Anyone keep price per round, etc. in your log books?

I just calculated that each round was $.896 for Hornady 150g FMJBT with 43.5g of Varget, with new brass. Now I understand that the price will go down each time with reusing brass and I'll calculate that at that time. Am I odd? I understand a lot of folks might not be doing this but I'm a numbers guy and I wanna see my spreads from factory rounds I've saved over the decades someday. Will I care down the road? Maybe not but it's fun logging it these days.

I buy almost all my powder and primers once per year so I'll use a reloading calculator then to see if my prices are going up or down. Not much beyond that though.

Nope.

Not really, I just take a swag when someone asks. All I know is I shoot as much as I want and don't really worry about the price much since I started reloading.

Interesting, I would have said no I don't, but I calculate the cost of the ammo I take to the range with me, to see how much that range trip cost me.

So somewhere in the back of my head, I know that 9mm is 5 cents a case and primer 3 cents and powder 1.5 cents and bullets are 12 cents apeice. So 50 rounds would be $8.25 since I don't count the brass (used).

And I use aproximatly 25 cents apeice for 223 rounds (bullets run about $16.95 per 100) $22.50 for the expensive ones. So that would be about $12.50 per box (plastic reloading boxes) per 50 rounds. I'd say I spend about $32.25 plus the range fee of $10.00 and gas of about $20.00 or $62.25 per range visit (not counting lunch and coffee).

But I don't keep track of the cost on paper But then again I was an accountant for over 45 years before I retired. Numbers come naturally to me, but don't ask me the name of Uncle Lew's wife Aunt "What's her name", I haven't the foggest idea.

Jim

I did for a while, but found that saving half on ammo made me shoot about four times as much for a NEGATIVE net savings of about 100%... Threw the spreadsheets away after that. I sure am getting more accurate though!

Oh yeah, Go 'Cats, and Caliperi for president!

No. I consider money spent on supplies to be a sunk cost and it no longer counts. ;)

No. I have counted before tho. I think I had 8 cents each in 223 & 20 cents each in 243. I don't remember what the others cost me but these where my best savings. I did a little better on 500 rounds of 9mm but was given the bullets.

I keep a spreadsheet with cost per box laid out but I do not track it once the ammo has been expended.

I don't track regularly reloading costs.

I look at my shooting habit like my wife does her shoes/purse needs. The less I know about a real price the more honest I can be.

Heres one of my loads for my .300 Rem Ultra Mag.

Bullets: Hornady 30 Cal .308 165 gr SST
Brass: Standard Remington...i get about 4 uses since the power is so high
Powder: Hodgdon Retumbo
Primers: Remington Large 9 1/2

Cost per shot: $0.47

Cant complain :)

I keep a detailed log and update it when I buy new components or open up to reloading a new caliber. I'm a database manager at my job and spreadsheets are kind-of second nature to me... I should also mention that I am a fairly new reloader (less than a year) so the new may wear off down the road and I may not keep track of it as I do now. The main reason I started it was to get a general idea of how much i'm "saving" and how long it would take to break even so to speak with money saved versus buying new boxes of ammo every time I take a rifle out to shoot.

I am scared to know.

I don't reload yet so no, but I am an OCD numbers guy myself and you are my 'hero of the day' for doing this lol! When I do reload I will probably do the same. Right now I only track the cost per round of my factory ammo that I buy.

For 45acp using internet prices I find about $.349 per round if you purchase new brass and about $.184 if you scrounge the brass. The big costs are in the bullet and the brass.

Not only no, but heck no! I also don't calculate how many thousands of dollars I've got wrapped up in reloading, casting, swaging or shooting gear. It's a hobby, and hobbies cost money. I enjoy it much more by writing off the costs to enjoyment. I've purchased three new guns in the last two weeks that I haven't had a chance to shoot yet, but like the guy who pays big bucks for some treasured, really rare stamp, it's all in the possession and associated enjoyment.

Hope this helps.

Fred

I don't keep track. Kinda scared to!

In most calibers I'm ahead in a per round average, but the whole reloading experience has cost me far more money in the last 30 years than not loading would have.

Well worth every cent!

I did for a while, but found that saving half on ammo made me shoot about four times as much for a NEGATIVE net savings of about 100%...

