Reloading in 2020

[DrewTea]

I grew up in a reloading household. After I moved out I did my own reloading.

I don't bother now.

A. It's tedious and time-consuming and really not an enjoyable task for me. Even when paired with watching TV or listening to the radio. It's still dirty, repetitive, etc.
B. It's not cost-effective if you figure in your time.

Before anyone jumps on either point let me clarify: If you enjoy the task of reloading as a hobby, and you have nothing else to do with your time, then by all means have at it.

However, if you put any value on your time - even a mere $5/hour (and you should when doing any cost analysis, as nobody's time is truely 'free') then the amount of money 'saved' reloading is next to nothing. For me, my time is far better spent with family or doing other hobbies that I enjoy.

[Erud]

I wish it were that easy. I don't enjoy reloading, and I have lots of other things to do with my time. Unfortunately, I can't buy ammo good enough for what I need it to do from anyone else.

[DrewTea]

I wish it were that easy. I don't enjoy reloading, and I have lots of other things to do with my time. Unfortunately, I can't buy ammo good enough for what I need it to do from anyone else.

True, if you have a specialized need - like extreme accuracy out of a specific firearm, or wildcat loads - then you have to reload, regardless of the cost.

[Holland&Holland]

I wish it were that easy. I don't enjoy reloading, and I have lots of other things to do with my time. Unfortunately, I can't buy ammo good enough for what I need it to do from anyone else.

True, if you have a specialized need - like extreme accuracy out of a specific firearm, or wildcat loads - then you have to reload, regardless of the cost.

Wildcats sound so cool!

[andrewP]

I’m sure it’s fairly impossible to turn out 9mm as cheap as you can currently buy it

You'd have to be buying it for less than $5/box to beat the $0.10/round I reload it for. Admittedly I haven't been shooting as long as many, but I don't think I've ever seen even the worst steel case 9mm for that low of a price, and of course that junk is much dirtier than what I reload, not tuned to my gun, etc.

[Holland&Holland]

I’m sure it’s fairly impossible to turn out 9mm as cheap as you can currently buy it

You'd have to be buying it for less than $5/box to beat the $0.10/round I reload it for. Admittedly I haven't been shooting as long as many, but I don't think I've ever seen even the worst steel case 9mm for that low of a price, and of course that junk is much dirtier than what I reload, not tuned to my gun, etc.

What is your hourly rate?

[andrewP]

I’m sure it’s fairly impossible to turn out 9mm as cheap as you can currently buy it

You'd have to be buying it for less than $5/box to beat the $0.10/round I reload it for. Admittedly I haven't been shooting as long as many, but I don't think I've ever seen even the worst steel case 9mm for that low of a price, and of course that junk is much dirtier than what I reload, not tuned to my gun, etc.

What is your hourly rate?

IMO irrelevant. The time I spend reloading would not otherwise be spent making money, and while it is somewhat of a chore, it is a chore which provides me with a not insignificant quantity of satisfaction in a job done well.

[Erud]

Agreed. The hourly rate is sort of a weird argument that often gets applied to reloading, but never to other tasks/chores/hobbies. Most of us don’t get paid for any of the stuff we do outside of our actual jobs, whether it’s cutting grass, cleaning the garage, fixing the dishwasher, getting groceries, or whatever else. Unless you have to take unpaid time off from work to load ammo, there really isn’t an hourly rate.

[LarryFlew]

I’m sure it’s fairly impossible to turn out 9mm as cheap as you can currently buy it

You'd have to be buying it for less than $5/box to beat the $0.10/round I reload it for. Admittedly I haven't been shooting as long as many, but I don't think I've ever seen even the worst steel case 9mm for that low of a price, and of course that junk is much dirtier than what I reload, not tuned to my gun, etc.

What is your hourly rate?

Zero hourly rate and reloading is cheaper than other forms of relaxation. Relaxing enough I probably can't shoot what I've already done in my lifetime but still reloading.

[Holland&Holland]

IMO irrelevant. The time I spend reloading would not otherwise be spent making money, and while it is somewhat of a chore, it is a chore which provides me with a not insignificant quantity of satisfaction in a job done well.

Yes but you can't really say one would have to beat $5 per box to beat your rate. That is apples and oranges.

Otherwise where do I put my order in with you for 9mm at $5 per box?

[DrewTea]

Agreed. The hourly rate is sort of a weird argument that often gets applied to reloading, but never to other tasks/chores/hobbies. Most of us don’t get paid for any of the stuff we do outside of our actual jobs, whether it’s cutting grass, cleaning the garage, fixing the dishwasher, getting groceries, or whatever else. Unless you have to take unpaid time off from work to load ammo, there really isn’t an hourly rate.

