yourself. There are so many variables in this question that only you can decide for yourself. For example if I buy ammo it is in bulk 1K+ not Federal bulk 100 packs at Wally world so my savings in buying ammo are larger. The same goes for powder I buy in 8 lbs jug not 1 lbs cans for known loads. So my milage will be different.

handloading calculator

[toby]

Every time I pull the trigger I profit! I've not bought new ammo in over 15 years, except a few boxes from various trades or guy's who needed some cash.

[Divernhunter]

It is not worth it. Just send your brass to me and I will take care of it.

[bluenoise]

My range sells 115 grain FMJ 9mm bullets for about $85 per thousand. Primers are $27 per thousand. The cost of powder is about $10 per thousand. So, I paid about $122 for my last thousand rounds (I reuse brass, so I didn't include it in the math). I was paying about $250 per thousand at Walmart for WWB. I could do a little better by getting in on a group buy, but we haven't had one in a while.

Plus, I load them a little hotter than WWB so they'll knock over the poppers in the matches.

[r3dn3ck]

prices and quantities of components are set such that you'll spend the same amount of money on ammo when reloading.... you'll have 3x the ammo of a given quality for the money, sometimes more.

Case in point, .223, .45acp, .270win, .44mag, 9mm, .357mag, etc... with the high quality bullets I like to use on average cost about $1.50 per round retail. I load them for < .50c each including the same premium bullets. I spend the same amount of money every month on bullets, I have 3x as many bullets for it though. To boot, my loads are super consistent because I'm kinda obsessive.

If you're a little OCD and you're cheap and you've got some spare time on your hands, reloading is awesome. You will not save any actual money, you'll just shoot more and better ammo.