RELOADING COSTS - WITH NEWLY PURCHASED COMPONENTS

chief38 · Mar 13, 2023

I was just curious as to what the current cost of reloading would be these days. I will use 9mm 124 grain ammo as an example as it is one of the more popular cartridges being shot now. Of course this example only applies to components at today's prices and assumes you have all the reloading equipment, dies and used cases. If you are like me and have components that were purchased back in the good old days, we can reload much cheaper of course. BTW, 9mm target ammo just might be the one cartridge that doesn't pay to reload (from a monetary standpoint) unless you already have all the components in stock. Factory ammo has recently been sold for close to that price in bulk.

9mm Polymer coated 124 grain RN bullet .11 cents ea.
small pistol primer .09 cents ea.
titegroup powder .02 cents ea.
---------------
Total Cost per round .22 cents /round
Total Cost per box of 50 $11.00 / box

note: other components and powders can of course be used and the prices may vary slightly, but this is at least in the ball park. The above components are just what I use for target practice.

Other calibers such as .38 spl, 45acp, .357 magnum, rifle cartridges etc. will have much greater savings over factory ammo and if you already have components in stock, quite a bit of savings can be realized. Prices obviously do not include the "fun factor" if you view reloading as enjoyable, it does not take into account the fact that you can of course tweak loads to your liking, and also does not include the fact that you can make what you want, when you want.

I actually did this just out of curiosity and figured I'd post it.

Inland7-45 · Mar 13, 2023

I use cast bullets for 10 of the 16 calibers that I reload. Exceptions are 30 carb, 30-06 , 8x57, .32 Win Spl, .32 ACP. and .351 WSL.

I also have some powder and primers that were purchased pre pandemic.

Even at today’s primer costs and $35- $50 lb powder I can still shoot .38 Special at a reasonable cost. I trust the quality and safety of the finished product as I have been reloading since the early 70’s.. Along the way I have added and upgraded my equipment to insure greater consistency, safety, quality and appearance of the finished product.

I am retired and I have fun with all aspects of reloading including bullet casting. So for me the amount of time spent is not an issue.

So even today at $100 per brick of primers I am still coming in at around 13 cents per round for .38 Spl., .32 S&W Long, .45 ACP and .45 AR. Larger capacity pistol cases with heavier charges of slower burning powders are somewhat higher.

While I started reloading to save money it has become the way to have a constant and reliable source of ammunition for less common calibers. I shoot almost all of the calibers used in the 1892 and 1894 Winchesters as well as .32 S&W Long and .38 S&W. These calibers show up on the shelf from time to time but you can never count on when you will find it or what it will cost.

So while the cost of components especially primers has made reloading more expensive it is still worth the effort.

Krogen · Mar 13, 2023

Over the years the 9mm make or buy decision has been a close call. Right now, I buy 124 gr FMJ 9mm. From a number of sources it's a toss-up whether it's cheaper to make or buy. So I save myself the time and buy it.

This is based on current prices as you say, chief38. While it's tempting to use my stash of old cheaper components, I consider replacement cost. Why use up my stash when the make/buy decision is a wash. I'll save the components for other cartridges where the decision tilts to buy.

I think we're in vigorous agreement!

Baltimoreed11754 · Mar 13, 2023

I have always reloaded with the exception of ccw defense ammo and hunting shotgun shells. I reload my own cas shotgun shells. Don’t shoot a 9mm except for an old Astra and a cas friend occasionally loads lead bullet rounds for me. I have bought post covid powder but no primers. I did swap cci sp primers for lp primers. I will use my sr primers in my small pistol primed brass.

mmb617 · Mar 13, 2023

I still have a lot of 9mm components that were purchased before the craziness so until that runs out my price is:

115 gr FMJ bullets 8 cents
small pistol primers 4 cents
Titegroup powder 2 cents

So 14 cents per round or $7 per box of 50.

Interestingly I could buy already loaded ammo for right about that price at the time I bought the components but I still wanted to load my own. I loaded up 10k rounds of 9mm three years ago and I'm still working off that stash. It's getting kind of low but I can load a couple thousand more before I'll be at the mercy of current prices.

Engineer1911 · Mar 13, 2023

Old Timer ammo costs

I believe my current supply of cast bullet reloaded ammo, powder, primers, lead, and brass exceeds my life expectancy or my ability to shoot safely. Therefore, my future normal reloads will continue to cost $1.75 per fifty, and magnum loads about $3.25 per fifty.

Due to inflation, the .223 Rem reloads for prairie dogs has escalated to 21¢ per round because of primers. I realized that 223 ammo today costs what 25-06 varmint reloads cost 15 years ago.

Nick B · Mar 13, 2023

For the price shown in the OP for the cast bullets you can buy jacketed bullets from Precision Delta for the same 11 cents .

reddog81 · Mar 13, 2023

9mm is the worst if your goal is "saving" money. I have reloaded and shot about 500 9mm rounds in the last 2 months just because I hadn't shot it much in the last half a year and wanted to shoot a few of my 9mms... With my own cast bullets the savings are greater, but the time commitment is triple versus using bought bullets.

Any of the other common handgun rounds can be loaded for about the same price - .38 Special, 45 ACP, 40 S&W and you save more over 9mm.

Beemer-mark · Mar 13, 2023

Not sure where your buying the cast bullets but a quick search shows them selling for about 8 cents on the internet (with shipping). That makes it $9.50 a box which is quite a bit cheaper than I've seen for any 9mm.

Rpg · Mar 13, 2023

I started reloading in the early 1960’s, primarily to develop hunting loads and to make ammo more accurate than commercial ammo.

In the ensuing years my reloading has focused on loading ammo that isn’t available commercially such as the 45acp load I use for everything: H&G 200gr semi wadcutter at about 1,000 fps.

