RE: is reloading cheaper??
 

When I got into it I was told I would save alot of money by doing it. Unless I get some refund check I didnt know about then the answer is no. I'll keep checking the mail box and let you know if it comes.

RE: is reloading cheaper??
 

I guess that even though I havent even bought a press yet and am only reloading with the Lee Classic loaders I still have not saved a lot of money. By the shell/load, yes and it has been a fun hobby to do with my 13 year old son. But I can say this, by the round I am paid ahead for a long time to come since I now have a couple hundred rounds of ammo to burn up lol.

RE: is reloading cheaper??
 

While I agree with those that say you don't save money because you shoot more, overall I feel that I have reduced my shooting costs by reloading. It really depends on what you shoot and how much you shoot it. It would take me a lifetime to break even loading things like 9mm, 30-30, 30-06 & etc, others like .44-40 or my .243 varmit rounds surely pay to reload. A box of 44-40's in my area go for 20+bucks and I can easily load smokeless for less than 5 and I shoot alot of them. Then there are specialty loads, like black powder, I shoot 38 bp re-loads to the tune of 3K per year, one year of that will easily pay for a Rockchucker and whatever else I need to load them, if you compare the reloading costs to buying commercial BP rounds, and I use that press for lots ofother rounds.

Buy good equipment up front and get it used if you can. Looking behind me here I have4 presses set up, 2 I got in trade forsomething I was not using, 1 was given to me and the other I bought new in 1990. With them, I can loadalmost anything you want by just purchasing a set of dies and dies are not expensive-generally. The biggest ways to loose money is to open a Midway(or similar) cat. and start ordering, casting bullets is almost surely a no win situation and shotshell reloading costs are just plain nuts. There are many people who start reloading and find it's not for them, you might be one of them, take your time, look around,people who decide to get out of reloading often sell their tools rather cheaply. (Avoid Ebay for the most part, prices really get up there on that site).

Doug

RE: is reloading cheaper??
 

Nope....You can't compete with the prices at Wally World...[8D]
BUT MY WIFE SMOKES...SO I CAN JUSTIFY IT...:D:D
But those Premium bullets,they can cost alot up here in Can...
Heck,atmy local gun shop,a 25 box of Speer TBBC bullets in (.30cal 180gr.), is the same price as1 commercial box of Fed Premium loaded with a 180gr.TBBC for my 30-06...
Around $55.00...
I handload because I love the hobby,and I do get tighter groups when shooting..
And again its no more expensive than smoking..:D:D

RE: is reloading cheaper??
 

Yes you can save money, raid the brass bucket at the range for free brass, buy Nosler seconds, buy powder in 5-8 lb containers. I shoot competitivly in USPSA and IDPA, 20,000 rounds a year and it goes up every year as I get new guns.

RE: is reloading cheaper??
 

I could not afford to shoot as much as I do if I did not reload. Mags are expensive to buy. Or if you shoot a pistol you can save money. You have to watch the power you use and not get carried away with trying many brands or types.

I really enjoy it. I just need a better bench, work room, better powder measure, storage racks, need to put a target barrel on my 22-250. See how cheap it is.

RE: is reloading cheaper??
 

Although I dont yet reload rifle shells, I have reloaded shotguns shells in the past. I cant reload them for the $3.50 price wallly gets on the cheap stuff, BUT I get a hotter shell w/ 1 1/8oz #9 shot. At that load, yes its cheaper becuase thats the 'trap' load that comes ina black box.

I picked up a progressive reloader at a yard sale for $25 and had been saving shells for a long time.

RE: is reloading cheaper??
 

Thanks R.R. I'll look into that.......

RE: is reloading cheaper??
 

Hey gang.......haven't been around in quite awhile....[/align][/align]Had to chime in on this one, even thought it's an age old question (and already probably been answered)[/align][/align]The short answer is, you won't spend less money, but you'll get far more shooting for the money you do spend. [/align]After 35+ yrs. at casting & handloading, I don't regret ever spending that money, and have enjoyed it far more than I ever thought I would initially. Shooting, casting& handloading had led me intoa career doing it, and after 16+yrs. as a Firearms Instr. with the local Sheriff's Dept., and hitting my19th year overall, I retired. [/align]I attended many gun armorer's schools, as well as other courses, and the love of guns panned out for me. [/align][/align]The feeling of handcrafting ammo that is built to perform superbly in a given gun, and taking game with that ammo sucessfully, really gives you a feeling thats hard to explain, and needs to be experienced.[/align][/align]Take care guys, [/align]Bob[/align][/align]

RE: is reloading cheaper??
 

Many years ago, I was fortunate enough to have received a pretty complete RCBS reloading setup (from a guy that had given up on it) for no charge. Bought a few dies, bullets, powder and a few accessories and I was in business. Since then, about all that I have added are dies and powders.

I get the most pleasure out of dialing in a load for each of my rifles and then dropping an animal with it. It gives you a lot of versatility and you can get more use out of a single gun. I have .243s loaded from 58 gr. up to 100 gr. and .270s from 90 gr. to 150 gr. Pretty well covers coyotes up through elk.