Reloading - Is it still really worth it?

[Lefty7mmstw]

Without throwing away the brass...id say it's still being extremely conservative due to the price of primers......if you can find them

for those of us who haven't had to bow to the primer gods yet, we have decent supplies picked up sub $40 a thou., so $1 to 1.50 a round is often the number, with lesser cartridges using cup and core pills coming in quite a bit cheaper than that.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Ummmm, can't get a Visa for your country, so no they wouldn't love to have me.
It is what it is.

Cheers.

you don't need a visa, just come in from the south ( I hear you can come in from the north too, but who wants an ice cycle hanging from your rear) like everyone else... pay a few $$ and get a Puerto Rican's ss# and you can work anywhere... I've heard of it and even knew someone who had to change their name because they got found out on one ss#... they just treat it as a cat and mouse game lately.

 

[johngibbs222]

Here in the UK I can reload for my 308 with speer 165 grn btsp, cfe 223 powder and S&B primers for about $0.81 per round about 0.15c less with 147 grn bt fmj and about 20 cents more if I use a barnes mono bullet or similar. European mono bullets are starting to come through and they are significantly cheaper than american premium bullets
223 rem with 50 grn barnes varmint grenades, cfe 223 and S&B primers about $0.26 per round to reload.
So it's really more economical in the UK to reload, once you've acquired the equipment.
This is the upside of gun control.

 

[Mark37082]

I would pay more than double in the USA to keep our gun rights. It really does not make a great deal of sense to me that gun control would make things cheaper other than supply and demand. I guess I answered my own questio.

 

[CHRIS MCBRIDE]

At 11.00 per hundred.45 per hundered for projectile and 100 rnds per lb power that rund 40 bucks per. at best you are looking at.96 cent per rnd with good bullet, not the hottest thing but they will more than do the job. Even with Berger stuff you are maybe 1.50 per rnd for 7mm RM.

 

[tony d willIiams]

I got into reloading because it was either the ammunition or me that was causing the inaccuracies and flyers.
1st reloads got me from hitting paper to inside of 8" circle at 400 yards.
Now I make a large hole. The reloads are roughly $3.00 each for 338LM, store prices upwards of $6.00 ea, and reloads are small change for 30-30 & pistols.
My equipment paid for itself years ago.
And the data, figuring keeps my brain alive and functioning.

 

[CBH Australia]

I think reloading for .223 and .308 is cost effective if you are sourcing components at the right price.

For a less common cartridge it probably saves a bit.

For an obscure cartridge it's a given you will have to handloads.

I enjoy the little loading I do, or perhaps I only do it when I feel like it

You could buy every new fandangle gadget and you will never pull out in front of you go down that rabbit hole. You can produce a decent load on basic gear, you can do better with all the expensive gear and new gadget but you still have to do your part.

You can choose a better projectile or customise a load of that is the advantage. It should be cost effective if kept in check.

Shooting more because loads are cheaper could cost more in the long run but you will make the most of that expensive reloading kit that started this journey. You have to recoup the initial outlay right?

And it's just another part of our interest.

 

[dmerrifield]

I just ran a cost comparison on my son's 7x57. Shelf price is about $3 per round and our reloading price is .93 at today's costs of primers, bullet, and powder. Big difference is 1/4 moa versus 1 to 1 1/2 for factory. We anneal which extends the life of the brass, lowering the cost.

 

[ATTkid]

I didn't start reloading to save money,

10X that Butterbean. Nothing beats shooting rounds you made yourself and putting 5 shots in 1/4 of an inch!

