How much $ do you save reloading?

[chuckmatlock]

Have been reading and it seems start up costs are a bit high. How many do you have to do til your even or saving money? I understand the ability to get much better quality and precision but how does it really stack up?

[mniesen89]

chuck, well lets see,I've been reloading for about 6 months now and haven't saved a penny!In fact I've spent waaaaayyyyy more money then I would have if I would have just went to waly world! How much money you save really depends on a bunch of factors in the beginning. For instance a single stage press is not in the same category as a progressive, the different calibers you will be reloading and how advanced you want to go with your setup.

For me,I started out small and then caught "THE BUG"! A horrible disease at that!I'd buy one thing and realize I didnt like it or it just wasnt fast enough and go and buy something else.In the end it will save money I assume, I just havent seen the light at the end of that tunnel yet!


P.S. You know its got ya when you buy a gun just to reload that caliber!

[firechicken]

The fact is, you'll never save any money by reloading. Your ammo will be much cheaper per round, but you'll shoot a lot more!! I'd guess I probably shoot about 10 X the number of rounds that I would if I didn't reload. I reload for every firearm I own except rimfire and 7.62X39. Many of my guns have never had a factory loaded round fired by me. Working up the loads, and finding something that works is probably half (if not more than half) of my shooting enjoyment. mniesen89 has it right - you WILL buy new guns just to reload for a different caliber!

[Rembrandt]

As previously mentioned, the savings are sometimes eaten up by shooting more.

Just bought ten bags of shot for $38.25 a bag....Sportsman's Warehouse has it for $49.00 a bag. Price shopping can save a bunch.....of course that same shot was going for $20 not that long ago. Shooting costs are going up, buy low and buy in big quantities.

[SIGSHR]

You do more shooting for the same amount of money. Plus, like learning to
cook and bake, you master the skills necessary and understand the process
better, and you can tailor your loads to YOUR tastes and needs. There is
something very gratifying about finding a rifle's favorite load and turning it into
an MOA or better gun without expensive customizing and gunsmithing. And winning the Big Match or taking the trophy game animal with your reloads is
also very gratifying. If you are practicing self defense, bullseye or CAS reloading will let you produce the large amount of ammo you will need unless
you are independently wealthy or have won the lottery.

[RickB]

Six months ago, I was loading .45 ACP for about $4.50 per box of 50. That included no cost for brass, since it's free for the taking at all the ranges where I regularly shoot. Mostly due to the increase in bullet prices, the cost will be more like $6.50 per 50, the next time I have to buy bullets. I paid $175 for a used Dillon Square Deal press, and I probably had another $200 worth of accessories already. So, my next 1000 rounds will cost me $90, and 1000 rounds of factory hardball would cost me, what? $300 (I haven't fired a round of factory centerfire ammo, except .32 ACP, in over five years, so I may be way off)? Every 1000 rounds, I "save" over $200.

[shepherddogs]

I haven't bought components in about a year. Last I bought came to .04 for a 200 grain LSWC 45, about .02 for a primer, and about .02 for powder. Thats .08 per shot or 4.00 a box of 50 or 8.00 per 100. Can't do that at Wallys. Not even close. And I bet my loads are more accurate too. Now, if I cast my own the price comes way down. The guy I buy tires from saves me his used wheel weights and bullets are basically free. I have always saved my brass and never miss a chance to pick up what others leave behind. So you can see how the savings can add up. The equipment pays for itself pretty quickly especially if you start out with somthing like a Lee Classic Turret which doesn't cost too much. They are pretty decent presses for the money. I used to curse the Lee equipment but the Classic Turret changed my mind.

[BigJimP]

My cost to reload 9mm is about $ 4.75 a box and about $ 7.50 a box for .45 acp ( with other calibers in between ). That saves me a good $5 to $9 a box. Do I shoot more, yes ......so its probably a wash. Honestly, since I reload, shooting 9mm is about the same price as high quality .22 shells like CCI mini mag at about $ 10 for a box of 100 and I'd rather practice with the 9mm every week rather than a .22

Shotguns - on 12ga I'm at about $ 4 a box for 1 oz reloads - but they are a high quality shell retail at about $ 7.50 a box - but same thing I shoot more. The real savings on shotguns are in 28ga or .410 where my reloads are under $ 3 a box compared to $ 10 retail.

To me reloading is part of the hobby - I enjoy it - and it does save me a little money for a minimal effort. My metallic loaders put out 20 boxes an hour easily / my shotgun loaders put out 10 - 15 boxes an hour.

