Proven again that I can gain no ground reloading:
I bought a Loadmaster in 9mm. I figured I could load up several thousand and have them when I need them. No damned way, NO DAMNED WAY! For the love of God I can load up a damned bucket full and I will shoot it all, every round, in a weekend. My G26 and my Sig P250 subcompact are getting one hell of a workout.
I had the same experience with 223 when I tried to load a supply. I bought 3000 bullets and powder and primers. I just could not get ahead of the curve, the AR-15's just got hungrier. But I figured this is a progressive, yeah, nope. It's like giving a beer drinking alcoholic a bottle of Jim Beam.
There is no hope for me, the compulsion and addiction is just too much.
Me too. I feel your pain.!!!
Neil
So.....all along it wasn't teenagers doing all the wasteful blasting.....causing ammo shortages.
It was frustrated boomers.
Figures.
Much as I understand the satisfaction of doing it myself, I no longer reload 9mm.
I found that after buying the powder, bullets and primers, total cost was actually a little more than turning all my brass over a local guy who reloads for a living and supplies his own components.
$200/thousand for him to do it,
$55 lb for powder
$55/1000 for primers
$120/1000 bullets =
$230/thousand for me to do it.
Got better things to do with my time.
scrounging brass on the desert, 9mm brass is all over the place. casting lead bullets takes care of that part. about 2.50 a box to reload it that way. but given you can buy it for about .19cents a round, does not really pay time wise to do it.
you can buy all kinds of factory ammo for less than 200dollars a thousand.
I enjoy reloading. It’s a hobby. I also like to work up a good Accurate load in my handguns just like I do for rifles.
Hasbeen
Much as I understand the satisfaction of doing it myself, I no longer reload 9mm.
I found that after buying the powder, bullets and primers, total cost was actually a little more than turning all my brass over a local guy who reloads for a living and supplies his own components.
$200/thousand for him to do it,
$55 lb for powder
$55/1000 for primers
$120/1000 bullets =
$230/thousand for me to do it.
Got better things to do with my time.
Figures in Canada.
Powder= 12.50 per 1000.
Primers= 30.00 per 1000
Bullets = 64.00 per 1000
So at 200 buck per 1000 I would be paying almost double.
I like reloading, something to do.
Yeah, I see the point.
We are told that reloading will "Save us money" too. Casting your own bullets saves us a LOT of money..........right?
NOPE!
What we'll do is spend what we have to spend. Reloading and casting just lets us shoot more for the budget we have. Shooting that much more is VERY good for our marksmanship skills however, so I don't complain about that.
That's nothing, deer meat costs us about $65 a lb!
I like reloading, something to do.
I'm going to keep reloading anyway. It's my kind of therapy.
The Rule of Space is: "Junk accumulates to fill the available space. Adding more space just causes a proportional increase in junk."
What we're seeing here is simply a corollary: "Ammunition expenditure increases to consume the available ammunition. Increasing the available ammunition simply causes a proportional increase in expenditure."
No worries, you're just following the natural order of things...
Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha!
I also quit reloading for the most part. Except once in a while for fun. I enjoy it.
What's the point when a box of factory shoots as well and lasts me 2 or 3 years, and kills all the meat I can eat,if I can find the critters.
You poor bastids......
That's nothing, deer meat costs us about $65 a lb!
Hahaha! Yeah....no schit.
Dillon 1050 !
(Factor in THAT cost and it really makes NO sense !)
Much as I understand the satisfaction of doing it myself, I no longer reload 9mm.
I found that after buying the powder, bullets and primers, total cost was actually a little more than turning all my brass over a local guy who reloads for a living and supplies his own components.
$200/thousand for him to do it,
$55 lb for powder
$55/1000 for primers
$120/1000 bullets =
$230/thousand for me to do it.
Got better things to do with my time.
Figures in Canada.
Powder= 12.50 per 1000.
Primers= 30.00 per 1000
Bullets = 64.00 per 1000
So at 200 buck per 1000 I would be paying almost double.
