How cost effective is reloading?

NOT a reloader however I do reload .204 , .223 and .243 under the tuteledge and guidance of a friend who been a reloader since muskets were the firearm of availability. He has all top of the line equipment and is willing to supervise me for this once a year job for our annual WY PD trip.

I figured out a long time ago that I did not have the aptitude for reloading nor could I amortize the cost of equipment over my expected lifetime. I am doubtful that your average bear can consistently improve on the excellent hunting ammunition currently available from folks like Hornady, Black Hills, Hunting Shack, Remington, Federal and WW. The competitive guys can I'm sure tailor loads to their sport but for us average trigger pullers may not be cost effective.

A former Cowboy Action shooter I had a good local custom reloader for .45,. 44 mag and .45-70 in the reduced velocity, lead bullet loads required for that sport.. at a fair price. I did use Starline brass exclusively which I consider very good for SASS ammunition.

I keep my eyes open for sales on the calibers I shoot a lot and consider my choice right for me and a wash on costs when my time is considered.
 
I'm not a competitive shooter or a hunter. I'm just looking for a cheaper way to plink targets. I love shooting my Ruger Single Six in .22 for this but i would like to practice more with the 45 Colt which is next to impossible at that cost. 50 rounds goes fast when you're having fun.

When i bought my Vaquero i got it in 45 colt because i wanted the more historically accurate round and what not but in hindsight the .357 would probably been a better buy when considering the bulk packs of .38 you can buy:rolleyes:
 
I have a couple of RCBS Rockchucker presses but since I bought a Dillion 550 twenty years ago they seldom get used. Once in a blue moon if I load some magnum rifle cartridges that I don't have a Dillion setup for I will use them.

But it didn't take me long to buy everything to do all my pistol cartridges and most of the rifle round I shoot on the Dillon. Less time reloading = more time to shoot. Equal if not better ammo IMO.
 
The usual line when it comes to reloading is that you won't save much money, but you will be able to shoot more for the money you spend. Reloading .45 Colt could definitely be economically worthwhile, but you have to consider how much you enjoy the actual process. Reloading is not like gun-cleaning or other mindless chores you can do while watching TV. You have to pay careful attention every step of the way and plan out the whole process precisely. If you're a person who can do that and enjoy it, then go for it. If you're not, then you might be better off working some overtime or getting a part-time job to pay for your ammo habit.
 
For around $100 you can assemble a perfectly functional (if somewhat limited) reloading setup for the caliber of your choice, including a set of the Lee scales. It doesn't take long at all to amortize that cost compared to even the cheapest factory ammo.

Other than people who don't have to buy their own ammo (police, military) I can't imagine how anyone ever becomes proficient with a centerfire handgun or rifle without reloading. I won't claim that my reloads are BETTER than factory ammo but they are easily EQUAL to it and are dramatically less expensive per round.

I bought my RCBS scale in 1980 and my reloading press in 1986. I have added stuff along the way of course (most notably dies for all the calibers I shoot now) but I still use the same scales for every round and the same press for all my rifle ammo. Reloading gear is an investment, not an expense.
 
I bought a Dillon progressive with 3 other guys. We would do a big run (like 1200 rounds each of 45ACP) before changing to a different cartridge. Two of us would reload on any given night and swap stories while doing it. The time went quickly and we enjoyed seeing each other, so we didn't really think of it as "work" that required cost accounting for our time. Without attributing a dollar cost to our time, we saved a lot.

One of the guys stopped reloading, one passed away, and one moved back to Japan so now I'm on my own with the rig.

DancesWithKnives
 
Something else to consider if you're really into reloading is casting your own bullets. I've done this for years using old lead plumbing pipe, wheel weights, and so on. I use the Lee and other manufacturer's four and six cavity molds. I can cast thousands of bullets in a couple of days, of course outside on the front veranda of my shop so I don't breath molten lead fumes.

Bullet casting is just another aspect of reloading and a fun and rewarding endeavor once you get into it. It also cuts the cost of reloading w-a-y down and just leaves primers and powder to account for since I get most of my brass picking up what other people leave behind. I even cast .308 bullets and apply gas checks for hunting. They shoot real well. Also a variety of muzzle loading balls and bullets.
 
Ed Ricketts said:
A lot has been said & written, but i think it mostly boils down to: You are most likely to benefit if A. You shoot 1 or more scarce, expensive calibers, and or B. You shoot a LOT.
Click to expand...

Bingo! We have a winner!
But let's qualify that. "benefit" in this sense is defined as save money. There are a lot of other benefits to reloading, such as learning new and valuable skills and gaining a vastly superior understanding of interior, exterior and internal ballistics as well as how your guns actually work. In addition, you can make more accurate ammo, more reliable ammo, more specialized ammo, and more interesting ammo etc., than you can purchase. Furthermore, You can experiment endlessly which, if you are a tinkerer or inquisitive by nature, is definitely a benefit. Add bullet casting to the mix and you will definitely save a ton of money on expensive cartridges such as 45-70 and the like. 45-70 is roughly $3 per round. I shoot it for $20 cents per round. I can easily shoot 100 rounds on a given Sunday. That is $300 factory price, $20 reloading using cast bullets.
 
Dillon RL550B is my recommendation.

It costs a little to get started, a few hundred as mentioned- but then shooting becomes CHEAP.

I used to reload a thousand 9mm rounds on a Saturday morning, brass was free from range, primers were a penny a piece, 12 bucks for a box of Magnus lead bullets (500). Gunpowder is almost free- you measure it in grains for f's sake.

Sunday mornings I didn't cringe at the thought of blowing a few hundred rounds down range. I had gotten out of shooting years ago, but I'm getting back in and am going to set myself up with that same system again.

http://www.amazon.com/Dillon-Precision-RL550B-Progressive-Reloading/dp/B0039P9JTQ

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