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Old 02-05-2017, 12:16 PM
markg markg is offline
 
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Default Do I save money Reloading????

For all those on the forum that are thinking of getting into reloading but are not sure if its economical; here is a tool to calculate the costs. I hope you enjoy

http://www.x-reload.com/load-cost/
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  #2  
Old 02-05-2017, 12:23 PM
markg markg is offline
 
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Default An example

Lapua brass for .308 win ................... $115/per100
1 Lb of Varget.................................... $44.95
CCI BR 4 Primers ...............................$10.95
Sierra Match King 155 gr.....................$55.00

Load Data 45.5 grs varget per round.

Works out to a cost per round $0.85

Match grade ammo $55.0 / per 20
Cost per round $1.90
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  #3  
Old 02-05-2017, 12:28 PM
Mr.Crumbz Mr.Crumbz is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markg View Post
Lapua brass for .308 win ................... $115/per100
1 Lb of Varget.................................... $44.95
CCI BR 4 Primers ...............................$10.95
Sierra Match King 155 gr.....................$55.00

Load Data 45.5 grs varget per round.

Works out to a cost per round $0.85

Match grade ammo $55.0 / per 20
Cost per round $1.90
And the next batch gets cheaper as your bass is just an initial investment!
You don't need a top of the line setup or all the fancy equipment to get started in the reloading game either...
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Old 02-05-2017, 12:32 PM
elkhunter11 elkhunter11 is offline
 
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It looks great, right up until you add in the cost of your press,scale, trimmer, measuring tools, dies etc.
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Old 02-05-2017, 12:40 PM
gtr gtr is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markg View Post
Lapua brass for .308 win ................... $115/per100
1 Lb of Varget.................................... $44.95
CCI BR 4 Primers ...............................$10.95
Sierra Match King 155 gr.....................$55.00

Load Data 45.5 grs varget per round.

Works out to a cost per round $0.85

Match grade ammo $55.0 / per 20
Cost per round $1.90
If you shoot a few thousand rounds a year, your not long in the red.
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  #6  
Old 02-05-2017, 12:44 PM
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Once everything is figured out and paid for yes but it tends to maje you shoot an increased number of rounds per year so it is all relative
Cat
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Old 02-05-2017, 12:47 PM
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silver lab silver lab is offline
 
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When I started it was because I bought a 270 wby. At $100 a box it didnt take long to pay for the equipment. Now its just fun!
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  #8  
Old 02-05-2017, 12:50 PM
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Dick284 Dick284 is offline
 
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You'll never save a penny. What you'll get is custom tailored ammunition, and a hobby that will last a lifetime. The other benifit is you'll shoot more as well.
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  #9  
Old 02-05-2017, 01:01 PM
qwert qwert is offline
 
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Now my tooling collection is almost complete the way I want,
I hope to see cost savings sometime soon. LOL

Money is not important,
everything else is.
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  #10  
Old 02-05-2017, 01:10 PM
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Big Sky Big Sky is offline
 
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Hobbies can be expensive.

I can take photos with my phone. Nothing wrong with that.
If I take up photography as a hobby, I can easily see spending thousands and thousands on quality equipment.

I can golf a couple of times a year at the public course using 20 year old clubs. Nothing wrong with that.
If I am a serious golfer, I can spend thousands (tens of thousands?) joining a private club and replacing my equipment every couple of years.

The same goes for shooting.
I can shoot a few boxes of factory ammo a year, making sure that my rifle is ready for hunting season. Nothing wrong with that.
If you take up shooting as a hobby, you will fire of 100's or even 1000's of rounds in a year. If you want to craft ammunition that is tailored for your specific firearms, you're going to get into reloading.

The cost of components to make one round of ammo is considerably less than the cost of one round of comparable factory ammo. Multiply those savings for several hundred rounds of ammo per year and the cost of reloading equipment is made back quite quickly.

Hobbies can be expensive.
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  #11  
Old 02-05-2017, 01:16 PM
densa44 densa44 is offline
 
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Smile Dick is right

If you are saving money you are doing it wrong! You will make better ammo than you can buy and you will shoot way more, buy more guns, only satisfied with targets that have 1 ragged hole.

Don't start it is impossible to quit.
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Old 02-05-2017, 01:23 PM
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Big Sky Big Sky is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markg View Post
Load Data 45.5 grs varget per round.

Works out to a cost per round $0.85

Match grade ammo $55.0 / per 20
Cost per round $1.90
I hate being 'that guy' but your calculation is off.

