45 is getting expensive

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gudel

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Originally I was in the market for another 45. I bought Glock, Sig, couple 1911, and just feels that nobody matches HK's quality, reliability, and workmanship. I was going get my 3rd USP45.

Now that ammo prices went the opposite of stock market, I wonder if it's worth it to keep it, I'm thinking to sell my USP45 and replace it with a USP40. I don't think it's ever going to go down in the future. Walmart's got their cheapest WWB for $27 around here. Have you shot your 45 less now than you did before?
 
I still shoot 45 acp, but I've been using more 9mm - mostly because of my 9mm carbine I just finished :D
 
I too prefer .45 but find myself shooting more and more 9mm. It's definitely an issue.

Re-loading, at least in that caliber, may be the inevitable answer for any but the most casual shooter.
 
You'll lose on the sale/trade and .40S&W ammo is not significantly cheaper than .45ACP except for premium JHP as you can generally find "police surplus" premium JHP in .40S&W much cheaper than the same in 9mm or .45 -- for example CDNN recently had Win Ranger-T 180gr JHP for $12.99/50 but only in .40S&W.

For blasting ammo 9mm is much cheaper than either .45 or .40, I'm shooting a lot more 9mm these days.

--wally.
 
My guess is that 9mm ammunition will go up in price also. I agree that reloading is the answer to all your problems.
 
It will cost a little to start reloading,....

but if you have the space to set up a bench (I got mine at Lowes) and get a Lee Classic Turret press, you'll be able to justify the cost. And shoot more. Bad news is that reloading components (brass, bullets, powder, primers) seem to be increasing in cost too. To combat that , I buy once fired brass. Also, I shoot cast lead bullets. They're certainly cheaper than plated bullets, and barrel leading can be kept to a minimum by shooting reasonable pressures. As far as presses go, I hear that the Lee press is a good one. I've got a Dillon RL-550B which does a good job for me.
And reloading your own ammo is just plain fun.
 
I go through about 9-10K in .45ACP alone per year, luckily I reload, so I can afford to shoot that much.

Even reloading components are climbing though. I was getting .452 200grain LSWcs for $101 per 2000 delivered, now it's just climbed to $128. My last case of 5000 primers was $110 compared to $87 in this past DEC.

So I'm looking at about $925 to get in 10,000 rounds this year. That's about a %15 increase in what I paid for components last year.


Chuck
 
9mm has definitely gone up in price. about 1.5 or so years ago I could get it at the local show for $95 out the door for a case for any of the top brands. Now, that same case, same brand is closer to $150 or more. 45ACP and 223 are even worse.

I have found myself shooting more 9mm lately since it is cheaper. I still love my guns in 45ACP, but it is outrageous now.

As for reloading, I would love to try it, but to get into it is expensive and i just know me taking the time will just not happen. Not to mention knowing what you are doing takes time too. If I had somewhere I could go with all the supplies and sit down and crank out 2000 rounds, then it might be worth it, but if it is in my garage, i just know i will find something i'd rather do that mind numbing stuff like reloading.

I have no idea if this is true, but a buddy of mine that was in the Army told me that prices have gone up because a) the cost of metal has gone up, but b) the US government is buying tons and tons of it for the wars in the mid east. again, I have no confirmation of this mind you, but it does kind of make sense considering how many rounds could potentially be fired over there.
 
Sounds reasonble.

Ihave no idea if this is true, but a buddy of mine that was in the Army told me that prices have gone up because a) the cost of metal has gone up, but b) the US government is buying tons and tons of it for the wars in the mid east. No idea if this is true mind you, but it does kind of make sense considering how many rounds could potentially be fired over there.
Click to expand...

