Retirement and gun/ammo/range costs

[Trigger Time]

I actualy agree with you CM as it applies to now. Because ammo is so cheap once again that I believe to shoot the same quality of ammo that I enjoy, retail cost vs reloading cost, it would cost me more to reload. So I HIGHLY recomend to Doddg (and have before) that instead of buying new guns that he will most likely sell anyways or trade for other ones, that he buy up cases of 9mm ammo now. Instead of buying another $500 to 900 pistol buy ammo. Yeah it's not as cool but WHEN ammo prices go back up (inflation if you will just like food and other COL) you will have bought low and saved money in the long run.
Now if you do not listen to this good advice and stock up on ammo, then yes buy reloading equipment and start saving your brass and putting away a jug of powder every couple of months maybe. That way for the long run you will have ammo.
I have reloading equipment because I believe eventualy you wont be able to buy ammo. But I also am stocked up.

[churchmouse]

I actualy agree with you CM as it applies to now. Because ammo is so cheap once again that I believe to shoot the same quality of ammo that I enjoy, retail cost vs reloading cost, it would cost me more to reload. So I HIGHLY recomend to Doddg (and have before) that instead of buying new guns that he will most likely sell anyways or trade for other ones, that he buy up cases of 9mm ammo now. Instead of buying another $500 to 900 pistol buy ammo. Yeah it's not as cool but WHEN ammo prices go back up (inflation if you will just like food and other COL) you will have bought low and saved money in the long run.
Now if you do not listen to this good advice and stock up on ammo, then yes buy reloading equipment and start saving your brass and putting away a jug of powder every couple of months maybe. That way for the long run you will have ammo.
I have reloading equipment because I believe eventualy you wont be able to buy ammo. But I also am stocked up.

Bingo.

If I were at my current knowledge level of the sport/hobby/passion I am at now and in say my 50's this might be a serious consideration.
At 68 it is not.

[Leadeye]

Some cartridges are at the edge of reloading economics like 9mm, others like 44 mag, aren't. It's really just a matter of what you want to shoot so if you like 9mm and 22lr and keep your guns in that area, reloading probably isn't a good option to save money. The 45 ACP is one of those where the size of the bullet and it's ease of casting make the economics work for me.

[churchmouse]

Some cartridges are at the edge of reloading economics like 9mm, others like 44 mag, aren't. It's really just a matter of what you want to shoot so if you like 9mm and 22lr and keep your guns in that area, reloading probably isn't a good option to save money. The 45 ACP is one of those where the size of the bullet and it's ease of casting make the economics work for me.

And again....you are already set up to cast. Another expense.

[BehindBlueI's]

The initial coasts involved for a decent progressive set up is a bit off putting. Add in all the needed accessory's to make this process as easy as possible (lights/tables/shelve/bits pieces and so on) and the initial investment will never be fully re-couped in the very small savings some people see in 9mm/45ACP. Add in the learning curve and the time required and it just does not add up for folks our age.

This can be argued I am sure.

I'm going to argue it. :P

First, don't buy a progressive. Buy a turret. Especially if you're in the situation where you have more free time than free money, buy turret. Shoot less than 1k rounds a month? But a turret. Just learning how to reload? Buy a turret. Want to make caliber swaps easy? Buy a turret. Progressives make more sense for high volume shooters dedicated to one load.

You can get a Lee turret and dies and easily have everything you need to start for under $300.

https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/62...content=622290

then add a digital scale if you don't want to mess with the balance beam scale: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/17...grain-capacity

Dies. Calipers. A bullet puller for mistakes. You're set.

I can load 230 gr .45 Auto for roughly 16 cents a round. Somewhere between 2500-3000 rounds loaded, I just paid for the above reloading kit and accessories.

Loading pistol rounds is not hard. Can you can follow a cake mix recipe and end up with cake? Do you know which end of the screw driver goes in your hand and which touches the screw? Can you read calipers? Can you pull a lever? Then you can reload.

[BehindBlueI's]

And again....you are already set up to cast. Another expense.

.45 ACP 230 Grain Round Nose - Red Coated - 1000ct - snscasting

10 cents a bullet. Coated, which is easier to deal with then lubricated lead and can be loaded like plated. If you want to save a penny a round, you can use lubed lead: .45 ACP 230 Grain Round Nose - 1000ct - snscasting but I don't. Coated is cleaner in the dies and in the gun.

[Leadeye]

And again....you are already set up to cast. Another expense.

Very true. Casting's biggest issue is scaring up scrap lead these days and the time required to make it usable.

[Expat]

I have a ways to go, but I have been buying more than I use normally to stock up and will continue to do so until I retire.

[churchmouse]

Very true. Casting's biggest issue is scaring up scrap lead these days and the time required to make it usable.

And your statement is another "Huge" reason I do not reload.........time. And the space required.

Yeah I get the turret. But again, age/time factor. I have many friends that sit at the bench for hours doing this. If I am at my bench for hours it is to build something very cool. Or modify something until it is very cool. Or fix something that is very broken. The mundane repetition of lever pulling (at least for m anyway) has no draw.

If you like this process then have at it.I respect the effort folks put into it. It is just not for me.

[churchmouse]

Very true. Casting's biggest issue is scaring up scrap lead these days and the time required to make it usable.

I remember a time when you could scare up about anything you needed. These days there are so many douche bag scrapers roaming the earth. Nothing of any value sits very long.