Reloading is NOT cheaper!

[swopjan]

I have spent hundreds of dollars this week! Why, oh why do I have to keep finding brass for 3.8 cents apiece (shipped!) and buy it all up? Now I have to try my luck with bullets and see if I can get the same kind of deals! A vicious cycle.

By the way guys, if you're searching auction sites and just looking for penny auctions, you're missing out. I'm finding the best deals have starting prices between 5 and 10 dollars; I just paid $18.00 for 750 pieces of .40 brass, shipped, because the bidding started at six bucks. I figure you already know but CalGuns has great deals too, I just bought 400 bullets for a little over half of retail.

[Germz]

I have spent hundreds of dollars this week! Why, oh why do I have to keep finding brass for 3.8 cents apiece (shipped!) and buy it all up? Now I have to try my luck with bullets and see if I can get the same kind of deals! A vicious cycle.

By the way guys, if you're searching auction sites and just looking for penny auctions, you're missing out. I'm finding the best deals have starting prices between 5 and 10 dollars; I just paid $18.00 for 750 pieces of .40 brass, shipped, because the bidding started at six bucks. I figure you already know but CalGuns has great deals too, I just bought 400 bullets for a little over half of retail.

startup costs are a PITA, but pay for brass?

Get on your knees when youre at the range!
treat it nicely and straightwalls will last...well almost forever!

[G-forceJunkie]

It is not supposed to be cheaper. It allows you to shoot more for the same money spent.

[Dsal_13]

startup costs are a PITA, but pay for brass?

Get on your knees when youre at the range!
treat it nicely and straightwalls will last...well almost forever!

+1... I go to the range and become a brass whore!

[Clever]

I have spent hundreds of dollars this week! Why, oh why do I have to keep finding brass for 3.8 cents apiece (shipped!) and buy it all up? Now I have to try my luck with bullets and see if I can get the same kind of deals! A vicious cycle.

By the way guys, if you're searching auction sites and just looking for penny auctions, you're missing out. I'm finding the best deals have starting prices between 5 and 10 dollars; I just paid $18.00 for 750 pieces of .40 brass, shipped, because the bidding started at six bucks. I figure you already know but CalGuns has great deals too, I just bought 400 bullets for a little over half of retail.

IT DEPENDS ON THE CALIBER. AFTER SETUP COST (DONT BE CHEAP). I SHOOT 338 LAPUA MAG.. AND THE PRICE DIFFERENCE OF AMMO IS HUGE.

[swopjan]

startup costs are a PITA, but pay for brass?

Get on your knees when youre at the range!
treat it nicely and straightwalls will last...well almost forever!

I don't get to the range often enough to acquire any decent amount of brass, and I've seen people get NJP'd for used brass in the barracks already so I'm happy to let someone else pick it up and ship it home for pennies. If I were inclined to reload shotshells it's even better, they go for literally a penny each.

It is not supposed to be cheaper. It allows you to shoot more for the same money spent.

I know, I was joking about how cheap it really is. I've won several auctions on gunbroker lately, more than I expected to win but cheap enough that I can't really lose if I trade some off for other components and still be well-stocked for the next scare.

[CSACANNONEER]

No one with an IQ of two digits or more ever said that reloading was "cheaper". Just wait until you grow up and start reloading normal sized rounds like 50BMG. I know people who pay $3.50 or more per piece of brass, +$3 per bullet, 50 cents and up per primer and about a buck per round for premium VV 20N29 powder. Then, there are the guys who make their own or pay to have someone else make custom bullets to their specifications at whatever it costs.

That said, my match 50BMG rounds run me about $3 each total! I cast and load my own pistol rounds so, .25acp to .44mag costs me about $3 per box of 50!!!!!!!! Just wait until you invest in casting equipment.

[swopjan]

It's also nice to bypass the 10% retail tax on loaded ammo.

[swopjan]

50 cents a primer? Wow! I just checked Cabela's, it seems there are primers specifically for .50 BMG, is that correct? I don't have any powder or primers yet, I figured I would address those closer to the time I get back to Texas and actually start reloading. Waiting sucks.