I only apply it to things that involve me 'working' in order to 'save money' - it's a time-consuming and tedious chore for me. For others it's relaxing.

As for the other things you mention, cutting grass, cleaning garage, fixing the dishwasher, getting groceries, you're making my point for me. I'd have to pay someone more than what I value my time at to do these things for me. In regards to ammunition, I can buy ammo for less than what I value my time at.

[LarryFlew]

Agreed. The hourly rate is sort of a weird argument that often gets applied to reloading, but never to other tasks/chores/hobbies. Most of us don’t get paid for any of the stuff we do outside of our actual jobs, whether it’s cutting grass, cleaning the garage, fixing the dishwasher, getting groceries, or whatever else. Unless you have to take unpaid time off from work to load ammo, there really isn’t an hourly rate.

I only apply it to things that involve me 'working' in order to 'save money' - it's a time-consuming and tedious chore for me. For others it's relaxing.

As for the other things you mention, cutting grass, cleaning garage, fixing the dishwasher, getting groceries, you're making my point for me. I'd have to pay someone more than what I value my time at to do these things for me. In regards to ammunition, I can buy ammo for less than what I value my time at.

I'm sure we all get what you're saying. There will always be things we don't like to do and will pay to have done. I for example HATE painting a room and would pay to have it done. Luckily my wife likes doing it and understands she will get ZERO help, no prep, no painting and no clean up so I don't actually have to pay but would gladly do so.

[Rip Van Winkle]

What better way to spend your time on a rainy Thursday.

[andrewP]

Otherwise where do I put my order in with you for 9mm at $5 per box?

1) Approximately $5/box is my price for components, importantly not including brass, which I view as free since I pick up more after any given match than I shot in the match, and would include zero profit for me. If you want 9mm for $5/box, pick up and clean the brass, buy the components, and load it yourself. I'm happy to share the load data that I've found to work well, with the proviso that it may or may not work as well for you in your guns, and that anything you do with it is at your own risk. If your time is "too valuable," then pay more for factory ammo - it's no skin off my back.
2) It would be illegal for me to sell ammo I manufactured to you for a profit, as I do not have the requisite FFL for that - I reload for my own personal use, and that's all.
3) I'm not interested in being liable for what you do with ammo I produce, supporting you if it doesn't run properly in or blows up your gun(s), etc.

If the point that you're making is that I can't manufacture and sell it at $5/box and make a profit, then sure, that's completely true, and that's likely a large part of why factory ammo retails for so much more even given the economies of scale in play for manufacturers who turn out millions of rounds/month, but that's also not what I'm trying to do - my goal is to save myself money and tune loads to my gun(s), and reloading lets me do that. As mentioned earlier, comparisons to the rate I earn at work are flawed at best, as the time used is not time I would otherwise be paid for or have any obligations to use in any specific way. It's really just time I don't spend sitting in front of a TV or computer monitor. As long as it reduces the cost of my shooting hobby, which it definitely does, I'm money (and satisfaction) ahead on it.

[Holland&Holland]

Otherwise where do I put my order in with you for 9mm at $5 per box?

1) Approximately $5/box is my price for components, importantly not including brass, which I view as free since I pick up more after any given match than I shot in the match, and would include zero profit for me. If you want 9mm for $5/box, pick up and clean the brass, buy the components, and load it yourself. I'm happy to share the load data that I've found to work well, with the proviso that it may or may not work as well for you in your guns, and that anything you do with it is at your own risk. If your time is "too valuable," then pay more for factory ammo - it's no skin off my back.
2) It would be illegal for me to sell ammo I manufactured to you for a profit, as I do not have the requisite FFL for that - I reload for my own personal use, and that's all.
3) I'm not interested in being liable for what you do with ammo I produce, supporting you if it doesn't run properly in or blows up your gun(s), etc.

If the point that you're making is that I can't manufacture and sell it at $5/box and make a profit, then sure, that's completely true, and that's likely a large part of why factory ammo retails for so much more even given the economies of scale in play for manufacturers who turn out millions of rounds/month, but that's also not what I'm trying to do - my goal is to save myself money and tune loads to my gun(s), and reloading lets me do that. As mentioned earlier, comparisons to the rate I earn at work are flawed at best, as the time used is not time I would otherwise be paid for or have any obligations to use in any specific way. It's really just time I don't spend sitting in front of a TV or computer monitor. As long as it reduces the cost of my shooting hobby, which it definitely does, I'm money (and satisfaction) ahead on it.

Yes, but you miss the point. It is not just $5 per box. It is $5 plus time. How much time does it take you to do 50 rounds?