Is reloading no longer economical? - Page 2

castnblast · October 7, 2009, 07:32 PM

It still pays for Larger rifles - ex: 270 fed premium cost about $40.00 per box by the time you figure tax. I can still reload mine for around $12.60 per box and get a premium round.

Primer .05
Bullet 130 gr BTSP .28
Powder .20
Brass never fired - 5 loadings .10

Cost is still 3 to one for reloading vs. factory. and I get a premium custom round for my gun.

amamnn · October 8, 2009, 05:10 PM

Who cares? If that's your only criteria, you should not be doing it anyway. _____or______ reloading is a pass time unto itself...........

dmproske · October 8, 2009, 10:46 PM

I could not afford to shoot my .500 mag revolver without handloading for it! Same goes for my .300RUM rifle. Match grade rounds for my .308 are like 30 bucks a box. I roll my own .308 that shoot better then Federal Gold Medal match for much, much less.

RAnb · October 8, 2009, 11:24 PM

I load 338 whisper, 510 whisper, 458 socom, 375 JDJ, 9mm 147 subsonic, 375 whelen improved, 300 whisper, 358 winchester subsonic, 7.62x39 subsonic, 5.56 subsonic among others. The ones listed are either not available commercially, or only at greatly inflated prices. It is greatly worth it to reload.

Ranb

Edward429451 · October 9, 2009, 08:49 AM

It always pays to reload. If your even 1/2 a**ed good at it, you have match grade ammo so don't compare it to cheap ammo, compare it to match grade ammo.

ir3e971 · October 9, 2009, 05:52 PM

It was certainly economical when there was no ammo available on store shelves.

Also, 44 Mag is darn expensive to purchase commercially.

If you use lead bullets, most of the rounds present a good savings.

Edward429451 · October 9, 2009, 06:54 PM

I can reload 44 mag for about 5 bucks a box still (50) in 11 different flavors

Blue · October 9, 2009, 06:54 PM

I think it is safe to say there can be some savings realized. That said, I don't think it is just about the $$. From what I have read on this forum there are as many ways to determine your costs as there are folks reporting it. Every one gets a fantastic deal on the used care they just traded for or the tractor they just sold. Lots of dynamic traders and loaders out there. At the end of the day if I honestly record everything I don't really save much - but that chould change someday. Just got to stop buying stuff for awhile and maybe I'll get into the black.(unintended pun)

Some folks save a lot and some folks go in the red deep. Standard Bell Curve probably represents the population fairly well.

Folks have different goals with re-loading.

I just enjoy doing it and get some satisfaction when my loads meet or exceed my expectations.

Hope others enjoy it as much as I do.

I guess you can say the same thing about Boating, Hunting, Collecting, and many more activities.

ConradJoyce · October 11, 2009, 12:40 PM

Bulk/factory 30-30 ammo is around $80/hundred, untaxed and before shipping (I am assuming internet purchasing, which I never do, but for the sake of comparison it makes sense to use this number). So say it's $0.85 per round.

Reloading the 30-30 with standard components and using new brass comes in at about $0.45 (taxes and local shop profit included) per round, if you break the brass into 4 reloadings.

So, discounting the cost of setting up your bench, reloading the 30-30 is just over half the cost of the cheapest factory/bulk ammo. And certainly if you do your job properly working up the most accurate load for your rifle, it is way better ammo.

Makes sense to me.

Conrad

kron · October 11, 2009, 02:11 PM

I have about 30-50% off what I'd pay for factory loads depending on what quantity I buy the components in. More than the cost though, it's fun and it keeps me off the streets.

Can't say it keeps me out of trouble though... It's amazing how many hours can pass while working on loads. All comes suddenly clear though when the better half pops in the room to ask if I'm ever gonna come out to play with the kid...

