Is reloading really worth it?

[benos4752]

I know a lot of people get into reloading to save money, but is it really worth it?

Right now I am only really shooting 9mm and 5.56. I have a .40 S&W and a 12 gauge and am saving for a rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor. But the VAST majority of my shooting is 9mm and 5.56.

And I am currently on track to shoot somewhere between 5-10,000 rounds of 9mm and about 5,000 rounds of 5.56. Using Brownells prices, not including the price of loss brass, I'd save about $20/1000 rounds of 9mm. I couldn't find 5.56 bullets on there, so unsure about that.

Assuming I do not start shooting more, it kind of feels like just getting a prime membership at Target Sports USA once my FFL03 comes in will be about the same savings, especially since it will have an obviously much smaller time investment.

Unless I get into competition and want specialized rounds, is it pointless to go purchase reloading equipment and supplies for my apartment?

[bohoki]

i reload 9mm and .223 but i go all out and actually cast my own bullets for 9mm and i only use the cheapest bullets for 223

its worth it to me

[Strafer]

I reload my .223 for 37 cents a round and those are match grade, tailored to my rifles. I reload .45 ACP for about 25 cents a round using 230gr fmjs from Berrys. Totally worth it IMO. YMMV.

[Sir Toast]

Forget reloading .223 an 9mm. Those rounds are mass produced and not worth reloading. If you're reloading something else like .44 mag or 6.5 creemoor for competition, you'll just shoot more, which is GREAT!

Reloading is a great hobbby.


Do it.

[Tommy Gun]

I started reloading because I had a ton of .308 brass I saved and wanted to get into it to save some money. The hobby is expensive to start but once you get everything going it's worth it. Issue is you spend a lot on mass orders of powder and componants. Now that the ammo law is in effect, and I know it's not that big a deal, I value the fact that I rely on myself to keep myself stocked.

I reload 9mm, 45, 357, 223, 308, 6.5 creed and 7.62 x 39. And I always start a new caliber with 1k+ brass and go from thier. Best thing is as easy the hobby is you almost always have an avenue for brass at the range from people that could care less. Brass is usually the most expensive part of the round FYI.

[ar15barrels]

I know a lot of people get into reloading to save money, but is it really worth it?

Right now I am only really shooting 9mm and 5.56. I have a .40 S&W and a 12 gauge and am saving for a rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor. But the VAST majority of my shooting is 9mm and 5.56.

And I am currently on track to shoot somewhere between 5-10,000 rounds of 9mm and about 5,000 rounds of 5.56. Using Brownells prices, not including the price of loss brass, I'd save about $20/1000 rounds of 9mm. I couldn't find 5.56 bullets on there, so unsure about that.

Assuming I do not start shooting more, it kind of feels like just getting a prime membership at Target Sports USA once my FFL03 comes in will be about the same savings, especially since it will have an obviously much smaller time investment.

Unless I get into competition and want specialized rounds, is it pointless to go purchase reloading equipment and supplies for my apartment?

Prices vary dramatically based on how much you shop for deals and buy components in bulk.
If you priced out reloading just 1000 rounds, it's probably going to cost more than buying factory ammo.
When you order powder 32lbs at a time and primers 10,000 at a time and plated or lead pistol bullets 10,000+ at a time on group buys, you save on shipping costs per piece and that adds up to significant savings on your finished ammo.

Also, do you value your time or would you consider being more self sufficient in your ability to make loads for your specific guns that are more accurate than factory ammo to be important to you?
Most people that stick with reloading consider it another hobby that complements their shooting hobby rather than WORK.
If you see it as WORK, it's probably not for you and you would do better to work some more paid overtime and just order factory ammo.

[JagerDog]

For range fodder in uber popular calibers? Not really.

Specialty rounds for hunting? Kinda, but you don't hoot much.

Optimized for your firearm? The only way...albeit OTC premium loads satisfy most, but can be costly.

