How much is your reloading time worth?

[polyphemus]

Okay, so imagine a part-time-in-retirement job you enjoyed that you could do anytime you want, as much or little as you want, and you get paid $15 to $18 buck an hour for it. And you don't even have to leave home.

Is it worth it . . . ?

OP wants to know but his question because of the variables only applies to his particular case,for that reason only he can answer it.

[briandg]

my reloading time is free, since there is nothing that I could be doing that would pay anything other than good will from wife or neighbors.

[Rifletom]

Certainly not about money; quality, yes. For the most part, My ammo is better than most factory for MY guns. Tailor made. I probably should load for my shotguns, but, I can't beat Wal-Mart prices for the shot -gunning I do. It was/is never about saving money. Pure enjoyment of a hobby.

[thallub]

At age 79 my services are still in demand. i could be sitting at a computer 10/7 charging big bucks for my services, but i'm tired of playing the game.

Reloading is very relaxing for me. Gives me a sense of accomplishment to know i'm capable of matching or bettering expensive match ammunition.

[Average Joe]

It's my hobby, it's what I do when I can't get to the range, and all winter I reload, instead of watching the Nitwit Football League.....

[Grey_Lion]

Ditto most of the above - it's zen - it's craft - it's self reliance - it's to be in generally good company - it's because it's no-one else's business just how much ammo I may have...... what it isn't about is manhours. If I charged myself my hourly wage - I'd not be doing this...... For what I've spent on my reloading gear I could have bought every round I've ever fired to date twice......

Oh - and it is educational. I've learned so much - and I'm safer for having learned as much as I have plying this craft.

[Rangerrich99]

I'm not sure I can quantify it in dollars and cents. I mean, if I consider that it costs around $45/box of 50 for either .44 spl or .44 mag, and I can make those rounds for about $12/100, or $22/100. Or using an annual set of figures, if I bought .44 spl/mag it would cost me about $800-$900/yearly. I make the same 1,000 rounds for about $210. Just WAG-ing here, but i think that's about $150 or so an hour.

But most of the rounds I make aren't as "profitable." And my varmint .223 rounds are down right too costly in terms of time to make. The monetary cost is about 37 cents a round in materials, but it takes two weeks, 4 nights per week, two hours per night to make 1,000 rounds of the stuff. And that's if I'm in a hurry. I've lolly-gagged until it's taken me more than three weeks to produce my 1,000.

But those bullets will shoot 1/4 MOA at 200 yards, and I just got back from a p-dog trip where I hit 5 dogs at over 400 yards in less than a minute, using only 8 shots. I can't afford that kind of precision out of a box. So despite the cost in time, I continue to load those p-dog pills every February.

If I had to quantify it, probably I'm barely breaking even, and those .44s are probably the only reason I am (well, and the .380s; those things are stupidly expensive to buy), but reloading those pills is relaxing, and almost as soothing to me as fishing.

[CommandoX]

Another really interesting post and replies. I really enjoy this place.

I started making my own ammo because I heard I could make it better AND cheaper than buying it if I did it right. That was my thought process years ago.

Reloading has given me enjoyment, more knowledge about all things "gun" and more friends. It has been a pleasing, relaxing and beneficial hobby for me. Ya, it's a hobby now.

I cannot imagine how much money I have saved over the years by making my own ammunition. I have little doubt that it is substantial but the key for me is that the labor is free. I WANT to do it. I like to do it. Without labor costs I'm pretty sure I've already paid myself back for all the reloading equipment I've purchased over the years. I load 7 pistol calibers and 6 rifle calibers. Several of those are not 9mm prices at Walmart.

I have maxed out my "production" with a turret press. I don't go any faster than that for my own safety. My best bud has a Dillon and he can make ammo like popcorn when he wants to. That's too much machine parts for me.

It's been an interesting read for me. Lots of views and ideas here. In the end, for me it's a hobby that pays me back for my effort 2-3 times a week. So, I win.

[Mike Irwin]

The simple reason why I've not reloaded 9 mm in years past, even though I have the stuff to do it, is that I HATE trying to fumble those small cases into position on my press.

When the price of 9mm dropped so low (prior to Obama taking office and sending the prices on just about everything firearms related soaring) it was worth more to me on an aggravation-savings level to buy my 9 mm.

[BBarn]

I reload all my centerfire ammo. But I don't count my time because I'm not in a race to save money. I enjoy reloading, though I too find 9mm rather burdensome.

When I look at the cost of loading 9mm, buying 1000 primers and bullets, and a pound of powder, versus buying 1000 loaded rounds I can't get close to $.10 per round in savings. About $.028 for a primer, $.08 for a plated bullet, and about $.01 for powder. That's $.12 per round reloaded, not counting the brass. Loaded ammo can be had for about $.17 per round, and if you pick up the brass as you would need to do for reloading, you can sell it, even if just for scrap. So the savings is on the order of $.05 per round, or $2.50 per box of 50. A minor savings, but perhaps worth the effort if you have a press with bullet and case feeders.

And there is also the brass prep, which generally includes some level of inspection, and perhaps an occasional primer pocket cleaning. Plus the occasional press and die maintenance.

