Reloading costs

[Engineer1911]

Saving money by reloading

I've done some internet research on material costs. Round trip to the outdoor range is ~100 miles = $15.50 for gasoline. I came home with 300# of range scrap/bullets = 185# of usable lead. Bullet mold is $20 (Lee) or $68 (Lyman). So far I have 3,500 44s and 1500 45s with about a third of the lead left.

44 Magnums: $20/ # of powder, $18 primers / per thousand, bullets $6 / thousand equals an approximate cost of $3.35 per 50 rounds.

45 ACP using the above costs calculates to appoxoimately $1.91 for a box of 50.

My brass cost is $zero because I picked it off the ground or carpet for free. My primer and powder cost is based on bulk purchases made immediately after the last election. I bought enough powder and primers to shoot for 10 years based on previous consumption.

 

[dcxplant]

I've been reloading and shooting now for a bit since the thread started.

I started shooting in a weekly steel competition at a local range, and the lost brass factor is about 50%......so much for spent brass being used over and over!

You should see us all scrambling around like crabs at low tide!!! Pretty funny...

I can't cast, but I have switched to lead, which does save a lot, thanks to the responses. I thought lead might be really gummy, but, I load to under 1000fps, and I've had no leading or any other issues with getting the pistol dirty.

Thanks again folks!

 

[Dmitri]

I know what you mean about 'crabs'. I case form .256 win mag out of .357. It takes a lot of time, and I need to reuse them. I'm shooting them and dropping them on the ground. I had to yell at people to show some respect and stop stealing them. Not that they could actually use them....

 

[Nevada Ed]

No matter how you slice the pie.........you are 4 to 1 ahead of factory loads when reloading.

I do pistol,revolver,rifle and shotgun.................

I would have to take a loan out at the bank just to shoot trap with Win. AA ammo and thats with out doing ATA any more !!

I don't get the yearly special at the rifle range for giggles........I toss out 5 pounds of spent primers a year into the garbage.....been more but I have slowed down on black powder.

I have those big high dollor "Red" machines that kick em out, but you still break even after 4-5 years if you are an average shooter. However the single stage Mec and RCBS will also work, putting out quality loads.

Lee's good too! Boy, dodged that bullet !!

 

[Backlighting]

Any recommendations for the reload set-up. How much $ to get a decent set-up for .40 S&W rounds? What will I need?
Thanks.

 

[YARDDOG]

Heck I shot my cast 357 mag 158gr SWC (100) rnds today at $6.30 ; ) PS That's at least $35 new, Just saying ; )

Y/D

 

[nipster]

Eventually after you recoup the cost of the dies, press, scales, power meters, brass, bullets, primers, cleaners, etc it does become cheaper. But it will take a while for all that stuff to "pay for itself".

Also, if you are like me, there are no ranges that I can shoot reloads at within an hour drive each way for me. No indoor ranges in my area allow reloads OR full lead bullets (except 22LR).

I could sneak them in, and risk being banned or charged some sort of "cleanup fee" for using lead rounds or some other made up fee. So that's why I dont reload.

 

[gregintenn]

I find a lot of brass and bullets for sale in classified ads in different gun websites. I also have a friend who runs a gun store. He doesn't sell reloading supplies. You'd be surprised how many people bring boxes of reloading gear, holsters, old ammo, etc. to him for him to dispose of. He usually lets me pilfer through the boxes. My last trip there netted me 300 45 230 FMJ bullets!

Primers are my biggest expense, as I've accumulated more brass than I'll probably ever use. Several years back, I bought a 4 pound jug of Bullseye. I'm not sure I'll ever get to the bottom of that jug.

 

[GMC man]

Nobody saves money reloading because you shoot a lot more. Try Penn bullets, great product, good price, and Bob is a great guy. Bob

Thanks Bob, I have been looking for more affordable bullets so I can start to reload my .40

I added a accessory rail under my pistol for a Shell catcher, it sure saves on the back and knees. The only drawback is after one clip it has to be emptied or it scatters shells on the deck.

 

[kennyb]

Eventually after you recoup the cost of the dies, press, scales, power meters, brass, bullets, primers, cleaners, etc it does become cheaper. But it will take a while for all that stuff to "pay for itself".

Also, if you are like me, there are no ranges that I can shoot reloads at within an hour drive each way for me. No indoor ranges in my area allow reloads OR full lead bullets (except 22LR).

I could sneak them in, and risk being banned or charged some sort of "cleanup fee" for using lead rounds or some other made up fee. So that's why I dont reload.

i'm not sure what place a "power meter" or "cleaners" have in reloading my reloading equipment paid for itself very very quickly at the cost of rounds like 41mag,44 mag,460 mag,500 mag.it doesn't take long...i get what i want,when i want loaded to my specifications and save a ton....so...if you shoot much...there is much to be gained by reloading

 

[RobsTV]

Any recommendations for the reload set-up. How much $ to get a decent set-up for .40 S&W rounds? What will I need?
Thanks.