Reloading is definitely NOT 'mind numbing" though, or at least it SHOULD'NT be. A double charged cartridge could kill or injure or at least destroy your favorite firearm. One of the nice things about reloading is the amount of concentration required. And I never load 2000 rounds in one session. That COULD be mind numbing. With my press, I can reload 150 rounds of .45 ACP in about 45 minutes to an hour (I am slow), which is how many I shoot per range trip. Sometimes I'll load 200 or 300 rounds in a session but never more.
 
Who is Worse: Congress or the Ammo Manufacturers?

My question is this: Are ammunition manufacturers "shooting-themselves-in-the-foot"? It seems that they are taking lessons from the petroleum industry that Americans have a couple of dollars left at the end of the month and by gosh, they want their unfair share of it.

I simply can not justify paying the prices that they are charging. I am cutting back and I mean, I am seriously cutting way back. I can derive pleasure from shooting a BB gun, pellet rifles, .22LR, etc. Prices are to a point that even by buying in bulk or by reloading, one is still paying the better part of .25 to .40 per round.

If prices continue their current trend, the politicians won't have to worry about AWB II for keeping firearms in the hands only of the wealthy...the firearms industry has done their bidding for congress by pricing the average worker damned near out of the shooting sports.

Rant-off.
 
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I happen to agree with you......

about the petroleum industry, that is.

It seems that they are taking lessons from the petroleum industry that Americans have a couple of dollars left at the end of the month and by gosh, they want their unfair share of it.
Click to expand...


Consider this though. I'm not suggesting that ammo manufacturers are innocent, but their suppliers are bound to be charging more due to higher fuel costs. And even before that, it's now costing more to produce basic things like metals and chemicals. I really believe that higher fuel costs hit us everywhere, not just at the pump.
 
$21 for WWB 45 is cheap, I haven't seen that recently. When was the last time you went to buy one? :confused:

well, already got USP9, maybe I'll just keep the USP45 and get the USP40 while I'm at it.
 
One word answer to cheap ammo, reload. Unless you are willing to shoot Wolf all the time, that's about the cheapest you'll get.
 
$21 for WWB 45 is cheap,
Click to expand...

Holy S***, I've been reloading to long. Is it that bad? :)

You should be able to buy bulk surplus or foreign for better than that.

I bought some of this some time ago. It shoots pretty good. I put some away. The FMJ was cheaper but sold out quick.

reload...you won't save a dime though, you'll just load and shoot more
Click to expand...

Right about that one.:)
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally I was in the market for another 45. I bought Glock, Sig, couple 1911, and just feels that nobody matches HK's quality, reliability, and workmanship. I was going get my 3rd USP45.

Now that ammo prices went the opposite of stock market, I wonder if it's worth it to keep it, I'm thinking to sell my USP45 and replace it with a USP40. I don't think it's ever going to go down in the future. Walmart's got their cheapest WWB for $27 around here. Have you shot your 45 less now than you did before?
Click to expand...

Does your walmart not also have CCI Brass for $9.48? Cheaper, more accurate, and far cleaner than wwb.

I actually shoot .45acp more now. Since prices have increased, the distance between 9mm and .45acp has narrowed (for me). I used to get 9mm for $3.86 a box (cci al) at Academy, which are now about $1.50 more expensive. So it's almost exclusively .45 now.
 
In general I shoot a lot fewer rounds per range session than I used to. Good thing because I shoot more expensive calibers than I used to.

Handloading is the only way I can feed my USP .45. I bought up all the $12/box Winchester ammo that a little shop had, and that will be my brass supply. All the new stuff is pushing $20/box. Bullets are still reasonably priced, but I think I'm going to get a Jarvis barrel fitted for cast bullet duty.
 
The .45 costs more, but if the .45 is what you carry or keep on the nightstand, you still need to spend the money and put in the practice. If it makes sense for you to invest the money, time, and space required for hand loading, go for it. It will eventually save you money.

However whether it's reloading components or loaded rounds, the .45 has and will always be more expensive than most other pistol cartridges. It is a cartridge for only 'those who care enough to send the very best'.
 
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