If cost is the only motivation...

[dist1646]

A lot of people talk about cost as a bit reason to get into reloading without accounting for time which can raise the cost quite a bit depending on how much you value your time.

That said, the increase in accuracy even for just plinking is worth the investment alone imho. A lot of the high end rifle guys talk about that all the time but I've seen improvements in accuracy across the board.

If you are not getting paid for that time anyway, how valuable is it really?

 

[Hickory76]

Thank you all so much - you are a wealth of knowledge and experience and I appreciate every one of your replies. I am not looking to pick up additional hobbies at this point, so it sounds like given my cartridge needs (9mm and .223 Rem) and volume of shooting (few hundred rounds or less per month) it does not make sense for me to invest in reloading at this time. Thank you!

 

[Growler215]

I reload for 10 calibers including 9mm Luger and 5.56 NATO. But I don't reload "blasting ammo" if I can buy it cheaply. Don't shoot much "blasting ammo" either, though.

The only 9mm I reload is 147 gr JHP. I can reload it cheaply enough to use it for practice anmo.

The only reason I reload 5.56 is to get ammo that is more accurate than factory ammo. It may cost about the same as "blasting ammo" but it's cheaper and more accurate than most factory "match" ammo.

 

[trickg]

I know that you've kind of come to a decision, but I thought I'd toss in some food for thought.

For me, reloading is less about saving money as it is tailoring my load to be what I want it to be, and I enjoy the hobby. For 223, I have yet to shoot a cheap factory load that performs as well as my reloads, even using less expensive bulk bullets. I like knowing exactly what's in my ammo.

So, I reload for 9mm and 223, but just like others have said, that's not where the savings comes in.

I save a whole lot of money loading for 44 Mag. Then again, I'm not exactly using premium components - I'm still loading up some 240 gr cast lead bullets that I bought a while back. If I decided to go to a premium bullet, things shift.

As other reloaders have said, I also enjoy the fact that I'm not beholden to what's available - it's sometimes easier to get the components I want, so when I need ammo, I just load it. I currently load for the following calibers:

9mm
38 SPC
357 Mag
40 S&W
45 Auto
45 Colt
44 Mag
223
25-06
308
35 Whelen

I'll have to pick up dies for a few other calibers I own, but once you have a press, the rest of it becomes a bit easier.

 

[kenpo333]

The hell with cost. Too Adult ADHD to do it!

 

[remrug]

There is something you cant put a price on.....piece of mind.

I look at what I have and know I have a lifetime of materials to be able to hunt with, no matter what happens to the supply chain.

If it comes to the apocalypse.... I will snipe away til they get me.

 

[Rockzilla]

See that you made a decision, maybe down the road, as you add more cartridges, firearms or shoot tons of rounds it might be an option.

I reload for everything I shoot except 22LR in which I use the cases for 22 bullets (Corbin swaging) Shooting the TC Contender, all its different cartridges is where I save money, the Herretts, JDJ's, 45 Win Mag, etc.338LM, 375H&H, 458WM, 460 Weatherby can have big savings. Could do a laundry list of them just say 22 Hornet/ 17 Rem out to 50BMG and a lot in the middle, rabbit hole nah more like bottomless pit, almost 55 years of reloading, you aquire / collect a "lot" of equipment

-Rock

 

[85MikeTPI]

 

[Melnic]

For 9mm, I spend about 6 cents a round cause I mold and powder coat my own bullets and still have primer stash from when it was 3 cents a round. Its a hobby unto itself and only get bragging rights. If time is money then im spending 50 cents a round.

 

[trickg]

View attachment 450229

HA! Truth! I've heard it said that you don't save money, you just get to shoot more for the money you spend!

 

[holesonpaper]

Agree with ya fellas. Reloading is expensive especially when you add up all the gear. My best guess is that I have somewhere between $8-10K invested in all my various equipment and it continues to grow. Like trick says - you don't save money, you just shoot more and have more control over what your shooting.

If cost is the only motivation - don't reload... Simple as that.

 

[r3t1awr3yd]

If you are not getting paid for that time anyway, how valuable is it really?

Still incredibly valuable. You only have so much time.

 

[dist1646]

Still incredibly valuable. You only have so much time.

If it were that valuable, work would be obsolete.

 

[r3t1awr3yd]

If it were that valuable, work would be obsolete.

Work is a trade of time and skill for money.

 

[danimalw]

Still incredibly valuable. You only have so much time.

Agreed on time.

Saturday was miserable weather and all house projects for me was either deck or shed, so nopes. Therefore time spent processing brass (this time, removing primer crimps) instead of being a couch potato. At least I was somewhat productive.

 

[steves1911]

You can recoup the investment in reloading gear with just 223 easily just not with "plinking loads" . Factory loaded hunting ammo for anything other than varmints is well over $1 per( Barnes, gold dots, partitions) Match grade ammo is rather expensive too even hornady black factory 223 loaded with 75gr bthp is about $1rnd . If your aiming to just produce cheap 55gr fmj then it's certainly going to be harder to justify. Especially if the 2-3moa that most cheap 223 ammo is capable of works for whatever your doing.

 

[dist1646]

Work is a trade of time and skill for money.

And you are not getting paid for that time and skill, so...

 

[guzma393]

I started reloading with just 9mm and 223, as those were the only calibers I shot when I got into it. It just felt good being able to control the quality and process of the ammo I was producing.

It started off as a CL "getting out of reloading deal" turret press with goodies, then jumped into investing in two progressive presses, one as a 9mm ammo factory, and the other as a mass volume loader for everything else to keep my range toys fed.

I now own many obscure and uncommon caliber guns thanks to reloading, and enjoy shooting them as well because of the fact that I can produce ammo for them. The "you don't save money, you just shoot more" saying really applies in my case.

 

[Neutron]

I do my reloading in small increments, under an hour. That way I can keep my focus and not get bored. If I had to do large batches that took hours I would probably not reload.

 

[danimalw]

I do my reloading in small increments, under an hour. That way I can keep my focus and not get bored. If I had to do large batches that took hours I would probably not reload.

That's how I do the mundane parts, like trimming or removing primer crimps or annealing. Just put some music on, spend an hour or two and chip away.

Once I get large batch of brass ready, label it and store it til ready to load.

Even loading on a single stage with weighing every powder charge on a digital scale isn't bad. Instead of charging 50 cases then seating bullets, I charge and seat one at a time. As soon as I charge one, and scale and zeros out, press dispense, and the next charge is almost done by the time I sent bullet and look it over.

I do the majority of my resizing on single stage vs my progressive and using plastic boxes (shoe boxes or larger) and whip thru a batch of brass fast. I place one box under the press to catch the resized brass, and have the box to be done on my left side. Place one in press, resize (as I'm doing that, left hand is grabbing the next one), when the handle is back up, I use middle finger of left hand to flick resized brass out and it falls into the catch box underneath press and place next brass into shell holder. Use a similar process for hand priming. Catch box in front or on lap and with hand primer held at angle, primed brass falls out when I release pressure from priming, insert next with left hand. Last time I loaded grendel, took me less than 8 minutes to load the hand primer with primers and do 100 cases.

I consider reloading as a form of therapy.. each person is different, some might view it as torture.