A great way to start if you are only reloading one caliber is with a $25 Lee Classic Loader (check ebay). It is slow, but will get the job done, and nothing else is needed except a hammer, powder, primer and bullet, and your spent brass. No press, multiple dies, powder measures, scales, turrets, shell holders, primer devices, or calipers needed. Then start adding things.

A complete low cost kit that might have most of the parts you would end up with anyway, at around $200 or less, is the LEE CLASSIC TURRET PRESS KIT. Just add dies of your choice.

 

[delta-419]

Reloading Fun

I shoot a lot of old and some antique guns in calibers that are next to impossible to find in loaded ammo. If you do find it, the cost involves your first born. I started reloading in 1986 and never looked back and I still use the old Lee single stage press that got me started. I load for just about everything from 44Mag to Winchester 38-55 . I buy lead cast bullets in bulk of 500 rounds for all that I reload. Odd calibers like 38S&W; 32-40; 30 Luger; 9mm Ultra; 25-20; 32 Colt; 38 Colt; to name just a few, are where you save big bucks compared to factory ammo, if you can find it. Like others have said, reloading is a hobby in and of itself. I do reload for 45acp, mostly for my old 1917s. Enjoy!

 

[novalty]

I know what you mean Delta-419, I got the urge to get the Winchester 94 chambered in 25-35 WCF, that was my Grandmother's out of my father safe where it has been sitting for at least 25 years, and get it shooting again. From what I could find it was about $2.50 a round. So I picked up the dies and components to start reloading. Thankfully you can reuse the brass, cause at almost $0.50 each it is still kind of pricey when you ad the cost of primers, powders, and bullets.

What a feeling it is to fire off those first reloads.

 

[RichardF]

I just reloaded a 180 FMJ plinking 40 cal round with new brass at close to a max load for 24.9 cents/round.

Of course the new brass was a good portion of that.

 

[TexasRider]

I just reloaded a 180 FMJ plinking 40 cal round with new brass at close to a max load for 24.9 cents/round.

Of course the new brass was a good portion of that.

The next time through that cost is going down though. For the next 10 times through loading.

 

[iouri]

I've just started reloading; already have some brass stash. My first 500 rounds for 357 were "expensive" (I bought primers & powder from my local not so cheap LGS) a box of 50 turned out about $10.52 (cheapest in Wally World is about $24.99). Now I bought some bulk supplies online and even with hazmat fee my next 1000 will come at a whooping $8.72 per box I am in love with my 686 again and she rides with me on every range session cause I can afford to feed her now

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I've been reloading and shooting now for a bit since the thread started.

I started shooting in a weekly steel competition at a local range, and the lost brass factor is about 50%......so much for spent brass being used over and over!

You should see us all scrambling around like crabs at low tide!!! Pretty funny...

I can't cast, but I have switched to lead, which does save a lot, thanks to the responses. I thought lead might be really gummy, but, I load to under 1000fps, and I've had no leading or any other issues with getting the pistol dirty.

Thanks again folks!

If you're still talking about 45 Auto ammo, using current component prices I can load 230gr FMJ rounds for 18 cents each, $9.08/box. Using a 230gr LRN bullet the price drops to 13 cents each, $6.59 /box.

As for losing your brass at the match, may I suggest using a marker to color in your primers. This way you can easily identify your brass and most will give you back your brass when they see the color on the primer you say is yours.

 

[blujax01]

The next time through that cost is going down though. For the next 10 times through loading.

I'm reading a book about reloading and the author conducted an experiment where he selected 50 rifle cases and reloaded them 10 each with 5 different powders to see how long they would last. He kept them separated and reloaded each with the same powder, over and over.

As of the writing in the book, the experiment was in year 10 (TEN) and he still had 49 of 50 cases!

 

[Forrest r]

2 cents a round

That's what I've been doing for a couple of years now.

A buck a box for target loads (50 rounds a box) has been the going rate for a couple of years in my little corner of the world.

 

[Forrest r]

I find a lot of range brass & use it, sell it to buy the brass I want to use. I also scrap 40# to 50# (a 5 gal bucket) of scrap range brass & they pay anywhere from $1.60 a # to $2.00 a #, it just depends on what they're paying that day. I use the money from the scrap brass for buying bullet lube making supplies, gun powder, electric & propane for casting bullets, ect.

I use hill pickins/range lead for casting bullets. I use around 300# of clean lead a year to cast all the bullets I use/shoot. A by-product of the range lead is the copper jackets on the bullets. I turn 2 of them in a year & use that money to buy gun powder, bullet lube making supplies, propane, electric, ect. This is the 2nd 5 gal bucket full of the copper jackets from this year.

What the local scrap yard paid for them this time. The price is down from when I brought the last bucket in ($3.00 a #) but $2.70 a # or $126 & change isn't bad.

So basically I buy my primers, the wolf cost me $99 a case (5000) at a local gunshow.

Free lead/bullets
The brass & copper pay for my bullet lube/gun powder
my brass is free
I look at my molds/casting equipment as an investment. They are something I can use for years & sell for more $$$$ than I origionally paid for them.