What do the cost savings have to be for you to reload a round?

[NeveSSL]

Right now I can reload .223 for about $0.20/rnd.  Cost for brass .223 is $0.30 or so.  The $0.10/rnd is worth it to me, but some people have said it's not worth it to them.

 

Just curious... at what point do you guys decide to reload?  

 

Brandon

[Jamie Jackson]

As far as handgun goes, since we (as a group) cast and powder coat, I can handload 9mm for about 1/4th the price I would purchase at.

 

5.56 runs about $0.15 - $0.17 per round.

 

Components are all bulk purchased.

 

But I use range brass and more importantly I enjoy handloading, and have for a long time now. And I like being able to tailor the ammo to my needs and wants...

 

7.62x39 is much more costly as 7.62x39 brass is relatively scarce and/or expensive.

 

So I purchase 7.62x39. But I definitely see the need, and eventually plan to start making 300 BLK, for all these reasons.

 

So, at what price point? The 10 cents a round savings is worthwhile to me...more is even better.

[Omega]

Me, I reload when I can't buy the ammo cheaper than I can purchase it.  Sometimes I take into account the reusable brass into the equation such as when I picked up my .44 Mag.  I purchased some plinking rounds to familiarize myself with the gun, then reloaded the spent cases.  For .223/5.56 I have a bunch of brass, so its a straight one for one thing, which ATM I can buy cheaper FMJ than I can reload it, but I can reload premium hunting rounds cheaper.

[dawgdoc]

The cost savings for me is the ability to store the components easier and cheaper than storing/hoarding finished product. Also, when I store the components, I am potentially storing multiple calibers, vs if I had to buy and store separate finished ammo.

[Hozzie]

I don't reload to save money.  I reload to get more accurate ammo.  Unless you are shooting thousands of rounds a year, there is not really a payback.

[E4 No More]

I reload for the giggles of it; not the savings.

[z0mbies fear me]

How about marriage? That's my savings lol, if I'm in the basement reloading then I'm out of her hair and giving her a break from me, so it makes her want to kill me less.

[NeveSSL]

Thanks for the replies, guys!

 

 

Me, I reload when I can't buy the ammo cheaper than I can purchase it.  Sometimes I take into account the reusable brass into the equation such as when I picked up my .44 Mag.  I purchased some plinking rounds to familiarize myself with the gun, then reloaded the spent cases.  For .223/5.56 I have a bunch of brass, so its a straight one for one thing, which ATM I can buy cheaper FMJ than I can reload it, but I can reload premium hunting rounds cheaper.

 

That is what I've been doing with my new AR15, too.  Buying brass plinking rounds and keeping the brass to reload.  Where are you buying .223/5.56 for cheaper than you can reload it?

 

Brandon

[Omega]

Thanks for the replies, guys!

 

 

 

That is what I've been doing with my new AR15, too.  Buying brass plinking rounds and keeping the brass to reload.  Where are you buying .223/5.56 for cheaper than you can reload it?

 

Brandon

At the moment I can't, I can reload for about .25 cents a round due to all the brass I have. 

 

Some of the bulk ammo out there runs around .35 cents a round, http://ammunitionstore.com/products/223-5-56x45-ammo-55gr-fmj-federal-american-eagle-ae223bl-500-round-case.html (may be cheaper out there)

 

Brass I have seen between .06 to .08 cents a case in lots of 500 or so, so if you don't have brass you can come close but with shipping and or taxes you may be better off one way or another.

 

I use a reloading calculator on my phone (one online) to make a baseline of the costs associated with the calibers I reload for, that way I can make a quick decision (because they sell fast) on if it is worth the sales price to me.

[NeveSSL]

Gotcha.  Thanks for that link to the online reloading calculator.  That's awesome!

 

So you're saying that you don't feel it's worth it to reload at $0.10 savings per round?

 

Brandon

[Omega]

Gotcha.  Thanks for that link to the online reloading calculator.  That's awesome!

 

So you're saying that you don't feel it's worth it to reload at $0.10 savings per round?

 

Brandon

No, didn't say that.  If you can save .10 cents per round then do it, I was saying I can sometimes buy surplus ammo at cheaper than I can reload it.  I have seen surplus ammo for cheaper than .20 cents a round, but you have to be quick as it sells fast.  Midsouth on occasion gets surplus ammo, but they also get factory blem bullets for reloading so depending on what you are after they are not a bad place to shop.  The problem most times is availability, components and loaded ammo; so sometimes you get the cheapest you can get by with at the time you need it.

 

Take 300Blk, for awhile you could not find it cheaper than about $1 a round loaded.  And with the dies, gauge, saw and all the rest of the 300 Blackout specific reloading components I could barely get it under that.  But, the more I reload for that caliber, the less each round costs, and now I can reload it for much cheaper than I can buy it even using premium bullets such as the Barnes Blacktip. 

[NeveSSL]

Ohhh... ok.  I'm with you now.  I missed that.  

 

I really wish Midsouth had a retail store!  :)

 

I almost feel like I should get a rifle in an odd caliber that is so expensive to buy that reloading makes a ton of sense to justify my habit.  Haha!

Brandon

[Hozzie]

Ohhh... ok. I'm with you now. I missed that.

I really wish Midsouth had a retail store! :)

I almost feel like I should get a rifle in an odd caliber that is so expensive to buy that reloading makes a ton of sense to justify my habit. Haha!

Brandon

They do. It's exit 11 in Clarksville. Ok, not so much a store, but you can order what you want and pick it up.

