Is reloading still a good option?

[11Z50]

I can buy pistol and shotgun ammo cheaper than I can load it, especially if I factor in my time. I can see a reason to load precision rifle ammo or oddball calibers.

While you can find free brass, buy components in bulk, and cast your own bullets, this all takes time and money. You can get the cost of your ammo down to a nickle a round, it is a lot of work to do so. When I'm not working, there are some other things I'd rather do than load ammo.

If money saving is your prime motivation, I'd say just buy some cheap ammo in the common calibers, unless you have a whole lot of free time on your hands.

[3GunFunShooter]

I am going to set up my Dillon 550 and a RCBS single stage, why?
I can't find Black Hills 69gr. in 223. Been having trouble locating 69gr. Sierra Match bullets. Have you checked a Wal Mart lately?
I use to shoot the Winchester White box in 9mm, 40 and 45. Good stuff for local IDPA and USPSA matches, like many others, time was a factor. But now with the availability issue, at a reasonable cost, it just makes sense to reload.
Who knows that the Feds and State may do to the ammo laws in the near future.

[TonyM]

Do not forget to account for the coast of your time.

Assuming you make X dollars and hr and can produce 500 rounds an HR.

$10 = .02 per round
$20 = .04 per round
$50 = .10 per round
$100=.20 per round

I don't like to factor my time into the cost basis. This is a hobby and I reload when I would otherwise be slacking off on calguns, or... heaven forbid.... doing something with the wife like shopping or cleaning the house, or painting, or putting up new pictures, or (insert honeydo list here)......

Yeah, reloading saves me lots of stress from situations where I wouldn't be working to make money anyway.

[xrMike]

Do not forget to account for the coast of your time.

Not many people include their time when they figure out their total cost/round.

During the week you reload in the evenings -- after work -- or you do it on the weekends. In most cases, you aren't getting paid during those times anyway (unless you're a tradesman and self-employed, making your own hours, or you can choose to work overtime).

So if you weren't reloading during those times that you're not getting paid, what would you be doing? You'd probably be wasting your time some other way, like watching TV, or surfing Calguns, etc.

That's how I see it anyway.

ETA: Eh, TonyM beat me to it! Nicely put too. I forgot all about the dreaded HoneyDo list...