I dont care if I save money reloading....I like it!!

dado5 · November 20, 2012, 02:20 PM

I started reloading a few years ago and just keep getting more and more excited about it. I always read threads and hear people saying how it doesnt pay to reload anymore. Well I just wanted to say that it doesnt matter to me. There are some calibers which I know it is cheaper to reload (i.e. my 45-70) but others I just like being able to shoot whatever bullet I feel like trying in that gun. My wife has an entire craft room full of stuff b/c that is her hobby, not because she makes it cheaper than she can buy it. One of my hobbies is reloading, it doesnt need to make me money. Thanks for listening.

RobertInIowa · November 20, 2012, 02:33 PM

Welcome to the addiction.

Vance · November 20, 2012, 02:46 PM

Not necessarily to save money. I just find that I shoot more now that I reload.

BigJimP · November 20, 2012, 04:18 PM

I agree.....a lot of us consider reloading part of the gun hobby / and the reality is we shoot 3 or 4 times more with the same ammo budget because we reload....

But your buddies are also wrong on savings....I can even reload 9mm with a premium FMJ bullet for under $6 a box vs $ 10 - $12 retail in my area / and other calibers will give you even more savings..../ my reloads on .45 acp are about $8 a box vs $ 22 or so retail...( 230gr FMJ bullet again )....

but I'd reload as well ...even if the savings were a push....

Brian Pfleuger · November 20, 2012, 04:22 PM

I'm beginning to agree. At first, reloading was just a way to get affordable ammo, and it still serves that purpose, but I also shoot FAAAaaaarrr more than I ever did before and I'm starting to enjoy the actual reloading a bit too.

I'm a little scared by that... this could get expensive.

mumbo719 · November 20, 2012, 04:24 PM

I'm with you.

I do it because I enjoy it, PERIOD!

oneoldsap · November 20, 2012, 04:31 PM

It's my therapy , can't afford a shrink ! I just feel safer loading my own , every round is CUSTOM at no extra charge . Same reason I raise my own livestock , I know what's gone into it , and what hasn't .

Ambishot · November 20, 2012, 04:36 PM

Saving money wasn't ever a reason that I got into reloading. I find that my reloads are far more accurate through my rifles than factory loads. (the factory loads that I've tried, that is)

capodastro · November 20, 2012, 05:02 PM

I do it because I love it and I think especially with something like 500 S&W, I will be saving $ very soon. It takes awhile to make up for the cost of the initial equipment, but after that........

Misssissippi Dave · November 20, 2012, 06:38 PM

I consider reloading a hobby. Hobbies often get to be expensive. This is one hobby I have so far that I actually have that supports another hobby (shooting) that also brings down the cost of a second hobby.

There aren't many hobbies I like doing able to enhance a second hobby. If I were to only break even loading my own, I will still do it. I can't think of a single center fire metallic case ammo where it costs me more to reload my own compared to store bought factory ammo. Hobby time is creative use of my free time. It isn't something I place a price on as a part of what I might save or not. It sure is a nice feeling to be able to go to the shelf and grab what I want to shoot. It beats going store to store trying to find at least one box of a certain caliber then paying way more than I can afford to pay. I don't shoot any less than I did before getting back into reloading.

mmb713 · November 20, 2012, 06:53 PM

I never saved any money by reloading either. Just shot a whole lot more. And once I got into reloading that became the hobby. I went from reloading so that I could shoot to shooting so that I could reload.

delta tide · November 20, 2012, 07:04 PM

I started reloading in order to shoot more. Now shoot so I can reload more.

Daggitt · November 20, 2012, 07:15 PM

It has definitely saved me money. I was shocked at how ammo prices have gone up. I have used the same press for about 15 years so my fixed costs are near zero. I can reload any round cheaper than I can buy it.I started doing it to save money. I now also truly enjoy doing it. I don't want to hex myself but I have had very very few problems doing it. It is something that must be taken seriously , but I have not found it to be difficult. I pressed a 44 bullet too far into the case once and it wasn't coming back out. So I threw that one out. That's the only failure I really have had.

Magnum Mike · November 20, 2012, 07:40 PM

Isn't it great to show up shooting, with a bunch of buddies. They have 1 or 2 boxes of cheap ammo and you almost need a 2 wheeler to haul yours to the bench!

serf 'rett · November 20, 2012, 07:44 PM

"Hello, my name is 'rett. I reload my own!"

Group responds, "Hello, 'rett!" ....

Yep. Addict.

