Beginners Guide to Reloading Costs (most cost effective rounds you have)

[leadcounsel]

Time should always be considered, but since it's most generally a hobby, I don't count it, as I enjoy it. I also enjoy the fact that my ammo is better than anything I can buy in the store. I can count on my ammo going bang everytime I pull the trigger. Most guys wouldn't be reloading, IF, they didn't enjoy it as a hobby. So time is a moot point most times. I'll also disagree about the cost of the reloading equipment, as my reloading has paid for that equipment from the first time I used said reloading equipment. There's many ways we can look at this and argue about it, if we wanted. A little history on myself: I got into reloading because I bought a 300WBY in the 90's and couldn't afford to buy factory ammo. My first purchase was 200 pieces of R-P nickel plated brass for the 300WBY, a couple pounds of powder, a thousand CCI 250's and some 180gr Nosler ballistic tips. Lets see what that would cost in todays prices and compare that to a box of loaded ammo. I'll substitute the 180gr ballistic tips for 200gr partitions, since that's what I shoot now. I also ONLY buy my Nosler bullets at SPS. Here goes:

1. 200gr Nosler partitions: $13.45/50 (bought those 2 years ago at that price)
2. CCI 250 primers: $3.00/100
3. Recently purchased new Weatherby brass $15.00/50. Divide that price by 10 for amount of loadings you will get out of it: $1.50/50= Total cost of brass to load. I'm a smart handloader, I'll search out the deals. Only buy when I can snag stuff cheap. If you are not doing that, you need to change and be smart about it.
4. Powder: IMR7828 @ $26.00/pound. Yes, I buy it when Bi-mart has it for $2.00 off....
According to the handloading cost calculator I use, the grand total for a box of 20 will cost me $12.82

Item	Quantity	Cost per Quantity
Powder (lb)	1	$ 26
Primers (count)	1000	$ 30
Bullets (count)	50	$ 13,45
Brass (count)	50	$ 15/10= $1.50
Load Specifics:	Quantity
Powder charge (grains)	84
Total (per 1000)	$
Total (per box of 50)	$
Total (per box of 20)	$ 12.82
Total (per round)	$

Now, the exciting part. The cost of those same loads at a retail outlet like midway:

Weatherby Select Plus Ammo 300 Weatherby Mag 200 Grain Nosler

Weatherby uses only the finest components, such as Norma brass, to assure that each load is as precise as a shooter's favorite handload. Premium...

www.midwayusa.com

^^^ This is the same exact thing I load^^^^^ Don't forget about the price of shipping. I don't think you'll find it locally. Add $10.62 for shipping (that is midway's "most economical method of shipment"). That puts that box of ammo at $64.68. The savings, just on one box of ammo is: $51.86

Now, dare I pull out my target again and show you guys what a box of 9.3x62mm would have cost. Heck yes, I believe so:
View attachment 628774

When I bought this rifle, the loading dies, bullets, and brass came with the rifle. However, I'll play along and use the cost of bullets and powder and primers and use that as a comparison to a box of factory ammo:

Cost of my 9.3x62mm handloads (using the cost calculator) is: $11.78/box of 20

Here's the same exact ammo at midway:

Nosler Safari Ammo 9.3x62mm Mauser 286 Grain Partition Box of 20

Nosler Safari ammunition was developed in partnership with Norma Precision as a versatile, dangerous game load for hunting African game. Designed to be...

www.midwayusa.com

That's $97.99 for a box of 20!!! Throw in shipping costs, remembering it's $10.62, that brings the grand total up to $108.61 for a box of 20. Remember that 10 shot group picture I posted. It would have cost me $54.30!!!!! No joke... You guys are more than welcome to do the math and I can list so many more cartridges I load for that are just like this one, plus some wildcats that you can't even buy in the stores. Some guys want to make you think it's not about saving money, but for me it is entirely about saving money, plus I like to shoot and I shoot a lot. I also save a lot by hand loading my own... Of course YMMV...

