Cost per round .45 ACP

[CDignition]

What is your current cost per round for Loading 230 Gr. Ball 45 ammo??

Winchester White box is 22 bux per 100 (.22 cents per round) at Wally world...

Just trying to decide weather it is worth the expense of buying a press..

 

[Luggernut]

About 13 cents/round for me. It would be less is you used cheaper bullets- I've been using Speer FMJ.

 

[georgeduz]

i use the lead from car tires,lol. i really do its a hard cast.and they shoot just fine.

 

[brickeyee]

Buy Rem or Win FMJs in bulk iof you do not want to cast, or even just purchase cast bullets.
The price comes way down.

 

[Ndenway]

$4.76/50; .095/round

using hard cast bullets,

could do them for less if I cast my own.

 

[Steve C]

For a true "hardball" load:
Remington bulk 230gr RNFMJ's at 9 cents each after tax or shipping, Primer 2 cents, Powder 6.0grs Unique about 2 cents, cases are free range pick ups, another penny for misc supplies like walnut shell, polish, plastic ammo boxes so cost is aproximately 14 cents/round or $14/100. Saves about $8 a box.

If I use Ranier or Berry's plated the price per bullet drops about 3 cents to ammo cost goes down to 11 cents/round.

Commercial lead cast brings the cost of the bullet down to about 5 cents each or another penny off so that each round runs around 10 cents/round.

 

[JDGray]

Last time I figured, fmj loads were about 11.00/100

 

[Ares45]

12.00 per 100, top shelf components, assuming brass reloads 10x.

 

[Bacchus]

My savings for reloading 45 is about 50% on what I might normally purchase (WWB or the like). So I reload for about $5-6 per 50.

 

[Crawlin]

I use plated bullets and I am right at 9 cents per round. (Pick up brass at the range).

 

[jmorris]

if your looking for low buck, you can pickup range brass and cast your own bullets. All you'll have to buy then is primers and powder ($30+- / 1000). Oh yeah, and all of the equipment to do so.

 

[bobaloo]

Yup, being economically disadvantaged these days (2 kids in college), that's what I do. About $32 per 1000 to load .45's, not much more than .22 to shoot and a lot more fun. Plus, the 45 loves lead, I can shoot all day and the bore is still as clean as when I started.

BTW, startup cost for casting was $50 for a Lee 4-20 lead pot off Ebay and $39 for a Lee 6-cavity tumble cast mold, $10 for a Lee .452 sizer at the local gun shop, couple of bux for some Alox. Doesn't take long to recover your cost.

3.9 grains of Clays and 230 RN shoots great in my gun.

 

[jwharris]

I'm somewhere between $.09 - $.11/round ($4.50-$5.50/box of 50) depending on which bullets I buy.
Like others, I pick up my brass at the range.

You can get started with a press, dies, etc. (not counting the brass, primers, powder and bullets) for ~$150. That gets you a Lee Turret press, the dies for the .45, a little scoop for the powder, a cheap powder funnel and a book.

So, if I conservately say that I'm saving $5/box, it pays for itself in 30 boxes. For me, thats 10 trips to the range not counting IDPA or Falling plate shoots. Once it pays for itself (or you get the right birthday gifts), you can start looking at getting scales and auto loaders for the powder and fine tuning the "recipe" to figure out which loads work best with your .45. Etc. Etc. And still save money.

 

[trickyasafox]

I use excel plated bullets which go for 53 per k after tax (230 gr)
unique 8lb jug is 87 after tax
brass free
primers were 14.50 per k

probably 9 cents per round

 

[billsnogo]

At the prices you guys are listing, I might actually consider getting a .45auto soon. I can not get the brass free though since the ranges around here keep them if they are not yours, but after going threw a few boxes of wwb from wally world, I can use those brass.......can't I. I mean, they are reloadable, arn't they?

I guess I now need to buy the abc's of reloading. Are the powders, bullets and primers good from Cabellas? I rather save on shipping.

thanks in advance

bill (a glutten for punishment)

 

[trickyasafox]

hi bill!

wwb casings are just fine. you'll get plenty of loads out of them. cabelas is good for bullets as the shipping will 'max out'

powder and primers might be better bought locally, especially if your not buying a lot. online can give better deals, but often not in quantities lower than 8lb kegs of powder and multiple thousands of primers.

that stinks your club keeps brass, but i understand it. it's probably a big source of revenue for them. see if they sell it reasonably. going rate for 45acp brass runs 3-5 dollars per 100 online. usually closer to 5 after shipping.

if you go that route, ask if there are any group buys through the club. might be a good way to get a deal on primers and powder with out having to buy a ton of stuff for yourself.