a funny one at the gun shop the other day

[Fox1]

Powderman
So, I'll do the math...

200 175 grain MatchKing bullets, in .308--$62.
200 CCI #34 primers--$5.00
200 charges of a new powder I'm trying out (Alliant 2000-MR, at 42.5 grains per charge...a little over $22.00 worth of powder.

Cost of a small case (10 boxes of 20) of Federal Gold Medal Match 175 gr. in .308 Winchester--around $350.00.

Cost for me to duplicate the round by reloading...$89.00.

I wonder if your gun store guy would think I'm saving any money?

But!...but...but, you forgot the cost of your press and tumber, scale, dies, um...your time!
The house that you reload in.
The insurance on said house.
Your car and fuel to drive to the store for supplies, if you drove.
Insurance on said car.
So, um...yeah, in the long run the GSG (Gun Store Guy) is correct, it's cheaper to buy your ammo.

[sonick808]

I never thought it would be , but I enjoy reloading every bit as much as shooting. As some have said, it's having a hand in the process as much as possible. The gear, the accuracy, waiting all day for the UPS guy to deliver your mitutoyo ball mic.. There is a whole "Zen of Reloading" if you will; the only thing better than reloading, recording data and reprocessing would to also be able to build your own firearms, and control that aspect as well. Perhaps one day.....

[oneoldsap]

I originaly started reloading more for quality Ammo . When I started , back in the mid sixties , factory ammo was of mediocore quality at best . Todays factory ammo is far superior to what was on the market back then ! Today I reload for the same reason , plus the savings realized now that Factory ammo is $30.00 + per 20 ! Unless you shoot big box junk , that is only available for a few Calibers , usually for a few weeks around hunting season ! I get a great deal of satisfaction taking Game with ammo that I built , for my Rifle , for that Game . My Son hase never killed a Deer or Bear with anything but handloads and he has been hunting 22 years now , very sucsessfully . I might add ! Loading our own is just part of our way of life , and I wouldn't have it any other way ! I just plain enjoy it , and always will !

[medalguy]

Well I'll tell you, my cost of time spent reloading is a lot cheaper than paying a psych on an hourly basis.

[Lost Sheep]

Originally Posted by kkirchmer

Time
I understand the overall savings for the cost of the materials but how long does it take you guys on average to reload a 50 round box of ammunition? I love to shoot but between work, kids, and working around the house I barely have enough time to get out on the weekend for a few hours to shoot.

Do you guys figure in what your time is worth into the cost?

I would be interested in knowing the time from start to finish to reload a few hundred rounds.

I estimate that about 5% of handloaders count their time as part of the coast of their loaded ammunition. After all, you don't count the time it costs to EMPTY them, right? Why should you count the cost of your time to re-fill them?

I don't usually, but sometimes I will put a dollar figure on my hours and toss that into the calculation just for kicks. (I work in the accounting field. Some of us get weird kicks. There's a joke: The people who become accountants are those who didn't have the personality to become an mortician.) Sometimes I even amortize my gear, too. But I draw the line at counting the cost of my house, the gas to go get supplies and the electricity it takes to light my work area, Fox1.

Accountants have a word for what you do when you balance loading time for other activities: "Opportunity Cost" We always trade one activity for another. Time at the range vs time with the kids. Sleep vs quality time with the spouse. Loading vs tending the garden.

The time it takes to load a few hundred rounds depends a lot on your equipment and how you use it. With the Lee Load-All (the one that is powered with a mallet, often called the "whack-a-mole tool", you would be hard pressed to get 20-30 per hour. A Dillon 1050 can probably deliver 600-1,000 per hour (but don't even THINK about getting that production speed if you only want 50 rounds). A single stage press can do 50 rounds an hour easily and a turret can easily double that. If your turret auto-indexes, maybe 200 rounds per hour. Slow things down if you don't use a powder measure mounted on your press and none of this includes case preparation. In short, loading speed is HIGHLY dependent on you.

I don't take my time into the calculation of whether or not to load a particular round, at least not in the arithmetic. I selected my equipment's "natural speed" based on my shooting volume. I shoot a half-dozen different calibers, maybe 100 to 300 rounds per session once or twice a month. I tailored my loading around that quantity and got a Lee Classic Turret that I am comfortable operating and delivers 100 rounds per hour (including setup and tear-down time). I'm happy with that. Others count 200 rph with the same press, but I am not that fast.

Be safe. Always, all ways. Wear safety glasses, especially when working with primers and don't pinch your fingers in your press.

Lost Sheep

[Sport45]

I don't consider time spent at the bench as part of the cost. It's a recreational activity. Frustrating at times, but recreational anyway.

I order almost all of my reloading supplies online so fuel doesn't figure in either. Shipping costs are certainly considered.

It might take me 5 to 10 years (maybe more) to load a box of ammo if you consider when I bought the components.

[sc928porsche]

I pick up brass at the range. I cast my own bullets. Cost for 9mm is the price of the powder and primer. Cant get much less than that.

My lead supply was free and still have a lot of it left. As for the cost of labor..........Its a hobby. Cheaper than golf, skiing, or any of those kind of activities.

