I'll agree getting range brass is becoming more of a challenge, but I would dare some range officer tell me I can't retrieve my own brass. I'd be filing a criminal thief complaint 5 minutes later. Leftover brass isn't theirs until it is donated by the shooter and dumped into the ranges brass barrel.
Cost to reload .45
- Thread starter Empe
- Start date
I'll agree getting range brass is becoming more of a challenge, but I would dare some range officer tell me I can't retrieve my own brass. I'd be filing a criminal thief complaint 5 minutes later. Leftover brass isn't theirs until it is donated by the shooter and dumped into the ranges brass barrel.
J. R. WEEMS
Member
.45 RELOADS
Others have chimed in pretty much on current costs. I am lucky enough to have zero cost of brass, other than the cleaning process. With using what I have on hand in the way of compoents my current cost is about $3.50 a box of fifty. Makes it a no brainer for me. You can be sure even cost of reloading is going to go up for new reloaders or those who didnt prepare for the up-coming. Still, there are still sales for online sellers unless you live in a blue state.
Others have chimed in pretty much on current costs. I am lucky enough to have zero cost of brass, other than the cleaning process. With using what I have on hand in the way of compoents my current cost is about $3.50 a box of fifty. Makes it a no brainer for me. You can be sure even cost of reloading is going to go up for new reloaders or those who didnt prepare for the up-coming. Still, there are still sales for online sellers unless you live in a blue state.
bigggbbruce
Member
Not if you complete the phrase... Compared to factory, you won't save money, you'll just shoot more for the same cost.
fredj338
Member
No, you MIGHT shoot more. I shoot less now than I did about 25y ago, so your ammo cost, per round is ALWAYS less, much less. It's an oft used saying that just isn't always true. We wont even go into the cost of handloads using bullets you make yourself. Stupid cheap shooting, but yes you spend more time making the ammo that way.
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Even when you complete the phrase the way you did, it still isn't universally true, and the two are not mutually exclusive.
As I stated/explained in post #32 above. Because I reload I shoot more rounds and still spend less money for ammo.
I used to shoot more but shoot less now. Either way, each reload I shoot costs less than a commercial round. So yes, one can save money reloading. One can also shoot more for the same dollar amount, if one chooses to shoot more.
Reloading, unless you have to buy cases every time you reload, is going to be less expensive than buying factory new or commercially reloaded ammo. With the 45 ACP, you can really save some money by reloading with cast lead or powder coated lead bullets.
Have I saved money by reloading? Most definitely and that allowed my to shoot a whole lot more than if I had bought factory ammo.
As for range policies on brass, I have had the misfortune of shooting at a couple of ranges that had such policies. One range even had containers into which you had to dump your revolver brass! Another range forbade the use of steel cased ammo. Why? Because some ranges sell the brass, either for scrap value or to commercial reloaders or possibly to private reloaders. It's an additional revenue stream for the range.
Have I saved money by reloading? Most definitely and that allowed my to shoot a whole lot more than if I had bought factory ammo.
As for range policies on brass, I have had the misfortune of shooting at a couple of ranges that had such policies. One range even had containers into which you had to dump your revolver brass! Another range forbade the use of steel cased ammo. Why? Because some ranges sell the brass, either for scrap value or to commercial reloaders or possibly to private reloaders. It's an additional revenue stream for the range.
derek45auto
Member
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Happiness is when you spend all afternoon shooting, and still have big bags of ammo left for next time.
My DILLON XL650 with casefeeder and powder check system is a wonderful thing.
My DILLON XL650 with casefeeder and powder check system is a wonderful thing.
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The commercial ranges that I have shot at in my area, allow shooters to pick up their own brass. They get plenty of brass left behind by non-reloaders. They don't allow steel cased ammo, but they say that it is because the coating on the steel cases clog up the air filters. They allow aluminum cased ammo, so I suspect their reasons are valid.
I have been loading .45ACP for over 50 years.
Primers are 3 cents each.
Powder is 1 cent for my target loads of 3.5 gr each.
I buy lead for $1/pound for 185 gr. target SWC so each bullet costs 2.7 cents each.
Brass is accumulated over the years and at my club there is more .45ACP brass in the barrel than you can shake a stick at.
So before accounting for equipment depreciation I'm at 6.7 cents per round.
My equipment has loaded 10's of thousands of rounds (target shooter) so it's hard to determine the depreciation along with the fact it's a hobby, so how do you put a price on that stuff?
6.7x50=$3.35/box of 50.
Stu
I'll buy that for indoor ranges, but I shot at one outdoor range, where you were not allowed to police your brass, that had big signs up forbidding the use of steel cased ammo. I seriously doubt that it was an air pollution problem, but more an issue with having to cull out steel cases from all of the brass they collected.
hdwhit
Member
It varies.
