Buy'em or Roll'em

[joelogic]

I just bought a G19 and at the last gun show 9mm was $240/1k. I was contemplating reloading or buying new. To reload components were $.07 bullet, $.03 primer, $.02 powder = $.12 vs. new $.24. But I would have to spend $200 on the parts needed to reload 9mm on my Dillon. So I have been going back and forth while I am waiting for these 10 days to end. I decided to go to the local gun store and buy some 9mm. To my surprise WWB 9mm was $41.95/100 . Big 5 was $32.95/100.

$.12 vs $.42 is a no brainer. I order 2000 bullets from grafs and I already have powder and primers. I am going to throughly break in my gun.


Roll your Own

[fullspeed1]

It's a no-brainer for sure.

[sigfan91]

It all depends on how much money you make.

Reloading takes time and energy. If you make enough money, then it's actually cheaper to buy rather than reload.

Of course most of us aren't quite there yet.

[joelogic]

If you make enough money to shoot factory ammo at 500+ rounds a month why arent you reloading and putting that money you are saving to work? Why waste?


On the other hand, I load 500 rounds in a hour. Thats $150 savings per month, I dont make $150 per hour.

[pdq_wizzard]

It all depends on how much money you make.

Reloading takes time and energy. If you make enough money, then it's actually cheaper to buy rather than reload.

Of course most of us aren't quite there yet.

First and foremost if you look at reloading as a job you will always loose $$$ it must be a hobby!!!!

[Gio]

Nice I have cranked out 500 an hour a few times, mostly do about 300-400 an hours nowadays. Just be careful using the Dillon sizing die, for me it does not like my 9mm cases. You will notice that it will not chamber right after one time fired or two times firing the cases. I have a spare tool head with a Lee Carbide Die and I resize only then after doing so go back to using the Dillon Dies to make my own rounds

Also reloading is a hobby unto it's own. I almost like reloading more then I do shooting

-Gio

[5ohguy]

I just started reloading. I only do about 150 an hour on my Dillon 550, because I'm extra careful, but its totally worth it. I'll get faster in time as I gain more confidence.

After doing the math, 200g SWC, with 5.7g of unique, range brass, and wolf primers cost 12c a round to produce. I'm saving more than 70% and within 6 months my investment will start paying itself with the amount I shoot.

I plan to reload .308 win eventually, but that will come in time. For now, 45 ACP is a lot harder to mess up.

The only thing that sucks is finding components, but that can be done with a little persistence. Buy in bulk when available and you can sustain your hobby at minimal cost for a year or so.

Not to mention that being able to sustain independently of the market and potential legislation is important to me.

And finally, time shmime. I save much more reloading than I ever could working that extra hour a week. I feel much less "dirty" leaving the range knowing I spend 30 bucks instead of 100. I don't make 70 bucks an hour... do you?

[Bug Splat]

Also reloading is a hobby unto it's own. I almost like reloading more then I do shooting

-Gio

Brother?!?!

I'm the same way. Reloading is my "Me" time away from work, kids and the world. Its a time I get to create and build and eventually see my creation at work and when the fireworks are over I get to create again and make it better.

I bet heaven has rooms and rooms of reloading benches

[joelogic]

I hope heaven has a shoot house.

[ar15barrels]

I hope heaven has a shoot house.

This is heaven:

http://www.thehighroad.us/showthread.php?t=331301

[sigfan91]

If you make enough money to shoot factory ammo at 500+ rounds a month why arent you reloading and putting that money you are saving to work? Why waste?


On the other hand, I load 500 rounds in a hour. Thats $150 savings per month, I dont make $150 per hour.

What if you do make $150 an hour? Or $200 an hour? Is it still economical for you to reload?

Time is finite. We have to budget it between work, family, hobby, and rest.

That's why black Friday sales are worthless to people making over certain amount of money. The savings simply aren't there.

Of course, if it's a hobby, then it's different. The utility we get from hobby is worth more than the pure dollar amount attached to the activity. But only up to a point. Believe it or not, some people who make over $1000 an hour would rather work an extra hour than reload 500 rounds of ammo and then go shooting.

Like I said, most of us aren't quite there yet, so reloading saves money. That's all I'm trying to say.

[johnrunner89]

I buy'em and roll'em. If I see a good deal on brass cased ammo than I buy some, enjoy shooting it and than save the brass for more reloading

[ar15barrels]

What if you do make $150 an hour? Or $200 an hour? Is it still economical for you to reload?

Time is finite. We have to budget it between work, family, hobby, and rest.

The amount of time you get paid to work is finite as well.
The fallacy of this whole "I make XXX an hour" is that you DON'T make XXX an hour for hanging out with family, doing your hobbies or resting.
You ONLY make XXX an hour WORKING.

It's not like you need to TAKE TIME OFF WORK to reload...
It's just another hobby.

[Gio]

Nice Randall Very good points there. All in all it is up to the indivisual to decide whether or not reloading is for them or not. When I was just getting into reloading .45 was plentiful, as I sold my .45 1911 and got into a Glock and a 9mm AR it was harder and harder to find both 9mm and .45 so I decided to get a Reloading Machine to make my own rounds. Glad I did, while others are paying upwards of $0.35 cents for a 9mm round I have been paying $0.10 a round. Only rounds I have paid more to make were my HD rounds which were about $0.15 to make. I have some nice friends that will pick up 9mm brass while out at the range and or I pick it up myself as well.

Hey Joe what bullets did you end up ordering for your Glock 19? I have gone through one case of 4K from Montana Gold Bullet so far and I am 1/3 through a case of 3,750 already as well. First case was 115 fmj the second is 124 cmj since I shoot indoors a lot. Paid $.07 for the first case and $.08 for the second case.

-Gio

[CAL.BAR]

I just bought a G19 and at the last gun show 9mm was $240/1k. I was contemplating reloading or buying new. To reload components were $.07 bullet, $.03 primer, $.02 powder = $.12 vs. new $.24. But I would have to spend $200 on the parts needed to reload 9mm on my Dillon. So I have been going back and forth while I am waiting for these 10 days to end. I decided to go to the local gun store and buy some 9mm. To my surprise WWB 9mm was $41.95/100 . Big 5 was $32.95/100.

$.12 vs $.42 is a no brainer. I order 2000 bullets from grafs and I already have powder and primers. I am going to throughly break in my gun.


Roll your Own

Wait - you're not counting the brass! Even picking up used brass, you can only use it so much. So you're likely to need to purchase brass. (maybe 5 cents per)

Also, you can get Wolf 9mm MUCH cheaper than .42 per. (I get .45 for .30-.35 per!) So look more closely at the costs. It will take a long time to pay off a new progressive press when you're only saving .10 a round or so.