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reloading vs buying
- Thread starter coolcat1104
- Start date
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Think roughly half the cost. Depending on the caliber, some is less savings and some is more. Most of us don't save money, per se, we just shoot twice as much for the same cost, and enjoy the process. There are quite a few threads on here where people have broken down their actual costs for various calibers, but you'll want to employ the search function to find exactly what you are looking for.
It depends on what you shoot.
9mm and .223 are the least cost effective for range ammo. Now if you wanted to roll your own defensive or hunting ammo, the cost savings comes more quickly.
If you handload ammo that expensive commercially, you will cut costs more quickly.
9mm and .223 are the least cost effective for range ammo. Now if you wanted to roll your own defensive or hunting ammo, the cost savings comes more quickly.
If you handload ammo that expensive commercially, you will cut costs more quickly.
Yeah, that ^.
Currently a box of .45acp runs over $20 per 50 round count.
I'm reloading at under $9 per box. YMMV
Many choose to reload for many different reasons...
Cost savings seems to be one of the more common reasons I hear. Like already said, there are many variables with this one.
Produce higher quality ammo.
Many actually enjoy it and view it as an actual hobby itself.
Gets you through times of ammo shortages, assuming you thought ahead and stocked up on PRIMERS.....
Cost savings seems to be one of the more common reasons I hear. Like already said, there are many variables with this one.
Produce higher quality ammo.
Many actually enjoy it and view it as an actual hobby itself.
Gets you through times of ammo shortages, assuming you thought ahead and stocked up on PRIMERS.....
HA!! Voice of experience??
More than once ! It will never happen again though !
First time was back in late 80's/early 90's when that ridiculous rumor was floating around about primers being manufactured with a shelf life... I was not prepared and was shocked by how many fell for the rumor.
Then just a few years ago. I got closer to running out than I was comfortable with.
there is no real savings in reloading, because once you reload you shoot more, the question is, do you want to shoot more?.
every time i go to the range we burn 1000 9mm and 500 12 gage and same in 20 ga. if i am going to the range and shoot 25 or 50 rounds i don't even bother.
so to me reloading just give me more ammo to have fun, but no savings because i re load and shoot a lot.
every time i go to the range we burn 1000 9mm and 500 12 gage and same in 20 ga. if i am going to the range and shoot 25 or 50 rounds i don't even bother.
so to me reloading just give me more ammo to have fun, but no savings because i re load and shoot a lot.
It's about the same as it was 20 years ago; you can still save a fair amount of money over buying factory ammo, especially if you prefer to buy quality ammo instead of the cheapest thing on the shelf. Of course, everything costs more than it did 20 years ago, but some stuff costs WAY more than it used to. One great example is 30 Carbine ammo. It used to be so cheap that we didn't even think about what it cost, we just bought some surplus ammo packs and shot til the sun went down or we ran out of interesting targets. These days, the surplus stuff is a lot harder to find and the new commercial ammo is unGodly expensive! One local GS had the audacity to ask $38 for a box of 50!
If all you shoot are 9mm and 223 and 12 gauge, you'd have to shoot an awful lot before it really made sense to load your own. But, if you're like me and shoot 44/40, 30 Carbine, 7/30 Waters, and three different wildcats that you just about CAN'T buy factory rounds for, reloading is not just a prudent economic decision, it's basically essential if I want to shoot the guns I own.
If all you shoot are 9mm and 223 and 12 gauge, you'd have to shoot an awful lot before it really made sense to load your own. But, if you're like me and shoot 44/40, 30 Carbine, 7/30 Waters, and three different wildcats that you just about CAN'T buy factory rounds for, reloading is not just a prudent economic decision, it's basically essential if I want to shoot the guns I own.
I started reloading for the cost savings. I'm reloading 9's & 380's for about $5.00 per box of 50. But to save money, you need to look for deals and buy supplies in bulk. Buying a 100 primers or bullets at a time won't save you much. But buying 5000 primers and 3500 bullets at a time will.
