Reloading saving for the 30-30 win

It absolutely pays to reload. I can reload 20 rounds for about $5.

I'm finalizing a working spreadsheet used to calculate reloading costs based on all the variables: bullet, powder (&quantity), primer and brass. The spreadsheet allows you to input all the variables, switch between recipes and modify them and it spits out reloading costs. You can easily change variables and switch between different cartridges. There's a lot of formulas in this spreadsheet as I'm trying to make it as user-friendly as possible but it'll be done soon. I currently have a working 30-30 spreadsheet, but if you're reloading anything other caliber or using different recipes than mine, it's worthless because the calculations are very specific and unless you have very good knowledge of excel formulas it would be hard to tailor it to suit your needs. Anyhow, this is the first time I've mentioned it on here and I figure its kind of a good place to get some feedback, would anyone be interested?
 
35 years ago I was a starving student and loved shooting a 22/250. So I started reloading to "save money" Now, all these years later, I figure I've spent $40,000 on powder, bullets, primers, cases, reloading gear, targets, more powder, more bullets.................................................... And I'm still reloading and still "saving money" and when the wife asks about all the powder and bullets coming in the house I say "Honey I'm saving money!"
 
joedude said:
It absolutely pays to reload. I can reload 20 rounds for about $5.

I'm finalizing a working spreadsheet used to calculate reloading costs based on all the variables: bullet, powder (&quantity), primer and brass. The spreadsheet allows you to input all the variables, switch between recipes and modify them and it spits out reloading costs. You can easily change variables and switch between different cartridges. There's a lot of formulas in this spreadsheet as I'm trying to make it as user-friendly as possible but it'll be done soon. I currently have a working 30-30 spreadsheet, but if you're reloading anything other caliber or using different recipes than mine, it's worthless because the calculations are very specific and unless you have very good knowledge of excel formulas it would be hard to tailor it to suit your needs. Anyhow, this is the first time I've mentioned it on here and I figure its kind of a good place to get some feedback, would anyone be interested?
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It took me a couple minutes to do a simple spreadsheet in excel that calculates reloading costs and allows to change variables at will. It even calculates the cost of my cast boolits and includes that in the total.

There are also online calculators like this one: http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp . Google "reloading cost calculator" and you'll find several more. They are not caliber specific because that is not a direct cost variable, but the component cost is.
 
joedude said:
It absolutely pays to reload. I can reload 20 rounds for about $5.

I'm finalizing a working spreadsheet used to calculate reloading costs based on all the variables: bullet, powder (&quantity), primer and brass. The spreadsheet allows you to input all the variables, switch between recipes and modify them and it spits out reloading costs. You can easily change variables and switch between different cartridges. There's a lot of formulas in this spreadsheet as I'm trying to make it as user-friendly as possible but it'll be done soon. I currently have a working 30-30 spreadsheet, but if you're reloading anything other caliber or using different recipes than mine, it's worthless because the calculations are very specific and unless you have very good knowledge of excel formulas it would be hard to tailor it to suit your needs. Anyhow, this is the first time I've mentioned it on here and I figure its kind of a good place to get some feedback, would anyone be interested?
Click to expand...

I have a spreadsheet done in Hilroy from years ago. That and a calculator gave me the answers I needed. Laugh2
I have since updated, I did a spreadsheet in excel a few years ago that only took a half hour or so and can easily be changed to give you the numbers you want and it is NOT FORMULA INTENSIVE. Basic input cells. Cost of 100 bullets, cost of powder per pound, qty of powder used per 100 cases, cost of 100 primers, cost of 100 brass cases, number of possible reloads per case., etc. Spits out an easy to read number and cartridge and calibre changes are rather quick and easy.
And now, just for giggles, I did it on a piece of paper and a slide rule. This is not rocket science...then again, that is the technology they used to build and launch rockets, isn't it...slide rules, foolscap, printed tables...But I am lost now on a slide rule if I have to calculate logarithms or anything beyond sq roots.
 
If you shoot a .30-30, you likely don't use it competitively, or for a couple hundred rounds in a good gopher town in a day. How many rounds do you shoot in a year?

