can you really save money reloading

[striker55]

I've been doing the math and I cant beat purchasing Blazer ammo for my 45 or my 9mm. Can you really save any money reloading for these calibers?

[Yoosta B. Blue]

Striker, I haven't loaded any FMJ bullets for my .45 ACP. I first got into the fun of shooting when I was paying $9.47 at Wal-Mart for the Blazer Brass. Then I saw that that 50-round box had gone up to $11.97. Then it went to $14.97. I haven't looked at them lately, so don't know the Wally World price. But in adding the tax and using round numbers, it would cost me at least $300 per thousand to buy those rounds today. (YMMV where you live and shop.)

A few months ago, I set up a "poor boy" reloading bench. Since then, I've been loading 200 grain SWC .45 ACP rounds at a cost of right at $90 per thousand. In addition to .45, I'm reloading .38 Special at about $83 per thousand. But besides the savings, reloading is one heck of a lot of fun! I love it!

CP

[Sevens]

My cast lead bullet loads for .45 (200 grain LSWC) currently cost me $5.38 per box of 50 to reload. If I were to go with FMJ bullets (much more expensive), my cost would likely be around $7 or $8 a box of 50, depending on my source for bullets.

Of course, this is simply the cost of components-- the bullets, the powder, the primer. The brass is something I already have a large supply of, and the reloading tools are a whole other investment.

Fact is that I love to make my own ammo. Perhaps not for everyone, but for a lot of us, it really does become a hobby all it's own that we enjoy just as much as shooting.

Most folks who reload find that they don't save money... they spend more money, and shoot a helluva lot more. If you run the numbers down and do the simple math, then YES, you save a heap of money on your ammo.

But in the end, it's not like you will have piles of free cash at the end of the year. In fact, you will spend it on lead, powder, new stuff for the loading bench, etc.

[ojibweindian]

Last night, I put together 250 rounds of 45 ACP. 200 were 230 grain LRN, and 50 were 200 grain LSWC.

Primer - $0.03
Powder - $0.02
Bullet - $0.07
Brass - Free (all of it scrounged brass)

Cost per round - $0.12
Cost per 50 - $6
Total Cost for 250 - $30
Cost for 1 box of 230 grain FMJ Blazer (per 50) - $15.95
Savings $49.95

I saved close to 50 bucks. And, with savings like that, for ONE range session, the initial cost of getting into the reloading game is made up after 6 months of weekend outings.

[rwilson452]

Reloading should cut your cost per round in half once you amortize the cost of equipment. depending on what you reload this will take between 2000-4000 rounds. the trouble is you shoot twice as much. so you don't put any money in your pocket. You do have three times as much fun for your buck. Twice as much shooting and the fun of reloading.

I would warn you reloading is a very addictive hobby and there is no known cure.

can you really save money reloading
I've been doing the math and I cant beat purchasing Blazer ammo for my 45 or my 9mm. Can you really save any money reloading for these calibers?

[Sevens]

There's a big catch-22 with reloading: not unlike a lot of things, cost can be directly associated with volume.

If you have $50 to spend on components (bullets, powder, primers), you are buying small amounts and you will pay the highest prices.

If you have a lot of jack to spend on components, and you buy your bullets by the 500, 1,000 or 5,000, you can get them much cheaper. Powder bought in 4 and 8 pound kegs is much, MUCH cheaper. And while primers don't drop a lot in price by volume, you can save hazardous materials shipping fees simply by purchasing them less often, in large lots, from wholesalers such as Powder Valley. From Powder Valley, a thousand Winchester primers runs about $24 or $25. From a local gun store, you are looking at $30-$35.

So "save money" can be justified, but you have to spend a lot of money to save the most. "Saving money" is a good (and common!) way to sell the idea to the wife, but you will most likely be laying out a lot of cash to get where you need or want to be.

[striker55]

I found my error in my math, I was adding the price of brass everytime. I found I could load 50 rounds for around $5.40 a box using the brass over and over. I knew it was supposed to be cheaper loading your own, just wasnt figuring it correctly. Thanks guys, I may get into loading. About 25 years ago I was loading my own, shooting in IHMSA competition to get more accurate loads for my 44mag and 7br plus keep the cost down. My mind was just not thinking correctly in doing the calculations this time.

