Is reloading really worth it?

[TomReloaded]

Good 9mm is still about a buck a round. Maybe 80ish cents, but its not all that cheap. And no one is blasting off premium SD ammo at the range all day... but I'd put my handloads against premium stuff! It is comparable.

People tend to compare handloads for pistols to the cheapest garbage ammo out there. Not really apples to apples. Same with 223. Premium 223 isnt cheap.

I've been shooting my own reloads for so long, it kind of catches me off guard how ****ty low end store bought ammo is when I do happen to shoot it. Im just using cheap lee stuff too, its not *great* handloads.

[golfish]

I enjoy reloading. I think I might save a little on 45 colt, 38/357 and 30-30. I mostly reload 9mm and 45acp, probably not a lot of savings on those two but it keeps me busy.

[kcstott]

Being able to adjust your bullet tensions is worth it alone.

Paging F Guffy...... F Guffy yu have a fight to pick

[Kelton]

[Dooder]

Paging F Guffy...... F Guffy yu have a fight to pick

Oh not this again haaha

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

[SnWnMe]

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?

Never a waste to learn a new skill. And you can look at a 41 Mag/10mm/45-70 firearm and not hesitate about buying it

[slamfire1]

If the cost of loaded ammunition is too close to that of reloads, shoot the factory ammunition, but save the brass!

And, plan ahead. Antigunners plan to make ammunition very expensive for you, so, stock up on cases, primers, and bullets. Gunpowders deteriorate, plan to use your gunpowder up within 10 years, I have been dumping 20 year old powders.





Lead styphanate primers last, essentially, forever. Buy as much as you can when prices are low. Like, right now. Before the next Democratic President and Congress.

Buy cheap bullets. They last forever.

[bigbossman]

It's about an hour and a half each way to the nearest store in California that sells ammunition. It's about a 40 second walk to the room I use for reloading.

There will come a time in CA where ammo will be next to impossible to get. If you're staying put in CA, you need to be thinking about that.

[RNE228]

I reload because I enjoy it. The process of developing the loads and trying them. Same in the kitchen; I like to cook, make my own recipes.

I know I save money; all my rifle loads are premium accurate loads; that grade of ammo is way expensive, even in something like 223/556. I can't really compare my reloads to bulk 4MOA ball ammo.

And, I like some cartridges like 300 Savage and 30-06 Ackley Improved. 300 Savage is available, but hard to find. 30-06 Ackley is a handload proposition.

[TempleKnight]

There’s no way I could afford to shoot in competition if I had to pay retail for ammo. 38supercomp major is $410 per thousand. It’s only available from a few retailers. Reloads are less than $100 per thousand. I’m definitely not going pay retail for Black Hills 77 grain .223 when I can make it myself.

[swruger]

I reload 9mm 124 gr JHP for around $152/1000. I purchase brass for around $20 per 1000 off Gunbroker; and primers for around $20 to $22 per 1000. Rocky Mountain Reloading for the 124 gr JHP, or Precision Delta. A small amount of slop is in those numbers for tumbling media, which adds very little as I stretch its use out there; and sometimes shipping costs hit me, but not always.

124 gr JHP over 4.5 gr. of HP-38, 1.125 OCL. Very accurate and a good round for more than punching holes in paper.

I also reload .40s, .45 acp, .32 acp, 38/357 and multiple rifle calibers. I cannot afford to purchase at retail prices what I reload.

Switching to poly coated lead, 124 gr., reduce that cost by $30 per 1000. $122 for 1000 rounds of good 9mm rounds; that works good for my budget.

[kcstott]

Yep same here.

there's no way I could afford 140 rounds of match 308 each month $210 in ammo each month at $30 per 20 rounds.

or about $260 for 500 rounds of reloads. I can shoot for three months of what one month of factory match costs

[tsmithson]

[Chief-7700]

Yes my wife and shoot three to four IDPA matches a month plus 2-4 sanctions matches a year. Next weekend we will be in Little Rock shooting the Fall Brawl.

[Divernhunter]

Just remember those shooting matches and such I doubt you had to come on an internet site and ask about reloading and if it is worth it??? Those that do post such questions are usually shooter who are not in high volume comp or own hard to find cartridges they want to shoot A LOT of rounds in. You are comparing apples and oranges. So IF you have to ask then it is probably not for you. Most that reload either wanted to from the start or were forced into it due to things like comp and using high volumes of ammo. The 2 reasons also often call for different equipment to be used also