What do you think about the cost of . . .

[G2]

Reloading?
OK Some of us here buy all of our ammo and other reload only, and some everything in-between.
I personally have all the equipment but have never set it up. I have o good friend that does most of my re-loading for me. He is retired and enjoys doing it. I enjoy the time spent w/ him working up loads, testing and shooting. For now that works for me. I'm really not shopping here as it cost's me way more than factory ammo, I feel I what I get is priceless.
Just trying to get a idea/ curious

I would like to get opinions on what you all feel you re-load a round of _______ for $$ ????

I will update this list as input comes in. Factory/ Reload

454
45 colt
45 ACP $24/50 - $8.60/50
44mag/spcl.
41Mag
357
38
32mag

This is mostly what I shoot, But feel free to add in any calibers you shoot too.
Each, per 50 , 100 what have you.

 

[contender]

Well, I've been at reloading for long enough now to have loaded enough ammo to more than cover the cost of my equipment. So,, I take that out of my equasion.
Next,, I've also been a brass scrounger long enough to have plenty of most calibers I enjoy a lot,, so that's another cost I don't have.
That breaks it down to just bullets, powder, & primers for me.
In USPSA competition,, I shoot a 45 ACp,, and I buy in bulk,, so,, my bullets cost me $130 a thousand, primers are $30 a thousand, And the powder I use doesn't take a full lb of powder, but for the sake of argument,, and since I buy it in 8 lb kegs, I'll say I get my powder for $12 a thousand. So,, that's $172 a thousand or less than 0.17 each for my 45 acp competition loads.

 

[tek4260]

Think how cheap they would be if you cast your own boolits for the 45 ACP too and took that $172 out of the equation 8)

 

[Doxadude]

Heck... I don't "save" any money at all... I always shoot my savings away. :lol: If I load my ammo at 1/3 of the cost of store bought, I always seem to rationalize that I can shoot 3 times as much as I would have normally.

I do enjoy handloading and bullet casting. I like being able to customize my loads... so if nothing else it's something I do for fun that just happens to let me send more rounds downrange.

 

[G2]

Think how cheap they would be if you cast your own boolits for the 45 ACP too and took that $172 out of the equation 8)

tek4260, Now I was looking forward to your post on some real #'s, Fact is another one of your post's got me a thinkin about what the hard #s really are. Factory -vs- Reloading.

Boolits were $130 not $172.
Cast your own, cost of the lead, lube, I don't know I don't cast anything but a fishing sinker.
Give us some real numbers, thoughts.

Contender; Your math is that new stuff that Obama uses... :D

$172 / 1000 = 17.2 cents/ea.

I buy winchester .45acp fmj for $24/50 = .48/EA . . . SO you can shoot ~ 3 to my 1.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Component prices vary as do all others, so I can't put an actual dollar figure on my reloads. What I've found, though, over some 45 years of rolling my own, is that a similar handload costs on average about half of what the factory load it's designed to replace would run.

So, when a box of .38 Spls could be bought for $10, my handloads were about $5. Now that a similar box of ammo might go for $18, it'll probably cost me about $9 to load. But that's based on the assumption all prices being compared are "current."

I say "current" because how one buys components can affect prices for a long time. For example, I'm finishing off some Unique that's some 30+ yrs old. It came in a 15 lb keg, w/ a handwritten price tag of $64 on it. When I have to buy more Unique and it's $16-$18 a pound (or more?), my powder price will "seem" to take a huge jump... but relatively it will still keep me within my "half" price range. ;)

Rick C

 

[tek4260]

G2,

If I bought all new componets, excluding the boolits, which I cast, here is the breakdown using the prices I pay today(looked up prices just now).

45 Colt. 325 gr over 23gr of H-110. Loading 100 rounds

100 new Winchester 45 Colt brass = 22.17
100 CCI 350 LMP primers = 2.72
H-110 powder =5.79 (per 100 based on 304 rnds per $17.59 can @ 23gr per load)
100 325 gr boolits = $0.46 based on 200# for $20 as bought from tire shop 200# = 1,400,000 grains or 4307.7 325gr boolits for $20

So, the cost for the first load is $31.14 per 100
Reusing the brass on the second load is $8.97 per 100

This is a heavy load, same as say CorBon or Buffalo Bore. CorBon costs 29.19 per 20 or 145.95 per 100

Save 114.81 on first loading
Save 136.98 on second loading, and each one after.

