[Mike A]

Stay sharp everyone!

Let me start by saying almost all my powders have numbers,
not names eg. Tite group & Bullseye is an old name powder.

I set back enough for my Son & Grand children's lives.
Thinking America would allow it's self to be disarmed
in my lifetime, I bought my kids a bit O Freedom for
the future.

My stock cost as of during the 90s.
1000 Federal 210M less than $10.00
1 lb of IMR 4895 $ 8.00
100 168gr Sierra Boat tail Hollow tip $8.00

Cases I have 3 lifetimes worth. .45, .308, .223, etc.

If I had no equipment & had to buy it the
Primers, powder, Bullets & brass @ todays prices.

Would it be cheaper to buy loaded ammo
rather than to get started reloading?
Bulk or otherwise.

I am only asking to understand the new
to the reloading game shooter, & what they have to
face today. It took food money but I do thank
Billy Klinton for getting me to stock up back in the 90s.

Even if you start with 2nd hand loading equipment.
The price for a single round of Federal Gold Medal Match
168gr BTHP is a Dollar per round.

What do my fellow loaders think is best for now?

Stock pile Quantity? Been there done that already.
As for now I believe Quantity buys perhaps with
fellow fellow shooters for better $ prices???

Reloading I ask you. What do you think best for
others without ammo sources?

 

[pscipio03]

Today? Hell no, it's cheaper to reload, especially 9mm and 5.56.
Two weeks ago- if you figure in your cost of time, it was just as cheap to buy loaded factory 9mm.
I stockpile brass by the 5 gallon bucket, and never feel I have enough. I cycle through at least one 5 gallon bucket per year of 9mm and about half that in 45. I'll be loading up 5.56 over the next couple of weeks and will easily load more than 1.5 buckets worth. I like to do batch loads and it's not unknown for me to do 5k at a time.
Here's the rub- none of this matters because finding either factory loaded or components for common calibers is a damn challenge now. I just bought an 8lb jug of Varget because I'll use all that plus another 4 to 6 lbs loading up some 5.56 soon. Plus, I've got a bunch of .308 I need to start on as well.
So how much is enough? Well, IMO just like magazines, you always need at least 1 more than what you have. No matter how much you have.

 

[Mike A]

Today? Hell no, it's cheaper to reload, especially 9mm and 5.56.
Two weeks ago- if you figure in your cost of time, it was just as cheap to buy loaded factory 9mm.

I guess it would depend on your use.
We once shot thousands of 7.62mm 168gr BTHP rounds per year.
Today it's .45acp & 5.56mm those were once very
cheap in Military surplus cases.

For me it's to pass on to my kids. Active shooters always have
a great reason to Roll our own. Of all the Factory Federal Gold I
have fired none was as great as the M-118 not for Combat use
7.62mm match. So hand load f you want the best for your guns.
Rifles that can tell the difference between Match & hunting fodder.

Pistol I wonder.

 

[july19]

I’ve been reloading .45 acp and 9x19 for only eight years, it’s never been cheaper to buy factory ammo. The rub is one must be willing to find the time to locate components and perform all the reloading protocols. I’m retired so I have the time to do both. Some may not have the time or inclination to reload - I understand the position as I was in that position when I was employed.

 

[Jim w.]

Repeatedly. Reloading has always come out less expensive than factory.
"Not worth my time." Really? Do you have a job that lets you work overtime for more than the price of the ammo you could have turned out? OK, send in your order.
Otherwise, there is probably SOMETHING you could give up for reloading. Like professional athletics; make ammo, don't watch millionaires chase a ball.

 

[Descartian]

Funny you posted that pic of the M1A1 with an ACOG. I’m in the process of procuring a scope mount and ACOG for my Scout.

 

[Jrock9]

223 reloading cost 2020 pre panic price
55 fmj bulk 6 cent each
Primer's 2.8 cent each
Powder breaks down to about 10-11 cent each
Total-- about 19 cent per round in your already owned cases
223 factory runs avg 27 cents per round
Primer + bullet cost easy to figure by thousand count breakdown powder is 7000 gr per pound so how many gr is each round if its 10 gr you get 700 rounds per lb. 223 is 21-24 gr on average given powder type . casting pistol bullets really cuts the cost on high volume shooting but more equipment needed and more time to cast. HAPPY RELOADING !!!!

 

[Descartian]

Funny you posted that pic of the M1A1 with an ACOG. I’m in the process of procuring a scope mount and ACOG for my Scout.

Did Descartian just quote Descartian’s post? Descartian did!


All kidding aside seeing the photo of that ACOG on the M1A made me pull the trigger on a Sadak airborne mount and a Trijicon TA01B.

