Ammo Pricing per Round
- Thread starter holdencm9
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Ignition Override
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Let's exclude the infinite variables/costs of reloading with the Lee Single Stage gear. So far I only reload for .303 and .308.
For low-cost, practical center fire ammo, the best solution for me was to acquire rifles in .223 and 7.62x39.
To be frank, ammo prices of .20, or .25/rd. (with shipping) for Russian-made Wolf and Monarch are the Only reason I ever bought the Mini 14, 30 and SKS in spring of '08. The prices began returning to those levels around July '09. The $calpers, who induced much of the panic, were unable to sustain the panic among the gullible sheep. The sheep did know about limited, post-election "political capital". We knew that all of the "capital" was needed in order to create a huge bill, such as "Obamacare".
The $calpers will never tell you about this factor...they only want to $care you.
Anyway, these two rounds are very practical because reloading with those prices, to me, does not make sense. Can't imagine what guys (who don't reload) pay to shoot their Cetmes, higher-cost PTR-91s, M-1As, AR-10s, FALs and FN-49s-or many must take certain FNs apart after corrosive surplus 8mm. Notice how many are sold after very limited use, often due to the ammo prices.
For low-cost, practical center fire ammo, the best solution for me was to acquire rifles in .223 and 7.62x39.
To be frank, ammo prices of .20, or .25/rd. (with shipping) for Russian-made Wolf and Monarch are the Only reason I ever bought the Mini 14, 30 and SKS in spring of '08. The prices began returning to those levels around July '09. The $calpers, who induced much of the panic, were unable to sustain the panic among the gullible sheep. The sheep did know about limited, post-election "political capital". We knew that all of the "capital" was needed in order to create a huge bill, such as "Obamacare".
The $calpers will never tell you about this factor...they only want to $care you.
Anyway, these two rounds are very practical because reloading with those prices, to me, does not make sense. Can't imagine what guys (who don't reload) pay to shoot their Cetmes, higher-cost PTR-91s, M-1As, AR-10s, FALs and FN-49s-or many must take certain FNs apart after corrosive surplus 8mm. Notice how many are sold after very limited use, often due to the ammo prices.
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RhinoDefense
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- 883
Who's shipping is outrageous?
Lost Sheep
Member
Try local manufacturers
I recommend loading to almost everyone. I was able to load in a living room on a bench-mounted pres (I mounted it on a board and wedged the board into the drawer of an end table.) I put everything away in a footlocker when not in use.
However, that is not what you asked.
I recommend you check all the local gun stores and the local police department and ask where there are any commercial (licensed, insured and with a good reputation) loaders locally. Your local police gets there training ammunition somewhere, right?
Such ammo can be had very economically.
Lost Sheep
I recommend loading to almost everyone. I was able to load in a living room on a bench-mounted pres (I mounted it on a board and wedged the board into the drawer of an end table.) I put everything away in a footlocker when not in use.
However, that is not what you asked.
I recommend you check all the local gun stores and the local police department and ask where there are any commercial (licensed, insured and with a good reputation) loaders locally. Your local police gets there training ammunition somewhere, right?
Such ammo can be had very economically.
Lost Sheep
moxie
Member
Reload to shoot? Or, shoot to reload? The eternal quandary. After 24 years reloading, my equipment costs have been fairly well amortized. I buy bulk quantities of components on line, saving greatly. So my costs per round of any given caliber are pretty minimal. Main cost these days is bullets. Outrageous! I do everything single stage, so it is time consuming. The worst time hog is .223/5.56 because I shoot a lot of it and brass prep is extensive, especially with the additional step of primer pocket swaging with any military crimped brass. You can reload faster than I do, but not much more cheaply. But that has nothing to do with it. (Well it does because I have a cheap streak, a big one.) I do it because I like it. It's a hobby.
leadcounsel is right; you will not save much money by reloading, unless you reload for many years and don't factor in the value of your time. I reload all of my rifle ammo and greatly enjoy doing it. I bought good, sometimes expensive, equipment to make the job pleasant. For me, sitting at my reloading bench is rewarding in immeasurable ways. Here's a story....I recently attended a meditation workshop. It was a 2 day event to teach us how to meditate...to help us in our work (I am a psychologist) After the first day, I didn't think I could take it anymore, but I hung in there. One of the exercises asked us to "practice letting go of thoughts", but I couldn't let go of the thought that I was bored silly and wasting my life sitting in a chair staring at the damn wall. So, I left and went home and sat at my reloading bench for the next 3-4 hours...loading .223 ammo as I recall. For me, reloading is rewarding in a variety of ways not measured by dollars.
Hocka Louis
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- May 22, 2011
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- 313
Cost Accounting Standards for Reloading
I've found a critical part of determining how much it costs to reload is to manage core cost elements very carefully. These are based on promulgations of the National Shooting Sports Accounting Standards Board. The objective, Sorbet-Oxcart certifiable, is that every round must ultimately cost about $0.07.