$55 / 20 = $2.75

I only bring it up because it makes your argument stronger.
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  #13  
Old 02-05-2017, 01:23 PM
Jrisky Jrisky is offline
 
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Default Reloading savings

I like to convince myself if we ever need the money or at the end of the day the reloading tools could be sold and recoup maybe 75% of the original purchase price?
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  #14  
Old 02-05-2017, 01:55 PM
couleefolk couleefolk is offline
 
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I recently started a similar thread. I save money, because according to some folks logic, you will only shoot more and thus save nothing, but I am not shooting 5x more in my pistol than I would otherwise. I have bought some of my equipment used, bought estate sale stuff, and at the end of the day, my equipment has paid for itself a long time ago. I can't take my time for reloading into any calculations, because it is something I enjoy doing, it would be like saying you spent $5000 on your 2 week holiday, and then adding in 24/hrs a day x 14 days @ $xx.xx per hour. Not everyone may save money by reloading, but I know I do.
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Old 02-05-2017, 02:35 PM
saskbooknut saskbooknut is offline
 
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I never saved any money, but shot a lot more.
Besides, did you ever try to buy Black Powder cartridges at Cabela's ??
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Old 02-05-2017, 02:35 PM
crazy_davey crazy_davey is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick284 View Post
You'll never save a penny. What you'll get is custom tailored ammunition, and a hobby that will last a lifetime. The other benifit is you'll shoot more as well.
That sums it up right there!
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  #17  
Old 02-05-2017, 02:46 PM
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58thecat 58thecat is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elkhunter11 View Post
It looks great, right up until you add in the cost of your press,scale, trimmer, measuring tools, dies etc.
Labour too

We do it for fun, personal pet load development etc
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  #18  
Old 02-05-2017, 02:46 PM
muirsy muirsy is online now
 
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Factory rounds for my 45-70 cost anywhere from $2.50 to $3.50 each.

Using the Lee Classic loader I'm looking at about $1.25 per round now.

Will I shoot more? Probably! In the long run I'll probably save a few bucks, but it's not a real game changer
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  #19  
Old 02-05-2017, 04:07 PM
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tikka250 tikka250 is offline
 
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Lol i just calculated the cost of my 45acp.
Powder. $40 lb 4.3 grains per round
Primers $40 per thousand
Bullets. Cast bullets with free lead. $0.00
Brass. Range pickups $0.00

Total cost per round $.065

If you want to be picky i do use a bit of electricity melting the lead and a tiny bit of cash for the powder coating on the bullets but for the most part im still barely shooting for the price of premium 22lr. And yes you can darn well beleive i shoot a lot more because its cheaper.
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Old 02-05-2017, 05:16 PM
qwert qwert is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tikka250 View Post
Lol i just calculated the cost of my 45acp.
Powder. $40 lb 4.3 grains per round
Primers $40 per thousand
Bullets. Cast bullets with free lead. $0.00
Brass. Range pickups $0.00

Total cost per round $.065

If you want to be picky i do use a bit of electricity melting the lead and a tiny bit of cash for the powder coating on the bullets but for the most part im still barely shooting for the price of premium 22lr. And yes you can darn well beleive i shoot a lot more because its cheaper.
There is little doubt that bullets are the most expensive part of loading for pistol, and it takes a LOT of practice to obtain and maintain proficiency.

The labor needed to scrounge, smelt, cast, powder coat, and/or lube & size lead and boolits is not inconsiderable,
nor is the cost and effort to accumulate the tooling from gun shows, estates and thrift shops,
but the result is a seemingly unlimited supply of boolits that at least seem like they are free, (but really aren't).

IMHO the real benefit is the security of supply that a stock-pile of smelted lead muffins and casting tools provide,
and some pleasant work outside in a cool spring or fall day can produce a LOT of lead & boolits to shoot the rest of the year.

It is worth noting that loading 9mm uses less powder and ~1/2 the lead,
and that powder coating is even more beneficial as IMHE leading problems are greater.

Now what I really want to know is where can I find free 45acp range brass.

Good Luck, YMMV.
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  #21  
Old 02-05-2017, 05:37 PM
Scottmisfits Scottmisfits is offline
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I am at the point already that the price per round IS cheaper, even including the cost of the equipment/tools I have purchased. However, like it's been said already, I shoot more now so I save no money. You spend more at once to not spend as much later.

The tailor made rounds for your rifle are very nice. But if you're only shooting 40 or 50 rounds a year, it may not be worth it.
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  #22  
Old 02-05-2017, 07:22 PM
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tikka250 tikka250 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by qwert View Post

Now what I really want to know is where can I find free 45acp range brass.