[CrustyFN]

I can reload 9mm for $80 per thousand compared to WWB at Wally World for $180 per thousand. I also reload 223 for $120 per thousand. Cheap 223 I think is around $300 + per thousand. I bought the Lee classic turret setup for around $200. It cost around $35 to add a caliber for dies and a spare turret. I can load 200 rounds per hour and that keeps up with my ammo needs. You can see it didn't take me long to pay off the press and get ahead of the game. The best part is that your reloads will be better than the cheap stuff and you will always have at least 600 to 1,000 rounds laying around ready to shoot. Reloading is very relaxing for me and another great hobby all it's own.
Rusty

[tplumeri]

Im new to it so have yet to break even on the gear. I got a RCBS, NIB for $125 and a couple hundred more in "add ons".
but the real $$ problem is the dies,cases and bullets for .35WSL!
first two hundred will be just under $1.70 per round!

[SLOMountaineer]

Big-time savings...if you don't have to buy a load of brass at the beginning. The savings for a lot of the calibers were already covered above...my big savings is in .40 S&W. About $7 box where it would cost me $20+ for the equivalent ammo retail.

Also, .45-70 is a huuuuuge savings for me. Off the top of my head about $25/box.

I used to do the progressive thing but have so much pistol ammo lying around I am solely single stage at this point. It is something I really enjoy doing. When the rain is pouring down and the wind is blowing there is nothing like being out in my garage with a hot cup of coffee close at hand and pulling the handle.

P.S. I reloaded some .45 and had to get a gun to shoot it! Went out and bought a Camp 45 after loading about 500 rounds.

[WSM MAGNUM]

I probably saved hundreds of dollars over the years by reloading versus the factory costs, but I also spent more because I`m able to shoot a lot more from reloading. It`s still worth it to reload.

[CPTMurdoc30]

For my 45acp

Bullet Rainer 200gr FP [email protected] = .12 per bullet

Powder TiteGroup 5gr per load $17 per pound 17.99/7000*5 = .01 per round

Case Free Rang pick up

Primer $27.50 per 1000 = .03 cents per primer.

100 rounds = (.12+.01+.03)*100 = $16.00

$8.00 per fifty.

From Midway USA
Magtech Ammunition 45 ACP 230 Grain Fully Metal Coated Round Nose Box of 50

Price $15.99 (Sale Reg $17.99) per 50. At normal price I am saving $10 per fifty.

This is just book prices and shipping and tax will add to both prices but with the amount of tax and shipping varies so much you would have to do that for yourself.

223 Rem

Bullet Hornady 50gr V-max
250 @ $34 = .14 per bullet
Powder Varget
$20 per 1# 26.0 gr used (20/7000)*26 = .07 per round
Case Remington $21.67 per 100 = .22 per case
Primer CCI BR4 1000 @ $37 = .04 per primer

Total Cost (.14+.07+.22+.04)*20 = $9.40 per 20.

Hornady 55gr v-max Varmint Ammo from Midsouth $14.81 per 20

$14.81-$9.40 = $5.41 per 20 *5 = That is $27.50 SAVINGS on 100 rounds of ammo.

Now I picked the closest Hornady varmint round to the one I use Not the lowest cost because I do not shoot low cost ammo at all.


Granted these are just rough figures for what I reload. Now when you find a load you like and are going to stick with you can order in large quantities and save more money. I would say that spreading out you initial start up cost over 1 year maybe 2 years and you are still going to save money.

I could save more money on the 45acp loads by using a 185gr Rainer bullet or lead bullets (Pending on lead prices). I started to shoot lead because they were cheaper but now the last order I went back to Rainer because they were a lot cheaper than the Laser Cast bullets I was using. 2000 45acp bullets will last me most of the year too. That and you will save even more if you load odd ball rounds Where your factory ammo is higher priced. Like the Weatherby rounds Factory ammo will put you in the poor house real fast but reloads will keep you shooting much longer. Now if you are wanting to reload something like 7.62x39mm for an AK or SKS then I doubt you will save any money. You can buy wolf ammo so cheap for that it does not pay to relaod for it.

[jmorris]

Since I started reloading (many years ago) it has cost me $1000’s of dollars, as soon as I save a buck I seem to spend ten. If your goal is to shoot more and become a better shooter, go for it, if you want to save money stop shooting yesterday (or 9 months ago).

[scsov509]

I hear a lot of people who reload say that it doesn't save them any money because they just shoot that much more. I'm in a little different boat in that I've always done a ton of shooting, so that reloading has really cut my cost down substantially. I've always shot at least once or twice a week, but reloading allows me to do it at about half the cost or less. In my case that has meant more money to invest back into other aspects of shooting such as new guns .

[KCB]

Reloading saves a crapload, and it's fun.

[firewrench044]

if you shoot cheap or surplus ammo you will not see any saveings until you use many thousands of rounds

if you shoot match grade ammo ( $.90 to $ 1.50 per round ) you will get a saveings a lot sooner

you can not purchase comercial ammo that is taylored perfectly for your
rifle ( close but not perfect ), the only way to get that perfect ammo is to load it your self

[Martyn4802]

None!!!

