Well I got to figuring up what I have invested in reloading equipment. I have about $2500. I have calculated on the rounds that I will be loading, factory cost to reloaded cost. I will save about 50% over buying factory ammo.

1 box @ $24, half is $12.
$2500 / $12 = 208.3 boxes. 208.3 x 20 rounds per box =4166.6 rounds to load and I will get my money back.

That is not that many to load. LOL.

Reloading is like hunting. We do it for the fun and reslults, not really to save money. I can buy beef much cheaper than I can deer hunt. For my family to hunt, which is 4 of us. I am around $250 per pound for deer meat.

I just thought that I would have some fun this morning crunching some numbers.

The wives understand about the cost of venison vs beef BUT pleeeeeeeze do not let them know about the reloading or I will have a very boring life. :D

Dave :cool:

Don't worry about that VTDW. My wife does not know how much I have spent on reloading in the last few weeks. If she did find out, I would be sleeping on the couch for quite a while.
I get bored at work and then start thinking about what else I could use on my reloading bench, then I get online and find all kinds of neat stuff that I NEED.

As far as the price of venison goes. I told my kids a long time ago. That I would spend a thousand dollars on hunting and fishing before I spent ten dollars on a video game. Beleive me, they have held me to it. We do it sets of four. 4-sets of cammo. 4-pair of boots. 4-guns. A minimum of 4-stands.

As their wish list grows, I just pull another week at work and and when I get home, head to the store.

My wife wants to get into bowhunting this year along with my 2 sons. Looks like 2 or 3 extra weeks this year.

Actually if you would have invested in a Lee Anniversery kit along with the proper dies and everything else necessary you could have only invested about 300 bucks into reloading equipment.

None the less over the past 45 years of reloading I've done exactly the same thing, though for the past 10 to 12 that red stuff has now replaced most of the green stuff on my bench.

I've always stressed that relaoding never saves you any money, but it always allows you to shoot bunchs more for the same money.

Besides scott your absolutly right, there's just something about crafting your own ammo that makes a person feel good. Later when you bring those targets home and little groups are lying around where you can see them everytime you go by the reloading bench, well..........

Save Money??? I don't think so...
Hand load practice ammo for half the cost of factory...Yes...
Go to the range more often...Yes...
Shoot 3 or 4 times more than you used to...Yes...
Enjoy the sport, become a better shooter, join a team...Yes...
Save Money...NO...

Welcome to the forum TwoPoundPull. Rules are simple, be nice and join in.

As for your post, quite correct, quite correct.

Like most, I did not get into reloading to save money. I just like the hobby and the satisfaction.

You are correct, you can get into loading alot cheaper than $2500. I have never been called tight. The RCBS Chargemaster 1500 is $300.

I know that things can get real expensive real qucik. Bullet casint equipment. Chrono. Expensive competition dies. Heck a fellow and tie up several hundred dollars just in bullets, powder and primers. The components do cost less than factory loads, but they do cost. I am lucky to have a wife that doesn't complain about me spending money on hunting and fishing. She is just as big into it as I am or more. She is in the woods just about everyday, for the month that I am at work.

Hey, I got into it to actually save money! I load 45/70 and I figure my cost per load is more like $7-$8 a box and I have $300-$400 invested in equipment. That is 25 boxes if I figure 45/70 alone, but I load 30-30 also which I load for half saving $6 a box. Within a month or two I will break even. Yes I shoot more, but not 3 times as much. I don't have the time to. But then again I have only been relaoding for about a month or so, things may change.

Yes, you can pretty well stake the farm on the fact you're NOT gonna save much money by reloading. There's always a different primer, powder or bullet to try. New "time saving" gadgets that one MUST have. You never have enough specialty tools (Chronographs, bore sighters, etc).

After spending over 45 years at this reloading thing, I find the problem is trying to find a little extra space on the reloading bench for something new! :D

Not counting powder, bullets, and primers, I figure I have about $600 invested in equipment. If not for eBay that number would be closer to $1500. At the present I load for 5 different center-fire cartridges. Can't justify loading for my shotguns but I'm talking myself into the need to cast my own boolits. I just view it as a hobby and never thought I would save money.

Please stop crunching. If this urge comes upon you again go shoot for a couple of hours; or until this phase goes away.

Good thought Bert.

I originally got into handloading to save money in order to be able to shoot more.

Started out with one of those little Lee loaders that you used a hammer on in .44 Rem Mag. Plus, a Lee Load-All in both 12 and 20 gauges -- I loaded thousands of rounds on those two loaders.

Wife decided it was time to by a RockChucker press due to me popping off primers with the hammer seating them. :D

Then for shotgun loaders I started getting them for Christmas and birthday gifts and ended up with a Hornady 366 in 12 ga., MEC 9000G loaders in 20 and 28 gagues.

Next came a Lee Loadmaster, Lee Hand Loader, Lee partner press, and a Lee Turret press.

Lawd knows my shop is filled with loading components -- going broke saying money, don'tcha know. hahahaha :D

reloading saves money...


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
*wiping my eyes*
seems I buy a new rifle with all that money I keep saving so I have to buy more reloading tools and components just to save more money.

Its a vicious circle I tell ya.

I got into it because the nostalgia of making your own is great. ;) But I've learned more about my "hunting tools" than I would have ever known and their full potential. Plus it's like a disease! :D My daughter even likes the thought of making her own, and her boyfriend is asking her how to do it(reloading). Plus, my uncle, I just sent him some catalogs and info , plus a video I had from lyman on how to reload. At least, in my surrounding, it's catching on like WILDFIRE! :D ;) :cool:
tommy