Good Luck, YMMV.
Turns out i found it at the range i may or may not spend way too much time at the range and i try to make a point of a short dumpster dive every time im there.
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  #23  
Old 02-05-2017, 08:09 PM
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The Flint&Fly Guy The Flint&Fly Guy is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick284 View Post
You'll never save a penny. What you'll get is custom tailored ammunition, and a hobby that will last a lifetime. The other benifit is you'll shoot more as well.
careful with such a forceful statement. Reloading can very easily reduce (sometimes significantly) the cost of your ammunition. Depending how much you shoot, what calibers, and what kind of reloading setup you get, it is entirely possible to save money by reloading! for instance, i got a 9.3x57mm, i averaged about a box a month. i then got into a reloading setup for 250$ in the 5 boxes of 9.3, and the 6 of 243, and the 4 of 30-06 i have in less than a year saved enough money to pay for my reloading gear and more over shooting factory. So as a FACT, without shooting more than before i have saved money and will continue.
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  #24  
Old 02-05-2017, 09:10 PM
qwert qwert is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tikka250 View Post
Turns out i found it at the range i may or may not spend way too much time at the range and i try to make a point of a short dumpster dive every time im there.
I am also a confirmed range chicken, and am amazed at the value of the usable stuff often found in the trash barrel.
Most of my small lots of bullets and loading tools like collets & pilots are organized in clear plastic 17HMR boxes.

I have found 45acp at my range, but most of the regular users are shooting 9mm, and I have more of that than I will ever be able to wear out.

Good Luck, YMMV.
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  #25  
Old 02-05-2017, 09:33 PM
JD848 JD848 is offline
 
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BUY when on sale and stock up a bit ,plus you learn all the time something new and you get to pick what your rifle likes,as for saving money depends on your buget.Some guys I know go on vacation twice a year and can't buy a decent rifle,there's a million ways to spend money,but only one way to shoot and that is with good ammo you make yourself.Very cheap hobby if you look around at some others.
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  #26  
Old 02-06-2017, 08:15 AM
michaelmicallef michaelmicallef is offline
 
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I have been saving money because I can find components.lol
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  #27  
Old 02-06-2017, 08:48 AM
243 wild cat 243 wild cat is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by couleefolk View Post
I recently started a similar thread. I save money, because according to some folks logic, you will only shoot more and thus save nothing, but I am not shooting 5x more in my pistol than I would otherwise. I have bought some of my equipment used, bought estate sale stuff, and at the end of the day, my equipment has paid for itself a long time ago. I can't take my time for reloading into any calculations, because it is something I enjoy doing, it would be like saying you spent $5000 on your 2 week holiday, and then adding in 24/hrs a day x 14 days @ $xx.xx per hour. Not everyone may save money by reloading, but I know I do.
Same with me i know for sure i save. I love to save money we hit up stores/websites/friends of friends/anything on sale for a deal for top end stuff we need. Plus got a cousin of mine that does the same we work together on reloading and shooting big arsenal of rifles to load for love it. Buying factory loads would discourage me from shooting as much as i do now.
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  #28  
Old 02-06-2017, 09:23 AM
gitrdun gitrdun is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by qwert View Post
There is little doubt that bullets are the most expensive part of loading for pistol, and it takes a LOT of practice to obtain and maintain proficiency.

The labor needed to scrounge, smelt, cast, powder coat, and/or lube & size lead and boolits is not inconsiderable,
nor is the cost and effort to accumulate the tooling from gun shows, estates and thrift shops,
but the result is a seemingly unlimited supply of boolits that at least seem like they are free, (but really aren't).

IMHO the real benefit is the security of supply that a stock-pile of smelted lead muffins and casting tools provide,
and some pleasant work outside in a cool spring or fall day can produce a LOT of lead & boolits to shoot the rest of the year.

It is worth noting that loading 9mm uses less powder and ~1/2 the lead,
and that powder coating is even more beneficial as IMHE leading problems are greater.

Now what I really want to know is where can I find free 45acp range brass.

Good Luck, YMMV.
I have 200 pieces of 45 Auto, half RP and half FC. SS pin tumbled but not deprimed. Trade you for some 300WM brass.
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  #29  
Old 02-06-2017, 03:09 PM
qwert qwert is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gitrdun View Post
I have 200 pieces of 45 Auto, half RP and half FC. SS pin tumbled but not deprimed. Trade you for some 300WM brass.
I have a fair stock of 45acp brass, and could also use more 300WM.

I wish I could get as many full load firings from my 300WM brass as I do from my 45acp brass.

Good Luck, YMMV.
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  #30  
Old 02-06-2017, 03:12 PM
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kostianych kostianych is offline
 
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Reloading is a hobby....can you save money on hobby?
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