How many of you reload?

[churchmouse]

I was born in 1970, and you are just now getting around to this hobby?

Yes, I am a lot comer. If you look at my avatar it has been a life of many hobbies and a lot of excitement. The car is an 03 Panoz GF09 we restored, There have been many others. Very time consuming and detail oriented. That car is still running in the nostalgia circuit. I am down to 1 car and all the bikes are gone as well. Now there will be time.
I have always had and used firearms of all kinds but there was so many other things in our lives. One only has the standard allotment of time. Ammo was not as expensive and available so it never occurred to me that re-loading was something I might enjoy. I have really gotten into putting some nice pieces in the safe in the last year and now, being on ingo has opened up my eyes to this option not only as a hobby but a way to get my SHTF program up to speed. That is another thing we have always thought to have in order until coming to ingo. I am behind on that as well. Never to late to learn something new.
I can feel how much you all love this in your posts. Great info, good folks and am glad I got ingo.

Edit....I have 3 rifles that accuracy will be the reason to re-load. The rest will be .223 for the AR's and pistol rounds. We shoot more hand gun than anything else. At least right now.

 

[Iroquois]

A little advice...start with the pistol round or better a rimmed revolver round.
You won't have to worry about case length stretching or bullet set back or a lot of
little things that come with rifle reloading. Get used to the whole process first. The satisfaction of firing that first box of hand made ammo will drive you on.
Once you have a single stage press you can get dies for about anything. Every
die I've ever seen has the same thread dimensions so you can use them on other
company's presses .
If your serious about 'survival' reloading, get Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook.
You can load about any thing with the right gas check and a can of 'Unique' powder!

 

[Walkersdlx]

I've been looking at getting in to reloading, but now much dose it save you? I've been looking at reloaders. Thinking about getting a shotgun reloader, and something for small ammo like 9m 40,45.

 

[churchmouse]

I've been looking at getting in to reloading, but now much dose it save you? I've been looking at reloaders. Thinking about getting a shotgun reloader, and something for small ammo like 9m 40,45.

Figures are up thread. Nice list. This is not just a money saving deal. It will take a long time to offset the initial and up-grade costs.

 

[elwoodward]

Search for the lowest prices you can find including shipping and any taxes. here is a calculator Ive used to calculate how much ammo i would need to reload myself just to make my money back from the start up costs. i ended up saving around $7 per box of 50 for 180gr .40. So after making around 7000 rds ive saved about $980. Now to just bite the bullet buy everything and start making my SHTF stockpile and still have plenty to hit the range with.

I've been looking at getting in to reloading, but now much dose it save you? I've been looking at reloaders. Thinking about getting a shotgun reloader, and something for small ammo like 9m 40,45.

Theres the figures ive added up. you will have to shop around for good prices with shipping included but in the long run your saving money. use the calculator above and add up what you can save.

 

[Car Ramrod]

Figures are up thread. Nice list. This is not just a money saving deal. It will take a long time to offset the initial and up-grade costs.

Theres the figures ive added up. you will have to shop around for good prices with shipping included but in the long run your saving money. use the calculator above and add up what you can save.

I am still trying to figure out how people claim to reload and save money with it. Not reloading to shoot it, but for stock piling it. I have ran numbers and found it would cost me more to reload 9mm than I can go and buy it for.

 

[churchmouse]

After reading and feeling what these folks have invested it is as much emotion as monetary. Folks use this (savings) as an excuse to get involved, not all but some.
I will not be silly enough to think there will be any kind of savings involved. My considerations are more for control of the rds. I see, feel and hear a huge difference in factory rounds from one end of the box to the other especially from my .44 Mag. The .45 shows it as well. The .223 rds. are more from manf. to manf. If I could get this all to be even across the board I will feel like it is time well invested. Besides, you can not really put a price on a hobby. The price of the equipment I am looking at will take a long time to show any savings. It just seems like the next logical step.

 

[Car Ramrod]

After reading and feeling what these folks have invested it is as much emotion as monetary. Folks use this (savings) as an excuse to get involved, not all but some.
I will not be silly enough to think there will be any kind of savings involved. My considerations are more for control of the rds. I see, feel and hear a huge difference in factory rounds from one end of the box to the other especially from my .44 Mag. The .45 shows it as well. The .223 rds. are more from manf. to manf. If I could get this all to be even across the board I will feel like it is time well invested. Besides, you can not really put a price on a hobby. The price of the equipment I am looking at will take a long time to show any savings. It just seems like the next logical step.

