Cost Savings for .40S&W

[TexKettering]

For those who reload ammo for the .40S&W, what kind of cost savings do you get?

I have yet to do reload ammo, but I have priced it out to be ~$12-14 per 100 to reload and I buy WWB at $19.98 per 100 at Wal-Mart for a savings of ~$5 per 100.

Is that what you guys get?

 

[Guzzizzit]

Useing Platted bullets i reload for around $8 per 100 rounds in 40s&w. What type of rounds are you loading? (Hunting, deffence plinking?)

 

[TexKettering]

I priced it out using copper plated bullets, Rainier, I believe. They will be used for plinking at the range.

May I ask what kind of bullets and powder you use? Where do you get them from? I was pricing them out on midwayusa.com.

 

[Darth Muffin]

You're about right on your costs, although WWB runs $22 plus tax here for 100 (comes out to almost $24).

Bullet: $.08 (180gr, maybe a bit more if you include shipping)
Primer $.025 (about the going price for WSP)
Powder $.015-.02 (using Titegroup)

That's $.12-.125 per bullet if you reuse brass.

Add about $.03 for once-fired brass.

It depends how much you shoot as to whether a 25-50% cost savings is worth it to you. Some other points to think about are:
a) With metal and fuel costs rising, costs of both ammo and reloading components will go up, increasing the savings in the future.
b) You can load whatever you want. If you're a competition shooter like me, it's a huge bonus to get a light shooting load that I'm confident will make the power factor required and will be reliable and accurate.
c) Reloading is a great hobby!
d) If you keep enough components on-hand, you've got your SHTF ammo stockpile covered

 

[trickyasafox]

i have used the rainers too. i really like the 165 gr HP they have. i like unique for 40 sw, and i use magtech primers. i bought them at christmas for 12.50 per k, not sure what they cost now, but i'm sure its a good bit more. i use mix headstamp range ratted brass, so brass is free.

berry's preferred plated are reasonable on cabelas too. about 17 dollars per 250.

i've had good luck with LSWC 175gr in 40sw too. they might be a bit more cost effective.

 

[TexKettering]

Bullet: $.08 (180gr, maybe a bit more if you include shipping)
Primer $.025 (about the going price for WSP)
Powder $.015-.02 (using Titegroup)

That's $.12-.125 per bullet if you reuse brass.

That's about the best I came up with on my pricing. I'm really curious where Guzzizzit gets his supplies/materials at because $8 per 100 rounds is a great value!

 

[fineredmist]

To really be fair about this you should also add in the cost of equipment and the value of your time. When you do it this way it really doesn't make sense unless you do a great deal of shooting but if you want the best possible loads for your frirearm then hand loading is the only way to go. Let's say you shoot IDPA and use factory loads and your competitors are using reduced charge hand loads and that puts you at a disadvantage with follow up shots due to the recoil. You have the option to custom load (and meet the 125000 power floor) and be more competitive.
It's not all about the cost savings, it is about the tailoring of loads for your needs. The cost savings are a bonus.

 

[TexKettering]

I have factored in the cost of all my equipment and calculated how long it will take to earn back the money(thanks to the awesome Excel spreadsheet posted in one of the stickies).

I'm new to this so I'm just checking to see if there's any brand/model I should avoid and also check on other people's savings per round(just to make sure I'm in the ballpark).

 

[wally]

The real key to reloading cost savings is to shoot hard cast lead bullets. That's how you get to $8/100. Around here, all the .40S&W brass you need is yours free policing the range.

--wally.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

I've figured my ammo cost on my 40 ammo to be about 11 cents/round. This is using Rainier 155 grain plated bullets, Unique powder, and Magtech Primers. I'm running right at $110/1000 rounds. Winchester factory ammo runs $250/1000 on sportsmansguide. Thats a huge savings.

 

[Ndenway]

my 180gr lead swc loads run $3.26/50 and the 155grlrn run $3.16/50.

 

[FieroCDSP]

I'm shooting about 11 cents a round with Rainier 155gr, 3.8 Clays, and CCI primers. about 7-8 cents a shot for lead. Considering that's half of factory CCI, I'm happy. My biggest cost is the bullets and shipping. I've been waiting to hit the gun shows and get some decent deals on bullets, but If you order the 2000 pack from Midway, they pay the shipping.

 

[trickyasafox]

I thought i found savings in reloading. all the casters just chuckled. . .now i know why. that'll drop your costs to well under 4 dollars per hundred

after equip is amortized (doesn't take long if your a volume shooter)

 

[TexKettering]

My handgun has a polygonal rifling so I don't think I can shoot lead bullets.. :-/

If I stick with copper plated, it looks like the best I can do is $10.34 per 100... still a pretty good savings over factory ammo.

 

[trueblue1776]

Per 1000

Primers 27.00
Pound of Longshot 19.00
Case of Ranier 155's 78.00
I spend about 124.00 per thousand

It's sad that I can't do much better than that.

 

[philbo]

Went in with a couple of other guys and ordered through Powder Valley. Using CCI primers, Titegroup, free range brass and Berry's 155grn plated from Cabela's, my cost on plinking (reduced load) 40S&W is just less than $5.05/50. If I can catch a sale on bullets, a little less than that. If I increase powder charge back to normal price goes up to just under $5.20/50

 

[rdhood]

10-12 cents a cartridge is what I estimated for plated bullets. Less if you go with hard cast lead. More if you go with FMJ.

