My experience & opinion as to costs of reloading now days.

[AlHunt]

Reloading is worth my time, money, energy and effort, always. Because I want to shoot. And because The Forces of Evil are working around the clock and around the calendar to take that away from me.

That said, I just took a quick look and I could load 9mm for .15/round at today's prices. Using my own cast bullets, I knock about 5 cents off that.

Above, it says 9mm is about .22/round to buy. If it's "worth" .07/round to roll your own depends on whether you consider reloading a chore or a hobby. But the ability to do it might just be priceless.

Lay in powder and primers now. Today's price is less than tomorrow's.

 

[bigggbbruce]

I started in '80 when I bought a Contender in 7mm TCU.

No commercial ammo available.

Now I load everything but .22

 

[Hal H.]

I too started reloading in the 70’s primarily because I began shooting obsolete calibers. I enjoyed reloading as part of the shooting experience.
These days I only buy dies for calibers that I plan to shoot a lot. That said, I live in California and I tell everyone that will listen that in our state, if you haven’t purchased a reloading set you may end up just saying “pew pew” within the next ten years.

 

[BillyKframe]

There isn't any thing I can add that hasn't already been said on this thread. As with others, when I started reloading in the 70s I could save money. Factory ammo was not cheap, and where I lived there were no 9mm hollow points or jacked loads for revolver cartridges for sale. Today it looks to be a different story for a young person just starting out. I still save money on what I shoot. For instance, around here a box of 45 Colt costs over 50.00 plus tax but I can buy 500 250 grain Hi-Tek coated 45 bullets for 85.00 plus 12.00 shipping and I already have the brass. Like some others, I'm retired and loading bullets, going shooting and cleaning guns is all finally fun (the shooting part was always fun).

 

[Rule3]

Good post(thread)
I still have components from OBummer version 1
I stopped reloading 9mm and 5.56 a while ago, not worth it.

For calibers like 357, 44 and 45 I still load as those as are crazy expensive,

Just wait, components and ammo are gonna get even more expensive.

 

[penmaker]

I started reloading in the early 70s, mainly due to the lack of 25:06 ammo. I had to form the brass from LC 30:06 brass and never looked back. It's therapy and an extension of the shooting hobby. In those days, my good wife suggested that whenever I went to the sporting goods store, I pick up a brick of primers to ensure I had stock. Still do it to this day, although I mainly shop 0online stores. Her current opinion tthat 23,00 primers is sufficient is hard to duspute. Still, I have them in sealed containers and enought powders and brass to be no plused when things get expensive.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Been reloading since 1975. Yes, I got into it for cost savings, then learned the other benefits (custom tailored loads, increased accuracy, etc..) if I didn't reload already, I dont know if I'd start now. But I do cast bullets which allows me to shoot my 38s, .357s, .44s, and.45 acp fairly cheaply. My components were bought when things were a lot cheaper. At 67 I probably have enough stuff to last the remainder of my shooting career. And I do still greatly enjoy the process of making my own ammo. Anticipating retirement in the next year or two and hope to load and shoot a bit more.

 

[Kimberpross]

I started reloading 22-250 ammo about 55 yrs. Ago with a lee loader. After several rounds and seeing how easy it was to load I got a RCBS Rock Chucker and still use it today. I am not a high volume shooter but I hunt and like to develop my loads to my rifles for specific game and distance shooting. I load 44 mag. Ammo for maximum energy and less concern on tight grouping since all shots will be within 200 yards on a kill zone that is 10” diameter. I load 7mm Mag. With heavier bullets and tune for best accuracy for long shots on large game. Could I find factory ammo to meet my goals, maybe, but it is fun developing, finding the sweet spot and seeing the results.

 

[larry8]

I purchased the Lee small reloading kits for 9, 38, 357, and 44 mag. These are about $40 each and I also purchased 300 cartridges for the 9 and 38 as well as bullets for each of those. Picked up 14 lbs. of gunpowder too. I managed to make 1- 9mm bullet just to prove that I can do it with the kit. Now you ask why did I do this since I'm old as dirt and don't know anything about reloading. Well if the poop ever hits the fan I can make my own bullets because there will be none available to buy anywhere. I'll even be able to sell or swap for some too.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

My bullets are free because I mine the berms and cast my own. Then I powder coat. I load low pressure cartridges and my cases are used many times: 32 ACP, 380 Auto, 38 Spl, 45 ACP, and 45 Colt. I bought all my components when prices were about half of what I see now. I still have about 10 lb each of Unique, Blue Dot, Trail Boss, and W231, and many bricks of CCI #300 and #500.

To the younger shooters, I recommend learning how to cast and stocking up on powder and primers. Ten years from now you will be able to repeat my post.

(Do group purchases of powder and primers to absorb the cost of the hazmat fee. Buying online in BULK is the way to go.)

On my range I sometimes mine the berm too.......I got lead that been down the barrel several times.