But beyond any cost "savings", reloading allows me to tailor my loads, often assembling loads less powerful than those from the factory. When I look at what I spend on reloading equipment, I doubt I save much money on common handgun ammo like 9mm or 45 Auto, or even 357 Mag or 44 Mag. I may save a little more on 454 Casull and centerfire rifle ammo (other than .223).

All things considered, the savings isn't really all that great (if any at all) for someone who shoots about 3K-5K rounds per year. And if you try to count your time, well...

[jmorris]

If I can buy what I make, I do. No one sells the loads I load, heck, some of the rounds I load no one even makes anything like them.

That said I could buy a nice boat, a Harley and a Rolex if I sold all of my reloading gear and wanted to blow the money on things that interest other people.

[Jim Watson]

I don't hurry even on a progressive, so I am "earning" only $33 an hour.
But I am retired, so the time is available at no cost.

Even if gainfully employed, I bet you can find SOMETHING to substitute reloading for. NFL, maybe.

[5whiskey]

Even if gainfully employed, I bet you can find SOMETHING to substitute reloading for.

Oh you're right, I have tons of hobbies. I do leather work, wood work, and I reload. I love all three, but don't have enough time to properly do just one of them! It's taken me nearly a month to half finish a display case for my '51 Navy.

NFL, maybe.

I would sell all of my TVs if that was all there was to watch. Just me...

[rebs]

I am retired and have plenty of time for reloading and I enjoy it almost as much as shooting. Reloading I enjoy the satisfaction of loading my own ammo which generally shoots more accurate the the factory type. It is part of my hobby and I enjoy it. No pay or money saving required.

[Don P]

Back before Obama was elected I would scrounge brass at the local range. Folks would laugh at me for picking up 9 mm, "because factory ammo was so cheap" After the election and ammo prices, no pun intended shot through the roof folks were whining at the range about the price of ammo, and all I did was smile and have fun shooting my reloaded 9 mm.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

I don't look at my reloading bench time as {physical work} thus it requires a hourly dollar rate. If I were too. No doubt such bean counting behaviour on my part would undoubtedly have to include my family time spent with wife & kids. On second thought: maybe I should pro-sue this non-existing Wage with my wife. Upon Third thought: Na!! ain't worth the Battle Royal I'll catch.

[Brian Pfleuger]

The fact that we have enough free time to debate on a forum about how much our free time is worth, tells me that we have enough free time to reload without being concerned about the value of that free time.

[jmr40]

I can buy loaded 9mm ammo for 18 cents/round. I can't buy bullets for less than 10 cents each. And that doesn't include the cost of powder or primers. If you include resizing, cleaning brass, priming, adding powder and bullets I'm looking at about 2 hours to load 50 rounds. That is less than $2/hour savings.

I do reload for my big game hunting rifles. I can load better quality ammo using premium bullets for about the same price as budget ammo. I don't do it to save money, but to get better ammo at a reasonable price.

But economically it isn't worth it to me to load for 9mm or 223. I'm retired and work part time making enough to buy almost 1000 rounds of 9mm each day that I work. On the days I'm not working for someone else I'm working on the house or my vehicles instead of paying a contractor or mechanic $100/hour.

[Dano4734]

Takes me forever but I hand measure every charge and enjoy the time doing it. Besides it gets me away from my mrs honey do list

[LE-28]

Back before Obama was elected I would scrounge brass at the local range. Folks would laugh at me for picking up 9 mm, "because factory ammo was so cheap" After the election and ammo prices, no pun intended shot through the roof folks were whining at the range about the price of ammo, and all I did was smile and have fun shooting my reloaded 9 mm

Isn't that the truth!

The range I was shooting at back then couldn't even get ammunition and asked me where I was getting all of mine.
I told them I load all my own and I would not sell them any even if was legal to do so without a FFL.
They didn't appreciate my comment.
So I just went into the range and shot my normal 100 rounds of 9mm and 50 rounds of .357mag all by myself, while they had to turn away customers because they had none to sell them.
It's no wonder they didn't like me much.

[Mobuck]

My time has become more valuable than the savings of reloading.

[LE-28]

The time I get to spend reloading on my machines is worth a lot to me. If you are trying to put a dollar and cent value on this, my $700.00 progressive press was paid for in less than a year by what the ammo would have cost. That was 6 years ago. What's it worth now?
My time? What else would I use it for, watching "Friends" reruns on tv? Watching the news, which is worse?
I cherish my reloading time, it is my get-away. To me it is priceless.

[jetinteriorguy]

My time off is the most valuable time I have. That's why I spend as much of this time reloading as I can.

[J.G. Terry]

I run into this BS from time to time. Why spend time reloading when ya' buy it so cheap. Ya' get what you pay for. Go beyond common calibers and cartridges get not so cheap.

I get that business from some guy who owns a Glock and five hundred FMJ rounds from Russia. You know, that guy who has not fired a gun since getting his carry permit. He carries his piece in a Uncle Mike's holster etc.

Reloading allows me to spend time on some extraordinary shooting experiences. Next, I ask how much time do you spend watching TV?

[Dano4734]

I am retired if i wasn’t i probably would just buy my ammo like i use to do. Now time is on my side and i enjoy it