Do I save money Reloading????
 

For all those on the forum that are thinking of getting into reloading but are not sure if its economical; here is a tool to calculate the costs. I hope you enjoy

http://www.x-reload.com/load-cost/

An example
 

Lapua brass for .308 win ................... $115/per100
1 Lb of Varget.................................... $44.95
CCI BR 4 Primers ...............................$10.95
Sierra Match King 155 gr.....................$55.00

Load Data 45.5 grs varget per round.

Works out to a cost per round $0.85

Match grade ammo $55.0 / per 20
Cost per round $1.90

And the next batch gets cheaper as your bass is just an initial investment!
You don't need a top of the line setup or all the fancy equipment to get started in the reloading game either...

It looks great, right up until you add in the cost of your press,scale, trimmer, measuring tools, dies etc.:)

If you shoot a few thousand rounds a year, your not long in the red.

Once everything is figured out and paid for yes but it tends to maje you shoot an increased number of rounds per year so it is all relative
Cat

When I started it was because I bought a 270 wby. At $100 a box it didnt take long to pay for the equipment. Now its just fun!

You'll never save a penny. What you'll get is custom tailored ammunition, and a hobby that will last a lifetime. The other benifit is you'll shoot more as well.

Now my tooling collection is almost complete the way I want,
I hope to see cost savings sometime soon. LOL

Money is not important,
everything else is.

Hobbies can be expensive.

I can take photos with my phone. Nothing wrong with that.
If I take up photography as a hobby, I can easily see spending thousands and thousands on quality equipment.

I can golf a couple of times a year at the public course using 20 year old clubs. Nothing wrong with that.
If I am a serious golfer, I can spend thousands (tens of thousands?) joining a private club and replacing my equipment every couple of years.

The same goes for shooting.
I can shoot a few boxes of factory ammo a year, making sure that my rifle is ready for hunting season. Nothing wrong with that.
If you take up shooting as a hobby, you will fire of 100's or even 1000's of rounds in a year. If you want to craft ammunition that is tailored for your specific firearms, you're going to get into reloading.

The cost of components to make one round of ammo is considerably less than the cost of one round of comparable factory ammo. Multiply those savings for several hundred rounds of ammo per year and the cost of reloading equipment is made back quite quickly.

Hobbies can be expensive.

Dick is right
 

If you are saving money you are doing it wrong! You will make better ammo than you can buy and you will shoot way more, buy more guns, only satisfied with targets that have 1 ragged hole.

Don't start it is impossible to quit.

I hate being 'that guy' but your calculation is off.

$55 / 20 = $2.75

I only bring it up because it makes your argument stronger.

Reloading savings
 

I like to convince myself if we ever need the money or at the end of the day the reloading tools could be sold and recoup maybe 75% of the original purchase price?

I recently started a similar thread. I save money, because according to some folks logic, you will only shoot more and thus save nothing, but I am not shooting 5x more in my pistol than I would otherwise. I have bought some of my equipment used, bought estate sale stuff, and at the end of the day, my equipment has paid for itself a long time ago. I can't take my time for reloading into any calculations, because it is something I enjoy doing, it would be like saying you spent $5000 on your 2 week holiday, and then adding in 24/hrs a day x 14 days @ $xx.xx per hour. Not everyone may save money by reloading, but I know I do.

I never saved any money, but shot a lot more.
Besides, did you ever try to buy Black Powder cartridges at Cabela's ??

That sums it up right there!

Labour too:)

We do it for fun, personal pet load development etc

Factory rounds for my 45-70 cost anywhere from $2.50 to $3.50 each.

Using the Lee Classic loader I'm looking at about $1.25 per round now.

Will I shoot more? Probably! In the long run I'll probably save a few bucks, but it's not a real game changer

Lol i just calculated the cost of my 45acp.
Powder. $40 lb 4.3 grains per round
Primers $40 per thousand
Bullets. Cast bullets with free lead. $0.00
Brass. Range pickups $0.00

Total cost per round $.065:sHa_shakeshout:

If you want to be picky i do use a bit of electricity melting the lead and a tiny bit of cash for the powder coating on the bullets but for the most part im still barely shooting for the price of premium 22lr. And yes you can darn well beleive i shoot a lot more because its cheaper.

There is little doubt that bullets are the most expensive part of loading for pistol, and it takes a LOT of practice to obtain and maintain proficiency.

The labor needed to scrounge, smelt, cast, powder coat, and/or lube & size lead and boolits is not inconsiderable,
nor is the cost and effort to accumulate the tooling from gun shows, estates and thrift shops,
but the result is a seemingly unlimited supply of boolits that at least seem like they are free, (but really aren't).

IMHO the real benefit is the security of supply that a stock-pile of smelted lead muffins and casting tools provide,
and some pleasant work outside in a cool spring or fall day can produce a LOT of lead & boolits to shoot the rest of the year.

It is worth noting that loading 9mm uses less powder and ~1/2 the lead,
and that powder coating is even more beneficial as IMHE leading problems are greater.

Now what I really want to know is where can I find free 45acp range brass.

Good Luck, YMMV.

I am at the point already that the price per round IS cheaper, even including the cost of the equipment/tools I have purchased. However, like it's been said already, I shoot more now so I save no money. You spend more at once to not spend as much later.

The tailor made rounds for your rifle are very nice. But if you're only shooting 40 or 50 rounds a year, it may not be worth it.

Turns out i found it at the range:sHa_shakeshout: i may or may not spend way too much time at the range and i try to make a point of a short dumpster dive every time im there.

careful with such a forceful statement. Reloading can very easily reduce (sometimes significantly) the cost of your ammunition. Depending how much you shoot, what calibers, and what kind of reloading setup you get, it is entirely possible to save money by reloading! for instance, i got a 9.3x57mm, i averaged about a box a month. i then got into a reloading setup for 250$ in the 5 boxes of 9.3, and the 6 of 243, and the 4 of 30-06 i have in less than a year saved enough money to pay for my reloading gear and more over shooting factory. So as a FACT, without shooting more than before i have saved money and will continue.

I am also a confirmed range chicken, and am amazed at the value of the usable stuff often found in the trash barrel.
Most of my small lots of bullets and loading tools like collets & pilots are organized in clear plastic 17HMR boxes.

I have found 45acp at my range, but most of the regular users are shooting 9mm, and I have more of that than I will ever be able to wear out.

Good Luck, YMMV.

BUY when on sale and stock up a bit ,plus you learn all the time something new and you get to pick what your rifle likes,as for saving money depends on your buget.Some guys I know go on vacation twice a year and can't buy a decent rifle,there's a million ways to spend money,but only one way to shoot and that is with good ammo you make yourself.Very cheap hobby if you look around at some others.

I have been saving money because I can find components.lol

Same with me i know for sure i save. I love to save money we hit up stores/websites/friends of friends/anything on sale for a deal for top end stuff we need. Plus got a cousin of mine that does the same we work together on reloading and shooting big arsenal of rifles to load for love it. Buying factory loads would discourage me from shooting as much as i do now.

I have 200 pieces of 45 Auto, half RP and half FC. SS pin tumbled but not deprimed. Trade you for some 300WM brass.

I have a fair stock of 45acp brass, and could also use more 300WM.

I wish I could get as many full load firings from my 300WM brass as I do from my 45acp brass.

Good Luck, YMMV.

Reloading is a hobby....can you save money on hobby?