Reload ammo is it cheaper now days pro and cons

[deviljunkie]

for me it is, 38 spc and 357 mag. cast my own bullets for it too. THATS where the real savings are. last i figured it up my 38spl.s were costing me 8 cents a round.

 

[nova512]

its cheaper on some, but you have to pay close attention to prices and shipping costs

 

[Classic]

Way cheaper depending on how you buy the components but if you do it right, way better accuracy too.

 

[Chaz]

Look at this:
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/ammunition_and_reloading/247473-for_reloaders_of_9mm.html
Some of the guys gave me some great info on cost for 9mm's.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

For me it's cheaper to reload, but I shoot a lot more for the same amount of money. So in the grand scheme of things, yes, it's cheaper to reload. I buy all my components locally, so no hazmat fees. The cheapest brass cased 9mm I have seen is $10 + per 50. I reload for around $6 per $50. May not seem like a lot, but when you shoot a lot, it adds up quick. The bigest advantage I see is being able to tailor your rounds. As well as not paying inflated ammo costs when people panic buy, just like what is happening now.

 

[red_zr24x4]

Cheaper? yes and no
Cheaper to make but you end up shooting more so you end up buying more components So you can shoot more---It's a viscous circle

 

[Hondo]

Depending on how much you shoot is key...if you don't shoot a lot, you also have to factor the cost of all the equipment into yor cost per round....shoot a lot:lower cost per round....shoot a little;higher cost per round and it may be cheaper to buy factory ammo...also how much do you factor in for the cost for your time?

This is not anti reloading...I reload...but these are other factors to consider..

 

[red_zr24x4]

Depending on how much you shoot is key...if you don't shoot a lot, you also have to factor the cost of all the equipment into yor cost per round....shoot a lot:lower cost per round....shoot a little;higher cost per round and it may be cheaper to buy factory ammo...also how much do you factor in for the cost for your time?

This is not anti reloading...I reload...but these are other factors to consider..

Equipment cost is a factor, the longer or more you reload the faster it pays for itself.
Time is not a factor to me, I enjoy it it furthers my shooting hobby. It beats sitting around watching the boob tube.

 

[Skip]

It is ALWAYS cheaper to reload rather than purchase ammunition, ALWAYS.

As mentioned above, since you have XXXX number of dollars of expendable cash, because you spend it on ammo now, when you reload and have more money by what you save by reloading, you will spend that extra cash on other stuff that will most likely cause you to shoot more. Case in point: different guns, different calibers.

You will shoot more once you start reloading, no doubt about that too.

 

[Skip]

p.s. I have NEVER figured in my time as part of justification for any hobby I enjoy.

If you want me to work, then, that is a completely different story....Then, I am going to figure in my time.

 

[DRob]

Depends

Hondo is right. It depends on how much you shoot. Buying components and equipment will eventually put you ahead if you shoot a lot. I figure my Dillon 550B has paid for itself a couple of times over loading three rifle calibers. I don't try to put a value on my time because I enjoy doing it. Of course, I had to convert a bedroom into a "man cave" but that keeps the out-of-town relatives at bay.

 

[Sniper 79]

It is much cheaper if you reload on the cheap by finding deals on components at local gun shows. That way you dont have shipping cost. Cast lead bullets are the way to go (for pistol) and save all your own once fired factory fodder for the brass. Cast lead is often more accurate than factory.

It is very time consuming that can be an issue for some folks. I know a guy who sold all his equipment because his wife wouldnt leave him alone every time he starting running the press. I stay up late at night so no one bothers me or pull off some rounds a few at a time when I am in the basement.

Loading match rifle rounds on the other hand can get expensive. When you get into the primo components you dont really save but have a huge accuracy advantage by being able to build a round that mates perfectly to your gun.

All in all many different ways of looking at it. I saved up and bought things over a period of about two years while saving all the brass I could. Finally I built a bench out of scrap pallet wood and painted it up with a mistint for under 10 bucks. It can be done saving money but you save when you buy and deals have to be sought out. Go to local shows and talk it up. Horse trading works too. I traded off some other guns I wasnt shooting for other gear. Brass you dont intend to reload can be traded for other components needed.

