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Old March 8, 2007, 11:58 PM   #26
Eghad
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How long do you have to work to buy a box of Ammo?
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Old March 9, 2007, 12:01 AM   #27
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Another poster here says that reloading keeps him out of bars. If you factor that in, you save a TON of money.
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Old March 9, 2007, 12:35 AM   #28
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Another poster here says that reloading keeps him out of bars. If you factor that in, you save a TON of money.
Different strokes for different pholks!
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Old March 9, 2007, 01:06 AM   #29
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It's like a lot of things besides saving money it's fun. I enjoy it. I don't need a motorcycle to save gas, but I like it.
I don't need a nice Fenwick fishing rod when a cheapie will work but it is better and I like it.
I used to make hand made fishing rods they were cheaper than the expensive comparable but if I counted the labor they would have been much more the cost of the best Limaglas, to me they were worth it.

Lots of things in life like reloading. I bet I have spent more in the long run but have been able to shoot many many times more too which I enjoy. So, YES,to me it's worth it.
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Old March 9, 2007, 02:01 AM   #30
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If I took the time I spend reloading and worked instead then I'd probably go insane from stress. When you consider that seeing a mental health professional costs about $60-$125 an hour, then reloading seems like a pretty cost effective alternative.
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Old March 9, 2007, 02:10 AM   #31
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Buy a Dillon RL 550 and you can reload 500-600 round per hour.
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Old March 9, 2007, 07:40 AM   #32
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That would be like paying myself to go kayaking.
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Old March 9, 2007, 11:35 AM   #33
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I wonder is labor rates are ever factored into this reloading cost.

Say if you were working instead of reloading, you might be making 10 dollars an hour. if it takes one an hour to make 50 rounds of 9mm then they are losing money because most are 9 bucks / 50.
The way I see it is if you are going to charge your time for reloading then you should charge your time to shoot them also. Sounds like both wouldn't be worth the money.
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Old March 9, 2007, 12:43 PM   #34
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Keep in mind the flexibility it also permit. A second job would likely require specific hours of work. When I reload I can come and go as I please, am available to my family and am not tied down. Money can't buy you time.
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Old March 9, 2007, 02:07 PM   #35
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If you want to really factor in all the costs of reloading, be sure to add the value of that room, the extra trips on the vehicle to the Gun Shows or Dealer for Components, Etc.

In my case alone that would add just add $27,000 (figuring $180/sq.ft Real Estate Values in this area) just for the room I use for reloading. Kind of makes that Dillon 1050 look inexpensive.
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Old March 9, 2007, 02:53 PM   #36
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Reloading is an extension of your hobby. As the OP pointed of that if factor your time in then it negates savings? Well, then with that view point Venison is the most expensive meat any hunter will eat, that walleye fillet is the most expensive fish a person will eat. Hobbies are for relaxation! They are not about saving money. So if a person does not have the time or inclination to reload then do not do it! Play and simple. Reloading just allows for bang for the shooter's dollar nothing more nothing less!
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Old March 9, 2007, 03:57 PM   #37
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I buy my ammo in whole.

I shoot 9mm.

Blazers to me are 7.50 box of 50.

I like to go to the range every friday if I can , and shoot two boxes.

100 rounds a week, 5200 rounds a year.

So in one year I spend $783.00 on ammo, or 15 cents a round. shipping included.

--------------------------------------------------------------

how much to reload 5200 cases to factory specs ? and how much time would that take ?

Figure I reload once a month, 433 brass for the month of shooting... and use that same brass for the whole year..
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Old March 9, 2007, 04:39 PM   #38
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My cost loading .40 cal is 5.70 box of fifty you can do the math from there!

Last edited by LSMNTBC; March 9, 2007 at 05:31 PM.
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Old March 9, 2007, 05:01 PM   #39
Don H
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My cost loading .40 cal is 5.70 box of fifty or 570$ per 1000. you can do the math from there!
I think you need to redo your math.