If it's a HOBBY fine. But it's so intellectually dishonest to only include the economic variables that benefit you.

I could also add that a sedentary hobby in the long run will shave years off your life. Swimming would be a better use of the tens of hours otherwise sitting at a reloading bench gaining weight. Economically, swimming, speed walking, biking, etc. are far better "hobbies" if you want to truly save money (longer life, quality of life, less medical bills, etc.).

The "economic" arguments for reloading are generally dishonest because just like this post, you dismiss the TIME variable (and the health one as I mentioned) while then touting the low costs of your production.

Again, if I discount TIME everything I do is "free". My whole life, I suppose, everything I got was "free" because I don't count all the hours I worked to earn the money I bought it with. Just free money in my account every week.

Using your logic, I could work and buy that ammo for $110 and it would be free, because I don't count the labor involved in working to earn the money. Or I may go snow skiing this weekend and it will be entirely free because I don't count the time that the labor cost to earn the $100s to do it...

Economic arguments absolutely MUST account for time. And when you properly do so, reloading is not the "free ammo tree" that most absurdly claim.

 

[DizzyJ]

So would you say this "Hobby" can save you money?

If not, who do I charge for the time spent reading these posts?

 

[Mikej]

Geezuz man. We like reloading. We don't do it to "save" money. Well, @bsa1917hunter says he does.

 

[Member 5605]

Reloading is SIX components.
Equipment (including purchasing, storing e.g. inventory holding costs and floor space), brass, powder, bullet, primer, and TIME.

For an ECONOMIC argument, reloaders like the OP always fail to include time value of money and opportunity costs. No ECONOMIC CALCULATION can be accurately made if you fail to include TIME.

Correct, that's why reloading is a hobby. If your hobby cuts the price of your ammo, so be it. Some of us men and women don't watch organized sports, drink, turn wrenches on things so this is our hobby. If I worked 60+ hours a week, I wouldn't reload. My spare time would be worth more.

I am a full time student and a full time employed individual at this moment yet I use the reloading bench as some of my personal time. When I'm not at work, in class, gardening, lawn care, yard work, building a project, shuttling kids from point A to B, on a date with my wife, volunteering at 501(c)(3) places... I will reload a little.

I have a value placed on my time to work for another.

It's a hobby, not a career.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

If it's a HOBBY fine. But it's so intellectually dishonest to only include the economic variables that benefit you.

I could also add that a sedentary hobby in the long run will shave years off your life. Swimming would be a better use of the tens of hours otherwise sitting at a reloading bench gaining weight. Economically, swimming, speed walking, biking, etc. are far better "hobbies" if you want to truly save money (longer life, quality of life, less medical bills, etc.).

The "economic" arguments for reloading are generally dishonest because just like this post, you dismiss the TIME variable (and the health one as I mentioned) while then touting the low costs of your production.

Again, if I discount TIME everything I do is "free". My whole life, I suppose, everything I got was "free" because I don't count all the hours I worked to earn the money I bought it with. Just free money in my account every week.

Using your logic, I could work and buy that ammo for $110 and it would be free, because I don't count the labor involved in working to earn the money. Or I may go snow skiing this weekend and it will be entirely free because I don't count the time that the labor cost to earn the $100s to do it...

Economic arguments absolutely MUST account for time. And when you properly do so, reloading is not the "free ammo tree" that most absurdly claim.

Your post is bs. My time is worth something, i should have to get paid for reading it. Total waste.

 

[Camelfilter]

Time is absolutely a valid point to take into consideration. As is enjoyment of any activity.

We enjoy shooting, so I'm learning to reload so we *should* always be able to go shooting.

For us it's a combination of economics and that enjoyment.

Rite now it's cheaper to buy "plinking" ammunition, than it is to reload for it. Time factored in.

Precision ammunition? Well that's tending towards the pretty spendy side, even at the current ammunition prices.