Nope, I'm in Canada. Where are you getting jacketed bullets for $64/1000?
http://gun-shop.ca/product/canadian-bdx-9mm-124gr-fmj-1000-pcs/ $129 per 1000
http://www.bullseyelondon.com/hodgdon-lil-gun-shotgun-powder-1lb-container.html $40 - that has gone down a bit and yes, you don't use the whole pound so we'll go with your $12.50
https://www.gotenda.com/shop/reloading/primers/pistol-primers/cci-small-pistol-primer-500-1000box/ $43
Add tax on those and you're still coming over $200/1000.
Reloading makes sense for my 6.5 x284
Not for my 9mm
I can get 9mm ball plinker for less than $9 a box
Pick and choose
It just isn’t worth the effort to reload 9mm or .223 to just blast a hole. Most of my favorite hunting rifles have factory ammo with the same bullet and similar velocity to what I load for as well. Not cheaper necessarily but I can load blasting ammo for those when I feel the urge.
It all depends what you shoot and how much. I reload nosler whatever at about .40 a round vs $2 to buy it. Magnum handgun or even 9mm/45ACP HP loads at about 1/2 price. I'll buy 9mm, 45ACP, .223 fmj because it's not worth reloading right now. Plus I keep enough stock not worry about shortages, remember when .223 was going for $1 a round
My reloads in 9mm are way more accurate than factory.
If you work up a load for a 9mm varying seting depth in .005 increments once you have found the best powder charge, get ready for a really great surprise in how small the groups will get with the 9mm.
I shoot tight group 124-130g cast
AA#7, cci 400(cci gold dots)
Dude...you ain't trying to hit a golf ball from 1200 yards either!!
Shotshell reloading is worse, at least for 12 and 20 gauge. If you aren't overly particular about shot hardness, there is no way you can reload and save money, especially if you count the reloading tools. 28 and .410 are a different story.
Proven again that I can gain no ground reloading:
I bought a Loadmaster in 9mm. I figured I could load up several thousand and have them when I need them. No damned way, NO DAMNED WAY! For the love of God I can load up a damned bucket full and I will shoot it all, every round, in a weekend. My G26 and my Sig P250 subcompact are getting one hell of a workout.
I had the same experience with 223 when I tried to load a supply. I bought 3000 bullets and powder and primers. I just could not get ahead of the curve, the AR-15's just got hungrier. But I figured this is a progressive, yeah, nope. It's like giving a beer drinking alcoholic a bottle of Jim Beam.
There is no hope for me, the compulsion and addiction is just too much.
Humorous. What I needed. Many thanks.
Tumbling dirty brass, resizing, priming, charging, and producing a loaded round with every pull of the handle on the 550, until I have a bucket full.
Knowing that every damn one will group a nickel size hole at a hundred yards.
Love every minute of my time at the loading bench.
Much as I understand the satisfaction of doing it myself, I no longer reload 9mm.
I found that after buying the powder, bullets and primers, total cost was actually a little more than turning all my brass over a local guy who reloads for a living and supplies his own components.
$200/thousand for him to do it,
$55 lb for powder
$55/1000 for primers
$120/1000 bullets =
$230/thousand for me to do it.
Got better things to do with my time.
Your pricing is a little high.
Titegroup should be about $31.00 per lbs. 1600 rds per lbs.
Primers should be about $30.00 per 1000.
Berry's plated are about $85.00 per 1000
Tumbling dirty brass, resizing, priming, charging, and producing a loaded round with every pull of the handle on the 550, until I have a bucket full.
Knowing that every damn one will group a nickel size hole at a hundred yards.
Love every minute of my time at the loading bench.
I like reloading too. Casting...not so much. Thankfully, cast bullets are cheap and readily available now. Tweren't always so.
What kenlguy said. It's therapy for me.
Yea, right. Try buying ammo for my .41Mag, 444 Marlin, 22 Hornet, 45/70, .410 & 17 REM.! The only way I can afford to shoot & enjoy these is to reload 'em.
