Economy Of Reloading.

[arakboss]

I have started dipping my toes back into reloading and have been reminded of what a time suck it is. I enjoy it for small batch test loads but can't imagine doing 500 or 1000ct batches of the same recipe.

Because of space constraints, cost involved and a short attention span, I am sticking with non-progressive presses and small batches.

Do you factor in your time when deciding whether loading a particular cartridge is worth it or not? If so at what rate per hour do you value your time?

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[Caveman Jim]

Cost is of little consideration for me since I can't buy tailored made ammunition off the shelves.

Being retired I consider my time on my presses a filler heading off to the inevitable, gonna go some time and will hopefully go while makin the most accurate ammunition for what I shoot.
YMMV

 

[bentoncity]

Do you factor in your time when deciding whether loading a particular cartridge is worth it or not? If so at what rate per hour do you value your time?

I reload because I enjoy it & it's less expensive than buying factory ammo. I'm retired so time means nothing. I only do batches of 100's & 500 would be pushing it for me.
I'm still using a single stage press, that was new in the late 60's, and does exactly what it should do. The $ of ammo nowadays is crazy.

Dan

 

[Nosferatu]

Unless the time you spend doing the task you're trying to value would actually otherwise be spent earning you money, your time is worthless.

 

[RVTECH]

Cost is of little consideration for me since I can't buy tailored made ammunition off the shelves.

Ditto this.

As I have said many times I got into reloading as an extension of my interest with guns and shooting and for the ability to create loads that are unavailable, such as reduced .30-30 loads as one example.

Saving money was never an initial consideration however over time, I have no doubt paid for my equipment a couple times over, and I no doubt have saved money - especially with components I have bought before the price increases, a lifetime supply of brass and at times when I read about people chasing around looking for ammo during shortages.

With regard to your, 500 or 1000ct batches I never had the need to load anything near these numbers at one sitting, nor do I shoot that much at one outing. Heck probably the most I have ever loaded in one session is maybe 150-200 rounds of pistol ammo.

Therefore I agree with you. Load for quality and accuracy and don't feel you are 'subordinating' yourself by sticking with single stage equipment and smaller batches.

 

[dangerranger60]

Most batches I do of less than 200 are on a single stage press. I break up the time by processing a lot of brass ahead of loading. I wash mass quantities of de-primed brass. Then when ready I put batches in the tumblers and go out and mow the yard. by the time the yard is done I rinse and dry the batches of brass and put them in buckets to be sized. when its too hot to be working outside, I size and if needed flare the mouths. These are packed in large plastic jars till I'm ready to load. When I'm ready I pull out the cases, prime, drop powder and load bullets. By breaking it up it does not seem to take long.

If it's a load I use a lot, it makes sense to set up a progressive press and turn out 500 to 1000 at one time. And when the shelf is looking bare run another large batch. Since my kids are all adults now, and most of them reload, I only keep up with my own shooting now. I am currently not shooting matches so a 1000 round batch of 45 Colt has lasted 2 years. DR

 

[Saladfarmer]

depends on the cartridge. but it's a joy. If you already have the components it's always less expensive to use what you have instead of buying more. For rifle carts Ill process a bit at a time. then use the progressive for the final steps, checking powder weight on each drop

 

[red442joe]

I once loaded 600ish at one go, with a 3 hole turret. That is three pulls per round.
Never again. I use a progressive for...many.
Turret for load work up with many changes, single stage for up to 50 precise rounds.
I reload because I like it, and I can.

Joe

 

[oremike]

When I was just loading for myself on a single stage press I'd do stuff in batches. I'd work at it as I could and stop when I got bored. So like I'd decide to load up a bunch of 45 Colt for example and have a shoe box full of spent brass. I'd start to de-prime them and it might take me a couple days at my leisure to get them done. Next I'd tumble and dry them. I prime off the press so size first then priming because I leave the primer pin in just in case I missed a primer. Bell the cases. anywhere along these steps so far I can stop and restart the process and have a done and not done container. I use the plastic bi mart shoe boxes. If I have to move stuff around or step away for a bit I put a post it note in the shoe box as a reminder where I'm at in the process. Next is the loading and I use the 50 round loading blocks. If I'm doing different loads I only load each load, no other cases in the loading block. If I'm loading a batch of the same load then I'll use the full loading block seating and crimping every 50 rounds. If I charge a case I finish assembling the round.

 

[arakboss]

depends on the cartridge. but it's a joy. If you already have the components it's always less expensive to use what you have instead of buying more. For rifle carts Ill process a bit at a time. then use the progressive for the final steps, checking powder weight on each drop

"If you already have the components it's always less expensive to use what you have instead of buying more."


This is a great point and a big part of why I am reloading at a snails pace. I am trying to do activities that minimize my desire to spend money elsewhere. I already have a ton of reloading components so I am trying to work with what I have. This means I might not have the latest and greatest stuff or the most ideal component combinations but I have enough to make do.

My wife doesn't think much of it though. I took her shooting recently and it took us minutes to shoot up the 100rnds I took many days to load up. She wasn't impressed with the time math.

 

[RVTECH]

it took us minutes to shoot up the 100rnds I took many days to load up.

I don't know what 'many days' relates to in hours you actually spent but you might want to consider 'streamlining' your reloading.

Come up with a system of pre-brass prep, maybe arranging your components by calibers, loads, and maybe keep some notes and records.

However, with all due respect a LOT of what you have been posting on with regard to what you have been reloading appears to be experimental stuff which quite frankly, does not seem to be anything that will have any long term practicality and is time consuming.

I am certainly not impugning your experimentation but maybe start thinking on narrowing down the calibers you will shoot the most and specific loads for them.

 

[arakboss]

I don't know what 'many days' relates to in hours you actually spent but you might want to consider 'streamlining' your reloading.

