Reloading vs Factory

[trapper500]

thats like compairing apples& oranges ive been reloading for 20 years for all of my guns & ive saved a bundle of money .Even if reloading did cost more than factory ammo i would still do it just for the accuarate results i get over factory ammo .I just loaded 100 rds for my .500 Taurus RB 10" SS thats over $200 of factory shells. it cost me a bit extra because i had to buy the dies & loading block for this monster but i only have to buy bullets,powder& primers now :)

[RatherBHuntin]

Yep, you may not save much money loading .270 Win with Power Points, but as soon as you start getting exotic the savings will show.
 
Of course all that is regardless of accuracy and ballistics that you really wan't instead of taking what you can get.

[kombi1976]

Here in Oz ANY loading is a saving.
I was working out the savings the other day and I pay almost 1/2 price for the rounds I use much of the time.
On top of that, what would be premium ammo normally costs me the same or less than standard ammo.
When you spend a fair bit of time at the range like I do you run through a fair bit of ammo.
I couldn't afford to do it with factory.
Plus loading for 303/25, 8x57JS and 25-20 the ammo is either rare as hens teeth(the first), anaemic and underpowered(the second) or does not exploit the nature of the rifle(the third - it's a single shot and can use spitzers).
So all in all, it's a much better deal.
And that's not even getting into the whole carthartic nature of the passtime or the "don't have to wait for the shops to open" if you run out.

[gitano]

I have spoken with several gunshop owners of late that have said that reloading is "going away". When pressed for thier reasons, their reponses were vague. However, they were all independent of one another, so my 'radar' readiness has moved from 4SQ to 3SQ. (Only old submariners will likely get the meaning of that).
 
Personally, it seems like the "esoterica" of reloading (interest in wildcat, oddball and obsolete cartridges) is growing. But that could simply be because I am interested in wildcats, oddballs, and obsolete cartridges. :) Unfortunately, in a capitalist system, if it doesn't make money, and tons of it, it won't stay around for long. Furthermore, the short attention span of the younger shooters makes them prone to exploitation by marketing predators (witness the current debacle in the housing market due to predatory lending practices). Fickleness, and a constantly shifting vogue, are "good" for those whose only interest is profit, (witness the women's fashion market - what's "in" changes weekly), but horrible for finding and keeping what has merit or quality.
 
There are extraordinary forces at work that never rest, living just to eliminate private gun ownership and anything associated with it. Reloaders represent the "core" of private gun ownership. I wouldn't doubt that there is a definite focus on eliminating the reloading market by the likes of George Soros and his henchmen.
 
Sermon over.
 
Paul

[subsonic]

Well, if it's any indicator....
 
The "used and didn't like it", "lost interest" and "somebody died" shelf at the local reloading supplier is overflowing like it never has before. Of course, this is not a bad thing for me, since I'm picking it like a vulture and the prices are more than fair.... but I think it's a bad sign that a large portion of reloading supplies are going un-used.
 
Even if it's more expensive to reload (which I doubt it will ever be, but then again load developement is expensive...) I will still do it, because it's fun and another way I can enjoy my hobby. I just started casting and I'm already hooked, although it's very labor intense and time consuming when you consider the results vs buying a box of cast bullets for a few bucks.

[gitano]

the whole carthartic nature of the passtime

Which is the primary reason I reload, so labor "intensive" isn't an issue for me.
 
Paul

[sakorick]

There was a very good article in the August issue of Shooting Times worth a read titled "Economy of Loading Your Own Has Come Full Circle" by Lane Pearce. Essentially his conclusion is that reloading today saves as much and in some cases much more that in PO Ackley's time. Here are a few tidbits:

1. 30'06 factory (180gr Hornady SST [yuck]) cost= 24.99...
cost per box of hand loads with used brass= 9.54, savings= $15.45 per box 20.

2. 338RUM factory (Swift 250gr A-frame) cost=69.99...
cost per box hand loads with used brass= 26.62, savings= $29.37 per box 20.

He uses Cabella's and Midway prices on components and new shells 25 bucks for a pound of powder and $3.00/100 for primers. If you buy bulk like I do, you will save probably 20% more. It's one of the better articles in the rag lately.

Of course, in my case, no pun intended, I reload for the purpose of long range accuracy and the enjoyment from tinkering with something til it can be all it can be. It's a fun hobby that taxes my brain and experience. One plus one is not two in the reloading world!:biggthumpup:  Regards, Rick.