How much does one save on reloading your own pistol ammo?

[Gluemanz28]

Even if you do go the turret press in the end, its always a good idea to have a single stage press around for things that the progressive can't do as well, or for when you don't want to completely change over the entire progressive just to load up a few test rounds.

^^^^^^^ Great advice ^^^^^^^

 

[rvb]

I feel a little sorry for the guys who ONLY reload to save money or so they can support their shooting habit...they're really missing the boat, if ya ask me.
...
Yet, for some reason, these same guys will second-guess the hobby of reloading

that's great if reloading is a hobby for you. shooting is my hobby. reloading is a damn chore. it has to be worth it for me to bother, either because of cost or ammo quality [or both] which helps me enjoy my real hobby (shooting).

I have this theory that everyone who says they enjoy reloading is full of s$#t. Every one I've met I've offered they could come over and load my ammo and have a blast. I'll supply the components and tell you the load I want, and you can pull the handle till you're heart's content. No one has ever taken me up on it.

for someone starting out, if they wanted to go immediately to a Dillion Progressive feeder like a 550 or 650 and have to buy all the stuff to go with the press, they will pass up $1,000 quickly
...
I know some will say don't start out progressive, start out with single stage but it seems to me you would get a single stage and in six months want a progressive and regress getting the single stage.

I started out 10 yrs ago on a 550B, and it's still what I'm using today. IIRC I figured I had about $1k in everything getting started. When I first started out I was only loading 9mm, but I was going through over 20k per year. A little over 1 yr later I broke even, and that was when you could get 9mm at Walmart for $12/100, incl tax. And my reloads were mostly 147 jhp. Now the savings are even greater, it would only take 10-12k of 9mm, or 5k .223.

I never understood the long-term plan of saving $ by starting out w/ a press that's not what you want, requiring you spend more $ in the long run...

Even if you do go the turret press in the end, its always a good idea to have a single stage press around for things that the progressive can't do as well, or for when you don't want to completely change over the entire progressive just to load up a few test rounds.

unless you spend the $ for duplicate sets of dies, you'll have to change over the progressive by removing the dies to put them in your single stage. I could accomplish the same thing in my progressive by adding another toolhead.

-rvb

 

[Broom_jm]

that's great if reloading is a hobby for you. shooting is my hobby. reloading is a damn chore. it has to be worth it for me to bother, either because of cost or ammo quality [or both] which helps me enjoy my real hobby (shooting).

I have this theory that everyone who says they enjoy reloading is full of s$#t. Every one I've met I've offered they could come over and load my ammo and have a blast. I'll supply the components and tell you the load I want, and you can pull the handle till you're heart's content. No one has ever taken me up on it.
-rvb

Now, why would I deny a fellow reloader the opportunity to put some ammo together?!

Seriously, if you're doing any interesting reloading (something other than 9mm, 223, 308, etc) then I might be interested.

My main hobby is hunting, but I really enjoy shooting as well. Neither of which precludes me from truly enjoying reloading.

If you only enjoy the shooting part, who am I to question that? If I honestly enjoy the process of reloading, who are you to question that?

 

[jblomenberg16]

unless you spend the $ for duplicate sets of dies, you'll have to change over the progressive by removing the dies to put them in your single stage. I could accomplish the same thing in my progressive by adding another toolhead.

-rvb

Fair point. Some presses make that change over pretty simple...others not so much. Like you said, changing tool heads can make that change over quick, and depending on how the powder is dropped, can make incremental powder "work ups" more difficult as well. Personally I use my single stage press (with separate powder dispenser) to work up my loads, and once dialed in I set up the progressive to mass produce.

 

[LP1]

Cool. Earlier I said it cost me $0.17/round. I added that up in my head for this thread. Then I used the calculator and entered the real numbers. It came up with $0.169/round.
Must be all the financial crap I have to do for my job!

That's the equivalent of around $8.50 per 50 round box, so it's about a 30% saving. Factor in the value of your time and the cost of equipment, and you aren't saving any money.

As others have mentioned, you can tweak your loads, and the savings can be greater on more-expensive calibers.

I reload, and like doing it. But any financial payoff is many years away.

 

[spaniel]

That's the equivalent of around $8.50 per 50 round box, so it's about a 30% saving. Factor in the value of your time and the cost of equipment, and you aren't saving any money.

As others have mentioned, you can tweak your loads, and the savings can be greater on more-expensive calibers.

I reload, and like doing it. But any financial payoff is many years away.

How much is time you would otherwise spend sitting in front of the TV worth? I don't know anyone who reloads with time they would otherwise spend making money. If I'm cranking 300 rounds/hour off my progressive at say $0.15 savings/round, that's $45/hr of value. Pretty competitive wages for most people.

I reload thousands of rounds in the winter when I have less to do. Then I shoot most of them over the summer when I'm busier, and by late fall I have bags of brass waiting for me.

 

[jcwit]

That's the equivalent of around $8.50 per 50 round box, so it's about a 30% saving. Factor in the value of your time and the cost of equipment, and you aren't saving any money.

As others have mentioned, you can tweak your loads, and the savings can be greater on more-expensive calibers.

I reload, and like doing it. But any financial payoff is many years away.

