Is reloading even worth it now?

[bjmurata]

I've been hand loading since 1972 and for me anymore it's not about cost , savings or is it worth it; It's a hobby that I love and I will sit for hours prepping brass or building ammo. I feel a sense of real accomplishment when I take an animal with something that I built instead of shooting factory fodder. I like the fact that my ammo is built for my specific rifle. I load for many rifle calibers but my 2 most expensive are the 7STW and 45-70Govt.
In the long run for me it's not cheap because I shoot 3 times as much. But it's a lot of fun.

I'm pretty much in the same lane as you, except I got started about four years later. There isn't a rifle or shotgun in our herd that is not handloaded for here.
I have always been able to keep ahead on components of all kinds and have managed to build up enough to keep me going for a considerable amount of shooting.
As for the cost of gearing up now on equipment and components, I can honestly see why some (many?) will just say no, can't do it. Just the way it is.

 

[warzaw]

This topic is about as old as the hills? I go back to when AA were $50 a flat and guess what people still reloaded . The cheapo's would wash and reload used wads and use cheap off shore primers that came in plastic tins at i think $2.50 a thousand. Only the numbers have changed. The same question to reload or not to reload ? But with metallics today reloading is a plus for sure with hunting loads.

 

[9-ball]

Reloading has never been that much cheaper on common calibers. Nobody reloads 9mm or 223 for example. It’s more worthwhile for less common calibers where factory ammo is more expensive. 223 and 22-250 cost almost the same to reload but only one is worth it. Other case where it’s still worth is would be specialty rounds that aren’t available or match ammo

huh? I reload my 223, I can buy hornady match loads for $48/20 or reload a tuned to my rifle load with the same bullet for $17/20.
Over 1000 rounds of 223, that equates to buying factory $2350 or reloading my own that shoots better for $856.

if i do cheap varmit bullets I am down to $520/1000, cheap fmj is $420/1000.
So those 2 are getting closer to buying factory, but the accuracy is way better with mine, so I will save a few dollars and shoot better then just spray and pray.

It doesnt bother me that others may not see the benefit of reloading, that just means more components are available for those who do.

 

[ted_dent]

Reloading has never been that much cheaper on common calibers. Nobody reloads 9mm or 223 for example.

I don't know how you come to this conclusion. I know a lot of shooters and virtually every one who shoots 9mm, 38 Special, 45 ACP or .223 reloads them on a regular basis. Check my info in post #40 where it clearly shows it's easy to save $10-$12/box by reloading 9mm if you cast your own bullets. Savings are even greater for 38 Special & 45 ACP.

In fact, even if you use commercial bullets like CamPros you can still reload 9mm for less than 30 cents a round or $15/50 which is at least $5 box cheaper than any factory 9mm which is a substantial 25% savings.

 

[Ungrateful]

I don't know how you come to this conclusion. I know a lot of shooters and virtually every one who shoots 9mm, 38 Special, 45 ACP or .223 reloads them on a regular basis. Check my info in post #40 where it clearly shows it's easy to save $10-$12/box by reloading 9mm if you cast your own bullets. Savings are even greater for 38 Special & 45 ACP.

In fact, even if you use commercial bullets like CamPros you can still reload 9mm for less than 30 cents a round or $15/50 which is at least $5 box cheaper than any factory 9mm which is a substantial 25% savings.

Tenda has 9mm for $289.99 per 1000 rounds. 223 for $550 per 1000. No savings for those calibers

 

[Denver Steve]

Tenda has 9mm for $289.99 per 1000 rounds. 223 for $550 per 1000. No savings for those calibers

With current prices on powder, primers, and bullets. I can load 55 grain 223 at $.47/round. If I'm not buying brass. That's at current prices today. I just checked. All available for me to buy in my province. No shipping cost if I end up being in they area for something. Just buy and say wait for pickup.

Yeah it gets a bit more with match rounds, but the accuracy is night and day difference between any bulk 223, and handloaded rounds, even with the cheapest 55 grain bullets I can buy. Both my 223's shoot the 55 grain campro bullets 10 shot groups under a inch. They do not do that with bulk 223, or 5.56.