I'm not even taking the price of the equipment into consideration. I am only comparing the price of factory loads to what it would cost to buy the materials for loading.

 

[OkieGirl]

After reading and feeling what these folks have invested it is as much emotion as monetary. Folks use this (savings) as an excuse to get involved, not all but some.
I will not be silly enough to think there will be any kind of savings involved. My considerations are more for control of the rds. I see, feel and hear a huge difference in factory rounds from one end of the box to the other especially from my .44 Mag. The .45 shows it as well. The .223 rds. are more from manf. to manf. If I could get this all to be even across the board I will feel like it is time well invested. Besides, you can not really put a price on a hobby. The price of the equipment I am looking at will take a long time to show any savings. It just seems like the next logical step.

Ditto. I let my hubbie think I'm buying the "savings" excuse when we really are burning thru far more rounds than we would ever have if they were store bought. Truth is, it's a remarkably higher level of accuracy when built for that specific weapon. In a SHTF scenario I would trust his loads to bring home my dinner at 600 yards.

 

[churchmouse]

Ditto. I let my hubbie think I'm buying the "savings" excuse when we really are burning thru far more rounds than we would ever have if they were store bought. Truth is, it's a remarkably higher level of accuracy when built for that specific weapon. In a SHTF scenario I would trust his loads to bring home my dinner at 600 yards.

I get that same feeling throughout this thread. I will be a ways from that level of reliability as I have yet to build a rd. but my intent is to get into as soon as possible. I have not made any plans for this in the budget so some creativity is in order. My wife just smiles and goes on. She knows I am searching for something new to do. This seems to be it.

 

[45Cat]

CM,

I started reloading about 1970. I was 17 that year.

Reloading is not worth the start up costs . . . well, hold on there.

I suppose if you don't shoot much, and only shoot jacketed 9mm then that'd be true. But I shoot .380 ,9mm, 45 Auto, 45 Auto Rim, 45 Colt, 225 Winchester, 30-30, 38-55, 7.62 x 54r and 45-70. There are many who shoot way more rounds and calibers than I.

All the above calibers can be loaded on a Lee single stage press. I bet you could set up with all Lee equipment for about $150.

Now, if you really want to save money then start to cast your own bullets. I stocked up years ago so my primers/powder costs are very low compared to today's levels. A defense round for my 45 auto costs me 1 cent (primer), 1 cent (powder), .1 cent (brass, considering 6 reloads each) and the bullet is free since most of my lead I got for free (used wheel weights).

So add that up to 2.1 cents per round. A 45-70 round is about 7 cents.

At todays prices of course they would be higher, about a nickel and a dime each.

Still so sure that reloading isn't a good idea cost wise?


Cat

 

[elwoodward]

I am still trying to figure out how people claim to reload and save money with it. Not reloading to shoot it, but for stock piling it. I have ran numbers and found it would cost me more to reload 9mm than I can go and buy it for.

9mm is cheap enough to just go buy i myself do not own a 9mm. however for my 40 ive been able to add up that 180gr jhp reloaded with hodgdon universal clays in once fired brass per 50 is $7 cheaper than Winchester Ranger 180gr jhp and it is $4 cheaper than Prvi Partizan 180gr Jhp 50rd box. add in fuel costs to drive to the store or add shipping and its even cheaper for me due to local shops not carrying any ammo near the a decent price. even at only $4 savings per box i will save enough money to pay for a lee load master in under a year.

 

[churchmouse]

So much math to do....I am going to re-load because it looks and sounds like a relaxing and enjoyable hobby and an extension of my preps. I have been involved in racing at some level my whole life. No way to justify any savings as it is an endless money pit. You have to love it or leave it. My Dad asked how my son and I were doing with our last (2) car race team and I said we were not making any money but we were sure spending a lot. That is how I look at a hobby. Guns, ammo, accessory's etc are all very expensive. The joy we get as a family heading off to the woods for a weekend to shoot, fish and enjoy camping is priceless.

 

[Iroquois]

Think of a hobby as a mental health investment...a hobby is worth $150 dollars an hour because that's what they charge to shrink your head . A hobby that relieves stress
is nice , but a hobby that gives you a sense of security and satisfaction is priceless.
The initial investment may be substantial [about the price of a good handgun]
but these tools will last a lifetime with minimal care.

