I reload because there is no other way to get the many different loads that I like to use. No factory on earth can match the variety that a reloader can produce. At least not and stay profitable.
Like many I buy componets when I see them at a desirable price. I do not buy just before use, and have not needed to buy some items that have recently become very pricey. I still have over 80 bags of shot, that was less than $11.00 a bag when bought. Primers and wads on hand were about a third less than replacement cost is now. Shot goes up and down over time. 25 years ago lead was in the low $20.00 range and it returned to the $10-12.00. Primers, wads and powder do not go as up and down as lead, their price is less volitle than lead and have slowly increased over time.
Point is that over the long term reloading has always saved me money over factory shells. I have heard all the arguments against reloading and while they may all be true they are bogous. Selling once fired hulls for .05 each is not that easy to do when most clubs have free ones for the picking up so most local markets do not exist. Ebay is a pain unless you want to become a full time dealer, which I do not. Cheap shells are rarely what I want to, or should, shoot in my vintage guns. The labor of reloading is free time that would have been wasted doing other non income generating things. It is not like watching two more hours TV a week will increase you checking account.
In the end, try to find a light 12 or 16 shell for less than you can reload one. Not going to happen. You pay for the convience of factory by less choices and heavier loads. Almost all factory loads must work Automatics and are way to high pressure for my needs. The few light loads ar hard to located locally or tend to be of the more pricey factroy shells. Which bring reloading back as a very vialbe option.
