Hello and thanks for taking the time to read and maybe reply to this question. For those of you who are concerned about what it costs you to reload vs. price of factory, do you figure your time into it? It's pretty easy to find one of those reloading calculators and figure out what the components cost per box but should I also add in my time? Just wondering what others think... Again, thanks for any and all replies.
Well, I could not afford myself if I charged for my time. I shop wisely and as cheap as I can for components, and reload because I want to and its relaxing. I also watch the sales and keep a stock of factory shells I like for reloading and try not to pay over $5.50 a box. Have fun!
I guess that's kind of my point. The calculators say that I can reload a box for $4.89. While that's a little less than the Top Guns or even Estates I can find, when I add in my time at even $10 an hour it jumps to $5.50 a box. It seems like reloading to save money is no longer possible at the prices I'm paying for the components I like. I will continue to load because I enjoy it but...
Depends on what you are shooting. If you reload 6's all the time your saving a good amount of money. Use reclaim and you can save money. 8's or 7 1/2's I would just buy factory. I like reloading however. As far as my time it beats sitting in front of the TV or computer.
A factor in "to load or not to load" is local supply and cost. Local clubs sell shells for $7.00 and local stores sell GM and Nitro's for $7.87. Often there are the bargain $5.50 etc. With my careful purchasing I reload for $3.70 reclaimed and a little over $4 with new shot. Selection at clubs and in town is very limited and supply varies. Want 1 ounce? 7/8 ounce? Different shot selection? These are often quite limited. I do not figure any costs that are not real, charge for my time? It is leisure time to use as I will. Philosophies and people are different, for me it is the way to go...... load what I want when I want....... Larry
There are a couple shooters I often load 1 oz and 7/8 oz for and in those instances I add $1.oo per box. They do not load and their shells of choice are not available locally. Takes less than 5 minutes on my 9000H, they save quite a bit and I make a little. I sort of go the other way though as I load shells for several kids that are shooting from time to time whose folks do not have a lot of dollars to spare....... I give those away. I view that as investment...... Larry
I reload, I never Smoked or Drank, Keeps me out of the bars, and sitting in front of the TV, drinking beer and smoking, I call it productive time, to my Favorite activity of Trapshooting. I design my Loads, right now they are 1 oz shot,18.5 700-X, 12SOClone wads, Free Top Gun Hulls, RIO Primers, 1250fps. Really nice to do on these Cold Winter Days & Nights. I know they are cheaper than New Top Guns at Walmart. Will go down more when I find PROMO Powder. I will not load reclaimed shot. my shot is $33.99 New Magnum Shot, 8s, 7.5s, 6s a bag. Wads are $65.00 for 5,000 Gary Bryant..................................Dr.longshoty
I reload because it's fun, sure I might not be saving a lot of money but when compared to the premium shells on the market the savings are considerable. ($3 a box or more)
I've been lurking a while and just posting for the first time. We reload at $4.32 for the components. My husband & I buy in volume as much as possible which keeps cost down in the end. If we're buying new, it's AAs or Nitros. At $8 a box our reload savings per box is $3.68 each. Reloading on a Spolar we comfortably load 25 boxes per hour, so @ 25 boxes per hour at $3.68 savings each, our hours worth of time is worth $92 an hour. Yes, it's worth it. You have to ask yourself what type of shooter you are though. If you're running 98's and up consistently and are very competitive, you've probably realized the benefit of shooting a good consistent load and shoot the same load faithfully. If you are not that caliber of shooter and are battling between loading a variety of reloads and buying the cheapest ammo you can find, which is how it sounds by your reference to Estates and Top Guns, this tells me you're more concerned of price of the shell and not focusing on what's important, your performance on the trapline. You might want to consider locking into a particular shell/load. You'll be surprised of the difference based on consistency. At the end of the day though, our decision to load is not based on price, it is based on performance and while yes, it takes time and dedication, it is worth it in the end.
I like to reload its busy time for me ,but for me a dreaded skeet shooter the saving really come out on 28ga and 410 bore. A box of AA 28s or 410 $10.00 and I can load them for around $3.50 a box you add time and I still save.
I like to reload two type of shells: Firstly, my most favorite shell WAS the Federal Paper 8½ Extra-Lite. Federal no longer makes the 8½, so I reload my papers one time with a similar load. Secondly, I reload Nitro's for 27 yard practice. I also reload only once-fired and them let them fly. I have had quite a supply of the old style AA's, and reloaded them similarly to the Federal Paper 8½; AA wad, of course, versus the 12C1 2-piece for the papers. The 12C1's appear to be a thing of the past to obtain, so I would use the Claybuster replacement. However, when I was traveling shooting hot and heavy, I only shot new shells, and don't like keeping the hulls. I prefer to let them fly. Nothing worse than traveling to a big shoot and having a dud, an ironic twist to shooting. WW
Reloading for me is an extension of the sport. I do most of mine in the winter months when its to cold to do anything else and the wife is watching HGTV marathons.... Get a rainy summer day and head to basement to reload also. Don't consider my time part of the cost when its something I enjoy and it keeps me from having to watch Flip or Flop.... If your adding in say 10 bucks an hour to reload....why are you not adding the same to your time spent at shoots . If we all figured in that cost into our shooting none of us could afford to shoot.
