thinking of reloading.

[axp117crow]

is it really worth it?

time vs money

for just the bullets and casings i can spend 220-260 for 1,000 rounds of .380 i can get 20 boxes for 100 more. then you figure in the equipment and you need to shoot a lot for it to be worth its wild. am i missing something? is it worth buying ammo in bulk instead of reloading?

[tl_3237]

http://forum.pafoa.org/ammunition-re...effective.html
http://forum.pafoa.org/ammunition-re...ing-costs.html
http://forum.pafoa.org/ammunition-re...reloading.html

[BerksCountyDave]

1. Read those threads linked to.
2. Depends on how much you shoot and which calibers you shoot.
3. Reloading can be a hobby just as fun as shooting itself.

[axp117crow]

ok, so i read those. they kind of went along with what i was already thinking. it really depends on the round.

my bigger questions is time. how many rounds can you pump out in an hour? i know as you do more you get better, but i'm looking for an estimate.

will i reload for a week to shoot for an hour? i'd like to get into reloading, time is the biggest concern i guess right now.

[Franchi20/28]

Cost vs Time

If you have more money than time, buy your damn ammo and shoot it.

If you have more time than money, save your pennies for basic equipment. Every time you go shooting put the retail price of the ammo in a coffee can. When you need components buy em with the coffee can proceeds. when there is enough money in the can upgrade some of your equipment.

If you are really cash poor, only buy single stage equipment and what you can load through the week is what you can afford (maybe still more than) to shoot on the weekend.

[BerksCountyDave]

ok, so i read those. they kind of went along with what i was already thinking. it really depends on the round.

my bigger questions is time. how many rounds can you pump out in an hour? i know as you do more you get better, but i'm looking for an estimate.

will i reload for a week to shoot for an hour? i'd like to get into reloading, time is the biggest concern i guess right now.

Depends on your equipment. Did you read the sticky I wrote at the top of this forum?

[Karys]

...how many rounds can you pump out in an hour? i know as you do more you get better, but i'm looking for an estimate.

I can crank out about 250 rounds/hour on my Dillon RL500. You're supposed to be able to get 500 rounds/hour but I spend more time doing QC checks on loaded rounds and weighing powder charges. If you're using a single stage press your production rate will be considerably slower.

The last time I figured out my costs, I calculated that I'm loading .40 S&W for about $4.50/box of 50 rounds using once fired brass. I tend to buy components in huge bulk quantities which really keeps my costs down.

Once I got into reloading and really started cranking out rounds I discovered I was spending just as much or more than I was on factory ammo, but I'm shooting ten times the amount of ammo.

[marinakorp]

I can do about 250 on the Dillon550b...but that includes Case Gauge every round, loading the primer tube, marking all brass (so I can tell which is mine at the range), random OAL checks and random re-measurements of powder.

I reload for .45 ACP

at 0.12 a round vs 0.30... there is a significant savings.

I can have someone re-load for me... for 0.22 a round...but there is a time element and wait, minimum order, etc. i shoot a lot, and am sort of inpatient. The re-loads I used to buy are EXCELLENT quality and have never had a problem with them....just wanted more control and cheaper in the long run to re-load my self.

For the additional 0.10 ... need to shoot 8000 rounds to re-coup the costs of the re-loading machine and associated tools(can be cheaper... I bought new stuff... coulda looked around) and will make that up in less than a year...given free labor.

8000 (purchase re-laods vs factory) / 250 (rounds per hour) = 32 hours to recoup the 800 investment

800 / 32 = 25.00 / hour (labor costs)

SO once my investment is paid off...I'm paying myself 25.00 an hour for a hobby that enables me to shoot more for less... I'm OK with that.

Take in to consideration the FACTORY ammo... and the payment to myself almost doubles on an hourly rate... makes even more sense.

[BerksCountyDave]

Case gauge every round? Why?

I can do about 250 on the Dillon550b...but that includes Case Gauge every round, loading the primer tube, marking all brass (so I can tell which is mine at the range), random OAL checks and random re-measurements of powder.

I reload for .45 ACP

at 0.12 a round vs 0.30... there is a significant savings.

I can have someone re-load for me... for 0.22 a round...but there is a time element and wait, minimum order, etc. i shoot a lot, and am sort of inpatient. The re-loads I used to buy are EXCELLENT quality and have never had a problem with them....just wanted more control and cheaper in the long run to re-load my self.

For the additional 0.10 ... need to shoot 8000 rounds to re-coup the costs of the re-loading machine and associated tools(can be cheaper... I bought new stuff... coulda looked around) and will make that up in less than a year...given free labor.

8000 (purchase re-laods vs factory) / 250 (rounds per hour) = 32 hours to recoup the 800 investment

800 / 32 = 25.00 / hour (labor costs)

SO once my investment is paid off...I'm paying myself 25.00 an hour for a hobby that enables me to shoot more for less... I'm OK with that.

Take in to consideration the FACTORY ammo... and the payment to myself almost doubles on an hourly rate... makes even more sense.

[Karys]

Case gauge every round? Why?

I run every round through a case length gauge as a QC check. If a round won't go into the gauge, it probably won't feed very well.

It's not 100% necessary but I have not had a single round fail to feed, fire or eject in five years.