I want to start casting too, I have a lot of black powder guns and a couple others that would be suitable for cast lead.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Saying that "reloading is NOT cheaper" will get you in a lot of hot water with the reloaders who claim to be above the ammo shortage fray, shoot all they want, have thousands of rounds just sitting around, and chuckle at all you peasants who actually buy loaded ammo.

[Divernhunter]

Yes a 50bmg is a whole different critter. Not only are the supplies different but so are the Dies/press/trimmer/etc. None of it is cheap.
I always get people who argue that reloading is cheaper. It is not. The thing is that if you have $200 for an ammo budget and buy factory ammo you will shoot it and be done. You also often conserve your shooting so it lasts longer. If you reload you will spend the $200(and probably more) to buy supplies and shoot up the larger amount of ammo you make in the same time frame you would have the lesser ammount of factory ammo.
You will not save money at the end of the year. You will shoot more. Anyone who says different is just fooling themselves.

You do not save anything on that 338Lupa. I would bet that you shoot it more and so the money you "save" is used up in more shooting. Not a bad thing. But the fact is you do not really "bottom line" save any money.

Also remember it is a hobby in itself. To most people who reload it is an enjoyable one and the side benefit is 1) we shoot more 2) we make ammo custom for each rifle 3) we make hunting ammo just like we want 4) We make special custom match ammo 5) we have the pride of shooting ammo we made 6) we can make more rounds for a given amount of money than factory ammo sometimes: but see #1 if you think you are saving money.

My hunting ammo cost me more to make than if I just bought factory ammo. However it is usually faster, more accurate and used the bullets "I" want to use. I also know I killed that animal with ammo "I" made. There is some pride in that.

[CSACANNONEER]

50 cents a primer? Wow! I just checked Cabela's, it seems there are primers specifically for .50 BMG, is that correct? I don't have any powder or primers yet, I figured I would address those closer to the time I get back to Texas and actually start reloading. Waiting sucks.

I want to start casting too, I have a lot of black powder guns and a couple others that would be suitable for cast lead.

I've sold RWS 50 primers for .65 cents each about 7 years ago! But, they are as rare as hen's teeth in the states. Sometimes, I still get lucky and find CCIs for 20 cents each.

[bohoki]

i say it is cheaper than buying an equivalent ammo anywhere
but you have to use some self control

i cast too so my 45 and 9mm bills are really low but 223 and 308 my brass reloads cost about as much as russian ammo

[Germz]

I don't get to the range often enough to acquire any decent amount of brass, and I've seen people get NJP'd for used brass in the barracks...

What? you live in a barracks and you're trying to reload? I'm so confused.

[Clever]

Yes a 50bmg is a whole different critter. Not only are the supplies different but so are the Dies/press/trimmer/etc. None of it is cheap.
I always get people who argue that reloading is cheaper. It is not. The thing is that if you have $200 for an ammo budget and buy factory ammo you will shoot it and be done. You also often conserve your shooting so it lasts longer. If you reload you will spend the $200(and probably more) to buy supplies and shoot up the larger amount of ammo you make in the same time frame you would have the lesser ammount of factory ammo.
You will not save money at the end of the year. You will shoot more. Anyone who says different is just fooling themselves.

You do not save anything on that 338Lupa. I would bet that you shoot it more and so the money you "save" is used up in more shooting. Not a bad thing. But the fact is you do not really "bottom line" save any money.

Also remember it is a hobby in itself. To most people who reload it is an enjoyable one and the side benefit is 1) we shoot more 2) we make ammo custom for each rifle 3) we make hunting ammo just like we want 4) We make special custom match ammo 5) we have the pride of shooting ammo we made 6) we can make more rounds for a given amount of money than factory ammo sometimes: but see #1 if you think you are saving money.

My hunting ammo cost me more to make than if I just bought factory ammo. However it is usually faster, more accurate and used the bullets "I" want to use. I also know I killed that animal with ammo "I" made. There is some pride in that.

REALLY