Reload or Buy new

[prof_fate]

Rifle brass 10 to 20 times, pistol brass...can't say it's unlimited but nearly so.
Rifle brass stretches and needs trimmed so the neck area gets thinner over time and cracks.
Pistols don't do that. Read a test someone did - reloaded some cases 150 times just fine - then gave up counting.

[25yretcoastie]

Rusty, The 45acp would be ok to pick up as one of those is on my list also, and for the 30cal carbine I guess it would be better in the long run to buy cases or factory load brass caseings and reload those

[BlackEagle]

I've lost count on how many times I have reloaded my .223 cases and my .357 cases. They have more than paid for themselves. I had to discard one .357 case...cracked.
One of the best things reloading does is to let you "tune" the round to your gun to get the best precision. I've done that with both calibers that I reload. I can reload pistol caliber for about half the cost of new ammo, .223 for about a third the cost of new ammo. I found a used progressive press. Dies, kinetic puller, scales, powder pan/funnel, case trimmers, primer pocket cleaner, Lee zip-trim, primer seater, de-burring tool...plus heads, primers, and powder...I think that's about all, but I think it's paid for itself in the first year. I've reloades well over 1000 rounds of each caliber over the course of the last year. That is low volume compared with some here. Oh...almost forgot; a workbench to work on.

Reloading is addictive.

It gives you flexibility with your cartridges and all the fun of developing the best load for your gun. You can feel proud when you hear the bang and see the holes appearing in the target in a better pattern than commercial loads could give, and know that "I made that".

[cranky cj]

Cheaper? Maybe, maybe not when you figure in how deep you tend to get into it. However, when you figure in the high end bullets for hunting you can load specifically to your gun and you also shoot more and spend more time getting better to test out your hand loads, it could turn out to be cheaper.

Look at it like this, and I think most hand loaders do, it is a hobby.

Last season my 14 yr old son shot his first deer with a round he himself hand loaded specific to his gun. His sense of accomplishment was appearant on several levels.

[like it all]

Handloading can be much cheaper or only a little cheaper depending on how far you go with it. If your comparing equal quality of materials and performance it's a lot cheaper. I currently load a 175 grain semi wad cutter for my 40S&W at around a nickel a shot. Thats $2.50 a box of 50. This is using home cast bullets made from wheel weights, 231 powder, and WW primers. Thats cheaper than rimfires. Rifle ammo is more expensive but you can build some exotic loads for about $10.00 a box of 20, which would compete with the so called premium stuff going for $35 and up. But you can cut that price down with shopping for componants