Hand loading just doesn't pencil out...

[gmerkt]

Steel case anything is probably repackaged Russian bulk plinker ammo.

Winchester calls this "USA Forged" and it's claimed to be made in USA. But that doesn't make it top-notch ammo. Commercial steel cased ammo, wherever made, generally is inferior in quality because the use of steel for casings is a cost containment measure. Ammunition made in the past for military use having steel casings was typically made to quality standards; however steel is never (rarely?) the material of choice for making small arms cartridge cases. Military ammunition with steel casings was typically made to conserve certain materials.

One nice thing about reloading is that I don't pay much attention to the cost difference between calibers. I hear people talking about preferring a 9mm over a .40 because it's cheaper

There is a price jump from 9mm to .40/10mm bullets. Taking Hornady brand as an example, .40's are closer to the price of .45's than they are 9mm. But, anyone who can afford to buy a gun and reloading gear shouldn't mind this difference or even much notice it, I'd think.

I use scrap lead scavenged off the top of the berm

Years ago, I mined lead from the berms of one of the ranges where I'm a member. However, since then I've become more conscious of just how contaminated that earth out there is. Some bullets hit and remain relatively intact; others shatter into innumerable tiny fragments including dust size. So if you go out there and mine it when it's dry, there are lead particles in the dust in the air around you. You don't want to go out there when it's wet, mining lead in the mud just doesn't work. This can be a good source of material if you take proper precautions. I don't know if lead dust will penetrate an N95 simple dust mask; maybe a respirator is required. Then you'd have to make sure your clothes got properly washed away from other household laundry. Disposable gloves, of course. Personal showering required after; they say that hot water opens up the pores, allows lead to get in. I'm not up for cold showers. I'm not a fanatic about lead poisoning, but it is a concern. All the folderol of trying to avoid lead exposure makes me just want to get lead in some easier way.

I used to work with an old guy who was into fishing. He made lead downrigger balls to sell to other fishermen. One of his sources of lead was old car batteries. Now there's the hard way to go; and definitely not recommended. He got sick from this, he was under a doctor's care for some time trying to reduce the amount of lead in his blood.

When I did mine lead from the range, first thing when I got it home was I washed it off in a kind of sluice. That got most of the dirt off of it, but also presumably most of the small particulate lead dust. Of course it must dry thorough before you attempt to melt it down.

1 to 3 cents worth of gunpowder,

It's pretty amazing how long a pound of pistol powder can last you. Unless of course you are a bullseye shooter plowing through hundreds of rounds a week in practice or similar. I've been curious enough over the years to want to try this and that pistol powder. Lately the manufacturers have gone nuts introducing new pistol powders, now I've got way too many, will never use them up in the small charges that are typical to most non-magnum pistol rounds.

 

[CLT65]

There is a price jump from 9mm to .40/10mm bullets.

I understand. I was just commenting that for me, casting with free lead, there is no price difference.

since then I've become more conscious of just how contaminated that earth out there is.

Thank you for mentioning that. It's a very valid concern. I have young kids, and a strong awareness of the hazards of lead. I think in general it's overblown; lead poisoning is a popular bogeyman, but it's still a real concern and can be hazardous if you're not aware.

I only pick lead off the top of the ground at the range. I never dig for it. I also never pick it up when it's dry out. The best "pickins" are after a good rain. I generally spend 15 or 20 minutes after a range session, in the winter, picking lead off the surface of the berms, usually coming home with 15 to 20 pounds each time. I wear some thick chem gloves and rinse the mud and dirt off the scrap, then set them in the garage to dry. I currently have 500 or 600 pounds out there in buckets, but that's 2 or 3 years worth. I need to render them down into ingots one of these days, but don't want to do it here in town in my driveway or yard where my kids play.

As I've become more aware of the hazards, especially after having kids, I've gotten a lot more careful. I'm always seeing new potential routes of exposure to address. I bought a vent hood for my casting area, and some special soap for washing with after handling lead. The instructions say to use it in laundry too. Some of that may be overkill, but I don't want to take any chances. Saving thousands by scrounging lead, only to spend thousands later on medical treatment for lead poisoning, is serious false economy.

 

[gmerkt]

All very sensible precautions, in my view. When I mined lead, I did it with a sifter, dust mask, gloves, etc and there was a lot of dust. I agree, sometimes after a rain, you can pick it right up off the surface. However, the range I mined at was typically closed during the winter due to flooding so that wasn't an option.

I think there is some degree of over-emphasis on lead poisoning, but how can you be too cautious about your health? As I said, I've known people who got lead poisoning. A real good example is that combination gun shop/indoor range on the east side (won't name names) that underwent a remodel job. The range building had fiberglass insulation in the ceiling which was fully contaminated by airborne lead particles. The contractor sent workers in without protection, some of them got very sick from it. The lead contamination throughout the building was big.

