"Should I buy a reloading press?" spreadsheet version 0.1

Cost as mentioned above is not the only reason. Being able to load a flamethrower 180gr 44 magnum round and then load some with trail boss as powder puff loads that feel as light as a 38 is part of the reward. Loading 7.7arisaka for .40 a round instead of $1.50 a round is big. Loading rifle ammo with trail boss for a super low recoil load for beginners is fun too.

Do a cost return on 55gr 556 and it is not a lot of savings. Do the same for super accurate 75grain match loads and you will see a much bigger savings and be making accurate ammo.

Part of reloading is a hobby and if you like reading and mechanical hobbies this can be part of the "fun".
 
I reload for peace of mind. It's quiet time in the garage. Nobody is allowed to bother me. I turn on the music and I crank out a couple hundred rounds.

I'm only loading 9mm, but it lets me build a round that runs in my USPSA/IDPA guns nicely. 147 grn X-Treme over 3.2 grns of Universal. Nice easy shooting round, accurate, takes down the steel and has minimal recoil while still making power factor.

For me personally it's not about the money. It's the mechanics, the peacefulness, the quality of the product.

I just finished loading 700 rounds, anticipating that I'll shoot 500 of them this weekend - my club's hosting Glock Sport Shooting Foundation.
 
Cost as mentioned above is not the only reason. Being able to load a flamethrower 180gr 44 magnum round and then load some with trail boss as powder puff loads that feel as light as a 38 is part of the reward. Loading rifle ammo with trail boss for a super low recoil load for beginners is fun too.
I enjoy doing both of those. A ton of fun. Made it easy for my 88 year old grandfather to shoot a 1903a3. Couldn’t believe he was shooting 30-06.
 
I have three presses. 2 Dillon SDB's for 9mm and .45acp and then a RCBS Rock Chucker for everything else. I wouldn't be able to shoot steel/ IDPA as often as I do if I didn't reload. That's for sure.
 
I also keep track of the number of rounds fired per firearm I own, how many rounds since last cleaning, the most recent time it was fired.
I also breakdown how many rounds per caliber I own and type (surplus, JHP, etc.).

I also have a spreadsheet tracking the shirts I've worn to work each day. I recently culled it, I had it back to April of this year. I just cut it back to early July. This way I make sure I rotate the shirts.

ETA: I forgot I also have a spreadsheet tracking my paying of monthly bills that goes back to 2007. Just in case :)
Christ. Why? My rounds-per-caliber fluctuates up and down by 100's per week. I'd need to hire someone full time to track it, if I thought it needed tracking. Which I don't.

While you're tracking shirts, I once found a safe full of guns that I forgot I had.
 
Christ. Why? My rounds-per-caliber fluctuates up and down by 100's per week. I'd need to hire someone full time to track it, if I thought it needed tracking. Which I don't.

While you're tracking shirts, I once found a safe full of guns that I forgot I had.
A few reasons, I guess. I just like the data, I find it interesting whether my ARs or AKs get more rounds.
For most calibers the reloads get shot almost as soon as they're made so I don't update that spreadsheet, just the rounds fired, date, and cleaning info. The cleaning info is practical since I don't always clean after each trip.

I'd trade all the spreadsheets for a found safe, though.
 
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