HOUSTON RICK
Member
Learned ones, please give me some idea/estimate of how much you currently save by reloading/handloading any given caliber. Thank you! -Rick
Economies of Scale re: Handloading
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HOUSTON RICK
Member
Learned ones, please give me some idea/estimate of how much you currently save by reloading/handloading any given caliber. Thank you! -Rick
glen_farmer
US Veteran
Hello again.
Reloading 45ACP with Rainier Ballistics 200Gr. jfp and Hodgdon Universal at 6.3 Gr and Winchester WLP primers, the per cartridge cost is about 21.499 cents.
Reloading 9mm with a Rainier Ballistics 115Gr, JRN, and Alliant Bullseye at 4.5 Gr. and using a Winchester WSP primer, the per cartridge cost is 14.132 cents.
The 9mm has the least amount of saving of anything I reload.
The greatest savings are seen by buying reloading components in bulk. More than 1000 at a time.
Reloading 45ACP with Rainier Ballistics 200Gr. jfp and Hodgdon Universal at 6.3 Gr and Winchester WLP primers, the per cartridge cost is about 21.499 cents.
Reloading 9mm with a Rainier Ballistics 115Gr, JRN, and Alliant Bullseye at 4.5 Gr. and using a Winchester WSP primer, the per cartridge cost is 14.132 cents.
The 9mm has the least amount of saving of anything I reload.
The greatest savings are seen by buying reloading components in bulk. More than 1000 at a time.
BillM
Member
Rick,
Glen_Farmer's numbers look good to me.
Now the truth is that I don't save a single cent by reloading. Because the cost per round is less, I shoot three times as much!
For me it is not really as much about the cost as it is shooting. Reloading is another part pf my shooting hobby. I enjoy shooting the rounds I made.
Glen_Farmer's numbers look good to me.
Now the truth is that I don't save a single cent by reloading. Because the cost per round is less, I shoot three times as much!
For me it is not really as much about the cost as it is shooting. Reloading is another part pf my shooting hobby. I enjoy shooting the rounds I made.
ChuckS1
US Veteran
Casting my own 200 grain SWCs and free range brass, I estimate I can reload a .45 ACP round with 3.6 grains of Bullseye for a little less than a nickel each.
Paul5388
US Veteran
My son-in-law was visiting from the Dallas area recently. Trying to "break in" a Glock .45 ACP, he spent $40+ for 100 rounds. That's $.40/round for Fiocchi, which isn't the high priced spread.
Using Chuck's numbers, the same quantity cost $5. It takes a little time and effort to reload them, but I'm retired and have time for those activities.
You could also look at how many hours of paid labor it takes to buy those $40 factory rounds and the economy begins to make more sense.
Using Chuck's numbers, the same quantity cost $5. It takes a little time and effort to reload them, but I'm retired and have time for those activities.
You could also look at how many hours of paid labor it takes to buy those $40 factory rounds and the economy begins to make more sense.
duckloads
Member
Loading 45 colt with 255 gr SWC is roughly 15 cents each or $7.50 per box 50. I saved all my brass when I had to buy factory ammo. That's about 1/4 the price of cowboy ammo. So, I can go to the range twice as often and shoot twice as much.
I'm trying to work up an accurate 45 colt, 200 gr load to reduce the cost further.
I'm trying to work up an accurate 45 colt, 200 gr load to reduce the cost further.
.45, .38, and 9mm all cost me around $2.50 per box of 50, loading my own home cast bullets. The .45's are a little more than the ,38's and 9's, but all are under this price as long as I can buy wheelweights reasonably.
ohiococonut
Member
My biggest cost saver is the 50BMG. I currently have .89 in each round and they cost new $4-$8 each. Even with the cost of the reloading equipment I've already recouped my cost.
Jeff423
US Veteran
Please see this:
http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp
I'm currently casting with wheelweight ingots that I'm purchasing. By casting standards this is expensive. Even at that my bullets cost a little less than 1 cent per 100 gr. So a 230 gr bullet costs 2.3 cents.
