Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles How many rounds before you start "saving"?

It started saving me money on the first round. At that point, I was hooked and started giving up more expensive hobbies like Golf and AQHA horses. Haven't spent a dime on golf in years, and sold my last horse last year.

Your last paragraph says it all.....and thankfully so. Keeps us all a bit more interested, the supply houses in business and our sport more viable in the political arena.

I got to this discussion late but the advice above is correct. I don't think I know a single individual who has saved a nickle because of reloading firearms ammunition. It can become a sinister addiction, leading the unwary to spend absurd amounts of money on components and equipment he suddenly finds himself unable to live without. I have even known victims of this insidious desease to purchase brass in a caliber they don't own - yet. "Just in case" Let even a rumor of a primer shortage materialize and they all rush to stock up, buying thousands again - just in case. Save yourself while there is still time. Reloading is truly not a way to save money. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I met a guy at the range who was picking up discarded brass to reload. He likes to reload so much that he is accumulating ammo faster than he shoots it, and has thousands of rounds of it. He said a neighbor, who is a fireman, told him they were just going to stand back and let his house burn if it ever catches fire <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

in a 416 rigby, about five rounds.
in a 470 NE, about two rounds.
the others take a little longer.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The big thing about reloading is you shoot more = more $$.
Shoot more also = better shooting abilities = better first shots = more meat = Yada, Yada, Yada......

Reloading is a good time for me & my daughter. Family time is hard to get here in the big city. She loads it & shoots it... I love it!

Pat

Sounds like everyone has the right, as long as you stay away from exotics not much is saved. I have a 7.82 Warbird and a Dillon 550B, and I believe the Press has saved me a fair amount, but at least half of what I save is reinvested in new equipment.

Avg. price of 6.5x55 SE
my loads = $60.28 per 100
Rem or Federal = $115.00 per 100

I bought a Lee Anniversory Kit + dies for $128.00 OTD.
This was an easy and cheap setup for use when I'm in Texas.

I've loaded over 450 rounds with this setup in the last month, so I've recovered the cost of the equipment in less than 500 rounds.

Triggernosis

Occationally someone answers a question you din't ask. One is about to come.

A problem with reloading is you may decide to make a different cartridge than what you can purchase. There is NO saving when you do this. The form dies for my new .224 MBOC were about $280.00. The chamber reamer was about $5 less. After I get the rifle back I make a couple fired cases to get custom loading dies: Add another "C" note.

But it sure is fun! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I guess playing with loading saves my sanity.

or you pick up a bunch of brass at the range in a caliber you don't have.... then you start shopping for a rifle in that caliber just to use the brass <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Active High Power rifle competition shooters load and shoot like 5000 rounds a year of .223 with match bullets.... NO ONE shoots factory ammo in that game.

Poole

Pat:
Yup, that's a good thing. Another important advantage comes after you are already loading for a cartridge and another comes along.

I've been loading my 280 for years, and when I got a 7x57, then a 7mm RM, then a 7mm Weatherby, all I needed was dies. Sure, it cost me more for the 7mm Wby cases, but if I didn't load for it, I wouldn't be able to shoot it economically at all. I even made some 7mm Wby cases out of 7mm RM brass, thanks to the prompting of someone on �this forum, I think�.

When I got the old 338 from my neighbor, it came with some extry boolits and some BAD handloads that I discomboomerated, so all I needed was 338 dies, to load it. On down the line, I purchased some more components.
Smitty of the North

Like these guys said, it depends on the cartridge. For 25-20's or 32-20's you can buy 50 rounds for $30 or I can reload them for about $4.50 if I remember right and that is with new brass. I currently am on about the 30th loading of the current brass and still going. Loaded 32 Remingtons are selling for $50-80 for a box of 20. My loads, Brass $25, 20 Jacketed Bullets $3.20, Primers $.45 and Powder $3. With the expense of the brass I am still saving and the brass is free the next time around. Like everyone else it opens doors not available to the non-reloader. Vintage cartridges, reduced loads, hot loads and specialty rounds.

