Does loading .38 spl make sense for me?

[shil]

After amortizing the cost of your equipment, you'll probably save 50%+- on your ammunition costs. How long it will take to amortize would depend largely on your cost of components. When I bought my progressive press years ago, I calculated that 2000 rounds of various calibers for which I was loading would pay for the equipment in savings over factory ammo. The question you might ask yourself is how often and how much will you shoot. Be realistic. I recently decided to suspend reloading .45 ACP because I just don't shoot that much of it any longer. I have other calibers to play with and load for, including .38 Special. Besides, I am at the age at which sweeping and picking up brass, and, loading up magazines has lost its appeal.

 

[Thomas15]

If you like to shoot your firearms then handload.

If you are so broke that purchasing $50.00 worth of ammo 3 or 4 times a year is a financial hardship, handloading is not for you. I don't mean to be a jerk, but as a few other posters have stated, just asking the question "if handloading would sense" means to me that it doesn't.

As far as getting pleasure out of the activity, handloading is not for everyone and there is nothing romantic about it. The common "wisdom" among shooters that reloading ammo saves a ton of money is simply not true. But if you want to enjoy handloading as a hobby the best way to ensure that you do is to gather good tools right from the start. As with everything, you get what you pay for.

I have said it many times, some will argue that I'm wrong, but to get started in this endeavor you will need at a minimum an investment of $500.00 however $1,000.00 is not out of the question.

Someone will respond to this with a detailed post giving prices at the $250.00 level or proclaim buy used but when you add up all of the things needed to put together a reloading bench even $500.00 is really not enough. It is of course true that you can buy such and such *ee kit for $150.00 but that is not everything you need, probably most of what is in the kit is not what you want and 2 months into the hobby you will have spent more money on common hardware (nuts and bolts and lighting and storage) for your bench than the cost of that kit.

 

[shil]

Hmmm. It would appear I failed to consider the cost of "starting from scratch". I loaded for years on a single-stage press (still use it) and already had "stuff" before I bought my progressive. Yep. Bench, scale, dies, primer flipper; all that good stuff. It does add up. Again, how much, realistically, do you intend to shoot?

 

[TomkinsSP]

I load mostly 115 gr. FMJ bullets for 9mm. It costs me around $5.65 per box of 50. How is that not saving $4.00 or better per box of factory ammo?

I think he means you ONLY save $4 per box in 9x19. If you shoot one box per month it will take a long time to amortize your costs. But if you shoot a lot, or shoot less ubiquitous calibers where factory ammo may cost more, you can save $10, $15, $20, $30 per box it adds up faster.

But even $4 per month is $48 a year, if you are doing one box a month a Lee Loader or handpress is an economical choice. And you make ammo tailored to your gun. And you will shoot more because it's more fun.

Just sayin'.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I hope it makes sense because I've been doing it for nearly a half-century.

OP shoots 300 rounds per year using ammo at $16 per box, so his expense is about $96 (plus sales taxes). A relatively simple reloading kit (light duty press, dies, powder measure/scale) can be put together for about $100 to $150. Box of 500 cast .38 bullets is about $35, 500 primers are about $15, a pound of pistol powder is about $20 (good for 1400-plus rounds), so the cost of loading 300 rounds is about $35. Total start up investment is recovered in under a year and a half, and the equipment will last a lifetime with very little care.

Most of the reloaders I have known started off small, then discovered that they can do a lot more shooting within their current budget. I suspect the OP would quickly find himself shooting much more frequently and enjoying it a lot more.

About 46 years ago I branched out into bullet casting, scavenging lead alloys from printers and tire shops. I was shooting .38, 9mm, .45 and other calibers for less than the cost of store-bought .22LR. Can't quite do that anymore, but it's still pretty close.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

With the nonsense going on today in DC and other places having the ability to load your own ammunition would seem to be a hedge against not finding ammunition.

Major DITTO! Any time I acquire a firearm chambered for a caliber I have not used in the past the first order of business is a set of reloading dies and a good bullet mold. Looking into my reloading closet right now I see over a dozen powders, cartons of primers (5000 per carton in all types), several thousand bullets, and many thousands of empty cases (in various stages of processing). During the long dry spell of recent years, when neither ammo nor components could be found regardless of price, I felt the pinch just a little bit, but I was always able to keep myself supplied.

Anyone who doubts the need should read the UN Treaty on Small Arms Trafficking, paying close attention to proposed restrictions on ammo, components, and reloading (i.e.: manufacturing).

 

[nachogrande]

[QUOTE=Thomas



The common "wisdom" among shooters that reloading ammo saves a ton of money is simply not true.

to get started in this endeavor you will need at a minimum an investment of $500.00 however $1,000.00 is not out of the question.


