Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
I did my first loads today for my .338LM. It is pretty easy once you get the hang of it, it is the initial setup and orientation with the equipment that is time consuming.
Yeah it costs only $3,59 per shot!!!
Way less than that when doing the reloading thankfully. Though my last case of boxed ammo made it ~$3.20/shot.
You will save each time you reload up to the point of the brass requiring replacement. Here is a perfect example of what I am talking about. I varmint hunt (there are usually 4 of us) and we shoot quite a bit. It would not be unusual to shoot more than 1000 rounds in a hunt.
Provided my math is correct (and these are November 2014 prices--this is for .223 ammo):
$805 = 1000 rounds of factory ammo ($15.66 x 50 = $783 + $22 shipping) [Hornady Varmint Express with 55gr Hornady V-Max bullets] (Cheaper than Dirt)
$18.79 (Midway) per 20 round box
$21.29 (Cabela's) per 20 round box
$15.66 (Cheaper than dirt) per 20 round box
$17.95 (Ammunition to go) per 20 round box
$22.99 (Gander Mountain) per 20 round box
$19.33 (AVERAGE) per 20 round box, but I am using the cheapest number of $15.66 per box
$87 = 1000 rounds of once fired brass (free shipping) [Lake City; cleaned, de-primed, and swaged] (Brass Bombers)
$121 = 4# powder ($81 +$40 shipping/hazmat)[Accurate 2200] (Powder Valley); 7000 grains in a pound and each cartridge takes about 24 grains (max load). 7000/24 = 291 rounds per pound, so just over 3.5# of powder needed.
$26.50 = 1000 CCI small rifle primers (Shipping included with powder) (Powder Valley)
$158 = 1000 55 grain bullets ($148 + $10 shipping) [Hornady V-Max] (MidSouth Shooters)
$393 = TOTAL COST
$306 = NEXT/SUBSEQUENT RELOAD (Typically no brass is needed; but all cases should be checked and verified)
Cost savings over factory ammo:
$412 = 1st loading ($805-$393)
$499 = 2nd loading ($805-$306)
In two loadings versus purchasing factory Hornady ammunition, I will have paid for a Dillon RL550B with all of the bells and whistles and plenty of "gadgets" to go along with it. This is not to mention the fact that I can make more accurate ammunition than I will ever experience with factory ammo simply because I can custom tailor the load and OAL to each rifle. Of course, one could argue this does not take my time into account and while that is true, this is all part of the hobby of reloading. One does not start reloading to account for one's time. Obviously, YMMV, but this is typical of the savings that I have seen through the years. Once the equipment is paid for via savings, then the savings are real and easily quantified.
OP - If you are truly serious about getting into reloading and see this as a long term hobby, I would go for the Dillon; nothing else comes close to the quality and durability for the money and their warranty is TRULY no bull! You can always buy the BL550 and add the components needed to make it into an RL550B over a period of time.
