Reloads are we saving anything ?

SCHNEIDERSAUTO said:
28 guage i save a small fortune . besides i like reloading . 12 guage not a huge saving but still do it .
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I find that the main cost with reloading is buying shot and the saving realized by reloading 12 ga is small, as pointed out above. You know, it's almost like the world is against a guy reloading. Shot prices go up to high levels. But there are still local guys making shot, even though the shot isn't as nice as factory (With some exceptions, but then you run into supply problems.). Then wheel weights start having a dollar value attached to them and this, combined with the high price of shot, drives the price up with local guys to some extent. So, I start thinking about casting my own shot, but it then becomes apparent that lead based wheel weights are slowly being phased out. So, how does one justify the outlay of $400 for a shot maker. Besides, there are chores that have to be done around home and grandchildren to see etc. etc. and shot making involves a certain amount of effort, and the last thing we need around here is another piece of junk being stored yada! yada! yada! Now one sees the price of flats on sale, and this isn't the first time this has been pointed out as a rationale to stop reloading. But does one really trust the reasonable prices attached to flats to remain available? I remember walking into the local stores and seeing the cheapie flats available at $70. Maybe I'm a suspicious SOB, but the minute one has no option one isn't always treated well at just about anything, let alone a sport that isn't all that popular with the general population to begin with. I've got an idea, let's all stop reloading and find out what happens:D. On the other hand, lets keep buying some shot from our local shot makers, buy factory shot where we can find it, and buy flats through the clubs we belong to and keep our heads down ;).
 
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I make my own shot, miss the birds just as well with it as holycraptheseareexpensive AA or STS loads. I can honestly say I have never lost a bird that I could blame my shot squarely on. I do not sell my shot however, but I will make it in trade for a portion of lead given for the purpose. If its in ingots I can use I take less of it, if its a bucket of wheelweights i will take more of it.
 
Using the cost calculator offered on the ATA website, 12 Gauge, using Promo..Ched 209..CB wads and 1 1/8 oz. shot from Hummison Mfgt. Not allowing anything for hull cost..

Savings would be $ 1.223 per box (using factory cost shells at $5.50 + Tax)
 
WRB said:
Using the cost calculator offered on the ATA website, 12 Gauge, using Promo..Ched 209..CB wads and 1 1/8 oz. shot from Hummison Mfgt. Not allowing anything for hull cost..

Savings would be $ 1.223 per box (using factory cost shells at $5.50 + Tax)
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I never saw the need to load 1 1/8th oz loads for targets, loaded plenty of 7/8 oz. Breaks them well enough for my needs. FS
 
Neera said:
Now cut that 1 1/8 oz down to 7/8 oz and see what you save.
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I also cut to 7/8 and save.

You can also save by keeping your eye on the obituaries for old trap shooters who have passed. Some have stock piled lots of components including cheap lead shot.
 
Got Juice? said:
I used this calculator http://www.trapshooters.com/rlcalcadv.htm

I also bought 5000 primers @ 40/1000 8 bags of #7.5 shot @ 40.00/bag,

Then there were the 20,000 wads I bought, and the .045 per once fired AA grey hull.

I stand by my numbers :)
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I never pay for hulls. If and when I buy factory, I never calculate them against my reloads. There are enough hulls to be had for free, because many think that saving hulls is not worth while:D

I load AAs, STS, and Gold Medal no more than 3 times and the cheap stuff I load only one time. I would probably sell my once fired AAs if some one offered me .045;)

Actually I lied a bit. Every once in a while I will see a trapper about to dump a tub fresh picked batch of mostly new hulls in a dumpster. For a tip they gladly transfer the batch to the back of my vehicle. My club only picks and sells hulls at the big shoots. The rest of the time they get hauled to the land fill.

My unloaded hull collection seems to be growing and I have still a large cache of once fired old style AAs.

Loading for me is a saving.
 
Covey Ridge said:
I never pay for hulls. If and when I buy factory, I never calculate them against my reloads. There are enough hulls to be had for free, because many think that saving hulls is not worth while:D

I load AAs, STS, and Gold Medal no more than 3 times and the cheap stuff I load only one time. I would probably sell my once fired AAs if some one offered me .045;)

Actually I lied a bit. Every once in a while I will see a trapper about to dump a tub fresh picked batch of mostly new hulls in a dumpster. For a tip they gladly transfer the batch to the back of my vehicle. My club only picks and sells hulls at the big shoots. The rest of the time they get hauled to the land fill.

My unloaded hull collection seems to be growing and I have still a large cache of once fired old style AAs.

Loading for me is a saving.
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Must be nice. 'Round here the AA hulls are a bit of a premium and everyone seems to save their hulls, except for the 2 piece base wad types. Those go right into the garbage.

Ahh well. I just keep pulling the handle and making more as I go. Calculated cost savings on components VS the equivalent number of factory shells based on 5000 reloads is appx 500.00 compared to AA's

So I will keep on rolling my own for now. I can usually get 4.5 firings per AA hull on average. So for a modest 900.00 investment, I can shoot ''1500.00'' worth of ammo. All I supply is a little sweat equity.

Only one trouble with roll your owns... I made a tracer shell the other day. I had a phone call i had to take and forgot to place the wad into the press.

MMMM, lead shot tracers... the target didn't get hit but it sure looked cool as hell.:yingyang:
 
My one ounce load is in the $5.00 range with the 7/8 ounce is just under $5.00 so the savings compared to the cheap factory loads aren't great. I could lower both numbers a little if I went to cheaper powder and primers.

My loads are better than the Top Gun or Winchester Super Target, on par with comparable Kent and Challenger. I also like being able to put together a load that isn't offered by the factory.

The world changes in the subgauges. The last price I saw from Winchester AA 28 gauge was $12.99 per box at Bass Pro. I can load it for less than a third of that price. :)
 
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