Assuming you don't reload, what's your monthly ammo budget?

[reddog81]

I don't have a budget per se but I was looking through last years credit card statements and figured out I was spending about $100 per week on ammo and reloading supplies. This year I'm trying to keep it closer to $100 per month.
I try and make it to the range 2 or 3 times per months and shoot 200 centerfire rounds and 100 rimfire rounds on each trip.

 

[sappyg]

No specific budget but I do tend towards guns that are cheap to shoot these days and I do reload. As a result I rarely, if ever, load 223, 9mm, anymore. Yes I shoot steel and proud of it. Can't save enough money reloading those rounds to make it worth my while.

Couldn't afford to shoot 38 or 357's without reloading. Factory ammo prices for those and others are insane even when it's on sale.

 

[UKWildcatFan]

I'm a reloader, but I spend much more on components than my same-earning friends do on factory ammo. Again, reloaders don't always save money, we spend more.

 

[cat_IT_guy]

My "fun money" budget is $150 per month. Probably half that went to ammo prior to my starting to reload. With a 11mo old baby and full time job, Im lucky to make it to the range every other week, even though its only a 15min drive, so $75 really covered it pretty well - I can easily satisfy myself with 50rnds of .22 and 25rnds of centerfire.

Now Ive started reloading, and am able to turn hours after baby goes to bed into extra ammo for the same cost. I am shooting more centerfire pistol now than ever before for the same cost.

 

[Reefinmike]

If I didnt reload, i would be:
50 rounds 380 - $20
300 rounds 38 special- $100
100 rounds 357 magnum- $45
200 rounds 45 acp- $90
200 rounds 300 blk- $175
20 rounds 12ga slug $20

about $450 a month if I bought it
about $50 a month reloading it.

 

[80Goat]

I have not been reloading because I could not find the powders that I like.

On an average I go through about 800 rounds of .22 a month - $80. 100 rounds of CF rifle - $75. 500 rounds of 9mm or 45 - $200.

About $355 a month.

 

[zchry]

$100. I only have a one rifle for now and that is enough for about 100 rnds of .303 brit. So best case I can go once a week to a range and I shoot at least a box of 20 rnds. Now I don't have many bills so I can get away with this. As mentioned by other posters you'll probably have to budget pretty carefully. Especially since you mentioned seven different calibers. I'd probably chose my favorite rifle and pistol (or the pistol I CC) then put the rest in a safe until I'm on better financial footing.

 

[Lord Teapot]

If I didnt reload, i would be:
50 rounds 380 - $20
300 rounds 38 special- $100
100 rounds 357 magnum- $45
200 rounds 45 acp- $90
200 rounds 300 blk- $175
20 rounds 12ga slug $20

about $450 a month if I bought it
about $50 a month reloading it.

seems like you'd almost spend $50 just in decent primers :O

 

[Tony50ae]

Congrads on the house! The wife and I each have a fun budget of $105 a month. That's for ammo and guns for me. So, not much, however come tax time we split the state tax refund which comes to about another $150 each. And usually when I do my two week training with the National Guard I take another $100 or so. The wife and I got married over two years ago. We each came to the marriage with bills. Having a budget enabled us to pay my vehicle off three months early and pay off a few of her bills which enabled her to get a new vehicle and not have our budget increase. We have a small emergency fund( equal to our monthly budget for one month) and put away money into a savings account every month. Stick to your budget and it will get better! When we got married we didn't even have a fun budget.

 

[MachIVshooter]

If I didnt reload, i would be:
50 rounds 380 - $20
300 rounds 38 special- $100
100 rounds 357 magnum- $45
200 rounds 45 acp- $90
200 rounds 300 blk- $175
20 rounds 12ga slug $20

about $450 a month if I bought it
about $50 a month reloading it.

Reloading can certainly save you money, but even if you have the brass and cast your own bullets, you can't do it that cheap. You getting powder for free or something?

 

[Crayfish]

I hate to say it but, the biggest reason I switched to a 9mm carry gun is the dang cost of ammo anymore. I mean $12.99 for practice ammo vs $18.99 or $19.99 for 38 spl and you can forget 357 or 45 which are both in the range of 25 bucks a box.....ridiculous. I think this will be the way the gun grabbers finally get their way is through manipulation of ammo availability. Even with online purchases the shipping will kill you unless you can afford dozens of boxes.
I try and buy at least a box every payday (every 2 wks) so about $50 a month which is roughly 4 boxes of 9mm or 2 of anything else. If the SHTF scenario happens I will be flinging lots of ball ammo as the "good stuff" defensive rounds are just not within my means in any quantity.

 

[susieqz]

the current market makes no sense. i have seen bulk 9mm luger cheaper than 22lr.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Just a few clarifying points.

I'm single. There's no woman in my life, though I hope I meet one sooner than later. That seems unlikely though as I refer to the town of 2200 that I live in as "The Desert of Women". It's been a pretty lonely road the last few years, but honestly it's probably for the best, given the things that were going on in my life. The up side of course is that I've been able to buy whatever I want that I could afford and as a result I have some great guns, and a stockpile of defensive ammo that should last me a lot of years. I do typically shoot up my carry ammo once a year, but I have enough to keep me well armed for years to come since I have it stored in an insulated dry container.

