The end of practically , is it coming?

Kelly Timoffee

Kelly Timoffee

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As we go on the price and cost of things in life inflate, that is just the way it goes.

However do you feel there is a point where the cost of reloading is going to cause some of the do-it-yourselfer's to reconsider? Some of these items have near doubled asking price in a short time.

Watching the EE and retail prices on components, especially powder seems like the sky is the limit to pricing.I totally understand it is free enterprise and turning a profit is what some do but don't you think that the reselling of unused products to actually profit from is such a good idea for the shooting community? Running the prices up privately which in effect will run up retail prices.Making it less accessible for your new apprentice shooter to get involved.Something just sits wrong with me with opportunistic individuals purposely wanting to fill their pocket on their peers loss.

Are some people just gonna say to heck with it and not get into reloading and just purchase factory?Of course I know these are tailored loads for specific purposes and you cannot duplicate the precision inherit in custom loads.

So what will be left? Rich guy hobby? Just competitive shooters?

Are we shooting ourselves in the foot here by trying to turn a profit? When does the practical become impractical?

Not whining and I can still afford powder , just wondering if the end is near.
 
People who already own the equipment aren't going to get out of it - as it's still cheaper to reload than buy factory.

It will probably dissuade people from entering into the hobby - it's hard enough to find some supplies now, people hoarde (for good reason) and makes it hard to find common components.

Locally, they are asking $53 / 1000 CCI Small Pistol Primers. That's maddening.
 
Sometimes it seems like the price of components has made reloading too expensive, but when that happens its best to check out the price of factory ammo because it hasn't stood still either. Its human nature to compare their handloading costs against the cheapest 30-06 loads in the rack, but once you stray from the bargain shelf everything with a designer bullet, or magnum in the name makes handloading seem cheap.

Although the price spread between centerfire rifle ammo and handloading stays intact the total price of shooting has gone up. Shooting in volume has always been expensive though, and those that shoot the most are playing at dollar levels that the average guy couldn't touch. That's the way it is, and always will be.
 
Dogleg said:
once you stray from the bargain shelf everything with a designer bullet, or magnum in the name makes handloading seem cheap.
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Agreed. Factory might be a find option for my .308, 30/30, .30-06 if I wanted, but when you look at the advantages to load for the .257 weatherby, .458 win or .375 h&h theres a TON of savings.

Cheapest factory ammo for the .257 is around 55 a box of 20, and its a cup and core 100 grain spitzer that is (in my view) poorly matched for the cartridge. It's performance on game would be questionable in my mind, so its effectively plinking ammo for me (or a good way to get brass). When I reload it costs me less than 2 dollars a round (I think $1.40 last time I stocked up on components) when loading premium bullets (Partitions or (T)TSX's). Comperable factory loads when you can find them are north of 100 a box.

Same goes for the .458 win... Cabelas lists 1 type of ammo Federal Premium Cape Shok running 500 gr TBBC's at $130 for a box of 10. $13 dollars a round. I can load probably 10-20 for the price of one round if I am using Hornady 350 round noses. I know this is comparing a premium loading/bullet to a plain one, but if this is the only factory option available locally... it is what it is. If I were to load hornady DGX's instead they would probably still come in at under 3 bucks a pop...

375 is similar math.
 
Locally I can find powder for the same price as almost 2 years ago. I shake my head at $50 a pound on the EE and some retailers. I would say it definitely depends on what you are loading for. I reload for 2 precision rifles so I am saving significant with those loads. I also load for 45-70 so again, lots to be saved. I plan on loading 45 and 9 and know that even with the higher component costs there is still a savings. It sucks we are getting gouged by some but there are deals out there still. If new shooters are turned off by reloading, perhaps there will be more to go around and potentially drop prices. Probably not, but fun to dream.
 
Depends on the calibre and intended use. For just plinking away with a 9mm or .223, no it's not really worth the time and effort.
For the ability to customize and fine tune rounds for a particular gun, it's totally worth it.
Then it gets easier to justify reloading more common rounds as the incremental cost to do so is not that much.
And then after acquiring the dies to reload cheap ammo, the same equipment can be used to make copies of the expensive stuff further justifying the investment.
For instance, factory new 9mm 124 FMJ in Calgary is selling for 36 cents a round give or take depending on quantity brand and from who. Speer GDHP is $1.25 a round.
To duplicate the FMJ costs me about 19 cents for a savings of maybe $8 a box. Not great but reloading 500 rounds justifies the cost of the die set and not much else.
But to duplicate the Speer stuff costs about 34 cents for a savings of $45 a box. That adds up fast.

So, my take on it is that if you like to shoot a lot and/or as accurate as you can, reloading is still very worthwhile. Even more so if you shoot a rare or expensive calibre.
 
