The short answer is: It depends.... Mainly on just what yer loading!!

The main reason for this post is, when I was first posting about reloading for my pistol: the 500 S&W Magnum, I said it seemed to be the best way to go as far as cost, getting the load I wanted, etc., but mainly the cost.. Naturally there were some Naysayers that roasted me a bit about the cost savings! And that's OK!! We're here to talk about ALL aspects of our chosen hobby/sport!

That said, here's some figures on just what my set-up cost was and the money savings are so far.

My initial set-up has the following:

RCBS® Kit Rock Chucker Supreme kit
200ea Hornady cases
4lb TITEGROUP powder
400 CCI LRM Primers
1000 count 350gr Berrys Coated bullets
100 count Hornady 350gr XTP HP bullets
Digital scale, and a few other items....

I figure I'm at about $450.00 so far into my set-up and I don't foresee any additional expense at this time as my rig is performing to my satisfaction!

So far I've loaded 300 rounds and here's what the cost is, less the casings which are reused of course!!

50 Hornady XTP @ $0.85/round = $42.50

250 Berrys Plated bullets @ $0.32/round = $80.00

Total is $122.50 for 300 rounds.. At $3.00 a round for over the counter ammo that would be $900.00!!!! Online the cheapest ammo I've found is about $2.70/round and that's still $810.00 for 300 rounds!!

So for the 300 rounds I've loaded I've saved at least about $680.00!!!!! I think my Set-up is paid for!!

And yes I know.. Loading out just 300 rounds is really not that much in the overall scheme of professional reloading but I'm impressed so far!!!

I've found that the savings are offset by shooting more, but that's a worthwhile trade off.

I couldn't afford to shoot the amount of rounds I do if I didn't reload.

What about the more common rounds? For instance, what does a box of 50 9mm rds cost to load? I've always been interested in reloading, but haven't made the time to start. I have brass out the wazoo, but I can buy practice ammo for $10/box.

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Because of the metric system?

If you really want to save money, cast bullets.

Ed

No, you won't save by reloading. What's going to happen is you will spend the same amount but will be able to shoot a lot more! Honestly, if I had a firearm that cost $3 per a pop, it would stay in the safe a lot.

By reloading you can tailor your loads to your needs: load down for plinking, develop the most accurate load, or use bullets not available in commercial ammo. It also gives us something to do in the middle of this monsoon rain that's penned us up in Virginia.

If you cast your bullets. 38s = .08 per 100 ---45s = .11 per 100 ---44 mag =.13 per 100. It beats watching TV when it is raining. Primers are $4 for 100 & powder is $18--$28 a pound. You can load 1000 or so 38s from a pound of Bullseye. You may be surprised at what you run across at a garage sale in reloading stuff. I am going to a few this morning. Lead is .80 cents a pound but I know a guy that owns a truck shop & my lead is free. I shoot 500-800 rounds per month. I have to reload.

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I am stunned, really stunned, that an actual savings is documented by reloading ammo. I thought it was only a figment of an Accountant's imagination.

Now to further enhance the growth of your retirement funds, you must start bullet casting. Here is a fine Lyman mould, but you will need lube, sizer die to realize the next level of savings. The bullet is a smallish 375 grains so the yield will be 18 bullets to a pound of lead alloy.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.co...-point-500-dia

Continue on with your calculations and in only a short period of time you will be shooting for almost free, until you buy another caliber firearm.

Congratulations!! I nominate you for the Story Teller of the Year Award. Welcome to the World of Fiction. It's how we all keep going.

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S&WHF 366

Good for you, welcome to the club! Why yes, yes you can, but you will wind up shooting a lot more! As already mentioned if you cast your own you can really save especially if you score a lot of free lead. For example a box of 9mm 130 gr with free once fired range brass costs just over $2.00 a box and the big boomers with 250-270 gr bullets cost a bit under three bucks a box after the first blast of the brass. Sure it takes a lot of time to smelt, cast and size and lube em but it sure beats sitting in front of the idiot box!

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Stay safe people!

I cast my own bullets and figure they average about a penny apiece. Primers cost just over 3 cents. Powder, in pistol cartridges, maybe 2 cents. Depends some on the load. Anyway, that's $3.00-maybe $3.50 per box. Doesn't much matter if it's 9mm, .38, or .45. When I load .223, I use store bought bullets that are about a dime each. Primers are still $.03. Powder is more expensive. Cost is around $.20 per round. I don't see much if any brass case .223 less than $10 per box, so the rounds I make are a little less than half price.

