[bootsnthejeep]

Because I just loaded my first batch of rounds on my new reloading bench!

Pretty simple. And reasonably uncluttered since I just got it built and started using it. Fell into a deal on the SDB, and it was all downhill from there.

$40 for the used Dillon set up to do .357 (my caliber of choice).
$360 in parts, accessories, scale and caliber conversions (now setup for .44 mag and .45 ACP)
$50 for the used Rock Chucker and UniFlow powder measure.
$80 or so in powder and primers, not counting the powder that was given to me by another reloading friend.
Another $60 or so on Ebay RCBS dies for the rockchucker, have .357, 44 mag and 30-30 now. Need .45-70 and and some shellholders now.
And about $40 in lumber to build the bench with a piece of remaindered counter top that I've been hanging onto and moving around in the garage for FOUR YEARS. And people think I'm crazy for not throwing anything away.

Got the dillon squared away and dialed in tonight, and figured I'd run out 100 rounds just to see how it was doing. Well that turned into 150. So I figured I'd make it an even 200. Well then that got close to 250, and I finally just let it run out of primers so I would stop at close to 300 rounds. This must be what smoking is like....

I've done lots of reloading with my father's equipment, cranking out 1000 rounds at a time while I was home visiting, but this is definetly different with my own gear at my own bench. Once I got started I almost couldn't stop!

So I just crunched the numbers....
If I never load another round of ammo except the 300 I loaded tonight, cost per round: $2.10
Actual cash layout for components per round: 6 cents a round, or 3 bucks a box. Mint.