Yea, right. Try buying ammo for my .41Mag, 444 Marlin, 22 Hornet, 45/70, .410 & 17 REM.! The only way I can afford to shoot & enjoy these is to reload 'em.
Sure, but thats your fault for shooting interesting guns and cartridges.
That's nothing, deer meat costs us about $65 a lb!
I laugh any time someone claims they're hunting because they need the meat. It is simply not an economical way to obtain protein sustenance.
Yea, right. Try buying ammo for my .41Mag, 444 Marlin, 22 Hornet, 45/70, .410 & 17 REM.! The only way I can afford to shoot & enjoy these is to reload 'em.
Sure, but thats your fault for shooting interesting guns and cartridges.
It is pretty hard to reload economically for most common pistols and even blasting/plinking small rifle prices. I can crank out 223 cheap enough on an auto-index, but no way I would feed my AR from a single stage.
Yea, right. Try buying ammo for my .41Mag, 444 Marlin, 22 Hornet, 45/70, .410 & 17 REM.! The only way I can afford to shoot & enjoy these is to reload 'em.
Sure, but thats your fault for shooting interesting guns and cartridges.
That's just how this gimpy old fart rolls, Big Jim!!
Wideners, Armscor 124 FMJ, they went up to 135.00 for 2000. So 67.50.
Yea, right. Try buying ammo for my .41Mag, 444 Marlin, 22 Hornet, 45/70, .410 & 17 REM.! The only way I can afford to shoot & enjoy these is to reload 'em.
Sure, but thats your fault for shooting interesting guns and cartridges.
probably 30 years ago, i bought a super redhawk in .44magnum. It was soon after that i discovered reloading and the cast bullet 429421. now it's probably 40 or more moulds for different calibers.
That's nothing, deer meat costs us about $65 a lb!
I laugh any time someone claims they're hunting because they need the meat. It is simply not an economical way to obtain protein sustenance.
there is an old cult movie called "rancho deluxe" pretty easy for some to pop a cow in the field with an electric chain saw.
You’ll tire of it at some point.
That's nothing, deer meat costs us about $65 a lb!
I laugh any time someone claims they're hunting because they need the meat. It is simply not an economical way to obtain protein sustenance.
Depends on how you hunt, stepping out your back door and getting a Whitetail is pretty cheap, taking off to hunting camp for a week isn't.
You’ll tire of it at some point.
Seems like in 37 years I haven't.
So.....all along it wasn't teenagers doing all the wasteful blasting.....causing ammo shortages.
It was frustrated boomers.
Figures.
There's so much more truth to that than you know...
Proven again that I can gain no ground reloading:
I bought a Loadmaster in 9mm. I figured I could load up several thousand and have them when I need them. No damned way, NO DAMNED WAY! For the love of God I can load up a damned bucket full and I will shoot it all, every round, in a weekend. My G26 and my Sig P250 subcompact are getting one hell of a workout.
I had the same experience with 223 when I tried to load a supply. I bought 3000 bullets and powder and primers. I just could not get ahead of the curve, the AR-15's just got hungrier. But I figured this is a progressive, yeah, nope. It's like giving a beer drinking alcoholic a bottle of Jim Beam.
There is no hope for me, the compulsion and addiction is just too much.
I am amazed that after all the time you've spent here you don't see the cure(s).
Anything other than autojammers.
Cast bullets (home made)
Lord Black
As example, get yourself a dozen different guns/calibers etc. Include a flintlock. And a buffalo gun. Moulds.
Save the autos for when zombies or maybe a rabid dem show up.
Hmm.
Still cast some bullets, but find the time spent less worthwhile.
As for hunting not being worth the cost, here's the breakdown of our last elk, killed by Eileen:
Any Montana resident of 62+ (we both qualify) or over can buy a Montana "combination" license for $35. (f younger, it costs $85.) This includes an elk tag, deer tag, black bear tag, and fishing and upland bird licenses except turkey. Bought separarely, the general elk tag costs $15 for residents, but let's call the combo tag $10.