I have finished my 4th pound of H110 loading and shooting heavy 45's or ~1216 rounds. How much have I saved over factory for 1200 rounds? I am sure it is enough to pay for the RC press, 1010 scales, Carbide dies, LBT mould, Lyman 4500 and sizer, Lee Pro-4 pot.

Plus I get the satisfaction of rolling my own, plus the accuracy of weighing each charge (and the added peace of mind of not worring about a squib/double charge).

 

[Sheriff]

I broke down my 4 most reloaded cartridges. Some of the components' prices are higher now than when I last bought them so the prices are based on what I paid. Press, shell holders and dies I've had 30+ years so no value is added for them.

.32-20 .41mag .44mag .45colt
155gr cast .0597 215gr cast .0770 240gr cast .0770 255gr cast
primer .0185 primer .0185 primer .0185 primer
case (new) .1873 case (new) .1685 case (new) .1685 case (new)
4.5grs Uniq .0135 8.5grs Uniq .0255 10.0grs Uniq .030 10.0grs

total ea $ .279 $.2895 $.294 $.303

Hope you can read it. :shock:

 

[Scott]

I've just collected all I need to reload .45Colts, and I have it figured at about 16 cents a load with my used brass. Factory cowboy rounds (when I can find them), are consistently about 60 cents wherever I buy them. That figures to 44cents savings per round, until I have to buy brass, then it will be less; At that rate, I only have to shoot about 500rounds to cover the very roughly 200 bucks I have in the basic press/scale/etc. that I've accumulated.

 

[Yosemite Sam]

I just did a breakdown for a 50 round box of .45 Colt rounds: $6.97 for the bullets, power, and primers. Considering that box would cost me $35 or so, if I could find ammo like that, that's a big savings. Of course that doesn't include the cost of brass, initial reloading gear investment, nor any compensation for the time spent which could have been used for other things. Luckily for me I enjoy the time I spend at my press.

-- Sam

 

[jimbo1096]

I figured with the newer prices for components, it is costing me about $11.80 to load a 50 round box of 45 Colt using Winchester LP primers, H110 and 265gr LSWC bullets I just bought. That's using previously fired cases so there is no cost for brass figured in. Until I had to replinish my supplies, I was working with "pre-Obama" old stock and the cost was less than half that.
This is if my math and the prices are correct, I do have CRS sometimes.
jh

 

[Yosemite Sam]

... and the difference in cost is directly attributable to the powder. I pay $23/lb for HP-38 and use 6.5gr for my target load. The last H110 loads I did took 31gr of powder. Of course that was a .44 mag load, but still, at 31gr you only get ~225 cartridges out of a pound. With the lighter HP-38 loading I get ~1076. That's a big difference!

-- Sam

 

[Pal Val]

To steal from the ads:

Cost of reloading = +/- half of the factory loads ( 1/3 for .45Colt)

Maximizing a gun's performance with the right load = PRICELESS

 

[contender]

I goofed! I punched the numbers in wrong on my calculator,, and made a mistake. I have since corrected it. Maybe I figured out the secret to Hussain's way of thinking!!!???

Still back to the cost per round. At barely over .17 each,, that's $8.50 a box of 50 rounds,, compared to factory ammo.
Much cheaper.
As for casting my own for competition,, I prefer not to as the lube smokes things up enough when shooting fast that I can lose my target in the smoke.
But,, when I do cast,, the cost goes WAY down!

 

[desertrat]

....I have o good friend that does most of my re-loading for me. He is retired and enjoys doing it......

Don't know what kind of liability protection your friend has, but nowadays, I would not reload for anyone....period...for liability reasons alone.

Some say they would never sue a friend, but when push comes to shove, it happens.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

OK, well you really got my curiosity up and since I haven't figured out my cost of reloading lately I gave it a go. I order everything online and pay shipping and a Haz-Mat fee but I also try and order quantity to reduce costs. Generally I will add $5.00 to the cost of a pound of powder and $10.00 to a box of 1,000 bullets.

