Reloading - worth it?
I just got in the new Natchez catalog and was looking at .45 acp brass for reloading. It was something like $11.00 for 50. If you catch a good sale, this is more than factory loaded bullets cost.
So what is the point of reloading? I thought it was to save money?
So what is the point of reloading? I thought it was to save money?
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I think most people that do it, do so with brass they have saved-up from shooting, or picked-up at the range.(if allowed to do so)I used to reload shotshells as a kid,( once plastic ones were common) and it saved me alot of money.
Jeff0 -
It depends. For common stuff it is cheaper to buy in bulk. For some things like the .264 I have bought enough brass to last the rest of my life. Also the .22 Rem Jet and .225. So I reload those. The .40 cal. and the .357, no.
But for shotgun, I have 10,000 hulls and it only costs $2.65 a box (of 25) to reload. And I shoot way more shotgun than center fire. On a good year I will make it thru all 10,000 hulls.
As for the 28 ga. That stuff is $7 a box. But I have a few flats and reload them for $2.65 a box.0 -
how about the 45s I have a friend who said his son-in-law could load them for around 5 bucks a box seems too cheap.??????????????? store bought lead bullets 0 -
Check out the cases here on GB or the back pages of Gun Digest or Shotgun News. You can get it for much less. I own a Lee progressive that I bought for $100.00 with the dies and can crank out 150 an hour at least. Reloading means you can dial your loads to fit your gun. I figured it out and with my previously fire brass I could knock out a round for under a dime. Might be more now, but I have enough supplies to reload for a year or more. I shoot about 1500 to 2000 rounds a year of 45 and a bit more 38 spl. When you reload rifle ammo you can really save some cash. You can reload using surplus cases and pulled bullets for much less than commercial ammo and to get the most out of your rifle accuracy wise you can rarely beat handloading. It is also addicting as hell. 0 -
Kinda like Private Airplane and Kite ownership....when it is too windy to fly the plane, the kite is fun.
Reloading is a peaceful and fun hobby all by itself, but then you need to have some empty cases....
I am loading .45 at about .11 each, without looking for special sales of supplies...could do even better if I was buying old powder from other gunners, and using cases found at the local range, and maybe even casting my own bullets (haven't been doing the casting for a long time, but am considering doing it as a needed skillset/equipment set).
I like to have reloading supplies and tools for each caliber I shoot.0 -
to make reloading payoff, you have to buy in bulk 1000,5000 at a time
and buy powder in bulk as well 8lbs at the least.
I can get any primer i want small rifle up to 209 for 125 or less per 5000
8lbs of powder for 100-130 that is 16.25 a lb at the most. the little 14oz's at sportsmans will cost at least that much.
Bullets can vary 40sw and 223 are right at $70 per 1000.
I skavage the area shooting areas once and a while and can come home with buckets full of brass that most people leave. washem drie them and tumble till shiny.
40sw 1000 rounds reloaded $112
.223 1000 rounds reloaded $143 and unlike wolf they will all go BANG!!
are are dammed accurate.0 -
[8D]-Well if it wasn't for reloading, shooting these Weatherbys would be VERY expensive--
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--Even so, It ain't cheap, just tolable !!!
--[:D][:D]--JIMBO0 -
Why buy "common" brass in the first place? Look in the trash cans at the range and get all you want for free.
Now for "odd ball" brass, sometimes you just have to buy it, esp when no factory has made loaded ammo in a given chambering for the last 50 years or so.0 -
I reload .45 ACP and I just pick up brass, it is usually plentyful for common calibers. Then reloading is much cheaper, minus labor but I find it an interesting hobby 0 -
i have not shot store bought ammo for my center fire pistols or rifles in 10 years all loads are taylored to fit each firearm 0 -
The per unit pricing of reloading depends on how many times you are able to use the brass for reloading.
If reloading 45 acp loads for target work and using light powder charges the brass will last for a long time. The cost per box is far below what you would pay for 45 ammo at the store on their best sales day.
Other high pressure rounds will tax the life of the brass and not be as cost effective.
