Giving up hand loading?

[orygun]

I have been too busy and focused on other projects, but haven't given up on reloading. In fact, I still seem to pick up supplies when I find something interesting that I need or want to try. Retirement is comin up in a couple of years and having the stash that will last quite a while makes me smile. There will come a time when it won't cost me any out of pocket money to go have fun.
A while back I was going to load up a bunch of 357, just because I had the components. But then I found a darn good deal on 500 rounds of ammo, so I bought that instead!

 

[Bobbygun]

A while back I was going to load up a bunch of 357, just because I had the components. But then I found a darn good deal on 500 rounds of ammo, so I bought that instead!

I've never bought .357 magnum in bulk. I haven't shot anything but handloads in years. If you don't mind sharing, what kind of pricing did you get on a 500-round package? I've done the same as you with 9mm, .380 and .45 ACP though. I've got brand new carbide dies (still in the box, never used) for all three cartridges.

Last time I got to thinking about loading up some .357, I lost interest after seeing the pile of handloads I already had on hand. Now that I've acquired a Colt Python that's barely broken in, I'm hoping to remedy that.

 

[orygun]

. If you don't mind sharing, what kind of pricing did you get on a 500-round package?

.40 per round.

 

[Croat]

Ammo prices are definitely coming down. A year ago last summer I went to LGS (not my regular one) and was surprised to see they carried 480 Ruger ammunition (Hornady 325 grain HP/XTP). But I was even more surprised to see it selling over $90 a box of 20! Didn't pull that trigger...
Returned today and same box selling for $50. $2.50 per round is not "cheap" by any measure, but that's the world of hurt you accept when you partake in rounds like 480 Ruger and 475 Linebaug, and definitely beats what I saw a year ago. I decided to buy it just for reference compared to what I load on my own.

 

[Bobbygun]

Ammo prices are definitely coming down. A year ago last summer I went to LGS (not my regular one) and was surprised to see they carried 480 Ruger ammunition (Hornady 325 grain HP/XTP). But I was even more surprised to see it selling over $90 a box of 20! Didn't pull that trigger...
Returned today and same box selling for $50. $2.50 per round is not "cheap" by any measure, but that's the world of hurt you accept when you partake in rounds like 480 Ruger and 475 Linebaug, and definitely beats what I saw a year ago. I decided to buy it just for reference compared to what I load on my own.

I traded off my .480 Ruger Super Redhawk, but the ammo wasn't too bad if you reload your own. Starline has brass in stock from 54 to 67 cents per case depending on quantity ordered. Primers, powder and bullets are spendier than they used to be, but $2.50 per round should still be very easy to beat.

 

[orygun]

.40 per round.

Funny thing, another member who started arguing with the seller of the ammo couldn't do his math correctly and stated that the price was .50 CPR, not 40...

 

[Croat]

I traded off my .480 Ruger Super Redhawk, but the ammo wasn't too bad if you reload your own. Starline has brass in stock from 54 to 67 cents per case depending on quantity ordered. Primers, powder and bullets are spendier than they used to be, but $2.50 per round should still be very easy to beat.

Oh, no doubt about it. $2.50 is much higher. Especially true since all my large magnum primers were pre-stupidity era, not to mention got 500 cases of both 480 and 475 prior as well, so kind of freeze-framed my cost levels during a more rational time.