[NeveSSL]

I know you can order and pickup, I just wish they had a store to peruse.  :)

Brandon

[Omega]

I know you can order and pickup, I just wish they had a store to peruse.   :)

Brandon

If there is a product you wish to look at they will let you.  I have done that with a rifle case, a powder trickler and a couple of AR parts.  Their catalog is available in print for free too, and their site lets you save a wish list; all in all a good place to buy.

[Raoul]

Right now I can reload .223 for about $0.20/rnd.  Cost for brass .223 is $0.30 or so.  The $0.10/rnd is worth it to me, but some people have said it's not worth it to them.

 

Just curious... at what point do you guys decide to reload?  

 

Brandon

I decided to get very serious about reloading on January 20, 2009. Prior to that I just fiddlefarted around with it.

[gregintenn]

Money isn't an issue in reloading for me. I can load higher quality ammo than I can buy, and can also tailor a load to a specific gun. I can also shoot obscure calibers I wouldn't be able to shoot if I didn't reload.

[Sidecarist]

I never think of the cost of reloading equipment as part of the cost of each round. To me its more of a long term investment. I load for 7-8 calibers now and that list will only grow with time. I have about as much in reloading equip as 2 or 3 quality guns. When I got in I tried to do it on the cheap with low cost equipment. Some I still have and like, some was so frustrating that I moved on to better gear.

 

For a single stage press the best investment I ever made was a Forester Co-Ax. It simply can't be beat unless you are loading 50cal. A good progressive for the pistol stuff, and I'm set. I can load 223 on the Co-Ax now, but may upgrade the progressive to it and never look back.

 

The equipment makes shooting generally cost less, and when its raining and I don;t want to shoot I reload for the next time. It's not all about cost per round. I get satisfaction out of the process as well.

 

When ammo is cheap I buy it and save the brass to reload. Sometimes I sell/trade the brass for stuff I need.

 

This model doesn't work for everyone, but I'm quite happy with it!

[NeveSSL]

If there is a product you wish to look at they will let you.  I have done that with a rifle case, a powder trickler and a couple of AR parts.  Their catalog is available in print for free too, and their site lets you save a wish list; all in all a good place to buy.

 

That's good to know.  They have some phenomenal prices on .223 projectiles at the moment... 1000 for $83.33.  Perfect for plinking.   :)  I may have to put an order together for me to buy what I need for .223.

 

I have to admit, I really enjoy loading more than I thought I would.  I'm enjoying developing the processes and then executing them.  It's nice to have something to do that is fairly productive and allows me to get my mind off of everything else for a bit.

Brandon

Edited March 21, 2016 by NeveSSL

[Jonnin]

10 cents / round is 5 bucks / box (of 50).

1 box of 50 won't even feed 2 magazines.   A typical AR shooter can burn out 2 -3 or more boxes / range trip.

So now its 10, 15 bucks every time you go.

If that is once a month, you are looking at 100- 200 dollars a year. 

 

More if you consider taxes, shipping, or other costs that many people gloss over when comparing the prices. 

 

There isn't much that I can't make for 1/2 the cost of buying it, even with primers and powder being a little scarce. 

 

And as already said, you are comparing the bottom shelf cheap stuff to handcrafted reloads ... you can make it better, and you can make it cheaper.  

Edited March 21, 2016 by Jonnin

[runco]

I struggled with the cost narrative for 20+ years.  Then Sandy Hook happened, and the ammo all dried up.  I threw out the ROI, and changed the prism I looked through from a cost model to a necessity model.  I basically went from zero of having nothing to having everything I would ever need to reload every caliber I had, and I purchased probably a lifetime supply of primers, bullets, brass, all within a month along with the capital to reload.  I have never regretted, and I learned so much after reloading about 10+ different calibers.  Now fast forward to now.  Its great that I have all those supplies, plus I have a choice to buy factory or reload, and I have the experience and knowledge to reload.  Never again will be caught with my pants down!

Edited March 22, 2016 by runco

[dawgdoc]

Sandy Hook and the Great Ammo Scare stimulated me to start saving brass, but I didn't reload until this year. Originally, when considering a simple kit, I figured it would have to be a lot of 9mm to break even.

I bought a Lee Hand Press, which cut costs some, and I am trying to get everything as simple as possible.

The hand press can be tiring, but I just rigged a stand for it, and now I can easily use it with my weak hand now, which adds to the speed.

I'm thinking about doing .223, but the case trimming is an obstacle, although the Lee Quick Trim case trimmer looks like it would suffice.

[Hershmeister]

Once you own a reloading rig, there is no sense not loading everything. The marginal cost only becomes a set of dies and if rifle some sort of trimming device.

[Jamie Jackson]

I'm thinking about doing .223, but the case trimming is an obstacle, although the Lee Quick Trim case trimmer looks like it would suffice.

 

 

I too dreaded case trimming and prep. Then I took Dolomite's and others advice and picked up a Little Crow WFT for .223/5.56. Awesome tool and more than worth the price.

I found it to be, for me, about 5X faster that previous methods I've used.

 

Here's a link to one: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/997722/little-crow-gunworks-worlds-finest-trimmer-223-remington

 

I only wish I had purchased one a long time ago... :wall:

[NeveSSL]

That looks like a good tool, but for a few bucks more, you can have one that chamfers and deburrs, too.  :)  http://www.giraudtool.com/Tri%20Way%20Trimmer.htm

 

Brandon