Does reloading save money?
- Thread starter 4616Oxon
- Start date
It was a good idea, and I was just beginning to find my feet with reloading, but sadly the shop closed down.
roaring_stag
Well-Known Member
Agree.
But...and it is a big but: before I started reloading I assumed my preferred cartridges would always be available at the local RFD. Big mistake. Supply is variable.
Given the price, no FAC holder wants to tie up loads of cash buying big batches ammo [even assuming your FAC allowed that]. So your shooting is in part dependent on supply availability.
Not all firearms like all makes and models of cartridges. Some chamberings/rifles are very fussy. So it is often not possible to take the alternate offering that is in stock with your RFD because you cannot know what performance it will give.
Having ammunition you know will group well with verified POI is valuable for both target and live quarry applications. Reloading can give you that. Holding components and propellent for tried and tested combos means you are less dependent on supply variables.
I load, for all my guns, I find Tailor made rounds that suit my guns shoot far better than factory length loads, I bought all my loading gear years ago and it never wears out, I shoot a lot of ammo and it would cost to much to buy factory, loading you own allows all adjustments OAL etc, I've never been a fan of factory and do enjoy looking at my nice finished products when done and even though the bits and powder prices have gone up, so have factory loads, I get far better groups and performance from my own home loads,
I load 17 HORNET, 17 FIREBALL, 204, 222, 223, 65 CREEDMOOR, 308, 303, 357, 44 MAG,45 ACP, 45 LONG COLT
I buy powder and other consumables in quite large amounts so it does save me a nice few quid and the bonus of hiding in my nice warm gun room away from the mrs and Coronation Street
I load 17 HORNET, 17 FIREBALL, 204, 222, 223, 65 CREEDMOOR, 308, 303, 357, 44 MAG,45 ACP, 45 LONG COLT
I buy powder and other consumables in quite large amounts so it does save me a nice few quid and the bonus of hiding in my nice warm gun room away from the mrs and Coronation Street
Totally saves you money,
I was buying ammunition at nearly £50 a pack, that’s £2.50 a pop.
Now I’m reloading it costs me half as much, and the more reloads I get in the brass the less it costs.
There is the small additional cost of all my free time, my friends, marriage, relationship with the dog, the hundreds of pounds of kit, and what remained of my sanity.
But worth it.
I was buying ammunition at nearly £50 a pack, that’s £2.50 a pop.
Now I’m reloading it costs me half as much, and the more reloads I get in the brass the less it costs.
There is the small additional cost of all my free time, my friends, marriage, relationship with the dog, the hundreds of pounds of kit, and what remained of my sanity.
But worth it.
It won’t cost that at current prices, more than double I suspect.
I’m currently loading .223 for under 10p a round but other people aren’t going to be able to do that!
Yes this is a good point. For example, my .243 is pretty elderly and has badly burned and worn throat so factory length rounds are too far from the start of the rifling to shoot accurately. But because I reload I can seat the bullets much longer to compensate for the damaged throat and as a result they group approx. 1MOA.I load, for all my guns, I find Tailor made rounds that suit my guns shoot far better than factory length loads, I bought all my loading gear years ago and it never wears out, I shoot a lot of ammo and it would cost to much to buy factory, loading you own allows all adjustments OAL etc, I've never been a fan of factory and do enjoy looking at my nice finished products when done and even though the bits and powder prices have gone up, so have factory loads, I get far better groups and performance from my own home loads,
I load 17 HORNET, 17 FIREBALL, 204, 222, 223, 65 CREEDMOOR, 308, 303, 357, 44 MAG,45 ACP, 45 LONG COLT
I buy powder and other consumables in quite large amounts so it does save me a nice few quid and the bonus of hiding in my nice warm gun room away from the mrs and Coronation Street
It depends on how much you shoot. If you are shooting 20 odd rounds a month at deer then no, if you shoot hundreds of rounds a month at target and vermin then yes, even at today’s inflated prices, you will save some money.
It used to be you could pick up bargains on here and places like brownells with sales and end of line stuff but there is such a shortage of everything at the moment everything is at a premium.
There’s some murom LR primers in the classifieds at the mo, £75/1000, last time I bought these about 3 years ago at the Phoenix, I paid £22/1000!
Fox Red
Well-Known Member
Jesus that’s cheap. I’ve just totted my 223 costs up and it 73.5p per shot
Likely to be more the next time I buy Vhit 140.Vhit 140 @ £89 = 14.2p
77 TMK @ £40 = 40p
CCI 400 @ £10 = 10p
Lapua @ £92.50 = 9.3p (assuming 10 reloads)
Picked up 1000 Winchester 46 gr HP for £11(!), S&B primers last year at £3.50/100 and clearance benchmark powder at £5.95/lb! Once fired brass free from the clubJesus that’s cheap. I’ve just totted my 223 costs up and it 73.5p per shot
Vhit 140 @ £89 = 14.2p
77 TMK @ £40 = 40p
CCI 400 @ £10 = 10p
Lapua @ £92.50 = 9.3p (assuming 10 reloads)
I’m hoping I can get a decent sun moa load at the lower end of the load data, circa 20 gr of powder and 3000 fps and it’ll make the hornet redundant as I want to free up a slot for a 45-70. Which will be a lot more than 10p a round!!
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Fox Red
Well-Known Member
Bargain! How’s does it shoot?
Haven’t tried it yet, have had this week off after being hospitalised with a stomach infection last week so have been getting a bit of loading done. They are the bullet Winchester load in their 46 gr hornet load which always shot well for me and my .223 is 1:14 so hopefully will be good and I don’t have to push them faster.
Loaded up 126 gr yew tree and 155 gr smk test loads for the newly chopped 20” .308, 50 gr v-max and 46 winchesters in .223 plus a batch of 6.5CM and .223 target ammo. I also got a load of brass prep done. Its been quite relaxing!!
Ade8mm
Well-Known Member
Must have been an idiot.
The exception proves the rule.
What is your point caberslash?
Easy done with the wrong powder, squib load that plugs muzzle, etc ...
Ade8mm
Well-Known Member
Aye . Does it (reloading) save money?
Ade8mm
Well-Known Member
IndeedNot if you blow a rifle up in the process
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
Yes and no , it depends on the cartridge . I rarely reload 7.62X39 because factory ammo is so cheap , about $300 CDN for 1400 rounds currently . I have a number of rifles and pistols that are chambered in hard to find or obsolete cartridges , like 9mm Largo , 455 Webley , 11x60 Mauser ( I'm getting some brass together for you Muir ) , 38/55 Winchester and a few others . The latter is the main reason why I got into reloading . I love old rifles chambered in obsolete cartridges , the only way to shoot them is to load your own . I go through a lot of ammo , for me , it saves money , if you don't shoot that much , it won't .
AB
AB
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