Are the savings worth it?

[Thomas15]

As others have said @100 rounds/month of 9mm it probably isn't worth it. But outside of 9mm and possibly .223 Remington just about any other common caliber is way cheaper to handload and if you use those calibers, adding 9mm is probably very inexpensive and you might just need dies.

However as others have also observed, handloading is like falling into a pit, once you get started there is basically no stopping.

For me handloading 9mm was the beginning of my obsession and was the push I needed to get started in competition. My son and I will go through about 350 rounds maybe 400 tomorrow. At $12.99/box of 50 that's $91.00 at the cash register.

 

[2152hq]

Like many, I'll pick up a few boxes of a common handgun caliber I shoot if I find a real good price on them at a store or show. It's been a while since I've done that, but there's still hope!
I'd still reload any caliber if I only shot 100rds a month of it. When I started reloading in the 60's I know I didn't shoot that much 38sp a month but I still wanted to load my own. That's never changed.
I load and shoot too many calibers to think of now, many simply are not available to buy over the counter like 280 Ross and manyodd metrics.
I don't mind the time reloading.
I have given up on the bullet casting though, that long ago and now buy cast bullets. Usually when I find them at shows at very good prices.
I can make the loads to what I want and that;s usually less than what the over the counter ammo provides as far as pressure.
I reload 12, 16, 20 and 410 shotgun also. Many fellow shooters have given up on reloading 12ga as they can buy over the counter for as low as $5 a box. They say it's not worth their time.
I guess so,,but I don't see it as a part time job and again I can't buy the low pressure 3/4oz 12ga shells that I want anywhere,,but I can load them. Plus they are cheap to load. ,,and that's what I use. I shoot older guns.

It's all in how you look at the process. If you count your time as some sort of job looking for a paycheck,,forget it. Buy your ammo on sale.
If you enjoy the hobby,, and that's what it is, you don't care about the time. Nobody pays you to go fishing, play golf or detail clean your ride.

 

[rwsmith]

Not that's what I'm talking about....

Cost per round I can reload my 9mm for 50% of the price of factory. Now not shooting much that isn't much but I also only invested maybe $300 in tools with the cabelas cleaner, lee hand press, lee scale, etc so my tools paid for themselves quickly.
Time I don't count because of the hand press, I can sit on the couch and do most of the work while watching tv with my wife.

So savings isn't a lot but time also isn't a lot. But I have gained knowledge, that is worth it to me.
I'm working on now using target hollow point plated bullets so I'm getting a very close simulation of true SD ammo but of much less price.

How to make reloading pay. Man after my own heart.

 

[TTSH]

Serious question...

Time I don't count because of the hand press, I can sit on the couch and do most of the work while watching tv with my wife.

Pardon my ignorance but I'm having a hard time visualizing how this works. You can actually sit on your couch with your wife and be watching TV and be making your ammo at the same time?

It sounds a bit risky to be making ammo while doing something else at the same time. Is that safe? What am I missing here?

 

[Wise_A]

Different people have different standards. Some people would be aghast that I listen to music while I reload.

So long as I'm not in the vicinity when pin touches primer on their ammo--not mah problem.

 

[LAA]

Yesterday, I hand pressed 100 primers while sitting on the couch, watching TV with the wife. RCBS Universal hand primer. Can't say that's what the other guy was talking about.....a few replies above.

I use these for small amounts of loads, using the Reddings single press. I want to test different powders today, in the new Shield 45 ACP, for comparisons to a 5.25" barrel. Reloading has the advantage of doing that type of experimentation. For large capacity, it's the
Dillon 650 with all options.............which isn't exactly what you'd call savings, if you really don't want to load. It's a interesting hobby at that point.

 

[Skeet 028]

Loading in the living room isn't such a big deal. I've done it too. Used a Lyman tong tool or the old Pacific hand tool. Used a home made dipper for powder. And used a powder I couldn't double charge with. All handgun ammo...cept some 22 Hornet. I'd do it in steps deprime one night..reprime another. powder etc. Not dangerous at all and it was all for revolvers except the Hornets. Never had a bad load..and as I loaded I could inspect every case evey cast bullet..make sure the primer was seated right. I would do batches of 250. Sllooowwww but also relaxing. For a year or so..the only way I could reload as I had no loading room etc. I loaded shotshells out on the back step on nice days so momma didn't have any shot etc to sweep up. Had a few Mec 600s mounted on boards for that. Quieter slower simpler time...less money then too!! For my large batch shotshell s I had a P-W mounted on a bench at my inlaws place in what eventually became my gun shop.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

First thing I do when a new caliber comes home with me is to order a set of dies ($30 to $45) and a bullet mold.

