"Feeding the Beast"

[GWS]

and life just goes on like that ....a little shooting, some reloading, some gun cleaning, a little woodworking, some cycling, --- even a little work --- a few chores around the house.../ help my wife if she needs some help ..../ kids, grankids, ....( even my worst days are pretty good man !).

Better knock on wood....you're due for a really bad day. You sound like you're semi-retired ... good for you! I only wish. I'm just semi-tired ... okay, that's a lie...fully-tired, but I look forward to trips to the range, though they're not as frequent as yours. Wood working? That's part of being a building contractor...looking forward to retirement from that. Probably will sell every shop machine I own...table saws, planers, shapers, jointers, radial arm saws...probably will only keep my jig saw, drill press, and chop saw.

I reload .40, .38, .357, .45acp, 30/30, .243, .223, .308, .270 ...so far. All the pistols and 2 rifles (.223 & .308) so far on the Pro 2000...with a bullet feeder and case feeder. (homemade c.f.) I only shoot 12 gauge, so Walmart provides the ammo, and it works really well at a good price for my weekly trap and 5-stand clays. I don't have the time to load shotgun...yet.

 

[THORN74]

For those of you with progressive presses, are you ever intimidated by how much it costs to run them "full-tilt boogie" for a few hours straight?

Looking at my .45 ACP load, it would be about $140/hour (assuming 1,000 rounds per hour), and that's with cast bullets and neglecting the price of cases entirely.

I realize that you're getting a lot for the money compared to factory ammo, but it was still a little bit of a shock to run the numbers.

I've only been hand loading for about 6 months, but I think ur looking at it backwards. Its not how much it cost to run a progressive press, but rather how much u save. I saved over $180 for the first 500 .45acp. And I save more $$$ every time I load

Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Edward429451]

I agree with Thorn. I also think that most people compare their ammo cost to WWB or some such cheap ammo. If you load good ammo then it would be more accurate to compare to upgrade ammo. What makes you think your ammo isn't worth a buck a round? Mine is.

 

[sc928porsche]

Progressives are wonderful. Just wish I could afford a progressive caster.

 

[Lead Express]

I'm down to about 3 bucks a box, and comfortably run about 300/hour.

That's 18 dollars for six boxes of .357. Where I live, it's around 25 dollars for a box of the factory stuff, which equates to $150.00 worth of store bought ammo. The savings are very worthwhile, and I shoot a heck of a lot more as well.

 

[bitttorrrent]

Yes, multiple primer feeders..I see.

I am still new, but have cranked out some .45s pretty easily with the Dillon, but it was set already.

I'll try to get the Dillon going this weekend if the test rounds come out ok.

 

[Misssissippi Dave]

On average I only produce 2-300 rounds per hour. I have done more once just to see if I could. I found I could, but I like the slower pace. I put all the loaded rounds in one of the plastic boxes they came in when they were factory bought ammo. That lets me easily check primers. Then they just get dumped into 1 quart tupper ware or similar containers. I label the lid and they are ready to shoot at the range.

My ammo shoots better in my guns then WWB does. I guess it might be considered higher quality ammo. I load ammo I like shooting. Not long ago I ran out of .357 Mag ammo and bought some at the range. It was $27 per box of 50 plus tax. I can load those for a lot less than that. .45 WWB is not cheap any more either and I can load a more accurate round easily for less too.

I do fiddle with my press when I'm working up a new to me load. Once I get a round that works they way I want it to work it is just a matter or putting in a little time to keep me happy for the next range trip. I load several nights a week. I only spend from a few minutes to an hour when I am loading. During those times I can produce enough ammo to normally have more than enough for the next range trip and put some away for those weeks when I don't have time to load or don't feel like loading.

The only shock I get is when I have to place orders for bullets, powder and primers. My bullet order is normally over $600 at a time and the powder/primer order is the same. Doing both the same week is when it hurts the most.