My main concern is shooting enough practice ammo to stay proficient. I'll be focussing on my carry and HD guns of course since they are the most vital.

Two things came up yesterday. My loan officer estimated my insurance at $500 a year higher than my insurance company quoted me. That means if my coverage is approved, I'll be paying about $40 less for my mortgage than I anticipated. So, that money will be earmarked for my reloading equipment AFTER my finances stabilize and I've gotten established.

Like I said, I've planned for discretionary funds that if not used on other things will go towards other items I need for life in general. As limits are not met, those extra dollars will be applied to other things for my home, life, savings, and shooting.

I'm also due for a raise in two months, so the budget will change a bit.

I guess I view shooting as a necessary life skill that requires as much regular maintenance as possible. In the past, $100-$200 worth of ammo would get shot on each range trip to the woods. This will be a big change.

Has anyone tried those laser target systems for practice? Seems expensive but may be worth the short term expense if regular ammo purchases aren't going to be consistent and reloading is a ways away.

 

[Ed Ames]

I need to interject as a fellow single homeowner...

Don't try to set any budgets for anything except the house until you have at least three payments made. Take every dollar that doesn't go towards ramen, getting to/from work, and buying the house and save it. I'm talking about things like the $40 lower payment you mentioned earmarking for reloading gear. Don't earmark it, and absolutely don't spend it, until you have a solid idea of the real burn rate of your new home. All it takes is one unexpected expense and that $40/mo is gone before you have blunk.

Don't buy anything frivolous until you have a 6 month reserve. Don't dip into that reserve once you have it. Your friends with working SOs can maybe afford 3 month reserves, but you don't have that safety net. Right now being able to make payments even if you are unemployed for a few months is more important to your security than just about anything including proficiency with arms. I know that's an ugly thing to say on a gun forum, but it is true.

Pellet guns are - my experience - better than laser practice systems. I have used both.

Even better, depending on where you live, is wax bullets. You make a backstop with carpet scraps and can shoot all day in your backyard or garage (though you should source lead free primers for indoor shooting). Take once fired brass, knock the primers out, drill the primer hole out, and re-prime, then push the case mouths into paraffin. Works a treat with big bore revolvers. Speer (IIRC) makes plastic bullets and cases that can be reused as well. Those and subsonic (cb caps or super colibri) .22 out of a rifle allowed me to shoot at home without anyone the wiser.

 

[susieqz]

i think you are being smart. home ownership has proved to be the best way to amass wealth you can find. yeah, there are maintenance hassles but it feels better owning than renting. you are in charge. that's huge.

from a legal standpoint, buying before marriage is best. in most states, if you buy after you wed, wife gets 1/2. if you own it before tieing the knot, she has no claim. again, that's most states.
you can always find money for guns. be creative.
i.e. learn to cook. i cook everything from scratch. that gives me much better food at a fraction of the cost. just doing that n avoiding restaurants will give you plenty for ammo.
edit: listen to ed.

 

[Reefinmike]

Reloading can certainly save you money, but even if you have the brass and cast your own bullets, you can't do it that cheap. You getting powder for free or something?

I just totaled it to 41.02 not including the electricity and propane used in processing the cast bullets. maybe another $5 tops. All components bought within the last 2 years. I paid $20 per pound of pistol powder, $22.50 for my h110(357mag and 300blk) and an average of $23/k for my primers- all cci or winchester. I traded pistol powder for most of my current primer stock.

 

[JSH1]

edit: listen to Ed.

X2

That is VERY sound advice. I would also add: Stay out of debt.

I can't explain how good it feels to not owe money to anyone. It really gives you so much freedom to live your life as you want too instead of working to pay the bills.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Yep Ed. That's why I said

So, that money will be earmarked for my reloading equipment AFTER my finances stabilize and I've gotten established.

By after I meant some time next year. I have tons to save for. I need to build up my savings again, I need to buy a lawn mower, an appliance dolly, a 20 ft ladder, wood pellets to burn next winter, propane.....

All money spent for the next year will be necessary only, no new guns and beer only if it is in my budget for food. . All receipts will be logged and accounted for. One good thing is my job. It is extremely secure as in I'd probably have to assault someone to lose it or make some other idiotic mistake.

Even better, depending on where you live, is wax bullets. You make a backstop with carpet scraps and can shoot all day in your backyard or garage (though you should source lead free primers for indoor shooting).

That won't happen. It is a wooded lot, 0.68 acres in size, but it's still in town. Pops and bangs would be frowned upon.

i.e. learn to cook. i cook everything from scratch. that gives me much better food at a fraction of the cost. just doing that n avoiding restaurants will give you plenty for ammo.
edit:

Already done suzieqz. I cook. I clean. I sew. It's my first home, but I'm 34 and have been doing everything for myself for over a decade. Once I left home, I moved two states away from my family and had been taught the skills to get by independantly. The reason I waited until now to buy was I was busy payin off my vehicle and student loan. Once I was debt free, I started saving heavy duty for a down payment.