When I cast, I do it outdoors. I've got work benches outside for good weather and that's the only time I cast. I set up a fan to blow across the bench. I've mentioned before that I only cast odd-ball or expensive bullets. The cheaper, common ones I've decided for me, it's more cost effective to just buy them ready-made. I don't shoot any old rifle calibers (e.g., .38-55 or .45-70) anymore, so any rifle rounds that I hand load are going to have factory-made jacketed bullets. Although I shoot hundreds of rounds per year, probably not as many as some handloaders fire off.

Some bullets you just can't buy with money. One of the issues with cast bullets is when you buy them ready-made, they tend to be "hard cast" which isn't always a desirable trait. Hard cast bullets survive shipping well, but if you are shooting a lower velocity load, they might not obturate and seal properly when fired. One of the bullets I cast is for my .38-40 Ruger revolver. I haven't found a commercially-made cast bullet for it that is as soft as I want it. I also cast for .45 Colt, some .45 ACP, and .41 Mag.

 

[CLT65]

There have been times when I've considered giving up casting altogether. I don't shoot large quantities anymore (never really did, but less now). I don't actually, particularly like casting. I don't have a lot of free time for things like casting. I am concerned about lead poisoning (at least cognizant of it), especially around my kids. Finally, I could buy a lot of ammo for what I could sell my molds for.

I still cast and load because I've done it for so very many years. I may just up and quit one of these days though.

 

[gmerkt]

Kinda mirrors how I feel about everything to do with guns, sometimes. I've been shooting autonomously since I was 15, that's 53 years ago. God bless my dad, he wasn't a gun guy so I was fortunate to have friends at the time who nutured my interest. We're running off the topic rails here, but I've had my ups and downs, ins and outs, expansions and contractions over the years with my interest in guns.

The recent political trend that causes the public in general to dispise guns along with policy moves being made against them is discouraging. It's difficult to stay upbeat when the majority appears to be against you. Fair to say most gun owners also have a financial stake in these policies.

As to casting, I don't really enjoy it, per se. There is a technical challenge to getting it right and the successful achievement of this can be satisfying. But casting for pure pleasure, it's not there for me.

 

[DizzyJ]

41 magnum, precision rifle ammo.

You can reload the above for a fraction of the factory price.

Also mentioned is when ammo becomes scarce as it has more than once already, you'll have the ability to keep on shooting.

 

[etrain16]

Also mentioned is when ammo becomes scarce as it has more than once already, you'll have the ability to keep on shooting.

With one qualifier - IF you're stocked up on all your components, particularly powder, primer and bullets. During the last ammo shortage, powder, primers and bullets were in short supply. I remember looking for powder for quite a while and rarely finding it on the shelves, same for primers, particularly pistol primers. So yeah, you can keep shooting, but you definitely need to be stocked up on the components now and not wait until the next crash to get started, or it will already be too late.

 

[Tully Mars]

At least, not for range ammo for common pistol calibers. I can buy 9 mm and .45 ACP FMJ's for .20 & .25 a round, I can't match that even with cheap bullets and free brass, and that's ignoring my time, too. So how do you guys do it? Are you buying components in such vast quantities that the volume discount makes it viable, or do you just not care? Or are you willing to spend the time, assuming you can break even on cost, just for the control? Mostly just curious, later.

Dave

When I 1st started reloading it was to save money. As I got older and gained experience I could still save money but discovered that firearms like cars can be finely tuned. A large part of that is finding out what load a particular firearm likes best. Even a off the shelf rifle can benefit from handloads let alone a true custom. Somewhere along the way I fell in love with reloading and then casting my own boolits. I get almost as much pleasure from that as I do shooting. Nowadays it is harder to save money on reloading common pistol and some small rifle rounds but it doesn't matter to me-I love it so I do it. Add to the fact that I prep it just makes sense to reload and store the components so that I will be able to continue to do so for many years.

 

[DizzyJ]

With one qualifier - IF you're stocked up on all your components, particular powder, primer and bullets. During the last ammo shortage, powder, primers and bullets were in short supply. I remember looking for powder for quite a while and rarely finding it on the shelves, same for primers, particularly pistol primers. So yeah, you can keep shooting, but you definitely need to be stocked up on the components now and not wait until the next crash to get started, or it will already be too late.

This is true. You must have components on hand in order to reload!

As of now, I'm probably set for three lifetimes!

 

[Capn Jack]

I've got all of my bullet drawers full and still have about 60lbs of old SCUBA Diving weights left, so the cost of lead has never been a factor.
The only cartridges I don't cast, or reload are rimfire and shotgun.
I do try to stay ahead on primers though as most of my loads were calibrated with a certain one and mixing them can cause a variation in chamber pressure.

