[Dodgeram]

I only ever shot factory loads and was thinking maybe I could save some money this year if I reload. Not sure what componets I would use but can anyone tell me about what the cost for a box(25) of 1 1/8oz reloads would be if I could buy a 25lb bag of shot for say $20(maybe later this year). I have my own hulls and access to a reloader. Looks like price for lead is coming down but not the price for factory loads in time for the shooting season.

Thanks for any input. Doug

 

[WilliamMR]

Click on the TS.COM banner at the top of this page and use the calculator.

 

[Dodgeram]

Nice calculater. I came up with $2.98 per box. Not bad if the prices already loaded on the calculator for the powder, primers, and wads are about right. Looks like I can shoot more this year!!!

 

[Pull & Mark]

Doug, have you ever reloaded shells before??? Its not that hard but it does take some time to learn and more time to reload than most newbee's to reloading think it will take. It will take alot of leg work to find components for the best price in your area!!! Then to get them at a good price you need to buy in volume!!! To get started you will need to buy 5000 primers @ $150.00 ave. and 8 pounds of powder at about $100, and 5000 wads at about 73 dollars, and last about 10 bags of shot to get started at about $25.00 a bag. You may need to drive l00 miles or more to get them at prices like I have listed. They will cost much more than this if you have them delivered to your house. Powder and primers have a hasmat fee added to regular shipping prices because of the explosive nature of these items. Finished shells do not have a hasmat fee added to shipping. You say you have access to a reloader!!! but it is set-up to reload which hull and reloading data??? Does it match what you want to reload. You need to reload different hulls, with different speeds, with different components, ALL DIFFERENTLY. This requires a good scale to weigh the powder drops and different bushings for the reloader to do this as well. I suggest that you try reloading some on your friends reloader to even see if you like reloading before you spend all this time and money to get all the components you need. Good Luck and Break-em all. Jeff

 

[Sprinklerman]

I make my own shot my calculated cost is 2.28 per box

 

[maclellan1911]

Doug, from a somewhat newbie on reloading. OK you say you have access to a loader? Anytime you want, also as stated set up to load what YOU want?
I will tell you, not always easy to find time to load. What I do is on days I plan to shoot at home town club. If it rains I load. Min 500 rounds.

As far as saveing money. with the price of lead dropping it will help with the overall cost.

What I did, I searched avery yardsale and gun shop I could find. Did FFL search for my area. I ended up finding a complete loader set up

MEC 650 70.00 with 3 bars and 10 bushings works great and still my favorite loader, YES if you get the loading bug you will end up with several loaders
RCBS 505 scale 25.00

mec size master shell resizer 50.00

Was lucky enough to get 2lbs red dot 1000 primers 1000 win wads thrown in

ok so now im in it for 150.00 at the time a flate of estates where 35.00 sts about 47.00 or so.

My first bulk order was 5k primers 125.00 5k wads 75.00 8lbs clays 90.00 15 bags of 7.5 STAR brand shot at 21.50ea 323.00

So now im in it for 650.00 for my first big run of reloading.

ok so for 800.00 I got to reload 6000.00 shells at 1oz each. now if I where to just buy the ESTATES 24 flats would be 840.00 STS 1128.00 thats saves 328 bucks.

Then there is the time. I spent the better part of the day resizeing 5000 shells, not fun at all. but it was done!

I then took 10 reloading sessions to reload all 5k worth of inventory.

My load was 1oz shot, STS hull, STS209 primers , 18grains Clays , TGT12S wad

Now I did great with that batch, but I was still not confident in my reloads to shoot ATA events, Factory STS for that.

More recently compnants for 5k rounds cost me 825.00 but even on sale STS are 6.99 a box. thats 1400.00 for factory shells. I use my reloads for all my shooting, practice, fun, ATA. I ran my 1st 50 and 75 with MY reloads with home made shot! NOW for me thats where reloading comes into WHY I do it.

Also ir is good for different loads. I load some very soft loads for the wife. Very simular to the Winchester AA feather lights low noise low recoil. Those are never in stock ANY where.

Do not reload to save money BUT to make the best of a rainy day and have fun breaking good scores with YOUR reloads.

In the past 3 years I have bought many loaders from guys who wanted to reload to save money........many loaders I bought fixed up and sold to make money for componants. load up a few hundred a see what you think

 

[lucia625]

I reload STS Hulls with 1 1/8 oz #8 lead with International powder at 22 grains, fio primers, windjammer wads for $4.25 per box. I reload to save money, but also for something to do on the cold nights here in WI.