 

[Brianfede]

To me it's not just about the money you save by reloading, it's the fact you can customize your loads. I recently loaded up some 185gr 45ACP that are pleasure to shoot. I'll add that i find reloading relaxing and not a chore.

 

[Dwe]

These days, it’s about having ammo.
Even though I can’t buy it, I will still have it.
Buy components while you can.

 

[jcc7x7]

Keep buying components and rotate your stock.
Shot the older stuff and store the new stuff.
Good to have a reasonable supply of stuff on hand all the time.

 

[FWoo45]

Did Descartian just quote Descartian’s post? Descartian did!


All kidding aside seeing the photo of that ACOG on the M1A made me pull the trigger on a Sadak airborne mount and a Trijicon TA01B.

Hands down, the best M1a scope mount made. IMO. I did have a couple of issues with my first one from a 3rd party source. They made it right, even including phone calls at well after 10 pm their time. From the owner of the company.

As for reloading, I am new to it. I only load 9mm and .45 acp as of now. This isn't the best time to start loading for 5.56 but trust and believe that I will be ordering dies and components as soon as things level out a bit. I do this for both the price and the availability. The cost savings may not seem like much to those that can still buy ammo online. I can't anymore and trust me fellas, as komifornia falls, so does the rest of the country.

 

[Joni Lynn]

I reload for almost everything except for shotgun (currently) My ammo appears to be accurate and I can load things that either aren't available, or would be hard to find and might be much more costly. On top of that I find time at the bench to be relaxing and a good way to dump stress.

 

[simonp]

To me it's not just about the money you save by reloading, it's the fact you can customize your loads. I recently loaded up some 185gr 45ACP that are pleasure to shoot. I'll add that i find reloading relaxing and not a chore.

Agree with this - mostly at least. Using the quarantine time to start on 556, rifle for first time, & so far I’d say it’s a headache & a chore though I’m told once I get it down it won’t be.

Financially, being in California, we can’t order anmo online without it being shipped to an FFl & transferred at a fee (usually a stupidly high one) and the ffl prices on ammo are generally stupidly high to cover there rent so reloading definitely saves money on pretty much every caliber.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Fatbob Frank]

For me reloading means changing the magazine...

 

[Mike A]

Funny you posted that pic of the M1A1 with an ACOG. I’m in the process of procuring a scope mount and ACOG for my Scout.

Dam fine rifle for anything that comes along!

I have never procured a gun without getting a set of dies & the parts for making my own ammo!

Having said that, I just want to know the cost including labor. I love reloading my own ammo
& will never stop loading ammo. It helps to be able to see the cost involved in order to
find & own enough ammo at prices that won't break the bank.

I could start a thread about the wonderful world of Handloading & spend days explaining why
I will always load my own. However I have been loading for over 40 years.

 

[Usp45ct]

Cheaper is always on relative term if you think about it. For some, it is the difference of the cost of components and doing the work themselves vs the cost of new factory ammo whether bountiful or not....and that is a price that is forever changing. (For the sake of this scenario, I have removed the cost of the equipment as well into the cost of loading themselves but would not change my answer)

For me, the cost of reloading is what am I not doing while I am reloading. I work 5 days a week, travel a fair bit and punch out emails, texts and phone calls with my rep in Israel on Sundays.

So most if not all my free time is spent with my family or doing regular around the house stuff.

When I retire, I will ease into it.

 

[Bye Felicia.]

After reloading for a handful of years I did the math and realized that after having my son it really wasn't worth the effort unless I shot significantly more. Ammo isn't that expensive (at least it wasn't two weeks ago, ha!) for me relative to reloading. I have enough on hand to allow me to enjoy my hobby for a number of years. I can always buy ammo, I can't buy back time with my son. Now, once he can reload that's another story.

 

[cgff]

I source factory ammunition on sale and also reload.
Its about options for me. Reloading is any where from 1/3 to half the cost of factory purchased ammunition when you buy components right.

I Have not shot my 6.5 Swede in quite some time till yesterday, tomorrow it’s off to shoot it long range, dug out my stored up 6.5 components, with a few boxes of reloads and factory ammunition.
Loading for the 6.5 and 45acp are calibers I enjoy the most to reload.


Reloading is my only option for the 224 TTH.

Options! Folks options! it’s not always about the cost

 

[Genes 1911]

I determined a 150 gr. bullet in 7.62 with IMR/H 4895 is my accuracy challenge and comes in @ $0.52....magazine dumps at 200 meters are dumb.So a $20 afternoon's are VERY doable in my "blue collar world".
I use Leupold glass on ALL my rifles.