[joe kuhn]

Here's mine at $8.69 per box. The club sells Fiocchi dove loads with steel shot at 1200 fps for $9.00 but I've heard it will go up to $9.75 this week. My empties are free at the club which is steel shot only. Powder is the biggest expense. I had to purchase 2, one pounders which could have been cheaper per unit if 8 pounders were available. Primers are an estimate as I couldn't find any (yet). The rest of the components were purchased in this last week.

What's are your costs?

 

[henrydog]

I like to reload. But using this as an example, the ones of us still in the workforce sometimes have to figure out the cost of our time. If you load 1 flat per hour (i know a unrealistic number) but 10 boxes is easy for math that hour cost more than the 3.10 per flat difference between 86.90 of reloads vs 90.00 of new.

 

[joe kuhn]

I like to reload. But using this as an example, the ones of us still in the workforce sometimes have to figure out the cost of our time. If you load 1 flat per hour (i know a unrealistic number) but 10 boxes is easy for math that hour cost more than the 3.10 per flat difference between 86.90 of reloads vs 90.00 of new.

Yeah, I have never figured labor. Your pick.

 

[henrydog]

Yeah, I have never figured labor. Your pick.

Ya I was not nitpicking or bashing you. I love to make shells, few things are as satisfyingly for me, I am just saying the margin has really tighten up with the components price spike.

 

[GE-Minigun]

I’m at $4.80 per box, 3/4oz load.

Primers – 260
Powder – 175
Wads – 90
Shot – 38

Henry are you saying a flat per hour isn’t possible? If so you need to get a “faster” press…I can knock out right around 3 flat per hour and that isn’t even running “hard”…just a nice steady pace…Dillon 900

There's no way I could shoot steel at those prices...I know you have to do what you have to do, but CRAP that's some coin for reloads.

 

[joe kuhn]

I’m at $4.80 per box, 3/4oz load.

Primers – 260
Powder – 175
Wads – 90
Shot – 38

Henry are you saying a flat per hour isn’t possible? If so you need to get a “faster” press…I can knock out right around 3 flat per hour and that isn’t even running “hard”…just a nice steady pace…Dillon 900

There's no way I could shoot steel at those prices...I know you have to do what you have to do, but CRAP that's some coin for reloads.

When did you buy your components? My prices are current.

 

[Pull & Mark]

Any reloader who factors in his time to reload. Most likely would never reload again. At least they wouldn't be reloading any more 12 ga. shells!!! You can still save enough money reloading the sub-gauges to make it worthwhile!!! What the new prices of reloading components will be after this mess. Is still a unknown. I was paying $4.53 a box for my one oz. loads, and $4.90 a box for my 1 1/8 oz. loads. before the crap hit the fan. I was also buying new factory shells for $5.00 a box on sale all day long. So was it worth it for me to reload any 12 ga. shells. If I factored in my time I would be ship out of Luck!!! The only real difference was I reloaded all my shells with Lawrence Brand shot. So all my shells were about 4% antimony. Compared with the 2% or maybe if I was lucky a 3% antimony load I could find for 5 bucks. So you can plainly see if I billed myself 15 dollars a hour like the local Target is paying kids today. Or, Even if I billed myself 10 bucks a hour!!! There is zero reason to reload to save money. There is a good chance that the price differences will be very close to the same as I just posted here after all the shelves are filled again. Only the new prices will be 15% higher? Maybe more? But the spread between the costs of reloading and buying new shells should remain about the same? Time will tell. break em all jeff

 

[dgh]

I would only put a price on loading if I had to load for someone else,

Time in my loading room brings solitude.

Many hobbies have tedious tasks related to them.

DGH

 

[GE-Minigun]

Primer and powder are within the last month, shot I picked up 2-3 months ago (#1k), wads have always been around the 90 mark

 

[joe kuhn]

Primer and powder are within the last month, shot I picked up 2-3 months ago (#1k), wads have always been around the 90 mark

How much are lead shells in your area?

 

[pheasantmaster]

I like to reload. But using this as an example, the ones of us still in the workforce sometimes have to figure out the cost of our time. If you load 1 flat per hour (i know a unrealistic number) but 10 boxes is easy for math that hour cost more than the 3.10 per flat difference between 86.90 of reloads vs 90.00 of new.

Doesn't seem to take long for someone to state the dollar attachment for time to reload.

Do you figure in a dollar attachment to eating? If you sit down for a meal it takes time.

Do you figure in a dollar attachment when going to a beer joint? Your spending time!

How long of a shower do you take (every time counts)?

How long do you spend mowing grass?

How long do you spend on the pot playing with your phone?

How long do you spent a day watching the idiot tube?

How long per day do you spend unproductively on the internet?

The list can become quite extensive!

You use your spare time how you desire. If reloading is a desire to be performed then no cost attachment should ever be allotted to production.

 

[Carl_in_NH]

Cost is only one factor. Availability is the winner for me. Regardless of price, finding enough factory shells to shoot as many rounds as I want isn't possible in my area at the moment. Even though I didn't buy enough components in advance to weather the storm I have been able to find what I need over time. This means I can keep going, and help out some friends who have run dry as well.

As for how long it takes to load a box, I can fill a box every 5 minutes - including refilling components every 4 boxes - with my 40 year old MEC-650. A flat and two spares per hour.

 

[henrydog]

Doesn't seem to take long for someone to state the dollar attachment for time to reload.

Do you figure in a dollar attachment to eating? If you sit down for a meal it takes time.

