It comes down to what you want to do with your time and money. I have enough hobbies and activities that the investment in time and money needed for reloading are not worth it. I'd rather just pay the premium and have someone else do it. If I shot a lot more ammo, had less money, was a competitive shooter, or felt like I needed another activity in my life, I wouldn't hesitate to start doing it myself.
Opinions definitely vary, and people should choose whatever suits them. It is certainly true that if I were a millionaire, I'd just have Atlanta Arms and Ammo ship me 10,000 rounds of 9mm 124 JHP-G every month, and call it good.
(And also rifle ammo from Hornady, too, come to think of it...)
But currently I can load 100 rounds of 9mm in an average of 5 minutes (gotta love that Super 1050!) and I'm pretty much literally getting my ammo at half-price compared to bulk ammo sales. If I only shot periodically, that would be one thing---but for pistol ammo, I shoot a lot, and if I didn't reload I simply couldn't do so.
(Taking the difference between the cost of reloading versus buying bulk ammo for the rounds I shot last year, I could have bought 4 or 5 new handguns with the money. Hm. That probably explains the two new ARs I built, plus the new competition upper for another AR I use for Multigun, along with its optic...)
....so I guess I'm not really saving money.
But I am able to shoot
more for the money I'm spending.
Back when I was in grad school, I didn't have the money (or space) for reloading. I also couldn't shoot as much. So I bought bulk Wolf ammo, and rationed myself at the range. (It was horrible. I'm still in therapy for it. Range therapy, mm....)
Nothing wrong with buying on your own. Nothing wrong with reloading, either---and with reloading, you spend time and get better ammo for cheaper. Like everything else, you choose what you are going to spend---money or time.
If I was really worried about a few cents difference in ammo prices, then I'd probably have bigger issues.
I'm thinking there is a bit of a difference between "a few cents" and "27 cents versus 15 cents" on 1000 rounds. It adds up.
Another way of putting that is by saying that if someone buys bulk ammo at 27 cents a round, the price for their 1250 rounds is the price for someone to reload that
plus a thousand more rounds.
But then again, if you are just buying 1000 rounds for the next six months, sure, why not? Reloading does take a serious initial outlay, plus space, plus an outlay for components. Sure, if you reload you'll make up that cost difference, but you probably won't notice because you'll be busy at your reloading press.
On the other hand, if you are buying 5000 rounds a year plus have the space, reloading might be for you---because the $600 extra you just spent on ammo (versus reloading prices) can buy you a Dillon 550B and what you need to start.
...Freedom Muntions are perfectly decent from what I've heard. And Gunbot is very useful, particularly for buying self-defense ammo, or finding the current best bulk ammo price. (If it is in stock. Have to check frequently, otherwise you'll get there right after the provider has sold out.)
