No, as a matter of fact, reloading does not save you money

[morning would]

But does it sure make it more enjoyable to shoot!

started down this rabbit hole in August of 2022. The height of overpriced components. Didn’t let that stop me. In fact, this very forum is what finally pushed me over the edge. I was sick and tired of 1”+ groups as a best with factory ammo, for the most part of course. Jumped in with both feet. Sold a Scar17 I had that I never shot in order to fund the start of it. It isn’t even a drop in the bucket now of what I’ve spent. I currently have more In inventory than just about all the LGS’s around me. All I want to do now is shoot tiny groups and bang steel at the local range. I went from shooting once a month to usually twice a week. I own cartridges you can’t get factory loadings for. Cool ass rifles and cheap ass rifles. The great thing is, thru reloading, they mostly shoot the same.

So let this be a lesson for those that don’t reload, it is expensive and you probably won’t save any money. But it sure is a lot more fun when you can hit things you never thought possible and shoot groups smaller than you’ve ever seen. As we wind down to the end of the year, I was out cleaning up all my empties so far. This does not include all the stuff currently sitting on the shelf that has already been opened. This is just the stuff I have completely emptied in about 15 months. It’s been crazy. And I wouldn’t ever go back to what it was like prior to getting bit by the bug.

Thank you to the forum for all the tips and tricks. I could never have done it without the reloading forum here. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

 

[spife7980]

 

[Seth W]

I started loading 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP last winter. I started specifically to have a new hobby, and it's fun. Yup, I can buy 9 & 40n for less off the shelf. on 45, I may be breaking even, or doing a little better. I also have a couple old guys getting out of it giving me some components, mostly brass and primers, so that helps. This winter, I have $6 or 700 into the components that I will be loading up. Between the 3, that's going to be about 2300 rounds.

 

[mtrmn]

"No, as a matter of fact, reloading does not save you money"​

Stop right there. I guess now you're gonna tell me Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy ain't real!

 

[Faronth]

As someone who has not taken the plunge into reloading I would ask say +- $2k how much do you have into it?
I was looking at a Dillon 650 and would be loading for .308, 6.5manbun, .300WM, .223/5.56, and potentially 6.5PRC plus plinking rounds for .45acp, 9mm, and .40. But then maybe a Dillion 650 is not the way to go. In any evet only looking at generalities right now. When I get serious I will go into research mode for months before coming up with an actual equipment acquisition plan.

 

[mikehotel]

"No, reloading does not save you money"​

Because you shoot more....a lot more...

 

[mtrmn]

As someone who has not taken the plunge into reloading I would ask say +- $2k how much do you have into it?
I was looking at a Dillon 650 and would be loading for .308, 6.5manbun, .300WM, .223/5.56, and potentially 6.5PRC plus plinking rounds for .45acp, 9mm, and .40. But then maybe a Dillion 650 is not the way to go. In any evet only looking at generalities right now. When I get serious I will go into research mode for months before coming up with an actual equipment acquisition plan.

Seems like I have untold millions in reloading, but still nothing compared to most of the guys posting pics of their reloading rooms on here.

I'm actually replying to your post about the equipment you're talking about. The Dillon 650 will be ideal for your pistol rounds. They don't require nearly the brass prep that the rifle cartridges do. I can run hundreds of 9mm or 45 through it in a couple hours. It'll do rifle rounds too, but you have to interrupt the operation.

I have a Dillon 550B and I briefly tried to run rifle brass through it start-to-finish like the pistol rounds. Don't work very well. I now do the rifle brass resizing/decapping etc in a seperate operation on my Rockchucker. Then measuring/trimming and primer pocket uniforming etc before I go to the Dillon. I DO prime on my Dillon if it's bulk FMJ stuff. If I'm developing a load or only loading a few rounds, I prime on the Rockchucker and weigh every charge and then seat on the Dillon. If I'm doing more than like 20 loads where I know the charge, I use the Dillon powder measure for charging on the press, then seat and crimp progressively.

 

[Seth W]

"No, reloading does not save you money"​

Because you shoot more....a lot more...

Actually, in my case, not true. I don't really shoot much, because I don't really have a good place to do so. Last year, I shot less that 100 rounds, and made well over 1000. I'm reloading for the fun and entertainment. I'd love to figure out how to reload without footing the bill, but selling your reloads is....problematic, for obvious reasons.

 

[morning would]

As someone who has not taken the plunge into reloading I would ask say +- $2k how much do you have into it?