A shooter did a review of shot hardness on another forum. Shot ranged from chilled to STS Premium. The consensus on the sites I visit is that harder shot breaks birds better. I reload and much of what I reload is reclaimed...... watching the few ranges I shoot at indicates to me that the majority of the shot going downrange is of the "valuepack" sort. That shot tends to be at the lower range of hardness....... I suspect that in the future the reclaimed shot from the ranges will have a higher and higher percentage of this "less hard" shot which might produce more deformed shot and a lesser bird breaking ability. The abundance of the softer shot could be quite detrimental to those using reclaimed.... Only speculation but more and more are shooting based on lower priced new shells with the softer shot................. Larry
Nice thing about reclaimed is that you get less "over-kill", but more "fliers." You even might pick up an extra target you'd otherwise have missed. The downside is the dirt which can hurt a bore. A bunch of us here at the Rapid City Trap Club bought several 55 gallon barrels of reclaimed shot. It was washed/cleaned/dried, but we still found some dirt in it. Steven and Joyce Hornaday (Hornady Bullets) did our first reclamation, and did a good job many years ago. We didn't see anything wrong with it. We sold most of it off to the shooters here. We then got more when Gene Sears up here doing another reclamation. Same type of thing, fairly clean. We washed it a second time, dried it and then added graphite in a small cement-like mixer. The farm uses graphite in its operation so we had an ample supply. In fact, we over-graphited it to the point that our reloaders (P/W's and Spolar) got pretty black. The only difference between "hard" shot and soft shot is the Antimony. The Antimony helps it resist deformation, but you give up a little bit or Kenetic Energy because with Antimony, the mass is lesser. Personally, I believe the mass is more important to me than the anti-deformation. But, really, we're splitting hairs here. Personally, I cannot tell the difference shooting hard or soft shot... at 16's. These are our personal observations and certainly are not scientific. WW
I look at reloading as a relaxing, but at times a frustrating hobby. It also keeps me out of site and out of trouble. The married guys will understand that one.That being said, I also reload because I like quality and reliability of my loads. Not to mention that no manufactures load my load. Close maybe but not close enough..
I too have the feelings of other shooter/loaders with thoughts of performance, quality of load, ability to save money (especially if you can buy in a quantity that cuts price per shell) and of course a relaxing hobby, ability to get away from daily pressures etc. Bottom line is when you shoot your first 25 straight with shells you have loaded.....Priceless!
i enjoy reloading. I load light 1oz loads that break targets just fine. usually for handicap i buy 1-1/8oz 3 dram. you can save money loading 1oz but not alot. if you are needing to factor in your time, don't bother, you'll be losing money. if you enjoy reloading its fun and worth the time. i can always find a half hour or hour to relax and reload. you can reload ahead during the winter when you are not shooting as much, and shoot in the summer. pick up a used reloader that will do just fine. try to find components in bulk, again, for enjoyment. if it's not fun, just buy new shells.
Time should not be counted in reloading costs. If you reload, its because 1) you like to do it; 2) it does save you money over factory shells; and/or 3) you enjoy the satisfaction that comes from seeing dust that used to be a target from a shell that you built. Everybody's time is worth something to them. Reloading is a family past time at my house. My two sons, wife and I work together to reload shells for my oldest son, and will also for my youngest when he starts shooting.
I am not sure I know anyone that began reloading just to "save money". When I was 3 or 4 I started "helping" Dad and Grandad reload. Not to save money but because WWII was in full swing and if you wanted venison you reloaded to have something to shoot. Grandad reloaded because there was nowhere close to buy the 45-70 or 40-82 shells...... he had black powder and lead and a few primers..... Dad learned from him, I learned from them, my sons and grandchildren................... and on and on. The OP's original question was whether or not he should include a cost for his time. My opinion is that if in fact he takes an hour or a day or whatever off from a paying job then yes, by all means, figure it in. If you walk by the press and pull the handle a few times and it makes you feel good to "pay yourself" then make up an hourly rate and go for it but if that is going to happen then "charge out" the same rate and add it to the cost of the shells you order on line, or go down town to purchase....... I can load a box in less than 4 minutes, the minimum for a trip to town to purchase shells and then drive home is 45 minutes....... plus mileage of course. If you are looking at a true cost comparison then costs have to be applied equally to both sides of the equation........ Only my opinion, but that is what the OP wanted........... Larry
If you shop carefully, you can buy bargain shells for less than you can reload. If you reload premium cases with hard shot you can reload a better shell than the bargain shells you can buy.
Remember that the time you take to travel and purchase the store ammo needs to be added to their cost at the same rate per hour. Apples to apples you know...... Larry
I never reloaded to save money. I really enjoyed it for over thirty years. To me it was an extension of the shooting game. I know I saved a lot of money over the years but that was just a bonus, not a reason for reloading for me. A couple of years ago reloading started to feel like a job so I sold all of my reloading equipment and components. I buy factory now.
