Reloading costs
- Thread starter archie126
- Start date
awell it depends on how much you want to spend on reloading equiment, type of powder, how much you going to use in the loads, type of bullet, and casing used, or brand new. primers what kind etc, Cost of gas if your going to buy ammo, I deal with 3 gun stores, each 45 min to an hour away. It all factors in.
IMO no time at all to recoup the expense, the gain in accuracy and the enjoyment of reloading itself is priceless so I figure you are ahead right off the start.........If you do nothing but go deer hunting in the fall then factory ammo will likely serve you well, but if you enjoy going to the range, improving accuracy, working up loads, etc then reloading is a must IMO. I consider reloading a hobby itself that can be very enjoyable.
i'm currently reloading for 9mm luger
the lee anniversary press kit with shipping cost me 150 dollars
and i got a deal on dies, 800 primers, 800 bullets, and 800 cases and 2 pounds of powder for 120$
total 270 dollar
if you were to buy winchester value packs they are 33$ after taxes
so i broke even at 800 rounds
after the first 800 it costs a bit less than half the commercial price
the lee anniversary press kit with shipping cost me 150 dollars
and i got a deal on dies, 800 primers, 800 bullets, and 800 cases and 2 pounds of powder for 120$
total 270 dollar
if you were to buy winchester value packs they are 33$ after taxes
so i broke even at 800 rounds
after the first 800 it costs a bit less than half the commercial price
IMO no time at all to recoup the expense, the gain in accuracy and the enjoyment of reloading itself is priceless so I figure you are ahead right off the start.........If you do nothing but go deer hunting in the fall then factory ammo will likely serve you well, but if you enjoy going to the range, improving accuracy, working up loads, etc then reloading is a must IMO. I consider reloading a hobby itself that can be very enjoyable.
Well said Grtwhthntr, once you buy the reloading eqpt. you will soon find yourself thinking of reloading as a hobby instead of a task. I would keep reloading my own ammo even IF starts costing a bit more.
Well said Grtwhthntr, once you buy the reloading eqpt. you will soon find yourself thinking of reloading as a hobby instead of a task. I would keep reloading my own ammo even IF starts costing a bit more.
Suka
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
It costs us about 1/3 the price of factory ammo to reload on average, less if shooting cast bullets. Just figure out how many rounds you've shot this yr, take 2/3 of what you spent on shells, and that's pretty much what you would've saved.
Price out a reloading setup, and the above number will tell you how long it'll take to pay for itself.
Plus, reloading's a nice hobby.
Price out a reloading setup, and the above number will tell you how long it'll take to pay for itself.
Plus, reloading's a nice hobby.
The biggest saving depends on cal. A 22 hornet at $1 round factory is easy money reloading. Some pistol ammo can be bought in bulk cheaply so less saving. I reload 22 hornet to 50-110, 9mm to 45 L colt, & 410 to 10 ga. I injoy doing it so the time is not a factor. It always pays though as u can fit ammo to gun & to game. AJ
A J CAVE;
You have it, it depends completely on what you are loading, if one of the less popular calibers major savings, not to mention the tailored loads you can come up with....
Like you I load .22 hornet, and some of the larger "obsolete" rifle calibers, big time savings....
If you are into wildcats, then you have no choice, like I load .219 Donalson, .22-3000, and few others....
For pistol ammo, well thats a different matter, I like to shoot .41 mag, .44mag, .45lc, .45acp Yes you will load up for a fraction of factory ammo, but you will then shoot a lot more....
Besides reloading is fun, excellent relaxing pastime....
JOHN
You have it, it depends completely on what you are loading, if one of the less popular calibers major savings, not to mention the tailored loads you can come up with....
Like you I load .22 hornet, and some of the larger "obsolete" rifle calibers, big time savings....
If you are into wildcats, then you have no choice, like I load .219 Donalson, .22-3000, and few others....
For pistol ammo, well thats a different matter, I like to shoot .41 mag, .44mag, .45lc, .45acp Yes you will load up for a fraction of factory ammo, but you will then shoot a lot more....
Besides reloading is fun, excellent relaxing pastime....
JOHN
I haven't saved any money by reloading. All I do is shoot more and more. And reload more and more. It's a vicious circle.
Seriously though, premium bullets are where you save the money. I loaded up 50 223 rounds last night using 69gr SMK's for less than 20$. A box of 20 Federal GMM using the same bullet and a load not tested in my rifle was on the EE for 35$ (Thats about 87.50$ to buy 50 for a savings of 67.50$ )
Same thing with my 300WSM. Loaded 20 180gr accubonds last night and it cost me less than 24$. A box of those through WSS is 49.99$ with last years prices.
Between those two loads and the 300WBY I loaded last night, I saved well over 100$ and I made less than 100 rounds. AND I enjoy doing it, which is really the most important thing.
Ahlsy
Seriously though, premium bullets are where you save the money. I loaded up 50 223 rounds last night using 69gr SMK's for less than 20$. A box of 20 Federal GMM using the same bullet and a load not tested in my rifle was on the EE for 35$ (Thats about 87.50$ to buy 50 for a savings of 67.50$ )
Same thing with my 300WSM. Loaded 20 180gr accubonds last night and it cost me less than 24$. A box of those through WSS is 49.99$ with last years prices.
Between those two loads and the 300WBY I loaded last night, I saved well over 100$ and I made less than 100 rounds. AND I enjoy doing it, which is really the most important thing.
Ahlsy
Heh, heh, heh.... spoken like true reloaders!
It's an addiction. We say we're going to save money, but then we see a set of dies, or a tool, or a fill-in-the-blank and just end up not saving a dime. Oh, well... at least we get better ammo for less than the factory stuff.
If your going to spend $120 on a box of Weatherby ammo, then after a few dozen shots, you're ahead money. I like the tinkering factor in reloading, getting everything they way you want it, and you'll find that you get to know your rifle very well...
I haven't saved any $$ overall, but haven't had to buy/find factory ammo either. If you are only going to shoot 50-100 rounds/year, factory will be cheaper.
I have about $2000 in reloading stuff on my bench right now...
I haven't saved any $$ overall, but haven't had to buy/find factory ammo either. If you are only going to shoot 50-100 rounds/year, factory will be cheaper.
I have about $2000 in reloading stuff on my bench right now...
It depends. My Rigby costs close to $200 a box of factory ammo, handloads are $40. I shot up 1000 rounds getting ready for a single hunt, so the cost savings on that would fly you around the world a couple times, buy some new rifles or something. When .223 Whitebox was $15 for 40 I think I lost money loading it. Those days are gone. On a round by round basis it is cheaper, but I shoot up the savings and then some. That's not all bad.
If you are thinking the cost of reloading,then do not get into it."You will soon find yourself thinking of reloading as a hobby instead of a task". After many times up and down to the range,finally you get the load for your rifle.That feeling is priceless!!!!!!The feelling worth even more then you just get to know the woman you've been with .
If I would quit buying more do dads to make my rounds better and do the job quicker then I should break even within the year. And as mentioned it depends on which equipment you buy and what caliber you shoot. But I jumped in this year finally as prices have gone up so much and it has been worth it to me. Fun little hobby too.