A quick ebay search for a rockchucker (quality) press Used 40$, & the first 1 listed. YES other items will be needed/wanted & the upgrades to newer/better is ongoing, depending on how INTO IT you become. Brass can be cleaned on the stovetop & dried in the oven. I can't remember the last time I trimmed my revolver brass. SURE in 35+/- years I probly have app 2500$ worth of STUFF. Some of it I actually use. Play Golf? How much have you spent on clubs (how many sets?), green fees, club memberships, caddies, carts, tips, silly looking clothes??? Fishing, hunting, scuba, photography, skiing, tennis, ALL THE ABOVE.

 

[Thomas15]

........snip.....

A quick ebay search for a rockchucker (quality) press Used 40$, & the first 1 listed. YES other items will be needed/wanted & the upgrades to newer/better is ongoing, depending on how INTO IT you become.
......../snip.....


........snip.....
SURE in 35+/- years I probly have app 2500$ worth of STUFF.
....../snip......

Thank you for agreeing with me!

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

I'm somewhat new to revolver shooting and love it. Have several .357/.38. and considering starting to reload. beside having fun at it, how much cheaper would reloaded wad cutters really be? I keep Unique for shotgun loads,maybe could find a .38 load using that. RCBS kit available at $300, maybe LEE ? .38's can be found at about $16 a box. Probablly shoot 300+ per year, and that keeps goin' up..Thanks for opinions

Only you can answer your question. I started way back in the last century, mid 1970's or so. I was young and raising a family, so I started out with the saving money idea. I cast my own .38's, loaded all of them. I don't remember ever buying any factory loads for .38/.357's.
I still reload, and cast bullets. The casting of bullets is not nearly as easy as it was 40 years ago. I only cast .38/.357 now, and not many of those. I load a lot more than I did then, because my Wife and one Daughter shoot with me regularly. I gladly do the work of reloading because I get to spend time with them on the range. It also makes them safe shooters, with some degree of confidence in their ability to protect themselves.
I buy bullets for my 9 mm and our daughter pitches in with the cost. That is a great help.

So, in a nutshell, it's up to you.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[crstrode]

After you have been reloading for a while, the nuances of ballistics and bullet performance will become more interesting - if not fascinating.

Even though my first goal of reloading was to save money as a rabid IPSC competitor, now, decades later I am often contemplating the best formula for cooking up an optimum load for a specific purpose.

For example; I load my own 38-specials that turn a 1-7/8 inch snubby into a tack driving knock down gun. The only thing lacking when compared to Buffalo Bore ammo is the cost.

Mine are about a buck per round cheaper.

Oh - for what its worth, hard-cast 148 grain double ended wadcutters are one of my favorite hot defensive loads.

 

[AlHunt]

I'll only say this: Real Men only shoot factory ammo when they need more cases.

I know, I know, but that's just how it is.

Also, bullet casting raises testosterone levels. Proven fact.

 

[argon18smith]

I enjoy reloading and I have the time to do it. I can load 100 rounds of 9mm in 8 minutes. As most of the reloaders here have said, we do not save money but we do shoot a lot more for the same amount of money.
I was up to 700 rounds per week last summer of all calibres. Can't beat a good day at the range.

 

[StakeOut]

I buy 90%+ of my reloading components from reloaders reducing inventory or getting out of shooting/reloading pistol.

Average is about $20/lb for Alliant Bullseye,Unique and 2400 while Titegroup can be about $14/lb

Primers are about $20/1000 +/-

Bullets are the most expensive component so that's the part you need to pay the most attention to.

You can get up to around 30 reloadings from a brass case so putting a price on brass is hard if some were bought new,some bought as once fired and many free range pickups.

If you have a very cheap or free source of lead casting may be an option otherwise shop for the best buys but don't forget to look at the shipping cost for this heavy item.

My 4 hole Lee Turret Press =$100
Lee 4 die carbide sets = $35
Lee Auto Disk Pro Powder Measures = $35
Lee extra Risers = $7.50
Lee extra Turrets = $7.50
Lee Safety Prime = $16
RCBS 10/10 scale = $80

 

[TomkinsSP]

(Added deleted math)

Make 750 rounds vs buy 750 rounds factory .38 S&W special. Costs from my LGS today, $0.54/round Remington 148 grain LHBWC high to $0.34/round GBW 158 grain LRNFP low.

Handloads using Hornady LHBWC $0.33/round first 750, thereafter $0.114/round high to Local cast 150 grain LDEWC $0.274/round first 750 then $0.094 afterwards.

