WHY Reload?!?!?

[Eljay]

Here's another source on .223 bullets at around 10 cents each. They often run various sales on top of that http://www.xtremebullets.com/223-55g...5fmj-b0500.htm

For powder 15gr implies 450+ rounds per pound. 8 pounds of H335 including shipping and hazmat from powder valley is around $190 or $23.50/pound. So 5 cents worth of powder, not 9.

So including the primer more like 18 cents each.

So you're saving a dime each. Depending on how you value your time and the speed of your press and how much you care that the ammo quality will be higher than the cheapest possible .223 you may or may not care.

As noted above if you shoot less popular calibers the savings are greater. Even going from 9mm to .45 it's maybe two cents more each to load them but they're a lot more to buy loaded. Just the way the economics work out.

[PTLaro]

Besides what you and people mentioned here there is also the question volume of shooting you do. In my case I shoot USPSA, GSSF, 3-gun and steel matches. I shot a steel match today that used close to 200 rounds. There is a degree of savings, but it does allow more volume shooting.

Time is important. It was so important I bought a Dillon 1050 when my kids were smaller. The 550 wasn't cutting it.

here's a nice reloading calculator for reloading....http://handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp

FYI...My 9mm loads cost me .9 cents per round

Thats great but how do you reload for 9 cents per round? My costs come out to about 13-14 cents. CCI primers 3.2 cents, Xtreme 115gr 8.5 cents,Titegroup 1.5 cents.

I plan to get into reloading for 1) cost savings 2) quality control 3) enjoy reloading process 4) it becomes the ammo I produced.

I think it is still worth reloading 9mm if you can save 10 cents/round. If you take a long term look at it, your savings will make sense. It might take a few years depending on how much you shoot but you still save per round. As others have mentioned you probably can find lower priced components.

[Psychbiker]

308, blackout, 45 make shooting cheap....err....less expensive.

Being a hobby is certainly one reason. Being able to tailor a round to your specific gun is also part of it. Being immune to political cause ammo spikes is nice.

I started with 9mm then added 45 said no more....I now do 380, 40sw, 308, 223, and blackout. 30.06 and 45lc are on the horizon.

I just got into casting. Haven't made a round I've shot yet but have enjoyed the process of melting lead. Again, with molds, I can literally make all my ammo, just gotta keep stocked with powder, primers and brass.

[stilly]

Yawn.

I can buy a box of 50 rds of .44 mag for $45.99 and they sound like, well, like a .44 mag I guess.

OR

I can make 50 rds of .44 mag for $9.70 and they make folks **** their pants...

[Spyder]

My 9mm is costing me about 9 cents per round, my 223 about 18. I've got a few calibers I'm saving four DOLLARS per round by doing it myself.

[Eljay]

Thats great but how do you reload for 9 cents per round? My costs come out to about 13-14 cents. CCI primers 3.2 cents, Xtreme 115gr 8.5 cents,Titegroup 1.5 cents.

Keep in mind you can cast the bullets so there's always some joker who can make them for almost nothing.

That being said you might try Bayou or other hi-tek coated bullets. They perform very similar to the plated but they're cheaper.

http://www.bayoubullets.net/9mm-115-gr-rn-4000-ct/

Shipping is $15 so bullets end up being 6.7 cents each. If you buy primers and powder in similar bulk you get 2.5 cents and 1.0 cents. 10.2 cents total.

And again, there's always some joker who casts and has a free lead source...

[Madpyro]

Try buying 7 tcu, 30 Herrit, .357 Herrit

[sl0re10]

So I got all my reloading equipment for 9mm and .223 but now that I have everything I need I have started to actually look for reloading components. I have done that math an I am not really not seeing the savings. I can buy a box of 55 grain PMC bronze 20ct for $6.49 from my LGS that comes out to just over .32 cents a round. I can buy a box of 500 reloads from LAX AMMO for $147.13 that's .29 a round. Now I can buy my FMJ projectiles for .233 for $16.99 for a box of 100 of 55 Grain. That comes out to just over .16 cents a bullet. Powder will be about .09 cents a round and primers add .03 a round. I already have brass. So to reload it comes out to about .28 - .29 cents a round. Dont get me wrong this is just plinking rounds and I understand that but that is about all I really do.