Since I recycle the brass my cost is 4 - 8 cents per round depending on caliber.
Jeff
http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp
I'm currently casting with wheelweight ingots that I'm purchasing. By casting standards this is expensive. Even at that my bullets cost a little less than 1 cent per 100 gr. So a 230 gr bullet costs 2.3 cents.
Since I recycle the brass my cost is 4 - 8 cents per round depending on caliber.
Jeff
MrPhil
Member
I load a duplicate of my 9mm carry ammo for 11.08 cents each. That's using a true JHP at 7.56 cents each. Velocity in my Glock 19 is 1135 fps, a match to the 124 grain +P Gold Dots. The secret is to buy components in quantity.
I don't cast bullets, so my cost is in glen_farmer's range, if I ignore the cost of reloading hardware, polishing media, and my time. When I factor those in, the real cost goes up, but then it drops some over time, providing I keep a lid on the equipment purchases. I've been a good boy, lately, on that score...
1x2
1x2
pps
Member
Some of the scenario is even finding your flavor of ammo on the shelves. I've squirreled away enough components to last a year.
With mousefart 38's I can churn out about 300 rounds/hour (insert your hourly rate here)...3.4grains bullseye...9cents/round for hornaday swagged brass for pennies (scrounged, saved, or given to me...maybe 3cents) $.026 per primer with hazmat/shipping.
Lets assume you've already reloaded enough to have paid for your reloading equipment.
Bullseye $16/lb = $.0078 per round (not counting spillage)
Bullet $.09 (cheaper with casting)
Brass $.03 (cheaper with more reloadings per unit)
Primer $.026
Material per round: $o.1538 plus labor
Lets say $50.00/hr labor at 300 rounds/hr adds $.17 per round for a grand total of 32 cents/round.
If I'm loading to the upper end towards the ragged edge of sanity, I measure each charge and cannot/will not load 300 rds/hr.
I think it comes to how much your time is worth...or how much ammo is available in the store.
With mousefart 38's I can churn out about 300 rounds/hour (insert your hourly rate here)...3.4grains bullseye...9cents/round for hornaday swagged brass for pennies (scrounged, saved, or given to me...maybe 3cents) $.026 per primer with hazmat/shipping.
Lets assume you've already reloaded enough to have paid for your reloading equipment.
Bullseye $16/lb = $.0078 per round (not counting spillage)
Bullet $.09 (cheaper with casting)
Brass $.03 (cheaper with more reloadings per unit)
Primer $.026
Material per round: $o.1538 plus labor
Lets say $50.00/hr labor at 300 rounds/hr adds $.17 per round for a grand total of 32 cents/round.
If I'm loading to the upper end towards the ragged edge of sanity, I measure each charge and cannot/will not load 300 rds/hr.
I think it comes to how much your time is worth...or how much ammo is available in the store.
Skip Sackett
US Veteran
I cast for 97% of my shooting.
My lead is free because I get wheel weights from the place I get my work truck serviced. @ 95% recovery rate, that is still $0!
But let's say I have to pay 50 cents a pound for my lead. 7000gr per lb = almost 44 160gr bullets per lb @ 100% (more like 95% are keepers, remelt bad ones)or about 1 cent per bullet. I have some expensive molds but still, the same bullets from a supplier are $50 for 500 or 10 cents each.
My 38spl load of 3.5gr of Bullseye, my 160gr LSWC and recycled brass with Wolf SP comes to a whopping $1.82/50. On my reloading equipment I get those 50 rounds in about 15 minutes.
I have a lot invested in getting those rounds. My savings are nill. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet, and is the main reason to handload is, I get what I want when I want. I can tailor make rounds for purpose or firearm. I get just what I want or need for every situation and I can get it at one in the morning or at noon any day of the week.
Can you put a price on that?
With the coming problems on the political scene I want to have the ability to get what I want when I want. Fact of the matter may turn out to be: "I get what I want when I need it!"
