Reloaders fill us in

[DaveTN]

I wish some of you guys would fill us in. I’ve looked at reloading and I can’t see how I can save a dime. I have no desire to take it up as a hobby; I already have too many of those. And I have no desire to make custom loads. But I would do it if it was worthwhile.

I ain’t shootin’ lead semi-wadcutters either.

Most of the threads on the forums I have seen about it say that you really can’t save any money.

But… I have no idea. So what’s the straight story…

[Marswolf]

I don't reload to save money. I reload for accuracy. But you can save money on quality ammunition.

[Guest dotsun]

I'm not sure what you're paying per K, but I can load a 1000 9mm for around 110-120 bucks. If you have to buy the brass it's more, but you can reuse 9mm brass 5-6 times.

Here's some high price guesstimates if you don't wanna take the time to bargain hunt:

1000 primers: $25

1 lb powder: $25

1000 115g fmj: $60-$70

[Im Neero]

It costs more in the beginning if you factor in the cost of a press. If you keep at it though, the press will pay for itself and the more you buy when you buy components, the more you save.

I'm not sure of the current price of factory loaded .45acp, but here's a break down on cost of 230grain fmj reloads (although unless you shoot primarily indoors there's absolutely nothing wrong with 200grain lead semi-wadcutters. That perfect hole in the target sure is satisfying, and they still go where you point the gun.)

primer . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.49 cents

5.3 grains of 231 . . . . . . .1.325 cents

hornady 230 grain fmj . . . 13.79

total cost per round . . . . . 17.605 cents

I didn't factor in the cost of the brass because instead of buying brass, I just buy factory ammo and collect the brass, so if you want to factor that in feel free. If you go with the lead semi wadcutters you can get bullets for about 5 cents a piece.

[DaveTN]

It costs more in the beginning if you factor in the cost of a press. If you keep at it though, the press will pay for itself and the more you buy when you buy components, the more you save.

I'm not sure of the current price of factory loaded .45acp, but here's a break down on cost of 230grain fmj reloads (although unless you shoot primarily indoors there's absolutely nothing wrong with 200grain lead semi-wadcutters. That perfect hole in the target sure is satisfying, and they still go where you point the gun.)

primer . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.49 cents

5.3 grains of 231 . . . . . . .1.325 cents

hornady 230 grain fmj . . . 13.79

total cost per round . . . . . 17.605 cents

I didn't factor in the cost of the brass because instead of buying brass, I just buy factory ammo and collect the brass, so if you want to factor that in feel free. If you go with the lead semi wadcutters you can get bullets for about 5 cents a piece.

So you are at $176.50 for 1000 rounds and you don't have any brass yet?

How many times (approx) can you reload a .45ACP (lets say a WWB case) after shooting it in a semi-auto?

[Im Neero]

I haven't been reloading for a long time, but from what I've read anywhere from 6-12 times. .45acp is a low-pressure round so it's easy on brass. You can buy 1000 rounds of once fired brass for $63.99 from midway. If you assume 8 reloads per piece of brass then the brass costs .79 cents per firing.

[Guest Mugster]

Oh yeah, its alot cheaper but only in the long run. I stock up on components when I catch a sale or run into a good deal. There's no figure I can give you on a cost per round basis that makes sense...but you're getting scalped on buying loaded ammo. I'd guess that 7mm rem mag ammo, the good stuff, costs 3 bucks a shot when you can get it.

How do you value a 12 pound keg of powder that I bought 10 years ago and only used a few pounds of it? I bought 500 168 gr bthp sierra bullets on sale 5-6 years ago, and i do not remember what I paid (I think about 25 bucks total from a shop that was going out of business). I just traded .45acp for 7mm brass, so how do i value that? Soon i'll have 200 loaded rounds of match grade (or better) ammo for my 7mm...thats probably $600 worth of ammo. I don't have $600 in the components(doubt i have $300), and I have the makings for 300 more shots.

[Guest creekwalker]

DaveTN,

You are not the first person I’ve seen bring forth the question of reloadings usefulness and worth. You will not be the last. I’m going to keep this brief and simple. Initially you will not save money on reloading as your equipment and component expenses will exceed what you were/are spending on ammunition. However, do not consider this wasted money because once you begin loading you will quickly reach a break even point on your initial outlay and then see a significant cost savings in the ammunition you are shooting. If you minimize your initial equipment outlay expense with used quality equipment you will notice a quicker ROI and more readily capable of purchasing additional components. Will you spend less money shooting your reloads? Yes. But you will find yourself shooting more from this savings and purchasing more components in order to accomplish this which in return equates to more money spent. Plated and jacked bullets purchased in bulk are very affordable and many of the lead bullets available are very clean shooting and easy on your equipment. Brass is readily available from factory ammunition you’ve fired, gleanings from ranges, friends, once fired brass purchases or even virgin brass purchases. You will find yourself producing better more accurate ammunition for your firearms and needs as well as acquiring a better understanding of ballistics and performance. Hope this helps to answer your questions.

Creekwalker

[musicman]

Creekwalkers' got it spot on. Also, it'll take you forever to save money if all you're shooting is 9mm and .223. Those are pretty cheap anyways. However, if you (like me) like shooting 357 and 44 mag which easily run $.55 to $.85 per round, reloading becomes very attractive when you can make the same stuff for $.12to $.18 a round using range brass, or just your stash. I can make premium stuff that normally costs over a dollar a round for $.25 to $.35 each!