I understand that reloading is great if you want to really fine tune your ammo to your gun but like I said I am really just into plinking. I mention the LAX ammo because its all brass and I have never had a problem with it. Like I said I am only into plinking with my friends and my kids. Am I missing something? I have always been told that it is about half the cost to reload than it is to buy out right. I do think it will be cheaper to reload for my Mosin and get away from the steel case that I am shooting and I would like to work up a load for that rifle but that is in the future when I actually learn more about reloading. I have scoured the internet trying to find components cheaper but after you figure in S/H cost AND wait time I am almost where I am at now with my LGS so I would rather give him the business. Don't get me started on 9mm. I can but a box of 50 rounds brass cased from my LGS for $10 everyday so that is .20 cents a round I can reload for .18 cents but then you I have to figure in my time to clean and actually reload this ammo. I am like a lot of you I have kids a house a dog to walk a wife a job and cars to maintain NOT to mention guns to clean. I don't have a lot of time for reloading.

So at this point my question is: Is reloading more for the love of the hobby at this point? Is it just a great tradition I can learn and pass down to my son and daughter? The only real way I can see reloading saving me money is if I cast my bullets like I have started doing for muzzleloader there again the time factor gets involved also.

PLEASE dont get me wrong I am not *****ing about having to reload it is actually very relaxing and fun when I have my friends over and we are sitting about shooting the breeze maybe even therapeutic just I don't see it as saving me money. Please if someone can point me in the right direction of sites that I can get my components for less please help.

I have my reloaded cost down to 18 cents for 223. So; still worth it... plus the same powder works on my mosin rounds (which I save more on).

I also have a 458 socom which costs $2-3 a round to buy ammo for...

so; varies by round. 9mm not worth it... but tokarev is. Also; 11 cents or so on 223 is worth it to me. Plus 223 match is still expensive... but its only a little more for me make 68 grain ammo.

[CSACANNONEER]

Your comparing cheap bulk ammo prices to high quality reloads? There's no comparison if you do your part. Your reloads will be far superior to any cheap ammo. Also, like everyone else has stated, you're not buying right and your reloading some of the cheapest rounds to buy retail. Using my own cast bullets, I can load 25acp-45LC including 44mag for just the cost of primers and powder or, about $2.50-$3/50 rounds.

[boomer135]

Savings, BLAH!

I save a lot of coin reloading and always have. I don't save as much as I used to (due to increased component prices).

I shoot a lot, and reloading/shooting/buying in quantity is the key nowadays.

Please if your not saving money, or want to get out of reloading I'll be more than happy to make you an offer on your equipment so you can go back to crap Freedom, or standard box ammo.

[Red9]

^^^^

[stranded1980]

So at this point my question is: Is reloading more for the love of the hobby at this point? Is it just a great tradition I can learn and pass down to my son and daughter?

No, I still see reloading as an opportunity to save money, eventually (since I only started 2 years ago, and I keep finding and buying cool stuff for it).

I'm seeing major savings on my 303 British and 270 Win loads. I helped a friend reload 50 Beowulf; that first reload session paid for the dies! Helped another friend purchase the Lee 4 die rifle set for 30-06, and reloaded for his Garand. He'll be saving within 360 rounds.

For components, dies, and presses, I personnally usually buy used, either from guys that quit reloading, children selling a deceased parent's set up, and sometimes casting my own. You'll be amazed at what you can find at garage & estate sales, as well as Craigslist. I keep cash on hand for just those circumstances, so if you're a credit card kind of guy, it might not work. No, I haven't completely recouped my fixed costs (I keep buying higher quality gear as I come across it), but I'm looking at the long game, and I eventually will.

Also, you mentioned "TIME" in your post. I hear you loud and clear on that one, I have a family, house, and career too. What kind of press are you reloading on? If you're doing 9mm on a single stage, it gets hard to justify the time-to-savings relationship. On my Dillon 650, after one hour I've got over 500 plinking rounds ready to fire.

[pacrat]

What are you getting for moa on that bullet and what powder? I can't get my hornady 55 fmjbt to get less than 3"

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I've never used them. I was just using as pricing example. And pointing out the different shopping options available.

[Fishslayer]

How long have you been shooting? If you were aroubnd for the Great Ammo Droughts of '09 & '13 it's unlikely you would be asking that question. I save roughly 50% over factory but more important the ammo shortages went largely unnoticed.

[stilly]

How long have you been shooting? If you were aroubnd for the Great Ammo Droughts of '09 & '13 it's unlikely you would be asking that question. I save roughly 50% over factory but more important the ammo shortages went largely unnoticed.

There was an ammo shortage?

Wow. I did not even know since I stopped buying ammo back in 2010...

Oh wait, you must be talking about .22lr right?

I just cleaned up all of my 44 mag shells that I shot in the past year. since I pick up lead and components and what not, I, being unemployed previously, was able to shoot over 1700 rds of .44 mag this past year.

Do the math on that and you get about a $1200 difference between store bought vs hand made... And I enjoyed my hand made WAY more than any store bought. Oh yeah, and some of it was .44 spl.

Can you even buy .44 special in the stores? I have never seen it at wally world.