Started reloading in 1972. Bullet casting came a year or two later. My first press was the RCBS JR model, purchased used for $20. Later added the RCBS Rock Chucker, also used at $30. Had a good Lyman press given to me later on. Ohaus 10-10 scale came along at $25. Lachmiller powder measure was found at a going out of business sale for $25. Found an excellent dial caliper in a pawn shop for $20. Lee bullet molds are generally excellent and cost about $20 each brand new. Splurged on a RCBS lubri-sizer press, about $75 back in the 70's. Found a bench-mount case trimmer with a dozen pilots at a gun show, set me back about $20. Couple dozen reloading manuals and books, most found at gun shows for under $5 each.

For years I mined spent bullets at the police range. The traps have to be cleaned out anyway, and I did it for nothing to recover hundreds of pounds of spent bullets.

Most handgun calibers are loaded in lots of 500 or 1000 at a time. Rifle calibers I usually do in lots of 100 rounds.

I try to keep a couple thousand primers in each size used on hand, restocking when I get below that. Each powder used will usually be purchased when I get below a pound or two on hand.

I keep enough ammo on hand to shoot when I want to, not when I can afford a trip to the store. During the shortages I found myself a little short at times and had to pay more than I normally do, but I always had ammo.

I am essentially self-sufficient for years to come, regardless of supply fluctuations or regulatory nonsense.

For those on a tight budget I recommend watching eBay and GunBroker for good used equipment and inexpensive supplies (like brass and bullets). Getting the basics to start with won't cost very much (and your investment will be recovered after the first couple hundred rounds produced), and you can add more toys over time.

 

[BB57]

First thing I do when a new caliber comes home with me is to order a set of dies ($30 to $45) and a bullet mold.

Me too, (except for the bullet mold, I've gotten away from casting the last 10 years or so) and in fact I factor the costs of dies and a Dillon conversion kit into my total "take it home with me" costs on a new purchase. It' just being more honest about my actual costs that way....

 

[fredj338]

Pardon my ignorance but I'm having a hard time visualizing how this works. You can actually sit on your couch with your wife and be watching TV and be making your ammo at the same time?

It sounds a bit risky to be making ammo while doing something else at the same time. Is that safe? What am I missing here?

No, he is prepping brass or priming or other tedious functions which dont require a ton of attention. Powder charging is where the rubber meets the road. That is where any distractions can bite you.

 

[fredj338]

I reload everything except range 9 mm. I shoot one or two boxes of 9 a month so it's not worth the time for me to save 6 cents a round. Factory ammo doesn't foul the gun nearly as much as cast reloads so I consider less frequent, easier gun cleaning another saving of time and material.

I hear this but dont understand the concept. If you already have a press, dies cost about $30, 150rds of 9mm? As far as lead vs jacketed, fouling would be the same issue regardless of caliber. I can use plated 9mm & save 8c-9c a round. If i am using my own cast/coated, now my ammo cost less than 5c a round. If its a time issue, buy better gear.

 

[Skeet 028]

Reloading 9s is not a big savings deal. Find 'em on sale under 10 bucks quite often. Especially at gun shows. Reloading 9s will cost about 3 cents for a primer say 3 cents for powder and if you don't cast 9 cents for bullets FMJS like we buy at the store..maybe 6 cents for plated. If you cast the bullet cost will be a little less but still about 4 cents with lube and lead cost plus the cost of running the pot..We like to think it's almost free but sadly we(I) lie to myself on that score. Anyway we also have to figure say a 1/2 cent for the brass. I do lose a few with the semi autos. So lets say all told the cost at max with FMJs about 7.50 maybe 5 bucks with cast. If you shoot a lot yes a significant savings over the course of a year. Even I, Mr cheapo, find casting to be a bit of a chore these days and have quit casting for rifles except the 30-30 and can find cast sized lubed bullets ready to go to be much easier than doing it myself. I still do the odd bullets you won't find from any cast bullet company. Will you save a lot of money loading 9s or even 40s?.. No of course not. Not at a hundred a month. If you enjoy the tedium of reloading then load 'em. Personally I hardly load 9s. Don't shoot that many and it is the only semi auto loading I have a concern with...bullet set back etc worries me a bit with the high pressures. I load 45s and all my revolver rounds as the savings are always quite a bit from factory ammo. I still buy certain revolver loads at gun shows and estate sales. A friend and I have an estate we have to consider this week. Fellow died with a load of guns(about 30) and a whole garage of reloading items and ammo. We are figuring what we can afford to spend for it all. The lawyer wants to sell it all together. I guess he wants to settle the estate. Some of the reloading items actually look new and unused so I guess he bought ammo. Time is the biggest restricting item for many people.