[armoredman]

Short answer - yes. I cast my own bullets, use range scrounged brass, and I don't cost my own time, as it's considered a fun and productive hobby. I am spending most of my $ on gas and groceries now, so money I spent on components last trip is paying off now, or I wouldn't be doing much shooting!

[jmorris]

You can save money reloading. If you expect to find more money in your bank account, you will likely be disappointed. The reality that most find themselves in is that they just shoot more, now that it costs less. So, if you are trying to save up for Jr’s college I’d suggest switching to 22lr or just shoot less.

[CrustyFN]

My cost is about the same as Sevens. I have a C&R license and can buy at a discount. It cost $30 for three years and anybody that can legally own a gun can get one. With the License I can buy primers at Graf's for $17 per 1,000 and powder for $12 per pound. I go in with a couple of friends and we buy 50,000 primers at a time or 48 pounds of powder. I am just starting to cast my own bullets and once I get going I will be loading 9mm, 38 spcl and 45 ACP for around $30 per 1,000. You will hear people say that it takes time and time is worth something. I don't look at it that way. Reloading and casting are hobbies just like shooting. I don't figure my time in on going shooting and I don't figure it in on other hobbies either. Instead of watching TV I enjoy my hobbies.

Rusty

[TEDDY]

what about the time when you cant buy ammo.If you have primers moulds and powder you are independant I havent bought 38/45/32s and 45 colt in yrs
I load my 30/06 with 13 gr red dot and 311291 lead.It will kill a deer,man ,or target at 200yrds.so will my 8mm and 303/lebel.ect.

[Crosshair]

Let me figure for 9mm.

Brass - Free range brass. (Just go out the the range every week and harvest all the brass that shows up. )
Primers - $26 per 1K
Powder - About $9.50 per 1K using TiteGroup, perhaps a little less
Boolits - 1K of 105 grain SWC takes 13.125 pounds of lead, $.35 per pound (Less actually because I get some of it for free from some "sources" of mine.) $4.60 total. Remove the clips/other waste and I'll say $6 just to be pessimistic.
$.50 for boolit lube.
Tack on another $8 to compensate for the equipment needed to cast/reload. (Again it is probably less, but I don't want anyone accusing me of lowballing things.)

So all total I'm loading 9mm for under $50 per 1k rounds. The cheapest I can find locally is $180+ per 1K. If I had to buy once fired brass it would be more, but still less than new ammo.

[TexasSeaRay]

I've been doing the math and I cant beat purchasing Blazer ammo for my 45 or my 9mm. Can you really save any money reloading for these calibers?

Just got through loading some 45 ACP 230 LRN for less than .04¢ a round.

I generally load jacketed 115 FMJ for the 9mm guns, but I wait patiently until someone puts it on sale, then I buy as much as I can afford--and then store it. Same thing for primers, powders, components, etc. Every month, I set aside my "gun budget" money and let it accumulate.

Loaded up 500 rounds of 9mm 115 FMJ a couple of weeks ago. Total investment was just under $50, or $5/per box of 50.

Don't know how much Blazer or any other factory ammo costs. Haven't bought factory centerfire ammo in over fifteen years.

Jeff

[jhansman]

With the rising cost of components, reloading in smaller quantities becomes less and less cost-saving. Still, that's only half the reason I do it, the other half being the relaxation and satisfaction of shooting well with ammo I made. Here's a site that will let you calculate your cost per round if you know your component costs: http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp

[Kraziken]

I was just thinking about starting reloading myself. I"ve always thought about it, but kind of put it off because I could find cheap ammo. With rising ammo costs, I the thought has crossed my mind again.

I also think if you fire a less popular round maybe you could possibly save even more? I just bought a Winchester in .45 long colt.

It sounds kind of fun too. I've already bookmarked a few research books that I plan to buy about reloading.

[VaFisher]

One cost factor that can't be matched is loading for the accurate rifle. Not all guns shoot the same but you can find a accurate load if you reload. How can you put a price saving cost factor on that. In fact thats what got me started many years ago and I have also loaded for many diiferent calipers which most have been a pure pleasure along with the savings.

