hdwit, you are buying the wrong bullets if it costs you $0.24 a round for 38 Special. Zero bullets sells 158 grain JHP bullets for $206.40 shipped for 2000 bullets. So you could load the 38 special for around $0.15-0.16 a round using their bullets. And the quality of their bullets seems to me to be as good as the big boys. And they happen to be in stock at Roze Distribution lately. That is their retail outlet.

As to the time thing, well I do not figure that in on my load cost. If I weren't reloading, I would probably be wasting time watching the stupid tube or farting around on the internet instead, so the time thing is immaterial. Plus, it is an enjoyable pass time for me to reload. And for pistol ammo, my time spent loading rounds isn't nearly as expensive in time as you evidently, since I load them on my old Dillon RL-450 and can crank out 300-400 rounds/hr after setting up my powder charge and bullet seating depth. That doesn't take me 15 minutes nowadays.