Reloading vs Factory....Any Savings Nowadays?

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the spank

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I am toying with the idea of loading for my 22.250. What savings if any are there?

What do you think the average cost is per box to load something equivalent to the factory loads I am using? Is it worth my while? I would like to shoot much more if the savings are significant enough?

Currently I am shooting Winchester Varmint 45GR. JHP 40 round packs from Wally World ($39.99/box) for gophers and for Coyotes I shoot Federal Premium V-Shok 55 GR. Nosler Ballistic Tips ($24.99/box) last time I purchased some though I suspect with our dollar being down ammo is up?

Oh and I will add that I tried a buddy's single stage press and the process is far too slow for my liking so if I am going to purchase a reloading press it is going to be multi-stage with auto indexing......
 
It is often said that reloading doesn't save you money, it just allows you to shoot more than you otherwise could. I think there's quite a bit of truth to that. One thing is sure ... neither is likely to get cheaper as time marches on.
 
The more more you reload the same brass, the cheaper it gets. Depends a lot on the cartridge. If you factor in a hourly rate for yourself it's not worth it, but that's not the point. (To me) I only reload for my 7mm Mag, 30-30, and .44 mag. Since All my reloading equipment was inherited I'm sure I've saved a lot.
 
It depends on what you're loading and for what end.

I won't reload .223 or 9mm (yet) as I haven't invested in the equipment. However when I'm out with the 45-70 every time I hear a bang I also hear "2 dollars... 2 dollars...".

If I ever get in to bench rest shooting them hand-loads almost become necessary, if only even for accuracies sake.
 
Simply. Yes.

Reloading anything from 9mm+ will save you money.
Weather you shoot more or not isnt an argument.
Does a smoker smoke more if he has a full pack vs empty?
Of course! But thats because he caves in on his willpower.

I save anywhere from .11 to .50+ per cartridge. My equipment is long paid for.
 
If you reload, you will save money, as you are not buying the brass again each time, so you save a good chunk of the cost of the cartridge from buying new.

This is especially true when you start getting into bigger stuff like .308 and greater, or any oddball calibers.


Add to this that you are able to tune your load for accuracy and function, and you have a good reason to reload there too.
 
For 22-250 you should be able to reload for about $0.50 per round depending on how many times you reload your brass.

Your comment about single stage reloading being too slow makes me wonder if reloading is for you. The biggest benefit is accuracy (my time is worth way more than I save) and this will be hard to achieve using a progressive press or an indexed turret press.
 
I'd like to hear from anyone who is loading bottleneck rifle cartridges on a progressive. I started casting my own bullets for almost everything, that makes a huge difference in price. The .22-250 would'nt do so well with cast.
I always stuck to .223 for a .22 centrefire as brass can be found at just about any range and they take less powder. I can load my .22 hornet with 11 grains of powder and kill gophers at 200 yds.
Jacketed rifle bullets and powder are getting very expensive and hard to find.
 
Pr589 said:
For 22-250 you should be able to reload for about $0.50 per round depending on how many times you reload your brass.

Your comment about single stage reloading being too slow makes me wonder if reloading is for you. The biggest benefit is accuracy (my time is worth way more than I save) and this will be hard to achieve using a progressive press or an indexed turret press.
Click to expand...

I know a single stage press would definitley increase the accuracy of the loads I make through consistency but I tried it once and I found it so boring. I am used to multi-stage from my trap shooting days. :redface:

I figured with an indexing press my accuracy would probably be equivalent to the factory ammo I am using now but maybe I am wrong in this assumption?

$0.50 per round is pretty good. That's about 50%.
 
I have loaded lots of .223, .270, and .308 on Dillon 550. I have used a Dillon 650 with case feeder for bulk .223.
I size, trim, deprime and lube all my cases first.

For precision shooting I only use a single stage set up.
 
Cost of factory .44mag around $160/200rnds. Reloads, MINUS the initial outlay for brass (which I use from the first 200rnds of factory ammo) approx $45/200rnds. Keep in mind that I shop around for discounted old stock powder. 2 years ago I was paying $17/lb for IMR 4227 before tax.
 
In general the cost to shoot reloads out of a 22-250 are about 20-22 cents/load for powder, 20-30 cents/load for bullets, and 5-8 cents/load for primers, plus brass costs. Yep, roughly around 1/2 the cost of loaded ammo. Now 223 is a different story if you're just looking for ammo to go bang.

P.S....the higher are roughly the costs from my LGS (the name should be Boss-a-Robby Hunting & ______)....might be high compared to other stores....
 
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I save a mint everytime I load for my Weatherby. The biggest advantage I see is being able to load up premium ammo at probably slightly less than cheapo ammo prices.
 
ron hilchey said:
I have loaded lots of .223, .270, and .308 on Dillon 550. I have used a Dillon 650 with case feeder for bulk .223.
I size, trim, deprime and lube all my cases first.

For precision shooting I only use a single stage set up.
Click to expand...

So how long would it take you to load a box start to finish on your Dillon? Could you do 200-250 rounds in an evening?
 
Realistic repeatable cyclic rate of the 550 and 650 Dillons is around 400 and 650 per hour respectively for pistol, drop maybe 50 rounds per hour off each for the larger volume of powder to be dropped for rifle cartridges.

If production is all you care about, the Dillon 1050 is where to go, 1000 rounds per hour is regularly repeatable with pistol, with over 800 per hour in rifle.

Remember, in any progressive press, you are trading accuracy to gain volume. I use the progressives for pistol, and semi auto rifle where 1.5MOA or greater is acceptable, IE. run and gun, most semi's, beltfeds, etc.
 
I'd say no, under certain circumstances.

556, 762, misurp 308 & 762x39, 9mm, 45ACP, 40 cal, .38 and many other common calibers can be had for cheap if you buy in bulk or milsurp steel case corrosive garbage ammo

Even after initial investment technically down on paper reloading will always be cheaper, that is if you don't value your time or don't enjoy something else over shooting.

I personally don't have time in between life, job and other hobbies to sit down for hours and make bullets. Maybe if I was retired or something that be a good idea but not for now.

Usually though you just end up shooting more with reloading and not really "saving" money.
 
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