Found this online today. It came up with the same costs I had calculated but a lot quicker. 
Reloading Costs Calculator – Ultimate Reloader
Reloading Costs Calculator – Ultimate Reloader
Reloading cost calculator
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Bill In Texas
Member
Many gracias!
Send me a PM or email and I will send you an Excel workbook that will calculate every caliber you load for pistol and rifle on separate sheets. One sheet is just handgun loads, one sheet just rifle loads, third sheet has blank 'copy and paste' info to make new data blocks. You can copy and paste into a new work 'block', and you can have data for everything.
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ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Thanks for the link.
Here is another one I have been using for a long time.
Handloading Cost Calculator
handloads.com has a lot of good calculator tools available. (middle right side)
Handloads Online, the reloaders resource
Here is another one I have been using for a long time.
Handloading Cost Calculator
handloads.com has a lot of good calculator tools available. (middle right side)
Handloads Online, the reloaders resource
And I will send you a #2 pencil and a sheet of paper. You already have a slide rule, but if not .you can use Core Math or use a calculator!
hdwhit
Member
Thank you, but like Rule3, this something that over the years I have found to be better left un-automated.
To get an accurate figure, particularly for loads that use a lot of powder, there needs to be an allowance for shrinkage; that is, because of tiny variabilty in what my meter throws, I have yet to get 200 35 grain charges out of a pound of powder.
And, if you're really concerned about cost, you need to factor in the amount of time you're investing. Now, for me reloading is something I do to stay sane enough to go to work. But, as with most of us, our time isn't cheap and "paying ourselves" more than a Bangladeshi child chained to a sewing machine in a garment factory would result in obscene costs. So, enjoy your reloading and using the product of your labor.
To get an accurate figure, particularly for loads that use a lot of powder, there needs to be an allowance for shrinkage; that is, because of tiny variabilty in what my meter throws, I have yet to get 200 35 grain charges out of a pound of powder.
And, if you're really concerned about cost, you need to factor in the amount of time you're investing. Now, for me reloading is something I do to stay sane enough to go to work. But, as with most of us, our time isn't cheap and "paying ourselves" more than a Bangladeshi child chained to a sewing machine in a garment factory would result in obscene costs. So, enjoy your reloading and using the product of your labor.
If I can't remember or have not "data" on what my "stuff" cost me years ago how can I calculate the cost per round?
Why calculate it anyway? It is what it is
The powder and primer are fairly insignificant. The projectile is the most and if you actually buy brass.
Some calibers offer a big savings others not so much.
If one shoots say 44 Mag then reloading is way cheaper than buying a box of ammo with XTP bullets!
Why calculate it anyway? It is what it is
The powder and primer are fairly insignificant. The projectile is the most and if you actually buy brass.
Some calibers offer a big savings others not so much.
If one shoots say 44 Mag then reloading is way cheaper than buying a box of ammo with XTP bullets!
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SweetMK
Member
If I can't remember or have not "data" on what my "stuff" cost me years ago how can I calculate the cost per round?
Why calculate it anyway? It is what it is
If one shoots say 44 Mag
then reloading is way cheaper than buying a box of ammo with XTP bullets!
My 44 Mag reloads easily top $1 each,,,,
but,, it may be obvious,, I prize the value of my labor!!
I never calculated the cost of reloading components,,
the reloading time, to me,, is as entertaining as the shooting.
I do have a 550B Dillon,, that may be part of the reason it is entertaining.
My 44 Mag reloads easily top $1 each,,,,
but,, it may be obvious,, I prize the value of my labor!!
I never calculated the cost of reloading components,,
the reloading time, to me,, is as entertaining as the shooting.
I do have a 550B Dillon,, that may be part of the reason it is entertaining.
$1 per round?
What the heck bullet are you using??
Reloading is only "entertaining" if you have one of the Dillon Girls do it.
gwpercle
Member
This calculator is an excellent way to prove to your wife just how much money you are saving..
There are a few numbers we don't want her to see and these numbers don't show up.
So as it appears on the calculator we are saving lots of money and can actually have proof....numbers don't lie right ?
But us old timers know the real truth...we ain't saving doodely-squat!
I think our government uses these kinds of calculations all the time...how many Billions are we in debt for ?
