When I figure the costs of the rounds I reload I DO NOT include the brass simply because I don't know how many times I can reload a case. If I ever start wearing my brass out, and hence figure out how many times they can be reloaded, I'll add this in.
For 38 Specials, if I have to buy linotype to make the bullets from, a round costs me 3.5 cents each. Basically the cost of the primer, powder and bullet. If I can make the bullet from wheelweights (which costs nothing), then the price is 1.1 cents each.
Wheelweights limits velocity. A wheelweight bullet can be every bit as accurate as a linotype bullet but it CAN NOT have a high velocity. At higher velocities wheelweight bullets are noticeably less accurate.
Of course limiting velocity with a 38 Special isn't really a problem. With a 357 it might well be.