Can you save money reloading ? Depends !

If you shoot 50 or 100 rounds a year,, No. If you shoot 500 or 1000 rounds a year,, or more, Yes.

The example someone stated was 9mm for $10 a box, ( I haven't seen $10 a box for awhile,, )

That's $200 a thousand,, last time I figured my 9mm cost was around $120 - $140 per thousand depending of plated bullets or FMJ's..
And you can taylor your loads for your firearm or the type match you are shooting. I prefer 147 gr. 9's ,, most of the stuff that is usually on sale is 115 gr.

Factory match rifle ammo is usually about $2 per round. My reloads are taylored to my rifle and cost about .42 cents a round..

Right now shotshells on sale for clay birds are about the same price as I can reload them. So, I currently am not reload shotshells.

I've been telling my wife for the last 40 years about how much money I save reloading......but I think she's starting to catch on.
After making a few purchases for powder, primers, new bullet moulds, more sizers and the never ending new and improved do-da's , gizmo's and widgets that come out, She said " I don't mind your spending so much money on your shooting and reloading hobby, it keeps you out of the bars, casino's and out of trouble, you are usually in your loading room or the range....I know you are not saving money but you're having fun , so enjoy yourself ". Did I marry the right girl or what !
Gary

Reload so you can shoot more, not save money.

True, but...

I guess I'm an example of a person who should not reload because I never saved one thin dime. All my reloading equipment now just sits and gathers rust & dust.

Here is why:

1) By a very wide margin, most of my shooting now is .22 LR.
2) When I shoot .223/5.56 or 7.62x39 (rarely these days), I use mostly steel case.
3) I only go through about 1.5K rounds/year (average) of reloadable centerfire pistol & revolver ammo.
4) I buy all my ammo dirt cheap. Actually, cheaper than dirt cheap.
5) Brass collection is all but impossible at the busy indoor range I now use.
6) I have no current room available in the house for a reloading station.
7) Even in semi-retirement, my time is worth a bit more than $3.50/hour.
8) At this point in time and being quite old, I probably own more ammo than I'll ever use the rest of my life.

God bless those who really do save money (not just "shoot more") via reloading after consideration of all direct and indirect and "lost opportunity" costs. It just never worked out for me.

You can save money, but you have to amortize the cost of the reloading equipment. To answer the above question, it costs approximately $6.00/box to reload 9mm, depending on whether or not you have the brass and the cost of your bullets. When you get into some of the larger calibers, .45 Colt, for example, the coat of factory ammo goes up considerably, but the cost of reloading only slightly.

One advantage of reloading is that you will have ammo when it is scarce on dealers shelves. If the communists get back in office in 2016, that may be a real concern.

I was reloading 9mm and .38/.357 before I bought my .500. I wouldn't be able to shoot it as much if I didn't reload, OTC rounds ain't cheap and it seems they only sell in boxes of 20. I will shoot 40-50 rounds each time, that adds up in a hurry. IIRC my current cost per round is right at $2.00

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Not enough space

NO YOU WILL NOT SAVE MONEY. IT CAN COME TO BE AN AFFLICTION !

IT'S REWARDING, ADDICTIVE,& IT CAN CONSUME YOU. I LOVE IT !

There is a cost involved in joining the club. Once a member, there is a learning curve.

But once your a member and past the learning curve you can provide yourself with ammo that shoots very well in your particular gun under your particular conditions. And the ammo always available for your shooting pleasure even when the dealers shelves are bare.

IMHO I believe you can save quite a bit by reloading. A lot of pros and cons and opinions have already been stated. People tend to buy equipment from the very low end to the very high. I go for low cost. I figure I save more that way. My setup cost me about $200. Single stage press, two calibers(.38 and .45). I bought 2000 once fired cases in both calibers. I don't count much of that cost in reloading because you can get numerous reloads per case. The cost per case drops to less than a penny a piece. I bought 8 lbs. of powder I can use for both calibers and the cost per round is about a penny a round. Primers 3 cents each and bullets 6 to 8 cents depending on the caliber. I compute my cost at $7/50 in .45 and $5.75/50 in .38. I get the load and bullet I want to do the shooting I do. I can't say how much I save because the last time I looked for commercial ammo I couldn't find any. The ammo I'd need for my Model 52 is so scarce I probably wouldn't be able to shoot the gun without reloading.

