Should I reload?

[Yung.gunr]

So I have been thinking about getting into reloading for a while. I have thought about holding off on my next gun purchase to use the money to get all the reloading gear. But here is where my concern comes in.. most of the calibers I have are the cheapest out there. So will reloading really save me any money?
Here is a breakdown of which calibers I shoot and in order of frequency/number of rounds shot.
.22lr (by far the most)
9mm
12 ga
7.62x54R
.380
.410
Will likely pick up a 7.62x39 soon

So with the .22lr nobody I have heard of reloads, the 9mm is so cheap and plentiful. The 12ga from my understanding you have to have a lot of different gear to reload for it then rifle/pistol rounds. The 7.62x54R and 7.62x39 have a lot of cheap surplus available. I only shoot the .380 and .410 occasionally so
getting the gear for it would probably be last on the list.

So what do you guys think? I mean if I were shooting mainly .45 or 10mm I think it would be a no-brainer. But with what I shoot will I find any benefit?

Thanks for your help with this one as I am a total noob with it.

[trublu]

Ammunition costs far more that the firearms themselves eventually.

I calculated that I had to shoot and reload 3000 rounds of 9mm before it made it cheaper for me (including start up costs). Of course it's not really cheaper because it just means that you shoot more rounds more often

[NWPilgrim]

Depends:

- How much do you shoot? 9mm and .380 can be loaded cheaper with hard cast bullets, but you need to shoot at least 1,500 rounds to recover costs with a fairly basic set up.

- Do you plan to shoot steel cased ammo? Most of the steel cased ammo used in practice is nearly as cheap as reloading. If it functions in your firearm then it could be a viable alternative to reloading but you will not get as good as accuracy or selection of bullets/weights.

- Are you planning to shoot standard loads fro practice? If so then reloading may not be worth it. Handloading gives you extreme flexibility besides saving money.

- Do you think you might enjoy the detail, research, quality control, testing and time to manufacture your own ammo? If you only do it for saving money then you may take shortcuts and end up with unsafe load someday. I think reloading is best done for the enjoyment and practicality with cost savings as a third level reason. Yes you can save a lot of money if you shoot a lot, but if you do not have the temperament or interest then it probably will be either frustrating or unsafe.

[aaalaska]

You should find someone in your area that reloads, and ask very nice if they would help you with the basics , it may not be for you but pay attention it still could teach you a great deal about shooting and how things work.

[Lost Sheep]

So will reloading really save me any money?

Possibly not. .380 is fairly expensive, but the other metallic cartridges (as has been pointed out by others before me) are easily had fairly cheaply.

Shotgun ammunition takes a different kind of press than metallic cartridges, so involve another purchase and separate analysis. But 12 Gauge is easily found fairly cheaply and may not pay you to load.

But these points have already been covered.

I am posting to mention the OTHER reasons you might want to load.

When you load, you will likely pay more attention to ballistics, particularly internal ballistics. You will pay more attention to how your guns work, and more understanding is always better with regards to firearms.

You can put together more accurate ammunition than you can buy. If you are into tinkering and have the personality to pursue elusive results - it is not for everyone, but for those who can get into it, it is a very rewarding pursuit.

There is a great deal of satisfaction in punching small bunches of closely spaced holes in paper with ammunition you have crafted yourself. And when you cleanly take an animal in a good hunt, the meat even tastes better.

The repetitive, quiet, concentrated activity of loading carefully crafted ammunition can be quite soothing. Some people have expressed they are uncertain if they reload in order to shoot or shoot so they can reload some more.

If any of these comments pique your interest, handloading may be for you whether you save money on it or not.

Good luck. Thanks for asking our advice.

Lost Sheep

[NWPilgrim]

If any of these comments pique your interest, handloading may be for you whether you save money on it or not.

Good point.

I have met few guys who ever asked the question "Should I reload?" that did not end up getting into it eventually. I guess if it sounds boring you would not bother to ask. If you ask then you have some level of interest simmering.

As Lost Sheep describes, there are a lot of satisfying reasons to reload. And you will never imagine what they are or how much fun it can be unless you try it. For me, it is like having my own little physics lab, R&D, quality management dept. and manufacturing plant at my workbench.

Pretty soon you are learning about work hardening of brass, pressure limits of hard cast lead, plated soft lead, and gilding jacketed bullets; the pressure curves of various propellants and effects of volume, mass, temperature, etc. Then you have the mechanical aspects of using dies to form cases and consistently assemble components, measuring in thousandths of an inch, weighing .1 grains (that is 1/70,000 pound), and really getting to know how cartridges fit or don't in your chambers.

[Rob96]

For my 308 I am loading a round equivalent if not better than the FGMM for about $9.00 a box. Was loading primo 45/70 too until I got rid of it. Now I will be loading for my new 223. Besides loading using premium bullets for less, it's more about tuning a load to a particular gun.

[Sevens]

I'm exactly one of those folks that Lost Sheep and NWPilgrim have eloquently described with their posts. Handloading to me is a h-u-g-e part of the hobby, probably MORE of a hobby in itself, and I thoroughly enjoy that whole angle of it... so I would handload even if it didn't save me any money.

