Decent primer for those threads that begin....

[EMC45]

To me it's worth it. I don't measure hobby time spent in hourly dollar rates. I enjoy what I do.

I shoot kind of weird calibers too, so just hitting up WM isn't gonna get it for me. I can load .32 S&W-L for about 2 bucks (or less) a box. In store when you can find them they are about 40 bucks a box. 9MM about 2.50 a box. on and on. It saves me and I can shoot more. Win win

 

[Talos]

I have a 10-year-old Lee LM that doesn't owe me anything and a 1-year-old MEC 9000 that I just passed the 5k round mark on and feel they both have earned their keep. I am ultra-cheap and try to make smart purchases on components. The casting though just seems like a giant time suck and I figure by the time you factor in your time and fuel costs it's cheaper to just order from Missouri or the Blue Bullets.

It is a huge time suck and laborious during summer. But still, my time doesn't cost me anything monetarily and casting is valuable knowledge gained. I even went as far as powder coating. I have a good bit of spare time lol.

 

[richs]

Well, my initial investment of $50 for 3 boxes of used reloading gear produced about $600 of sold items (various pew-pew parts, a press I'd never use, cast bullets I wish I had kept). Of that $600, I acquired a used Lee LM, dies and various parts (powder drops, mounting hardware). So I'm well above the curve on cost per round. My frustrations with the keying, primer feed, and bullet feed of the Lee has me thinking of an upgrade... if only the equipment wasn't so costly these days.

 

[madcow]

When your average hunting round is going for $1 minimum, you can realize 40%-60% in savings per round if you reload. Once you get into the more obscure cartridges, you can realize savings up to 80% per round.

 

[Jackie Graham]

I started out with a RCBS single stage rock chucker. Loaded rifle and pistol ammo on it for 30 years. Then started to sell some excess prepped brass. Made enough to buy me a dillon 550. Sold it and bought a dillon 650. Now I have 3 1050s, one with auto drive and the 650. All were paid for from picking up brass at the range and prepping it for other people.
Nope it is definitely not worth it.

 

[MILSURP Collector]

Makes sense for me since in addition to normal calibers I reload some harder to find/expensive rounds:

30/40 Krag
7.7 Japanese
7.5 Swiss
5.7x28

 

[Bypass]

I spent 1500 dollars on equipment to make 200 dollars worth of ammunition.

 

[Control for Smilers]

I loads some wildcats...kinda have to load to feed.

 

[BkBigKid]

When I got into reloading primers were $40 per 1k
Bullets were $60 per 1k
Powder was under $20 ! Lb
Brass was plentiful and free!
I was reloading pistol ammo at 12 cents a round roughly. I am running low on supplies and I am still shooting that 12 cents a round ammo. It has been worth it to me until now, replacing supplies has tripled in costs. So my 12 cents is now roughly 36 cents a round. It is still better than the 50 cent plus per round factory produced rounds.

As long as i am still saving 10-12 cents a round I will load my own 9mm, 357/38, 45acp, 44mag, of course my shooting has only been around 1k rounds a year now as well.

 

[EMC45]

I also cast bullets and use my own homemade bullet lube (beeswax/moly grease) so if I need bullets I either go to the various peanut butter jars in my room or grab a few molds and head to the shop and start casting. That also brings the cost down a good bit.