You are right, if you don't put any value on the time it takes to reload, you might come out a head. A lot of people don't count the cost of brass. Nor do they count the cost of having to develop a new load every time you get a new lot of bullets or powder or switch powder or change bullets. I have all the reloading equipment - I don't love the process.[/quiote]
I tend not to count the brass as it only adds about $2 to the cost per box if you get 5 reloads per piece. Many of the cartridges I reload for get much more than that. Working up new or confirming existing loads doesn't necessarily take a lot of shots. I also get a lot of once fired brass at much reduced costs compared to new. After matches I've picked up a lot of once-fired brass .45ACP, no cost at all. Same deal after watching guys burn through factory .223/5.56 and .308 at the range. Probably have about 1500 pickups from that alone. A friend gave me almost 200 once-fired 6.5 CM cases a couple weeks ago. Dad gave me around 2,000 .22-250 cases from factory ammo he had shot over the years. I could go on, but you get the idea.
I typically use a ladder method for load work, with only 5-6 loads in the ladder. Each shot is chrono'd and POI recorded. Often that is all that is needed to get a sub MOA load and often considerably better. Just did this with four 6.5CM loads as was rewarded with two sub .5MOA loads. All four provided sub MOA results. I don't consider it a chore and actually enjoy the process.
Some people don't care for the "process", like you. Others, like myself, find it a way to expand their shooting enjoyment. Winter days are a great time to enjoy some peace and quiet in the reloading room.
If you shoot weatherby's or RUMs or Normas or Lapuas, I agree - you could come out ahead financially, barely if you don't care about your time. But if you are reloading for a 6.5 cm or 308 or 7mm or 300wm, there is no way you come out ahead financially.
You don't need to fire the boomers to come out ahead, but the more you shoot the sooner you recover your investment. One thing I've been able to do over the years is load ammo not available from any factory. North Fork is out of business and, to my knowledge, their bullets were never factory loaded. I use their bullets in a variety of calibers and cartridges, including 7mm, .30 and .45. I also load for a 6.5-06AI. Try finding factory ammo for that. One of the great things about reloading is I'm not stuck with factory options. My .375 Winchester ammo costs me about $15 per box, saving me around $37 over factory ammo with the same bullet. And the factory ammo is a seasonal production item and usually unavailable.
My .257 Roberts is my favorite rifle. I use WW +P brass and load to +P velocities. Although I use common bullets, no factory load I'm aware of match the performance of my loads. Nosler comes closest with their 110g AB, but at $50 per box and 100fps slower. I don't shoot a lot of it, but I use 225g SST for practice and 225g AB for hunting in my .338WM. I save around $20 per box with the SST and $30 or more with the AB. I can build .45-70 plinker/pest control/defensive ammo for about $5.25 a box, saving about $25 per box.
Also, I can't help but feel you die hard reloaders are probably stuck in the past when all that was available is some old school remington soft points that got you 5" groups at 100. Times have changed.
If you do it because you love it and it is a hobby, I think that is fantastic. I would rather spend that couple hours at the range instead of the reloading bench.
I don't think of myself as "stuck in the past" at all and I'm not limited to factory options, seasonal production, shortages, etc. I load premiums for most of my hunting needs and cup-and-core or cast bullets for most of my practice loads. While I shoot factory loads in new rifles during scope alignment, they rarely see factory ammo after that. Same deal with new handguns – I'll shoot factory until I get the dies and components to reload them.
I save a lot of $$$ reloading, which allows me to shoot a LOT more. And, yes, I enjoy it. Not everyone does.
