Is it hard? and Cost vs buying?

[WC Deer Hunter]

Just wondering how hard it is to learn how to reload? Is it worth the time and effort or is it just as cheap to buy your ammo versus reloading?

 

[rockhopper46038]

It isn't difficult, it just requires care in order to be safe and to manufacture good quality ammunition. It is definitely cheaper to reload than to to buy, but you must factor in your initial equipment costs, of course. So it may be 2000 rounds before you've recouped your costs, or it may be 10,000, depending on how much you spend on equipment. And be warned; I don't think any reloaders actually SAVE money, we just shoot 2 to 3 times as much ammunition for the same costs as buying it.

 

[longbarrel]

It is as hard as you want it to be. You can definitely save money, but your initial costs are going to be a little more. But, even if you don't save any money on your ammo, at least it can be tailored to your firearm, and kept the same for every round..

 

[slow1911s]

Hard? No. But you have to understand how the components go together and in what order. And, if you load on a progressive, you have to understand that all of those are happening at the same time. That means you have to keep track of everything. And, other than pulling a lever, and placing a bullet/wad/primer, that's really what reloading is about - keeping track of process and the pitfalls (low/over charges, right powder, etc.).

Some here will tell you to start on a single stage. I don't think that is necessary. I have only ever loaded on progressives, starting when I was 12 or 13 on a MEC Jr. for 20 ga. The only metallic reloading I've ever done has been on a Dillon XL 650 and I load three calibers on it now (40, 9, 38 Super).

Get a good loading manual. Read posts here and on other places (especially here). There is plenty of YouTube video out there, also.

 

[Darral27]

I have been considering getting into reloading for a while now. I am just taking it slowly and buying a piece or two at a time and building a room in my detached garage. I have purchased a reloading book and been saving brass for a while. I figure by the time I actually get started I will have studied enough and saved enough brass to get a really good start. Not really doing it to save money right now but more for if the cost of ammo continues to go up like I think it will. More of a plan B for me.

 

[THard6]

if you know how to READ then i think you're set. it's like changing a diaper for the first time.. you'll get the hang of it quickly.
now cost vs. buying?? well it depends how you look at it. if you're going to be shooting ALOT and reloading ALOT you'll save plenty by just reloading..
and it's not only about the COST.. but it's also about you being able to experiement and find the different rounds that fit better with the firearm you're shooting. it gives you a hands on experience and the capability to change things.. we do reload rounds quite often. but i still go to the store and buy a certain round that is absolutly flawless through my 12ga. i'm not even going to try to match it.

 

[wolfman]

First off, "Cheap" is a relative term and is different for every person I have ever talked to when it comes to reloading.

Being "Worth the time and effort", depends on a few things, such as;
1) How elaborate of a press system you want versus actually need.
Look at how many rounds a week you "need" to reload and/or how much "time" you can devote to reloading, to ballance need with want.
2) Calibers you want to load for
As far as handguns, you will save the least on 9mm, then a little more on .40, .38 and .380. You will save more on .357, .45acp and the most on the less popular calibers such as 10mm, 38 super, 45 colt, 50AE, 44 mag, 454 etc. Fore rifle, it is a toss up on .223 because of the case prep involved, but everything else you can save at least some $ rolling your own.
3) How you buy your powder and primers.
You can find the best "base" prices on line, but unless you are ordering a large quantity for yourself, or taking part in some sort of group buy, the Haz Mat fees can eat up all of the savings.
4) Component cost.
Most reloaders save or scrounge as much brass as possible, and resort to "buying" used brass only when absolutely necessary. Bullets are another cost and even though casting your own incurrs aditional start up costs, can pay off big time in the end if you can locate a source of lead.
5) The $ value of your time.
How much $ is your time worth? If you don't have much time to devote to reloading, you may be able to justify a more expensive press up front based entirely on the value you place on your time. If you have all kinds of time to spend at the reloading bench, then you may want a slower press, which will allow you to give more attention to each step in the process.

No I am not being a smart ass when I say, "If you ever figure out the answer to your question, please let me know, because I haven't yet". To be truthful, I really don't save a lot of money. Granted each round I make, costs me less, even with equipment cost figured in, but now I shoot so much more, that in the end, my annual budget for ammo is about the same.

 

[sgreen3]

I started to reload for my AR and am now seeing some savings over buying the store bought stuff. But I mainly wanted to do it because I just wanted to be able to make custom stuff for my bench guns, which you do save some money over buying store bought match ammo. An I like being able to make it myself so I can taylor each load to my gun.

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

Thanks for all the responses. I'm just starting to think about reloading so you have all given me some food for thought. I guess my next step is to start pricing equipment.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

It can be a little intimidating at first. Once you get the hang of things and follow all safety precautions, it's not really that hard. Savings is relative to the individual. What is your time worth? As for savings as terms cost. I started relading 9mm at first, and the start up cost for equipment was close to $300. Then another $150 for componenets minus brass. I'm saving roughly $6 per 50 rounds of 9mm. May not seem like much, but it adds up if you shoot a lot like I do. I may shoot 2,000 rounds in a year. That's enough saved to reload another 1,500 rounds or so.