I had a Lee Loader for 20 gauge and loaded a fair amount of it when I was in high school. I had plenty of factory 20 ga.ammo In stock: I just wanted to know how to load shotgun ammo.

Saving money on ammo has never been a primary reason to reload for me. It’s more about getting the ammo I want.

minconrevo · Mar 13, 2023

For over 10 yrs loading your own 9mm Luger, even in your brass, has been a break even proposition. I do it only because I can load better match ammo in 9mm than I can buy. I can buy good plastic coated 9mm bullets in quantity for about 8 cents each in quantity. Virtually any other handgun cartridge will be a cost saver over what might be on your ammo supplier's shelf. Too many cartridges are hard to buy as loaded ammo; those justify reloading. The more unusual ammo, like .41 Rem Mag, have always been hard to find to buy.

BourbonCowboy · Mar 13, 2023

Very informative.

I'm new to reloading. When the pandemic and panic buying started back in 2020, I found - like everyone else - that my hobby would be drastically curtailed by the lack of available ammo on the shelves or online. Because of this, I began looking into the possibility of reloading.

Over the last couple years, I have accumulated the necessary reloading components through purchasing or gifts (from my wife and other supportive relatives) and am about to begin the learning process. I've also collected the brass, primers, powder, and bullets needed. Some have said that I am going about the learning process incorrectly (starting with a Hornady Lock-N-Load progressive press), but I plan on learning with the one press that I plan to use extensively.

I decided to get into reloading for ammo availability and not for the cost savings (although that is a nice bonus if/when it happens). From my reading in this forum, as well as others, ammo shortages occur frequently. With this in mind, the ability to produce my own ammo will allow me to stick with my hobby through future shortages.

pharmer · Mar 13, 2023

I've been thinking about reloading for about 40 years. Let's say I shoot 2K 9mm, another 500 .38 spl, maybe 300 mixed .44 mag, .45 acp/Colt. Double that in .22lr but that's a "market price" round. Maybe $1000/ yr. If'n I reload the cartridges I might be able to do it for 1/2. $500 saved. I used to make over $50/ hr as a pharma rep so that's 10 hours pay which I don't reckon I can load in those 10 hours. Fortunately, even in retirement I can easily afford my ammo needs and the cash flow is not dependent on the economy. I do have 3 single stage presses out in the garage i keep telling myself I should use. Maybe soon. Joe

cmj8591 · Mar 13, 2023

I just started loading 308 for an M1A. Other than 223 and a hundred or so 3006 every year, I really haven't been loading much rifle. With components purchased over the past couple of months, I am loading 150 grain FMJ at about .52 per round, which is about half of what cheep factory ammo is around me. Even with the outsized prices, if you do any amount of shooting you will save money loading your own.

imakmst · Mar 13, 2023

Good post OP.

We can keep on reloadin' so we can keep on shootin'.
-and-
We can keep on shootin' so we can keep on reloadin'.

venomballistics · Mar 13, 2023

cheapest 9 I could find at midway is about 40 cents a pill, so you're around half price.
still makes me cringe, but that's where we are for now

venomballistics · Mar 13, 2023

Krogen said:
Over the years the 9mm make or buy decision has been a close call. Right now, I buy 124 gr FMJ 9mm. From a number of sources it's a toss-up whether it's cheaper to make or buy. So I save myself the time and buy it.

This is based on current prices as you say, chief38. While it's tempting to use my stash of old cheaper components, I consider replacement cost. Why use up my stash when the make/buy decision is a wash. I'll save the components for other cartridges where the decision tilts to buy.

I think we're in vigorous agreement!

when one considers time invested, yeah, it's a tossup between buy or produce.
I find myself facing that dilemma of late.
I was squarely seated in the 45 camp of the caliber debate. Now that I find myself looking to the 9 for range duty, I'll likely be buying and loading quite heavily for it in the months to come.

venomballistics · Mar 13, 2023

pharmer said:
I've been thinking about reloading for about 40 years. Let's say I shoot 2K 9mm, another 500 .38 spl, maybe 300 mixed .44 mag, .45 acp/Colt. Double that in .22lr but that's a "market price" round. Maybe $1000/ yr. If'n I reload the cartridges I might be able to do it for 1/2. $500 saved.

Oh don't kid yourself.
We don't save money reloading. We just shoot more.
Accept this truth and anticipate more quality time with your heavy metal friends.

rockquarry · Mar 13, 2023

You miss out on most of the the fascinating handloading hobby if all you want to do is save money, but there's certainly nothing wrong with looking at it from that perspective - your money, your time, and everyone's situation may be different.

If reloading ever became a chore, I'd get rid of my equipment and buy factory ammo. It might cost a little more and wouldn't be as accurate, but it would go bang.

venomballistics · Mar 13, 2023

rockquarry said:
You miss out on most of the the fascinating handloading hobby if all you want to do is save money, but there's certainly nothing wrong with looking at it from that perspective - your money, your time, and everyone's situation may be different.

If reloading ever became a chore, I'd get rid of my equipment and buy factory ammo. It might cost a little more and wouldn't be as accurate, but it go would go bang.

Economics ....
It's probably the most common path into reloading.
I started with 44 magnum as the local shelves seemed to only stock 240 grain lead flat points at the time.
Probably around 1000 FPS.
I bought a 44 mag because I wanted a 44 mag and that meant rolling my own.
I suppose I'm thankful for that market deficiency. It forced me into the playground section of reloading where the real magic is.
I hope the thrift driven find their way to the same sandbox eventually. There's some mighty fine toys to play with after you're done making copper wire from stretching pennies.

RELOADING COSTS - WITH NEWLY PURCHASED COMPONENTS

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