Yeah, using a single stage press is slow and very time consuming. For me, it's a hobby I enjoy. Since I changed to Promo from Bullseye I've tweaked the loads to what works well for me.

The reloading allows me to shoot more and enjoy what I'm doing. If you don't shoot much, it's probably not worth the expense. Reloading is for the shooter that spends a lot of time at the range. The more you shoot, the faster you'll amortize the cost of equipment.

One thing I won't do is bullet casting. You want time consuming? Take up casting. If you decide to do it you'll end up with muscular forearms. From what I've seen, a 4 cavity mold is quite heavy. You'll also need very good ventilation or you'll expose yourself to lead fumes and possible poisoning. Then there's sizing and lubricating. Sure it can be cheap if you can get lead at a reasonable cost. Just not for me.

It sounds like your shooting is tailored around your lifestyle -- great. How you value your time is your own business and anyone else willing to pay you for your time. If you're not making money your time is free as far as I'm concerned. I know I'm not making any money watching TV.

If you're doing something you enjoy then your time value is in a deficit.

I like a good deal too but to get that deal sometimes takes time and if I factored in the time it took to get that deal it's less of a deal. This may be the case with your dirt cheap savings but few factor time or travel cost in.

I'm not going to try and tell you how to live your life but I can share some of how I live mine. I will always have space for my hobbies whether it's reloading, basket weaving or wood working.

I shoot at an busy indoor range too and use a brass wizard on my way to scoop up my brass other peoples brass get in my way so I just scoop it up too.

Having more ammo than you can shoot in your lifetime is a saying I know but if it were true the value of that comes from knowing exactly how much you will be shooting and how long you will live.

If all I shot was 9mm, I probably wouldn't bother to get started reloading. Shooting the bullets I have settled on for 9, I only save a couple bucks a box. Takes me about a half an hour to load up that box. I take my time.

.38 and .357 magnum are a different story. I can now get them for around $18 a box. Until recently it was more like $22 a box. I can reload a box for $7 a box. I could shave a little off that by shooting cast for the .38, but the difference in price does not offset the advantages of plated for me at this time.

My daughter has really taken to the Henry I picked up this year, and the limiting factor at the range is how many .357 rounds I have loaded and brought with me, usually 100-150. In addition, we will go through another 100 .38s as well as some .22lr. I would be spending well over $80 a week on ammo, if I didn't reload. I now spend more like $30- $35 a week on ammo.

I'm sorry, but this is like saying, "I got into shooting because it is cheaper than golf". I tell my lovely wife I handload because it saves a lot of money. She then looks at my loading bench and gives me that knowing smile. Good luck and I hope you get HALF of the fun reloading as I have.

I can buy 9mm online for 160-170 per K. The range I use doesn't allow lead bullets. By the time I buy 1000 Rainier 125hp, powder, and primers I will still save money but considering the time involved it not that good a deal. 45Colt, 45ACP, and 38/357 an entirely different matter. 45 Colt is close to 40-45 cents each and ACP and 357 isn't much better if any. Can't afford not to load for those. It all depends what and how much you shoot. I can't imagine the cost of the 500's. 460,etc.

Save money? No.
Shoot much more? Absolutely.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

To sum up.
Can you save money? Yes
Will you save money? Probably not

Thanks for all the comments! In my situation I guess it's true that I'll be shooting the Beastie more than I would had I not started reloading. I like to go to the range about once a month or so and shoot about 100 rounds per session. I couldn't afford to do that with with OTC ammo as that's about $300.00!

As far as buying more reloading "toy's" for my bench, I've got everything I need except for a couple more loading blocks. And I'm not one to just go buy shiny stuff to add because it might be needed! Based on the research I did the RCBS Rockchucker Single Stage press and dies I bought should last a lifetime and if anything breaks, they've got very good customer service from what I've read. All I'll need is to replenish the consumables occasionally and I'm good to go.

The only way I can see my range time increasing is if I try some IDPA shooting but,, I don't believe the 500 is exactly the gun for that type of shooting...

But.. Who knows.... I might get some speedloaders for Christmas and try it anyway!!!

