Progressive press worth it?

[XYZ]

I’m gonna confess. I have several pistol rounds my plinking recipe is a Lee dipper. Simplicity.

eta: and a 30-30 too.

 

[Hooper]

I own multiple progressives which I am not using, the cost of components has made bulk production of range ammo not economical. I've done the math a lot and there is no savings anymore , even if you bought the components before covid price spikes you can't replace those pre rona components for the same prices. Everything I am loading now is for obscure / hard to obtain and expensive calibers . If its 5.56, 7.62 or 9mm I am just buying it.

In fact I am seeing lots of progressive presses that have come up for sale pretty reasonably . To each his own but I am not tossing dollars away to save pennies. A good example is primers $89 - 99 plus tax buy all you want . in 2019 those same primers were 1/3 cost .


Assuming you have usable cases already to load you're going to spend .48 cents at today's pricing to load a single round of 5.56 with a 55 grain FMJ bullet. I can buy 5.56 in bulk for .46 cents a round and I can buy match grade ammo for just under $1.


When I buy reloading components in bulk it's either 8 to 16 pounds of powder at a time or none , and primers in the same fashion. If you're not doing it that way then you're doing it wrong because you're not even saving pennies over just going to the store and buying it.

The golden days of loading bulk ammo are gone but each their own .

Very true

The only advantage I see at todays prices, loaded vs reloading and this is why I still buy and load my own is, I enjoy reloading, and I try and build my stockpile for those times when you can not buy ammo or supplies. Yes you can do the same with loaded ammo purchases. Having a reloading stockpile allows me to have access to multiple calibers as needed.
You are correct, for now at todays prices, on pricing of ammo vs reloading supplies, it is a break even right now, and some calibers are cheaper loaded, 9mm for one. For me the only reason I would by loaded ammo is to build my brass supply, which will double down on savings, for future reloads sort of, that would be the only advantage for myself that I see. Of course I still prefer to use Starline or similar new brass if I am looking for brass. The consistency of commercial loaded brass is all over the place, for reloading.

 

[Rez Exelon]

Reloading is a numbers game. For exmaple, if I was going to make 9mm right now:
* Primed case - 8 cents
* 125gr JHP projo - 12 cents
* Powder - 4ish cents

So probably around 25 cents per round. Compared to probably a dollar per at the store for JHP. I could do FMJ for the same price, but why? I figure in this case it's a savings of 75 cents per case. If I have a progressive and I can make 500/hour then that is "worth" $375 in savings. A fairly good return on my time.

Switch that to .223 and then numbers are still fairly close on cost, but the comparison to M193 or SS109 is more like 15 cents different. So that shifts the "worth" to around $75.

Now, run the numbers again assuming I was making 100/hour on a single stage. That changes the hourly rates down to $75 and $15. Not bad, but not nearly as great for the time.

If I swap the Dillon into single stage mode, I can still load the obscure stuff as well. It's easy to crank out 100 375H&H or 45/70 or 416 or whatever in that mode. And 100 rounds of that is much more worth my time in the savings department anyways.

 

[Arnie]

I have a Dillon 550 and like it, but I don't shoot enough to justify it. If I had it to do over, I would buy three single stage presses.

 

[Rez Exelon]

I have a Dillon 550 and like it, but I don't shoot enough to justify it. If I had it to do over, I would buy three single stage presses.

Why not look into one of the single stage conversions for the Dillon that are out there. You can pry mine from my cold dead hands, it's so useful.

 

[Aries]

Why not look into one of the single stage conversions for the Dillon that are out there. You can pry mine from my cold dead hands, it's so useful.

Your terms are acceptable.

(just kidding)

 

[WoodsCraft]

For me the only reason I would by loaded ammo is to build my brass supply, which will double down on savings, for future reloads sort of, that would be the only advantage for myself that I see. Of course I still prefer to use Starline or similar new brass if I am looking for brass. The consistency of commercial loaded brass is all over the place, for reloading.

I actually just made a purchase like this , when I purchased some 223 Norma Range ammo . Sadly that was the ammunition's only saving grace . The consistency of the loaded product was abysmal at best and it was averaging 3 to 4 moa at 100 yards. The brass though being that its Norma will be worth keep for when and if I want to load some 5.56 ammo for a stick shift .

 

[Rez Exelon]

Your terms are acceptable.

(just kidding)

Don't be hateful because @mouthpiece loves me more

 

[mouthpiece]

Don't be hateful because @mouthpiece loves me more

Oh snap

 

[WoodsCraft]

Reloading is a numbers game. For exmaple, if I was going to make 9mm right now:
* Primed case - 8 cents
* 125gr JHP projo - 12 cents
* Powder - 4ish cents

So probably around 25 cents per round. Compared to probably a dollar per at the store for JHP. I could do FMJ for the same price, but why? I figure in this case it's a savings of 75 cents per case. If I have a progressive and I can make 500/hour then that is "worth" $375 in savings. A fairly good return on my time.

Switch that to .223 and then numbers are still fairly close on cost, but the comparison to M193 or SS109 is more like 15 cents different. So that shifts the "worth" to around $75.

Now, run the numbers again assuming I was making 100/hour on a single stage. That changes the hourly rates down to $75 and $15. Not bad, but not nearly as great for the time.

If I swap the Dillon into single stage mode, I can still load the obscure stuff as well. It's easy to crank out 100 375H&H or 45/70 or 416 or whatever in that mode. And 100 rounds of that is much more worth my time in the savings department anyways.

Unless you're using a Berry's plated hollow point you're not getting a hollow point for 12 cents. Its just not happening in the current economy and the prices .

A good Sierra ( the cheapest is the sportsmaster is .49 cents ), Hornady (XTP .23 cents) , Speer hollow point (gold dots .46 cents a piece) , etc can't be had for 12 cents . primers are a dime now, and a 4 grain charge of ww231 is 0.02 cents so you're math just went out the window at current prices. with a round of 9mm costing costing 0.35 cents for the cheapest load and 0.61 cents for the most expensive load assuming you already own the brass. That price range is $17.50 to $30.50 dollars a box depending on what you want. to load I can buy loaded 9mm defense ammunition for as low as $19 a box and can get it for $29 a box or more depending on the manufacturer and bullet. People tend to ignore the hazmat cost and shipping to get those components to your door too when those get factored in the price is a wash .


I just did the 5.56 math earlier , and I proved its 2 cents cheaper to buy than load. If things ever calm down a little we may see reloading compoents get cheaper again but Inflation also set in so I doubt we will get to to see primers or powder as cheap as they were pre 2020 .