reloading costs

[martyg]

I have not done any reloading in 20+ years and I no longer have my equipment. How does the cost of reloading basic .357, and .38 target loads today compare to purchasing factory loads? I am aware of all the customer loads that can be crafted that one cannot purchase. But I am just asking about basic lead round nose or wad-cutter or semi wad-cutter target loads, using factory cast bullets. Thanks.

 

[m657]

The last time I did a cost-analysis for 38/357 loads, it came out abouy 8 cents a round with cast slugs from local casters. It costs me about 15 cents/round for 41/44/45.

Check such as SunDanceBullets.com for their current prices.

 

[Smith357]

Cast bullets cost about $65+ per 1000 for cheap plinkers. .6.5c each
Primers are up to $32+ per 1000 3.2c each
Powders like Bullseye are about $25 per pound.
1lb = 7000 grains.
One charge uses 3-4 grains, using 3.5 as a number that comes to 1.25c each.

6.5+3.2+1.25=10.95c per round

I cut the bullet cost down by casting my own, a Lee lead pot and basic Lee 4 cavity mold cost less than 2000 pre made bullets. I also get 100s of pounds of wheel weights for the cost of a few pizzas from my auto mechanic friends.

Now with all of this you will not save any money, you will just be able to shoot more for the same cost.

 

[Hunt200]

I justed started loading .38s. I cast my own and with powder and primers it cost me $2.86 per 50.

 

[cp1969]

Most handgun reloads are less than half the cost of factory ammo.

 

[David LaPell]

I have been picking up some bulk lead bullets for the .38/.357. Recently I got 500 commercially made 158 grain SWC's for $40. Between that, and the cost of primers and the fact that my local gunshop was selling 100 once fired .38 brass for $1 the cost of loading 50 .38 Specials was next to nothing. I know in my area here if you can find .38's you are certainly going to be paying for it. I was at one shop the other day, and a new box of Remington 158 grain lead .38's (not even +P's) were going for $40 for a box of 50. I thought it was a typo until I had the box handed to me. But, he was the only one that could get .38's, and if you don't reload, well then, you're stuck.

 

[Skip Sackett]

You cannot save any money reloading. At least that is what some folks will tell you! You will shoot much more, become a better shot and have a bunch of fun.

The biggest thing about reloading/handloading has shown up since the last election. Ammunition became super scarce and only folks that reloaded and planned ahead had all the ammo they wanted.

If you want to save a ton more money, cast. I can assemble 50 rounds of 230gr ball type ammo for right at $1.50 with the components I have in stock. With primers being $40/1000 now it drives the price up to $2.60/50.

I have them whenever I want. Cost for that? PRICELESS!

 

[Jeff423]

Check with Missouri Bullets for cast lead bullet cost. Try Graf's or Midway for powder, primer, brass cost. Then plug them all into this:
Handloading Cost Calculator

Based on that I'm paying $0.056 per reloaded round, but I got the brass for free by scrounging at the range.

Jeff

 

[jbouwens]

What is a box of 158 gr. swc going for. I have not bought one in since I was a teenager or so. I am loading a box for some where in the range of 6.25 now days buying all components. My cost is:
bullets- $58
powder- $25
primers- $35
media- $2.50
wax- pennys

I could save buy casting my own bullets but my reloading a and cleaning guns time is out of hand as it is so I buy the bullets. These prices are as of last week. I remember the days I was loading as I talked about above for 2 bucks a box--- that was many moons ago.

 

[don p]

Roughly 10 cents per round for my 38 spl/357 mag, 9mm, 40S&W and 12 cents per round for 45 acp.
You have to shop for primers and powder. I have found primers ( Winchester ) for $28.09 and Titegroup 8# for $104.99. Add shipping and a hazmat fee and the primers are at $29.16 per 1,000 and powder is at $115.50

 

[Yurko]

I'm right at $0.14 a round, with Hornady jacketed bullets.
(4.5 gr titegroup under a 158 gr jhp.)