Ignore the equipment price because it is a fixed cost and additional equipment like new carbide dies or digital scales are unnecessary and technically referred to as a sunk cost. Don't include the full price of the primers because they used to, and are supposed to, be only $0.02 each and we are just in the middle of a nine-year projected anomaly. Disclose that you THINK you bought that powder when it was $14/8-lb., and don't count HazMat Fees -- that's just the government ripping us off and gives manufacturers an unfair advantage that needs such normalization. Pretend you had the opportunity to cast your own bullets for free even if you buy them because you COULD cast your own (if you had the supplies to do so) -- this is obviously narrowly defined as an "opportunity cost" adjustment only for reloading. Assume cases can be reloaded indefinitely and you plucked once-fired, decapped, trimmed and polished brass out of the barrels at the range. Note: labor costs are irrelevant (immaterial, de minimis) as your personal time is valueless or since you can sit in front of the TV thereby multitasking when performing your reloading tasks responsibly.
I'm probably missing a few...
I've found a critical part of determining how much it costs to reload is to manage core cost elements very carefully. These are based on promulgations of the National Shooting Sports Accounting Standards Board. The objective, Sorbet-Oxcart certifiable, is that every round must ultimately cost about $0.07.
Ignore the equipment price because it is a fixed cost and additional equipment like new carbide dies or digital scales are unnecessary and technically referred to as a sunk cost. Don't include the full price of the primers because they used to, and are supposed to, be only $0.02 each and we are just in the middle of a nine-year projected anomaly. Disclose that you THINK you bought that powder when it was $14/8-lb., and don't count HazMat Fees -- that's just the government ripping us off and gives manufacturers an unfair advantage that needs such normalization. Pretend you had the opportunity to cast your own bullets for free even if you buy them because you COULD cast your own (if you had the supplies to do so) -- this is obviously narrowly defined as an "opportunity cost" adjustment only for reloading. Assume cases can be reloaded indefinitely and you plucked once-fired, decapped, trimmed and polished brass out of the barrels at the range. Note: labor costs are irrelevant (immaterial, de minimis) as your personal time is valueless or since you can sit in front of the TV thereby multitasking when performing your reloading tasks responsibly.
I'm probably missing a few...
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leadcounsel
member
OMG that's the funnies post I've read in a long long time!
moxie
Member
hocka louis,
You mean to say you can't pluck that righteous brass out of the barrel at your range? I am so sorry. I am devastated! For you! As I said earlier, ceteris paribus, the bullets are the driver in the cost accounting scheme nowadays. And labor cost is certainly de minimis, not because it's valueless, but because it is time we reloaders enjoy spending.
You mean to say you can't pluck that righteous brass out of the barrel at your range? I am so sorry. I am devastated! For you! As I said earlier, ceteris paribus, the bullets are the driver in the cost accounting scheme nowadays. And labor cost is certainly de minimis, not because it's valueless, but because it is time we reloaders enjoy spending.
BCRider
Member
A few good points about reloading were made. It depends on what you do in your spare time. If it's watching TV then your "wages" for reloading are the lack of erosion to your IQ from avoiding the mind sapping drivel on TV these days. If you can work overtime on request rather than reload then by all means do so and buy ammo with the money you earn from your labour.
In between is where the rest of us live. For most reloading is a hobby that compliments our shooting. At least I hope it does...
My time is important to me. I feel it's worth a fair penny. But the flexibility and control I get by reloading pays off in the end. And at the same time it is genuinely cheaper for me so it's money in my pocket as well as a bigger supply of ammo.
Frankly I'd rather reload with me as my own boss than find a secondary job that would "earn" me the same value if put toward buying bulk factory reloaded ammo.
In between is where the rest of us live. For most reloading is a hobby that compliments our shooting. At least I hope it does...
My time is important to me. I feel it's worth a fair penny. But the flexibility and control I get by reloading pays off in the end. And at the same time it is genuinely cheaper for me so it's money in my pocket as well as a bigger supply of ammo.
Frankly I'd rather reload with me as my own boss than find a secondary job that would "earn" me the same value if put toward buying bulk factory reloaded ammo.
Certaindeaf
member
^
For true. I think one ounce of sport shot/caught fish or game is like four million dollars all told.
I still plant a garden and whatall for the fun and independence of it. I also cook my own food often.
For true. I think one ounce of sport shot/caught fish or game is like four million dollars all told.
I still plant a garden and whatall for the fun and independence of it. I also cook my own food often.
Twmaster
Member
While this does not apply to the OP, one thing that gets forgotten in these debates is reloading oddball or obsolete ammo.
I have a Japanese Type 38 that has been rechambered to 6.5x257 Roberts. Other than one guy on GB selling hand loaded ammo this is a load yer own cartridge.
I'm under no illusions that I'm saving huge money by reloading common calibers like 9MMx19.
Other than loading for my oddball rifle, like many here I do it for the hobby/quality time. If I do actually save a little money then I've got myself a bonus.
I have a Japanese Type 38 that has been rechambered to 6.5x257 Roberts. Other than one guy on GB selling hand loaded ammo this is a load yer own cartridge.
I'm under no illusions that I'm saving huge money by reloading common calibers like 9MMx19.
Other than loading for my oddball rifle, like many here I do it for the hobby/quality time. If I do actually save a little money then I've got myself a bonus.
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