cpsniper05

I have never reloaded anything and right now dont know anything about it, i was wanting to know if it is better to reload than it is to buy factory loads, i want to know how much it saves you (if it does save you any inthe long run), i just got a .270WSM and the winchester balistic silvertips run about $25 for a box of 20, i also love shooting shotguns and other guns, just wanting to know if it would be worth looking into, also about how much would it cost to get started, Really appreciate any help,

mossy33oak

If you are looking strictly to save money, then I wouldnot take the plunge into reloading. If you are looking for an enjoyable time consuming hobby that is frustrating at times and takes alot of concentration, then reloading is for you. After all of your initial costs are taken care of, just components alone you can load a box of shells for about $12.

trailer

I wouldn’t bother if it was just to save money but if it becomes a hobby as mossy mentioned then it’s well worth it, for me any ways...

handloader1

I own a .340 Wby. Mag. if I were to buy 1 box (20)of Weatherby 225 gr. Barnes XFB bullets it would run me $61.00. I can load 20 Barnes 250 gr. XFB bullets for $27.61. If I reloadfired brass, the price drops to $18.52 (that's why one always saves their fired brass). You will really savemoney if you load for exotic calibers.

Good luck.

Rootsy

reloading really begins to payoff if you are a quantity shooter... if you shoot A LOT the capital investment is pretty quickly absorbed...

you also have to factor in the cost of your time on top of the components.. what is your time worth... everyone's time is valuable it is how you spend it that is important... you'll get a better ROI if you are reloading vs sitting on the couch watching home improvement with a bag of chips... plus reloading is quality time spent with oneself.

i reload pretty much so i can afford to shoot a lot and not go broke... plus i can tweak loads to get the most from my firearms...

eldeguello

"I have never reloaded anything and right now dont know anything about it, i was wanting to know if it is better to reload than it is to buy factory loads, "

It certainly is! You can not only make better ammo, you can tailor a load specifically for a particular gun, as well as make rounds designed for your specific application, which you cannot alwaysbuy!

IF you shoot a lot, you can also save money. However, if you are content just to fire 20 rounds or so a year, then it is more economical to just use factory ammo.

I started reloading to save money, as I was shooting a lot. Now, I shoot a lot less, but would never give up handloading because I like to experiment with many guns of all kinds, some with exotic cartridges, and find loading of ammo to be an end in itself. In addition, there are some calibers I could not afford to shoot at all if I had to buy the ammo - like the .416 Rigby, for example.

KareImp

Wow, what your paying Mossy and what I'm paying are really different. I figured this a month or so ago for me. I calculated $6.00 per box.

I did not figure Brass cost - maybe that is part of the difference.

I know Mossy uses Premium bullets, and I use standard hunting bullets, so my Bullet cost is .12-.15 per reload, Mossy is probably .30 per reload. Still that is only @$3.00 per box.

I also calculated for a middle of the line powder usage. Mossy has that big 300 RUM, which would use more than an average amount. I think I calculated about 55-60 grains per reload.

Doesn't change the answer to the posters question though. When you start reloading, you'll end up shooting more, you'll most likely never recover your fixed investment to have reloading be cheaper.

The only way it becomes cheaper is when you calculate - I didn't go to the bar and drink beer that night, so I spent $150.00 less at the bar, and it cost me $25.00 at the reloading bench, so reloading saved me $125.00 that day. But that is just twisted!! [8D]

stubblejumper

If I buy new brass,the cost of reloading amounts to about 1/2 the cost of factory loads.However,it took several years to pay for all of my reloading gear,since I have many items that the average reloader doesn't own.My major reason for reloading is to be able to develop custom loads for each gun,and the fact that I have owned some wildcat cartridges.

Solitary Man

Reloading hasn't saved me a dime. In fact, it has cost me quite a bit because I don't shoot enough to make it economical and I can't resist buying new gadgets. Nevertheless, I enjoy it tremendously and wouldn't consider buying factory ammo.

Ought Six

I have yet to own a rifle I cant make shoot better with custom ammunition. Some folks are happy with 1"-1.5" at 100 yards, I simply cant be satisfied with that kind of accuracy. I dont save money, I just shoot more.