Breaking down your reloading time

[tanks]

I buy my brass at 10K at a time, so hardly any time to "process" which involves printing labels and affixing them to the ziplock bags (e.g. Mixed brass, 40S&W).

I do load primer tubes, let's say a minute per hundred. It takes about 5 minutes to load 100 rounds. Then, another minute to put another hundred bullets into the hopper, hundred brass to case feeder and fill up the primer tube.

So, about 7 minutes per hundred rounds counting everything. I case gauge every round while watching TV (hundred at a time), and put finished rounds 200 at a time into a ziplock bag.

Normally, I will load 400 per session, about 30-35 minutes total, including a couple of water breaks.

[Fishslayer]

I have no idea... all I know is that even in the severest ammo drought I spend about 2 minutes going into my garage, grabbing a box or three of ammo and heading out the door.

[dmy]

Responding to the OP's actual question:

.45 ACP and .38s: tumble in dry media 3-5 hours and averaging around 1.5-1.75 hours to decap, resize, clean primer pockets, prime, put in loading blocks, charge, check charges, seat, crimp as a separate stage and put into 50 round boxes. I typically load 100-200 rounds per session using a single stage Rock Chucker. I could probably do it faster, but I choose not to.

.223 Rem: I am still pretty new at it and work even slower. Not counting multiple tumbling, it takes me approximately 5-6 hours to load 100 rounds using the same single stage loader. My steps are: tumble 2-3 hours; lube necks and case, decap, resize and clean primer pockets 1.75 hours; tumble again 2-3 hours; check head space and trim, debur and chamfer as necessary 45 minutes; final tumble 2 hours; prime, load into blocks, weigh out each charge and check charged cases 2.5 hours; seat and put into boxes 45 minutes.

[BigBronco]

Lets see I started reloading about 37 years ago and I am far from being done.

[donnrcp]

[IMG][/IMG]

Try to be more ambidextrous with the time you spend reloading

[Metal God]

I'd like to add to my post #28 . That rifle case prep is 1k cases that would then be ready to load . They then go in my cases ready to load drawer/area and I can just start cranking them out at will .

Also a few things only need to be done once or not very often like primer crimp removal or trimming . The 2nd , 3rd and in some cases 4th time I prep those same cases Those two things are not needed which reduces case prep time quite a bit .

[TexasJackKin]

Time spent reloading? Not enough, or I could say to much! Like others have said, it is it's own hobby. I look at it like tying flies, for fly fishing. It can, and does, become its own art form. The people doing it can take pride in the finished product. Either in the quality, or quantity, or the fact that they are more self sufficient.

Reloading will make you a better marksman, because you will shoot more, and because your shooting will change as you are doing load testing. As your groups shrink compared to your friends shooting factory ammo, circle back to the art form that reloading actually is.

It's a great hobby on its own, and to be a true marksman, you need to be a re-loader, it will greatly increase your knowledge (over time) of the whole "Trigger to target" phenomenon.

[ElDub1950]

....

For those that look at reloading as a way of saving $, there will always be the argument of what your time is worth. .......

And then I think 'They just used up $12, reading and posting in this thread'

[the86d]

My time is well spent reloading, as I ALWAYS have WAY more ammo for everything we shoot (aside from 22lr, which I have to check-around for) than the people who have to drive around (or call a bunch of places) finding ammo for their firearms. Actually we can have fun with a full-mag, just blasting if we want to... at more than 50% off what everyone else pays to shoot.

In the lean-times others suffer from, I get my pick of lanes at the range too! WIN-WIN!

No ammo card needed... yet.

Did I mention that I save between 50%-75% on my ammo, CURRENTLY (depending on sales...)?