I'm hoping to learn how to be able reload for precision, once I've tackled reloading "plinking" stuff well enough, without error.

The other interesting thing about the time / work factor which should be calculated into an *individuals* decision wether or not to reload is that enjoyment variable.

I enjoy my career.

At 45 to 50 hours per week (not counting commute time). Tack on an hour per day with *my* commute time, and *I'm* at 50 to 55 hours per week, still enjoying it. Tack on an extra 10 hours+, contiguously, and I no longer enjoy it. At all. Any of it.

So for *me* learning the skill of reloading will be a benefit towards work/life balance whence the next ammunition blight comes back around. Plus the science behind reloading is really quite interesting, hopefully I'll be able to work up loads with precision similar to posted up above...some day.

 

[turbo_vanner]

If it's a HOBBY fine. But it's so intellectually dishonest to only include the economic variables that benefit you.

I could also add that a sedentary hobby in the long run will shave years off your life. Swimming would be a better use of the tens of hours otherwise sitting at a reloading bench gaining weight. Economically, swimming, speed walking, biking, etc. are far better "hobbies" if you want to truly save money (longer life, quality of life, less medical bills, etc.).

The "economic" arguments for reloading are generally dishonest because just like this post, you dismiss the TIME variable (and the health one as I mentioned) while then touting the low costs of your production.

Again, if I discount TIME everything I do is "free". My whole life, I suppose, everything I got was "free" because I don't count all the hours I worked to earn the money I bought it with. Just free money in my account every week.

Using your logic, I could work and buy that ammo for $110 and it would be free, because I don't count the labor involved in working to earn the money. Or I may go snow skiing this weekend and it will be entirely free because I don't count the time that the labor cost to earn the $100s to do it...

Economic arguments absolutely MUST account for time. And when you properly do so, reloading is not the "free ammo tree" that most absurdly claim.

It's also dishonest to assume my TIME on weekends or on weekday evenings, if not spent reloading, would otherwise be spent making money, which it is not. I have a day job for that, and I sacrifice none of that TIME to reload.

My reloading TIME would otherwise be spent watching netflix or playing video games, so I consider TIME spent reloading as TIME well spent, which costs me nothing. If I was not reloading, that TIME would have otherwise netted me less in life.

Nobody in this thread said time, on the whole, is worthless, and to assume so is short sighted. If you are making money every hour of everyday, and can't stop to reload, good for you, buy all the ammo you need. A lot of us though, have some 'free' time here and there.

Also, high velocity, large caliber, armor penetrating, fear-mongering AR15 assault ammo might not be available for purchase in the future.

 

[Caveman Jim]

LC, we get that you do not reload, that's all fine and dandy but don't go raining on our parade. K

 

[DizzyJ]

LC, we get that you do not reload, that's all fine and dandy but don't go raining on our parade. K

Gotta say, his posts were somewhat depressing in nature. Lol

 

[Caveman Jim]

Gotta say, his posts were somewhat depressing in nature. Lol

I'm a duck so tears roll right off...

 

[Certaindeaf]

I have four arms and two brains so I can really reload at my leasure and everything I do is free.
Works for me anyway.

 

[P7M13]

If it's a HOBBY fine. But it's so intellectually dishonest to only include the economic variables that benefit you.

I could also add that a sedentary hobby in the long run will shave years off your life. Swimming would be a better use of the tens of hours otherwise sitting at a reloading bench gaining weight. Economically, swimming, speed walking, biking, etc. are far better "hobbies" if you want to truly save money (longer life, quality of life, less medical bills, etc.).

The "economic" arguments for reloading are generally dishonest because just like this post, you dismiss the TIME variable (and the health one as I mentioned) while then touting the low costs of your production.

Again, if I discount TIME everything I do is "free". My whole life, I suppose, everything I got was "free" because I don't count all the hours I worked to earn the money I bought it with. Just free money in my account every week.

