So reloading guys I have some questions. Between me and my two sons we hunt geese, ducks, pheasants out west and turkeys. Lots of different loads. I switched to
TSS for turkeys now, my sons like bismuth for ducks. Anyway, we hunt quite a bit. Is it cheaper....way cheaper to reload? Just wondering if its worth the initial $$$ and how
much could be saved. I don't watch TV much if any and am a tinkerer so I easilly have the time. Just looking for thoughts.

Yes and no.
The current prices for components are crazy bad but do seem to be improving.
Powder and primers are still pretty scarce and lead shot prices are unbelievable high.
Non toxic shot - bismuth etc. has always been really high and then of course you’ll need very special wads.
Now isn’t a good time to start from scratch but if you could find someone who is selling out then perhaps.

I reload for expensive/ hard to get stuff these days, but have since the early '90s.
Back when primers were $70 per TEN THOUSAND!

Haven't reloaded shotshells in decades.
I stock up on sale/ clearance.

TSS is about $45/ lb, add primers etc, and better off buying factory ammo on sale.

BUT, if it's something you enjoy, or if you like tinkering and want to fine tune your loads, or try something not commercially available, load away!

I reload TSS, HW-13, and other heavy shot. I can work up a load for my gun that patterns better than ANY factory ammo. To me, that was worth it.

You can generally find a used MEC reloader for pretty cheap online. But yes other components are tuff to get right now, especially powder. I think there would still be a cost benefit to reloading but you may not be able to source all of the components, and most do it to tailor their loads and more of a hobby.

Yeh I get the tailoring my loads and doing more as a hobby but tbh if there is little to no cost savings I really don't need to get more crap. Just thought I'd ask
and get opinions.

It is hard to load bismuth for cheaper than what Boss ammo sells it for, trust me I have tried. You can load standard steel shot much cheaper than current prices.

I can load tss loads for MUCH cheaper than what these companies sell them for, and have a much more consistent product. I buy tss direct from the manufacturers in China for $32-$37 per pound delivered. My tss/steel blend waterfowl loads cost me around $35 per box to load which is cheaper than I can buy or load boss bismuth and I get a better final product. Heck, even low to mid grade steel shot is $30 a box around me nowadays. The "high end" stuff like black cloud and hevi metal I have seen sell for up to $60 per box locally

My tss turkey loads cost me about $3.75 a piece to load where the ammo companies charge 10 bucks a pop

Been millions of shotshells loaded with one of these. Look up component prices, figure how many rounds you shoot a year, and decide.

https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Shotshell-Reloading-Press/dp/B000NTKD28

When you do the math there is 7000 grains in a pound

It's way cheaper to load the specialty ammo you're talking about if you don't count the initial setup cost for the press and space for storing components. TSS can be loaded for half the cost of factory ammo. Bismuth, steel and heavy payloads of lead will cost significantly less than factory ammo.


OTOH- Promo target loads are a wash.

You'll save money on .410 and 28 ga. if you can find hulls. I doubt you shoot either of those at duck and geese. The intial outlay is going to be expensive and there's a learning curve. I've loaded steel shot in 10 and 12 ga. It works okay, but it seems more touchy than lead. I've never thought steel reloads to be better or even much cheaper than the shells you can find in store on sale.

With that said. Reloading both shotgun and metalic is quite fun and is another hobby your wife would love you being involved in.

I can do things with my 410 that a 10ga with steel shot could only dream of. That is the beauty of reloading. Knocking a limit of sandhill cranes out of the sky like a sack of potatoes with a 410

cost 7 bucks for the TSS to load 1 turkey load, add the wad, primer, buffer ect and figure your time how much could you save? and you shoot what 3 maybe 4 a year?

Wow!

How long to our resident anti-TSS guy shows up and tells you you shoulda got closer?

^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^

Not correct

You can pick up a used mec loader pretty cheap. I know when people were trying to find shells I never had a problem stepping into the reloading room and making what I needed.

I reload about everything, although less of shotshells.
When I started reloading none of the new shot components existed. I am not sure they are hugely better for hunting. I’m of course talking about turkey or coyote as lead is no longer legal for waterfowl.
I worked up a load using #5 nickel plated shot. It would be cheaper than bismuth or tungsten.
Reloading to recoup the cost would require loading in volume. Waterfowl would do that. Turkey not so much

With the price of lead shot I don't know if a guy can come out anymore loading shotgun shells anymore . At the gun store last week and 209 primers 80 bux a thousand. Wads still seem reasonably priced.

45-47 bucks a pound for TSS= 2.81 per oz X 2.25= 6.32 per load, thats not including shipping
so whats not correct?