WHY Reload?!?!?

[someoneeasy]

This. I'm about to give up on 9mm/.223 plinking stuff.
I will continue to load 6.5 Swede, 7.5 Swiss, '06 for the M1, hunting loads since solid copper ammo is hugely expensive and heavier weigh .223 stuff for my 18" SS BHW barreled AR.
http://www.targetsportsusa.com/pmc-9...9a-p-3108.aspx

seriously? Even when I bought plated bullets, my 9mm came out to like 11 cents a round. Last I checked, cheapest that people were buying for, then complaining about how crappy the ammo was, still came out to 20 cents a round.

I think I was able to load my 223 for 18 cents around or so?

Last I checked, still worth reloading for me.

[the86d]

Reason one: 1000 American Eagle 115gr 9mm=$266.92 (239+27.92 shipping), or about $0.27/ea.

http://www.bulkammo.com/1000-rounds-of-9mm-ammo-by-federal-115gr-fmj

Still reloading 124gr plated 9mm for just over $0.13, which is just under half the cost... so
1000 124gr reloads=$130, or roughly a $136.92 savings for every 1000 rounds.

Two: I was reloading (which I still have over 1000) 40gr V-MAX pulls for about $0.17/rd, & 55gr 5.56 for $0.185, and this was at a time where nobody had any .223, OR 5.56 for under $0.30-$1/rd... or were completely out.

Three: I haven't been low on ammo since I started reloading, and during times where others are out, I have my pick of lanes at the range.
When Cali-Democrats are talking about taxing every round, I am sitting more-pretty than others...that in-itself is reason enough.

Buy in bulk, as I have seen more lean-times for ammo... more-so than powder, primers, and projectiles in just the last ~3 years I have reloaded, and if you stock up before lean-times you are better off than most shooters that only have 1000rd of each caliber. The lady an I blow-through a lot.

[Socalman]

I got started reloading .38spl & .357 due to the shortages about 7 years ago. I have dies for .223 & 7.62X39 and recently acquired 9mm. Savings is only there when you buy in bulk. I was fortunate that a friend GAVE me several pounds of powder that his father had. I do save my brass and have never bought new brass - yet-. As someone else stated earlier, it could all change and become the only way to insure you are able to have ammo if certain people win elections.

[JustEd]

500 xtreme 200 gn plated rn 45 caliber bullets $56.00 shipped. 1k CCI large pistol primers locally 30.00 including tax (rounded up). Tight group powder 1 lb 25.00 including tax from gun club (about 1400-1500 rounds per pound).

That works out to just under 80.00 per 500 rounds plus the wear and tear on the brass. Best price for loaded 45 acp found is $300.00 plus tax for 1000 rounds of Blazer 230 gr aluminum or about $163.00 per 500 rounds for factory range ammo. The price on the Blazer right now is excellent as it is usually about 18.00 for a box of 50 rounds.

So 80 bucks is much cheaper than 163 bucks and I like my ammo better.

[JDay]

You should compare your reloads to match ammo. That is a better comparison.

[sly-jay]

I can only offer a newbie perspective, since I started reloading only a month or so ago, and only 9mm for now.

I'm still learning how and where to get better deals on components. But even with some newbie mistakes I've been loading 9mm at 13-16 cents a round.

Maybe that savings isn't worth it for some, but for me I'm saving money even if my reloads were to cost as much or more than factory ammo. Because if I'm spending an evening reloading, I'm not out shooting or buying yet more pistols. I'm doing gun-related activity, scratching that itch if you will, but at the end of the night, instead of empty ammo boxes I've got new full ones.

The "you'll only shoot more" thing hasn't been true for me, at least not yet. I'm still experimenting and analyzing, so it's slowed down my ammo usage. I believe it's improved my shooting, and it's certainly expanded my knowledge about how all this works.

So it's worthwhile for me. Also I do it for reasons others mentioned - protection against shortages or future laws, a desire for self-sufficiency and, well, it's just plain fun.

I think you should stick with it, OP.

[MrElectric03]

Like already stated you are using two of the most common calibers due to military use. My .223 cpr is $0.19 using cci primers, imr3031, xtreme 55gr and reused brass. To really get your cost per round down you need to buy larger amounts of powder and primers and not pay the high prices some places ask.

Check out .308 or .300 win mag match grade and you'll see the savings. That said if I could buy it for the same price as I can load it I'd still load it but I really enjoy it. It's become as much of a hobby for me as shooting.

[Boswell]

One word, "Paris".

[Abenaki]

Why do I reload?
Because I enjoy it. And there is never an ammo shortage at my house!

I am saving a ton of money. First of all, I am still using powder that I paid less that $7 a pound for. And I am still using primers that I paid about $10 a thousand!

On top of that, I cast my own boolits!
I am afraid to find out what 50 rounds of 41 mag goes for. But I can load it sooo cheap that it is scary!

When you find good deals on reloading supplies....buy it cheap, and stack it deep.

Take care
Abenaki

[Toolbox X]

I solved the .223 problem for you.

https://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=7235&dir=278|281|1079|1085|1726

5,000 FMJBT for $373 = 7.5c per round.

I just bought 8 pounds of Win748 at the local gun show for $160 out the door. 56,000gr / 26gr/rd = 2150 rounds = 7.5c per round.

Your target for plinking primers should be 2c per round.

Without brass that comes to 17c per round. If you plan to buy comps in super small quantity you are going to pay 30c per round. If you buy in bulk you will reload for far cheaper. It's a huge upfront expense, there is no way around it. If you're not willing to front it then you will not save money. These are the things you should have researched before you got into reloading, not after.

[uhlan1]

Before Sandy Hook, many disparaged loading for 9mm.
After Sandy Hook, amidst all the threads here declaring "I can't find 9mm anywhere", I on occasion had a local range to myself. Kind of weird.

Back then I distinctly remember threads on this sub-forum appearing stating "and who said reloading 9mm isn't worth it?"
And here we are full circle with the same arguments, with both Hilary and Gavin on the near horizon, declaring it's not worth reloading 9mm once again.

Depending on the bullet, I can make a case of 9mm for my competition guns (which I favor more than factory which I still have 20k of) for 130.00 - 150.00 generally in under two hours if my kid helps me. Yes, I may miss this week's installment of "The Voice" but sacrifices must be made!

I can shoot 2-4k a month depending on matches, weather and work load at the job. I cannot afford not to reload 9mm. One Steel Challenge Match with two centerfires can be 500 rounds.

I hoard (forgive me). When stock is aplenty, I buy tons. Keeps the cost down and a lot cheaper than hoarding factory. I drag so much brass home from matches from those who don't think reloading is worth it I have over 20 5gal buckets of it.

When this Newsom thing passes, and it will, things are going to get very rough. I'd get busy. My previous par levels were 2 years. Then 5 years. Now I'm shooting for lifetime, and I'm getting close.

Thanks for listening.