Reloading Advice

[victor3ranger]

If you shoot 338 Lapua, 338-378 Weatherby or even 300 Win Mag, reloading still saves a ton of money. Factory loads for my Bee are $220 a box, I can still make them for under $40. If you shoot a 223, you aren't saving near as much but you can load them on a Dillon so you can crank out large volumes in relatively little time. I don't actually save money long term because I shoot a lot, but if I shot that much and used factory, I would be flat broke.

This is the same boat I am in.
Reloading magnum rounds with quality components and being able to build a proper round for a specific rifle is good.
Looking at a box of 7RM or 300WM of 20 rounds of Nosler brand ammo makes me cringe, but I can load the ammo with almost the same components for a lot less, so for that stuff I still feel like I am saving money.
I know some will argue that my time has to be taken into the cost but doing something that I really enjoy I really don't think of a cost

 

[Reelamin]

Last year I started shooting my 223 way more than I normally do. Started running low on components for it so went and purchased a pound of benchmark, a brick of CCI 400's and a couple hundred ballistic tips. After doing the math with the elevated price of components I believe it's about the same price as buying factory ammo. Although it probably won't be as consistent.
Larger cartridges it's still cheaper to load my own.

Just because I wanted to run some numbers and find out per 100. Pulled these numbers today and these prices are slightly higher than a year ago. Loaded ammo Federal 223/BT $135/100. 100 SMR primers $7, 100 BT's $36, Benchmark 1lb $52 or 25gr loads $19/100, you mentioned you had brass, but Ill throw in 100LC $10. Total to reload 100 rounds with new brass $72. Quick math puts it almost exactly half of the cost, and if you fudge a few grains of powder add another $2 so $75/100. Reloaded ammo admittedly will be more consistent or better for half the cost why would you not reload it?

 

[Reelamin]

I know some will argue that my time has to be taken into the cost but doing something that I really enjoy I really don't think of a cost

My standard answer to this is. I agree if you have a job where you are paid to work......16hrs a day and you always sleep 8hrs every day of your life your time has a dollar figure. If you have to take a pay cut or get no pay to take time off work your time is costing you money directly. If you have any other time between work and sleep those are free hours you can make choices with and you will get no financial compensation for what ever you decide.
I own my reasoning and have said it many times when people want me to volunteer or give my time for no financial compensation. I have never said I don't have the time cowardly avoidance. "I wont lie to you and claim I just don't have time, I have time or can make time I just don't want for this."

 

[birddog 68]

Just because I wanted to run some numbers and find out per 100. Pulled these numbers today and these prices are slightly higher than a year ago. Loaded ammo Federal 223/BT $135/100. 100 SMR primers $7, 100 BT's $36, Benchmark 1lb $52 or 25gr loads $19/100, you mentioned you had brass, but Ill throw in 100LC $10. Total to reload 100 rounds with new brass $72. Quick math puts it almost exactly half of the cost, and if you fudge a few grains of powder add another $2 so $75/100. Reloaded ammo admittedly will be more consistent or better for half the cost why would you not reload it?

You are pretty close with my numbers. I paid $67 for a pound of benchmark, $100 for a brick of SRP and $40 per 100 BT.
Target sports listed the federal BT for 80 cents a round. Of course they weren't in stock.

 

[Mark37082]

Saving $$ is not really what it is all about IMO. It is about bringing excitement back to shooting for me. It also opens the door for cartridge options that are really not feasible in factory offerings. I try not to calculate the cost per round in reloading. Some will put up thousands of $$$ for an AMP annealer and scales without blinking an eye. Many of us have this affliction to continue to up our game in the reloading room and when shooting. I never stared at loaded ammo or measured every detail until I started reloading.

 

[birddog 68]

Saving $$ is not really what it is all about IMO

I agree with this. I never ran the numbers until I purchased components over this last weekend. Even if I can't beat the price of factory ammo I'll still reload.

 

[victor3ranger]

For me being able to make extremely accurate and effective ammunition that is dependable and deadly is payment enough for me to keep reloading.
Besides, when me amount of ammo starts getting low I can just go out and make a bunch more

 

[FEENIX]

I think @flyguy1's meme sends a more profound message. Most of us know the value added to reloading, i.e., custom loads, precision, hobby, etc. A very high percentage of the cost of ammunition is on brass, the only component that can be reloaded multiple times, a cost-saving opportunity. Guys here are minimalist, and some have costly range and reloading types of equipment, some of which will take time to realize (or perhaps never) the return on investment.

Here's a prime example ...https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/new-amp-anealer.350640/

 

[P7M13]

The OP trolled us.
The time I spend rolling my own is priceless to me. The pain isn't so bad because I bought components when they were cheap and stacked deep.
Besides, where would I buy three wildcats, or even triple-deuce, for that matter?

 

[Buckskinner]

Yes and no. Initially you will take a hit on tools and equipment which will take a lot of rounds to recuperate. To boot components are as high as ever and likely going up more. Also depends on the calibers you are shooting. 223 mag dump ammo, save a little. Tougher to find precision caliber/ammo, save a bunch.

My advise is if you get into it, do your research and buy the top end equipment/ dies you can afford and even then you will probably upgrade as you go. Nature of the beast.

I started about 25 years ago and have lots of components for all my calibers so am still producing ammo where primers were $25/1000 and powder was about the same for a lb.

The value comes in with never having to search for ammo, custom precision and its a relatively inexpensive hobby that provides a net gain.

 

[jensenj71]

There are two distinctly different paths. Reloading to produce cost effective quality ammo and reloading to improve performance.

At 300yds or less the round to round or box to box variation of factory ammo doesn't make much difference. It always cracks me up when someone buys a fresh box of factory ammo and tells me they know where it will land at 600yds without shooting any of it. I reload because I want to be able to make more of exactly the same thing once I settle on an optimized load. Same brass, same prep, same powder lot, same primer lot, same charge, same CBTO, same neck tension.....etc.

You can reload to produce cost effective ammo or you can reload to control the variables. Controlling the variables can get expensive. As with everything, 70% of the value can be had for 30% of the cost. Going after the remaining 30% is expensive and time consuming.

I produced quality cost effective ammo that consistently performed in the field for 20 years before I fell down the rabbit hole. I paid for my original equipment many times over. After falling down the rabbit hole, I will never save enough to pay for the new equipment. I enjoy it and I can afford it.

Don't let anyone tell you that you have to do all of the things we debate endlessly just to produce quality cost effective ammo.