I enjoy the handloading aspect of the firearms addiction every bit as much as the actual shooting part. For me they just go hand in hand and have had basically since I acquired my first centerfire rifle. I load for a wide variety of chamberings,some very uncommon and in order to shoot these rifles handloading is the only route to go. I find time spent at the reloading bench very relaxing. The price of components would really have to skyrocket in order for me to call a halt to loading my own ammunition. My opinion only, others may not get the same mileage.
 
Dogleg has it right. The cost of factory ammo and reloading costs are rising basically hand in hand. Someone thinking about getting in to reloading has to decide if the cost of equipment and supplies is worth it. Unless your a regular at your local range I would say buy pre-rolled. Someone who's looking at loading for say 9mm, you're never going to save the cost of setting up to reload. That said it's a fun and interesting addition to owning and shooting firearms. I've done it for forty + years, don't know if it's paid off, don't care.
 
I prefer to reload everything, but due to rising costs and common component shortages, I still shoot factory sometimes.

Factory ammo has not always gone up as everything else has; I can still get Winchester silver box for .270, .308, 30-06, 303 Brit and for like $24.88, and 7mm rem mag and 300 win mag for $32.88 at Wal-Mart, for example. These prices have been pretty much flat for about a decade as far as I can tell.

Try even finding .311 bullets to reload your .303 British and you may well just hand over $25.00 for a box of the factory stuff...
 
grumpyold said:
Dogleg has it right. The cost of factory ammo and reloading costs are rising basically hand in hand. Someone thinking about getting in to reloading has to decide if the cost of equipment and supplies is worth it. Unless your a regular at your local range I would say buy pre-rolled. Someone who's looking at loading for say 9mm, you're never going to save the cost of setting up to reload. That said it's a fun and interesting addition to owning and shooting firearms. I've done it for forty + years, don't know if it's paid off, don't care.
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dont know about you, but all my equipment was paid off in the first year by just reloading of 15K of 9mm ammo

factory 9mm is around $0.28-0.32 per round. My cost (with using range brass) was $0.14-0.17 per round, depending on bullet price (primer and powder price has less impact).

so, 15,000x$0.15=$2,250 of saving due to shooting my own ammo, not factory. I know, I know that I had to pay for equipment, components and spent my time, but I have a new hobby to injoy ;)
 
I had the same thoughts Kelly, I was of the opinion that prices are becoming equal (reloading costs vs. buying) and that it was becoming an elitist's hobby or for someone OCD.
Then I priced out factory ammo.
I quickly realized I was out of touch with the cost of factory ammo, big time.
For the guy who only shoots a box a year in one gun reloading isn't cost effective and it never was but for the guy who shoots (especially pistols) or who likes obscure cartridges then its not only more affordable it's a necessity.
One thing I do notice though is as the years roll by reloading a lot of the tools I bought to save a buck have been washed out and replaced with better made items that I couldn't justify price wise when I started, not everything but definitely a noticeable amount.
I should have just bucked up a little more in the beginning on some things as saving money was a false economy...
 
Got into casting and with everything I have I should be good for the next ten years, maybe more. I will be looking for bargains and picking stuff up when its worth it.

Good thing about reloading is I never have to worry about empty shelves
 
Pilgram, we're on the same page. Because you have a bench with your name on it at a range, reloading makes sense. For someone who shoots far less not so much. I shoot several calibers of rifles and hand guns, it has paid off for me I'm sure, but like I said 'don't care if it has". Just plain fun.
 
I don't reload to save money! I reload so I can taylor the rounds for each individual rifle. Plus I have a few wild cat chamberings that you can't buy factory rounds for. Other than rimfire I have not bought a factory round in over 30 years
 
Firearms are a borderline "rich guy" hobby. You can still get an SKS + crate of ammo, and .22 rife + box of ammo for pretty darn cheap... it all depends.
 
The days of cheap reloading is over.. It still pays to do it.. I have some cartidages that it really pays.. Been doing it since '84 still enjoy it.. I can sit at my bench and load a coupla hundred 9's with a single stage listen to some blues kill a hour or so.. Always have ammo
 
OP sure is nipping on the edge of EE rant hahaha
I started about 10 years ago and the same thought went through my head, "is it worth it". I'll bet we will see factory climb in price just as much as our components. New stock has all ready started, look at the price of 22lr over the last 2 years.
 
Perusing my LGS the other day and noticed a box of 20 7mm STW was going for $159.99. I don't care how much components go up, I can beat that using premium everything, even buying new brass at $75 per.

Why do I have to fall in love with cartridges that cost so much to shoot?!? Lol
 
Seagull said:
OP sure is nipping on the edge of EE rant hahaha
I started about 10 years ago and the same thought went through my head, "is it worth it". I'll bet we will see factory climb in price just as much as our components. New stock has all ready started, look at the price of 22lr over the last 2 years.
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The 22 cost increase is crazy. I bought federal 525 bulk pack for 19.99 in 2012, bought only instock bulk pack 22lr 333 win for 24.99 im august.
 
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