How much do you really save by reloading?

[FREDDY401]

I was always thinking about getting into reloading and was curious to know how much you guys actually save by doing it. How much would it cost total to reload a 1000 rds of plain jane 55gr. 5.56? I can usually get it for about $300 for a 1000 rds. Or even regular .45 FMJ? Which you can usually get at walmart for $96 for a 250 pack.

 

[drgrant]

Bulk rifle ammo is harder to recover costs on initially because there is more labor involved (case trimming and lube) and more gear involved (more brass, a good case trimmer). You'd have to figure out how much 5.56 you burn up every year
to figure out whether or not it's worth it.

Straight walled pistol ammo, though.... cost recovery is pretty quick, and for big bore revolver calibers and the like... it can mean the difference between being able to afford to shoot and not.

I don't have that good of an example right now, but I probably save about $4 on a box of 9mm by reloading it, and probably $11-$12 saved on every box of .45 ACP I would have had to buy by reloading it.

Generally speaking the more expensive some kind of ammo is to begin with, the more money you will save on it by reloading. Any non mainstream stuff you usually save big with it... eg, like 10mm Auto, .50 AE, etc.... all fast payback on those.

-Mike

 

[radioman]

Can't speak to the .223's but I load 45acp for less than 8 bucks a box. They're 18+tax at Wal-Mart. I also load 44spl's for the same price less that 8 bucks a box. Best gun shop price on these??? 39.99!!!!! Doesn't take many boxes of those to recoup your investment. I buy all my bullets. I don't cast them myself. if I did I could knock those numbers in half.

 

[01bmf]

Mike nailed it with the bigger savings on pistol ammo. On rifle, however, I don't compare what I load to white box. I compare it more to a top shelf ammo. Done right, you are going to produce ammo that is superior to bulk ammo. Do a comparison of the cost of making quality hand loads to the cost of factory match. It isn't as simple as "I can reload for this much and bulk ammo costs this much".

 

[EddieCoyle]

I load 55gr .223 for about $140/1000 not including brass (which I get free for the most part). My ammo is a lot more accurate than any other 55gr stuff I've tried too.

 

[FREDDY401]

I was thinking of reloading .45 the most out of any round. 5.56 is pretty cheap as is, especially if you buy in bulk. I would say I go thru at least 1500-200 rds of .45 a year.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I get the most savings when I use my own cast bullets. I can load .45 ACP for $1.80 per box of 50.

 

[Knob Creek]

It's not just the cost savings to consider. The added benefit is ammunition customized to your firearm and your needs.

 

[01bmf]

I also enjoy mine time at the bench quite a bit. It is not simply an ammo loading chore, it is a hobby in itself.

 

[KMM696]

I'd say overall, I haven't saved any money by reloading. Every time I come close to breaking even, I find something that makes reloading faster/more efficient/more accurate/easier, buy it, and put myself in the hole again.

Of course, I manage to shoot roughly 3x more than I could afford if I was buying commercial 10mm, 41 Mag, 44Mag, 7.5 Swiss, etc. You could save money too, if you can restrain yourself from buying things like Giraud trimmers.......

 

[milktree]

One way that a lot of handloaders look at it is thus: You don't save money, (overall), but you shoot a hell of a lot more.

for me the advantage is threefold: 1) the marginal cost is a lot lower, assuming my labor is free. It is, 'cuz I enjoy it. 2) I can make more accurate, or more appropriate loads, for my guns and what I'm doing with them and 3) I can't remember the last time I thought, "gosh, I'd like to do $event, but I dont' have ammo for it, and I can't buy it at 6:30 on a Saturday for Sunday's match"

 

[Flyer007]

Milktree pretty much sums it up

One way that a lot of handloaders look at it is thus: You don't save money, (overall), but you shoot a hell of a lot more.

for me the advantage is threefold: 1) the marginal cost is a lot lower, assuming my labor is free. It is, 'cuz I enjoy it. 2) I can make more accurate, or more appropriate loads, for my guns and what I'm doing with them and 3) I can't remember the last time I thought, "gosh, I'd like to do $event, but I dont' have ammo for it, and I can't buy it at 6:30 on a Saturday for Sunday's match"

 

[Slowdive]

I posted this last November (http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...et-quot-ammo?p=2103607&viewfull=1#post2103607), I still think its true although I'm not even close to tracking to ~7k to ~10k this year. I've shot less than 1k and the year is 25% over:

"I always tell people as a rough rule of thumb (for pistol shooting) that if you shoot less than 1000 rounds per year, reloading is probably not going to save you any money. If you shoot between 1000 and 2000, then you can shoot more for roughly the same money. If you shoot over 2000, you save money and shoot more.

I shoot ~ 7K to 10K/year ... no brainer. For rifle, I'd cut those number above in half at least."

