Reloading still costs a lot..

polaris said:
While everybody is looking for 8mm Mauser surplus ammo (which is LONG gone BTW), I take ordinary 30-06 brass (which is plentiful and free most of the time), pass the brass through a 8mm Mauser die, cut to length "et voila" I got 8mm Mauser brass for free! I have a good supply for bullets (I just sold 700 on the EE), my 8mm Mauser reloads cost me close to $0.30..

I do the same thing for 7.65 Argentine Mauser at a comparable cost.

My 11mm Mauser reloads cost me $0.37, and they are reloaded in expensive Bertram brass.

And if you reload there are thousand more possibilities.

For me reloading is THE ONLY WAY to go!
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I made a few 8mm brass from 30.06 this weekend that way and it worked great!
 
dirtybarry said:
For the number of reloaded rounds that I've shot so far (6000+) the cost savings have paid for every scrap of equipment several times over. And it's been a lot of fun.
But there are some calibres that aren't or are just barely worth it, these are things that one has to decide for themselves. For me, having the ability to try different combinations and see the results first hand is a big plus.
One strange side effect is that I drink less. Now instead of kicking back with a few beers, I'll choose to load up a bunch of ammo. I have to say that I'm finding that far more relaxing.
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I agree fully. I reload for handguns but don't for my Russian milsurp. If I was starting I wouldn't reload 9mm alone but as I already have the press and reload other rounds then adding the 9mm is only a small cost. You can do things with reloads that you simply can't with commercial ammo and I find it fun in its own right.
 
jeanlikethis said:
Do you anneal the brass? I would match the brasses to the rifle uses them. And only neck sizing, not FL every time. But annealing might be still necessary for each 3-4 reloads?
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I don't bother, I use them until they crack at the rims, then discard. My pistol loads are pretty mild in comparison to some of the magnum stuff out there, and as a result the cases last a long time. It also helps that the cases are almost "straight walled".
 
Guys are gonna hate me.....
20 years ago I bought a very large supply of South african .303brit in wooden crates marked "not for browning Machine guns". At the same time I bought a ton of FN marked .303brit in cardboard boxes. So far used a third of it. Ten years ago I topped up with a ton of Prvi .303brit but it has mk8 shaped bullets and I hate it, but the brass is nice. This will feed my Enfields for decades and I keep every piece of brass, reloadable or not.

I did basically the same thing with a ton of Israeli and South African 7.62 Nato to feed various battle rifles forever. Several crates of Israeli Samson 150grn softpoints for a lifetime of hunting with an old PH 1200c.
I even bought a ton of .30 M2 ball and I don't even own a Garand. You never know.

I have a full set of reloading equipment and I've never even gotten past the de-priming stage. Eventually I will, but not yet.

Point is Buy Cheap and Stack Deep and all the Brass I Keep.
 
lefty said:
Point is Buy Cheap and Stack Deep and all the Brass I Keep.
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That is very instructive of "Cheap, Deep and Keep" !

I also have some ammo that I don't have a rifle of the caliber, but as you mentioned, you never know.

Today, busted a 7.62x54R PPU case as the full length decap pin is not in position..... Watching a nice brass being busted is a huge pain.
 
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lefty said:
Guys are gonna hate me.....
20 years ago I bought a very large supply of South african .303brit in wooden crates marked "not for browning Machine guns". At the same time I bought a ton of FN marked .303brit in cardboard boxes. So far used a third of it. Ten years ago I topped up with a ton of Prvi .303brit but it has mk8 shaped bullets and I hate it, but the brass is nice. This will feed my Enfields for decades and I keep every piece of brass, reloadable or not.

I did basically the same thing with a ton of Israeli and South African 7.62 Nato to feed various battle rifles forever. Several crates of Israeli Samson 150grn softpoints for a lifetime of hunting with an old PH 1200c.
I even bought a ton of .30 M2 ball and I don't even own a Garand. You never know.

I have a full set of reloading equipment and I've never even gotten past the de-priming stage. Eventually I will, but not yet.

Point is Buy Cheap and Stack Deep and all the Brass I Keep.
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Respect!
 
lefty said:
Guys are gonna hate me.....
20 years ago I bought a very large supply of South african .303brit in wooden crates marked "not for browning Machine guns". At the same time I bought a ton of FN marked .303brit in cardboard boxes. So far used a third of it. Ten years ago I topped up with a ton of Prvi .303brit but it has mk8 shaped bullets and I hate it, but the brass is nice. This will feed my Enfields for decades and I keep every piece of brass, reloadable or not.

