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How much do you save by Reloading

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  • Texas42

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    If I were to plan on reloading 9mm, .40S&W, .45 pistol rounds, and some rifle rounds like .223, 7mm rem mag, How much would I spend/save per round? I'm not looking to shoot 5000 yards, just plink at a decent range.

    Or how about one of the more uncommon rounds like a 6.8 SPC or 10mm

    I'm assuming when the Obama craze goes away (or at least goes down).

    Thanks.
    Hurley's Gold
     

    Peter M. Eick

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    In the common calibers, I can reload in the range of a dime per round. Figure 5 to 7 cents for the bullet, 3 cents for the primer and 2 cents for the powder. That is about the normal for say 45 acp. If you go to 9mm and lead in say 10mm you can cut that down closer to the 5 cents for the bullet.

    Regardless, figure that a box of 100 rnds will costs you around $10 if you are buying nice bullets. If you are going for lead bullets, 100 will costs you around 7$.

    The fun of reloading is where it is at for me. I have loaded over 250,000 rounds on this press alone and shot over 20,000 rnds last year alone. I could not afford that on commercial ammo.
     

    jasont

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    For 9mm it costs me about $105 per 1,000 loaded for 147 gr. FMJ. That's using free brass picked up from the range. Using cast lead and lighter weight bullets will save you more. Cost will be slightly higher for 40 or 45 but savings over factory ammo will be much greater. .223 costs me about $155 per 1,000 for 55 gr. FMJ also using range pick up brass.
     

    Leper

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    I spent $220 on a case of bullets and $25 on a lb of powder and have been shooting for a few months. I have a bunch of powder and a ton of bullets not yet used.

    I had been spending $40+ a week on commercial ammo so I am already below 50% and when my supplies run out I will have seen more.
     

    TAZ

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    It all depends on how you calculate the savings. If all you count is the price of the components then the savings on some calibers can be worth it. If you add in your time and ammortize the cost of the equipment then the savings can dwindle a bit. You also have to take into consideration the costs of ordering bulk from someone like ammoman or similar places and not just comparing price per round at walmart or Academy. When you take all that into consideration, some calibers may not be all that cost effective after all. Others like 50BMG, 338LM or 308 Match... will always be more cost effective.

    With all that said, if you like reloading, the cost savings are just another bonus to a fun and relaxing activity. The most accurate shooting sessions I have ever had were from loads that were tweaked to my guns.

    Before my son was born I used to reload a LOT and it was relaxing. Now I treasure my time with him more than the savings I get from reloading so the machine sits idle and I buy bulk. I also dont shoot as much though...
     

    Old Man of the Mountain

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    CowDog is right on this. You won't save much, you'll just shoot a lot more for the same money

    That is true if you shoot them all up.

    But if you goal is to stockpile some high quality accurate rifle ammo, then you can save money over American made factory ammo.

    Right now MidwayUSA has their Dogtown bullets for .223 cartridge on sale in the 500 count box, don't recall the price.

    I reload for a couple of rifle calibers, but I might have to begin reloading pistol rounds due to the cost of ammo. If I do, I will have to buy a progressive press too (I only own a single stage press right now) which will cut into the savings a bit.

    Just in the past year, the .40 S&W ammo I buy has gone up about by about $120/1000 (that is just the increase in price).
     

    Leper

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    You do not save one thin dime. Any savings is quickly spent on more reloads and shooting them.

    cd


    I keep seeing this kind of remark and I totally disagree. I have a fairly strict shooting schedule. I shoot once to twice a week. Usually around two hours each. I am only going to go through so much ammo in that time frame. I don't shoot more because I reload, I shoot better. I traded a rifle for my press and I came out the winner in the deal. I buy bullets and powder in bulk whick increases the savings. Maybe some have a range next to them, or don't work 60+ hrs a week like I do. If I had a ton of spare time I still don't know if I would shoot more. I do some practice drills at home(mag changes, drawing from my holster, etc). When I go to the range it is for accuracy or multiple target drills. I usually shoot until my arms get tired enough to reduce my accuracy. Rarely over 400 rounds, and never over three hours. If you shoot on a schedule, I do not see how you cannot save money. I may have only a hundred or so factory loads, and the rest are my reloads. It saves a ton of money, plus I buy in bulk when I buy so it is usually a one time expense that I save up for and then I don't have to buy anything for months.

    .02
     

    lonewolf23c

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    I'm thinking about getting into reloading my own ammo, and from what I've read here on this post alone it makes sense to do so, to save some money, especially if I go out and pickup used brass. I figure that I can also pickup other brass and possibly get dies to reload it also and maybe sell some, or do some custom reloading for friends. Maybe make and save enough to pay for the reloading equipment.
     

    wshbrngr

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    Jul 16, 2008
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    I'm thinking about getting into reloading my own ammo, and from what I've read here on this post alone it makes sense to do so, to save some money, especially if I go out and pickup used brass. I figure that I can also pickup other brass and possibly get dies to reload it also and maybe sell some, or do some custom reloading for friends. Maybe make and save enough to pay for the reloading equipment.

    This would probably not be a good idea.
    1. I believe you must have a license to manufacture ammunition for resale.
    2. You have incredible liability if something goes wrong with the ammo you sell.
     

    robocop10mm

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    You won't save anything. You should send the brass to me and I will load it at a loss. I will be sure to think of you while I am sending bullets down range.
     

    Old Man of the Mountain

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    This would probably not be a good idea.
    1. I believe you must have a license to manufacture ammunition for resale.
    2. You have incredible liability if something goes wrong with the ammo you sell.

    I asked a local professional reloader, and they said that you are required to have a license in Texas.

    Try reloading for a while, before you decide about trying to make any money off of it.

    To me, a Reloader should take their time and do it right, to the best of their ability, and that is so time consuming that it probably would not pay very well.

    I have thought about doing that for money and decided against it.
     

    Tired Retired

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    Jan 19, 2009
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    You do not save one thin dime. Any savings is quickly spent on more reloads and shooting them.

    cd

    Yea, I first got into reloading 20 something years ago to save money. I was a broke college kid. Now I do it just to shoot - more. If I have $200 to spend on ammo, I can have more rounds in my range bag if I reload instead of going commercial. Yep, I can buy 9mm for $12.99 at wallyworld, but when I can produce them for $7 a box, that is almost 100 rounds of my reloads to shoot instead of only 50 WWB. Plus mine are more accurate and tuned to my pistols.

    As far as selling mine???? Not no, but H3LL no! I won't even give mine away to friends (to their frustration). While the ONLY bad round I produced was about 25 years ago when I first started, I will not subject myself to the liability (for commercial production) or guilt (if something happened to one of my friends).
     

    photofreeman

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    How about if you live in an apartment. You have, say, about the same space for your reloading as the average computer desk. Is is possible to hold store and work in that much space. I'd like to try just for the knowledge of doing it myself, but am space challenged.
     

    Skyjunky

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    How about if you live in an apartment. You have, say, about the same space for your reloading as the average computer desk. Is is possible to hold store and work in that much space. I'd like to try just for the knowledge of doing it myself, but am space challenged.

    I do it.
     

    Strick

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    Jan 20, 2009
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    How about if you live in an apartment. You have, say, about the same space for your reloading as the average computer desk. Is is possible to hold store and work in that much space. I'd like to try just for the knowledge of doing it myself, but am space challenged.


    I just set my stuff up in a closet with double doors. You don't need a ton of room just enough to sit comfortably in front of the press.
     
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