Decent primer for those threads that begin....

[modF]

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.

When I hit the stage of kids out of the house and lose that four-letter W word that rhymes with lurk I might give it a try. I've watched a bunch of videos, and it looks awesome, especially the shot makers, but I just don't have the time right now.

I also plan on hunting and fishing more someday too, perhaps I won't suck at golf while I'm at it.

 

[owen58]

I guess it really depends on what you’re loading. I loaded 500 rds of 45 acp JHP for $0.53/rd. Cheapest I could find online was $0.70/rd and that was a 1k box before shipping and tax.

^This exactly.
Reloading for my pistols doesn't save me much. Reloading for my .338LM saves me a ton. I bought components at great prices when things weren't crazy. And I'm into each .338LM round for approximately $1.07 vs retail of about $5/rd. Do that a couple thousand times and you have saved some cash.

 

[Paxdad]

If your need is to only plink and shoot steel the savings is fairly flat vs reloading and the time. However, if you are shooting for accuracy the cost benefit and results are significant. For example use the retail pricing of 223 55gn vs 77gn then investment in reloading is well worth it. The component expense of reloading is more but so is factory ammo.

 

[greg vess]

I purchased a LEE breach lock set up. Under 200 bucks. After a Hornady powder scale, Hornady Seating Dies and a couple more case prep devises I have about 400 to 500 total invested realistically. You just can't do everything efficiently with some of the basic prehistoric devises they give you with that entry level set up so tack on a few hundred in odd and ends to make it even tolerable. I made up that in the first year just loading 6.8 spc. With the quality of loads I am making its as valuable as the most expensive factory loads on th e market which is now over 34 dollars a box and higher.

Now that I am rolling my own .223 its getting even better. I buy a lot of the projectiles you see in factory ammo and load my own custom rounds. The difference in price is amazing and top it off the accuracy is 80 percent more accurate. From over an inch MOA from off the shelf stuff to sub 1/2 MOA with the exact same projectiles.

I don't reload for sheer volume. I take my time and perform each step in the process to exacting measurements and poweder measurements for the most part. As some ammo will get the + or - .01 measure when I am just loading general plinking ammo. However most or about 97% of my loads get precise powder loads every time making the best ammo available for my particular rifle set up. That part of reloading is invaluable. It's like having your own brand of ammo that's cheaper than anything else on the market and more accurate by leaps and bounds. It's a Win Win situation no matter how you slice it. In the long run you can't beat it. On top of whatever I have loaded I have the components to double what I have loaded on tap above and beyond that.

I am pretty much set up now but I still pick up projectiles and powder when its available and convenient. That part of reloading doesn’t end. Having components in access never hurts anything and still worth it even in these times.