 

[churchmouse]

Think of a hobby as a mental health investment...a hobby is worth $150 dollars an hour because that's what they charge to shrink your head . A hobby that relieves stress
is nice , but a hobby that gives you a sense of security and satisfaction is priceless.
The initial investment may be substantial [about the price of a good handgun]
but these tools will last a lifetime with minimal care.

^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^

I am in the part of my life where most of my friends are taken this or that medication for this or that malady. Most of the depression they experience is from a lack of substance or achievement. I will stay involved with something or several things constantly. It takes away the need for all the meds as intervention. That is how I look at hobby's. At least I am past the need for speed and horse power. You think this hobby is expensive, well you aint seen nothing until you start racing on your own nickel. This is cake, I love it.

Lets all go to the range and kill some cardboard and ring that steel....

 

[wolfts01]

I reload. Partly as a prep and partly as a money saver. I think any prepper-minded individual hates to see wasted resources. It's also a good thing to have the capability to reload along with a stockpile of made ammo.

You will never need 5,000 rounds of 9mm at one time, and it is more expensive to get made ammo than to get enough powder, primers, and bullets to reload the same amount. It depends on the powder and loading, but you can get anywhere from 1 to 1.5 thousand rounds from each pound of powder. Primers are similar in cost to powder per bullet, at least when I got mine last year. Bullets are more expensive, but if you get cast lead it comes down under .10 cents a round (at least on MidwayUSA, I'm sure you can do better elsewhere). The real savings would be if you had bulk lead and cast your own bullets.
Lead might be a bartering component if SHTF bad, along with powder and primers and the like.

If you don't think you'll get any satisfaction from the work, knowledge, and capability, I wouldn't recommend getting started in it. It is not really 'economically viable' since you could probably make more money in the amount of time it takes you to do the reloading, so the hobby element has to be there.

 

[Plisken]

I just happened to get good deals on some used equipment. I pick up range brass when I can and cast my own projectiles. And Ive figuered I save about 1/2 the cost of factory fmj with the recipes for what loads Im using

 

[XtremeVel]

I am still trying to figure out how people claim to reload and save money with it. Not reloading to shoot it, but for stock piling it. I have ran numbers and found it would cost me more to reload 9mm than I can go and buy it for.

I remember your initial thread well. There was alot of fuzzy math flying around that thread. Some were/weren't factoring in initial equipment cost and some were factoring in labor cost.

Also, I remember you making the point about loading for stock piling it rather than shooting and I still don't understand your point there.

It's great that you have decided to revisit this issue. I understand 9mm isn't a great example to realize the savings potential, but you can still save per round, even with 9mm.

Also, it's great you tried this thread here. Maybe you will get a few different perspectives that will help you make the decision.

Being you have this in the SHTF forum, take a look at cost from a different perspective. If funds are somewhat limited and you need to prep in areas not only ammo, how can you make your dollar stretch as far as possible ? Run the numbers on a given dollar amount... Take $1000.00 for example. How much store bought ammo would you be laying in as opposed to how many you could load if you spent that on components instead ?

Being you have this in the SHTF forum, who's to say the only way you might be able to afford to shoot come this fall or next spring is by shooting the ammo you built with components you bought yesterday ? No one knows what the future holds... But all I know is the closer we get to the elections we will see more and more trying their best to talk us into another ammo/component shortage.

 

[churchmouse]

I would not be as focused on re-loading had this thread not been in the SHTF section. I resisted going into the re-loading threads because I knew it would be attractive and I was not ready. After reading all of the posts in here I am on a mission. Looking at all levels of equipment and where I can make some space.

 

[elwoodward]

I would not be as focused on re-loading had this thread not been in the SHTF section. I resisted going into the re-loading threads because I knew it would be attractive and I was not ready. After reading all of the posts in here I am on a mission. Looking at all levels of equipment and where I can make some space.

Im no where near where i should be on SHTF prep and seeing this thread didnt help i shoot as much as i can when ever i can go to my friends "range" (back yard). I figured i could justify the bulk spending on reloading equipment if its going to save me money in shooting and prepping will also be nice to be able to reload durning a long term SHTF situation. Ammo will be worth gold in a Long term SHTF Situation.

Already ordered my press now to clear room off a bench of just get another one.