That's about where I'm at. I only load pistol ammo & my brass $$$ ranges from free to dirt cheap so the actual price per round would vary anyway.

I generally figure 50% of factory cost. I'd save more if I bought bullets, powder & primer in greater bulk than I do.

And yes... roughly $15/100 .45ACP usually means I'm going to shoot 4 times as much! :D

So my answer to the original Q is "No."

Keep track of reloading and shooting costs? Indeed not. What if my wife found out?

Keep track of reloading and shooting costs? Indeed not. What if my wife found out?

[ /thread] :evil:

I don't track regularly reloading costs.

I'm with this statement from bd7...

I do however have a list of all the equipment costs on file (ie. press, dies, etc...) I keep it in the event I die and the wife wants to know what it might be worth and no one comes along and gets it all for pennies. She's more frugall than I am though......

The Dove

Well, I'm at about $75/1,000 for .45 Colt loads, so I guess that would put me at $0.075 per round. Man, I love loading. :)

If you enjoy the calculations, go for it. You only gotta keep you happy.

If we are taking a poll on the subject, I don't track costs for any of my hobbies, reloading included. I only spend what I can afford to spend on recreational activities from my very limited discretionary funds, so for me tracking costs would hamper the enjoyment of the hobby.

I do. I created a spreadsheet that has different tabs one for my load data, one for overall cost for equip., overall component cost, cost per round. If you are interested message me and I'll let you see it. It does all the calls for you so once you input the load data it does the rest.

No I do not, but I am going to start. I think this is a great idea! I will record my cost per round and also what factorie ammo would cost. thanks for the idea.

When I put a case of beans in the pantry I never stop and try to figure out what each spoonful costs me as I eat compared to eating at a restaurant for instance.

It costs less to reload but the biggest advantage (to me anyway) is the custom nature of the ammo I am producing, much of which is totally unavailable with packaged rounds on any shelf. Plus, it's fun.

Dan

How do you put a cost factor on a cartridge that in no longer loaded by the factory's and not on any dealers shelf?

My costs are:

9mm - 13¢/round using 115g FMJ
.38SPL - 17.3¢/round using 125g JHP
.357 REM MAG - 20.5¢/ round using 125g JHP
.40 S&W - 16.4¢/round using 165g FMJ
.44 REM MAG - 27.6¢/round using 240g JSP
.45 ACP - 19.8¢/round using 230g FMJ

"How do you put a cost factor on a cartridge that is no longer loaded by the factorys and not on any dealers' shelf?"

You mean like my .45-120 Sharps, 9x25 Dillon, .400 Cor-Bon, 9x21 or .41 AE? Yep, there are just some calibers you have to make yourself, and you can't really put a price on that. Nor can you put a price on the satisfaction of being able to do it........

Hope this helps.

Fred

Although I do keep a comprehensive log of all my loads, I don't include it's cost. But in most circumstances, I can look at a load and know within pennies per box what it's cost was.

I think for me, since expense does not have, and was of no influence in why I ever began reloading, knowing the cost would be of little or no importance to me personally. And I'm by no means financially independent, I reload simply because it allows me to shoot the very best ammunition obtainable. This is also why I use a single stage press for everything I load, with exception being shot shells, in which the Mec 600 Jr. provides just fine for my needs.

As to economics, even when I'm loading bottle neck cartridges, I can still use the top shelf components to assemble a box at, or below the least expensive factory available from Wally World.

GS

"How do you put a cost factor on a cartridge that is no longer loaded by the factorys and not on any dealers' shelf?"

You mean like my .45-120 Sharps, 9x25 Dillon, .400 Cor-Bon, 9x21 or .41 AE? Yep, there are just some calibers you have to make yourself, and you can't really put a price on that. Nor can you put a price on the satisfaction of being able to do it........

Hope this helps.

Fred

To add, wildcat cartridges. 38/45 Clerke and 7mm Int Rimmed in my case.

Reloading is a hobby for me. The cost of components is an entertainment expense that I would not get if I bought commercial ammunition. So, my reloads are "free".

No, but never thought of it. It is a really good idea, should be easy to do. Thanks for the idea.