 

[pastortim]

I can load about 300-350rph on my Dillon 550b so if I load 1000 rounds it will take me 3+ hours,

primers are around 24.00 per 1000
powder around 17.00 per pound
cast my own bullets - free lead

1000 rounds cost me around $46.00 to produce

if i bought 1000 rounds @ around .40-42 cents each

well you can do the math, Im very happy to "feed the beast"

 

[Lead Express]

What are you loading, Pastortim?

 

[Mike / Tx]

Well back when I got my progressive there wasn't much of a choice, and I had never heard of a Dillon. Even so I have an early 80's RCBS 4x4. While it isn't as fancy or colorful as some, it has turned out quality ammo for 30years now with little upkeep other than changing out a nylon insert here or there.

I didn't get it to load hundreds of rounds per hour, I got it to load hundreds of rounds in a setting. I was shooting 2-300 rounds of 357, 41 and 44 magnum per week when I purchased the 4x4. At the time I simply got tired of loading them on a single stage Well's press circa 62' that belonged to my pop.

With the lower production rate and ammo costing more than I wanted to spend even back then, the progressive saved me both time and money. It's cost was easily absorbed in only a month or so with the ammo I then loaded. Once I picked up a 10mm it easily covered my needs.

Like some others, once I find a good shooting load I will keep plenty on hand, and then when I get down to a hundred or so rounds I will crank out another batch. Buying bulk powder, primers, and bullets and also loading cast it is even more cost savings, IF you shoot enough to warrant it. Nowadays it might sit for a year or more, but when needed it is a simple wipe off and away we go.

I have never put a cost on my time to load my own ammo. It is something I have been doing all my life. I load for security, and availability, and if possible cost savings especially for things like the 454 or 10mm where 10-20 rounds might cost me $30. I would say that 95% of my loads nowadays are used for hunting, and the others are simply checking scopes, or drops at different ranges. I have pretty much settled on bullets, powders, and primers for all of my rifles and handguns, so I usually have what I need on hand and in bulk.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Its my hobby so I like feeding it.

Have you priced a round of golf recently on a nice course? It costs me less to run my reloading press then the same it does to do a round of golf. My pro2000 will easily do 400+ per hour if I am just loafing along.

Considering the alternatives, golf, tennis, drinking, etc. running the press is actually pretty reasonable entertainment and I also get to blast the rounds away so I get two blocks of time.

 

[pastortim]

45acp

 

[snuffy]

Have you priced a round of golf recently on a nice course? It costs me less to run my reloading press then the same it does to do a round of golf.

Golf??¿¿ Is that some sort of game? Looks like a four letter word, like W-O-R-K! You'd have to PAY me to play that game, and loose a set of clubs, they'd be wrapped around every tree on the course!

Feeding a progressive is a wake-up when you first get one. They eat up components so fast, you're just getting started having fun, when you run out.

As for the load work-up scenario, yes you can! On my Dillon 650, you simply turn off the case feeder, let the primer feeder run out, then hand charge the cases. Then you can do one shell at a time. With the dillon powder measure, it can also be set while doing this.

To me, speed is unnecessary. Those that say they load X number of shells, should say how much time it took for the entire session. INCLUDING set-up time, primer tube loading, case cleaning, bullet making,(for us casters). Starting a stop watch when everything is set-up is a nice sounding number, but doesn't reflect the total time invested.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I hear you snuffy. Down here in Texas, Golf and Tennis seem to be the common adult sports so I used them as an analogy. Having worked on a golf course mowing the fairways, I consider a golf course a waste of a good rifle shotgun range.

Like you I am more interested in the fun of the sport of reloading. I tend not to rush it and just sort of plod along churning out rounds.

 

[GWS]

I used to play golf. I have two sets of clubs with heavy with cobwebs to prove it. I used to go on Saturdays about 8 AM and walk 9 eat lunch and walk another 9. Too tired to get anything else accomplished when I got home. Wife..........put up with it.

Now, on a Saturday, I can shoot 100 rounds of trap or 5-stand in an hour....practice pistol for another hour, shoot with my grandkids for another 2 hours, eat lunch, and have the afternoon to do something with my wife. I'm happier, she's happier.

Friday nite's for reloading anything I'm short of. Date nite? That's a Monday activity....movies and restaurants are emptier than weekends.