But, if like most, equipment purchases are limited to necessary items and a few nice to haves plus reusing cases, etc., reloading saves a lot, especially in todays over priced market.

Just for example:

I can reload .223/.556 for between 24 & 29 cents a round depending on components used, primarily bullets. Each time I went to my local outdoor shooting park, I bought (99% once fired) 200 to 300 pieces of fired brass for 3 cents a round until I now have about 1,500 cases. I decided to settle on one powder, CFE 223 and bought 4 lb. each in two separate purchases. Bullets were bought in increments of 500 and 100 to provide a variety for load development and practice ammo. Primers of course one thousand at a time except for some Federal Match 100 packs just for experimentation.

I load 45ACP, 40 S&W, 10MM, 9MM, 308 Win, 30-06 and recently 32 S&W. With exception of the 32 S&W brass and bullets have been acquired in quantity over the years both new and once fired with bullets the same. Buying in bulk and over time whenever good prices are available has allowed me to skip most of the current price inflation and scarcity. Most knew prices would go up after Nov ’08 and many started buying as soon as the primaries were over and the candidates selected and jumped on every opportunity since. While consumables like primers, powder and bullets are tough to find at any price, many have reached their stockpile and affordability limits and the frenzy is starting to slow. Prices will eventually come down and availability increase as demand slows and price gouging in some cases can’t be sustained.

When the new normal is realized whatever that is smart reloaders will buy consistently over time understanding that like most things, prices always go up and what you bought today will likely be cheaper than the prices years from now. I have Federal HydraShock 10MM ammo I bought on sale at a gun show when 10MM was falling in popularity for $5.50 a box of 20 and Federal 36 grain .22 rimfire boxes of 550 each when they were on sale at Walmart in 93/94 for $8.88 a box and many more examples.

The bottom line is prices are relevant to time and place. If one waits to buy until out and in immediate need and then buys only the minimum you will never achieve savings or security. But instead if one waits to buy until conditions are favorable with future developments in mind and buys in bulk, over time a great savings is achieved. I have 45 and 308 cases I’ve had since the 70s when I bought surplus fired range cases from the Marine bases I was stationed at. The 45 are in such quantity that I don’t bother counting how many times they have been fired as they can be fired almost indefinitely if one doesn’t load high pressure loads.

One of my presses a Dillon SDB I’ve been using since 92 and a Lee single stage since ’04. Can I beat the dollar a round price of much of todays ammo? You bet.