FWIW
My lead is free because I get wheel weights from the place I get my work truck serviced. @ 95% recovery rate, that is still $0!
But let's say I have to pay 50 cents a pound for my lead. 7000gr per lb = almost 44 160gr bullets per lb @ 100% (more like 95% are keepers, remelt bad ones)or about 1 cent per bullet. I have some expensive molds but still, the same bullets from a supplier are $50 for 500 or 10 cents each.
My 38spl load of 3.5gr of Bullseye, my 160gr LSWC and recycled brass with Wolf SP comes to a whopping $1.82/50. On my reloading equipment I get those 50 rounds in about 15 minutes.
I have a lot invested in getting those rounds. My savings are nill. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet, and is the main reason to handload is, I get what I want when I want. I can tailor make rounds for purpose or firearm. I get just what I want or need for every situation and I can get it at one in the morning or at noon any day of the week.
Can you put a price on that?
With the coming problems on the political scene I want to have the ability to get what I want when I want. Fact of the matter may turn out to be: "I get what I want when I need it!"
FWIW
VAdoublegunner
Member
It is difficult to assess, because so much is dependent on what you are loading, how much you shoot, and whether you will be buying components in bulk locally or or have to incur additional costs to have them shipped. Your initial equipment costs, upgrades and accessories, and time will factor in too.
However, aside from the fact that you *will* tend to shoot a lot more, you will likely save a moderate amount to a bunch over factory ammo.
Or not, as in the case of cheap discount shotshells these days vis-a-vis the cost of premium components for handloads. And casting your own bullets, while it can save you a bunch in the long run, esp. for unusual or expensive boutique caster bullets, is fairly time intensive.
However, aside from the fact that you *will* tend to shoot a lot more, you will likely save a moderate amount to a bunch over factory ammo.
Or not, as in the case of cheap discount shotshells these days vis-a-vis the cost of premium components for handloads. And casting your own bullets, while it can save you a bunch in the long run, esp. for unusual or expensive boutique caster bullets, is fairly time intensive.
38 Special 1000plus fps. Buy in bulk. Cost is $4.00/box of 50(cast bullets). Cost of loading machinery(Dillon Progressive, of course), brass ect. long since paid. Usually shoot about 6000 to 8000 assorted calibers per year so I'm not sure there is any overall savings since I use so much. However, couldn't shoot even a little bit if I didn't load, as much as I dislike doing it(have been at this for 41 years).
ChuckS1
US Veteran
I started reloading because of cost, but I have to say that the whole process of casting my own bullets abd reloading to get exactly what I want and what my guns shoot best is the real reward here. I shoot at 25 yards and every one of my centerfire handguns has a tailored load that will group less than 2 inches off a rest at 25 yards. For my bullseye guns, that shrinks to an inch at 25 yards and 2 inches at 50 yards. Unless you just get plain lucky, I doubt most factory ammo shooters ever get to realize how accurate their guns really are. I find that I get the most enjoyment out of load development and testing to find the most accurate loads. Plus, with casting using older mold designs, the old load manuals (like Speer #8
), and some Unique or 2400,I can recreate the shooting experience from the "old days" that you just can't get today using factory ammo. So I want to recreate what Elmer Keith or Skeeter Skelton shot "back in the day", it's relatively simple to get out the right mold and the right powder and load those old rounds.
pinkymingeo
Member
Yesterday at the range was typical for me. I shot 500rds of 45acp and 50rds of 357. I buy all the components except 45acp brass which I can get tons of for free, and load at an average cost of about $6 per box of 50. That 550rds cost me about $66. I have no local source of discount ammo, but could buy it on the internet for what? $20 per box of 50, delivered? At that price, yesterday would have cost me $220! I save so much by loading my own that my investment in equipment doesn't matter. It was amortized in a few weeks. I use a Hornady LnL AP progressive press, which is like a Dillon 650
but a much more modern and convenient design, and it really cranks out the ammo.
but a much more modern and convenient design, and it really cranks out the ammo.