October 7, 2009, 07:32 PM	#26
castnblast Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2006 Location: Corpus Christi TX Posts: 1,148	It still pays for Larger rifles - ex: 270 fed premium cost about $40.00 per box by the time you figure tax. I can still reload mine for around $12.60 per box and get a premium round. Primer .05 Bullet 130 gr BTSP .28 Powder .20 Brass never fired - 5 loadings .10 Cost is still 3 to one for reloading vs. factory. and I get a premium custom round for my gun. __________________ VEGETARIAN...old indian word for bad hunter

October 8, 2009, 05:10 PM	#27
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	Who cares? If that's your only criteria, you should not be doing it anyway. _____or______ reloading is a pass time unto itself........... __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

October 9, 2009, 06:54 PM	#33
Blue Senior Member Join Date: June 6, 2009 Posts: 113	Economical? I think it is safe to say there can be some savings realized. That said, I don't think it is just about the $$. From what I have read on this forum there are as many ways to determine your costs as there are folks reporting it. Every one gets a fantastic deal on the used care they just traded for or the tractor they just sold. Lots of dynamic traders and loaders out there. At the end of the day if I honestly record everything I don't really save much - but that chould change someday. Just got to stop buying stuff for awhile and maybe I'll get into the black.(unintended pun) Some folks save a lot and some folks go in the red deep. Standard Bell Curve probably represents the population fairly well. Folks have different goals with re-loading. I just enjoy doing it and get some satisfaction when my loads meet or exceed my expectations. Hope others enjoy it as much as I do. I guess you can say the same thing about Boating, Hunting, Collecting, and many more activities.

October 8, 2009, 10:46 PM	#28
dmproske Junior Member Join Date: August 18, 2008 Posts: 6	I could not afford to shoot my .500 mag revolver without handloading for it! Same goes for my .300RUM rifle. Match grade rounds for my .308 are like 30 bucks a box. I roll my own .308 that shoot better then Federal Gold Medal match for much, much less.

October 8, 2009, 11:24 PM	#29
RAnb Junior member Join Date: July 20, 2008 Location: WA, USA Posts: 447	I load 338 whisper, 510 whisper, 458 socom, 375 JDJ, 9mm 147 subsonic, 375 whelen improved, 300 whisper, 358 winchester subsonic, 7.62x39 subsonic, 5.56 subsonic among others. The ones listed are either not available commercially, or only at greatly inflated prices. It is greatly worth it to reload. Ranb

October 9, 2009, 08:49 AM	#30
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	It always pays to reload. If your even 1/2 a**ed good at it, you have match grade ammo so don't compare it to cheap ammo, compare it to match grade ammo.

October 9, 2009, 05:52 PM	#31
ir3e971 Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 2006 Posts: 145	It was certainly economical when there was no ammo available on store shelves. Also, 44 Mag is darn expensive to purchase commercially. If you use lead bullets, most of the rounds present a good savings.

October 11, 2009, 12:40 PM	#34
ConradJoyce Junior Member Join Date: October 11, 2009 Posts: 8	Bulk/factory 30-30 ammo is around $80/hundred, untaxed and before shipping (I am assuming internet purchasing, which I never do, but for the sake of comparison it makes sense to use this number). So say it's $0.85 per round. Reloading the 30-30 with standard components and using new brass comes in at about $0.45 (taxes and local shop profit included) per round, if you break the brass into 4 reloadings. So, discounting the cost of setting up your bench, reloading the 30-30 is just over half the cost of the cheapest factory/bulk ammo. And certainly if you do your job properly working up the most accurate load for your rifle, it is way better ammo. Makes sense to me. Conrad

October 11, 2009, 02:11 PM	#35
kron Member Join Date: November 9, 2008 Posts: 36	I have about 30-50% off what I'd pay for factory loads depending on what quantity I buy the components in. More than the cost though, it's fun and it keeps me off the streets. Can't say it keeps me out of trouble though... It's amazing how many hours can pass while working on loads. All comes suddenly clear though when the better half pops in the room to ask if I'm ever gonna come out to play with the kid...