--- Powder 1lb -------------- Primers WSP or WLP ---------- Rainier Bullets 158gr --------- Rainier Bullets 240gr ---
AA#9 --- $17.99 + 5.00 -------- $29.99 / 1,000 -----------------$109.99 + 10.00 ------------- $142.99 + 10.00
BlueDot -- 16.79 + 5.00
Universal - 19.99 + 5.00
HP-38 --- 17.79 + 5.00

The powder per round cost varies with the number of rounds you can get out of a pound and the charge weight. I have calculated several moderate loads in .357mag and .44mag all using Rainier bullets. Lead bullets would be cheaper and jacketed bullets would be more expensive.

Cost / .357 Magnum / Moderate Load / Rainier 158gr Bullet / WSP Primer

1lb --- AA#9 ----- 13.0gr ---- 538bullets ----- .193ea --- $9.65 / 50
1lb --- BlueDot --- 9.6gr ----- 729bullets ----- .184ea --- $9.20 / 50
1lb --- Universal -- 6.0gr ----- 1,166bullets --- .171ea --- $8.55 / 50
1lb --- HP-38 ----- 6.0gr -----1,166bullets --- .169ea --- $8.45 / 50

Cost / .44 Magnum / Moderate Load / Rainier 240gr Bullet / WLP Primer

1lb --- AA#9 ------18.0gr --- 388bullets --- .242ea --- $12.10 / 50
1lb --- BlueDot ----13.0gr --- 538bullets --- .223ea --- $11.15 / 50
1lb --- Universal -- 9.4gr -----744bullets --- .217ea --- $10.85 / 50
1lb --- HP-38 ----- 9.4gr ---- 744bullets --- .214ea --- $10.70 / 50

...Jimbo :D

 

[WESHOOT2]

I notice no advice on overcoming the addiction; I've still got over $30K invested in crap laying about......(I mean, NEW 9x18 Mak dies, but I've never owned a gun so chambered; still have ten 650 toolheads completely set up, but I don't make thousands of 45 Colt or 41 AE or 10mm or 'cop' ammo anymore; so many cases I still find hidden reserves; enough gunpowder to eliminate any insurance coverage; the list goes on.....).
Ay?

 

[Yosemite Sam]

I notice no advice on overcoming the addiction; I've still got over $30K invested in crap laying about......(I mean, NEW 9x18 Mak dies, but I've never owned a gun so chambered; still have ten 650 toolheads completely set up, but I don't make thousands of 45 Colt or 41 AE or 10mm or 'cop' ammo anymore; so many cases I still find hidden reserves; enough gunpowder to eliminate any insurance coverage; the list goes on.....).
Ay?

Yes, when you start shopping around for a bigger house, with rooms that can become dedicated reloading and storage spaces, you know you've Got It Bad...

I'm to the point of weeding out crap from a bunch of old hobbies to make room for crap I need with my current hobbies. I've got 3 presses now, fer crying out loud!

-- Sam

 

[mattsbox99]

My biggest reloading expense is shotgun shells, which cost about $4 a box. I can buy them for $7.50 a box. I'm going to start making my own shot pretty soon so my cost will go way down.

I currently reload .38 Specials for $4.25/50, and .40 S&W for $4.35/50 with cast bullets, and $.125 each for Montana Gold jacketed reloads. I do buy in bulk, powder is $12/lb (Titegroup, Red Dot) Primers are $23/1000 (Remington cases) Montana Gold cases are $280/4000 bullets (5 cases at at time). I buy 100lbs of lead wheel weights for $15.

I have 5 presses right now, and I share a Dillon 1050 with a buddy, I'm gonna get my own soon.

 

[contender]

Yosemite Sam said he has 3 presses,,, ONLY 3??? Heck,, I have 3 Dillon set-ups, 2 RCBS Rock Chuckers,, & 2 Mec's.
HOWEVER,,, the costs have been minimal. I bought the 1st RC used,, and by the time I figured in the costs of everything I got when I bought all the stuff that day,, it was very cheap. I've bought a few RC's cheap at yard sales,, as well as the MEC's. I did buy my 650 new,, but one SDB was given to me,, and the other one was like new,, and I bought it in a pawn shop very cheap. Now,, a few of my accessories were bought new,, or given to me as X-mas or B-day gifts.
It's all in how you shop,,,!
And,, after a few thousand rounds of ammo,, that machine cost goes way down,,,!