Using your logic, I could work and buy that ammo for $110 and it would be free, because I don't count the labor involved in working to earn the money. Or I may go snow skiing this weekend and it will be entirely free because I don't count the time that the labor cost to earn the $100s to do it...

Economic arguments absolutely MUST account for time. And when you properly do so, reloading is not the "free ammo tree" that most absurdly claim.

Type A much?
You go ahead and account for your hours. While there is validity to your argument, it lacks wisdom.
Among reloaders I know, we agree on the absurdity of the notion that we "save" money. What we all value is the meditative and creative aspect of the act of reloading. The added bonus is that we produce ammunition that is usually more suited to our guns, at a much lower component price than buying OTS munitions.
Humans chase their tail for a myriad of reasons. For many shooters, and of those who reload, it's the pursuit of that magical "one hole group."

 

[Certaindeaf]

If it's a HOBBY fine. But it's so intellectually dishonest to only include the economic variables that benefit you.

I could also add that a sedentary hobby in the long run will shave years off your life. Swimming would be a better use of the tens of hours otherwise sitting at a reloading bench gaining weight. Economically, swimming, speed walking, biking, etc. are far better "hobbies" if you want to truly save money (longer life, quality of life, less medical bills, etc.).

The "economic" arguments for reloading are generally dishonest because just like this post, you dismiss the TIME variable (and the health one as I mentioned) while then touting the low costs of your production.

Again, if I discount TIME everything I do is "free". My whole life, I suppose, everything I got was "free" because I don't count all the hours I worked to earn the money I bought it with. Just free money in my account every week.

Using your logic, I could work and buy that ammo for $110 and it would be free, because I don't count the labor involved in working to earn the money. Or I may go snow skiing this weekend and it will be entirely free because I don't count the time that the labor cost to earn the $100s to do it...

Economic arguments absolutely MUST account for time. And when you properly do so, reloading is not the "free ammo tree" that most absurdly claim.

The average cost of sport-caught salmon is around $1,000/lb, all told, and that does NOT factor in divorces or hemorrhoids so I dont think I'd worry about it too much.

 

[Mikej]

Humans chase their tail for a myriad of reasons. For many shooters, and of those who reload, it's the pursuit of that magical "one hole group."

This guy ^^ get's it.

This long thread got me to thinking.....What if I get a case of Montana Gold 115 Gr .355" JHPs? That's 4000 little gold nuggets of brass and lead for 9mm. Anybody interested? I'll sell for cost by the 500 or more.

 

[Caveman Jim]

The average cost of sport-caught salmon is around $1,000/lb, all told, and that does NOT factor in divorces or hemorrhoids so I dont think I'd worry about it too much.

You sir are correct, there are a lot of lousy fishermen out there... me, not being one of them....
But if I were to throw in the initial cost of my boat, tackle, bait, maintenance (truck, boat & tackle) oil & fuel.... well then I guess my fish costs $$$$$$$$$$$ too.

 

[bbbass]

Mmmmmmm, I reload .45ACP and save a little money. I reload rifle ammo for accuracy because I can tune it to a particular rifle. I reload 9mm only when factory ammo gets scarce or expensive.

I don't include my time in that because that would be like putting a monetary value on the stupidity of chasing a little white ball around a carpet of green.

As for trading time for money... I only ever had one job in which I enjoyed the activity enough that I would have done it w/o pay. That was when I was a volunteer for Air Life of Oregon medical transport and supporting membership efforts. When they were looking for an employee to serve as a Rep for their new NE Oregon base, I put my name in the hat and won the job. I gave talks, radio interviews, set up booths at various fairs and staffed them with volunteers, I had a PR budget and had various advertising efforts. I worked with volunteers. I hosted golf tourneys. I sponsored the meat at 3 regional Senior Center lunch programs. It was all a blast!!!