In my opinion loading 45 LC, 44 Special, 38 Special, and 45 acp you will come out so far ahead of the retail pricing that you will wonder why you ever bought retail.
If they continue to jack up the pricing of components to offset that advantage then at some point in the future it will not make much sense.0 -
Reloading the common ammo is not going to save a ton of money, Its relaxing, and you can work up consistant velocities.
Shot shell reloading is not going to save you anything unless you can make your own shot as I do. Otherwise 4 boxes of 12 guage for 16 bucks is hard to beat. .$10 shotshells are a different story though. AAs for 10 bucks a box, I can load em for 3 bucks a box..0 -
I would like to get into it - what would a basic setup cost to be able to do 9mm and .45 ACP? (not including consumables)
What can I expect to pay for casings, primers, powder and the bullets?
BTW: I AM going to build that man cave and deep six the woodshop, and I plan on having a gun cleaning area - I could easily add the reloading center.
Is it at all dangerous?0 -
Using new Winchester Brass then adding in Primers, Powder and Bullets. I can build 500 rounds of 7mmWSM for about $650.00. To buy the same 500 rounds of factory ammo it cost less at around $625.00 when I get lucky and find ammo for $25.00 a box which is rare for a 7mm WSM. Once that new brass is reused. The cost is then cut by about $220.00 for 500 rounds. So I end up saving close to $200.00 for every 500 rounds that I shoot.
Reloading here has dropped off a lot. Everyone that I know that use to reload everything says the same thing. They can buy factory ammo that shoots as good or better than what they were reloading and get it much cheaper.
I would say that it really depends on what caliber you are working with as to say if it is cheaper or better to reload or not.0 -
It depends on what you reload. I don't bother for the common rounds but you can save a great deal on the more expensive ones.
It would be hard to save much on 12 gauge shotguns shells for example but .410s would be a whole different matter. The problem for me is that I have never been able to reload those blasted plastic shells.
The crimp will not stay closed.0 -
It depends on what you are loading like the others have said. The day of cheep ammo is gone and reloading helps. I have never bought cases to reload so that number is $0 for me. If you have to buy all the components you will not save much if any on your FIRST loading. You also need to buy components in bulk, at least 1K at a time. Right now .308 is going for about $0.50/rd, buying all the stuff to load (not including brass) last week it is going to cost me about $0.20/rd which is a big difference. Even loading 9mm I can do it for about $100/k and buying new seems to run about $150/k now. Also when you compare your load price you need to compare it to mid to premium ammo as any thing you load is better then real cheep ammo. 0 -
in the long run ,its more accurate & saves a tad...our 243/6.5 factory is $80-100 [:0](?40-50)a 100, reload approx half that!! 0 -
i'm about to start doing it my self. reading a manual right now and buyin components as both funds and prices are available. thanks to a nice guy on here, he saved me a ton of $$$ on the press (money coming soon ken) and i already have a stash of bullets...next on the list is brass, then dies, powder, primers, boxes, scales, trimmer, deburring tool and measuring devices (caliper and headspace gauge.)
according to the Lyman 48th ed reloading handbook, these are the basic and essential loading equipment:
up to date manual, press, shellholder, reloading dies of appropriate caliber, case lube and lube pad (not required if using carbide dies), safety glasses, priming unit, priming tray, powder scale, powder trickler, funnel, 2 loading blocks, caliper, case trimmer, and deburring tool....then there are other accessories, but hey...buy the book and read for yourself.0 -
You can get everything you need for around 80 bucks to reload the most popular cartridges 0 -
I cast my own bullets so that is a savings,45acp runs about 3.00 box. I am starting to load more different calibers soon due to what I heard from a man that shoots with us, he is in the ammo/gun business dealing with the government. He said next year there will be almost no ammo availible to the public.He maybe stretching it a bit but is usually pretty close to right on this stuff. To add a little credence to his standing,he was in NYC on 9/11 at a law inforcement seminar,when the planes hit the FBI cleaned out his truck of his M-16s Glocks and all his mags and ammo.
aramisvi what brass are you looking to get to start? email me thru GB.0
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