The end of practically , is it coming?

[Fargone4sure]

I reload 41 swiss, 8x50r, 7x54french, 45auto rim, etc etc, so handloading is the only option. But in 303, 30-06, 8x57 etc I load gamegetter rounds with a 00buckshot pellet, and can do those for under 13 cents each, so cheap plinking.

 

[Kelly Timoffee]

Quit whining bout shooting costs..........

Take in a Movie, buy your popcorn and drinks what's that gonna be 40 - 50 bucks

Go Golfing ( perfectly good waste of a rifle range) on a course in a metropolitan area.

Until our dollar improves we are in for some high pricing on components.

Remember 35 years ago when you where making $10 -$15 an hour.

What did you pay for powder ?

In 1975 RCBCS dies were over $45.00 a set. It wasn't till LEE came along die prices plummeted.

22 LR prices are 30% higher then the US account our dollar.

They have also increade in price account ammunition manufacturers are no longer discounting it as they can sell all that's produced.

357

Easy now , just wondering if it was becoming impractical for some, which by the looks of it has.

I will still reload as long as I can load premium ammo for less that store bought premium ammo.

 

[Grock-co]

The myth that reloading is cheaper than factory is B.S. if you add your time hand loading is way more expensive (unless you consider your time worthless), the only benefit is that you know exactly what your load is.

 

[bsand]

The myth that reloading is cheaper than factory is B.S. if you add your time hand loading is way more expensive (unless you consider your time worthless), the only benefit is that you know exactly what your load is.

It's the hobby more than anything else. I rather make my ammo for Saturday Friday night, rather than getting drunk.

 

[blargon]

When i fire a group down range and check the target, i remember why i reload...

 

[laker415]

It's the hobby more than anything else. I rather make my ammo for Saturday Friday night, rather than getting drunk.

This is it. Hobbies cost money and reloading just happens to feed another hobby. I love adding new tools to the bench and looking at my shelf full of bullets or my powder stash always puts a smile on my face.

 

[purple]

Anybody check the price of a beef roast lately? Things are getting more expensive, but who can really put a price tag on the satisfaction that comes with reloading. It's a hobby, not a money saving exercise, but it generally has been more economical than factory ammo. The prices on brass, bullets and powder are going up though. In fact, the price of powder means that I only shoot match and superior grade hunting bullets nowadays to get the best bang for my buck. I'd much sooner spend a range session shooting 50 rds of quality handloads than busting dirt clods with an SKS and chicom surplus ammo. To each his own though.

 

[madcow]

The myth that reloading is cheaper than factory is B.S. if you add your time hand loading is way more expensive (unless you consider your time worthless), the only benefit is that you know exactly what your load is.

Of course your time is worth something, but when you don't have to pay for someone else's time, it's a savings. You can also look at it another way, reloading is an art of itself, just like fly-tying, you can buy fly for $1 each, why tie a fly? its part of the experience catching a fish with a fly you made. Same goes with reloading, its the combination of components, power, accuracy, etc... I have reloaded over 250k+ rounds in 25 years, and have made back the cost of my press 100x's. Finding that PERFECT load is an amazing feeling.

Prices always go up, get used to it, with our dollar and inflation. If you happen to find some powder cheap you got lucky, it's old stock from before, and the store didn't want to gouge you like so many do.

reloading the orphaned and hard to get rounds also makes for a substantial savings also, 9mm is cheap from the factory, but I shoot my 10mm at the cost of a 9mm. You can't beat that.

reloading not only saves you money, its an art form.

 

[Aniest]

People who already own the equipment aren't going to get out of it - as it's still cheaper to reload than buy factory.

The biggest issue for me with reloading is the ability to make ammo that does what I want it to do. I reload strange stuff for strange ends: to get specific trajectories to match existing reticles (like Boone & Crocket), get specific speed at distances, get specific pressures for gas ported guns, and so forth.

There isn't the ammunition manufactured to make what I shoot most days.... but that's just me.

 

[Varmit]

It seems to me that components are gone up more than factory ammo has. Maybe this is due to modern manufacturing processes and economy of scale. Nosler Partitions projectiles are over $1 each, powder can run you 35 cents a round, and I can buy federal premium cartridges with the same bullet for about $2. each and I don't need any gear, and I can get it whenever I want, and it performs pretty good. You have to admit that the quality of factory ammo keeps getting better.

 

[Super_Chicken]

Wow, reading this thread and checking local prices makes me happy I bought 20k primers at 33$/5k