Post by rtemp on Feb 24, 2012 13:31:42 GMT -6
This is one of the more common questions that I am repeatedly asked. The answer that I usually give is "Well- yes, no and maybe!".
There are a number of things to look at when considering reloading. What you are loading, it's availability on the local market, the quality of the ammo needed, the cost of the components and so forth.
An example in contrasts... If you are looking at some plain old 12 ga shooting ammo, you are going to be hard pressed to load at a price that will beat Wally World promo stuff. However, if you are reloading 28 ga, or 410, you will most probably save considerably even if you are paying full price on all new components. The rule of thumb here is the more likely you are able to walk into a store and buy the ammo off of the shelf, the harder it will be to save money on it. Just be aware of the fact that the lower price on the promo ammo does come with a price. If you look at the shot in those loads, you will usually find that the pellets vary a lot in size and are of irregular (sometimes quite irregular) shape. So the trade off that you get is less accuracy.
Equipment costs are another consideration. Good used equipment will run you around 1/2 the cost of new and will, most times, work just as well. But, you may have to spend a little time locating what you want.
Brand new components are readily available, but sometimes, a bit pricey. Often, components can be found on e-bay, craigslist, garage sales, auctions and so forth. It it's something that you can use, there will be considerable savings involved. And the older components can often be as good, or better, than current production.
So, yes you can save money, but there are times that you really don't want to because you want better quality loads. And, maybe, overall you will save money. But then, since I saved all that money on the last several boxes I loaded, maybe I should go ahead and get that next, new gadget? Or, upgrade some equipment? Or, expand to another caliber or gauge?
There are a number of things to look at when considering reloading. What you are loading, it's availability on the local market, the quality of the ammo needed, the cost of the components and so forth.
An example in contrasts... If you are looking at some plain old 12 ga shooting ammo, you are going to be hard pressed to load at a price that will beat Wally World promo stuff. However, if you are reloading 28 ga, or 410, you will most probably save considerably even if you are paying full price on all new components. The rule of thumb here is the more likely you are able to walk into a store and buy the ammo off of the shelf, the harder it will be to save money on it. Just be aware of the fact that the lower price on the promo ammo does come with a price. If you look at the shot in those loads, you will usually find that the pellets vary a lot in size and are of irregular (sometimes quite irregular) shape. So the trade off that you get is less accuracy.
Equipment costs are another consideration. Good used equipment will run you around 1/2 the cost of new and will, most times, work just as well. But, you may have to spend a little time locating what you want.
Brand new components are readily available, but sometimes, a bit pricey. Often, components can be found on e-bay, craigslist, garage sales, auctions and so forth. It it's something that you can use, there will be considerable savings involved. And the older components can often be as good, or better, than current production.
So, yes you can save money, but there are times that you really don't want to because you want better quality loads. And, maybe, overall you will save money. But then, since I saved all that money on the last several boxes I loaded, maybe I should go ahead and get that next, new gadget? Or, upgrade some equipment? Or, expand to another caliber or gauge?