That is also at today's prices, not waiting and buying things on sale, or using the current reloading components I have on hand which make it less than half that for me to load
But I will run out of small rifle primers before I run out of any other component, and I have 15k small rifle primers on hand. I do like to factor in what it costs me to replace the things I am using to load, so I don't like just going on what I paid for it at the time.

 

[OkayShooter]

Reloading has never been that much cheaper on common calibers. Nobody reloads 9mm or 223 for example. It’s more worthwhile for less common calibers where factory ammo is more expensive. 223 and 22-250 cost almost the same to reload but only one is worth it. Other case where it’s still worth is would be specialty rounds that aren’t available or match ammo

Dads been loading 9mm and 223 for over 25 years. I load 9mm, everybody I shoot with loads 9mm.

 

[jimbo14]

I reload 9mm, and the savings isn’t much right now. It was much cheaper when 9mm was $400/case, but a clear benefit to me is the lower power IPSC loads I’m running.

After 4.5 years and maybe 30,000 rounds, I’m still running the original recoil shock buffer. That shows the gun isn’t getting beat up so much. Helpful when I cannot buy a new frame if it were to crack.

 

[DGY]

Reloading has never been that much cheaper on common calibers. Nobody reloads 9mm or 223 for example. It’s more worthwhile for less common calibers where factory ammo is more expensive. 223 and 22-250 cost almost the same to reload but only one is worth it. Other case where it’s still worth is would be specialty rounds that aren’t available or match ammo

Well where I live 223 is way cheaper if your reload. And plus I already have all I need for it.

 

[Huntsman]

I couldn’t honestly think to have it any other way with regards to reloading for the guns I shoot.
Many have passed through my hands but I still have the various reloading dies for each rifle or pistol I was showing interest to at the time.
Currently only down to a few calibers including .223 small base and .223 with 77grs bullets for .223 Wylde barrel 1:7 twist, 22-250, 25-06 and of course the venerable .303 British.

 

[Gatehouse]

Tenda has 9mm for $289.99 per 1000 rounds. 223 for $550 per 1000. No savings for those calibers

I can load Campro 55gr .223 , $380 per thousand, although it takes me 45 minutes to load 1000 rounds. That doesn't include cleaning brass or loading primer tubes so lets make it 1 hour per 1000.

And unlike the SVT ammo you referenced, the primers will work in all firearms. I've used about 20k of SVT and if it works for your firearm, it's great...but it's not reliable ignition in all guns.

 

[recce]

Part of the issue with people that don't see the value of reloading is the fact that they factor in the cost of brass or "your time".
If you're buying new brass it's going to bump your costs. However, I have not bought .45 or 9mm brass in over 20 years (I lose more in the weeds than I do by cracks in the mouths) and .223 and .308 for about 10.

I also bought lots and lots, and lots of ammo when it was cheap and kept every case I could find after firing. The people that laughed at me for chasing brass then, are the ones lamenting the cost of brass (never mind ammo) now.

 

[Deathrawt]

Every time I go to the range the first thing I do is take a stroll and eye up the ground for potential brass pickings
I check the bin for discarded brass too
I usually come home with a couple handfuls of brass of various calibers
If I see any ivi 223 brass I scoop those up as It is great brass for reloading

 

[PPCLI-Jim]

Tenda has 9mm for $289.99 per 1000 rounds. 223 for $550 per 1000. No savings for those calibers

Ok, if you're saying that, I can tell you're a joy on the range. I can host my non gun owning friends and not care how much of my ammo they shoot of those they shoot. About the only calibers I get testy about is my 4 a round .338 LM, and my cheap to fire but entirely DIY'd less primers 10.4mm Swiss (Swiss Veterlli)

Every time I go to the range the first thing I do is take a stroll and eye up the ground for potential brass pickings
I check the bin for discarded brass too
I usually come home with a couple handfuls of brass of various calibers
If I see any ivi 223 brass I scoop those up as It is great brass for reloading

Fellow brass goblin here too. Last time I did a brass sweep, I collected 54 1 fired FC .308 WIN, 40+ 7REM MAG, 100 + 556 InVoluntary Input and about twice that 9mm. My reloads are better than most grades of factory