[KCB]

I don't understand how people can say you don't save any $$ reloading. Even if you shoot way more because of the decreased cost you are syill saving money, just shooting more ammo spending the savings. I shoot match grade reloads with high quality components for a fraction of the price if I was to buy factory loads. If you are not saving money reloading, you are doing something way wrong.

[armoredman]

I say I have saved a bunch of money. I haven't bought a box of factory ammo in quite some time, and that was for carry ammo. Made up another 80 rounds of tester cast loads in 9mm yesterday, driving down to the free public range in a little bit to try them out. With casting my own bullets, and not being a huge volume shooter, I can honsetly say I have saved a bunch of money. 1 pound of powder costs about the same as 50 round of good quality ammo. 1000 primers, a box of very good stuff. Enough lead to cast 200 bullets, less than a pack of cigarettes, (which I finally gave up buying), and my time is free, considering it's a fun and relaxing hobby.

[jaguarxk120]

What you do in reloading is starting a hobby within a hobby. Save money yes and no - shoot more yes yes!! Look around at sportmans swaps, check evelbay, sometimes craigslist, people are always selling reloading equipment for less than new. The quality mfgs. stuff takes about 100yrs to wear out, shop carefully and you can save alot of money in equipment.

The real payoff in reloading is the reloaded ammo shoots much better than factory ammo. You can taylor you loads to shooting conditions. Why spend 25 cents for a premium hp when a surplus full patch bullet will do. Just punching holes in paper, the paper doesn't know the difference.

In my 44mag I use a 44 special load, shoots great and won't beat you up shooting it. TF

[Sevens]

I don't understand how people can say you don't save any $$ reloading. Even if you shoot way more because of the decreased cost you are syill saving money, just shooting more ammo spending the savings. I shoot match grade reloads with high quality components for a fraction of the price if I was to buy factory loads. If you are not saving money reloading, you are doing something way wrong.

You would have to define saving money. Seriously.

Saving money, IMO, means spending less money. Because I reload, I absolutely, positively, no doubt spend more money. I shoot more because I have more ammo and because I want to test my different loads, I want to shoot even more often. Instead of buying a box of ammo, I buy a can of powder. I buy my bullets in boxes of 500 rather than ammo in boxes of 50. I have spent a lot of money on presses, dies, scales, powder measures, and the list goes on and on, and I never EVER stop spending money on tools and different powders and bullets. NEVER!

What does it mean to "save money?"

If I bought a Toyota Prius Hybrid that gets 65 mpg for $22,000 and my neighbor buys a rusted out 1979 Chevy short box with a 4-barrel 350 and full-time 4 wheel drive (10 mpg) for $500 and a 6-pack of beer from his uncle, which of us has saved money? You may say that I'm the bright one because I bought the Prius, but I would have to argue with you. I've spent a helluva lot more money than my neighbor has.

But which vehicle is more economical? The Prius gets 6 times or more better gas mileage. And I won't have to fix it, and the warranty covers it even if something breaks. The '79 Chevy eats fuel by the barrel, and will likely burn oil, too and need repairs many times a year. What if we both live 2 miles from work and we rarely drive anywhere?

The fact is, I can figure out my cost of ammo per shot and find that it's certainly cheaper than factory ammo. But there's two different ways I can come up with my numbers... I can add up the cost of powder, bullet, primer and figure the brass is free and my time is spent at leisure so it's free as well. OR I can also add in the cost of all my tools (hundreds of dollars and growing) I can add in all the money I've spent in powder including powder I've spilled or never have used much of but had in the rack for 20 years, and I can add in any bullets I've pulled and brass I've squashed or I could add in the time I've spent setting up, adjusting, actually loading at the bench or cleaning brass or picking up brass, cleaning primer pockets or case trimming or WHATEVER.

My cost per round is cheaper than factory ammo.
The money I've spent as a handloader is more money than I used to spend on ammo, plain and simple.

We constantly tell folks this because it's a simple equation-- if a guy makes $250 a week working at the gas station and has no extra money to get rolling, he's probably better off buying factory ammo. He will NOT save money right away. He probably doesn't have enough money to buy the proper tools to get started, and even if he does, how is he going to buy a can of powder, a box of bullets and a few hundred primers?!

If he's got money to invest, a suitable place to work, free time without distractions to handload, and patience to learn how to properly and safely do it, then reloading may be a terrific choice for him.

[angeldeville]

.45 acp costs me about $5 per 100, if it cost me $40 per 100 to shoot factory ammo I wouldn't shoot very often....

so I doubt is saves any money, just makes practice, and family time more enjoyable

[BigDog454]

Cost of lead cast bullet $0.05 Primer $0.02, powder $0.02. Shooting a big buck with a 45 cal round that you loaded yourself "priceless".

[The Lovemaster]

Yes, I save money by reloading, plus I have a fun hobby that I enjoy, which SWMBO tells me is important. Right up till she tells me to come in the house because I'm spending too much time in the garage doing said hobby.