[TheNakedGun]

When dose it become Financialy Feasable to reload your shot shells right now I am shooting Remington gun Club shells that were $40 a flat. I am thinking of eventually getting a Spolar reloader but was wondering if it ever becomes feasable to reload.
Please excuse the spelling and thanks for any advice

Russell

 

[Tailbuster]

Well, If you are talking about making it financially worth it then that is a tough question because if you buy shot and all the supplies that you need right now (while prices are apparently high) I'll bet you come close to $4.00 a box reloading cost (40 a flat). If you add in the cost of the spolar it will probably take you 50 or 60 cases or so to break even on the loader (that is just a poor guess but it's going to be a lot of flats). Of course, the spolar has some resale to it later on but I am ignoring that for our assumption. There is a reloading cost calculator somewhere that others will point you to.

all the best,
john

 

[esoxhunter]

Russell: With the price of components it is almost impossible to come out ahead if you can get decent buys on such shells as Gun Clubs, Estates, etc. However, if you reload for the reason that I do it surely pays off. I feel I can produce a load that is every bit as good as new shells and can load the loads I want to shoot.; i.e. light 1 ounce loads for 16 yard, skeet, sporting clays and heavier loads for handicap. Reloading to me is part of shooting. I enjoy it. If you intend to buy a Spolar you will not be saving money for a very long time, taking into consideration the price of a Spolar. They are "top shelf" to say the least. If you go to the trapshooters.com home page you will find a site that figures out your reloading costs. (Just scroll down to the bottom of the main page of this forum and you will see where you click to get to the TS.com home page) All you do is enter the price of components and the load you will be loading. (i.e. 1 ounce/ 1 1/8 ounce plus your powder charge in grains) Ed

 

[plinker61]

if you invest into a shot making set up you can load for $1.80 per box.,im using remington fig 8's,winchester 209's,&18.5 grains of red dot,with 1 1/8th oz of my own shot.
i have $550 invested into shot maker(stewart better shotmaker&cooling,washing,&sorting equip.)),$225 into a used p.w.800b,my 15 yr old son& i shoot 400 shells every sunday,wont take long to pay off my equipment.
you have to look at the process as a hobby,if you dont you will never justify the process,and you will keep paying double for the cheap shells.mark

 

[4th. down]

Well, IMHO it is close. Just completed purchase with Recobs and with the hulls free, approx. $37/flat net, loading 7/8 oz. @ 1225fps. Pd. $43.30/flat for 1 oz. Rios last week.

 

[plinker61]

my cost to for components as follows,win209 primers$32.00/1000 rem fig 8 wads$10.50/500,red dot powder $16.00/lb shot $0.00. all componets purchased yesterday.cost to reload per box according to t.s cost calculator(with cost of once fired 1000 rem sts hulls i got for $30.0 is just under 1.80 per box.
as far as the big dogs go on shooting factory or reloads,maybe they are too busy traveling shoot to shoot to reload?????

 

[Tom Ruble]

Plinker61, It looks to me like you are paying more than you should for your powder, primers, and wads. You must be buying your components from the wrong retailer. If you are buying your powder in one pound lots, your primers by the thousand and your wads by the bag, you should consider buying powder by the 8 pound bottle, and your primers and wads in 5,000 lots. I think you will find the price, per item, to be much more reasonable. I don't know where you live, but if you attend a large shoot in your area you can usually find a retailer selling coponents, out of the back of a truck, at reasonable prices. Ask numerous other shooters at the clubs where you shoot for the best places to buy components. I am sure others on here will have other suggestions for shooting less expensive shells. Break 'em all! Tom Ruble

 

[bwhited]

Ok, unless I missed something nobody has added thier time in to the cost.
If it is a cost thing then reloads are more expensive.
It comes down to if you have more time or money. Of course this does not include the need for special shells. Then reloading is the only way to go.

 

[esoxhunter]

Devils Advocate: What respondent on this thread said that they could "make a shell better than factory"? (Your words not mine) I said, "I could produce a shell every bit as good as new shells". I feel the "big dogs" probably get a much better deal on new ammo than us "puppies"; and have little time to reload due to their shooting obligations and/or clinics. That being said, if I had the choice of shooting a new box of we'll say Gun Clubs or a box of my reloads; I would always choose my reloads. Just my opinion and nothing more. Ed

 

[mrskeet410]

I used the calculator available at this site. Using quanity purchases at a regional supplier, I found this:

Savings over new RIO ammo will pay for that Spolar in 2,207 boxes or reloads;

Savings over new STS ammo, will pay for that Spolar in 508 boxes of reloads.

What's the answer?

Believe it, or not.

 

[BDodd]

If you can't find or develop a really good source for components; if you count every expense, your time, and cost of loaders; if you see reloading as a chore; if you can't take the time to really learn your gear and the vagaries of different loads/components - there just isn't a good time for you to get into reloading.

If you, instead, have sources that supply clubs that will sell to you at the same price; if you recognize the loader and scale are just part of the satisfying discipline; if your time is better spent loading than watching Rosie O'Donnel on The View; if you want to really learn your gear and choices of components and how they will affect your loads; if you will see reloading as another fun and satisfying discipline in the shooting sports; if you want to "cook up" specific loads just for your wants instead of making do with what the factories offer - then it's time right now to start reloading. Even if a couple of the benefits can't quite be seen, it may still be time to start reloading.....breakemall....Bob Dodd

 

[BigM-Perazzi]

I just have such a hard time finding those weinie 7/8 oz loads for anything as reasonable as my reloads.... Plus, after reading TS.com, it helps to sooth and calm me....;-)

Jim

 

[BP348]

I'm currently at $3.25 a box. So I figure I'm saving at least $1.50 per new box of AA's.

