[spade]

I've never really paid attention to reloading. Last night I saw a re-run of Sighting In or Shooting USA on OLN and their topic was reloading. So I learned about all the steps and other things involved in reloading.

Seems like an awful lot of work and tinkering in the garage to get a round made. And what about the sore arm from working that lever all night?

At what point does reloading make it worth the investment and time? 500 rounds to balance out the cost? Probably a few thousand reloaded bullets to equal the equipment investment. I guess you could customize your loads and that'd make it worth it right there...?

 

[agalindo]

You do save money but it's also a hobby just like shooting. To me half the fun of shooting is loading up a batch of ammo. I usually do 500 to 1000 on a week end. Reloading is not for everyone but it can be fun.
Also some of us that live out in the middle of nowhere, nearest WalMart is 65mi away , cheapest local 9mm ammo is 9-10 bucks per 50 rounds, it pays for it's self alot sooner.

 

[mcb]

If you get a progressive press it pays for itself pretty quick. For example:

I buy REM UMC 180 MC 40S&W for about 49 dollar (after tax) for 250 rounds. That's about $9.80 a box of 50.

I found a local place that reloads ammuntion. You take your empty brass in and exchange it for reloads. If I bought it in batches of 1000 rounds (180grain FMJ 40S&W) it was $122.60 after tax. That's about $6.13 a box. I was please with it until I chronographed it and it did not make Major for USPSA shooting.

So I bought a set of dies for my friend Dillon Square Deal B and I can reload 40 S&W with 180 grain Berry's plated bullets for about $5.14 a box. Only a small saving over the remanufactured but I have full control over all aspect of the ammo. I worked up a load that just makes Major and I can tweek the length, bullet type, and other parameter to make it function well for my shooting.

So you can save big time over factory ammo. My reload could get cheaper if I bough my powder and bullets in bulk. You also have full controll over the loads performance. And finally it can be fun to do if you like that kind of think. I personlly enjoy reloading, but if you don't it might not be worth it to you.

Rambling
mcb

 

[JD McDorce]

-deleted-

 

[Snake-eater 1]

Five years ago I paid almost $1000 for my complete Dillon 650 setup (set for 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP).

It paid for itself in 5 months.

But then, I shoot in excess of 20,000 rounds a year.

How quickly reloading pays for itself depends on the type and quality of equipment you buy originally, the amount you shoot, the quality and quantity of components you purchase, your interest in reloading as a "hobby", you desire to "custom" load, and many other factors. I'd guesstimate that you need to be shooting at least 500 rounds a month to justify the effort of reloading in any quantity. On the other hand, when I started with a single stage Lyman press almost 30 years ago, loading and shooting 100 rounds a month was a lot for me. I'll never forget the first time I bought an 8 lb. keg of powder (rather than 1 lb.) and a sleeve of 5000 primers (rather than a package of 100)!!

 

[Major Beer]

9mm is not really worth it - well depending on what you load n shoot.

i just got a 40 XD 5" Tactical - reloading 40 is working out well for me (and my pocket).

reloading is fun for me - i enjoy it. take you time, and buy good stuff. read the manuals.

 

[dogjaw]

I reload some 9mm, but for cheap practice ammo it isn't much of a savings unless you use lead. 38 special, 357 mag, 44 mag, 40 S&W, 45 acp, .454 etc, are a different story. At $13 for cheap ammo, to $25 good stuff in .357 mag, I'll reload all day long. It costs me around $6 to load up some Hornady XTP in .357. Lead target rounds are around $3.50. I have a 250 Savage (250/3000) that has seen only 1 box of factory ammo, since it's hard to come by and I can tweak it to shoot 3/8" 3 shot groups at 100 yards from time to time.

Add up how much you shoot, price out reloading supplies and do the math. A Dillon 550B is excellent for pistol and rifle. A good setup can cost $500. If you save $10 per box of 50, that's 50 boxes to break even. I can save $15 - $20 loading high quality bullets over buying loaded ammo.

 

[JD McDorce]

-deleted-

 

[XdSniper]

i find a therapeutic value to reloading... don't save a huge amount of money based on the amount of shooting i do...but, really like the ability to control what's in a particular load.... :twisted:

 

[ampleworks]

Reloading Cost Calculator

Its accurate, of course that's assuming 100% efficiency that you don't make a bad round or run across a deformed bullet every now and then.

 

[Old School]

We you see your groups tighten up, your splits reduced in half, and your scores drop.

 

[klintman]

when your not shooting 9mm.