How worthwhile is it to save my .38 and .357 brass?

[mtgianni]

Reloading .38 and .357 saves money.

My cost per bullet is 12.1 cents a round for 38s and 12.4 cents for .357 magnum (just a little more powder)

Brass=Free
Bullets= 500 Speer Lead SWC-HP 40.99 = 8.2 cents a head
Primers= 1000 small pistol primers at 26.99= 2.7 cents a head.
Powder= $18.99 for a 1lb of Unique (7000 grains=.27 cents per grain) .38 with 4.4 grains = 1.2 cents

One reloaded round is therefore= 12.1 cents per round or $6.05 per box of 50. That is better than 18-24 dollars!

1000 158 gr 38 loads
Cast bullets from my molds with bought lead @ $1 lb =$14
powder @ 3.5 gr Red Dot/promo 8 lb keg @ $80_______$5
SP Primers last bought in 2012 5K for $128 shipped____$26
brass free the total is $45 for 2012 prices add $10 for increased primer cost and you are still under $3 per 50 rounds
If you mix your lead with range scrap or if I count all the buckets I paid 10 cents a lb for the cost is under $2.50 for 50 rds. If that does not make sense to you please leave your brass on the ground for the next reloader to use.

 

[Gryff]

How worthwhile is it for me to save brass going forward.

Very worthwhile. If you collect your brass, you could:

1) reload it yourself if you ever get started reloading

2) give it to a friend who reloads

3) sell it to a reloader or trade it for something you want

4) sell it to a scrap metal recycler (I believe ammo cases bring in $1.25-1.75/pound - although you should note that somewhere a puppy dies each time you choose this option)

I've been collecting .40S&W cases (even though I don't reload .40) just so I can trade it for .38SPL cases (which I am planning to start reload). I've got 20-30lbs. of them, and looking forward to getting a nice start on reloading .38 without having to buy cases.

 

[blujax01]

Very worthwhile. If you collect your brass, you could:

...
4) sell it to a scrap metal recycler (I believe ammo cases bring in $1.25-1.75/pound - although you should note that somewhere a puppy dies each time you choose this option)

....

Now that's funny right there!