 

[Doxadude]

I can relate..... 1 dillion 550, 1 lee pro 1000, 1 rock chucker, 1 lee classic, 3 mec grabbers and 2 mec 650 jrs. The only one I paid retail for was the lee classic. The grabbers were fished out of someones trash by a friend. The dillon and rock chucker were all bought from an estate of family of a nurse I work with. The dillon had been set up but never used, I mean not even one grain of powder in the hopper. The pro 1000 was an ebay deal. I really don't have that much invested in equipment all said and done.

Now... anything I have ever seen PALES in comparision to Hammer's set up. I wish I could find a link... the link I had was from the old sixgunner forum. Come on Hammer show us again!

 

[AKGrouch]

Sure wish we could get powder for some of the prices depicted above. Here in the Anchorage area, it runs between $26 and $30 a pound. Primers are $39 to $43 per M that I have seen in the last 3 months or so.

Looked in my powder stock the other day and noticed I had about 4 1lb cans of 4350. Each had a price tag of $6.50 on it.......must be 25 yrs old.

 

[WESHOOT2]

Yes, when you start shopping around for a bigger house, with rooms that can become dedicated reloading and storage spaces, you know you've Got It Bad...

-- Sam

Way past that; this house, bought in '93, houses my shop. It was a gunshop before I bought it.
It has a range (up to 300 yds!).
The shop is the only room I claim as 'mine'. It's full, I mean REALLY full.

I couldn't put numbers on my ammo, because the only things purchased this decade are some bullets and some primers (because I didn't already have 'those' bullets, and I didn't have 'those' primers. I just opened my last new case of CCI350 and the carton was marked --I date all acquisitions-- "1997").

 

[Yosemite Sam]

Yes, when you start shopping around for a bigger house, with rooms that can become dedicated reloading and storage spaces, you know you've Got It Bad...

-- Sam

Way past that; this house, bought in '93, houses my shop. It was a gunshop before I bought it.
It has a range (up to 300 yds!).
The shop is the only room I claim as 'mine'. It's full, I mean REALLY full.

I couldn't put numbers on my ammo, because the only things purchased this decade are some bullets and some primers (because I didn't already have 'those' bullets, and I didn't have 'those' primers. I just opened my last new case of CCI350 and the carton was marked --I date all acquisitions-- "1997").

Can you put me in your will? :D

-- Sam

P.S. I'm paying $20-24/lb for powder, but that's OTC retail. Some people pay near that mailorder, then add shipping and HAZMAT fees. Gets expensive quick.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I'm not addicted, No really I'm not. :roll: :roll:

...Jimbo

 

[Fishslayer]

Fact is another one of your post's got me a thinkin about what the hard #s really are. Factory -vs- Reloading.

I kinda gave up. The cost of the brass was always the hardest. "If I bought it for $.05 apiece & get... hmmm... HOW many reloads? What if I lose it? But scrounge 2 more for free?" AARGH! :shock:

Meh... I don't save any money, but I HAVE ammo (a consideration nowadays) and can shoot more for the same $$$.

 

[targetshootr]

I get powder and primers wholesale and when I was getting free wheel weights I figured it cost about 5 cents per round for 44s and 45s. Since I started paying for ww, it's probably closer to 10 cents/round. That's not factoring in the equipment which will go for most of what it cost originally, someday. Or factoring in all the leftover ingots I'll have to sell someday. So I may be shooting for less than nothing!

 

[Kanook]

I look at it not as how much I save by reloading rather how little I spend on custom taylored ammo.

many years ago I tried to figure out a "per load savings" and gave up. I reloaded so that the wife and I could do Sporting Clays at first, and have reloaded for all since then.

I bought a LEE Anniversary kit for $75 back in the day, and am still using it as my only loader. It takes some time to load for 2 people to compete but it gives me something to do.

 

[mattsbox99]

Here's my source for powder and primers. They give you quite a break for buying multiple jugs and flats of primers.

www.conniescomponents.com

 

[powder smoke]

Just got a new batch of bullets 45 colt 1500 250 gr RNFP cost 118.00 shipped to my door come to just under 8 cents ea. Primers about 3 cents each and powder 7.5grs of Unique about 3cents. Total comes to 14 cents for each round which comes to 7 bucks a box of 50.

That's a bargan IMO haven't bought factory stuff in quitesome time but they got be 30.00 something a box :shock: . Still resonable enough to shoot em up

My reloading gear has saved me a whole bunch of cash and in my case has been bought and paid for many times over not only that I like doing it relaxing. ps