Use the numbers here to figure out what a re-loaded round would cost, and then figure out the difference between that and the cost of a commercial round. Then figure out how many years of shooting it will take for the difference to add up to the cost of reloading equipment. If you value your time, add in a cost for that too.

Unless you shoot a lot, it does not pay to re-load. Reloading can be a very cool part of your shooting if you enjoy testing, experimenting, playing with guns to get maximum performance or specialized loads, but any real cost accounting will show that saving money is a stupid reason to start reloading unless you shoot hundreds of rounds a year.
 
I just started reloading. I am reloading for three pistol and three rifle calibres. The satisfaction from working up and shooting my own loads is priceless. There are many other benefits as well. I is a calming repetative task so you get a phycological benefit. You build confidence as you see your end product in use. I will never run short of ammo whether there is a local/national shortage or I just did not get to the store on time.

As for saving money....well I shoot a lot more and something I don't believe that has been factored in is time. What is your hourly wage? What is time worth to you? I can make a hundred rnds an hour on my single stage press. Saving me about $12 per. I get paid a whole lot more than that.


Mark
 
Here is how I answered this question in Post #6.

"I was first asked that question fifty years ago, does it pay to reload.
I gave the same answer then, as I have ever since.
If you are not a hobby, or competetive shooter, but just use your rifle for hunting, buy factory made ammunition."
-----------------------------

After looking at all the other answers, I would like to add a bit.
I think the average CGN on here does not realize how few shots an average hunter takes with his rifle. I hear things like, "If a hunter only shoots a couple boxes a year----."
There are many hunters out there who haven't shot 2 boxes of shells in ten years, or more, but have killed a fair amount of game.
Over a lot of years I have hunted with a lot of different hunters. The vast majority of these never formally sighted in, or checked the sighting of their rifles at a range. If they wanted to check their sights, it was at a stump, or a blaze on a tree, etc, on the hunting trip, before we got hunting. If the first shot hit about where they wanted it, their remark would be, "That's good enoough." End of the sighting in.
 
rookie wildcat said:
I have a spreadsheet done in Hilroy from years ago. That and a calculator gave me the answers I needed. Laugh2
I have since updated, I did a spreadsheet in excel a few years ago that only took a half hour or so and can easily be changed to give you the numbers you want and it is NOT FORMULA INTENSIVE. Basic input cells. Cost of 100 bullets, cost of powder per pound, qty of powder used per 100 cases, cost of 100 primers, cost of 100 brass cases, number of possible reloads per case., etc. Spits out an easy to read number and cartridge and calibre changes are rather quick and easy.
And now, just for giggles, I did it on a piece of paper and a slide rule. This is not rocket science...then again, that is the technology they used to build and launch rockets, isn't it...slide rules, foolscap, printed tables...But I am lost now on a slide rule if I have to calculate logarithms or anything beyond sq roots.
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Good for you! I'm so happy that you can make a simple spreadsheet. :jerkit:
 
Labour cost is never included for a hobby. Only material cost like metal and fuel.

A pound of lead makes 47 150gn bullets, or 2.2c each.
Loki610 said:
Challenge Accepted!

If I paid market value of $1/lb for lead (I paid much less) and assumed my time is worth $20/hour I can produce cast 150gr 30-30 boolits for about $0.08...
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Be careful with spreadsheets, it is very easy to mess up the formulas and not know it. SS are great for prototyping, awful for production use. Nearly impossible to verify results are correct.
joedude said:
It absolutely pays to reload. I can reload 20 rounds for about $5.

I'm finalizing a working spreadsheet used to calculate reloading costs based on all the variables: bullet, powder (&quantity), primer and brass. The spreadsheet allows you to input all the variables, switch between recipes and modify them and it spits out reloading costs. You can easily change variables and switch between different cartridges. There's a lot of formulas in this spreadsheet as I'm trying to make it as user-friendly as possible but it'll be done soon. I currently have a working 30-30 spreadsheet, but if you're reloading anything other caliber or using different recipes than mine, it's worthless because the calculations are very specific and unless you have very good knowledge of excel formulas it would be hard to tailor it to suit your needs. Anyhow, this is the first time I've mentioned it on here and I figure its kind of a good place to get some feedback, would anyone be interested?
Click to expand...
 
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