[Semper Paratus]

You can beat the cost per round but you won't save any money...in fact it will cost you...at least based on my experience. I load so I shoot more. Prioce per round down overall expenses up. Just my experience.

[ryalred]

Ditto to what Semper Paratus said.

I don't reload to save money. I reload for the enjoyment of it and to develop the best shooting loads possible for my guns. I have found that I'm always wanting to try different bullets and powders and gadgets, etc. So, for me, I don't save money by reloading but I get to shoot a lot more and the reloading, itself, is almost as much fun as the shooting.

[striker55]

I'm thinking about getting a Lee turret press kit. I'll only be punching paper and just looking to save money on my ammo. Anyone know the difference between the Lee Deluxe Turret Press Kit that sells for $90 at Cabela's http://www.cabelas.com/link-12/produ...4215922a.shtml and the Lee Classic Turret Press Kit that sells for $165 at Cabela's? http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...&cm_ite=netcon

[Sevens]

There are two Lee Turret Presses. One is the original, which is made from aluminum and is relatively sturdy. The "Classic" is built on a monstrous cast frame on the same order as the Lee Classic Cast single stage press. It's much, much more durable and, well, confidence inspiring. I can't comment on the kits as I'm not sure what they do and don't include. But the Lee kits typically offer a very cheap way to get rolling, but with parts most folks will upgrade fairly soon. (the scale and powder measure come to mind)

[crowbeaner]

I'm currently working through a 3 1/2 gallon bucket of LC 30/06 brass that I paid a nickel apiece for. When I get done, they will be equal or better than commercial brass that sells for .30 apiece. I'll have to back my charge down 2 grains, but that just saves me a few more cents per hundred. Bullets have soared in price since 2005 when I bought the last ones I had, but I still can save a few cents per shot by buying 500 at a time. With factory Remchesteral ammo going for $25 per box and more, I'll still be bucks ahead.

[DEDON45]

I suppose one could save money... but I suspect most are like me... I just started back and I'm already going shooting 2 to 3 times more often per month than I used too... so I figure I'm getting a lot more fun for the same buck, plus I rather enjoy the "science" of reloading. Not everyone does it, so it also makes it just that much cooler to do (for me anyway). Nothing like smashing concrete blocks with some killer-diller .44Mag loads you cook up yourself at home!

[Double Naught Spy]

Short answer - yes. I cast my own bullets, use range scrounged brass, and I don't cost my own time, as it's considered a fun and productive hobby.

Another catch-22. It is sort of like saving money by converting your back yard into a garden and growing veggies. If you have all that much extra free time, bully for you. If you don't, then time is a real issue.

The biggest catch about reloading, IMHO, is that too often folks go from being shooters to being folks that spend a huge amount of time at the range verifying the quality of their reloads, inspecting every dud or FTF round they have, chrono'ing, etc. such that shooting with them isn't so much about shooting anymore, it is about how well they reload.

what about the time when you cant buy ammo.If you have primers moulds and powder you are independant

What about the time when you can't buy components? You aren't "independent" until you can make your own components.

[Al Norris]

Originally Posted by Double Naught Spy

The biggest catch about reloading, IMHO, is that too often folks go from being shooters to being folks that spend a huge amount of time at the range verifying the quality of their reloads, inspecting every dud or FTF round they have, chrono'ing, etc. such that shooting with them isn't so much about shooting anymore, it is about how well they reload.

Despite the pessimism from DNS, there are those of us that have "tweaked" our loads, know what our guns like, load to that standard and simply go shooting.

[grymster2007]

can you really save money reloading

Well, maybe you can. Me? I dunno. Maybe I can, but really don't think the savings would be worth noting. Saving money is not why I load anyway. After getting my primitive little brain stem challenged at work all day long, I enjoy something that doesn't require a bunch of thought and or worry, but that's not television, internet or interacting with humans.

Oh and going downstairs to load after work keeps me from knocking the icebox over and rummaging through the contents. Wife hates it when I do that.