handloading breakover point

[neanderpundit]

I can reload fairly cheaply, but I can buy 45 acp from a local guy for $230 a thousand. I like supporting local firearm related businesses, and the ammo is certainly good. no way could I do this as cheaply as buying, so I limit my reloading to rifle calibers. what's your reasons for buying vs. rolling your own? (posted from treo. please excuse mistakes)

[Combat Controller]

If you buy lead (not even cast it yourself) you can get 1000 bullets for $55 around here. Then you have all that .45 brass and just a bit of powder.... Cheap! I see the savings in .45 as I shoot it a lot, and other ammo that can be more exotic, like 10mm, .44, .45lc, .357 sig. Actually the .357 sig is the best deal out there today, Fast Rope and myself can roll them for 14c a round. When 100 rounds of WWB is $70 or more, $10 is not such a bad deal.

[chrisb]

Where can you get lead for that price? I would like to load up some .45 LC SWC. I was going to order from National Bullet before they went tits up. Any ideas on a good source for brass for the same?

[Netpackrat]

chrisb, I loaded up a bunch of .45 Colt not too long ago, using new brass from Midway. I used Remington brass that was on sale last year, but if I had it to do over again I would just buy Starline (which Midway also carries) and be done with it. A significant number of the Remington casings had out of spec rims, that didn't like to go into the shellplate of my loader (they load fine in my revolver). I eventually got it all loaded, but there was a significant hassle factor, since every time I would get one of the "bad" cases, it would slow down my loading rhythm quite a bit.

I also learned that the large revolver cartridges tax the Dillon SDB machine pretty heavily. Resizing .45 Colt requires a lot of effort, and one of the lag bolts holding my press to the bench actually pulled out, as did the longer one that I replaced it with. I ended up moving and remounting the press so I could use different hardware (which worked), but I will eventually end up upgrading to Dillon's strong mount. The SDB has been great for the smaller calibers that I load (10mm/.40, .38/.357, .380), but it just lacks the leverage needed for the .45, so operating it becomes a bit of a workout.

I can't help you much as to bullets, since I am casting my own 255 grain SWC using Lee equipment, sized in a Lyman 4500., but it sounds like you have a decent source for those.

[EDIT: Oops, missed the part where you said they went tits up. Good luck finding some.]

[Combat Controller]

Where can you get lead for that price? I would like to load up some .45 LC SWC. I was going to order from National Bullet before they went tits up. Any ideas on a good source for brass for the same?

Brimstone bullets. I buy from him at IDPA matches, so no shipping, but I have seen shipped 1000 round .45 ACP for $70 or so.

[chrisb]

Thanks guys!

[HirosStorageUnit]

I still have components and brass from years ago plus the range pick up brass that I use to trade with other reloaders for bullets.

Damn I am loosing track of what the costs are. two truths:
reloading saves money

you will shoot more

[Fivetoes]

I don't reload for economic reasons, I just do it for an enjoyable activity. There is something satisfying about taking game with my own loads or shooting a sub moa target.

[First Shirt]

The other benefit to reloading is being able to work up a load that isn't commercially available, and do it at a reasonable price. My .45 LC loads use a 300 gr. cast WFN bullet at about 1150 fps. You can't buy that kind of performance. And I can get it for less than $0.20/rnd.

[FastRope71]

My guess is the break over is around 2000 - 5000 rds or so. This is dependent on what calibers you load for (9mm vs .308) it also is effected by what quality you are reloading. If you're just shucking rounds to practice with, then it willtake longer. If you buy premium bullets to stuff into brass over defensive load equivalent powders, you'll get there faster than if buying the factory defensive loads.

One example would be Hornady XTP based pistol rounds at .75 to 1.00 per pop, vs .25 for rolling your own. You can find reliable feeding for your defensive weapon on the cheap by duplicating the factory OAL and chronographing your loads to match.

I break the self imposed rule of many reloaders and carry the ammunition I make every day. I own some of the factory stuff, but I haven't had any issues with my loads in a long time. I know how the components were stored, I know the guy who operating the equipment better than my own brother. I also know when to label a bag of boolits for range use only. I doubt the guy who's livelyhood and family's well being will fess up as fast as me when he's unsure if something isn't quite right.

I'm nor saying that should be the choice for everyone, but it is the choice I have made.