 

[greenejc]

Worth it - absolutely.
Easy to get dug in deep or go off the deep end? Heck yes.
Able to tinker with loads that shine in your gun? Bonus.
Relaxing way to pass time at odd hours? Completely

I got into it because making $6/hour and having to scrape to make ends meet, yet shooting 6-10 boxes of ammo per month shooting with my buddies out in Wixom or down in Saline, reloading was the only way to make it work. .270 ammo was ~$8 - $10/box, and at the time, using the Lee Loader kit, I could reload for 1/3 that cost.
Now, four of the wildcats I shoot require that I make my own.
Considering when I bought my components and what I paid for them, 223 loads are ~15¢, 308 is 30¢ for plinking rounds, 40¢ for 168SMKs, and the premium ones like the 338 Edge or 7LRM are 80¢ to $1.10. This includes amortizing brass and equipment.
Where it really shines is when I can load 308 or 30-30 "arthritis" rounds for my brother at ~7¢ apiece, and to see the smile on his face because he can shoot again -- priceless.

Years ago I would have balked at paying $130 for a Lapua box of 100 243 Win casings, and now I don't sweat it. I will get 10 loadings out of them, where RP or Hornady might give me only four or five before the primer cups become too loose. Eight years ago, I was paying $65 - $80 for that same box.

Shooting surely can be the sport of kings, with some of the shotguns and drillings that I have seen. I suspect reloading would be laughed at by that crowd. I prefer hanging out by the paddock with the gomers and rednecks, where life is simple, pretense is negligible, and the fare coming out of the smoker tastes way better than pâté.

I have a friend who shoots a 30-06 AI and anneals his brass. He's gotten as much as 30 reloadings out of RP brass. I generally get about 10 out of my -06 Remington brass.

 

[tumbleweed7mmstw]

First of all I am not trying induce depression or deter people from starting to jump into the world of hand loading.

Is it worth it? I think it is for various reasons. Funny you asked this question, I just finished introducing a
good friend of mine into reloading. He needed some loads for his custom build AR, 223 with a 1 in 7 twist
barrel. He came over with a 250 round bag of new Nosler brass and 3 boxes of Sierra 69gr match BTHP's and a brick of CCI #41 primers. I had the powder, Hogdons BLC-2. We spent 2 evenings working first with a single-stage press and then moved to the progressive. This morning he poised this question after seeing this ad on Midway, https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1023653038?pid=490699. "Would you say that is a good deal? I feel like the parts cost more than buying outright! Here is what my reply was with a cost breakdown
I don't think so. Let's just review the actual cost you spent even with the outrageous prices you paid for those components.
As you now know, today's prices are 2-3 times actual markets averages and that is temporary. Normal market prices for these
components are as follows for 223.
primers $32.00 to 35.00 per brick on 1000, that's $0.03.2 to $0.03.5 cents each. But this time at $100.00 per 1000 cost $0.10 cents each.
One pound / 7000 grains powder $$32.00. 25.4 grains per charge in $0.11.6 cents each round charged.
projectile's range from as little as $$20.00 to $36.00 per 100 or $0.36 cents each. (at today's prices)
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1482224712?pid=299533
brass cost (normally around $35.00 per 100) this was $200.00/250 ea. or $0.80 cents each
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/102141755?pid=259237
This brass can be reloaded (if taken care of) at least 6-8 times and possibly 12-15 times.
I come up with a cost to reload per round not counting brass id only $0.57 cents each VS $1.70 on sale or $2.00 round normally.
If we prorate the cost of brass at $0.80 cents each and add the cost of $0.10 cents each We're at $0.67 Cents each.
At $0.67 cost each X 250 rounds made = $167.50. If we expense the total cost of brass at the ridiculous price of $.80 cents each
we get a total of $1.37 each round.
This "Factory" loaded stuff at $1.70 a round X 250 rounds = $425.00 plus sales tax and hazard shipping cost. I invited him to this site and I hope you can see the postings about the cost versus benefits fo reloading.