Just for one cartridge - 45-70 . . .All my reloading equipment (dies, presses, lead pots, lead, tin, powder, primers, brass - everything) cost less than $2,500. A box of 20 at the local Sportsman's Warehouse was in the $22 range. I've shot over 15,000 rounds of 45-70 over the last 10 years. That's $16,500 for store bought loads. I can load my own for about $14 per 100 (I load BP), that's $2,100 plus the $2,500 for equipment and supplies for a total of $4,600. That is a savings of $11,900. Now, granted, I wouldn't be shooting near as much if I ws buying store bought ammo, but it would cost more anyhow. Not everybody will save money by reloading, but you can at least get more "bang for your buck". You get more consistant results and reloading keeps most of us out of the bars . . .

Another one to save on is 22 hornet. Why are factory rounds so expensive??????????????

Let's see 30.06 practice load, 50 rounds
Brass used 18x ,$1.00
Powder 130 per #,$10
Bullets $11
Primers $1.50 = $22.50

Cheapest 30.06 $22.00 a 20 = $55.00

Savings per 50 $32.50

Full Lee aniv. kit ,dies,and caliper $200

Break even 300 rounds

These are Canadian prices and dollars.I had two son's learning to shoot.

When I first started reloading 30 years ago, I "saved" all my money, and "paid" for my equipment on high volume pistol ammo. A cheap lead pot and a set of 38 Spl molds, an RCBS Rockchucker press and a Uniflow measure and a 510 scale. Basic! Set of dies and a lube pad. I figured I could load a box of 38 spl target stuff with 2.7 of Bullseye for about $1.50 - $1.75 and the cheapest handloads I could buy from another relaoder were $5 a box. I was shooting about 5,000 rounds a year, so I figured I saved about $150 a year on ammo, so the riggin' was paid for in a couple years, tops.

Since then, of course, I have added a few more die sets -- 12 I think -- a case trimmer -- several more bullet molds -- a sizer/luber -- BUT, I am still using the same press, powder measure, scale etc.

My 300 magnum rifle bullets cost me about $1.20 a pop for Barnes TSX bullets loaded to the screaming point. $24 a box for premium tailored bullets that shoot into about three quarters of an inch most days is CHEAP ammo.

My 405 Win rifle bullets cost me under a buck a pop for Hornady bullets, and about $1.10 a pop for Barnes X. Factory Hornadys cost me about $48.00/20 IF I can find them. That's cheap ammo.

Sum total of my reloading equipment is about $900. Divide that by 30 years and you get $30 a year. That's a CHEAP hobby. And it gets cheaper every year - - - Oh, I forgot. You are not my wife.

Good point Shootist:

And that's Canadian money too, I betcha.
Keep it up, and you can buy a new truck, or at least some more gas for the old one.

Us Handloading Nut, aren't nuts, we're opportunists.
Smitty of the North

Trig,

It depends upon what type of person you are.

If like fancy bullets, and don't like buying bulk anything you'll probably not save alot from what you'd normally spend because you'll shoot more.

If your more of a deal guy and you mind what you pay per component you can save quiet alot.

Either way you pay more up front for your common loading equipment, then you pay either a bit more for pricey components OR alot more for bulk and shoot a good long time without paying.

i.e. you save two ways - Buy getting higher quality on those federal premiums with partitions being swapped out for own "rolled" rounds. and Or your rolling lot's of cheap rounds to replace buying bulk. They are definitely two different cost / savings curves.

It depends what you want, if you like to shoot you save on 1) custom loads - like your reduced loads that are usually over priced and hard to find. 2) On premo' loads, and 3) on bulk.

All true - but if you like rolling bulk you'll end up with a second press - all again a new cost curve.

Plenty of folks around who have upgraded presses & stuff.. you can start out relatively cheap if you want but it's best to start with the lee kits IMHO.

Spot

when will you see a savings?
I dont know but I spent $200 on new equipment 20 years ago and havent bought many factory rounds since.Other than milsurp

Saving, holy smokes, when I started reloading I found myself shooting more than a box or two. Now I shoot 5-8 boxes per rifle. Les