I did basically the same thing with a ton of Israeli and South African 7.62 Nato to feed various battle rifles forever. Several crates of Israeli Samson 150grn softpoints for a lifetime of hunting with an old PH 1200c.
I even bought a ton of .30 M2 ball and I don't even own a Garand. You never know.

I have a full set of reloading equipment and I've never even gotten past the de-priming stage. Eventually I will, but not yet.

Point is Buy Cheap and Stack Deep and all the Brass I Keep.
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Good policy. I bought a pea-pot full of the same stuff, but have now shot most of it off. I still have a bit of the military ball for special occasions incl the anniversary of VE Day, my birthday, various Jewish holidays, etc. I've been reloading for all of my MILSURPs for a long time for fresh and accurate shooting. The best of the bunch was that FN made .303 ball. I still have some good DA made .30-06 and 7.62 ball which I plan to shoot on the day before by eyesight goes for $hit.
 
I've been stacking the 7.62x39 and 7.62x54R Czech stuff for years as well. Not for later reloading obviously, but just for fun shooting.
I'm actually looking forward to learning to work up loads for my LE#4s and my Parher Hale 1200c hunting rifle as well as the 1200TX. I've been slowly accumulating reference material on reloading for milsurps as well as reloading military casings.
 
I shoot .303, and have recently taken a liking to my .375 H&H so reloading is saving me a fair bit on .303 when using cast bullets and a whole lot of money on .375 (I know not a milsurp cal but you get the picture).
 
I have Two boxes of once fired S&B 8mm Mauser brass if anybody wants them. (40 pieces of brass).

[ all gone ]
 
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I was talking to a good shooting pal last Sunday who was checking the zero on his SAKO 6.5x55 sporter - one that he has often used up in Scotland with great success. I noted that the box of Norma factory ammunition was looking a mite sad and tatty, and he told me that he was still using only his third box of twenty since he got the rifle, about three years back.

He carries a few PPU rounds for any close work despatch he might have to do, but relies on the Norma stuff to get'er done

Price here in yUK for the brown-tipped stuff [sorry, I'm not a game shooter, so I don't know what it's called] is £2.40 per shot - that's around Can$4.75.

Here in yUK there is enormous incentive to reload and I currently reload nine different centre-fire loads, and only actually buy GP11, and only do that in Switzerland.

tac
 
For me shooting would not be fun if I had to worry about the cost of every trigger pull. I shoot Russian milsurps because they are cheap to buy and cheap to shoot. I get just as much enjoyment out of hitting a shot gun clay at 100 yrds. with iron sights( for $.16/rnd.), as the guys that try to shoot the same hole in a piece paper with a precision rifle and high end scope for $1.00 +/rnd.) Its all about the challenge.
 
welder01 said:
For me shooting would not be fun if I had to worry about the cost of every trigger pull. I shoot Russian milsurps because they are cheap to buy and cheap to shoot. I get just as much enjoyment out of hitting a shot gun clay at 100 yrds. with iron sights( for $.16/rnd.), as the guys that try to shoot the same hole in a piece paper with a precision rifle and high end scope for $1.00 +/rnd.) Its all about the challenge.
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Good post, and one that I totally endorse.

It's a real pity we can't find a stash of .577 Snider ammunition in shootable condition somewhere in the Himalayas......at £25 a case.

tac
 
hawk-i said:
Powder at my Local Gun Stores is now in the 55.00/lb price range.

For my -06 cased rifles that around 46 cent per round, primers are around 8 cent each, and cup and core bullets are now around 55 cents each.

Thats like $1.09 per round so $21.80 for a 20 round box of ammo not including the cost of brass.

Wally world sells 30-06 winchester and federal ammo for like 23.00 per 20 round box.


If a guy was to sell once fired brass on the EE from the store bought new factory ammo it would make buy new factory ammo quite a bit less than reloading!

I'll still going to reload because its a fun hobby but a guy really isn't saving a lot by doing so.
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With tax generic 30-06 is $30 here. GMX/TSX bullets in factory ammo are $50. I reload for 1/2-2/3 the cost of factory ammo in arguably the most common caliber around.
 
I like to shoot and I like to reload. I find both things relax me. I do shoot surplus because its cheap. I do shoot factory ammo when I'm out with my friends and they want to try my rifle. I use my reloads for when I'm getting down to business and getting my holes close. I enjoy all of it. I like to think I do save a bit of money and its nice to have ammo when you want it, not if you can get it. So to me it's worth reloading.
 
tacfoley said:
Good post, and one that I totally endorse.

It's a real pity we can't find a stash of .577 Snider ammunition in shootable condition somewhere in the Himalayas......at £25 a case.

tac
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just finding some of the older brass that is reloadable can be a challenge.

good 577/450 I hear is up around $7/ea

I wish I had bought more now :(
 
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