What's YOUR investment into reloading?
- Thread starter Silver00LT
- Start date
Lost Sheep
New member
Why I don't count components
Crankylove, I am not picking on you, but your post was the best to use as an example. As an aside, I think your tag line, "The answer to 1984 is 1776" is great.
The cost of components is too variable to make any sensible comparisons. A loader who has been doing it for 30 years would have (with the exact same setup) would have a much higher figure than one who just started, even if their tools inventory was identical.
Likewise, to compare the price paid 30 years ago (or on the used market) to prices of new equipment today provides no information useful to someone trying to estimate a budget for getting into loading (which I THINK is how this thread got started).
So, I ask of everyone posting, please, differentiate between the cost of the means of production (the tools) from the cost of the production itself (the powder, primers, bullets, brass, case lube, tumbling media, polish, etc).
Thanks,
Lost Sheep
Crankylove, I am not picking on you, but your post was the best to use as an example. As an aside, I think your tag line, "The answer to 1984 is 1776" is great.
I had to re-read your first line before the $2,500 figure made any sense at all. I asked myself how single stage press, a dozen die sets and ANY amount of miscellaneous tools could add up to $2,500.Crankylove said:
The cost of components is too variable to make any sensible comparisons. A loader who has been doing it for 30 years would have (with the exact same setup) would have a much higher figure than one who just started, even if their tools inventory was identical.
Likewise, to compare the price paid 30 years ago (or on the used market) to prices of new equipment today provides no information useful to someone trying to estimate a budget for getting into loading (which I THINK is how this thread got started).
So, I ask of everyone posting, please, differentiate between the cost of the means of production (the tools) from the cost of the production itself (the powder, primers, bullets, brass, case lube, tumbling media, polish, etc).
Thanks,
Lost Sheep
Well I'll keep this really simple. It has cost me roughly twice as much as I originally thought it would when I first considered the hobby(and yes, that's tools and components...as they are all part of the cost as the thread title implies). Now in all fairness, a person starting out doesn't NEED to buy in bulk, but that's what I've done to get cost per round down. Buying in bulk will add a significant amount to startup costs.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Couple hundred dollars, maybe, but spread out over MANY years (all the way back to the early 1980s).
I try not to think about it. It's not like the money's gonna come back. On the bright side, I have kept it from being even worse, by haunting pawn shops and buying components in bulk. And buying from buddies who were getting out of the reloading business.
The main thing is, I've enjoyed myself, stayed out of trouble, and not gone broke.
When it's all said and done, I think the main regrets for most of us will be the things we DIDN'T do, rather than the things we did. You only go around once.
The main thing is, I've enjoyed myself, stayed out of trouble, and not gone broke.
When it's all said and done, I think the main regrets for most of us will be the things we DIDN'T do, rather than the things we did. You only go around once.
FrankenMauser
New member
I must have missed this thread.
A couple years ago, I tallied everything up in my reloading room and came to a figure around $14,000.
Since then, I've added and disposed of a Dillon 550, added several more powders, added quite a few small pistol primers, and invested in some new dies and tools.
However, that figure also included spare scopes, rings, sling swivels, gun parts, and other non-reloading items.
The commercially-made tooling probably accounts for about $1,700. It would be difficult to put a price on the tools I've built myself (like my shotshell hull trimmer), but I'd say they're equivalent to $500-600.
There's probably $6,500 worth of components and handloads.
If you wanted to equate the rifle loads and components to commercial ammo, you could easily double or triple that figure, since I'm a rifleman and I use a lot of premium bullets. Some of my rifle handloads that cost me $20 / box (crazy for handloads
) command $75-$100 as commercial loads.
One particular 7.62x54R load I put together with Woodleigh Weldcore bullets (for ~$16/box?) has only one equivalent commercial load that was priced at $118/box, last time I checked.
A couple years ago, I tallied everything up in my reloading room and came to a figure around $14,000.
Since then, I've added and disposed of a Dillon 550, added several more powders, added quite a few small pistol primers, and invested in some new dies and tools.
However, that figure also included spare scopes, rings, sling swivels, gun parts, and other non-reloading items.
The commercially-made tooling probably accounts for about $1,700. It would be difficult to put a price on the tools I've built myself (like my shotshell hull trimmer), but I'd say they're equivalent to $500-600.
There's probably $6,500 worth of components and handloads.
If you wanted to equate the rifle loads and components to commercial ammo, you could easily double or triple that figure, since I'm a rifleman and I use a lot of premium bullets. Some of my rifle handloads that cost me $20 / box (crazy for handloads
) command $75-$100 as commercial loads. One particular 7.62x54R load I put together with Woodleigh Weldcore bullets (for ~$16/box?) has only one equivalent commercial load that was priced at $118/box, last time I checked.
A pause for the COZ
New member
hehehe we dont talk about things like that.
Honestly I dont know. If you count tools, Component, New guns because I can shoot them when I want.
In excess of 10 grand.
But because I dont know. When the wife asks. I am not lying when I say. " Not sure, cant be much though. I just made this box of 357 mag loads for 3 bucks instead of paying 22 bucks"
Honestly I dont know. If you count tools, Component, New guns because I can shoot them when I want.
