Have thought about reloading for several years, but now seems like the time to dive in.
I currently purchase custom ammo at a cost of $6-8 per shot.
Goal: To shoot more, focus on hunting accuracy, another hobby that can involve my kids. I have a 500 yard range on our hunting property.
Budget: $1k for upfront capital equipment, $500 for initial component purchase
What: 30-06; 7mm-08; will look to add 6.5cm at some point
I've read 2 manuals (Lyman & Hornady) and all of the Youtube videos showing process from start to finish, so I have an idea of what to expect.
Questions:
1) I can't find 180gr Berger bullets in 30-06 right now. Am I entering the hobby at a time that will leave me frustrated in finding components?
2) I have available space for a dedicated bench in my garage - Unsure if this is appropriate for component storage as well? I live in humid South Carolina.
3) Anything that would give you as an experienced reloader pause in starting from scratch in 2024?
4) Does my budget look appropriate?
I just worked up up a cost per round for 303 british on the surplus forum a few weeks ago.
I can say with you saying you buy "custom" ammo at 6-8 per bang you can save money. Me being a hard core fudd I am a little worried about this "custom" ammo. One of the golden rules around reloading is don't reload for anyone else, goes right with never shoot anyone else's reloads.
Here is a mindless cut and past from the Surplus forum (gunboards) that I did up. It is NOT anything for long range, just plinking with old british rifles.
It will give you a good rundown on costs.
The reloading equipment itself can go as deep into the pool as you want to go. If you want to be at the top level of the long range game, I think that having the additional tools will help, but like most things you need to have the base skills down.
Personally I would start with a "kit" from any of the big players, including Lee buy yourself one GOOD additional scale for your powder and go to town. Having the basic tools I have a feeling you will hit close to where your "custom" ammo is hitting for much less a price.
But yes it is a hobby, some people just don't like to do it. If you happen to be one of those people, nothing bad, everyone has different likes.
Here is the thing I worked up over there.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nope.
I hand load all my old girls, French, Japanese, British, even old US military and sporting cartridges like 30-40 and 30 Rem.
The out of production cartridges are a no brainer, you are never going to find new production of 351WSL on the shelf anywhere.
Screw it I am eating lunch, lets do the math.
They list .84 per, but we all know brass is not a one and done type thing. The general views are 5 reloading's out of a case, but that can be extended easy, or made shorter depending on the rifle, some autos are hell on brass.
So we are down to .18 over the 5 reloads.
Bullets, we are not going to do anything special so lets pick a good inexpensive bullet, I have had good luck with these.
So we are at .39 per for the bullets, we are currently sitting at .56.
Now we need a primer.
Out of stock everywhere, glad I have a stash, but seems like we are into a ball park of 120 per thousand
So lets add on another .12 for a primer, now we are sitting at .68
Now we need powder,
Now 7000 grains per pound, that comes out to .00814 per grain, lets just call is a penny a grain to make math easy.
Lets split the difference and say 46 grains in our load, that brings us to the grand total of.....
$1.14 per round.
Now what does it cost to buy loaded rounds.
I left one "surplus" listing in there, but skipped most of them. If you have a love affair for corrosive ammo we don't need to continue this discussion, have a nice day.
We are landing at a price of $1.20 per round for store bought vs. $1.14 for a roll your own. A wash in my book. .06 is not a big deal.
But what else do you get for that time and effort spent on hand loading. Well you have a bullet choice, you could spend those extra pennies on "better" bullets. You can also tailor your load in every way possible. You don't like varget, use 4895, or anything else, you have the choice. You want your COAL to be 2.919 so be it, or 2.88 go for it. You can make that ammo fit your specific rifle perfect, like a politicians suit. However unlike a politician you will see a difference between off the rack and your custom loads.
The "you won't save anything" is the age old cry of people that can't or will not reload.
Did I factor in the other equipment, nope, not sure how I would do that. I have had my stuff for over 20 years and have loaded who knows how many thousands of rounds in that time. I don't think a number can be put on that. Plus it IS a hobby. You do it for fun, and you really feel like you did something when you go from a basketball group to a softball group. YOU did that, YOU made it shoot that much better. YOUR skill brought the most out of that rifle.
That is something that money can't buy.