I saved money on ammo by getting my husband interested in shooting. First I got him a CCW permit class for a Christmas present. Then I gave him my Shield to carry. Then I bought him a membership at a very nice local range. Now he is always looking out for good deals on ammo and saving me a bunch.

I handload for a couple of reasons.
1. Cost: I can make 9mm ammo for 10 to 12 cents per round (depending on component price variation). Since I use a minimum of 400 rounds per week, the savings is substantial. Some weeks I will shoot over 1000.
2. Availability. I shoot USPSA Open 9mm major power factor. There is not SAAMI spec for major 9 and only a couple of specialty ammo makers make a limited recipe. I have my load tailored to my gun configuration.

I do have a substantial amount of money in my loading equipment, but it's a small amount if compared to the overall cost of my shooting hobby. I spend a lot more on travel, match fees, and of course new guns. I don't particularly enjoy handloading but it's a necessary task. (I'm not good enough of a shooter to have someone give me loaded ammo, but I do get a fair about of bullets (not completed ammo) off prize tables.) I spend the least amount of time and effort in the handloading process, so consequently I buy the tools that get it done the fastest. I haven't invested in fully motorized machines (yet). The payback figures just don't work out on those.

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(Deleted - wrong post, wrong forum. Sorry.)

"Save" as measured in $/round - absolutely!
"Save" as measured in total $ spent annually - probably not.

Counting only consumables (primers, bullets and powder) I load 9mm for about $.14 / rnd - $14/100. I believe WalMart sells 100 box of 9mm for what - $23?

I am pretty much saving about 40-50% per round over purchased ammo - but I'm shooting about 2x as much. Oh - and you're getting EXACTLY the load you want. The other day I was at the range with a friend consistently hitting a spinner with my AR and he said "Man - you've really got that dialed in." Well - I've got the ammo dialed in.

What hasn't been discussed too much is how the "cost" of reloading also delivers HOURS AND HOURS of fun. It would be fun to do a cost comparison ($/hr) of reloading and, say, golf.

The bottom line is I'm going to "pay off" my equipment investment faster than I planned (because I'm shooting more) but I'm ALSO able to spend time doing reloading where I might otherwise be going to a movie or going out to eat, etc. It's, essentially, entertainment. On a number of occasions when given the choice to plop down and watch on Netflix whatever movie I want.....or head downstairs to load......I choose the latter.

OR

I would rather reload and save money on some of my ammo then buy store bought ammo. I think my hobby is worth it the pleasure and satisfaction that I loaded my ammo myself. .22 hornet ammo in my area is $64.00 per 50 rounds so you do the math besides that has to be turned in .22k hornet ammo and you just can't buy that. So is all this talk about cost and reloading worth it. It just depends on your guns and calibers. This tread could go on forever you are the only one that can make the right choice for you.

No one should ever tell anyone how to live their life. I just wanted to offer up my perspective as an illustration of someone for whom reloading makes no sense whatsoever, economic or otherwise. But you raise a good point: Reloading *is* a hobby unto itself. And if it's a hobby you enjoy, all power to you... and economics no longer matter a hoot.

That's great. I'd get thrown out and banned for sure if I brought a brass wizard to my indoor range and tried to use it... that is, assuming I survived the visit.

I should have also pointed out that my indoor range does not allow reloads in its range-owned guns (which I use a lot)... so that's another factor working against reloading in my personal circumstances.

Also, if I wanted to chase brass and use reloads (in my own guns, of course), I could do so without the "hobby" part by simply buying my reloads from one of 3 or 4 local sources. But I am buying my fresh new American-made 9mm ammo so cheaply right now that it just wouldn't made sense.

Well if she's like my wife, remind her of how much money she "saves" buying stuff on sale we don't need..

9mm has "always" been so cheap that it's hard to save money reloading it. This is particularly true if one is buying jacketed bullets in modest quantity. Now if you use cast bullets, that makes a substantial difference. If you cast your own bullets, the deal becomes a whole lot sweeter. This, of course, requires time. Do you have more time or more money? Or, like me, have neither.
The other advantage to reloading is during the periodic ammo shortages. Last time, when the baloon went up, I had about 10K primers and lots of lead on hand. There was no shortage.