 

[gmerkt]

With one qualifier - IF you're stocked up on all your components, particularly powder, primer and bullets. During the last ammo shortage, powder, primers and bullets were in short supply. I remember looking for powder for quite a while and rarely finding it on the shelves, same for primers, particularly pistol primers. So yeah, you can keep shooting, but you definitely need to be stocked up on the components now and not wait until the next crash to get started, or it will already be too late.

So true. And for this reason, every once in a while I do an inventory of my components to balance out what I've got. X primers for X bullets for X amount of powder, Kinda difficult to figure needs for brass, since it may be reused. But then again, most hand loaders never think they have enough of anything. Most I know, anyway.

I'll never overcome the imbalance in pistol powders. Typically, charges for pistol are relatively small and I've had a bad habit of buying them just to try out. I've even given away a few pounds of numbers I didn't find useful. Still over-stocked in pistol powder.

 

[Mikej]

But then again, most hand loaders never think they have enough of anything. Most I know, anyway.

Yeah, ain't that the truth. Especially when the country goes into a "Hoard Mode" after a tragedy.

 

[teflon6string]

I brewed a lot of my own beer (last century), and I see a many parallels between that and the ammo reloading several of my pals do today.

Even with free bottles donated by friends, I usually paid at least as much for what I brewed at home as I did for a six-pack of premium barley pop at the store. My motivation for all the money/time spent on quality ingredients, equipment, sterilizing, bottling, etc., was to learn about beer, refine my palate, and make something specific and unique. I won't go too deep here and compare ABV to muzzle velocity, but each potentially bears bragging rights among enthusiasts...

Cool hobbies, both.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Like many here, reloading is a hobby in itself for me. The justification itself is relaxation. Considering that two of the cartridges I shoot cannot be purchased OTS, it is also a necessity. IMO, it has already paid for itself many times over.
Getting into casting, and expect that will pay for itself pretty quickly too.
The notion of cost savings is absurd -- you get to shoot more.


I travel a lot, and it's sometimes a hectic schedule. Reloading is one of those things that I do when I cannot sleep or I'm very stressed. Very relaxing, a lot more rewarding than watching movies or TV, and certainly waayy better than alcohol.

This is what I do also, I'm an insomniac and stay up late most nights (it's HELL getting sleep before I get ip to go fishin at O Dark 30).
The wife unit works & goes to bed around 9-10 pm & to not wake her with the TV I head out to the shop to have some ME time.

Pencils, Caveman needs no pencles...

I think only three people have seen my cave. I love the facial expression when I list for people all the different cartridges I shoot.

 

[etrain16]

I forgot to mention in my earlier post that I'm not really doing much reloading right now, really just building up the components, tools and knowledge so I can get deeper into it down the road. I'm getting better stocked and prepared for the time when I'll need to load more ammo myself. For now, I just want to be ready.

 

[Mikej]

I forgot to mention in my earlier post that I'm not really doing much reloading right now, really just building up the components, tools and knowledge so I can get deeper into it down the road. I'm getting better stocked and prepared for the time when I'll need to load more ammo myself. For now, I just want to be ready.

I haven't loaded anything for three months or so. Too much to do when the weather is good. And I have several hundred rounds, at least, of everything I shoot. Maybe in one of these next heat spells I'll hunker down and load a couple hundred. The table is a mess though, and there's different dirty brass mixed, here and there, baggies/boxes, that need sorting. Ish...

 

[Member 5605]

I reload 9, 40 and .45 for ½ the cost to buy in stores.

Sure pencils out to me. (It's a hobby not a job)

 

[Camelfilter]

FYI:

Midway has there no hazmat fee deal going on for CCI primer orders thru 7/31.

Use code CCI201807

No idea on there pricing compared to any local in store deals (Sportsmans, bimart, fisherman's etc), because we're "good" and haven't been keeping too keen an eye on retail pricing...

Anyways, might be a decent deal for some folks who need/want to bump up there inventory a bit.

 

[Tangent123123]

Long thread and it's been said before.

But there is a great satisfaction in doing something with your own hands. Reloading is its own hobby and the repetitive action is very therapeutic for some. For others it is soul killing repetition. But to each their own, right? For me, hobbies aren't always about the math. It's learning a new skill and perfecting the process that I take pleasure in. As grandpa used to say "The pleasure is in the doing.".

On a practical side, those who reloaded their own ammo aren't as likely to feel the pain when there are ammo shortages or pricing spikes.

 

[Capn Jack]

I haven't loaded anything for three months or so. Too much to do when the weather is good. And I have several hundred rounds, at least, of everything I shoot. Maybe in one of these next heat spells I'll hunker down and load a couple hundred. The table is a mess though, and there's different dirty brass mixed, here and there, baggies/boxes, that need sorting. Ish...

Only several hundred loaded rounds Mike?

You had better quit sloughing off and get busy.

1,000 rounds per caliber is minimum..