Less popular rounds? 45 Colt for one and even 45 ACP can = substantial savings.

[Brad H]

I have been reloading for over 20 years. None of my current hunting rifles have ever shot factory loads.

If you want premium bullets and to tune your loads to your particular gun then reloading is worth it.

For high volume shooting of a 9mm not so much. I have dies for 9mm but seldom load for it. 9mm bulk is so cheap it is not worth reloading. I buy in bulk online and get free shipping. I save the brass but currently I dont think that it is worth the effort for 9mm. Last time I ran the numbers I could not buy the components for what I was paying for loaded ammunition.

I do load .223, but that is for varmint hunting so I am using premium bullets and trying to get the most accuracy out of a lead free bullet.

[rcslotcar]

I cast/swage and reload. It keeps me off the streets looking for hookers and blow. The wife likes it that way. It is expensive but the equipment can last forever. I have dies and molds for at least 25 calibers.

[mrb865]

Two things not yet mentioned:

I'm set for a SHTF scenario.... and

I give and get a break from the wife a few nights a week when reloading.

And a bonus....I'm not paying the State for a freakin' BGC!

[RickD427]

I seriously doubt that anyone in the history of the world ever "saved" any money by reloading.

Most folks that I've seen (and including myself) that have taken up reloading will actually increase their shooting budgets, but will find that money providing far more shooting experience that of they used factory rounds.

You'll also find that the flexibility of reloading will allow you tailor your loads to your specific weapons and thereby get a little more enjoyment than you would with factory loads. I like to make the smallest hole possible in a target using as many rounds as possible. Once I have a rifle dialed in, my handloads will make a much smaller group hole than will factory rounds.

['ol shooter]

I do it for several reasons, none having to do with saving money.

[not-fishing]

At first, not really. Now after 10 years of reloading definitely saving money.

I recently assembled a 6.8 spc for hunting and have loaded my first accurizing rounds.

The big difference is you only need a single stage press "kit" to start. After that it's how far you want to take it. I still use my single stage and work in batches for rifle. I use a manual turret for handgun and case prep. I do have an automatic powder dispenser for rifle and special handgun loads as well as a fancy "pencil sharpener" case prep machine for by rifle loads. Those turkeys @385 yds are tough to hit

[NapalmCheese]

Unless I get into competition and want specialized rounds, is it pointless to go purchase reloading equipment and supplies for my apartment?

Reloading is a hobby unto itself.

I reload because I like weird cartridges and enjoy shooting and hunting with ammunition I've made. Reloading is adjunct to my main hobbies, but is still a hobby.

If you don't give two ****s about DIY, and you don't give two ****s about match quality ammo, then reloading isn't for you. The only thing reloading does (other than being another hobby) is allow you to produce and shoot match quality ammo for crap tier ammo prices. If you're in it to produce crap tier ammo very cheaply, you'll probably be better off buying crap ammo by the pallet and spending your time drinking beer instead of reloading.

[Dooder]

I do it for several reasons, none having to do with saving money.

Same here, however saving money happens to be a byproduct so it just works out awesomely. My first loading set up ($300) paid for itself in a couple days by loading 2k rounds of 45acp. After that I was saving myself like $200 with every case of 45acp I loaded and it would cost me about 1.5hrs of time to load 1k rounds. Long enough to listen to a movie while loading. Whoever says they aren't saving money is doing it wrong, its built in. And to give another example, I save myself around $600 when I load 1k rounds of 50ae instead of buying factory ammo. So worth the price of admission? Effin A it is.

But my main purpose of loading is creating custom ammo and again it just happens to be at least half the price of the closest factory ammo. I primarily load 9 and 40 that cannot be purchased for matches and its real cheap. I can't afford to buy that type of ammo. It's so cheap that its my practice ammo too. Quality is exellent, my current batch of 40major has an sd of 8.2. Loading is fantastic.

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