Come up with a system of pre-brass prep, maybe arranging your components by calibers, loads, and maybe keep some notes and records.

However, with all due respect a LOT of what you have been posting on with regard to what you have been reloading appears to be experimental stuff which quite frankly, does not seem to be anything that will have any long term practicality and is time consuming.

I am certainly not impugning your experimentation but maybe start thinking on narrowing down the calibers you will shoot the most and specific loads for them.

I enjoy the small batch loading. I am not in it to break any speed records or efficiency goals. The wife can streamline the process if she decides to reload

 

[MikeInOr]

I have started dipping my toes back into reloading and have been reminded of what a time suck it is. I enjoy it for small batch test loads but can't imagine doing 500 or 1000ct batches of the same recipe.

Because of space constraints, cost involved and a short attention span, I am sticking with non-progressive presses and small batches.

Do you factor in your time when deciding whether loading a particular cartridge is worth it or not? If so at what rate per hour do you value your time?

I have been reloading pretty much all my ammo on a Dillon 650XL progressive for the past 30+ years. I can easily reload 400 rounds of 9mm in the time it takes me to drive into town and buy 8 boxes of 9mm (when I can find 8 boxes of ammo).

I would not reload if I only had a single stage press.

The Dillon 650XL was an expensive press but amortizing the cost over 30 years of reloading makes it pretty cheap.

Reloading 9mm plinking ammo doesn't save me much, if anything. Reloading my own 9mm carry ammo with GoldDots saves me a pretty good amount of money and I can actually afford to run a few magazines of carry ammo through my carry guns when I am at the range. My reloaded carry ammo is well proven through my carry guns. Store bought carry ammo would not be nearly as well proven because of the price.

My savings on 44 magnum and 50AE are enough to justify the cost of my whole reloading setup. Again, kicking out a few hundred rounds in an hour on the Dillon 650XL makes reloading pretty time efficient.

 

[mhayd93]

For me, it is a combination of economical purposes, as well as the ability to load up the specific bullet-types and velocities that I want for a given cartridge/firearm.

For cartridges like 357 magnum, 30-30, and 300WM, I am always going to reload my own because it is significantly cheaper to do so; there is also way more potential to be unlocked for those cartridges when hand loading (in my opinion).

For something like 9mm, 99% of my shooting is going to be in high volumes and just run-of-the-mill 115-124 grain FMJs. I am much less concerned with fine tuning hand loads or playing around with different types of bullets (other than hollow points for self-defense ammo) and so I am much more likely to buy factory ammo.

When Trump was in office and a box of 50 rounds of 9mm was 9-10$, I never bothered to reload it. In the current economy, however, there is definitely more incentive to reload even the "cheap" stuff like 9mm plinking ammo.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Cost is of little consideration for me since I can't buy tailored made ammunition off the shelves.

Being retired I consider my time on my presses a filler heading off to the inevitable, gonna go some time and will hopefully go while makin the most accurate ammunition for what I shoot.
YMMV

Indeed. Where else can I buy 7.62x54 R loaded with large pistol primers, trailboss with a bullseye kicker and backwards seated .30 carbine slugs?

 

[dangerranger60]

I load very little 9mm. I would save very little over the $12 box of 50. But 50 38 super? 38 super uses the exact same bullet, primer, and powder, but sells for $50 a box of 50. the same is true of 45 Colt, 32 S&W, 32H&R Mag, etc... now when 9mm hit a $1 a round.... Yeah, I can load 9mm too. DR

 

[Zingger]

I load whenever I can get a free evening, which is less and less it seems!
Reloading allows me to tailor a load to a given rifle (ex: 9.3x62) or even pushing the 8x57 to upper limits. The wife shoots a 6.5 Swede, so it gives me a chance to put something together that will give it some more punch than factory (at least US). Casting my own bullets for a majority of my plinking loads gives me a chance to get out and run the 41 mag.

9mm- don't own one anymore. I can fling toasters with the 45 auto or 45 auto-rim. And those I do on the square deal B.

Don't put a limit on your time- it's about enjoyment and using your hands/mind.

 

[MikeInOr]

Indeed. Where else can I buy 7.62x54 R loaded with large pistol primers, trailboss with a bullseye kicker and backwards seated .30 carbine slugs?

Occasionally I will find one or 2 of those rounds in Winchester white box... but it is hard to get a reliable supply.

 

[Nosferatu]

I haven't loaded for volume in many years since I had access to a Dillon 1050 and stopped competing.

Now all my reloading is done with a Lee Hand Press. I fit all my equipment in a small shoulder bag and it travels with me, mostly camping where I'll crank out 20-50 rounds. 10mm and .30-06 are my primary loadings, however the primer shortage has brought that to a near halt.

The time I spend doing it is irrelevant. It's a recreational task that's done in a relaxing environment.

I have been known to prep cases in my recliner at home though. It's nice to not be tied to a workbench.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I reload for my grandson, I take hime out shoot every weekend.
Recently I bought everything so he can shoot in the Cowboy Action Shoots.
I enjoy the hell out of reloading.
Right now I am using a Dillion 550 and two single-stage Hornady Lock n Load press presses.
Once I get my shed done I have another 550, a 660, a Hornady AP press, a Redding T-7 press and some RCBS rock presses that I'll get set up.
Until then what I have works fine for me.
All my priming is done on lee bench Primes.
I have four of them set up.
One for small pistol primers
One set up for large pistol primers
One set up for small rifle primers
And one set up for large rifle primers
And I have a new one for a spare in case one takes a dump.

I also have two die sets all set up for every caliber that I load for and a spare set. If I get a stuck case, bend a stem or have any other problem I just grab the other set of dies and continue on and fix the problem later.
I don't cheap out on reloading.