My self-defense rounds use Hornday XTP bullets and nickel plated cases. They probably cost as much as commercial ammunition, but I'm betting my life on them, so they are loaded slowly and with a great deal of care.
My training rounds use factory lead bullets and brass cases. There is a cost savings from loading my own, but it is not much compared to factory blulk purchases. The reason I load my own is not so much cost as the fact that I have a practice load and a self-defense load that both reliably impact the target at the same place. I can't count on that from commercial ammunition with different bullet configurations.
Fishslayer
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
That's about where I'm at. Exact figure would depend on what bullet I'm using.
Since my buddy & I have started casting our own I'm sure the average has decreased quite a bit.
webley green
Member
My indoor shooting range allows only brass (and nickel) ammunition, no problem with reloads. No steel or aluminum cases. The brass is swept regularly by the RO unless you specify you are a reloader and need your brass. Since I shoot revolvers about half the time, the empties go right in the bag.
But getting back to reloading 45acp, shooting lead is the way to save money imho.
But getting back to reloading 45acp, shooting lead is the way to save money imho.
Qc Pistolero
Member
I've been reloading since the mid '70s.Some of my nickel .38 brass don't have nickel anymore and some of my .45 acp brass have barely readable headstamps from hitting the bolt face.
These 2 low pressure calibers can be reloaded 30 or more times before brass lets go.So if you have 10Ks of each,you can shoot quite a long while before you have to replenish your inventory!
These 2 low pressure calibers can be reloaded 30 or more times before brass lets go.So if you have 10Ks of each,you can shoot quite a long while before you have to replenish your inventory!
My cost to reload .45acp is about $5 for a box of 50. This is with zero cost for brass, and using powder coated 200gr SWC bullets.
If you're new at this, I think it pays to stock up/invest in reloading components as they seem to go up in price pretty fast. I'm working off powder that cost $17 per pound and primers that were purchased at $20/$25 per thousand. Same with bullets, lead has increased in cost a bunch over the past 10 years. I used to buy a bag of lead shot for around $25. I checked yesterday and they are at $45 per bag...! It's nice to be working off old stock/prices!
You can definitely save a lot of money reloading. Especially when doing the larger and/or more exotic calibers.
If you're new at this, I think it pays to stock up/invest in reloading components as they seem to go up in price pretty fast. I'm working off powder that cost $17 per pound and primers that were purchased at $20/$25 per thousand. Same with bullets, lead has increased in cost a bunch over the past 10 years. I used to buy a bag of lead shot for around $25. I checked yesterday and they are at $45 per bag...! It's nice to be working off old stock/prices!
You can definitely save a lot of money reloading. Especially when doing the larger and/or more exotic calibers.
Road_Clam
Member
So if I do my "handloading saves money" math for loading 16 different calibers :
equipment investment : About $2445
powder : about 322 lbs of powder = $8300
primers : about 66K = $2376
brass : thousands of pieces and absolutely NO idea $$
bullets: about 85K a wild guess would be an average of .08 ea = $6800
so i'm at a grand total invested of $19,920 not including my purchased brass which again I have no clue as some is purchased new, some is purchased once fired, and a lot is "free" gun club range pickups. So by my estimation I will start saving money after I load about 35,000 rounds. I shoot about 50 rounds a week, so in about 14 years I "might" start saving money. I'm investing now for a fun retirement hobby (got about 15 years till retirement) I could care less about the nickle/ dime cost arguments, as I've said many times I handload for the passion, the precision, the relaxing therapy, and the independence.
equipment investment : About $2445
powder : about 322 lbs of powder = $8300
primers : about 66K = $2376
brass : thousands of pieces and absolutely NO idea $$
bullets: about 85K a wild guess would be an average of .08 ea = $6800
so i'm at a grand total invested of $19,920 not including my purchased brass which again I have no clue as some is purchased new, some is purchased once fired, and a lot is "free" gun club range pickups. So by my estimation I will start saving money after I load about 35,000 rounds. I shoot about 50 rounds a week, so in about 14 years I "might" start saving money. I'm investing now for a fun retirement hobby (got about 15 years till retirement) I could care less about the nickle/ dime cost arguments, as I've said many times I handload for the passion, the precision, the relaxing therapy, and the independence.
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Well, if you basically buy a factory worth of equipment and supplies, then yeah, it will take a while to recoup the investment.
I have more like $500 in equipment,and another couple of thousand worth of supplies. So my payback time is a little more reasonable. FWIW, you don't really count the They are an alternate and significantly reduced cost (compared to buying ammo).
The equipment counts, but the consumables, not so much.
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