How can you reload for 3 or 4 cents a round?

[drumminor2nd]

Here's a quick calculation that doesn't include free stuff for 9mm:

Powder and load: 3.6 gr Titegroup at $37.99 (Cabelas price two weeks ago). Thats over 1,900 shots per pound -- just under 2 cents per shot.
Bullet: Berry's plated 115gr 250 x $29.99 (Cabelas price two weeks ago), so a shade under 12 cents each. Casting will bring the price down -- 60 shots in a pound of lead, and $1-3 is the price of lead I've been seeing these days, so 1.7 to 5 cents each not counting maybe a penny or two per 100 shots for the electricity or propane.
Case: $121.50 for 3,000 once-fired from an online seller, times 3 for useful life (so 9,000 case-shots)
Primer: 8.9 cents each (price I saw on Midway this week was $89 per 1,000 and local shops that don't scam have been about the same)

Not counting tax or shipping, it comes to 24.2 cents per shot, $12.10 per box of 50. Multiply by your local sales tax rate, then 10% more for shipping for the "true" cost -- for me, about 26 cents per round if bought in person, or 28 cents shipped -- so $13-14 per box.

If using found range brass and $1 a pound cast bullets, you can drop that down to about $6.25 a box -- most of that price is the primers.

 

[Drm50]

How does living in Rust Belt make a difference?

Lead & Tin were used in heavy industry, mills and mines. Nobody bought lead or tin. Would be like selling snow balls to Eskimos. I’ve got several ton of lead and about half ton of tin.
* a cubic foot of lead weighs over 700lbs. Gold is over 1200lbs.
If you live where there was no industry you are going to have a hard time scraping up bullet metal. That dirty word “BUY” pokes it’s head up.

 

[raljr1]

I think my average cost for primers in my stash is probably north of 12 cents each. I have a couple thousand 9 mm cases, and bullets are 11 cents so it probably costs me north of 25 cents each, still cheaper than I can buy them, at least for now. Meantime I use the primers for 357 and 38s instead. The economics are better.

 

[lrrifleman]

I started reloading in the mid-1970s. The company (Omark) that owned the company my dad worked for also owned Speer, CCI, and RCBS ... so we got our single stage press and dies (plus components) at the employee discount. In the late 1980s I discovered Dillon and bought a SQB, and upgraded to a 550B in the early 1990s. Having shot competitive Service Rifle for over 20 years, and dabbled in IHMSA and NRA 2700s for about 10 years using only handloaded ammunition, I feel that my reloading equipment has more than paid for itself ... so I don't even factor in the cost of my equipment.

In the early 2000s, I started casting my handgun bullets and laid in a generous supply of powder and primers. A fellow Kiwanian ran a junkyard, so I "purchased" a few hundred pounds of wheel weights. At the time I was shooting just 38 Special, 357 Magnum, a (light loaded) 41 Magnum, and 45 ACP. At that time, I could load a box of 38 Special for about $2.60, 357s and 41s for about $3.00, and 45s for about $3.25.

In 2007 I was in an accident that left me disabled, so I didn't shoot/reload/cast for about 7 years. I've been back to reloading since about 2014, and I'm just getting back into casting. All the while I still have a nice supply of 231, 296, BE, Unique, Red Dot, Blue Dot, AA7, Silhouette, RE19 (?), 2520, 4064, and 4895 and a few years worth of primers.

I've set myself up to handle polycoating (under a $60 investment) my bullets since I've gotten into GSSF matches. As such, my handgun ammo (at current prices) will run me about $9-10 a box, still cheaper than current factory ammo, plus the nice factor is, I'm still shooting when others aren't. I'm now able to reload: 38 Special, 357 Magnum, 9mm Luger, 380s, 357 Sig, 40 S&W, 41 Magnum, 44 Special and Magnum plus 45 ACP. Rifle-wise: 223 Rem, 224 Valkyrie, 25-35 Winchester, 270 Winchester, 7 Rem Mag, 308, 30-06, 30 Carbine, 40-65 and 45-70. I can also load my own 12 guage shells. Plus I have the ability to make my own percussion caps as long as I can stockpile roll caps, which seem to have disappeared!