$5.70/50 = 11.4 cents/round
$570/1000 = 57 cents/round
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Old March 9, 2007, 05:31 PM   #40
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never was a math wiz.
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Old March 9, 2007, 07:14 PM   #41
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I got started reloading to save money. My first gun was a Weatherby 240 Magnum and factory ammo was real expensive and hard to find. After reloading a bit I found that I enjoyed reloading almost as much as shooting. Then I started buying guns that factory ammo was not available ( 30 Herrett, 357 Herrett, 7mm BR). Now sometimes I shoot so I can reload the cases. . I'm a very sick man (or so my wife says)
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Old March 9, 2007, 07:26 PM   #42
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"How much to reload 5200 cases to factory specs ? and how much time would that take ?"

I track my loading costs fairly closely, and my records show that 9mm costs me right at about $4 a box. Cost is as follows:
  1. 124 grn plated bullet, $40 per 1000: ($2 per 50)
  2. Powder $15 per pound: (7000 grains in a pound, approximately 1500 rounds a pound at 4.5 grains a round, $1 per 50)
  3. Primers $20-24 per 1000 depending on brand: ($1-$1.20 per 50)
  4. Brass no cost: (Reused or free from my local range)

If I wanted to buy powder in bulk or higher quantities of bullets per purchase then I could probably cut this cost down more, but right now that's what I'm spending since I load for a lot of difference calibers and don't buy for any one in especially large quantity.

Now I can load about 100 rounds an hour with my current equipment and preferred way of doing things, so we're talking basically an hour a week to load what you shoot.

$4 a box x 104 boxes (5200 rounds)= $416 which is .08 cents a round. That's half your cost in exchange for an hour of my time each week. Now if I wanted to factor in my time I'm salaried, so I'd be looking at some minimum wage job for an hour each week (not too realistic I think). Minimum wage here is $7.93 right now, plus I'd have to subtract taxes which in my bracket is about 25%. That gives me an additional $5.95 an hour cost, which totals to $309.40 a year.

$416 per 5200 rounds + $309.40 for time= $725.40 per 5200 rounds, which is in the end still cheaper than your cost.
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Old March 9, 2007, 09:06 PM   #43
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Joe

I reload 8 pistol calibers.......
and what you don't understand is what I get from reloading besides the inexpensive ammo:

1) it is the most relaxing thing I do all day.......
2) it is probably the most satisfying thing I do most days.....

so there you have it---- relaxing and satisfying at the same time.....

hard to beat, I'd say.

shoot straight
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Old March 9, 2007, 10:07 PM   #44
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Quote:
Posted by CCW : I reload 8 pistol calibers.......
and what you don't understand is what I get from reloading besides the inexpensive ammo:

1) it is the most relaxing thing I do all day.......
2) it is probably the most satisfying thing I do most days.....

so there you have it---- relaxing and satisfying at the same time.....

hard to beat, I'd say.
Exactly, not to mention you end up with better quality ammo.
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Old March 9, 2007, 10:24 PM   #45
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When the day comes I feel I need to factor in MY LABOR into my reloading, it is time to give it up. I have never understood why anyone would think they are so important that their reloading time is part of the equation. I would have to think how much money I am losing driving to work, how much gas I used to drive to my supplier, maybe how much it cost me in tire wear or oil for the trip to his place. I wonder how much money I lost sleeping tonight when I could have worked and made money. Damn, I just shoveled my drive today because of the snow, I better factor that in too along with the wear and tear on the shovel itself. I don't even want to think about mowing my lawn,, sheesh,, gas, oil, time and blade sharpening not to mention having to buy a mower every couple of years because it wears out,, hmmm my reloaders have never worn out. Well, I guess I am going to tell my wife she has to pay for my sexual favors too as it takes up my precious time. Well, I suppose after I get her response, I could buy it retail too and not have to worry about reloading..
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Old March 10, 2007, 01:35 AM   #46
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yes people I KNOW you enjoy reloading as a hobby, I did state that in the first post.

I said hobbies cost money.

what I then said was that if

you reload just to save money, then maybe you arent.

For me, any reloading would be just to save money, and has the pleasure equvilant to doing the weekly laundry.