 

[Chance]

If you can follow a recipe to cook, you can reload

Reloading is like cooking...you need to follow the directions and be attentive to what you are doing. You do not have to take out a second mortgage to get started. Keep it simple and decide what you need/want to invest more in as you go. If you can't save money reloading you are doing something wrong.

I've said it once and I'll say it again...your "time" is not a consideration unless it takes "time" away from something that you would otherwise get paid (by somenone else) to do. You can't value your time spent reloading at the $20/hour you make on your normal job! Good luck.

 

[mospeada]

If all I ever shot was 9mm, I don't think I would have ever started reloading. I shoot lots of .45Colt for cowboy action shooting and that got me motivated to learn how to reload as three boxes @$35/box per match is not something I could afford to support. The larger calibers will "save" you more money, thus recovering equipment cost faster. You have to dedicate your time and some space in your residence to reloading, it isn't a clean endeavor either, so make sure you don't mind getting dirty, have space for supplies and either live alone, or have an understanding partner.

 

[88E30M50]

Reloading will not really save money no matter what caliber you reload for. Most of us have a shooting budget and shoot as much as we can within that limit. Not many (any?) of us lower our shooting budget to account for reloading savings, but instead simply get to shoot more within our budget.

There is a lot of Zen in reloading. For me, it changes how I think about shooting. Before I began reloading, a shooting session generally started when I opened a box of store bought ammunition. Now, a shooting session can begin weeks ahead of time when I decide to try a different powder, bullet or load. When I pull the trigger and get what I'm looking for in terms of accuracy, recoil and function, there's a lot more satisfaction than when I just open a box and shoot.

The real difference comes when your done shooting. With store bought ammo, I look at the target, then down at the empty box and feel a bit empty myself. It's done and I'm not doing it again until I open a new box of ammo. But, with reloading, when you are done shooting, it feels a whole lot different. When you look down at that empty plastic ammo box, you feel satisfaction with what you came up with, which leads to anticipation of cranking out a bunch more of that same recipe or, if it did not work, you anticipate different tweaks to get it where you want it to be. You are part of the process in an ongoing cycle. Lots of Zen in that.

 

[yotewacker]

The homemade ammo is much more accurate than factory.

 

[windellmc]

It seems like .223 and 9mm offer the least amount of money saved vs. store bought. .40 and .45 acp I think you can save a lot of money.

 

[Chance]

Cost figures

Currently here are a couple of my costs:

9 mm, Plated Bulets = $ 7.93/Box of 50 This is with powder at $25/lb, bullets at $12/100 and primers at $25/1000. Brass is excluded.

45 ACP, 230 gr Lead = $ 4.30/box of 50. Bought hard cast bullets for $25/500 at an auction, powder at $20/lb and primers at $25/1000.

28 ga shotshells, 7/8 oz = $4.00/box of 25.

12ga, Hard shot, 1 oz target loads = $ 4.93/Box of 25. This is with hard shot at $45/25lbs, powder at $18/lb and primers at $25/100

You can use the promotional, cheap shotshells for backyard clay shooting. It just depends on what performance level you want to achieve.

Remember this, when ammo prices skyrocketed, I was still loading at these rates and didn't worry about running low. Just so figures to share..

 

[WC Deer Hunter]

Currently here are a couple of my costs:

9 mm, Plated Bulets = $ 7.93/Box of 50 This is with powder at $25/lb, bullets at $12/100 and primers at $25/1000. Brass is excluded.

45 ACP, 230 gr Lead = $ 4.30/box of 50. Bought hard cast bullets for $25/500 at an auction, powder at $20/lb and primers at $25/1000.

28 ga shotshells, 7/8 oz = $4.00/box of 25.

12ga, Hard shot, 1 oz target loads = $ 4.93/Box of 25. This is with hard shot at $45/25lbs, powder at $18/lb and primers at $25/100

You can use the promotional, cheap shotshells for backyard clay shooting. It just depends on what performance level you want to achieve.

Remember this, when ammo prices skyrocketed, I was still loading at these rates and didn't worry about running low. Just so figures to share..

Thank you for sharing those.

 

[Cat-Herder]

Things get cheaper if you cast your own boolits, too. But then you've got the cost of a melter and moulds and all the other sundries that go along with casting to consider as well.

 

[indianachris]

I thought about started this soon since I need more hobbies and when the weather is nice I shoot around 250 rounds a week.

I was thinking about getting a kit to start off with at Bass Pro since I have some gift cards to use up. Suggestions on best single stage kit at Bass Pro?

 

[Mike H]

It would be tough to beat a RCBS Rockchucker. It's a single stage that will load about any pistol or rifle ammo. Not sure if BPS has them or not.