Do you figure in a dollar attachment when going to a beer joint? Your spending time!

How long of a shower do you take (every time counts)?

How long do you spend mowing grass?

How long do you spend on the pot playing with your phone?

How long do you spent a day watching the idiot tube?

How long per day do you spend unproductively on the internet?

The list can become quite extensive!

You use your spare time how you desire. If reloading is a desire to be performed then no cost attachment should ever be allotted to production.

100% agree, that was not my point. I reload a lot (until the last couple of months...I am out of primers not) To me it is relaxing and something I enjoy. It my head, which might not of come out on the post, was the price difference is shrinking with the cost of components currently. For the last 5 years I have been reloading 1000-1200 shells a month, so I am not a huge reloader compared to some of you but I roll of fair amount of my own.. I only load my handicap loads to match what I like. I won't make a singles load because to me my time spent is more important than just buying a box of 16 yard promo shells. Just like everything else it is a balancing act.

Your last post about unproductive time on the internet...oh thats 9-11 hours a day....I work from home lol.

 

[Boxo53]

If I were to use available current prices for my 1 oz lead loads:
Hull = 0 ( free)
Shot @ $50 per bag = .125 per shell
Powder @ $40 pound = .09 per shell
Cheddite primers @ $200 per 5000 = .04 per shell
Wads @ $14 per bag = .028 per shell call it .03

So, .285 per shell or $$7.125 per box.
Being retired, the labor goes to therapy and my (Ha!) exercise program


Now, I can’t claim prescience but by long habit I have stocked up on supplies when the price and availability was favorable. My current loads cost me about . 16 per shell or $4.00 per box. I’m good for a few years with my current stocks. I will restock the supplies if/when the availability and pricing settles down. I don’t realistically expect 2019 pricing again!but it should improve somewhat from the current situation, and I have a few years to watch the market.

 

[LowBrass366]

Doesn't seem to take long for someone to state the dollar attachment for time to reload.

Do you figure in a dollar attachment to eating? If you sit down for a meal it takes time.

Do you figure in a dollar attachment when going to a beer joint? Your spending time!

How long of a shower do you take (every time counts)?

How long do you spend mowing grass?

How long do you spend on the pot playing with your phone?

How long do you spent a day watching the idiot tube?

How long per day do you spend unproductively on the internet?

The list can become quite extensive!

You use your spare time how you desire. If reloading is a desire to be performed then no cost attachment should ever be allotted to production.

The guy that mows my grass, fixes my plumbing, pays the mortgage, uses my phone while he goes to the restroom and posts things on this forum also does all my reloading... he’s not great at anything but his labor is super cheap.. he just keeps drinking all my beer though so I’m scared to calculate that cost.

 

[wcowojo]

For me, loading is good therapy

 

[GE-Minigun]

How much are lead shells in your area?

I have no idea as it's been YEARS since I've needed to pay attention.

I've been lucky the last couple times things went sideways in regards to components. Back in 2012 (I think), I had made a huge bulk purchase 10-15k worth of primers, ton of shot and close to 100# of powder...about a month or so later everything went to vapor wear...same thing this time, although powder got low at one point. A couple website I visit have posts about "X" place has powder or primers in stock and by the time I got to the website...Out of stock. Last month someone posted Ballistic Products had Cheddite primers...I lucked out and got a case...had a neighbor I load for as well to get a case, couple weeks later Powder Valley had 8# Clay Dot powder, got that as well. Week later I was headed home from shooting and stopped by a local shop that has "some" components...lucked out and got another #8 of Clay Dot, so I'm set until next spring at my current shooting rate.

 

[jbailey]

Doesn't seem to take long for someone to state the dollar attachment for time to reload.

Do you figure in a dollar attachment to eating? If you sit down for a meal it takes time.

Do you figure in a dollar attachment when going to a beer joint? Your spending time!

How long of a shower do you take (every time counts)?

How long do you spend mowing grass?

How long do you spend on the pot playing with your phone?

How long do you spent a day watching the idiot tube?

How long per day do you spend unproductively on the internet?

The list can become quite extensive!

You use your spare time how you desire. If reloading is a desire to be performed then no cost attachment should ever be allotted to production.

Well, that's a lot of inconvenient questions right there. LOL

 

[50RALPH50]

I like to reload. But using this as an example, the ones of us still in the workforce sometimes have to figure out the cost of our time. If you load 1 flat per hour (i know a unrealistic number) but 10 boxes is easy for math that hour cost more than the 3.10 per flat difference between 86.90 of reloads vs 90.00 of new.

Do you load while you should be working for a wage or after you are done for the day? Do you figure your time go to and returning from the club you shoot at and the time you are there and not shooting, the time to pickup ammo or gas you burn? If you are losing work time while loading that is something to figure in th ethe end cost. I figure loading is part of the sport of shooting for me.

 

[henrydog]

Do you load while you should be working for a wage or after you are done for the day? Do you figure your time go to and returning from the club you shoot at and the time you are there and not shooting, the time to pickup ammo or gas you burn? If you are losing work time while loading that is something to figure in th ethe end cost. I figure loading is part of the sport of shooting for me.

I figure its part of the sport, that was not my point. My 2 favorite things in the World are hunting and fishing. Trust me I know its a lot cheaper to buy a fish or a pound of hamburger at the store than it is to catch a fish or shoot a deer, but I enjoy it. Same with reloading, I personally enjoy it. I obviously am not conveying what I am thinking in my head.