I just cant imagine, someone leaning over a bench, out of the press comes out another round and he says " OOOOH YEAH BABY "... I just dont see it.

of course I mean no offense, There are thousands of things that people find enjoyable that I just dont see...

such as :

A Homosexual cowboy looks at some male and thinks *JUICY*.

A marathon runner sees 26 miles and thinks AWESOME.

etc...
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Old March 10, 2007, 09:25 AM   #47
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I have no doubt that many reloaders do save money, but the savings aren't so much in the cost of production, but in the fact that they shoot that many fewer rounds when they go to the range because of all the time they spend on reloading-related activities instead of shooting. For them, shooting seems to be the process of validating the reloads so that they can be a better reloader instead of the reloads being made for the process of being a better shooter. So a bunch of time is spent trying to determine just how the reloads are performing and afterwards, scrounging around on the ground to find more raw materials. Heaven forbid there should be a bad round where the reloader has to track down a spent case and inspect it thorough to try to ascertain if there are any signs on the case that would explain the problem with the bad round.

If somebody shows up and proclaims "I've just worked up a new batch" or "I am trying a new powder today" then I can usually count on that person spending more time with their reloads than with their targets and shooting.

In short, I often see two types of people at the range, reloaders and shooters, and the name implies on which activity the greatest amount of time is spend while at the range.

From my golf days, reloaders remind me of those guys who spend more time looking for "free" water balls and "free" balls in the rough than actually golfing, proclaiming all the while how much money they are saving.
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Old March 10, 2007, 10:02 AM   #48
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"I just cant imagine, someone leaning over a bench, out of the press comes out another round and he says " OOOOH YEAH BABY "... I just dont see it."

You have described me perfectly. I just *love* to see those beautiful finished rounds go into the box, ready for the range. Go figure. That said, if I paid myself my normal working salary for my reload time, that would be some very expensive ammo. As a high power shooter, though, I want to make sure that I *personally* have done everything possible to get my best score.

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Old March 10, 2007, 11:11 AM   #49
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i don't figure in labor because it's a hobby for me. i'd rather reload at night during the winter than watch some dumb@zz reality tv show.
Yeah , I kind of see it that way too. Besides, as mentioned above, reloading does not take time from my job, the only place where I am actually paid for my time. I never had a scenario where I called in to work and said: "Hey I can't make it in to work today , I need to load up some ammo for this weekends range session , Sorry!"

A lot of those who posted apparently measure all their time during the day as if they are making money by the hour 24 hours a day!

Sort of like telling the wife , "don't waste your time all afternoon making that nice home cooked meal , that is too much time you are not getting paid for , let's just hit the DogDonalds and get a meal in two mintues.":barf:

And for those who shoot for precision , like in long range rifle or benchrest, reloading is usually the only way to go. As example a box of 20 rounds of Federal .223 using the Sierra 69 MatchKings runs about $25! I simply could not afford to shoot that ammo , but can easily afford to shoot reloads using the same bullet. Or in the case of the 44 mag , would not even own any if it were not for reloading. A 50 round range session with the 44mag can cost $25 or more with factory ammo. The hec with that. Plus I am not even making any money while I am at the range - bummer.
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Old March 10, 2007, 02:07 PM   #50
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Double Naught your experience is exactly the opposite of mine.

I reload in order to shoot more. Once I've worked up a load, it is not uncommon for me to load several hundred rounds of a given caliber, then go to the range and shoot them all!

Granted, when I'm shooting my 44 hunting loads, I will only shoot about a hundred rounds (at 100 to 150 yds) or so, but if I'm just plinking, I can and have shoot upwards of 300 rounds of 44 at 25 yds.

My wife does the same with her SP101 in .357... um, not at those distances, however.

As for .223... well, I just plink with it. 1000 rounds just for the shear pleasure of shooting is not at all uncommon. Not with me, nor the people that I shoot with.

With that much shooting, I have to reload in order to afford it.

Smokin Joe, reloading is also a relaxing and enjoyable time for me. Can't put a price on relaxation after a stressful day at work. Simply because you don't see it, doesn't negate the experience for others.
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