This is a pretty handy tool for figuring reloading cost Handloading Cost Calculator
The savings is significant, but like ammo for like ammo it is not 1/2 price on every caliber unless you forget to include shipping, tax and hazmat. I do not shoot commie components or surplus powders. I do shoot a lot of cast pistol bullets, but that is not a fair comparison with new jacketed bullet ammo. If I have to drive 40 miles to a gun show to get the supplies, I figure in the fuel and admission charges to the price. You can save at least $3 or $4. per box on 9mm, even if you have to buy used brass, the savings gets more significant with other calibers. You can save 1/2 with cartridges like 10mm, .45 or any of the magnums if you already have the brass. I shoot maybe 10 percent new and 90% ammo I reload myself. I spend more reloading .223 than I can find Federal bulk ammo for, but I am loading Sierra match kings to better specifications than Federal gold medal match
Here is my calculator
Easy Excel program, You can change the info in the yellow boxes and get the cost/box. If you can't save money reloading you are doing something wrong. The "you won't save anything because you'll just shoot more" argument doesn't work. You need to compare retail/reload cost per box. If you choose to shoot more because you can fit more into your budget, that's great!
MetalicPowderGrain/OzLoad in GrainsOz/Lb$/Lb$/RndBox0.00233.516$20.00$0.0101$0.50 Per 100 Bullet$7.60$0.08$3.80 Per 100 Primer$2.60$0.03$1.30 Totals$0.1121$5.60Retail$19.00Savings vs Retail$13.40
Easy Excel program, You can change the info in the yellow boxes and get the cost/box. If you can't save money reloading you are doing something wrong. The "you won't save anything because you'll just shoot more" argument doesn't work. You need to compare retail/reload cost per box. If you choose to shoot more because you can fit more into your budget, that's great!
MetalicPowderGrain/OzLoad in GrainsOz/Lb$/Lb$/RndBox0.00233.516$20.00$0.0101$0.50 Per 100 Bullet$7.60$0.08$3.80 Per 100 Primer$2.60$0.03$1.30 Totals$0.1121$5.60Retail$19.00Savings vs Retail$13.40
Cost and accuracy
In a "cost per round" view, reloading does save you money, even in the popular calibers (9mm, 45, 223, 308, 12 gauge). The further you get from those, the more you save. Then there is the accuracy factor. Everything I fed my 22 Hornet, prior to starting to reload did no better than a 3 inch group at 100 yards. My reloads print one-hole groups at that range.
When I got my reloading equipment, I paid the equivalent of buying 200 rounds of moderate level 308 ammo. Now I can shoot the same 200 rounds, of much more accurate ammunition, and only spend what I would on 60 rounds of the factory stuff.
D
In a "cost per round" view, reloading does save you money, even in the popular calibers (9mm, 45, 223, 308, 12 gauge). The further you get from those, the more you save. Then there is the accuracy factor. Everything I fed my 22 Hornet, prior to starting to reload did no better than a 3 inch group at 100 yards. My reloads print one-hole groups at that range.
When I got my reloading equipment, I paid the equivalent of buying 200 rounds of moderate level 308 ammo. Now I can shoot the same 200 rounds, of much more accurate ammunition, and only spend what I would on 60 rounds of the factory stuff.
D
shooter1054
Master
For some of the stuff I reload, I save quite a bit. I load 44 mag for about $0.45 a round for hunting ammo. I load 300 wsm for about $$0.60 or so a round And I'm getting ready to load 338 Lapua. I shoud be loading that for under $1 a round. Factory ammo for the above 3 calibers run $1/round, $1.50/round, and $2.50 /round respectively. For the 300 and 338 thats prices for cheap stuff and not hunting ammo.
YES you can save per round on about any caliber you wish to reload. But as previously mentioned, depending on your investment, including number of different size calibers, your equipment (presses, dies, powder measures, scales, brass tumblers, media, case prep tools, RELOADINGBOOKS etc. etc.), quantity of components (powder, brass, bullets, primers etc.), the cost of getting all that set up and at your reloading bench. Plus all the other things that I did not mention and each individual always finds they cannot do without. It will take a long time to make up the total cost. The price to be prepared though, (IMO) may be small now compared to the future….with Obamas possible re-election and the Mayan calendar (2012) coinciding as they do, it sounds like bad juju to me.
Good time to stock up..just say’in 
Bottom line is, if you enjoy it, cost is a non-factor anyway. It's just another hobby, interest. If you save some, it’s great, if not, it is a small price to pay for the satisfaction and enjoyment of loading your own and being self-sufficient in the ammo department. IMO
Good time to stock up..just say’in Bottom line is, if you enjoy it, cost is a non-factor anyway. It's just another hobby, interest. If you save some, it’s great, if not, it is a small price to pay for the satisfaction and enjoyment of loading your own and being self-sufficient in the ammo department. IMO