She was called by a local rancher for a cow elk damage hunt one day in early October of 2017. We took the F350 because the Tacoma was too small to tote an elk. The total drive was 28 miles, which in the F350 took about two gallons of gas, about $6.
The ,308 Winchester cartridge she used cost around 80 cents, for one 60-cent 130-grain TTSX, 45 grains of IMR4895, and a CCI 2oo primer. (The case was an RWS, which apparently last forever.)
Total cost around 17 bucks, which for around 170 pounds of boned elk meat was about 10 cents a pound.
We do "pay" a little more for deer and antelope meat, maybe 50 cents a pound.
you caint put a price on a hunt . cost me 20.00 dollars every time I shoot a bolt at game
You’ll tire of it at some point.
Seems like in 37 years I haven't.
Nothing wrong with blowing lead, Well as long as you ain't doin' it with Goosey................
Much as I understand the satisfaction of doing it myself, I no longer reload 9mm.
I found that after buying the powder, bullets and primers, total cost was actually a little more than turning all my brass over a local guy who reloads for a living and supplies his own components.
$200/thousand for him to do it,
$55 lb for powder
$55/1000 for primers
$120/1000 bullets =
$230/thousand for me to do it.
Got better things to do with my time.
that's true some ammo just isn't worth the time and cost to do it your self
Some shooters reload to shoot...………..some shoot to reload.
I reload rifle ammo for accurate loads. I also reload my revolvers. I won’t mess around with reloading pistol ammo as I shoot too much of it, and I want some time to do other things.
When I started reloading I could save %50 over the factory loads. That's no longer the case. The only thing I load for now are center fire rifles and only because I have the tools to do so and can tailor a load specifically for top accuracy in each rifle. Otherwise, it isn't worth the time.
Hmm.
Still cast some bullets, but find the time spent less worthwhile.
As for hunting not being worth the cost, here's the breakdown of our last elk, killed by Eileen:
Any Montana resident of 62+ (we both qualify) or over can buy a Montana "combination" license for $35. (f younger, it costs $85.) This includes an elk tag, deer tag, black bear tag, and fishing and upland bird licenses except turkey. Bought separarely, the general elk tag costs $15 for residents, but let's call the combo tag $10.
She was called by a local rancher for a cow elk damage hunt one day in early October of 2017. We took the F350 because the Tacoma was too small to tote an elk. The total drive was 28 miles, which in the F350 took about two gallons of gas, about $6.
The ,308 Winchester cartridge she used cost around 80 cents, for one 60-cent 130-grain TTSX, 45 grains of IMR4895, and a CCI 2oo primer. (The case was an RWS, which apparently last forever.)
Total cost around 17 bucks, which for around 170 pounds of boned elk meat was about 10 cents a pound.
We do "pay" a little more for deer and antelope meat, maybe 50 cents a pound.
That is an amazing "best case scenario" for certain. Certainly the exception rather than the norm.
Might be the exception rather than the rule for hunters that don't live in rural areas..... My wife and I are coming up on our 22nd hunting season together..... land owner deer tags free, 10.00 for bear...... we do our own processing so the cost of freezer wrap and electricity to run extra refrigerator to age the meat in .....
We have eaten 6 deer from last season, just bought a few pounds of ground beef yesterday to make spaghetti sauce with today..... goal is to harvest 8 deer this year so we don't run out. Our "thing" is being trophy meat hunters. We are in it for the groceries.
Been reloading for 40 something years now..... not sure how to figure cost per round but I have enough components to last way longer that I will...
As an aside if you want to up your venison cooking game try a Sous Vide machine about 100.00 these days.
I started reloading on my older brother's press when I was 14. I guess I got into it purely out of my interest in guns rather than the thought of savings.
