Unknowing

[mikeallensr]

How does reloading save anyone money? I don't understand even looking at the big picture, I can't see how it saves money? The initial expense for equipment is great, and powder and bullets aren't any cheaper. It just doesn't appear to be a cost saver. I'm sure for those who need special or high performance ammo that's where the savings can come in to play. But for us regular Mikes's is it really helpful. Please help I'm trying to learn and understand and any corrections are listened to.

 

[Dogue]

For most of the rounds I reload it costs me about half of what I could buy similar ammunition for. I look at the press and other tools as long term investments, and a hobby, but if you factor them into the price it may take a couple years of shooting to make up for their cost. The big benefit to me is that when ammo isn't on the shelves anymore I can still get in some range time (often much less crowded there too).

You can get started relatively cheap when reloading with a basic press kit, or even better find a used set up. You'll also find that you can now tailor your loads to what you're looking to do. I spend much of my time tweaking loads to get better precision for rifle, but I can also make soft shooting pistol rounds for practice.

In the end you really don't save money reloading...but you usually shoot more for the same money.

 

[jcreek]

Basically what dogue said. I've crunched the numbers and to reload new ammo from scratch (buying new brass), it's actually more expensive than to buy factory ammo. The savings comes from being able to reuse the most expensive component several times. Powder, bullet, and primer accounts for about 50% of the cost of a cartridge while the brass is the other 50% so all startup costs aside, you can make ammo at half cost. How quickly you recoup your startup costs completely depends on how often you shoot. However, since the way to "save" the most money is to buy all components, powder, bullets and primers in large bulk, like dogue said you really just end up shooting more for the same cost rather than saving money. Before I started reloading, I could only shoot about once a month due to cost. If I still only shot once a month, I'd be saving a good amount of money, but since I've got so much more ammo lying around now I shoot 3-4 times a month currently with spending anymore than I used. Cost a year's tax return to get started with a really nice setup, but it was totally worth it to me.

 

[JohnD13]

An accountant would probably explain how quickly your initial investment in equipment would be amortized, etc., but I'm not an accountant. Your cost per round drops significantly, but if your like most reloaders, you'll shoot three times as much!

 

[gunnerbob]

They've all said it, reloading allows you to shoot more for the same cost... not "save" money really. Unless you have a huge supply of used brass and you don't shoot what you reload, then eventually you would have saved money over buying that 'X' amount of new ammo.

 

[9mm in Eugene]

At a recent Gun Show I saw reloaders selling their reloaded ammo, but I could buy the same ammo (at least for 9mm, I didn't check the rest) cheaper at WalMart.

Are reloaded rounds even slightly less reliable? Would you trust someone else's reloads, or just your own?

I've read that you don't want to reuse the same brass too many times, as it can split after too many firings. How many is too many?

As a slight aside, in the Fallout 3 video game set in a post-apocalyptic world where ammo is no longer being manufactured (much), the option to reload your own ammo exists; I never found it necessary. Maybe if I was playing in an ultra-hard mode new ammo might be more scarce.

I think reloading is something I'd consider if I intend to fire off a large number of rounds, or if I were using large or hard to find calibers where individual rounds are pricey. For the amount I'm shootng, it'd take too long to recoup my investment.

 

[GlassWolf]

It is cheaper with a progressive reloader if you go through thousands of rounds in training and practice. A box of 50 9mm rounds for FMJ costs about $22-28, and for JHP, anywhere from $1-$2 per round. Reloading, the costs comes down to about 12 to 16 cents per round. It's basically the big box store idea.. the more bulk you do, the cheaper it gets. This holds especially true for the more expensive rounds when you get into those, like .50AE, .500S&W, .454, and some of the more boutique rifle rounds.

 

[gunnerbob]

My responses in bold-n-blue:

At a recent Gun Show I saw reloaders selling their reloaded ammo, but I could buy the same ammo (at least for 9mm, I didn't check the rest) cheaper at WalMart. They're trying to make a buck... or six. :/

Are reloaded rounds even slightly less reliable? They can be... hand-reloading is done by man and not machine, the risk increases. Would you trust someone else's reloads, or just your own? As a general rule: No, only my own.

I've read that you don't want to reuse the same brass too many times, as it can split after too many firings. True. How many is too many? That's dependent on quality of the brass, the pressures involved and treatment of the brass by the weapons and reloader.

As a slight aside, in the Fallout 3 video game set in a post-apocalyptic world where ammo is no longer being manufactured (much), the option to reload your own ammo exists; I never found it necessary. Maybe if I was playing in an ultra-hard mode new ammo might be more scarce. No idea what you're talking about...

I think reloading is something I'd consider if I intend to fire off a large number of rounds, or if I were using large or hard to find calibers where individual rounds are pricey. For the amount I'm shootng, it'd take too long to recoup my investment. Then there you go, you've figured out it isn't in your best interest.

Make sense?

 

[telpinaro]

As a slight aside, in the Fallout 3 video game set in a post-apocalyptic world where ammo is no longer being manufactured (much), the option to reload your own ammo exists; I never found it necessary. Maybe if I was playing in an ultra-hard mode new ammo might be more scarce.

Really? Never saw that! Not that I played the game, I don't play video games, but my husband does and that's one of my favorites to watch.

I'm considering reloading .357 mag when my revolver is out of warranty... Dunno if I'll use it enough to make it worthwhile though. I generally practice with .38, so maybe those.

 

[jcreek]

I've only played fallout: new Vegas but the reloading the game is pretty cool. You can customize the loads just like real life. Not nearly to the same extent of course (I think your restricted to bullet choice, FMJ, HP, or AP) but the idea was still cool. And it did save you money in the game.

 

[JCliff]

The other reason to reload/handload your own ammo besides some cost saving over time is that you can custom load specific bullet type/powder combinations that may be extremely difficult or impossible to find otherwise. With great care you can achieve accuracy that exceeds factory loads, particularly useful for long-range shooting in specific conditions.