The answers to the significant others questions of;

why do you need more than one gun
to be answered with
why do you need more than one pot

why do you reload
to be answered with
why do you make a cake from 'scratch'

One big problem (for me) being a reloader. I have no problem buying a gun in a caliber I don't already load for.

So I buy a gun..$$

I buy dies..$$

I buy bullets..$$

Depending on caliber I buy brass...$$

the latest craving has been 10mm...

The answer is no IF:
1) You like to tinker with stuff
2) You see experimenting as a positive hobby attribute

If this describes you then it will blow the top off your budget.

I posted on this before but, after giving it some thought I came up with this.

If you want to do a lot of shooting and save money, reload.

If you value your time more and don't care about the financial part of it, buy commercial.

If you want to shoot and have a nice hobby, especially if you're retired like me, then it doesn't really matter what spin someone puts on it.

That makes two of us. I am both very old and very poor. As one forum member (who shall remain nameless) keeps reminding me, I probably have no more than 5 good shooting years left... so time becomes a very valuable commodity to people like me.

No question that there are definite advantages to reloading for lots of folks. I just happen not to be one of them.

45 colt and cast my bullets. Lee hand press, dies, and bullet mold. It's an old H.E. 2nd mdl .455 butchered to .45 colt so i don't burn lot's of powder per load. At this point i think it costs under a quarter a round. I can reload about 200 to 300 rounds before it starts to feel like work and i rarely shoot that much a week. I want to handgun hunt so i will spend more on a .44 and dies in the future but for now it's really cheap and enjoyable.

I can reload 50 rounds of 9mm using commercial cast bullets for just about $5.80/box. Closer to $8 if I use a plated/jacketed bullet. (That's once you consider my press;s and other gear is long paid for.) That said, reloading is more than saving money. I get WAY more enjoyment out of the art and science of reloading than a few $ either way could measure.

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Dave

Reloading handgun cartridges, yes without a doubt, shot shells not really.

I can reload 100 9MM rounds for about 13 bucks. That's about 7 dollars cheaper than what 100 rounds of 9MM would cost you if you're paying 10 bucks for 50. And I don't know where you're paying that little. Walmart has 9MM target loads for about $28 for 100 rounds. So I'm paying half Walmart prices. You must be buying aluminum cased ammo to get it for so little.

.38 is way cheaper to load. Winchester White Box .38 at Walmart is like 25 bucks for 50 rounds. That's $50 for 100 rounds. I can load 100 for about 14 bucks.

As for shooting more, that doesn't always happen. My shooting has increased very little since reloading. I just like having a large supply on hand for when the mood strikes, and I don't want to be a slave to the next panic.

I reload because I like to reload. Simplicity for me.

For me the answer is definitely yes. I didn't spend a fortune on a cadillac rig. I have MAYBE 400 bucks in my Lee Turret loader setup with turrets and 4 die setups for .38/357, 45ACP, .44 and 9mm. I saved factory brass, about 2K rounds each for years before I started so my brass costs are nil. Counting powder and bullets I can load for between 5 and 8 dollars per 50 depending on caliber. Figuring the savings over retail shooting about a hundred rounds a week during the winter - it's too hot here in the summer so I rarely shoot- I figure my equipment costs were paid for in about a year.

I shoot 3 to 5 hundred rounds a month on average and that's 200 more then before i reloaded. And i got my 11 year old grandson shooting it also because i can load it with 200 grain bullets and a light powder charge he can handle. So there is another plus for my reloading.

There are lots of reasons for reloading rather than cost alone.

It's educational

It's fun and satisfying

You can make any combo of bullet/powder that you want.

You can save money if you shoot a lot and don't buy every new toy that there is. OR you can shoot more for the same money. If you are cheap like me, you could actually save money.

You are more immune to ammo shortages if you stock up on components.

Some ammo is just plain expensive.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Anyone telling you they don't save $$ reloading their ammo just isn't doing something right. Obviously it depends on what & how much you shoot, but I save a min of 50% on the more than 25 diff calibers I reload for. You are off to a good start.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Everyone above has made some good points. I would like to add another thought. The amount of money you save is dependent on what kind of ammunition your loading. if you are duplicating cheap plinking ammo the amount you save will be less than if you are loading rounds that go for 35 dollars a box.

Try to find your press and scale used you will save a bunch. Buy bulk when you can and you will load more for less!

As others have said reloading is fun and educational. You will likely find it's your new favorite hobby!