When I got out of the service, I got into it primarily for savings. Big mistake. I spent way more money than I would have buying shells. But I had more ammo to shoot, and more accurate ammo, tailored to each rifle I loaded for. Heck, I had three different 30-06 loads for three different guns!
The more I got into it, the more I spent, but the more I enjoyed it. Where some find it boring and tedious, I find it relaxing. Turning off the world for a little while to do something I enjoy doing.
Same reason most of us hunt, or ride motorcycles, or work on old cars.
I spend more money, but I've got more and better ammunition, which allows me more shooting and more relaxing time!
Kind of a perpetual machine for stress.
7mm
I started in 1982 with a Lee Loader in 44 mag. In not too long I found an ancient Lyman "C" press and an old Lyman scale that was not magnetically dampened. I made my own dippers from fired cases, copper wire and a bit of solder. Then I got a .430 mold to cast bullets.
On and on it went until now I have a basement full of stuff for reloading.
I started reloading on my older brother's press when I was 14. I guess I got into it purely out of my interest in guns rather than the thought of savings.
When I got out of the service, I got into it primarily for savings. Big mistake. I spent way more money than I would have buying shells. But I had more ammo to shoot, and more accurate ammo, tailored to each rifle I loaded for. Heck, I had three different 30-06 loads for three different guns!
The more I got into it, the more I spent, but the more I enjoyed it. Where some find it boring and tedious, I find it relaxing. Turning off the world for a little while to do something I enjoy doing.
Same reason most of us hunt, or ride motorcycles, or work on old cars.
I spend more money, but I've got more and better ammunition, which allows me more shooting and more relaxing time!
Kind of a perpetual machine for stress.
7mm
Yes^^^^^ what he said. I can "get away" in my gun room and listen to whatever music I want. I can cast bullets ( well ventilated by an exhaust fan/hood that renews the room's air every 15 seconds), reload to my heart's content or just sit, listen to music and sip coffee.
98% of my center fire rifles have never seen a factory round, none of my center fire revolvers have.
Most recently the 700VLS .243 shot three different factory brands (red, white and green boxes) to prove that my ammo would shoot inside the best group of the big three. The factory stuff was free so . . . . .
Anyways, when someone asks what ammo I use I always say "Mine!" Guys at work ask me "How much to reload me some xx-xx" and I always quote a bit more than the best store bought. "Well for Christ's sake I can buy it at ________ cheaper! I thought you said you could reload for less than half!!!"
I always answer with the question "My time is worth nothing to you?" Most just shrug and walk away, a select few have been allowed into the inner sanctom for lessons, but none other than blood family are allowed "unsupervised visitation".
RJ
Now when people ask "What's the best ammo for _________ in my xx-xx?" I wonder why they don't reload.
Had a co-worker call me yesterday asking to use my range, "Sure c' mon out" He came, shot twice showed me his target and left. I'm thinking, if you reloaded, maybe you'd shoot more and better and your son might be more interested in shooting too . . . . .
RJ
I save a lot of money per box of rifle ammo like .270 Win. , .243 and .223. The reason is only cause much of the bullets I have were bought long long time ago, like the 1,000 .277 Rem. 130 gr bullets for $73 / 1,000, and powder, from Pats reloading was ,military surplus for $64 /8 lb. jug. I even have some H870 powder I payed $24/ 8 lb jug but hardly used it. It all still works well but if I ever use it up, I will likely just buy a few boxes ever year and be done with it.
My first reloading experience was reloading a type 99 Arisaka using a lee loader. I couldn't have afforded to shoot it otherwise.
This year I shot a lot of action pistol at my club. I bought 9mm at Walmart. I picked up my brass. This winter I'll do a bunch of reloading as winters are long and I need something to do. Every few years I load up a few years of pistol. I was a bit short this year due to more shooting than usual.
Reloading is a time consuming activity that gives many a lot of pleasure. I'm not sure where I'd get some 110g Barnes TSX 300 Blackout loads for my AR other than rolling my own.