[Xfire68]

But!...but...but, you forgot the cost of your press and tumber, scale, dies, um...your time!
The house that you reload in.
The insurance on said house.
Your car and fuel to drive to the store for supplies, if you drove.
Insurance on said car.
So, um...yeah, in the long run the GSG (Gun Store Guy) is correct, it's cheaper to buy your ammo.

You should never include the cost of your time when figuring the cost of a hobby. If you did most of us would never have hobbies!

The other costs your trying to add are a joke as well. Those things are either already part of your life or they are not and if they are not your probably not in the market for a hobby?

That aside, you can't buy the ammo I load! No matter how much you spend. I make custom ammo for each of my guns and they will shoot better then with anything that you can buy in the store. If I could buy better ammo for any of my guns even if it is more expensive I would most likely buy it. But, you can't!

[chasep255]

Well I once bought a box of Brown Bear 9mm for about $0.16 per round. The stuff was absolutely horrible. That is about the cheapest 9mm ammo I have seen. A hundred rounds of NEW brass may cost $17 but you can buy range pickup brass for somewhere around $50 per 1000. Also don't forget that the price per round depends on how many times you use the brass.

[Xfire68]

you can buy range pickup brass for somewhere around $50 per 1000

I was selling it ultra cleaned and decapped for $38 priority shipped to your door for 1,000 so it can be had for much cheaper then new.

[limitdown]

I bought my reloading equipment mainly to reload .308, .223, 38 Super and 45acp. I've achieved great cost savings from reloading these calibers/cartridges.

Since I already have the sunk cost of the equipment, "on the side" I also reload 9mm. It uses the same small-pistol primer as the 38 super and the same powder, so why not.

However, if 9mm was the only cartridge I shot, then I would not have bought all my reloading equipment.

[overkill0084]

I don't count my time as an expense. I didn't take time off without pay to do it. But then, I don't count time sleeping as an expense either.
The utilities would still be paid if I owned no guns at all. The cost of the increased lighting is negligible. I would probably be monkeying about with something else if I didn't reload, so I'm not really sure it matters.
The equipment is a cost yes, but if you reload multiple calibers, it will pay itself off soon enough. What's the payoff on a set of quality golf clubs? Or a Harley? Most hobbies don't save money in any way, ever.

[Prof Young]

Loaders:

I like shooting my 44 mag. If I shoot the same bullets I hunt with it's about 80 cents a shot with store bought ammo, but only 30 cents with reloaded. If I shoot wadcutters, it's even less.

Live well be safe.
Prof Young

[hooligan1]

We, at this house do it because our "loads" are usually more accurate than what we could purchase. As far as my time, I'm a plumber by trade so my time is expensive most usually, but my "HOBBY TIME" is Priceless!!!!!!+1 Frankenmauser, it is funner than shooting sometimes!!

[kinggabby]

Great post guys first of all. I myself would love to be able to reload but space and money constraints make it impossible for me.Just wish I had a friend who reloaded so I could be his/her tester. As for someone saying they don't include time spend when figuring cost I would agree as long as it is for personal use. If selling the reloads then yes you would want to figure in time just as I do when I make an ink pen to resale. When selling you have to factor in cost of supplies, time, utilities ( lights, heat etc. ) your skill level and I am sure there are other factors that elude me right now but I am sure you get what I am saying.

[arizona98tj]

.....But most calculators don't figure in the "hidden" costs. 1. Dropped, "lost" primers, ruined/crushed brass and/or bullets, spilled powder, etc. 2. (have you ever read of a reloader that couldn't identify the 1/2 lb. of powder in his powder measure so he dumped it?). 3. Shipping costs if components purchased on-line/mail order. 4. If you drive to a vendor: gas prices plus wear and tear on the auto/truck. 5. Utilities costs for reloading area (lighting, A/C in summer, heat in winter). Some reloaders wear nitrile gloves for reloading. 6. And in my case, I cannot go into a "candy store" or place an order online without getting some of those items I see and know I really need (even though I may use it once and put it away), like a new and improved tool, or books and magazines.

I've been reloading since the mid '70s. I reload .308 Win, .30-06, .303, .223, .45ACP, .38/357, .40, and 9mm. I enjoy reloading....and I will buy factory ammo when it is cheaper or it suits my needs. However....regarding the "hidden costs" of reloading....this is my take on them.

1. I probably average one "damaged" round per 1000 reloads. I don't spill powder and I don't drop primers.

2. I have never had to dispose of any powder, contained in anything, because I could not positively ID it. IMO, people who leave powder in a powder measure probably practice other bad reloading habits. Those are the folks I don't want to shoot near and certainly not use their ammo.

3. Shipping costs for buying factory ammo on line/mail order can not be ignored either. Yes, you can find free shipping....and I routinely get free shipping on the bullets I purchase online (although we all know that the shipping cost is still factored into the baseline price....there is no such thing as a free lunch).

4. And....if you drive to the local big box store or a gun shop to buy some factory loads...there is no wear and tear on your automobile?

5. I reload in my house. The heating and cooling of my reloading room is no more nor no less than if it was filled with library books, a comfy chair, and a reading light.

6. That is a personal issue if one can't control impulse buying. That being said, I'm sure no one has ever added something to their online order in order to bump it just enough to get that 10% discount or free shipping or just because they couldn't live without that new cool accessory.

In summary....for all of those "hidden" reasons listed, they are, IMO, no more hidden than they are for someone buying factory ammo.