I'm having a blast reloading for pistols, but sense the serious rifle stuff is impending. The very thought of one ragged hole has me drooling on my shoes.

serf 'rett · November 20, 2012, 07:47 PM

Mag Mike - I'm certainly glad I didn't have a mouthful before I read your two wheeler hauler remark; would have been cleanup time for sure!

floydster · November 20, 2012, 07:48 PM

I enjoy reloading as much as I do shooting

Misssissippi Dave · November 20, 2012, 08:46 PM

I do plan to use a hand cart on my next outdoor range trip. My range bag is just too heavy when I put the ammo in the bag. The outdoor range is not one of those per hour affairs. It is nice to quit when your are ready and not because you don't have enough ammo. I couldn't do this without reloading.

Edward429451 · November 20, 2012, 10:47 PM

Reloading kept me out of trouble and thereby helped my Marriage. Who knows what trouble I may have gotten into down at the beer joint instead of being in the reloading room downstairs?

Reloading is seriously interesting. Especially when combined with a casting setup and a chronograph. If one were to add even a single boolit to homecast (HA!) then boom, the bottom drops out of the (usually) most expensive part of reloading and boolits start costing 2 cents apiece or less, instead of 10 or 15 cents apiece that store-boughts cost.

Home-casting brings the cost of most popular (small cased) rounds down to below the cost of decent 22 LR's. For example, I can load 100 38/44 Specials for about 4 dollars. The 357/44 Mags about a dollar more for powder overall. A box of 100 CCI Mini-Mags cost 6.99.

Even if I got crippled up or whatever and couldn't go shooting anymore, I would want to continue to reload because it is just so darn interesting that it's a hobby unto itself.

brigond · November 21, 2012, 01:39 AM

I started reloading cause it would save me money . I didnt realize what was involved . Once I researched it and started making my own ammo it became more and more interesting. Never did I think of it as hobby. I began to realize that it was becoming something to fill the void between range trips. I can't shoot all day long so this is at least something to do with shooting until the next (weekly) range trip. I don't have much time during the week but I manage to make enough rounds for the weekly trip. Now, I have to say that this is the best hobby you can have. It saves you money and you love doing it. I can't walk passed my press set up without stopping to press out a couple ,and if I don't have time I just admire it for a moment. When she asks the kids " where's your father?" Their response is " he's probably probably making bullets mommy. " I bumped into a guy at the range
who also casts his own bullets. He showed me some really nice quality bullets. They were like little gleaming pieces of gun jewelry. I thought to myself , I can do that . For the sake of marriage and family I'm gonna try to hold off on extending this hobby. I don't know for how long though.

praetorian97 · November 21, 2012, 01:46 AM

The actual end product saves me a ton and let's me shoot more, but thank god I don't factor in all the extra equipment and toys to reload. At this rate I'd need to reload for a small country at war to break even

twins · November 21, 2012, 05:23 AM

Is this the same as "I don't care if I eat too much and get fat.....I like it"?

If the cost of reloading has a negative return (costs 2x more than running to Walmart for a box of ammo), then I'm definitely out. I reload to get best accuracy from my firearms. But I'm not willing to go blindly at it either.

rebs · November 21, 2012, 08:48 AM

I completely enjoy loading my own ammo, saving money is only a side benefit for me. Also now that I am retired I am enjoying it even more. I find it very rewarding to see how my own hand loads shoot.

Shootest · November 21, 2012, 09:35 AM

I don’t know of any factory ammunition that is tailor made to shoot in my firearms, at any price. So if I compare apples to apples I’m sure I’m saving large amounts of cash vs. custom manufactured ammo.

hAkron · November 21, 2012, 09:59 AM

I reload for anything I shoot. Mostly 9mm and 12ga where the savings can be negligible...however, the ability to tailor my rounds to my needs is the real advantage. I can't go to Walmart and get 3/4oz 12ga target loads. Sometimes I can't even go to Walmart and get 9mm, because the idiot kid is nowhere to be found

.

November 20, 2012, 02:20 PM	#1
dado5 Junior Member Join Date: January 4, 2011 Posts: 7	I dont care if I save money reloading....I like it!! I started reloading a few years ago and just keep getting more and more excited about it. I always read threads and hear people saying how it doesnt pay to reload anymore. Well I just wanted to say that it doesnt matter to me. There are some calibers which I know it is cheaper to reload (i.e. my 45-70) but others I just like being able to shoot whatever bullet I feel like trying in that gun. My wife has an entire craft room full of stuff b/c that is her hobby, not because she makes it cheaper than she can buy it. One of my hobbies is reloading, it doesnt need to make me money. Thanks for listening.

