Any savings on reloading?

[Gwgw60]

I haven't done any reloading, but holding on to the option of starting it one day. I've been recovering some of my spent brass to have a starter supply if I do spend the money to get into reloading. My objective would be to shoot more rounds for the money I spend on ammo. A minor value at this point would be the recreation involving reloading. I do enjoy recreational handgun cleaning from time to time, but this is not the reason I would get into reloading given the discretionary time I currently have available.

For those that reload, what is the savings I could expect to realize by reloading? I mainly shoot 9mm, 38 spl, 357 magnum and 40 cal. I haven't gotten into 45 cal, but have a 1911 on the radar in the future.

I've been told to expect a startup cost of around $500 to get decent equipment for reloading. And I would load for range/target shooting and not for self defense or hunting loads.

Thanks for any perspective you can provide.

 

[SkipD]

While I would not use handloaded ammunition for self-defense (carry) use, I definitely would use my handloaded ammunition for hunting.

There are two basic benefits that can be achieved by handloading ammunition. One is the financial savings that can be achieved. The other is the potential quality improvement over commercially available ammunition.

The savings based on the cost of components vs buying commercially loaded ammunition is fairly easy to calculate. You'll have to amortize the cost of the required equipment over time and how much ammo you load, of course.

The quality issue is more important issue for me. I get to choose all of my components, dimensions, techniques, etc., and as a result I can develop loads that perform better than anything else in specific firearms. I can also customize loads for specific applications - something that's tough to do if you depend on only commercial loads.

 

[bigdogdaddy]

I agree with Skip on not using your own loads for defense, but I sure shoot a lot of it for other uses. I am new to reloading but not new to shooting. I am probably not saving money though....because I am shooting more!

8)

 

[millsriver]

Other than just enjoying reloading, it has several benefits. Slightly cheaper than commercial rounds, tighter tolerances and better quality than SAMMI standards, a wealth of knowledge in regard to ballistics, coefficients of bullets shapes, muzzle velocities and energies. The most important reason is reliability. Also, every firearm is different in some small and mostly unnoticed ways. You can tailor-make your rounds to be optimal for your particular firearm. I have enjoyed reloading almost as much as shooting.

 

[SkipD]

Reloading for the firearms you shoot is much like developing and printing the photos you make with a camera. They both add another whole dimension to each of the hobbies.

I'm thinking primarily of processing film (in a "wet" darkroom) but digital post-processing get the same results for a photographer these days. Sitting in front of a computer does not smell like being in the darkroom, though.

 

[Fred_Import]

Other than just enjoying reloading, it has several benefits. Slightly cheaper than commercial rounds, tighter tolerances and better quality than SAMMI standards, a wealth of knowledge in regard to ballistics, coefficients of bullets shapes, muzzle velocities and energies. The most important reason is reliability. Also, every firearm is different in some small and mostly unnoticed ways. You can tailor-make your rounds to be optimal for your particular firearm. I have enjoyed reloading almost as much as shooting.

Agreed - couldn't have said it better.

 

[TRIGGER_1]

For those that reload, what is the savings I could expect to realize by reloading? I mainly shoot 9mm, 38 spl, 357 magnum and 40 cal.

I can load 50 rounds of these calibers for well under 8 dollars...Using my brass more than once...
How much do you pay for 50 rounds at the store....

 

[RICHGCOOP]

3 or 4 cents for the primer an about a penny for this powder, I cast my own bullets. That's about 2 dollars and 50 cents a box.

RICHGCOOP



DROID3 - Tap talk

 

[davevabch]

Here is a cost calculator. Where I see a big benefit is tailor making a load for a specific pistol. For instance, I like a reduced load for my LC9 for practice. Less recoil and wear and tear on t gun. I collect brass at the range for 9mm so that makes it cheap and I have never had a problem with using them. 380 ammo is a big saving. I guess the main reason is I just like to to do it.

http://www.reloaderhub.com/calculator.cfm

 

[Gwgw60]

Nice calculator. Thanks for the link.

 

[Denny4kids]

I user the calculator and I pay 12 cents a round for my 9mm. My time is worth a lot so that bumps the price up to 5 bucks a round. LOL

For me this is a hobby and some loads you just can"t buy. For example I am working up some 223 heavy bullet loads. They are too long to fit in the magazine so I load them single shot.

I know I'm saving money reloading 10mm and I have some loads that shoots pretty flat out to 200 yards. On a good day I can hit the 10 inch steel off a rest at 200 yards with my Glock 20. The best part is that I loaded those rounds myself.

So far I have more than $1k invested in 2 presses and all the other needed tools for this hobby and in the short time I've been reloading the enjoyment has paid me back every cent. Denny

 

[Gwgw60]

What's your advice on how to get started in reloading?

 

[bigdogdaddy]

You can get good advice here and on other forums, but if there is anyway possible I would highly recommend somebody to help you hands on it=n the beginning. If you have a local gun club, shooting range, etc. I think you will find that many of the guys are very helpful. I can't tell you how thankful that I am to have a guy in my church with loads (pun intended) of experience that helped me out. For me reloading is relaxing and allows me to shoot a lot more, but there are aspects of it that are dangerous. Good luck on finding somebody to help you hands on.

 

[SkipD]

What's your advice on how to get started in reloading?

I've written a basic primer for folks who want to get started in hand-loading ammunition (basically the same process for loading new ammo - no used components - or reloading cartridge cases that have been fired one or more times). It's titled "An introduction to reloading ammunition" and can be found as a "sticky" in our "Reload Bench" forum area. Click on this link to get directly to the article.

As suggested above, it would be really good if you could find someone who can show you how to get started. Unfortunately, it's sometimes tough to find a tutor who is really serious about safety issues and who does things at the basic level. In other words, you don't want to be learning about automated production machines such as the Dillon progressive machines as a starting place. You want to focus on manual operations, measuring everything as you go to be absolutely sure of what you're producing, etc. You'll also want to learn how to safely work up loads for individual firearms.

 

[bigdogdaddy]

I completely agree Skip. I am so glad I started on a single stage press. Right now I only load .45 acp and I am in no hurry to go progressive. I am sure I will but right now I am just fine doing it my way, relatively slow and very safe.

 

[jackjr]

I started with a single stage Rock Chucker and I have moved up to a Dillon XL650. I could have saved some money by starting with the Dillon but I am very glad I did it the way I did. I learned a lot by looking at each case after I did each step in the process. I have kept the RCBS and I doubt I will ever sell it. My brother in-law will use it to see if he really wants to get into reloading and then I will get it back. I only load .45ACP right now but I'm collecting 9mm brass for the near future. I have to have shoulder surgery so I'm loading as many rounds as I can because it will be a while until I can pull that handle again. There is no doubt that you will save money on a per round basis but you will probably shoot more to have more cases to load to shoot more to have more cases...

Happy New Year All!

 

[Denny4kids]

There is a shop here in Boise that has a free reloading class a couple times a month. Hornady sent some factory Men to Cabellas and put on a class also. We loaded some 45 colt.

I started with a Hornady Lock-n-load single stage. Changing dies back and forth with the lock-n-load feature is pure joy. I have this press on a Lee portable stand and it works great. There will always be a use for this press. This spring I'll take it to the range and work up some loads right there.

My Hornady progressive is still in the box. Soon we will know if I swear by, or at Hornady! Den