An added benefit of shooting and working GSSF matches is that the Range Officers get to split the brass, since these are lost brass matches!

 

[socal s&w]

So, I'm guessing that all of you casters are getting free fuel to melt the lead for the bullets that you're casting? Seems to me that either electricity or propane/natural gas all cost money the last time I checked anyway. Unless you're cooking that lead using chopped wood, there is a cost. There is also a cost to clean your brass, no matter how little you clean it. That's not counting any extra lighting that you use to get the job done or fuel to pick up components.
I'm just pointing out that there are hidden costs that are not being properly presented and find it impossible, with those added costs included, to load a round of any kind for 4¢ per.

 

[marinevet]

I'm new to reloading, been doing it only about 1 1/2 years.......started when the price and the availability of ammo went way up.

I have plenty of .45, .40, 9 mm, .223.........the only thing I reload is .308......I load it for distance and precision........I can now buy good factory .308 for less than I have in reloading it. What I don't get with the factory ammo is the accuracy, and the precision I get with the hand loads.I will continue doing what I do with my .308 loads, and hopefully will continue to get better results as I learn more about what I am doing........

 

[.38SuperMan]

A month or so ago I finished up a brick of primers marked $24. I have a little old stick Bullseye remaining so you’re looking at a couple of cents for powder. If I cast bullets myself from free lead I could have loaded for 4-5 cents per round.

When I got into reloading many decades ago primers were around $8/1000. I remember my dad buying them for around $6.50/1000. I think 231 and 540 powders were around $8/lb too.

Reloading is more costly now for sure but there’s more to it for me than cost. I can Taylor the loads for my guns and how I’m going to use them. Even as expensive as components are now if you use lead bullets and look for the best prices on primers and powder you can reload cheaper than factory ammo.

 

[rosewood]

So, I'm guessing that all of you casters are getting free fuel to melt the lead for the bullets that you're casting? Seems to me that either electricity or propane/natural gas all cost money the last time I checked anyway. Unless you're cooking that lead using chopped wood, there is a cost. There is also a cost to clean your brass, no matter how little you clean it. That's not counting any extra lighting that you use to get the job done or fuel to pick up components.
I'm just pointing out that there are hidden costs that are not being properly presented and find it impossible, with those added costs included, to load a round of any kind for 4¢ per.

Most of what you listed is negligible in the cost calculation and dang near impossible to even measure to add to the cost. But you are correct, those are hidden cost.

Rosewood

 

[IAM Rand]

If you are starting from zero then you will not save money unless you load a lifetime of ammo. Even if you get a reloading station for free, you are going to go crazy with everything else you need to get to make your life easier. Reloading dies, powder scales, tools to measure COL, tools to measure headspace, tools to hold the tools.

Can you reload cheaper than you can buy? If you are thrifty, I believe you can. I think most to it because it is mostly relaxing and you can customize rounds to your particular gun. Hunter want more accuracy.

If there is a Reloader's Anonymous then please direct me to their website. I am now into casting my own bullets. I hope to stop there but...............

 

[glenwolde]

The first thing you do is step into the Wayback Machine.....

 

[jcelect]

Reloading to save money

Most of the posts talk about the popular calibers that today's shooters buy/shoot! There is an aspect too reloading that makes it possible for me to shoot. I shoot a lot of unusual calibers that many people never even heard of. 22 Jet, .256 Win Mag, .224 Harvey K-Chucker, 7mm TCU, and a couple more older calibers that are very difficult and expensive in today's LGS.
22 Jet ammo is about $100/50 and .256Win Mag is $150/50 when you can find it. The .224 K Chucker and 7mm TCU are wildcats so there is no price on the ammo. The brass for the K-Chucker and the 7mm TCU must be formed from other brass. I also form my .256 Win Mag brass from 22Jet brass, which is expensive, if you can find it! On my reloading bench I have a Dilllon 550B, 2 Herter's single stage and a Herter's Turret press (all of which would make good boat anchors), and a C-H 3 stage press. The Dillon handles all the modern pistol calibers, and the others handle all the pistol and rifle ammo. So, the cost of one round is not a factor I consider for my reloading!
jcelect

 

[lppd4]

Easy do it with components that were given to you. That's about the only way to get it done now. If you buy bullets you are looking at .08-.10 each primers used to be cheap so cheap I just factored high at .01 each. not the case anymore.