Certainly, when I look at your list, it's hard to suggest that you'd be saving a bundle with those chamberings. You can still make better ammo cheaper, no doubt, but there's a lot of money invested in tools, a huge time investment, and there's the reality that to REALLY get your component costs down, you need to spend heavily in bulk -- which means large expenditures.

I currently roll 9mm with 125gr commercially cast lead and I can do it for under $5 per box of 50. Obviously, that price is killing whatever you are currently paying for 9mm. But 9mm is not one of the rounds we consider a huge costs savings. If you were buying and shooting .44 Mag, the difference would be staggering.

However, for me to be able to truthfully say that I'm under $5 per box for 9mm, I must include that I buy my powder 8 pounds at a time ($108) and my bullets 2,000 at a time ($108... ha, funny) and my last primer buy was a few hundred dollars so I could keep that number low also.

To do all that JUST to save a few bucks means a heckuva lot of cash going out in tools and components.

Many folks get in to it to "save" money... we all find that we don't. ALL OF US. We spend more money and we make an awful lot more ammo and we end up shooting a whole lot more. Our cost per shot is certainly lower, but the money we spend on the hobby is much more than we did before we took up handloading.

With your listed chamberings... I can only be honest. If you are looking specifically to save money, you likely won't do that any time soon.

[jrdavidson]

I can get kinda attached to the shiny little bundles of pent-up kinetic energy that I've assembled from scratch, sleeping in neat little rows waiting patiently to go downrange accurately and consistently.

Mostly, I reload because I can (and its fun). One day it may be the only remaining source once commercial rounds get regulated/registered/taxed or otherwise rendered inaccessible by hoplophobe politicians.

Reloading is an essential gun-related skill that has its own practical as well as emotional rewards - irrespective of its financial issues. I like the sense of accomplishment I get working up a new load that works well in my firearms.

While you *may* eventually save money, you will soon find yourself buying in bulk to get the best prices on components. The startup costs of the press, dies, bench, etc., all add up quickly. I think I spent about $300 building a large NORMA bench, and about $500 setting up a simple turret press, powder dispenser/scale, dies, and initial components, so my first box of 50 was a bit steep.

Years later, however, I routinely crank out production-grade ammo at about a third the cost of retail (reusing brass). I only buy retail now what I choose not to reload.

Jump in, you'll also enjoy your shooting more once you start shooting your own.

[Gdawgs]

Like others have mentioned, reloading can be very enjoyable and rewarding. I enjoy reloading as much as I do shooting(well almost). My wife doesn't understand how I can study my reloading manuals night after night. She asks "What do you find so facinating about those books? It's just a bunch of numbers."

You study the pages then start thinking(which is the dangerous part ) "Hmmm, maybe I should buy this powder, or this bullet next time." Then it goes downhill from there. "Oooh, this caliber would be fun! But then what gun should I get......... etc."

[mikld]

In your case, no maybe you shouldn't get into reloading if money is your only motivation. I started reloading out of curiosity. I thought "I wonder if I could do that" in '69 and bought a Lee Loader in .38 Special. Been reloading for fun off and on since then. I know my guns much better than if I was using factory/surplus only, and learned a lot about firearms in general from handloading. I enjoy assembling custom ammo for an individual gun and getting results better than factory ammo, and the satisfaction/pleasure it provides is priceless. I cast my own boolits too, and that just adds to the pride and satisfaction. For many things, money isn't the only motivation...

[Doodlebugger45]

Gdawgs has nailed it.

For the OP calibers, the answer from an economic standpoint would depend on hoow many rounds per month he shoots. If it's 1000 rounds per month, then the answer is a definite yes. If it's more like 100 rounds per month, then probably not in terms of money.

But it's a lot more than just money involved. It's not for everyone, but for some of us, the joy of handloading might surpass that of shooting. That mad scientist mentality runs deep in some of us.

[Yung.gunr]

I am thinking of looking into it more and more. But one thing is that with money being tight if I get into reloading then it will probably be another year or two before I can get another gun.

A couple more follow up questions....
Why do you call them boolits?

Does anyone know of a local club or person who I could shadow/be my mentor?

I will definitely have to discuss it with the wife before jumping in. I feel that if I am able to shadow someone I will be able to accurately explain what all it entails to both my wife and myself.

Thanks again for all your advice.

[Habaz72]

Boolits are when someone melts down lead or lead alloy and pours it into molds to cast their own projectiles.

You could just watch people at the range when you go to shoot. Look for people getting ammo from plastic reusable boxes instead of factory boxes. Look for the ones picking up their brass. Ask the people at the counter of the local gun stores and ranges if they know people who reload.

As far as learning what's involved... Look on youtube for reloading videos. Search for reviews of different presses. I'd suggest buying a manual or two and read thru them. I really like the ABCs of Reloading, very informative. I also read thru the 25 most current pages of this forum (I don't get out much).