November 20, 2012, 02:33 PM	#2
RobertInIowa Senior Member Join Date: March 4, 2012 Location: Iowa Posts: 149	Welcome to the addiction. __________________ Guns don't kill people, fathers with pretty daughters do. Two wrongs don't make a right, but three comes pretty close. Proud NRA member

November 20, 2012, 04:22 PM	#5
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	I'm beginning to agree. At first, reloading was just a way to get affordable ammo, and it still serves that purpose, but I also shoot FAAAaaaarrr more than I ever did before and I'm starting to enjoy the actual reloading a bit too. I'm a little scared by that... this could get expensive. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

November 20, 2012, 04:24 PM	#6
mumbo719 Senior Member Join Date: June 27, 2008 Location: Tampa Bay, FL. Posts: 346	I'm with you. I do it because I enjoy it, PERIOD! __________________ CZ 75 P-01 . CZ-75B . CZ 912 . CZ 920 . Glock 26 Gen 3 . Kimber Pro Crimson Carry . XDm 45 3.8 Compact . Ruger 22/45 MKIII

November 20, 2012, 07:04 PM	#12
delta tide Member Join Date: June 9, 2012 Posts: 35	I started reloading in order to shoot more. Now shoot so I can reload more. __________________ "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." - George Bernard Shaw

November 20, 2012, 02:46 PM	#3
Vance Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2011 Location: North Bend, OR Posts: 743	Not necessarily to save money. I just find that I shoot more now that I reload.

November 20, 2012, 04:18 PM	#4
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I agree.....a lot of us consider reloading part of the gun hobby / and the reality is we shoot 3 or 4 times more with the same ammo budget because we reload.... But your buddies are also wrong on savings....I can even reload 9mm with a premium FMJ bullet for under $6 a box vs $ 10 - $12 retail in my area / and other calibers will give you even more savings..../ my reloads on .45 acp are about $8 a box vs $ 22 or so retail...( 230gr FMJ bullet again ).... but I'd reload as well ...even if the savings were a push....

November 20, 2012, 04:31 PM	#7
oneoldsap Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2009 Location: I live in the foot of the Green Mountains of Vermont Posts: 1,602	It's my therapy , can't afford a shrink ! I just feel safer loading my own , every round is CUSTOM at no extra charge . Same reason I raise my own livestock , I know what's gone into it , and what hasn't .

November 20, 2012, 04:36 PM	#8
Ambishot Senior Member Join Date: April 29, 2011 Location: US Posts: 274	Saving money wasn't ever a reason that I got into reloading. I find that my reloads are far more accurate through my rifles than factory loads. (the factory loads that I've tried, that is)

November 20, 2012, 05:02 PM	#9
capodastro Member Join Date: March 16, 2012 Location: bondurant, wyoming Posts: 41	I do it because I love it and I think especially with something like 500 S&W, I will be saving $ very soon. It takes awhile to make up for the cost of the initial equipment, but after that........

November 20, 2012, 06:38 PM	#10
Misssissippi Dave Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Posts: 1,411	I consider reloading a hobby. Hobbies often get to be expensive. This is one hobby I have so far that I actually have that supports another hobby (shooting) that also brings down the cost of a second hobby. There aren't many hobbies I like doing able to enhance a second hobby. If I were to only break even loading my own, I will still do it. I can't think of a single center fire metallic case ammo where it costs me more to reload my own compared to store bought factory ammo. Hobby time is creative use of my free time. It isn't something I place a price on as a part of what I might save or not. It sure is a nice feeling to be able to go to the shelf and grab what I want to shoot. It beats going store to store trying to find at least one box of a certain caliber then paying way more than I can afford to pay. I don't shoot any less than I did before getting back into reloading.

November 20, 2012, 06:53 PM	#11
mmb713 Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2011 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 421	I never saved any money by reloading either. Just shot a whole lot more. And once I got into reloading that became the hobby. I went from reloading so that I could shoot to shooting so that I could reload.

November 20, 2012, 07:15 PM	#13
Daggitt Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2011 Posts: 321	It has definitely saved me money. I was shocked at how ammo prices have gone up. I have used the same press for about 15 years so my fixed costs are near zero. I can reload any round cheaper than I can buy it.I started doing it to save money. I now also truly enjoy doing it. I don't want to hex myself but I have had very very few problems doing it. It is something that must be taken seriously , but I have not found it to be difficult. I pressed a 44 bullet too far into the case once and it wasn't coming back out. So I threw that one out. That's the only failure I really have had.

November 20, 2012, 07:40 PM	#14
Magnum Mike Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2007 Location: Rochester, MN Posts: 347	Isn't it great to show up shooting, with a bunch of buddies. They have 1 or 2 boxes of cheap ammo and you almost need a 2 wheeler to haul yours to the bench!

