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Time isn’t a very big factor, TBH. Reloading a single cartridge involves 3-4 steps, and there three different types of equipment you can use in reloading. * A

by Merad 8y ago

Time isn’t a very big factor, TBH. Reloading a single cartridge involves 3-4 steps, and there three different types of equipment you can use in reloading. * A single stage press has to be reconfigured for each step, so you run a batch of cartridges through one step at a time. Typically you can do ~50 cartridges an hour. * A turret press is configured to do all of the steps, but only works on one cartridge. Pulling the press lever advances to the next step, so you work on one cartridge at a time, taking it through all the steps to completion. Output of 100-200 cartridges per hour. * A progressive press is basically a turret press that holds multiple cartridges, so each pull of the lever performs each step on a different cartridge and produces a finished cartridge. You easily put out 750-1000 per hour. Even with cheap cartridges like 9mm your reloading component cost is around half the price of of retail ammo. As the cartridge you’re reloading, the savings increase pretty drastically. For example, I used to reload high powered .357 Magnum shells for about $0.20 a piece that would cost upwards of a dollar a piece retail.

mmt 8y ago
> Time isn’t a very big factor If that's true, then I'd hope the analysis to mention something like "and an hour or two" in addition to mentioning the dollar cost savings for 1000 rounds. > there three different types of equipment you can use in reloading. Presumably their up-front purchase cost is significantly different. The OC's link didn't mention that, so I'd assume the cheapest option. > Typically you can do ~50 cartridges an hour. This cheapest option means that, according to that site, the savings range from $7.68-$66.50/hr (not counting equipment purchase?). That strikes me as a significant, if not very big, factor, if someone considers this a chore, rather than part of the hobby, since that range of hourly rates is at least the same OOM as what people would value their time at. > easily put out 750-1000 per hour As little as 1 hour per 1k is, I agree, insignificant, even for someone placing a high dollar value on their chore-avoided leisure time. How much more does that equipment cost? Do those time figures include extra time to recover the brass, and any other differences (positive and negative) in handling pre- and post-production? It's easy to focus on only the most time-consuming part of the process, but everything adds up, and, for beginners or other low-volume participants, it can inflate the per-unit time cost.

by Merad 8y ago

mmt 8y ago

> Time isn’t a very big factor If that's true, then I'd hope the analysis to mention something like "and an hour or two" in addition to mentioning the dollar cost savings for 1000 rounds. > there three different types of equipment you can use in reloading. Presumably their up-front purchase cost is significantly different. The OC's link didn't mention that, so I'd assume the cheapest option. > Typically you can do ~50 cartridges an hour. This cheapest option means that, according to that site, the savings range from $7.68-$66.50/hr (not counting equipment purchase?). That strikes me as a significant, if not very big, factor, if someone considers this a chore, rather than part of the hobby, since that range of hourly rates is at least the same OOM as what people would value their time at. > easily put out 750-1000 per hour As little as 1 hour per 1k is, I agree, insignificant, even for someone placing a high dollar value on their chore-avoided leisure time. How much more does that equipment cost? Do those time figures include extra time to recover the brass, and any other differences (positive and negative) in handling pre- and post-production? It's easy to focus on only the most time-consuming part of the process, but everything adds up, and, for beginners or other low-volume participants, it can inflate the per-unit time cost.