I am pretty new to reloading but I got the very basic of equipment for right around $100 (lots of Lee equipment, hand press, scale, powder dippers). I collected free range brass and got my powder and primers (hazmat to ship) at a local store. The bullets were the most expensive item (1000 for $140). Shop around for your equipment, look for sales or free shipping on the heavy items. Buy in bulk when you can.

I'd suggest that you start with just one caliber, but start collecting brass for that caliber right now.

[Crankgrinder]

youve gotten plenty of input thus far but heres mine anyway. Just like you i shoot that which is most plentiful and the cheapest. 9/.83 and .357 is what i shoot. I havent even been to the range in at least six months (realy bad summer here in texas). I know full well ive spent more on reloading/casting setup than im likely to ever get back no more than I shoot. I got into it because it was always something I wanted to do not to mention when i bought my first gun (a beretta 9) there was no ammo available for quite a while (we called it the barackalypse). Ive probably got about the cost of a pretty nice new gun wrapped up in my setups but it has rewarded me with so much that i have learned doing it, A nice hobby, and a bit of self sufficiency because im not too worried if theyve got any boxes on the shelves or not. just primers and powders and alloys which i buy in bulk mostly. My loads are better for my guns for reasons such as bore diameter, barrel wear and such. I still think reloading is worth it IF you are careful with your loads and follow the manual and dont blow up guns.

[TXGunNut]

Hard to get excited about loading some of OP's cartridges but maybe that's not the point. Reloading allows me to shoot firearms that use cartridges I probably wouldn't buy off the shelf, or at least not very many.

[MrWesson]

I got into reloading strictly for the cost savings and availability during the crunch.

I love it and got into casting shortly after. I can now produce 1000 rounds of 9mm for under $40.

I love being able to load powderpuff loads,target,SD practice and whatever else.

If you are doing it to save money and dont plan on casting/shooting lead I wouldn't bother for 9mm.

[chris in va]

9mm
12 ga
7.62x54R
.380
.410
Will likely pick up a 7.62x39 soon

9mm, I've loaded thousands and cast for it too. Cost savings won't be a whole lot but you'll get to shoot much more of it for the same price.

12ga, forget it.

54R, not enough reloadable brass to justify the cost and the relatively low round count you'll be shooting.

380, think about how much you *really* plan to shoot that little gun, then decide. If only a few mags a week, not worth it.

410, see above.

x39...I reload using cast bullets (boolits). If you'll be getting an AK, just buy Wolf or something. Don't reload. Collecting/finding reloadable x39 brass was an exercise in futility and the main reason why I sold my AK and picked up an AR. 223 is *very* reloadable and our local range has literally thousands on the ground after a weekend.

[Tim R]

Some find reloading a hobby in it's self. If you are not able to follow detailed information and perform those steps reloading might not be for you. You will have to be your own QC. Some people just can't do that.If you think reloading is a way to be the badest on the block, then reloading might not be for you.

[farmerboy]

Alot of people do things for different reasons, some for shooting more some for the savings and so on. For myself i have been introduced to guns by the time i could walk and was hooked then. No one I'n my family reloaded but just loved guns I'n general. So i knew just by buying more guns was not gonna cut it. I just had to shoot more and stock more ammo and do different processes I'n some of my spare time. It's not even a question for me i just eat it up and then some and love it all. Some people just know from early on this their thing and one of mine happens to be reloading.

[orionengnr]

As usual, Sevens has it just right.

If you like to shoot, and would like to shoot more...a lot more...for about the same cost, reloading is for you. I started about 3 1/2 years ago, started slow, and didn't really take advantage of it for a year or two.

These days I shoot weekly and spend less on ammo than I do on range fees. I typically shoot 100 rounds of .22LR and 100 rounds of centerfire (usually .45 acp).

[mrawesome22]

Reloading appeals to the perfectionist in me. I can experiment and find exactly what my gun loves.

I do not see how anyone could save money by rolling their own lol.

[Hook686]

I'll not 'Should' on you. It is you call all the way.

[twins]

So will reloading really save me any money?

OP,
According to your list of ammunitions, the answer would be very minimal savings-if any.

You can't reload your own 22LR so the bulk of savings is out the door with this. For the rest of the calibers, just buy ammo in bulk and shoot. Beats the heck out of sitting on your butt for several hours at a time reloading.

I reload for many different calibers and I will tell you sometime it's fun but the majority of times it's truly a "pain in the butt" and your wallet.

[snowdog650]

My opinion is that EVERYONE should reload. Well, everyone that is physically and mentally capable of reloading.

I live in California. I got into reloading a couple of years back because I never know when the morons who run this state will put additional restrictions on or an outright ban on ammunition. They almost passed a statewide ban on mail-order ammo. I reload so I can have and master the skill now ... before any further legislation comes down and the panic buys start again.

And ... now that I am reloading? I love it ... and enjoy shooting/hunting much more as a result of my depth of understanding behind the tools of our trade.

If you have a good attention span ... are self-motivated ... and have good attention to detail ... you should reload.