 

[greenejc]

I'm not saying your math is wrong but for 9mm...
powder .05 (Unique, 5.1gr) - assume HAZMAT is amortized across a larger order and you're patient for stock at reasonably priced places
primer .10 (I've never paid $100 for a brick of primers but I'll splurge here)
bullet .082 (Missouri bullet coated, with shipping, 2000 bulk pack)
brass .01 (one-fired, amortized across 5 firings)
$0.242 per round. Add a couple cents for tax which I didn't figure into components.

I'm curious what good store bought ammo is that cheap, picked up or to your door, right now.

Now...if you are buying powder and primers off Gunbroker, things go sideways quickly.

I am very happy that several panics ago I started throwing a few bricks of primers on every order and buying powder by the 8lb or two. When the panic started I started to panic until I realized I had 50K of primers. I really feel for people starting to get into reloading today. Do I think it's worth it? YES, but you need to be patient and not pay these crazy prices unless you are making a few precision loads. When I travel I look for brick and mortar shops and stop in, I've lucked into some powder and primers this way, for non-gouging prices, much moreso than fighting every reloader in the USA on powdervalley and every other reliable online vendor.

Given my legacy components I'm running more like 18-20 cents a round...

Well, I cast and coat my own, so my loads are about 10 cents cheaper for 9mm.

 

[greenejc]

Is it worth it? I think it is for various reasons. Funny you asked this question, I just finished introducing a
good friend of mine into reloading. He needed some loads for his custom build AR, 223 with a 1 in 7 twist
barrel. He came over with a 250 round bag of new Nosler brass and 3 boxes of Sierra 69gr match BTHP's and a brick of CCI #41 primers. I had the powder, Hogdons BLC-2. We spent 2 evenings working first with a single-stage press and then moved to the progressive. This morning he poised this question after seeing this ad on Midway, https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1023653038?pid=490699. "Would you say that is a good deal? I feel like the parts cost more than buying outright! Here is what my reply was with a cost breakdown
I don't think so. Let's just review the actual cost you spent even with the outrageous prices you paid for those components.
As you now know, today's prices are 2-3 times actual markets averages and that is temporary. Normal market prices for these
components are as follows for 223.
primers $32.00 to 35.00 per brick on 1000, that's $0.03.2 to $0.03.5 cents each. But this time at $100.00 per 1000 cost $0.10 cents each.
One pound / 7000 grains powder $$32.00. 25.4 grains per charge in $0.11.6 cents each round charged.
projectile's range from as little as $$20.00 to $36.00 per 100 or $0.36 cents each. (at today's prices)
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1482224712?pid=299533
brass cost (normally around $35.00 per 100) this was $200.00/250 ea. or $0.80 cents each
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/102141755?pid=259237
This brass can be reloaded (if taken care of) at least 6-8 times and possibly 12-15 times.
I come up with a cost to reload per round not counting brass id only $0.57 cents each VS $1.70 on sale or $2.00 round normally.
If we prorate the cost of brass at $0.80 cents each and add the cost of $0.10 cents each We're at $0.67 Cents each.
At $0.67 cost each X 250 rounds made = $167.50. If we expense the total cost of brass at the ridiculous price of $.80 cents each
we get a total of $1.37 each round.
This "Factory" loaded stuff at $1.70 a round X 250 rounds = $425.00 plus sales tax and hazard shipping cost. I invited him to this site and I hope you can see the postings about the cost versus benefits fo reloading.

Nice analysis. I get my .223 by picking it up at the range. Most people just don't reload .223 or 5.56 nato, so I get that free when I go to the range. I scrounge 9mm and 45 acp the same way, along with .308 and 30-06, and sometimes even 300 Win Mag. It results in a mixed bag of manufacturers but I sort and load and shoot one manufacturer at a time, so I don't mix brass with my rifles, other than my 25-06, which I have been making brass for by necking down .270 Win brass and trimming to length. You might tell your friend to see if anyone shooting at the range is shooting his caliber and get their once fired brass. If you sort it and full length resize it, it'll shoot just fine.

 

[greenejc]

^^^ This^^^

Didn't work.