When I grab a coffee-tub of loaded cartridges that I made myself, and know the lady and I can have a good time, and practice at the same time, most of the day will be killed, but it's worth it.
-------------------------
Addendum, 9mm Pistol ammo:
At my range one is supposed to pick up their brass anyways, so no time difference there. I just dump it into my bins, rather than theirs.
Maybe 30 minutes of actual leisurely work time (while watching TV?) sorting, as tumbling takes a while... 5 minutes total (the rest is wait-time) including dumping the cob (I don't use walnut) 600-800?
Maybe 20 seconds to lube with spray in a bin and roll around.
A) Maybe 2 min. max to pickup primers in the tube and drop them, per 100 primers.
Cranking handle for 6-9 (guess) minutes per 100, dropping bullets the whole time (depending on snags, and .380 brass the family picked up).
Back to, and repeat from "A" until I am satisfied, pausing if there are any jams, which take <10 seconds to resolve typically (effing-.380 got into my 9mm brass, but at least I de-primed it!).

Snags are crimped primer pockets, .380 brass I missed (from old sort bins when I didn't check as well)

450-750/hour depending on... me. I probably AVG somewhere in the middle, and it helps if the lady picks up the primers in the tube while I reload.

I could tumble again to remove lube, but I never bother.

[AGGRO]

With a single stage you can punch the primer, install new primer, drop powder and seat bullet in about one minute a round if you know your brass is once fired from your weapon but the reality is you need to inspect, clean, tumble etc so plan accordingly.

[kriller134]

I buy my brass at 10K at a time, so hardly any time to "process" which involves printing labels and affixing them to the ziplock bags (e.g. Mixed brass, 40S&W).

I do load primer tubes, let's say a minute per hundred. It takes about 5 minutes to load 100 rounds. Then, another minute to put another hundred bullets into the hopper, hundred brass to case feeder and fill up the primer tube.

So, about 7 minutes per hundred rounds counting everything. I case gauge every round while watching TV (hundred at a time), and put finished rounds 200 at a time into a ziplock bag.

Normally, I will load 400 per session, about 30-35 minutes total, including a couple of water breaks.

What are you using to load 100 rounds in 5 minutes? One of those automated dillons?

[Capybara]

The big time suck that nobody posted about is looking for, locating and buying components. I search almost every other day, looking for bargains, they are out there but you have to hunt, search, network and be ready with credit card in hand, day or night. With the help of Calgunners and some of my other reloading forums, I have made some amazing scores. I enjoy the hunting for components about 75% as much as I enjoy reloading itself. You should hit the Cabelas Xtreme bullet sale that is posted on the other thread here in the reloading forum, KILLER prices and free shipping, it will disappear any minute. I scored 5k of name brand, closeout jacketed 95gr 9x18 Makarov bullets earlier this year for .07 ea. about half off of normal price thanks to my fellow reloaders.

All of this hunting takes time, but ultimately, it saves you money. Lots of Calgunners can reload 9mm for as cheap as .06 or .08 per round, thanks to years of doing this. Many of us scored the S&B primers from Cableas last year for under .02 ea. thanks to this hunting mindset. Add doing this to your time to reload equation.

[9mmrevolver]

Depends on what I'm loading. 338 takes me longer because I'm a bit more anal about it.standard rifle take me a bit longer because of trimming. It used to take forever until I got a giruad. I do everything single stage. I usually deprime all of one caliber then do 100-200 round batches after that.

[milotrain]

The big time suck that nobody posted about is looking for, locating and buying components.

I haven't looked for components in two years. I bought enough in one go when I figured out what works and I wait for other people to put together group orders and want to fill out hazmat to just tack on what I use and know works. The trick is to have enough supplies to last you two seasons, and over those two seasons just buy as things show up on other people's HAZ and you'll keep from losing supplies.

[Lead Waster]

depends.

I stoop and pick up brass every few minutes when at the range.

Cleaning depends on wet or dry.

Reloading depends. Single stage takes a long time. Setup 550b, pretty fast. Setup 1050 with bullet and case feeder .... even faster.
But if you ahve to set up a press, it takes much longer to get everything ready. Once you are actually pulling the handle it's a breeze.