Had like 4 paragraphs typed out with all the expenses in 15 months. However, it was uhhhh, rough to read. So I will just say this. You do not have to jump in like I did. You may not have a lot of disposable cash on hand. I did. Everyone is different. But since you asked, $20k + or - your 2k ask. Please know that it can be done for less than a tenth of that. Especially if you are only loading for a caliber or 2 and not constantly chasing perfection. Ask away if you have other questions. My mistakes can save you money.

 

[B y r o n]

There was a time when reloading was cheaper but, some of you are probably not old enough to remember it!

 

[Seth W]

Had like 4 paragraphs typed out with all the expenses in 15 months. However, it was uhhhh, rough to read. So I will just say this. You do not have to jump in like I did. You may not have a lot of disposable cash on hand. I did. Everyone is different. But since you asked, $20k + or - your 2k ask. Please know that it can be done for less than a tenth of that. Especially if you are only loading for a caliber or 2 and not constantly chasing perfection. Ask away if you have other questions. My mistakes can save you money.

Jesus, you need a 12 step program or something. LOL

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

"No, as a matter of fact, reloading does not save you money"​

Stop right there. I guess now you're gonna tell me Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy ain't real!

Well truth be know, Santa Claus is real.

Saint Nicholas - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Marine52]

Oh no ! My wife still believes I’m saving money with all those UPS boxes from SAC, Area419, Bullet Central, WTC, AMP, IP, etc.

 

[Kadams1563]

If I had bought factory ammo instead of my reloading shit I’d probably have 50k rounds of ammo lmao.

Reloading itself will save you money IF you want to do everything by hand and slow as hell.

No progressive press
No amp
No auto powder measure
No automatic trimmer
No bullet feeder
No fancy dies

Sounds terrible.

 

[cas6969]

The old line was... no, you just shoot more.

But really, if reloading's not saving you lots of money, it just means you're shooting boring stuff.



Here's an example.

 

[FuhQ]

But really, if reloading's not saving you lots of money, it just means you're shooting boring stuff.

Facts...

The MSRP (in the current market) of the precision 7mm STW ammo that I load would cost anywhere between $5 and $10 a round for a box of 20 off the shelf. Same for my .300 Ackley, and my other Ackleys.

I ended up getting a bunch of brand new Nosler 7mm STW brass for like $2 each a long time ago when they were on clearance, so if I reload them 5x each on average, that's a cost of about $0.40 per firing, and the powder is about $0.55 per round, with $0.65 for a Berger, and $0.10 for a primer... So, we're talking $1.75 each squeeze with top-level components, compared to $5 bills at minimum for inconsistent off the shelf garbage, or what would easily cost you $10 each from a custom ammosmith using the same components that I use in my loads.

I usually don't include the cost of the brass, since it gets reloaded multiple times (and I've picked up and reused a WHOLE LOT of free range brass over the years) compared to the other consumable components that can't be reused.

 

[HerCoStarNTheBeaverPictur]

If I had bought factory ammo instead of my reloading shit I’d probably have 50k rounds of ammo lmao.

Reloading itself will save you money IF you want to do everything by hand and slow as hell.

No progressive press
No amp
No auto powder measure
No automatic trimmer
No bullet feeder
No fancy dies

Sounds terrible.

I’m doing everything slowly and manually and enjoying it so far. Bought most of my gear used. I feel it’s been a good path and introduction to the basic workflow for me as a noob

 

[bdubmkg]

I had a young guy from our church group approach me about reloading and the "cost savings" aspect of it. Showed him my setups. The way I made reloading cost effective was:
1 buy in bulk and a lot of it when sales came up. It offsets the cost of shipping and hazmat.i popped open a usps small flat rate a month ago of 223 projectiles from RMR dated from 2014 that's how much I bought back then.
2. Pick up at the range if able. When we would qualify we had a LOT of brass, espically 357sig brass that I would sell off or trade for other equipment.
3. Keep your guns in as similar calibers if possible. It eliminates having to buy brass, primers, dies etc for maybe one gun who shoots that round vs having 3 pistols / rifles in the same caliber.
4. Don't buy top of the line till you get really into it. LEE has been around a long time for a reason.
5. Until recently, I casted wheel weights from free lead I got from our fleet. Now I give them to a smelter I know and trade for coated lead bullets. I got a box of .40 and .45 to around 3.50 a box from using lead bullets, recycled brass, and bulk bought primers and powder.

If you have more money than time, reloading isn't your thing. But if you do it on some down time, or don't count this as time lost, then you're set.