I'm currently using AA hulls, cheddite primers, claybuster wads, and Solo 1000 for powder in a 1 oz load.

Can anyone recommend a few good websites for components? I currently buy from a guy at our club who buys in bulk and then sells to all of us at the club. I can't remember the name of the company he buy's from but it's in San Antonio.

 

[Pull & Mark]

In my opinion, it does not pay for me to reload 12 ga. or 20 ga. ammo. You can buy good ammo in both with the 3% antimony lead that your gun clubs have. You can shoot them all the way back to the 27 yard line. These will work fine for practice and your monthly or bimonthly shoots, ATA or club shoots just fine. For the 2 or 3 big shoots I go to, like the state or Grands, or chain shoots use the STS's or like shells. I can buy the Rio's for about 35 cents more than my reloads. It just is not worth it for me. My time is to limited. Work on the job or around the house, time with family with does not shoot. I do find that reloading for the 28 ga. and the 410 ga. is highly worth the time if you shoot those gauges for fun. My 2cents worth. Break-em all. Jeff

 

[mrskeet410]

Rico-12 - At $3.25 a box, you are saving 45 cents per box versus Rios. Dunno about long-barrel games, but for 12 gauge skeet, Rios are plenty good enough.

For 28 and .410, reloading makes serious economic sense.

 

[famill00]

Here is what I load and what it costs.

1 1/8 oz Star, West Coast, Eagle, whatever...I am not convinced it makes a difference ($25 bag with tax)

Fiochi Primers ($83 per 5000 tax included)

WJ Claybuster Clones ($64 per 5000 tax included)

AA or STS Hull (paid $50 for 1600 about 6 months ago and still have lots of reloads left in them so I figured they have paid for themselves)

17.7 grains Clays ($98 per 8 lbs tax included)

$3.18 per box

New AA or STS here are 59.98 a flat PLUS tax. I am reloading a good quality shell for less than HALF of the new premium shells.

 

[plinker61]

Mi shot,in response to how mutch im spending on componets i could buy cheaper by buying in larger quanitys but i dont for 5 reasons 1)the inital money out of pocket would tie up my play money,buying in bulk would cost $400+.now i get by shooting for a month&ahalf-2mo(every sunday) for $160. for 5k win 209 primers,5k rem fig 8s,8 lbs red dot,i make my own shot and enjoy doing it so shot cost is $0(count my equipment cost of under $600 as i would a gun,fishing rod,or other toy)and to buy in quanity id have to pay haz mat&shipping# 2) i could buy the cheap crap componets,but why would you want to load somthing compared to a gun club or less when you can get close to a sts,i like the componets,im using,and dont have problems like fail to fire in cold weather,weak sounding loads every other shot (winter time i shoot in 0 degree temps here in no.indiana every shot stays the same)#3)dont buy from the vendors at shoots,dont know the age,or condition of their supplys, dont know them,and would rather trade with a gun shop thaT ive been dealing with for over 20 years,want to do my part to keep him in business. #4 MOST IMPORTANTLY,IF YOU HAVE A FIRE AND EVEN IF THE RELOADING ROOM IS NOT INVOLVED YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY MAY NOT PAY YOU BECAUSE OF THE LARGE QUANITYS OF""HAZORDOS EXPLOSIVES" CHECK YOUR POLOCY!!!!i reload for pistols,and i try to keep it under 3 lbs of powder in my safty cabinet,also my dealer has a fast turn on reloading supplys so i know their fairly fresh. #5)even with the high price componets i use im shooting for less than $1.80 per box,MARK JONES

 

[mrskeet410]

Perhaps we should reconsider the original question, "When To Start reloading shot shells????"

For those of us that already have our reloaders, reloading, even reloading with a small incremental savings, may make sense.

But for a person that has not yet invested in reloaders and other paraphernalia, it may not; or at least may not at anything less than at high levels of ammo consumption.

Not long ago I was asked by some new shooters if they should start reloading. Their level of shooting was 2 to 4 boxes per session, roughly twice a month in spring and fall, less in winter and summer. They were shooting 12 gauge skeet, so promo ammo is plenty good enough for their needs. Additionally, they shot autos, so getting and keeping empties would be an additional chore. I told them starting to reload probably didn't make sense.

Sometime later, they learned I reloaded 12 gauge, and asked why I did that considering the advice I gave to them. My answer was that I have a supply of empties that I will outlive, and I already have my reloader.

But based on the figures I ran for my first post, I may just go to Rios for 12 gauge, and hoard my supply of shot for the smaller gauges where there is still a definite economic advantage to loading. I shoot less than 1000 rounds of 12 gauge per year, so there is not much of an economic dent to me either way.

Anybody want to buy an unopened keg of Promo?

 

[The Rock]

Now would be a great time if you want to start reloading. Only question is do you want too???

If you are doing it just to save a few dimes on a box don't bother. If you want satisfaction and the none of the hassle of trying to get the cheapo shells and "running over hell's half acre" looking for a bargain then reload.

Do it right and with do-diligence (the ATA knows all about that) you will have as good or better and more reliable loads than what you would have bought.

Rock

Jim

 

[richrob]

Mr Skeet, I may be interested in your keg of promo, can you email me, thanks, Rich