November 20, 2012, 07:44 PM	#15
serf 'rett Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2009 Location: Stuttgart, AR Posts: 1,569	"Hello, my name is 'rett. I reload my own!" Group responds, "Hello, 'rett!" .... Yep. Addict. I'm having a blast reloading for pistols, but sense the serious rifle stuff is impending. The very thought of one ragged hole has me drooling on my shoes. __________________ A lack of planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on my part.

November 20, 2012, 07:47 PM	#16
serf 'rett Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2009 Location: Stuttgart, AR Posts: 1,569	Mag Mike - I'm certainly glad I didn't have a mouthful before I read your two wheeler hauler remark; would have been cleanup time for sure! __________________ A lack of planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on my part.

November 20, 2012, 07:48 PM	#17
floydster Senior Member Join Date: May 26, 2008 Posts: 472	I enjoy reloading as much as I do shooting

November 20, 2012, 08:46 PM	#18
Misssissippi Dave Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Posts: 1,411	I do plan to use a hand cart on my next outdoor range trip. My range bag is just too heavy when I put the ammo in the bag. The outdoor range is not one of those per hour affairs. It is nice to quit when your are ready and not because you don't have enough ammo. I couldn't do this without reloading.

November 20, 2012, 10:47 PM	#19
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	Reloading kept me out of trouble and thereby helped my Marriage. Who knows what trouble I may have gotten into down at the beer joint instead of being in the reloading room downstairs? Reloading is seriously interesting. Especially when combined with a casting setup and a chronograph. If one were to add even a single boolit to homecast (HA!) then boom, the bottom drops out of the (usually) most expensive part of reloading and boolits start costing 2 cents apiece or less, instead of 10 or 15 cents apiece that store-boughts cost. Home-casting brings the cost of most popular (small cased) rounds down to below the cost of decent 22 LR's. For example, I can load 100 38/44 Specials for about 4 dollars. The 357/44 Mags about a dollar more for powder overall. A box of 100 CCI Mini-Mags cost 6.99. Even if I got crippled up or whatever and couldn't go shooting anymore, I would want to continue to reload because it is just so darn interesting that it's a hobby unto itself.

November 21, 2012, 01:39 AM	#20
brigond Member Join Date: October 28, 2012 Location: PA Posts: 47	I started reloading cause it would save me money . I didnt realize what was involved . Once I researched it and started making my own ammo it became more and more interesting. Never did I think of it as hobby. I began to realize that it was becoming something to fill the void between range trips. I can't shoot all day long so this is at least something to do with shooting until the next (weekly) range trip. I don't have much time during the week but I manage to make enough rounds for the weekly trip. Now, I have to say that this is the best hobby you can have. It saves you money and you love doing it. I can't walk passed my press set up without stopping to press out a couple ,and if I don't have time I just admire it for a moment. When she asks the kids " where's your father?" Their response is " he's probably probably making bullets mommy. " I bumped into a guy at the range who also casts his own bullets. He showed me some really nice quality bullets. They were like little gleaming pieces of gun jewelry. I thought to myself , I can do that . For the sake of marriage and family I'm gonna try to hold off on extending this hobby. I don't know for how long though.

November 21, 2012, 01:46 AM	#21
praetorian97 Senior Member Join Date: May 9, 2011 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 455	The actual end product saves me a ton and let's me shoot more, but thank god I don't factor in all the extra equipment and toys to reload. At this rate I'd need to reload for a small country at war to break even

November 21, 2012, 05:23 AM	#22
twins Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2010 Posts: 393	Is this the same as "I don't care if I eat too much and get fat.....I like it"? If the cost of reloading has a negative return (costs 2x more than running to Walmart for a box of ammo), then I'm definitely out. I reload to get best accuracy from my firearms. But I'm not willing to go blindly at it either.

November 21, 2012, 08:48 AM	#23
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	I completely enjoy loading my own ammo, saving money is only a side benefit for me. Also now that I am retired I am enjoying it even more. I find it very rewarding to see how my own hand loads shoot.

November 21, 2012, 09:35 AM	#24
Shootest Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2011 Location: Just outside Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 722	I don’t know of any factory ammunition that is tailor made to shoot in my firearms, at any price. So if I compare apples to apples I’m sure I’m saving large amounts of cash vs. custom manufactured ammo. __________________ The private ownership of firearms is an American Heritage. Anyone who disputes that is Anti-American and unpatriotic. NRA Life Member

November 21, 2012, 09:59 AM	#25
hAkron Senior Member Join Date: March 31, 2011 Location: Akron, Ohio Posts: 318	I reload for anything I shoot. Mostly 9mm and 12ga where the savings can be negligible...however, the ability to tailor my rounds to my needs is the real advantage. I can't go to Walmart and get 3/4oz 12ga target loads. Sometimes I can't even go to Walmart and get 9mm, because the idiot kid is nowhere to be found .