while we are comparing apples and oranges, I don't think its fair to compare Commercial Cartridge prices for new cartridges, to what we do with MLers. After all, we are in fact "reloading" the gun using the barrel instead of a brass casing each time we fire. A Brass case can be reloaded a couple of dozen times, and more depending on the caliber, and how the brass is treated by the shooter.
You can buy new brass in quantity for much less than what it costs you to buy new ammo. Yes, save the brass from the new cartridges, by all means. However, the brass costs so much less than new ammo, using the price for new ammo is a bit unfair. NO?
I have bought new brass, primers, powder, and then used cast lead bullets that use scavenged lead thatcost me nothing, to make up ammo for modern guns, at a cost of a few cents per round. It still costs me more to reload cartridge, however, simply because I have to pay retail prices for the primers, and they now cost much more than percussion caps, or flints. But, that " Expensive" reloading equipment " is quickly paid for by the savings you earn by reloading your ammo using the fired casings.
Years ago, when ammo was still half what it costs today, I was saving more than 80 cents per round when shooting reloads in my .45-70. My .30-06, even using purchased copper jacketed bullets still saved me more than 30 cents per round, reloading, over what it cost to buy new ammo back then.
I saved the most money, both in volume of ammo fired, and cost of individual reloads compared to new ammo costs shooting my handgun cartridges. It was this activity that paid for my reloading press and dies, and scale, etc. so quickly.
Whether you reload, or cast your lead balls and conicals for MLers is up to each individual, and depends on both your interest in the sport, and the available time you have to commit to these related activities. There is a lot of satisfaction knowing that you are taking game with a ball or bullet you cast, and, if you shoot cartridge guns, using ammo you reloaded gives added satisfaction that simply doesn't have a dollar value.
After you have done casting for awhile, or reloaded for years, all you can do is smile when you read posts from people who are afraid to take their locks out of their stocks, are afraid to cast lead balls for their guns, and are afraid to try to reload cartridge ammo, even when they have been shooting Real Black Powder for years in their muzzleloaders. It often doesn't dawn on people that they are "reloading" their gun every time the pour powder down the barrel and seat the next PRB on it. If you can do this kind of reloading, you certainly can reload cartridges. :idunno: :hmm: :hatsoff:
