What's going on with reloading these days?

[Erni]

For 38s if you are good with uncoated led bullets than you are right you will not break even for years even if you value your time at $0/hr, maybe never.
Step up to coated or normal bullets and hotter loads and you will pay for the equipment in a few years, as long as you value your time at zero again.
Payback is a lot quicker if you shoot thousands per year. But if you shoot less than a thousand a year then save your brass and minimize cost by selling it.

Myself I reloaded as a relaxing task until I ran out of time. Then the 9mm was sourced out to WWB. Then the 223 was sourced out to Wolf Gold.
I keep reloading 38s because I love shooting my revolver and the cheap ammo is not that accurate or clean. Barry?s coated 158gr bullets and a +P powder load. Not too hot but deadly on steel.

[whitewalrus]

The problem with going with the Square deal B is that dillon handgun dies are on such a long backorder you may not get them for another year. Also, if you shoot other cartridges you will find that you will want to load for them. Once you have all the setup for one, its just dies and conversion kit to load another. Once I started loading, I realized that I should just have the ability to load for anything I have. When ammo prices make it harder to save the money loading, I still will often load my own as that is what I am used to shooting.

With the revolvers, its too easy to keep your brass and keep loading it as much as possible. In autos, you have to count on losing a few here and there. So the brass will last a long time unless you are loading hot.

[Linkless]

For pistol I mostly use blue bullets (thebluebullets.com) which have the .38/.357 125gr RN for $291/3600. I'm loading on a Hornady LnL AP which is far more cost effective than anything Dillon makes and much easier/cheaper to swap calibers. It would take a long time to pay for itself but I've been using mine since they came out and haven't had any serious issues with it.

[beast556]

I load a ton of 357mag and a fair amount of 38spl. I use a lyman 8 turret press and can crank out rounds really fast.
Definitely look at the lyman 8 when you go to buy a press.

If your loading 357mag you will pay for your reloading set up pretty quick. None of the big ammo companys load a full power 357mag load or even anything close to full power.

[whitewalrus]

For pistol I mostly use blue bullets (thebluebullets.com) which have the .38/.357 125gr RN for $291/3600. I'm loading on a Hornady LnL AP which is far more cost effective than anything Dillon makes and much easier/cheaper to swap calibers. It would take a long time to pay for itself but I've been using mine since they came out and haven't had any serious issues with it.

The Hornady LNL AP is a very overlooked press. The caliber conversions are much cheaper than Dillon and the press is great.