 

[pasound]

I started reloading on a recommendation from my gunsmith that reloading was "The Way" for my favorites - 44 special and magnum, and 45 Colt. That was 40+ years ago with a Lee single stage C press. Bought a turret a few years after, and have had one since, and the single is now my powder dispenser. These days, it still makes sense to load 44spl and 45 Colt - they just cost too much, even in bulk. And, I like the Skeeter load in my 44 specials. I reload 38spl HBWC, as they are hen's teeth, back then, and now, but quit on 9mm for the moment because bulk is usually cheaper than components.

 

[M1A4ME]

One thing I keep telling people is - Don't wait till you need components to look for them and buy them. Buy them when you see them at a good price you're willing to pay. Doesn't matter if you need them right now or in a few weeks. None of it goes bad when stored properly. I've got evidence that none of it goes bad when not stored in the usually quoted ideal conditions.

I've used primers I ran across in the attic that had been there over 20 years. Four thousand of them. Used them all., I've got powder that was stored in the same attic for the same number of years. I've used all of that but the IMR4350 and IMR4320. All of it made good shooting ammo.

Again, buy it when the price is right and put it away for later. It'll still be good. And, you can get a nice grin on your face when you grab a box of a thousand primers and the price tag is $10.99. Or a 1 lb. can of powder with a $12.99 price tag on it.

 

[Dan W. Cady]

I have been reloading for about 50 years, for three basic reasons. It saves money (usually), in varying amounts depending on market forces. I can get exactly what I want rather than what is available. Also, I find it to be therapeutic.

I agree with everything Mr. Walsh has written and with 50 plus years as a handloader I would not want to know the dollar value of my equipment. The ability to tailor loads and form brass is priceless. Handloading is not a hobby, I class it A Terminal illness!
,

 

[rwsmith]

Hang the cost. Reloading gets me through times of unrest in firearms ownership (shortages).

 

[AlHunt]

Hang the cost. Reloading gets me through times of unrest in firearms ownership (shortages).

Precise and concise.

 

[tlawler]

My only regret with reloading is the same year I started it, 2017, is the same year my son graduated high school and went off to college. I wish now that I had started early enough to get him involved and interested in it. He does love shooting my reloads, though!

 

[glenwolde]

Since this keeps coming up I decided to run the cost calculator on what 9mm would cost using my most recent (this year) component costs. I come up with $9.71 a box.

All prices include shipping costs and Texas sales tax.

SA Primers from NormaUSA: $54.11/m if you order $200. I've also gotten them much cheaper since then but I'm not sure how durable that deal is.

Powder from Cabelas: 1# is $43.83. I use them because you can order online for store pickup and no shipping or Hazmat. Club members can wait for a 5% discount day which they have all the time.

SNS Casting 125 gr coated lead bullets: $115.00. This is an estimate as I have not ordered any in quite a while. For some reason they never charged me sales tax on my orders. These are $95/1,000 + I added $20 shipping.

I don't count brass cost.

Cost for 50: $9.71

If I use my best recent price on primers, which was $198.90 delivered for 5,000 SA primers from Republic Ammunition the cost drops to $8.99 /50. They still have that price.

Stating the obvious: Look for deals. Sign up for emails. Buy in bulk. Take advantage of "Free Hazmat Days". In my case I can cut that bullet cost by 30% since I took up casting my own. While I'm in a location where I have a place to cast I really can't process scrap on our little patio in the back of the townhouse. It's a lot of work anyway. But even buying an alloy I cut bullet cost by 20-30%. I had all the equipment in storage, and being retired, all the time I need. But for decades I bought my bullets as I didn't have the time.

I'm not one that enjoys reloading as a hobby. Especially on a single stage. I don't really think of it as a separate discipline. It's part of the whole. I also shoot a .41 Magnum so you pretty much have to reload for that caliber. The non-reloaders I know with big bore revolvers rarely shoot them.

 

[MAUSER888]

I started in 1984 with .357 magnums. Got the cost down to less then half of Factory. Now I load for 16 different rifle and pistol calibers.

 

[Tex1001]

I also realized what was going to happen to reloading components back a while ago and bought enough for the long haul at normal prices back in the day. When I reload I can save money on ammo as the components were purchased quite reasonably. That is simply not the case any longer! ---SNIP

This is the way.
The price of loaded ammo is very cyclical.
I've reloaded for 60 years. I almost quit twice because factory and imported ammo
was so cheap. I also stock up when component prices are down. I now have ammo
available for the rest of my life.

 

[lrrifleman]

I have to agree, to large part with the OP.

I started reloading almost 60 years ago. I started reloading because I wanted to shoot, but money was tight. Today I'm retired, disabled, and have 2 kids starting college, and money is still tight!

I'm now shooting F class matches, and I need sub-MOA ammo, which requires that I load my own 224 Valkyrie and 6.5 Creedmoor. But I enjoy shooting 9 different pistol cartridges, so I cast and load for them. Having recently picked up a Rossi R92, I can see a higher need for 38 Special and 357 Magnum.

Plus, since I purchase components when I can, I can have ammo when the store shelves are empty. I have an old RCBS JR for precision rifle ammo, a Dillon 550B for some pistol and bulk quantity 223s and 308s, plus 2 Dillon Square Deal Bs (one in SPP and one in LPP), which will fulfill my needs.