Do you factor in your time while eating, sleeping, discussing whatever with your wife, doing any of the other needful things we all do every day?

 

[Broom_jm]

Nobody factors in the cost of their time while fishing or golfing, but because reloading is a hobby that produces a tangible product with a market value, some folks want to assign a cost to their time when making ammo. That's odd to those of us who enjoy reloading every bit as much as we do other recreational activities. To put it in perspective, I would still reload, even if I didn't save money doing it, just like I still do various wood-working projects that don't result in any kind of cost savings.

 

[CB45]

I hope none of y'all ever reload, just leave your brass in a nice pile for me to pick up.

 

[rvb]

I hope none of y'all ever reload, just leave your brass in a nice pile for me to pick up.

I just hope you 9-major punks pick up all your brass so I don't have to deal w/ your loose primer pockets!

-rvb

 

[hotcorner5]

I reload 9mm and .40 cal for about 16 cents per round. I buy everything in very large quantities to help save on some of the cost as well. I figured I can shoot double the amount for the same money.

I have a Lee Progressive press and can reload about 300 rounds an hour. The bad thing about a Lee is the plastic parts. I have been looking at a Dillon because I feel like I would have to stop and readjust the primer feed or brass feed.

Lastly, I never buy brass because my friends give me there used brass. I am always the guy that is searching the shooting range floor or outdoor ground for brass. Sometimes gets a little old but I enjoy reloading.

 

[spankys56]

If you cast your own you will save a bunch. especially 357 or 44mag! price a box of 44mag lately?

 

[BeDome]

To me, one major benefit of loading your own is more about tailoring your round to your needs. Needs of the day.
If you just need to go plink with your 44 Mag or whatever, you can load it light and just practice sight picture/trigger control, etc.

Also not so much velocity as to scare away other beginning shooters getting their first "Handful of a Gun" can be helpful, especially. I am keen on ways to NOT put off my young teens, as my grandfather did to me by handing me a 12 ga shotgun (after spending the afternoon with a single shot .22) when I was six and sitting back and laughing at me being surprised at the recoil.

I do not intend for my two to ever be afraid of what I hand them to shoot. I will prepare them for what to expect.

Being able to give my young son a huge, heavy magnum, but assuring him that this round will not be full load (I think) helps him to learn the gun before being subjected to its raw power with no warning. Telling him that it will kick his ass with recoil will come in time, when he is ready.
Loading for your needs, you can control these educational times for a young shooter wannabe without scaring the pants off them from the first shot.

Scaring the pants off them can wait until they can show decent trigger control.



Not really saving any money, here, just having fun and teaching.

 

[gm652]

I had to reload and shoot 4300 rounds of 9mm to break even vs out right purchasing 9mm ammo ...its taken me all summer to load and shoot it all but now the press is "paid for" . I can releaod 9mm for ~14 cents reusing my brass.

 

[IndyGlockMan]

I had to reload and shoot 4300 rounds of 9mm to break even vs out right purchasing 9mm ammo ...its taken me all summer to load and shoot it all but now the press is "paid for" . I can releaod 9mm for ~14 cents reusing my brass.

+1 for this.
4300 is in the ball park depending on what you load on.
Mine might be close to 6000 for my blue monster
don't care though... it's awesome

 

[MCgrease08]

+1 for this.
4300 is in the ball park depending on what you load on.
Mine might be close to 6000 for my blue monster
don't care though... it's awesome

That's it? Maybe now I can justify to the wife why I'm bringing home a press.

 

[Broom_jm]

You can realize a return on investment much faster than 4300 rounds, depending on the type of equipment you buy and the type of ammo you're loading/shooting.

 

[jcwit]

I started out reloading back in the 50's or 60's with a Lee Loader in 32 Winchester Speial cal. I'm not real sure but I think that first little outfit cost me less than $10.00 back then. I'd guess my payback was in the first month I owned it, and the reloads brought home a deer that first year to boot.

Wonder if those who own & drive a Tesla are concerned how soon the see a payback on their "investment"?

 

[rvb]

4300 is in the ball park depending on what you load on.
Mine might be close to 6000 for my blue monster

That's it? Maybe now I can justify to the wife why I'm bringing home a press.

You can realize a return on investment much faster than 4300 rounds, depending on the type of equipment

Definitely depends on the type of equipment, AND what you are loading.
When I got my setup (550B, brass prep, scales/calipers, dies, etc) I remember calculating it was going to take like 25k rounds. But I was loading 9mm and comparing my 147jhp reloads to factory 115 ball. So my savings weren't that great. But I was ok w/ that because I was shooting a lot and 25k was about 15 months of shooting.

Had I started w/ something w/ a bigger cost savings (like .44 mag or a rifle cal like .308), it would have pd for itself w/ much fewer rounds....

-rvb

 

[BeDome]

You can realize a return on investment much faster than 4300 rounds, depending on the type of equipment you buy and the type of ammo you're loading/shooting.

You have to understand before I start, here; I rarely agree with anyone about anything upon any terms, unless we have had a lengthy, protracted and detailed discussion which often results in simply an agreement to fully disagree (trying my level damndest to be civilized and all), but I do agree with what you said.

The other point, as already mentioned, we do not actually load to save $$$.

We do this because we want to.

The end.