It's at least dbl that for factory ammo.
If you use lead bullets it's even cheaper

 

[Nygma]

I use an Excel spreadsheet to track my component and ammo inventory.
Just for kicks I also have it calculate the cost of each load.
In order to simplify the inputting of data I assume 10 reloads per case, and all components are purchased except lead (I have 3800 lbs of pure lead).
The last batch of cheapo jacketed 158 grain .357 ammo I purchased cost me $0.59 each.
Full house .357 reloads using H110 and 158 grain XTPs run me about $0.28 each.
I factor in the price of antimony, tin, and gas checks, but casting my own bullets drops the cost to $0.11 per magnum round.
Bear in mind that all my costs are calculated using brass purchased in 100 round quantities, and having a usable life of ten firings. Using range pick-up brass and / or getting more than ten firings per case will drop your costs substantially. Also, shipping costs and 6% sales tax are included in my costs where applicable.

 

[fredj338]

38sp are around $18/50 here for cheap lead loads or wwb. You can reload for less than $5/50 not counting brass. A substantial savings. So yes, you do save money on a per roud basis. What you choose to do with that is upto you. I am limited to how much range time I get so I do not shoot more. I do buy more gun stuff though.

 

[billd13]

Here are my costs, not counting brass, which I have had for over 20 years and buy only small amounts as I need. The first number is my cost in 1989 and the 2nd number is my cost today. I buy all my bullets.

223 55gr FMJBT 25.6gr 748 7.24/23.81 cents/round
45 230gr JRN 5.0gr Bullseye NA/27.48 cents/round
45 200gr LSWC 5.0gr Bullseye 4.61/10.53 cents/round
45 185gr JHP 5.0gr Bullseye NA/16.23 cents/round
357 158gr LSWC 11.6gr 2400 4.95/13.03 cents/round
357 158gr LSWC 3.5gr Bullseye 4.95/10.85 cents/round
38 158gr LSWC 2.9gr Bullseye 3.71/10.70 cents/round
38 148gr DEWC 2.9gr Bullseye 4.11/10.40 cents/round

The costs have doubled or tripled over the last 20 years, but still remain less than 50% of store bought and available when I want them.

 

[JohnnyMM]

When you factor in the cost of reloading equipment it all comes down to how much you shoot. If you want to load 357 magnum and shoot a box a year you should buy factory ammunition. If you shoot in competition and practice a lot shooting, say 500 rounds a week then reloading is the way to go. As a bullseye shooter I often shoot 600 – 800 rounds a week. I could never afford to shoot that much without reloading.

 

[Steel609]

Give this a try -

Handloading Cost Calculator

 

[Sui-Juris]

Cast bullets cost about $65+ per 1000 for cheap plinkers. .6.5c each
Primers are up to $32+ per 1000 3.2c each
Powders like Bullseye are about $25 per pound.
1lb = 7000 grains.
One charge uses 3-4 grains, using 3.5 as a number that comes to 1.25c each.

6.5+3.2+1.25=10.95c per round

I cut the bullet cost down by casting my own, a Lee lead pot and basic Lee 4 cavity mold cost less than 2000 pre made bullets. I also get 100s of pounds of wheel weights for the cost of a few pizzas from my auto mechanic friends.

Now with all of this you will not save any money, you will just be able to shoot more for the same cost.

The last sentence says it all. You don't save that much money but can shoot far more than those who buy factory ammo.

 

[rwnielsen]

Full house .357 reloads using H110 and 158 grain XTPs run me about $0.28 each.

Same thing here
I load jacketed, high end, HP-XTP mag loads for about $15/50
That's less than half of anywhere I've seen for a .357

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I didn't read all the posts so sorry if this is a repeat.

With .38 Special ammo I can load 4X to 5X the ammo for the cost of factory ammo. That's a lot of shooting for the money IMO and with accurate ammo too...