I don't see swimming as the equivalent of work unless I was swimming for money. Swimming to live longer... nah, I really don't care. Swimming in the ocean, body surfing, snorkeling, scuba.... those are things I do for joy, not for work, not to stay in shape, etc. Just joy. Like eating. Like reloading. Joy. I don't put a monetary value on joy.

 

[leadcounsel]

It's also dishonest to assume my TIME on weekends or on weekday evenings, if not spent reloading, would otherwise be spent making money, which it is not. I have a day job for that, and I sacrifice none of that TIME to reload.

My reloading TIME would otherwise be spent watching netflix or playing video games, so I consider TIME spent reloading as TIME well spent, which costs me nothing. If I was not reloading, that TIME would have otherwise netted me less in life.

Nobody in this thread said time, on the whole, is worthless, and to assume so is short sighted. If you are making money every hour of everyday, and can't stop to reload, good for you, buy all the ammo you need. A lot of us though, have some 'free' time here and there.

Also, high velocity, large caliber, armor penetrating, fear-mongering AR15 assault ammo might not be available for purchase in the future.

The economic argument is not purely MONETARY. There's also opportunity costs.

10 hours spent reloading *might* save a reloader $500. "Wow," he thinks, look at all the money I saved this weekend reloading. That's 10 hours NOT doing something else, but sitting at a press pulling a lever or similar sedentary...

Meanwhile, this sedentary lifestyle costs him time doing XYZ which might improve his marriage, relations with kids, health, etc. So is it *really* saving money? Dunno. Reloading might be a great money saving venture for someone who cannot earn a living or would otherwise spend it smoking cigars in a casino betting on horses and losing. Or it might actually be more expensive than, say, spending time improving a marriage that might otherwise end in a $50,000 divorce and asset split. Or improving health to avoid that fated cardiac arrest at age 55 from being overweight from sitting at a reloading bench for 3 decades "saving money" pulling a lever.

That's opportunity costs.

It cracks me up when reloaders show how thin skinned they are at the mere suggestion they aren't getting rich reloading and pointing out intellectually HONEST calculations. This thread is titled, "
Beginners Guide to Reloading Costs (most cost effective rounds you have)"
Yet how dare someone like me (with an MBA and plenty of economics courses) try to suggest many of you are leaving out key variable inputs in your "costs of reloading" calculations. Then invariably, folks will come along, attack the messenger for daring to inject reality in the calculation, tell me to go away, and remind me that "it's a hobby," blah blah blah.

If it's a hobby, then fine. But don't pretend that it's all this free money growing on trees when that's a totally dishonest calculation when you refuse to calculation time and opportunity costs.

Or don't be mad when I say I got some free guns today. I just had to work to earn the money to buy them, but they were free because I enjoy my job.

 

[ageingstudent]

The average cost of sport-caught salmon is around $1,000/lb, all told, and that does NOT factor in divorces or hemorrhoids so I dont think I'd worry about it too much.

Divorces and hemorrhoids lol. Well it's been a long day perhaps that isn't this funny as I think it is. But it really is I think.

 

[bbbass]

Divorces and hemorrhoids lol. Well it's been a long day perhaps that isn't this funny as I think it is. But it really is I think.

I never checked my salmon for hemorrhoids. Hmmm.

 

[bbbass]

What is the cost differential between going out on a half-day salmon boat, owning an ocean boat and trolling for your own salmon, owning a drift boat with a 5hp or 10hp motor and catching salmon in the bay, owning a drift boat and catching salmon while floating a river, bank fishing off a jetty, bank fishing in the bay, bank fishing upriver at Social Security hole, fly fishing for salmon from a punt, buying atlantic salmon, buying coho salmon, buying chinook salmon from the store, buying chinook salmon from Native Americans, or staying home and watching salmon fishing on the tv while eating a Hungry Man fish dinner and drinking a generic beer.... enquiring minds want to know!!

Uhhhhh, let's don't overthink the costs of reloading folks... we don't have to make rocket surgery out of it!