The other great part is I typically make between $6000 and $12000 a year in overtime, but planned my financing as if I got absolutely no overtime. So, I should be ok. The ammo budget will increase..... Eventually.

$70 is what I figured I'd need as a very bare minimum to shoot my carry gun infrequently, but regularly.

I'm guessing I'd probably choose to buy more ammo rather than eat in a fancy restaurant anyway. Honestly, I'm really excited to have room to set up a gun table. I've been cleaning all my guns at my coffee table for too long.

 

[ku4hx]

We hand loaders buy the same things a non hand loader buys, we just get our ammunition unassembled.

But it's a fallacy to assume we save money by rolling our own. We might have a lower cost per round, especially if we cast our own bullets, but I don't know a single active, dedicated hand loader who spends less than the fellows who buy factory exclusively.

 

[Hammer059]

I'm a part-time college student living at home, and paying for college as I go.

I make about $1,800 a month working part time and I feel very fortunate that I'm able to put about half of that towards my "firearms and ammo" budget.

From there, I don't really have a set amount for ammo. I kinda decide what I want the most and go for it. If I buy a new gun, that means I won't buy as much ammo (this doesn't mean I won't shoot as much however, because I'm well stocked up on ammo). Of the ammo I buy, I usually take a big chunk of it and add it to my "savings". The rest I shoot for fun.

I shoot about 1,200 rounds of .22lr each month, by far my favorite caliber to shoot. It's lots of shooting fun and afterwards I'm not dwelling on how much money I just blew in one range trip. On top of that per month, I probably only shoot 300-400 rounds of 9mm, 300-400 of 5.56, and ~200 rounds of 12 gauge for shooting clays.

Not as much as I'd like for the centerfire calibers but I feel it's a pretty good balance. Can't wait to start reloading!

 

[Ed Ames]

Yep Ed. That's why I said

By after I meant some time next year. I have tons to save for. I need to build up my savings again, I need to buy a lawn mower, an appliance dolly, a 20 ft ladder, wood pellets to burn next winter, propane.....

And that's just the stuff you know about.

A friend of mine, similar story to you, bought her first house recently and in the 5 months she has owned it she has had a hot water heater blow causing a flood, discovered a shower leak the home inspection didn't reveal, and a few other things to the point where even after home warranties and going after the previous homeowners for misrepresenting things (they had obviously worked to conceal water damage from the shower/didn't disclose what they knew) she is still out of pocket an extra $3500 over budget.

My own experience (I bought my 1st house when I was about 20) is that there is an initial burst of expenses you don't realize you will have, then it calms down and is pretty awesome, then after 15 years or there is another round of big expenses. It is very difficult to plan for the first so keep some reserves. Most people sell before they hit the second.

That won't happen. It is a wooded lot, 0.68 acres in size, but it's still in town. Pops and bangs would be frowned upon.

Years ago I lived in an upstairs apartment. I won't admit to everything I did in that apartment, but I will admit to setting up a carpet scrap trap in the living room and shooting wax and plastic bullets from the bedroom to the far end of the living room. I had a friend check and you could barely hear/couldn't tell what the pops were from outside. It is loud enough I used hearing protection, but not so loud that everyone is going to think you are shooting.

Super colibri type .22 from a barrel longer than 14" or so is quieter than most pellet guns. You hear the firing pin dropping, and a thwap of the bullet hitting, and not much else. I have a similar wooded > half acre in town and wouldn't hesitate to shoot super colibri from a rifle in my back yard.

I'm guessing I'd probably choose to buy more ammo rather than eat in a fancy restaurant anyway. Honestly, I'm really excited to have room to set up a gun table. I've been cleaning all my guns at my coffee table for too long.

Think gun room.

Congrats on the house and don't let the serious advice take away the joy of buying and owning.

 

[susieqz]

if you need to shoot cheap, go to pyramyd air. look for the term ''backyard friendly''. that means quiet enow to not bother neighbors.
those airguns you can shoot with no one knowing..

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Ah crap. Now I need to get a new drivers licence, and a new carry permit for my state, and a new Utah carry permit....

 

[susieqz]

hahaha. fun.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Years ago I lived in an upstairs apartment. I won't admit to everything I did in that apartment, but I will admit to setting up a carpet scrap trap in the living room and shooting wax and plastic bullets from the bedroom to the far end of the living room. I had a friend check and you could barely hear/couldn't tell what the pops were from outside. It is loud enough I used hearing protection, but not so loud that everyone is going to think you are shooting.

That does sound like fun, but I doubt my two cats would much care for it.

Think gun room.

Ah let me rephrase. I look forward to setting up a gun table in my gun attic! yes indeed. The upper half of my home will be dedicated to guns, ammo, reloading, cleaning and detailing. I should be able to build a table up there that is about 3 feet deep, and 8 feet long. Room for a gun detailing station, a case prep station, and a turret press. Plenty of room for supplies and two small gun safes.