The most sensible way of measuring the cost of reloading is in dollars per bang.
So, picking some arbitrary numbers out of a hat, if you buy a box of promo loads for $6, then reload them three more times at a cost of $3.90 for components and $0.10/box for the amortized cost of reloading equipment, then you've gotten 100 bangs for the total price of $6 + 3*($3.90 +$0.10) = $6 + $12, or 18 cents per bang. That's 3/4 the price of the promo loads.
The value saved by handloading is in the specialty loads - RSTs retail for $11.75 or so a box, Remmie Express sell for a similar amount or more, and so on. It always will be hard to beat the promo loads on price - they don't call them promo loads for nothing. But, if you've got a short-chambered 16 and want to practice on clay birds prior to hunting with it, then the savings will add up quickly. $11.75 plus range fees for a round of trap is expensive.
It's much the same with flytying: you can buy a #14 Adams tied in China for less than the cost of your materials (hooks are triple the price of 20 years ago) plus amortized equipment costs, but the convenience of getting flies now, getting the pattern you want (I tie most of my dries very sparse, unlike the commercial ties, because I like them that way) and getting or developing custom patterns, plus the satisfaction of catching fish on flies you tied, make flytying a reasonable thing to do. YMMV.
Last edited by Dave in Maine; 07/28/11 05:50 AM.