I have a lot of firearms in chamberings that that are not main stream. Being able to reload makes it affordable and/or even possible to shoot them.
Proven again that I can gain no ground reloading:
I bought a Loadmaster in 9mm. I figured I could load up several thousand and have them when I need them. No damned way, NO DAMNED WAY! For the love of God I can load up a damned bucket full and I will shoot it all, every round, in a weekend. My G26 and my Sig P250 subcompact are getting one hell of a workout.
I had the same experience with 223 when I tried to load a supply. I bought 3000 bullets and powder and primers. I just could not get ahead of the curve, the AR-15's just got hungrier. But I figured this is a progressive, yeah, nope. It's like giving a beer drinking alcoholic a bottle of Jim Beam.
There is no hope for me, the compulsion and addiction is just too much.
you don't surprise me there at all. This from someone that used to load about 20K rounds of 223 a year
Why load your own? There are a lot of pros and cons of course, and they can be debated long after hell has frozen.
Cost/savings?
Availability?
Quality?
Sure. It is an enjoyable hobby that allows inroads to all angles. It allows me to shoot such things as the .25-20 SS. I can get about 7,000 loads from a pound of powder with the .22GTC and 175 bullets from a pound of lead. And I'll guarantee my handloads for the .45-70 and .416 Rigby are A) cheaper than factory ammo and B) more accurate. Fact is I've never loaded a cartridge for any gun that when all was said and done, was not superior to factory ammo across the board.
And there are still things I haven't done after almost 50 years at the bench. What's not to like?
Yea, right. Try buying ammo for my .41Mag, 444 Marlin, 22 Hornet, 45/70, .410 & 17 REM.! The only way I can afford to shoot & enjoy these is to reload 'em.
Scott, I'm with you man! Here's some of my cost per box:
44spl 165 Lead - $10.07 / 50
30-M1 110 SP - $11.51 / 50
270W 150 SierraGK - $14.31 /20
303B 174 FMJBT - $12.57 /20
30/06 180 RemCL - $13.32 / 20
8mm Mauser 200 Speer - $11.75 / 20
9.3x62 286 NPT - $30.85 / 20
458WM 450 Swift"A" - $39.26 / 20
458WM 450 Barnes Solid - $46.93 / 20
12 ga 1oz Target/Dove Load $5.39 / 25
28 ga 3/4oz Target/Dove Load $5.14 / 25
Cost savings ??? Compare those costs above to factory:
$19,99 - HORNADY AMMO 44 SPL 165gr FTX CRITICAL-DEF. 20/BX
$33.99 - HORNADY AMMO 8x57 MAUSER 195gr SP 20/BX
$78.99 - FEDERAL AMMO 9.3x62 286gr SW A-FRAME (C/S) 20/bx
$96.99 - HORNADY AMMO 458 WINCHESTER 500gr DGX BONDED 20/bx
$143.99 - Nosler 458 Winchester Magnum 500 Grain Solid 20/bx
$114.99 - REMINGTON STS 28ga 2dram .75oz 1200fps #8 250/cs
Since I don’t work 24 hours a day I can’t make the argument that time is money in the “it costs me more to reload than its worth” sense. Financially, money saved is money not spent.
If my life is average, there is a good bit of “sitting on my butt” time during the day. Sitting on my butt doesn’t translate to making money but I’d REALLY REALLY like a position that made that possible. Modern studies link activity of any sort, not just exercise in a gym, with improved health. It is suggested to move around every 30 minutes. Reloading helps meet the very basic movement requirements to remain healthy.
I recently purchased pull down bullets and powder for a great price. I reloaded 62’gr fmj for half the price that I could have purchased it new. I engaged my mind. I engaged my body. I was off my butt. I involved my son in the process. That’s a win win for me.
Some guys are busy with a lot of extracurricular activities or long work hours. I can see the benefit of store bought in many such situations. Then, some people are just too high strung to sit at a mundane task like reloading. That guy would probably get wound tighter and tighter at a reloading bench. He needs to buy.