Cost of reloading

[roc_my_tims]

hoping for that same cheap therapy, i've been cleaning up my garage preparing, i'm also going to the reloading class at the stockade

[bohoki]

when i started casting my own bullets i felt like i was printing money

i could make a box of 45 acp ammo for $3 not counting the mc doubles frys and a coke it takes to power me

[pdq_wizzard]

OK, for all those saying "you won't save money", well, they're right. More correctly, you will save money *per round*. This is what allows you to shoot a lot more.

I don't know about this, I load 10 or 20 rounds to test, so if I was buying factory ammo (for pistol) it would be 50 rounds. ($20 + or $4.00 per 50 rounds)

I find I don't mind shooting 200 rounds a range trip but I would if I had to pay for factory ammo I don't know if I could afford it.

I have been reloading for 30 years and I don't think "I just shoot more"

I load to get the best rounds I can. (quality over quality)

YMMV

[seainc]

on average how many times the cases can be reused like .45, 9mm, 5.56 and .308. Thanks.

[rbahri5206]

on average how many times the cases can be reused like .45, 9mm, 5.56 and .308. Thanks.

depends on the powder load(if you load them strong or weak) how good you clean the and your loading dies

[lpspinner]

on average how many times the cases can be reused like .45, 9mm, 5.56 and .308. Thanks.

On the .45 and 9, you can get at least 10+. I just keep using them till I see a split or crack, but that rarly happens, as I'll loose them before that happens.

As for the 5.56 and .308, depending on how much full length sizing you do, I'd say at least 5 times. More if you only resize the neck.

[milotrain]

To actually answer your question.

.223 (my cost to reload)
Cheapest using surplus pulldown powder and surplus bullets, and anything I find on the range is: $.14 a round
Match grade ammo, better than any match grade you can buy $.39 cents a round (that's still cheaper than most bulk ammo)

.45acp (my cost to reload)
Cheapest ammo, cast bullets, range brass, decent powder $.10 cents a round
Match grade 230FMG in new Winchester brass, decent powder $.22 cents a round

My dillon setup to reload both these cartridges was around $1k

Buy from Powdervalley and buy everything you need once a year to save on hazmat. You can group buy also which will all but remove hazmat. If you become a member of a club that shoots registered matches then you can usually buy in bulk once a year from a supplier on a club discount. Bullets are your most expensive part, if you cas them or find them cheap then you'll save the most.

However, if your time is worth money to you then don't reload. Reloading is only worth it if you enjoy it as a hobby. If not then it's better to do some random job that pays you $10 an hour on the weekends and buying your ammo as it will be more economical than reloading.

[rbahri5206]

To actually answer your question.

.223 (my cost to reload)
Cheapest using surplus pulldown powder and surplus bullets, and anything I find on the range is: $.14 a round
Match grade ammo, better than any match grade you can buy $.39 cents a round (that's still cheaper than most bulk ammo)

.45acp (my cost to reload)
Cheapest ammo, cast bullets, range brass, decent powder $.10 cents a round
Match grade 230FMG in new Winchester brass, decent powder $.22 cents a round

My dillon setup to reload both these cartridges was around $1k

Buy from Powdervalley and buy everything you need once a year to save on hazmat. You can group buy also which will all but remove hazmat. If you become a member of a club that shoots registered matches then you can usually buy in bulk once a year from a supplier on a club discount. Bullets are your most expensive part, if you cas them or find them cheap then you'll save the most.

However, if your time is worth money to you then don't reload. Reloading is only worth it if you enjoy it as a hobby. If not then it's better to do some random job that pays you $10 an hour on the weekends and buying your ammo as it will be more economical than reloading.

You know, the funny thing is I started out doing it to save money and it's only been a couple of weeks but I don't care about saving money anymore now it's just really fun and it's really fun to learn about the different loads you can make , the saving money part is just a bonus, to me reloading is just as fun as shooting