In excess of 10 grand.
But because I dont know. When the wife asks. I am not lying when I say. " Not sure, cant be much though. I just made this box of 357 mag loads for 3 bucks instead of paying 22 bucks"
Just the dies cost...
Interesting topic. I would not even know where to begin with everything so I thought, just for fun, how much would it cost to replace just my reloading dies, nothing else. Okay, I have been loading for over 40 years so you pick up stuff. The cost, somewhere north of $1800 to just replace the dies........... I stopped there.
Interesting topic. I would not even know where to begin with everything so I thought, just for fun, how much would it cost to replace just my reloading dies, nothing else. Okay, I have been loading for over 40 years so you pick up stuff. The cost, somewhere north of $1800 to just replace the dies........... I stopped there.
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kilimanjaro
New member
An FFL I know has his reloading setup in his basement shop, it's always fun to check it out. No fancy multiple presses, just a couple of RockChuckers for rifle and handgun, and a .50 caliber setup, but the kicker is reloading dies for nearly 150 calibers, and hundreds of boxes/cans/bags of brass and bullets. Says he can reload at least a full box of any caliber you can name. He's been playing with it for a long time.
Boomer58cal
New member
That reminds me of that old joke... I got a gun for my wife good trade huh!
Components are without a doubt the spendy part. Most of my initial reloading equipment were hand me downs from my dad so I got lucky on that one.
I don't have a list, Nor do I want one. I don't want to know! $$$
But I do have...
2 RCBS Rock Chuckers
1 RCBS Jr.
2 Mec 600 20g&12g
RCBS 1010 & 505 Balance beam scales
2 RCBS Powder measures
3 Vibratory case cleaners of assorted brands
Over 20 reloading manuals!
And too much stuff to list to go with it.
I try to have a spare of everything when finances Allow.
Boomer
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The Big Lie...
Ok, maybe not THE big lie, a A big lie..."you will save money by reloading.."
In over 40 years of reloading, I have never met anyone who "saved" money by reloading. You don't save money, period. What you do get is more ammo for the money you spend. Often a lot more ammo...
I can't begin to figure the cost I have "invested", but I've been reloading over 40 years, and am currently tooled for over 30 different centerfire rifle and pistol cartridges, from .22 Hornet to .458 Win Mag.
I do remember my initial set up (lyman Spartan press and scale and some extras) cost $40. This wasn't just pocket change at a time when a new sports car cost $5000 and a new station wagon cost $2700!
I am amazed at what you guys are spending on new tools. I haven't bought any new tools in years, other than dies (and a new vibratory tumbler a couple years ago...).
Ok, maybe not THE big lie, a A big lie..."you will save money by reloading.."
In over 40 years of reloading, I have never met anyone who "saved" money by reloading. You don't save money, period. What you do get is more ammo for the money you spend. Often a lot more ammo...
I can't begin to figure the cost I have "invested", but I've been reloading over 40 years, and am currently tooled for over 30 different centerfire rifle and pistol cartridges, from .22 Hornet to .458 Win Mag.
I do remember my initial set up (lyman Spartan press and scale and some extras) cost $40. This wasn't just pocket change at a time when a new sports car cost $5000 and a new station wagon cost $2700!
I am amazed at what you guys are spending on new tools. I haven't bought any new tools in years, other than dies (and a new vibratory tumbler a couple years ago...).
Silver00LT
New member
Complete truth right there! LOL! I am saving money....PER SHOT.
BobMitchell
New member
I would say I've spent less than $200. Back in the mid 80's I went in half on a Lyman complete reloading kit with a friend along with .38/357 and 30.06 dies. I recently added a die for .45 ACP and a small digital scale. My friend passed away in the mid 90's and so his wife told me to just take everything as we set it up in their basement. I still don't own a tumbler.
I don't count the supplies as I figure I'm saving a huge amount over purchasing factory ammo. Heck, the way I look at it, the reloads have saved far more than the cost of the equipment.
Reloading gets me away from the TV and I put on some good music while I'm reloading. As an added bonus, my son is also into shooting (he has a Ruger MKIII, .22LR rifle, and a Savage .223 w/iron sites) and we often reload together. I can't put a price on teaching my son the basics and BSing about guns while we reload.
Oh, and I did get one piece of equipment as a present. My son got me one of those primers where the primers are loaded into a flat plastic box and auto feed into the hand operated priming mechanism so I can sit at the kitchen table and be part of the family for a while
I don't count the supplies as I figure I'm saving a huge amount over purchasing factory ammo. Heck, the way I look at it, the reloads have saved far more than the cost of the equipment.
Reloading gets me away from the TV and I put on some good music while I'm reloading. As an added bonus, my son is also into shooting (he has a Ruger MKIII, .22LR rifle, and a Savage .223 w/iron sites) and we often reload together. I can't put a price on teaching my son the basics and BSing about guns while we reload.
Oh, and I did get one piece of equipment as a present. My son got me one of those primers where the primers are loaded into a flat plastic box and auto feed into the hand operated priming mechanism so I can sit at the kitchen table and be part of the family for a while