Have fun and be safe.

 

[llh1956]

Much cheaper to load yourself. I started back in 84 with a RCBS Rock Chucker and added a 5 station piggyback in 86 that still is cranking out rounds today. Ive been using copper plated bullets by X-Treme Bullets in 9mm, 40, 45acp and find them accurate as long as you do not hot rod them.

 

[mac45]

Skip is right. It's always cheaper to load your own.
How much cheaper depends on what you're loading.
If all you're loading is 9mm it's going to take longer to recover the cost of your gear than if you were loading say .45 Colt.
It's generally better stuff too.

 

[clelaj]

The better question: "Is it more fun to reload and shoot more?"

 

[Chance]

Definitely a cost saver

If you can't save money on the cost of your ammo by reloading you are doing something wrong.

One of my 45 ACP loads:

Powder = $.01
Bullet = $.09
Primer = $.03

That's $.13 per round with cast bullets purchased at $45/500, powder at $20/lb and primers at $30/1000.

Show me the last time you bought these at $6.58/box of 50. Retail on these is about $20/box.

Now you can start with a simple reloading set-up for $150 (Lee single stage with 1 set of dies). Saving $12/box you pay for your investment in equipment in about 13 boxes.

 

[SmileDocHill]

My logic is a little different based on the logistics of my life so it may be totally impractical to others. I would love to reload but I don't see finding the time to do it. I would definitely save money and that is why I still think I will take the plunge in the near future.
Personally I don't see me being able to shoot more since that is a function of time availability more than anything. Having free ammo would still not free up the time for me to get to the range more often. My only point is that you have to take in everyone's input, digest it considering some of their logic may not be applicable to your life circumstances, and take the plunge.

 

[straight-shooter]

I order 4 lb and 8 lb jugs of powder and usually 10,000 primers in a single order which more then negates the cost of hazmat and shipping. I cast my own bullets so I have to figure in my cost of the lead which amounts to about nothing. When I figure my cost of brass I divide that cost by 10 times cause i'm going to load that brass at least that many times if not more.

As you can see, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the cost of ammo dramatically decreases when things are purchased and done this way. Even if you buy plated bullets instead of casting them your still ahead of the game.

 

[Broom_jm]

The main thing people forget when they compare the cost of cheap factory ammo and quality reloads, is that those are NOT apples-to-apples. My reloads are consistently better than the cheap, white box stuff guys use for comparison, when looking at the cost of loading your own.

Go out and find QUALITY factory ammo and compare to the cost of loading quality rounds yourself. You'll quickly realize that you do save a good bit of money, even on the common 9mm, 223, 308 rounds. Take a step into reloading for wildcats or obsolete rounds, and you save a BUNDLE!

I had some family over today and we shot a bunch of different stuff, including almost 50 rounds of 44/40, plus some custom, reduced-recoil 243 rounds that my 11 year-old daughter LIKES shooting. Try buying either one of those and see how quickly reloading saves you money. The 44/40 rounds are at least a dollar a piece and the reduced recoil 243 rounds, if you can find them, are going to set you back twice as much.

I load both of them, along with a wide variety of other rifle and pistol rounds, for a fraction of what factory fodder would cost. Does reloading save you money? Abso-freakin-lutely...even if you're just putting together quality 9mm ammo.

 

[Skip]

My logic is a little different based on the logistics of my life so it may be totally impractical to others. I would love to reload but I don't see finding the time to do it. I would definitely save money and that is why I still think I will take the plunge in the near future.
Personally I don't see me being able to shoot more since that is a function of time availability more than anything. Having free ammo would still not free up the time for me to get to the range more often. My only point is that you have to take in everyone's input, digest it considering some of their logic may not be applicable to your life circumstances, and take the plunge.

Then you are too busy! Slow down and smell the...........gunpowder, so to speak!