 

[swampy]

I'm riding some pain meds after dental surgery today but lemme give this a try. Accuracy of my math may be off. I load 55 gr with pulled bullets and surplus powder. The bullets were $147 for 3000 (5¢ each) and the powder is $85 for 8 pounds 23 gr per round (4¢ per round.) Primers run $30 per thousand +/- (3¢ each) So with my brass materials are costing me 12¢ a round. My source for pulled bullets has not had 55gr bullets in stock for a long while so I don't know if I'll be able to duplicate that price again. I could get wolf or tula primers for le$$. This makes decent plinking ammo equal to or better than store bought.

 

[Ziptar]

The answer (for me at least) is most definatley YES!

I agree pretty much with most everyone already posted and to illustrate drgrant's point about non-mainstream big bore stuff and EddieCoyle's point about casting your own bullets....

I reload and cast my own bullets for .45 Colt.

The cheapest .45 Colt to be had is either CCI Blazer (Alum Case) or Cowboy loads (Ultramax) both are crap ammo and $35.00 per box of 50 or $750.00 per thousand.

I can't really compare my loads with that stuff, closest factory stuff one of my loads comes to is Winchester 45 Colt Super-X 255 gr. Lead Round Nose. It's 18.99 a box of 20 at most places thats $0.95 a round or $950.00 per thousand.

A Winchester WLP primer costs me $0.037 and 8.5 grains of Unique costs me $0.0012 and figure 2 sticks of lube per 1000 bullets cost me $3.30.

That puts my current reloading cost is $0.05 a round, or $52.88 per thousand.

Thats a pretty good savings, yes you could say I didn't include my brass or equipment costs. I haven't totaled it all up but I have 1500 rounds loaded up at the moment (not all the same load as above mind you).

I can say for sure that I didn't spend the $1425.00 I've saved on just this 1500 rounds on brass and equipment. If I had to guess I'd say $650-$700 tops. Most of the brass is on a second or third reloading to boot.

Savings aside my reloads are better then factory loaded ammo. It's tailored to the gun I shoot it in, more accurate, and more versatile. I also enjoy casting the bullets and doing the reloading as much as the shooting.

If I was buying 1000 250gr cast bullets from a local source they would run $110.00 per 1000. That would push the reloaded round cost to $0.16 a round or $159.58 per thousand.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Here's the extreme case:

I've loaded about 5K rounds of S&W .500. They cost (on average) about $2.50 per round if you were buying factory ammo. That would be $12,500 worth of factory ammo. Casting my own bullets, I can make the same 5K rounds for less than $1100, for a savings of $10,400.

 

[GunGrey]

I'd say overall, I haven't saved any money by reloading. Every time I come close to breaking even, I find something that makes reloading faster/more efficient/more accurate/easier, buy it, and put myself in the hole again.
.

pretty much the same boat as me, I seem to not really save any money. I do shoot more often then i did before.

 

[CrackPot]

Here's the extreme case:

I've loaded about 5K rounds of S&W .500. They cost (on average) about $2.50 per round if you were buying factory ammo. That would be $12,500 worth of factory ammo. Casting my own bullets, I can make the same 5K rounds for less than $1100, for a savings of $10,400.

More amazing is the thought that you have fired 5K rounds of S&W .500. My hands are numb just thinking about it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[EddieCoyle]

More amazing is the thought that you have fired 5K rounds of S&W .500. My hands are numb just thinking about it.

I have 3 S&W .500 revolvers, and one is on it's third barrel because I've shot out two (It's also on its third firing pin bushing and second cylinder). And one of the others needs to go back for a new barrel.

I shoot a lot of .500, maybe more than anyone else.

 

[drgrant]

Another fun thing to keep in mind..... Start reloading now, and you will have ammunition available to you in the middle of Obamascare 2, particularly if the POS gets re-elected. Everyone else will be going "bweah I can't find ammo for XX!" and you can just stroll into your basement and manufacture it.

-Mike

 

[Harleynut]

I load 55gr .223 for about $140/1000 not including brass (which I get free for the most part). My ammo is a lot more accurate than any other 55gr stuff I've tried too.

I have heard people say that before and always questioned why. If your buying bullets that are commercial and primers then the only thing left is powder can't the factories get the amount consistant? I would think the cases are being resized to the factory specs and no better then new.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I have heard people say that before and always questioned why. If your buying bullets that are commercial and primers then the only thing left is powder can't the factories get the amount consistant? I would think the cases are being resized to the factory specs and no better then new.

Here's why my ammo is more accurate:

I use Hornady bulk-pack 55gr bullets. They come 6K to a box. The thing that's different about these bullets (as opposed to other manufacturers) is that they're all made on the same run, from the same press, using the same tooling. They come off the press and go right into the box. Therefore, they're all the same.