Using 750 rounds (15 boxes as amortization point for durable items: Lee Handpress $38, Lee 4 piece die set $45, Lee Hand Primer $12, and 100 cases Starline brass $18.

First several thousand rounds I loaded I cleaned deprimed cases with hot, hot, hot water in baggie, shaking vigorously.

Distributing per round cost of One Pound Bullseye $18 (2,500 loads of 2.8 grains, which the yellow dipper dips), 1000 primers $26, and $26/250 Hornady LHBWC or locally cast 150 grain LDEWC $15/250.

So looking at out of pocket cost, you CAN buy one box for $17 to $27. That is $204 to $324 per year (600 rounds).

Handloading you buy $113 worth of durable equipment ($98 if you have some brass) and $89 to $122 worth of expendables ($187 to $235 total) to complete 750 rounds, you have made 25 percent more ammo and you have powder and primers (for 1,750 and 250 rounds) on hand.

 

[Wise_A]

TSP has the math about right. The margin for reloading .38 Spl is enormous. The only cartridge which is even more "profitable" is .44 Magnum.

$35/500 for 158-grain LSWCs (includes shipping, MBC)
$21 for a pound of Bullseye dished out at 2.8gr per
$22/1000 for primers bought online for zero hazmat
------
$5.02 per 50/box

The cheapest CCI Blazer aluminum-cased TMJ garbage on MassAmmo goes for $12/box, plus $12 flatrate shipping which we'll just forget about for fun. My state doesn't allow online ordering unless it's received by an FFL, which can cost anywhere from "free" (I still have to drive to the guy and hope he remembers he likes me) to $10, to as much as $35 or $50.

So that's $7 a box saved for most of you. A hell of a lot more for me. Remember, I either pay a $35-$50 tariff for every shipment, or I burn 3-4 gallons of gas and 45 minutes each way driving to the good FFL.

Now, I can easily reload 150/hr on my turret press. If you figure in the inordinate amount of screwing around, organizing, and maintenance I do, I'm looking more at 100/hr to produce really high-quality, matched-headstamp ammunition. So I can save $14-$21 in an hour, and shoot some really great ammo instead of embarrassing factory garbage. And in my situation, that 1.5 hours I didn't spend driving to pick up a case is worth 225 reloading rounds by itself.

Stepping up to .357 Magnum loads only costs another $0.50 to $.0.75.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

If you're looking at saving $$,at 300rds/year,keep buying factory ammo(little trick here;you can sell the once fired brass to some friends that'll bring the cost down).
If you are the kind of guy who likes to get the most out of your tools,reload.
The thing is if you don't like to reload but are doing it just to save $$,don't ;because since you don't like it,you won't load quality ammo and get frustrated doing it.
Reloading,like casting is something you must like,thus feel like you are doing something more than the factory is able to deliver to you in a box of purchased ammo.
Have fun doing it or don't do it.

 

[TomkinsSP]

JMO, if you HATE loading ammo don't. If you don't pay careful attention its just too easy to make a (potentially dangerous) mistake or just plain bad (inaccurate) ammo.

But it can be an enjoyable activity. And its really fun to see how accurate your custom jobs can be.

 

[revshtr]

For the newbee now a days the start up cost can cost you a hellava lot. you better be shooting everyday or a lot on the weekends. I started loading with my dad at 12 yrs old .I'm 52 now a ton of reload stuff I can load whatever I want with the guns I own. It is a cost savings when you look at a cost for a box of ammo now a days.

 

[Walkingwolf]

It's not about saving money, though you might save a little. It for me is about the versatility to tailor rounds to fit my needs.

 

[rwsmith]

I try to buy....

I try to buy only what I need and started out with Lee Handloading tools. I'm a bit of an exception in that reloading REALLY saves me tons and I couldn't shoot like I wanted to without reloading

I will say though, that over 35 years of reloading I have broken down the last few years and bought some stuff to make reloading easier. Like:

A tumbler to clean cases since I use a lot of range brass. Faster than washing and drying them, and it does a good job of shining them up and making them 'purdy'. That's something I care about more for the people that shoot with me so they won't have to use dirty ammo.

An RCBS Uniflow measure to replace Lee scoops that I used in conjunction with the scale and a trickler.

A digital scale. An inexpensive Forster that is faster than my $20 Lee scale which is a good comparator/backup.

I think one thing is that time is no object to me. I'm on disability so I have plenty of time and I'm on SocSec so I don't have much money.



PS: If you really want an expensive hobby take up film photography. You ALWAYS need something new. I was in that but I had money then. But if you want to be a cheapskate like I am now you can have a lot of fun with a box Brownie.

PPS: Buying stuff over time eases the pain.