 

[EugeneNine]

Pardon my ignorance but I'm having a hard time visualizing how this works. You can actually sit on your couch with your wife and be watching TV and be making your ammo at the same time?

It sounds a bit risky to be making ammo while doing something else at the same time. Is that safe? What am I missing here?

Thats why I said most. I'll do the powder charge on a table or workbench.
I keep a few hundred rounds loaded, then have a few hundred more brass primered and ready then a few hundred more components unassembled. This way I can just sit and primer, all the same step over and over again. Then if I'm ready to load I just pull out a box of already primered brass and give another inspection then load.

 

[EugeneNine]

I'm still somewhat new to both the pistol shooting and reloading worlds. But being new I was able to research a lot and start out in a good place, documentation being one. I have the date, quantity, and price of every round on a spreadsheet. I bought a bit during the the last few years when there were shortages and higher prices so my average price will be higher then most.
For target ammo I'm at $0.32 per factory round.

For reloading I'm between $0.08-$0.11 per bullet, $0.03-$0.04 per primer and $0.01 powder. So max is $0.16 per round which is exactly half that of the factory.

However I can also load my target HP rounds for the same price compared to factory SD ammo where my price is $0.99/round. Very big cost savings there.

I did spend for a chrony (though it was with Christmas gift cards) so I can compare my targetSD rounds to factory SD rounds. My goal is to get my reloaded SD rounds as close to the factory as I can so I have a equiv feel for less $.

 

[TTSH]

Different people have different standards. Some people would be aghast that I listen to music while I reload.

Yesterday, I hand pressed 100 primers while sitting on the couch, watching TV with the wife. RCBS Universal hand primer.

Loading in the living room isn't such a big deal. I've done it too.

No, he is prepping brass or priming or other tedious functions which don't require a ton of attention. Powder charging is where the rubber meets the road. That is where any distractions can bite you.

That's why I said most. I'll do the powder charge on a table or workbench.

I thank you gentlemen for the education. Now I get what you're talking about. I would never be able to get away with doing anything reloading-related on the living room couch, but different strokes for different folks. All power to ya!

 

[patrickd]

Ah yes, the dirty old wheel weights. I remember buying those and using them for slip sinkers and bottom bouncers for fishing tackle when I used to be in the business.

They're only dirty until melted and fluxed. Then it's as clean as any alloy out there.

 

[Moe Mentum]

For 2 boxes of 9mm a month, go buy them at Walmart.

 

[LAA]

I thank you gentlemen for the education. Now I get what you're talking about. I would never be able to get away with doing anything reloading-related on the living room couch, but different strokes for different folks. All power to ya!

A few days late on this ---- but a hand primer loader is much smaller than my wife's I-Pad, that she's reading while sitting on the couch. Besides, it builds up hand strength. Kind of like one of those spring hand squeezers with a 5" square * 3/8" deep attached. Much faster than singles done on a single press, if you don't have a primer feeder. I don't have one. My Dillon 650 of course, just does it all automatically. I won't use that, by the couch...

 

[rwsmith]

Some operations...

Pardon my ignorance but I'm having a hard time visualizing how this works. You can actually sit on your couch with your wife and be watching TV and be making your ammo at the same time?

It sounds a bit risky to be making ammo while doing something else at the same time. Is that safe? What am I missing here?

depriming/resizing, flaring, bullet seating, crimping. And you can check your work easily after it's done.

These operations can be done in about any situation. Powder charging though, takes full attention.

 

[hdwhit]

In the case of 9mm, if a person shoots only 100 rounds per month, is it worth going this route?

If your only consideration is the cost of the rounds, the answer is, "Probably not".

If you're seeking to assemble the best ammunition that you can tailored to your particular needs, then the answer is ""Yes".

In my case, I invested in reloading equipment starting in 1977 and I can proudly say that in most situations, I have only bought factory ammunition to "break-in" a gun or to use in setting up my reloading dies.

In my case, even though I am "feeding" four .223 Remington rifles, I have only bought 40 rounds of factory ammunition and I still have 24 of them.