reloading

[jwolfe]

i am thinking of starting to do my own reloading. Is there quite a bit of cost savings with reloading your own ammo?

[KegRiver]

It depends on the caliber and the bullet you prefer.

For instance. I can buy off the shelf 30 30 ammunition cheaper then I can reload it.

If I had a 110 Savage in 30 30 I could reload with spire point bullets but to buy them over the counter in 30 30 is rare, except on special order. And that costs money. So in that case I could save a bit.

If I were to buy factory 30-06 150 gr cartridges I could probably get them cheaper then I could reload them. However, if I wanted 165gr boat tail bullets I would pay a lot more and then I could save by reloading.

Now for my 218 I pay $44.00 per 50. I can reload them for about $22.00 per 50.

I find the biggest motive for reloading, for me is flexibility. I can get the bullets I want, I can get the velocity I want and I can get the accuracy I want, all within reason of course.

With factory ammunition I either purchase what they offer which is most often not exactly what I want, or i can pay extra and wait for what I want, if is even available.

Or I can reload.

Plus reloading is interesting and challenging.

[HunterDave]

I started reloading last winter. I've found that there aren't any savings in your price per shot, it'll cost you more initially. I suppose that over time it would start to become cheaper to shoot but that would depend on the person. If you are going to stop going to the range once you develope your loads then over time it'll pay for itself.

You will spend allot of time developing and testing your loads at the range so here are the non-monetary benefits:

You will become allot more familiar with your rifle and scope and you will be allot more comfortable with them.

You will have super accurate ammo.

You'll be a better shot.

You will be able to judge distances in the field easier due to seeing the various target distances at the range.

You will be able to accurately shoot out to longer distances. I used to be a 100 yd shooter. Last week I took a WT at about 300 yds and I didn't think twice about taking the shot.

You'll have a great hobby/pastime.

I guess the bottom line for me is that although I didn't save any money, it actually cost me more to reload, what I gained in knowledge and skill more than made up for it.

[NiksaNovovic]

I too have been looking into reloading lately, and it really does depend on what caliber and how many rounds you shoot. More common calibers will be roughly the same whether you reload or buy them pre-made. You will definitely have more options as to bullet construction and muzzle velocity if you do reload, as well as having access to rarer calibers, but for common cartridges you might see minimal or no savings.

Niksa

[fordtruckin]

I've found that it all depends on how much you shoot. As mentioned Initially it will cost more because you have the price of the tools up front. But the more you shoot, the lower the cost per round will become. I have friends that are able to reload for their 9mm, 40S&W, and 30.06 for a fraction of the cost of factory ammo. Granted he shoots more than most people do.. But yes IF you plan on shooting lots it will eventually save you some $$.

[Dean2]

Over one or two years, you won't save much unless you shoot a lot. I have been doing it over 40 years, and I can tell you for sure, I have saved a ton. On top of that, I can make any combination of ammo I want, the ammo can be tuned to the gun, it is far moer accurate than factory most of the time and I can load for obsolete cartridges.

On top of that, I can afford to shoot many thousands of rounds a year of premium quality ammo. That would be 4 or 5 times more expensive if I bought factory ammo. If you are going to shot 20-40 rounds a year I would stick to factory. If you want to learn lots and be able to shoot a whole bunch more, take up reloading.

[jwolfe]

thank you for the tips.

[densa44]

I have been at this for nearly 40 yrs and it is cheaper per shot for sure. The rub is, as others have told you, you shoot way more, get very good at it, involve your friends, and wife. So the total cost per center fire is about$1.00 per shot depending on the price of the bullets you use.

You also end up buying more guns, shotguns and rifles because you can make them shoot better than the previous owner thought possible.

I'm now off to load some buckshot for my son's 12 gauge.

By the way if you drive to the US, Cabela's has a great supply of powder and primers, it you go to Reno you can buy tax free. The Canadian government lets you bring 10kg. of powder and 5000 primers. Good deals can be had!

Shot gun loads are about $7.00 per box.

Have fun

[bwcweld]

for my 22-250 I can load up my own premium shells for about 42cents each if I dont have to buy brass.. This adds up to 8 bucks for 20 rounds which would be upwards of 30 bucks in factory ammo. plus if you get a chronograph you can chrony all your loads,use a ballistics calculator, determine point of impact and create a drop sheet out to infinity. Now theres no factory ammo, even premium, that compares to that. I was sceptical about reloading until i finally took the plunge and now I'll never buy factory ammo for a centerfire ever again.

[junkdude]

Originally Posted by densa44

By the way if you drive to the US, Cabela's has a great supply of powder and primers, it you go to Reno you can buy tax free. The Canadian government lets you bring 10kg. of powder and 5000 primers. Good deals can be had!

Just a friendly caution, The Canadian Government allows you to import but the US does not allow export of guns or ammunition components without the proper export permits. There are many threads on this site discussing this topic, the US penalties can be quite severe.

[elkhunter11]

Just a friendly caution, The Canadian Government allows you to import but the US does not allow export of guns or ammunition components without the proper export permits. There are many threads on this site discussing this topic, the US penalties can be quite severe.

Exporting firearms,firearms components,ammunition,or ammunition components from the USA without the proper export permits,is a Federal offence under US law.The US officials might be feeling generous,and just seize your goods and let you off with a lecture,but then again,they could seize your vehicle,deport you, and never allow you to enter the USA again.

[molly09]

sa for me reloading is like hunting and fishing i love it the self satisfaction one gets from makeing your own ammo and using it in the field.go for it man.

[molly09]