Having never lived near population centers having abundant supplies of ammunition it has always been basically "roll your own or do without" for me...... It does not take a shortage in supply to make ammo difficult to get. Larry
I have reloaded since I was 14. 67 now, no it doesn't make sense to reload if you count your time. I reload from habit and also it is what i have done for years. My wife likes my reloads and we shoot them at most events. As I have gotten older and"lazy" factories are the cats ass. but there is a satisfaction from shooting your own loads. I dont think I will ever stop reloading. I enjoy the time and satisfaction of watching those clays blow up with my loads.
It would seem either Walmart has quit the Federal line or Federal is certainly quitting the Gold Medal line...... Walmarts around the country dumping Gold Medal plastic for $5.... no limit. How much for a hull? 4 cents is an easy number to work with so $4 to shoot and you have $1 left in hulls.... is this a picture for the future? Our name brands (Federal, Winchester, Remington) changing product for more profit/easier manufacturing? It has happened before I guess........ The old Winchester AA CF to the current Straight Wall with tapered insert....... I suspect soon might have to be an old man (like me) to remember the offerings of the AA and the original Gold Medals. Larry
While I do buy low $ ammo when I find it, I also keep my favorite components on hand so I can run off a few boxes as time allows. Right now, with good summer weather, I don't reload much. Come winter, it's relaxing to go to the "gun room" in the basement to produce box after box. The goal is to build an inventory to carry through the summer and supplement this with commercial shells as available. Would never count my time as a cost because it is more for relaxation. Besides, I have to keep shot on hand to feed the old percussion muzzle loaders (14 ga. and 16 ga.). Shooting trap with an 1850's, un-choked, caplock, fowling piece will teach you about follow through.
HI, I'm new here & I'm just thinking about getting back into shooting registered targets again after being away from it for 14 years. What I'm wondering about is this: what do you think it might cost me to reload this receipe ? hull -sts, nitro's wad-windjammer 1 1/8th oz powder-green dot 19 grains primer- cci 209 shot- west coast reclaimed--1 1/8 oz- 7 1/2's I shot this load for a long time because it was cheap to reload, has a really good pattern, & doesn't have much recoil at all. Also I will say that in 15,000 rounds that I have loaded I've had at the most 6 misfires. I try to pay close attention when I'm reloading. I've already got 1 hell of a loader, it's a totally upgraded Pw 800 series with Spolar hydros on it. If the prices aren't to high I prefer to buy in large quantaties .
Ed, I just entered my costs for your load into a "cost calculator" and came up with $4.03 per box. I buy all my components in bulk and keep my eyes open for sales.... The cheapest ammo available locally runs $5 but my load duplicates (as best I can) the premium offerings at $7.97 a box.... I normally load with Vectan powder and the cost of that load is $3.90 per box. What you "save" will depend on your costs compared against what you would buy if you used factory. I load and shoot approx. 1400 rounds per month, never had a malfunction that could not be traced back to something I did, not sure at all about your misfires..... Never had any issues with the CCI primer but I am now switching to FIO due to local supply...... Larry
A new bit of trivia to add to this thread......... The local WalMart is the main supplier of shotgun shells in my area. While they did have a 4 pack of Winchester for $19.95 and one 4 pack of Federal for the same price the Estate (shelves well stocked) offerings were $5.85 a box, STS and Nitro and the Federal GM Grand were still $7.87. Premium stays the same for now but the less expensive are increasing..... Things do change don't they? Larry
Bought 10 cases of Rios from Sportsmansware on Black Friday $41.99 a case 12ga or 20ga. ! Also bought 2 cases of 1600 per case Federal .22s, $40.00 A case after rebate. I must be a total red neck, rightwing, Trump supporting, wacko gun nut ! Or I might just be a good shopper that recognizes a good value. Joe
Hard to justify reloading if your just looking for a cheap shell. However, if you wand a premium shell or a specialty shell you can reload less expensively than buying new. As for time, it's yours, spend it anyway you want.
At today's prices (including tax) my calculated cost is $5.16 per box. That is based on 1 1/8 ounce of shot and 20 grains of powder. Shells priced at $4.74 plus tax at Walmart come to $5.08.
No tax here Kreig but I was in Walmart yesterday and took a look at their inventory...... it seems each month or so the inventory goes down. Premium shells, Nitro27 for $6.87er, Win AA, Federal Gold Grand have maintained their price of $7.87 however the lower cost offerings have all increased. 4 packs are $22, most of the Estate and other Federal are $5.75 to $6.75..... I suspect as more and more folks are opting for lower cost shells that the price increases will continue on those currently lower cost items. Federal Grand and Win AA both had a $2 rebate last year and that brings that cost down a bunch. It seems that these days one cannot assume the old truisms can be followed...... Larry
Yes, I have to agree with you. As of lately I am starting to see the same thing at Walmart. I can remember the first year shells were $5.00 a box (premiums) at the Grand American, talk about a lot of complaining. That is nothing these days.
