From Redding Reloading Equipment
Redding Reloading Equipment was founded in Upstate, NY in 1946 and since that time we have continually tracked the economics of reloading as a method of reducing participation costs in the Shooting Sports. Reloading is a great hobby and for years has been both a cost savings means of participation and also has been the method for building advantages in competitive shooting sports disciplines through the creation of better performing ammunition. The primary barrier to entry has always been the initial cost of all the equipment needed to begin the activity.
The simple economic principle of return on investment applies to the cost of equipment as a fixed cost and the variable costs of components when compared to the cost of buying new ammo. Cost recovery of the fixed component is generally expressed in a time value.
With this year’s ammunition shortages and the subsequent and dramatic increasing in pricing of ammo, when available, the cost recovery interval of the needed equipment has shortened significantly. Traditionally, one could assume the cost of reloading was approximately half of the cost of new ammo with similar components. Savvy buyers could even reduce component costs and move the benefit ratio a bit higher. The initial investment in the needed equipment could be more than a reasonable consumer could bear.
Today, this is written on December 8, 2020, with costs skyrocketing for common plinking rounds such as SS109 5.56 now at $39.89 per box of 20, nearly $2.00 per round and the cost to load it around $0.30 with quality components and a 55 to 60 grain bullet yielding a comparable plinking round, the savings is much more dramatic. At a cost savings of $1.70 per round, the recovery time of the equipment cost is shortened dramatically. This of course is also a function of how many rounds one uses per month and that variable will impact the time. But two years ago, SS109 was readily available at $5.99 for a box of 20 and could be loaded for a little more than half that amount. It is true that component costs are going up as well and items are becoming more difficult to find but reloading still represents a good economic decision which has been made better with the current state of the market and the nation.
Redding Reloading Equipment has focused on building the finest quality, American Made products for the precision handloading market since 1946. To learn more about our ongoing commitment to the precision handloading enthusiast and to request a copy of the current Redding catalog visit: www.redding-reloading.com