 

[GypsmJim]

If you are starting from zero then you will not save money unless you load a lifetime of ammo. Even if you get a reloading station for free, you are going to go crazy with everything else you need to get to make your life easier. Reloading dies, powder scales, tools to measure COL, tools to measure headspace, tools to hold the tools.

Can you reload cheaper than you can buy? If you are thrifty, I believe you can. I think most to it because it is mostly relaxing and you can customize rounds to your particular gun. Hunter want more accuracy.

If there is a Reloader's Anonymous then please direct me to their website. I am now into casting my own bullets. I hope to stop there but...............

Yeah, add it all up and you're spending a lot of money. Probably not worth it. But, then again, how can you put a price on personal satisfaction and enjoying a lifetime hobby? Buying cheap rounds over the counter at Wally just ain't real fun.

On the other hand a lot of my shooting is with a .357. I bought a Security Six brand new in 1972 for 85 bucks. Do why don't I simply shoot that thing over and over? I mean, what was I thinking spending $1200.00 for a pre-27? That was certainly not a cost-effective purchase.

 

[1sailor]

If you're reloading with supplies you bought years ago I can see where you may think it's only costing 3 or 4 cents per round. But really, that's only if you're not going to reload any more. Otherwise you need to consider that every time you fire off one of those 3 cent rounds you need to replace it with one that's going to cost considerably more. Fire off a hundred rounds that cost you $3 and you're going to spend $22 replacing them.

 

[jcelect]

Primers??????????????????

I just talked to a friend, and he said a LGS, 5mi from my house, is getting $12.95/100 for Fed Match Primers! That is $.1295/round before you even start to load your first round! How is it possible for a person just starting out in reloading to load his first 100 rounds and save money over factory ammo?
jcelect

 

[Protocall_Design]

Starting out, you don't save over factory. As time goes on, and the cost of equipment gets amortized over more and more rounds of ammo, you start saving. That's not the only thing to think about, though. If you reload, you can have ammo when many others don't have any. If you reload, you can make ammo to fit your wants and needs that you can't buy anywhere at any price.

 

[ajgunner]

I use bullets primers and powder I bought 15 years ago lol

Brass is pretty much free from friends, estates, and scrounged.
Bullets bought over the past 40 years (lots come from estates).
Primers bought new (stockpiled/hoarded) in the early 80's.
Powders bought new in the 80's and plenty of estate stuff going clear back to the 60's.

Don't think I can load anything for 3-4-5 cents, but I can get really close.

The best part is piece of mind, knowing I have what I need if/when I need it.

The next best part is knowing that none of this stuff will rot and go bad as long as I take care of it.

Every once in a while I open a new brick of primers and find the receipt inside---always puts a smile on my face.
Some of the powders are still sealed just waiting for me to get to them.

 

[reddog81]

Visited the local Scheels 2 days a go and primers were $69 a box of CCI small rifle. The BR-4 small rifles were still $120 or more but the plain small rifles were $25 less than I have seen in years.

 

[Tu_S]

..reload for about 3 or 4 cents per round...

I would guess that in 2020 I was around that for cost going through the old inventory, but those days are gone.

I look at it like the old stories about walking to school up hill both ways in the snow, although I guess I'm getting old since I mentioned to one of my friends kids asking for the TV remote how I used to trek through 10 feet of shag carpet to change the channel when I was his age

 

[rosewood]

I would guess that in 2020 I was around that for cost going through the old inventory, but those days are gone.

I look at it like the old stories about walking to school up hill both ways in the snow, although I guess I'm getting old since I mentioned to one of my friends kids asking for the TV remote how I used to trek through 10 feet of shag carpet to change the channel when I was his age

On a 13" black and white tv...