About 80% of accuracy is due to the bullet. When you buy ammo/bullets from other manufacturers, everything comes off random machines and gets all mixed together. Every press is different, every die is different, and you end up with a mix of bullets that are almost the same, but not exactly the same. That affects accuracy.

If you buy good bullets, sort your brass by headstamp and number of times fired, and use the right primers, then the exact consistency of the powder charge is not that important. If you can throw them +/- 0.1 grains, you're good.

 

[mac1911]

I dont save a dime reloading......I have aprox 3 hours per night to reload as my wife is off at work and kids in bed. I cant go anywhere and other than selling stuff on line to add shoot'n cash to my pocket reloading offers me this
45acp- cast my own .05 per round loaded 2000 rounds per year = 100 VS 20.00/[email protected] per year saved 300.00
then theres the odd ball cals which are either never on the shelf and or costly 32 S&W runs 25+ for a box of 50 and only place that ever has it is 2 hour round trip.....I saved just on the first 50 rounds loaded.
223/5.56 ? I use hornady 62 grain FMJHP in my plinking loads cost me .13 ea to load. the cheapest fodder I have found is about .27 per round by the k.
not a big savings but I shoot almost 2x as many rounds for the same money.
9mm same deal I load casted plinking rounds with my almost free lead and casting equipment(thats another key find free or close to free equipment)
so for 2000.00+ per year I was spending on ammo with 2000.00+ in componants I come close to shooting 3x as many rounds over all

30-06 for the garand im reloading for 1/3 of the cost of the greek surplus amm0

 

[Dirtypacman]

You got your answers from all the posts. If your on the fence just do it and be happy in a year you did because you will see what we are all saying.

Me I load mainly pistol - used to do .38 but I have since switched to only 9mm and .45
I save about $5 a box on 9mm and $10 or more a box of .45 (50 round counts)
I shoot more because I reload, since you can buy in bulk you have the components on hand to run some batches whenever you need them. Not scrounge for money every couple weeks to buy more factory stuff.

 

[dustoff22]

I look at it in a different light. I don't figure I save any money by reloading. Why? I don't shoot that much. But I do look at reloading as an investment. The likelyhood of the buffoon-in-chief being reelected is pretty strong in my opinion and given that, I believe you'll see the dark side (no pun there) come forward. Ammo is probably the best investment one can make. It'll be more tradeable than most any other commodity save food and water.

As for reloading, I've spent money on the best machines (IMO anyhow) along with such goodies as a Giraud trimmer, tons of case gages, and other necessities. Plus I have 3 boys who like to shoot and being as soft as I am, I provide them with ammo.

More than anything, I treat reloading as a hobby which I enjoy a great deal.

 

[NickW85]

I started reloading with the dreams of saving a lot of money. For 9mm between my schedule and what I save I buy a box here and there and reload when I see a really good deal on reloading supplies. I save about 3-6 cents a round. Now reloading 44mag is a very different story. I inherited some 44mag reloading equipment so naturally I purchased a 44mag. The cheapest 44 mag I have ever found is $28 for a box of 50. I can reload 50 light loads for $10. That saves me 25 cents a round at least. This makes it so I can go plinking with my 44mag for the price some people go plinking their 9mm.

 

[Marcus5aurelius]

We reload .500 Mag, 50AE, 50 Beowulf, .458 Socom, .50 BMG and .338 edge (among the more common calibers). We normally pay for our setup every few times we go to the range.

 

[Slowdive]

I have heard people say that before and always questioned why.

I agree with all comments, a few other points about why you can make better stuff;

Ammo manufacturers don't know:

• What powder charge/bullet weights work best w/ your barrel and it's harmonics
• Your chambers headspace (for bottle neck rifle)
• The amount of freebore & the ideal bullet jump (which can profoundly affect accuracy)

As a re-loader, you have the ability to factor that all in.

 

[highlander]

With my own cast bullets I average over the many pistol calibers about $6 a hundred. I haven't loaded any rifle ammo as I have a lot that has been previously loaded. The most expensive ammo is my 40/65 and 45/70 and off the top of my head I got the cost down to .25-.30 cents per round.45/70 ammp is around $2 a pop and 40/65 used to be loaded by PMC but they're out of business and I don't know of a comercial source at this time.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

there 's no reason not to.
unless you only shoot a few hundred rounds a year, have no time to reload, have plenty of money to spend on factory ammo and are satisfied with factory ammo. not to mention a fun new hobby that helps you learn a ton about shooting

unless ALL of the above fits you, then i say you should reload. i think all serious shooters should do at least some reloading. there so much to be learned and so much to benefit from reloading.

at least take a hand on class with EC and see what you think. i did that with bullet casting. thanks to the great guys we have around here we're able to learn from friends and make a choice without a huge investment. I always suggest reloading to any shooting buddies, with intentions to show them how i do it, to help ged rid of any doubt they might have.

hope you're ordering some tools and supplies online.