Watch the numbers...they can lie.
Gary
There are a few numbers we don't want her to see and these numbers don't show up.
So as it appears on the calculator we are saving lots of money and can actually have proof....numbers don't lie right ?
But us old timers know the real truth...we ain't saving doodely-squat!
I think our government uses these kinds of calculations all the time...how many Billions are we in debt for ?
Watch the numbers...they can lie.
Gary
bigggbbruce
Member
Why calculate it anyway? It is what it is
The powder and primer are fairly insignificant.
That's about 30-40% of my cost in pistols. insignificant..
Why calculate ? Why not? When someone says "that's pretty expensive to shoot" I say "no, it only costs me X..."
ajgunner
Member
If you dig around on the Dillon web site they have another neat calculator. You plug in your components cost and it will let you know how many rounds you need to load to pay off the equipment you buy from them.
Based on the following estimates of component costs: Powder $24 to $27 per pound ; Primers $25 per thousand; home cast plain bullets are $1 per hundred, Gas Checked 357 mag and 44 mag bullets are $2 per hundred because FREE is not valid.
Ammo costs for 50 rounds are 9 MM $2.37, 38 Spl $2.44 , 357 mag $4.48 , 40 S&W $3.00 , 44 Mag $5.29 (heavy powder charge) , 45 ACP $2.52 .
This means that a 50 count box of cast bullet ammo in 9MM, 38 SPL, 40 S&W, 45 ACP is cheaper than factory 22 LR . Two hundred (200) rounds of 357 mag or 44 mag cast bullet ammo is cheaper than 1 box of factory ammo in either caliber.
The increased amount of reloaded ammo you shoot will offset any savings from buying factory ammo. My gun / ammo fund balance hovers just above $2.00 most of the time but I have never run out of ammo in the last 15 years either.
Go ahead, calculate your $aving$.
Ammo costs for 50 rounds are 9 MM $2.37, 38 Spl $2.44 , 357 mag $4.48 , 40 S&W $3.00 , 44 Mag $5.29 (heavy powder charge) , 45 ACP $2.52 .
This means that a 50 count box of cast bullet ammo in 9MM, 38 SPL, 40 S&W, 45 ACP is cheaper than factory 22 LR . Two hundred (200) rounds of 357 mag or 44 mag cast bullet ammo is cheaper than 1 box of factory ammo in either caliber.
The increased amount of reloaded ammo you shoot will offset any savings from buying factory ammo. My gun / ammo fund balance hovers just above $2.00 most of the time but I have never run out of ammo in the last 15 years either.
Go ahead, calculate your $aving$.
my quick test showed $.13 for a 9mm loaded 124gr .......
which can go lower or higher.
I don't worry about cost any more.
Just glad to be able to go out and shoot and fish at my age.
which can go lower or higher.
I don't worry about cost any more.
Just glad to be able to go out and shoot and fish at my age.
People forget to amortize the expense and depreciation of all reloading equipment into their final cost analysis.
Then we have fixed costs and variable costs involved.
Then we have fixed costs and variable costs involved.
I'm in trouble with my wife. At this time; because of excess inventory, bad weather, boredom, a need to get something done, and melt mined bullets into lead ingots; I have loaded 14,000 45 ACP cast bullet ammo (3 casting days), 9,000 rounds of .223 because Midwayand MidSouth had bullet sales and I had range brass, and 4,000 38 SPL cast lead ammo (1 casting day).
Now it's time to go to the range. Powder and primers were sitting on the shelf from Obama's second election. The really good news is that casting bullets and reloading ammo keeps me from snacking on junk food. I think I'll run out of brass before I lose 50#. Not a single piece of brass was wet tumbled or dried in the oven, just Lizard Litter & Brasso in a Thumler Tumbler for an hour.
Now it's time to go to the range. Powder and primers were sitting on the shelf from Obama's second election. The really good news is that casting bullets and reloading ammo keeps me from snacking on junk food. I think I'll run out of brass before I lose 50#. Not a single piece of brass was wet tumbled or dried in the oven, just Lizard Litter & Brasso in a Thumler Tumbler for an hour.
Road_Clam
Member
All those online CPR caculators are not true cost they are an educated guess. Reason being is the fact your brass is an ever changing variable that can't be defined.
