For a fair comparison you really need to factor in brass and equipment cost, what is 45 brass how many reloads do you get, really you could add another 3c with just them to your 17c.MJ151 wrote: ↑Thu May 16, 2019 1:37 amI put 200-300 45 colt loads down range almost every week. My loads cost $.17 per round not counting brass and I get 20+ reloads per stick. Factory 45 colt runs in my area about $.75- $1 per round. So I could spend $300 every week or $51. It take me less than an hour to turn out 300 round on my Dillon 550. Even factoring in the Dillon, it doesn't take long to pay that off several times over. But in all honesty, there is no way I could afford $300 a week in ammo. So not only do I shoot more by reloading I do it for a lot less. I run Unique because it's economical, I buy bulk bullets from Bayou Bullets and primes by the case. All of this drives down the cost per round. I use to do it all on a single stage and that took all week to make up the three hundred rounds, hence the Dillon. My time was worth that purchase alone.
If you were shooting factory you would be buying in bulk just like your reloading components 60c a shot would be more realistic price so the comparison then becomes $180 to $60. Shooting factory you also have the option to sell your once fired brass and narrow it even further.
I am not anti reloading last time I started adding up what I have in my reloading room I stopped when I got to $5k
I reload for everything I have. Have even reloaded BP 22lr just because I could but I think most shooter fool themselves on what they are actually saving. No doubt there are savings to be made for some and when you view it as part of a hobby or a hobby in its self then the cost doesnt have to be justified.
Unless shooting is a business for you, then it is hard to argue for factoring time/labour, I will say though all the professional shooters I know none reload, for them the time has to be taken into account because it is a cost and when it is purchasing factory ammo is the cheapest option.