I am trying some moly bullets at 500/$27 . If these work out, I'll get more and lower my cost to about 8-9 cents a cartridge.


I am paying 20 cents a cartridge for Blazer Brass at Walmart, and that is the cheapest I can find .40 S&W anywhere. So if you reload, you shoot for half price. For me, payback on press kit (lee classic kit at kemph) comes at about 1600 rounds, which is about 6 or 7 outings at the range (two people shooting 100-150 rounds each).

Edit:

Here is actual cost of what I paid to manufacture 1000 cartridges:
* 6.5 cents bullet (1800 berry's plated 180gr $117 shipped)
* 2.5 cent primer (1000 primers, $25 local price)
* 1.6 cents powder (W231 lb $16 local price)
* 1.8 cents case (2600 pcs $47 shipped)

12.4 cents total per cartridge.

The next time I reload the same case, it would be 10.6 cents. For me, 2600 pcs of brass is a one time purchase in that I might never wear out that much brass. Overall, that is almost a 50% savings over the cheapest price that I can purchase .40 S&W. To make back my original $150 purchase of equipment (and ignoring labor!), I need to reload at least 1600 rounds, which translates to about 6-8 trips to the range.

Now, when I looked at 7.62x39, the increased brass and powder costs pushes the reload cost to over 16 cents a cartridge, which makes reloading as expensive as new retail steel jacketed brass, and makes it not worth reloading for the SKS.

 

[TexKettering]

I just found Precision Bullets and I think I will order a bunch from them. They're lead but super clean apparently so it's not too bad on my barrel. That will put me down into the 8 cents a round range.

 

[CZ57]

Tex: The bigger bonus is that your handloads can be as, or more accurate than premium .40 S&W ammo. As shown, cost is significantly lower than economy WWB.

Before you give up on shooting lead through your polygonal bore, consider that there is a significant difference in alloy hardness among the various commercial casters. Most rate around 18 BHN. Oregon Trails/LaserCast bullets are rated at 26 BHN. Many Glock shooters have very good luck with them. Not as hard as a copper jacket, but the closest you'll come with a hardcast lead bullet. You can contact: http://www.laser-cast.com/ and get a sample pack and try a few. I like the 170 gr. SWC very much, but there are two 180's. The RNFP was originally designed for .38-40 revolvers, so the 180 TC with its longer shank may be easier for you to work with.

6.2 grains of Ramshot True Blue with the LC 170 gr. SWC is a tackdriver in my CZ 75 B. This is a medium range load that is mild and easy to shoot. Work up from a start charge of 5.9 grains. The max charge is 6.6 grains, btw, and will get you Major PF for IPSC.

 

[jr81452]

tex
to get a real savings you have to buy in bulk
i am loading zero 180gr JHPs for about $12.10 per 100
if i buy lead the price goes down to $6.50 per 100
if i cast my own $4.50 per 100

bullet= .087 ( 180gr zero JHP)
powder= .011 (aa#5 @ 6.0 gr)
primer= .017 (cci 500)
case .006 (1x nickel after 5 reloadings)

all prices include shipping, i usually get about 10 loadings from each piece of brass.

and if you save your brass after its shot out and your used primers after about 5000 rounds you can take them to scrap for about $7 (about 5 pounds of brass) total cost for reloading 5000 rounds of jhp $598+equipment/time. total cost to buy 5000 rounds WWB @local walmart (21.89+7%tax) $1,171.15

i would say that savings can be made
not to mention the fact that i am getting high quality defence loads talor made for my firearm as opposed to plinking junk

 

[TexKettering]

I can get down to ~$8.30 per 100 with lead bullets.. and that's buying 2500 bullets at once. Where do you get yours from?

 

[jr81452]

powdervalleyinc.com
altho i have not bought lead from them in some time (2 years iirc) i only shoot jhp for the last year or so.

edit: just checked powder valley website. bushwacker 170gr swc are $41/1000 if you get 4k that brings shipping down to like $3.50/k which would make lead around $7.50/100

 

[Guzzizzit]

Alright, just got home from picking up supplies for another batch of .40 s&w. Cost are up a bit from last time, so i rescind my previous estimate. To make 1000 rounds i came up with $95.96. Of course, i wont need the entire pound of powder, so theres a few bucks saved there.

$20.99 for 1000 primmers
$14.99 for one pound titegroup
$28.99 (X2) for X-Treame plated bullets

Bout $9.60 per hundred.

Oh, and even if they are "clean" i wouldnt shoot lead threw a polyagonal barrel. Are you shooting a glock by chance? I use LoneWolf Barrels in my Glocks when i'm shooting reloads.

 

[TexKettering]

I'm shooting an HK. From what I've read by other HK shooters, you can put lead through them as long as they are cleaned well. I found a product that cleans out lead deposits pretty well.

Why do you say not to shoot lead?

 

[Guzzizzit]

A polyagonal Barrel Makes a much tighter seal around the bullet. Add to that lead wipping on the inside of the barrel and your preassures can rise dramatically. This was one of the contributeing factors to the hype about Glock KBs. (i still find that to be more urban legand then reallity, yea, sure it's happend, but theres almost always a contributeing factor. Besides, i've seen many other pistols KB but never witnessed it in a glock personally. Sorry for letting my mind wander a bit)

In a traditionaly cut-rifleing barrel, there is more opportunity for expanding gases to bypass the bullet.