 

[esoxhunter]

It seems every year this subject comes up and the shooters that reload figure the cost of a box of shells one way and the people that don't, figure it another way. For the sake of this discussion I will compare my reloads with the Top Guns, Gun Clubs, Estates, etc. I feel it is a fair comparison; as the reloads that I load will more than compare with these "low end" shells that are used by many shooters. My load is 17.5 grains of Promo, Fiocchi primer, Downrange wad and 1 oz. of Lawrence magnum shot. My cost for these components are as follows: 8# of Promo powder=$72, 5000 Fiocchi primers=$113, 5000 DownRange wads=$75 and 25# of Lawrence Magnum shot, (#8) = $24.50. Using the calculator this comes out to $3.03 a box + tax. (I do not factor in hulls as I use once fired hulls that I pick up at my local club). As stated, my shells will compete with any of the above named brands of shells. I understand the cost of a reloader could be factored in; but it is hard to depreciate this type of equipment. There are "tons" of used reloaders out there at a very reasonable price. Now, many shooters do not have the time or the desire to reload. That is fine. I personally feel that reloading is a part of my shooting experience and I enjoy shooting my own "recipe". Can you save $$ reloading? There is no argument that you can save money, especially now with lead going down in price. But reloading is a choice and I encourage shooters to at least consider it if they have the desire and/or the time. JMHO. Ed

 

[StonewallRacing]

I'm with you Lucia, I know I'm only saving $1.75 a box or so when I reload, but that is 3-4 hours every other week my 13-year old son and I spend together loading a couple flats.

Not playing video games, not on the computers, but 2 feet from each other talking while he sizes and I load wads and pull the handle on the 366.

And when he ran 50 straight last year with our shells it provided me with more satisfaction than I could ever imagine.

We got 9 inches of "Global Warming" today in Cheeseland! More on the way they are saying.

SW

 

[Dodgeram]

Wow!! A lot to think about when one starts looking into reloading. Maybe if I'm looking just to save money I need to give this some more thought. Another reason I would like to reload is for recoil and I would like to load some 1oz shells for my son and I for most of our shooting.

Another Question?? I have both STS and Gun Club hulls I would like to use to reload. Once I come up with load I want to use do I need to be concerned about which hull I use?

Dopug

 

[esoxhunter]

Dopug: I reload Remington hulls exclusively. This allows me to use only 1 type of wad. As stated I use mostly DownRange wads. They are the "clones" for the Remington TGT12, (1 oz) and the Remington Figure 8 (1 1/8 oz). The cost factor is significant when you compare DownRange vs Remington. Same thing pertains to powder and primers. Ed

 

[capvan]

Even if my reloads cost more than the Wallie Land shells, I would still reload. I see cost-saving as a side benefit. I just plain enjoy the loading experience. Might explain the 9,000 9mm casings waiting for me in my workshop. Bruce

 

[plinker61]

dodgeram,shanz supply in michigan is where i get my supplys,5000 chedite primers,$114,8 lbs green dot/red dot $85, 1000 rem fig 8 wads $18(cheaper by the case)shot i make on a jim stewart black max , just my time,also the shot i sell pays for my yearly components & targets 15,000/year for the last three years,so my total cost to shoot is just my spare time,and it can be time consuming,YOU HAVE TO LIKE TO TINKER to re load & make shot,but the reward is when you put your load on the target and it turns into a smoke ball==priceless. mark jones

 

[410Ed]

The late , great olympic coach John Linn , used to say "I live to reload!"
You got time....reload!

 

[wolfram]

Reloading doesn't save me any money it cost me money. The cost per finished shell is lower with handloaded ammo but you tend to shoot alot more when you have an ammo factory out in the man room just calling your name. For me reloading is part of the shooting sport and it is a great way to unwind. Beats the heck out of watching the tube! Maybe I just have some compulsive disorder but I see the benefits of reloading as measured by personal satisfaction that comes from crafting something.

 

[highflyer]

I don't save very much comparing my reloads to the cheapest shells you can buy. But I can reload a high quality shell with premium shot far cheaper than a high quality factory shell. It might be all in my head but my best scores in tournaments are with my best reloads with extra hard shot.

 

[tuscarora 99]

My reloads are coming out to about 3.15 a box. One ounce loads of hard shot, cheddite primers, clay dot powder, am going to switch to promo so my price will go down even more, downrange xl1 wads, and hulls that i find on the ground after club shoots.

 

[KS user]

My load is 17.5 700x,1oz 7 1/2 or 8's,winchester 209,in sts hull ,or AA.I save a minimal amount,but its the satisfaction you get when you perform well using your own shells.

 

[drh08]

Saving money reloading, heck no and don't even look at the cost of a box of shells. You will simply shoot more and it will cost you more in the long run because of this. Now lets look at the other side affects of reloading. The countless hours changing components in search of that magic load. The added distraction on any shooting line or sporting clay course. What distraction you ask??? Well the guy next to you or in front of you or what ever that is chucking empties on the ground that can be reloaded, and you can never have enough empties at home. I find this little fact my biggest problem in concentration. Yup you go to a store to purchase sporting clay rounds with the idea you can just chuck them and some SOB in the squad in front of you is leaving his STS hulls on the ground. UGGGG!!!!!!