However, if you've got no interest in it and make enough money to just buy ammo, then keep buying factory ammo and leaving your brass at the range for me!! =) I gotta tell you though, it's so cool to be in control of one more factor of your shooting performance. Like creewalker says, the physics, chemistry, and ballistics involved are so fascinating, if you're into that kind of thing. I've really enjoyed finding the full range of different powder/bullet combos. I like to start in the middle, then work my way down to the lowest possible load that will reliably get the bullet out of the barrel, then start in the middle again and work my way up to the first signs of overpressure in the primers. Then I work to find the load that feels and shoots best for me. Once I find that, time to try a new bullet or primer!!

[Marswolf]

I gotta tell you though, it's so cool to be in control of one more factor of your shooting performance.

This is why I reload. I guess I do save money, but I'm interested in the best performance from one particular rifle. Reloading lets me load rounds that would not be available commercially. And that translates into measurably better accuracy.

[molonlabetn]

It has always been my understanding that you do not save any money when you reload, but you will either get to shoot more, or shoot more accurately.

I've tossed the idea around a bit, myself... Never saw enough of a potential benefit.

[Guest Mugster]

Technically you can save money. Here is a specific example:

Federal .223 ammo, 60gr nosler partition, 20 pack: $24 (with tax or shipping)

Here's a link: http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=891153&t=11082005

Mugster's 20 pack of reloads, velocity (hopefully) more consistent and (hopefully) more accurate ammo, hand tuned for Mugster's rifle: $11.27 total

Itemized:

range pickup remington brass: free

primers, cci small rifle, #41 military, 20 count: $0.60

Nosler 'first quality' 60gr .224 caliber pills, 20 count: $9.60

500 grains of accurate 2230 powder: $1.07

I can knock off another $4ish going with nosler 2nd's, but the first's are the best you can buy...so i speced that. I do use the second's though.

If you shoot junk ammo, you aren't going to save much. Except if reloading prevents you from losing a finger or something when the cheap stuff blows up on you. Duplicating military spec ammo for plinking or duplicating the premium stuff for hunting or self defence, you're going to save quite a bit shot for shot.

In this case I'm cutting my cost in half, and I like to run 80-100 rounds of the ammo I'm hunting with through my rifle. I'm a serious hunter and do not expect to either miss or have a round fail to make a clean kill. I'll chrono the ammo and shoot it into phonebook stacks out to 200 yards to see what the bullet does at various ranges. I'll run ballistic software and tape a range card to my buttstock in 25 yard increments to 300 yards.

Hunting and shooting in itself is all about confidence. What I do is not really necessary to hunt deer. Lets say its necessary to me so I know it is my fault if i wound an animal and cause it to suffer, and not me being stupid with either my rifle or ammo or both.

People say you don't save money (I say this myself), because I have a budget for ammo. I'm going to spend that budget regardless of how much I shoot. If I shoot alot, I'll just run out of ammo and go home rather than spend more money. So thinking that way, you don't save money reloading, you shoot more instead.

[rstandley]

OK, here is what I save reloading .40s&w for competition. It cost me $127. per thousand to reload 180gr. JHP .40 using range brass. The equal in Speer buying in bulk in $289. A savings of $162 per thousand. I shoot about 6 thousand per year. that equals $972. in savings. I have done this for about 5 years, that is $4860. That is a nice chunk of change.

[Guest GetoffTheX]

So you are at $176.50 for 1000 rounds and you don't have any brass yet?

How many times (approx) can you reload a .45ACP (lets say a WWB case) after shooting it in a semi-auto?

Im loading my .45ACP for under 75 bucks a thousand. 45 is such a sweet cal to load for due to the low pressures. Like someone said in an earlier post, you can load them light and make them last. Heck, Ive got some 45 brass loaded 16 times. Ill loadem till they split!

You've got to figure, your #1 cost in loading is your projectiles, so like creekwater eluded to earlier, you need to start melting some lead down and casting. That will take your overall cost down to pennies on the dollar. Unless you're trying to make a full house round or competition ammo, get yer butt out to your local range and start scrounging brass. Just stay away from my honey holes cause I don't play well with others

[Guest olretiredgunney]

I have been reloading since 1958(age 17).Then better reloads were around 40 to 50% of retail ammo prices.THEY STILL ARE!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sheepdog]

Reloading has cost me more than it will ever save me.

Sure, if all I'd bought was a press, dies, scale, and powder measure, I might have broken even by now--in terms of ammo costs, anyway. However, I've shot significantly more, which means I've spent more.

I've also stocked up on bullets, brass and primers, which means another significant initial outlay.

Oh, and then there was the new workbench, storage cabinet, 15-bin storage rack, and stool. Add in the optional equiment that I've bought (brass tumbler with media, hand priming tool, primer trays for each caliber I reload, calipers, bullet pulling tool, case length gauges and trimmers for each caliber, and multiple reloading trays for each caliber), and I've spent more than I dreamed I would at the start.

Then there's all the equipment that I still want to get (progressive press, motorized case trimmer, case prep station, electronic powder dispenser and scale, chrony, Hammr...)

In short, anyone who tells you that reloading WILL save you money is lying through their teeth. If they tell you that reloading CAN save you money, they're telling you a half-truth. If they tell you that you may end up spending money like a crack addict, obsessing over finding perfect loads like an obsessive-compulsive off his meds, and might enjoy going mad doing so, then that's full disclosure.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

If they tell you that you may end up spending money like a crack addict, obsessing over finding perfect loads like an obsessive-compulsive off his meds, and might enjoy going mad doing so, then that's full disclosure.

I think that's pretty much the truth to getting into the firearms hobby in general.