HAVE 45ACP...HOW MUCH WOULD I SAVE BY RELOADING

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JP1954

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I have a 1911 45ACP. I was wondering how much I could expect to save if I reload using (brass cases, 230gr FMJ hardball bullets @ 850-900fps). Could someone give me a rough estimate of the cost of all the needed equipment (startup cost) and a rough estimate of the cost per round (assume buying new brass cases, quality primers, quality powder and quality bullets.) Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge/experience with me.:D
 
Nothing

because you will just shoot more:D.

Seriously though, if you don't buy brass, and buy bullets, powder, and primer in bulk... I reload 45 for around 11-12 cents per round.
 
Buying new brass, shooting fmj's you probably won't break even for a very long time (assuming a few hundred $$'s start-up) The savings really starts faster when you source free brass (or cheap once fired) and shoot cast.

Per Cabelas new catalog per 500 rds:
Winch Brass- $82
Winch Bullets-$57
Primers per 500-$11
Powder-$5
Total $155 per 500 rds=$15.50 per 50 for the 1st 10 boxes.
for the next 500 just subtract the price of the brass (assuming you'll reuse)
=$7.30 per 50
 
The only way you will save money is to buy all your equipment, bullets, brass, powder and primers...Put all this stuff on a shelf and look at it for several years. Then you will save money. The minute you start reloading all that stuff, you will start shoot more. load more, shoot more, etc,etc...Do you get the picture. Yes...If you can maintain the same volume of shooting as you were when you were buying factory rounds you will save money, but...For crying-out-loud. Just enjoy reloading, shooting and conversing with us. We will share your misery...:D Really we will:evil:

Range pick-ups that are once fired are as good as new brass, by the way...
 
I guess it depends on what equipment you buy and how expensive factory ammo is in your location.

Fact No.1: You probably won't save a dime. What you will most likely do is shoot more for the same amount of money (I have yet to meet anyone who started reloading and then spent less on reloading components than they did when buying factory ammo)

I started reloading very recently. My main objective was to save money/shoot more. I got everything from Midwayusa.com which carried the lowest prices at the time. I also began loading for .45ACP.

I bought a Lee Aniversary Kit which cost around $70. It brings everything you need except: 1)dies for the apropriate caliber (.45ACP for you) and 2)a measuring/gauging tool (calipers).

After adding the dies (Lee deluxe carbide 4 die set for $28) and Frankford Arsenal digital Calipers ($19.99) plus a couple of loading blocks I was in for about $130 + shipping. After that all I had to buy were primers, powder and bullets. I already had a bunch of once fired brass so I didn't spend on that. Any how, you should easily be able to start loading your own ammo for around $200 if you shop around.

However, before you even begin to start looking for reloading equipment I suggest you buy and readsome books on the subject. A very good book for starting is "The ABC's of Reloading", which is an introductory book to the wonderfull world of reloading. Other than that I would suggest you get at least two reloading manuals, and of course, READ THEM. Lyman's 48th Ed. is very good. If you choose to get the Lee Aniversary kit it will include Lee's Modern Reloading Manual with it.

So how much do I "save" by rolling my own ammo? Each round I load costs me 1/5 the price of a factory round, and 1/3 of what a "professional" reloader charges. Your savings of course will depend on how expensive reloading components are in your area as compared to the cost of factory ammo.
 
Reloading

I reload a lot. I shoot a lot. the best reason to reload is to customize and fine tune your loads to each and every gun. I have three arms in .223. All have different tastes, so all have a different load, and I keep them all (the loads) segregated.
Reloading is great for obsesive-compulsive, or prefectionist minded people, because it takes a very carefull and methodical person to load the same caliber and tune it for several different rounds.
The process of working up just the right loading with vaying bullets, powders, throw weights, brass, and primers is not for the disorganized. I keeep notes in the field, when I am working on paper, until I know exactly how a chosen bullet is going to perform.
I do this before I go to the field looking for coyotes, or ground squirrrels.
Save money? No.
Unless you consider this: If you were going to have a ammo manufacturer custom load your ammo against the gun you were using it in, right down to case length, and bullet set, you couldn't afford to buy it from them.
 
Money saved?

That's true, we all do end up spending more money on shooting, period. When I started It was mainly for the $$$$$ savings. 44 mag is getting rediculously expensive, ie. almost $30 per 50 after tax. While you will probably spend more $$ annually, you still save a ton when compared to buying the same qty of factory ammo. I remember having to work a trip to the range into my budget, once a month. Now, I usually go every weekend and shoot until I'm ready to go home. I used to shoot until I ran out of ammo, then went home. For me,it was a great decision to start reloading.
 
I reload .45acp primarily. After the initial costs of setting up, I would guesstimate about $5-8/box of 50 rounds. Let me qualify that by saying I never bought "new brass"; I load mainly SWC bullets in lead; and I use Alliant Bullseye powder.

Bullseye powder comes in 8lb jugs. Primers are CCI or Winchester, large pistol...in boxes(?). I shoot Star 185gr LHPSWC (or a copy from Precision Delta) 10,000rounds for $470 shipping included; L&G#68 200gr LSWC (2-sources, local one charges $19.90/box of 500); and, Valiant 165gr LSWC, which I get from my gunsmith for $80/2000 rounds shipping included.

I get "once-fired" brass for around $60/1000, delivered. Mostly Federal and Winchester. I've now filled a 5-gallon bucket.

BTW, I load 3.6-4.4gr of Bullseye. A little more for the occasional ball ammo.

What savings? Anything leftover is set aside for gun purchases...:D
 
bullet prices

rchernandez,

You have some good sources for bullets. Out her in southern cal, bullets are getting hard to come by. If I could find a source for 200 grain SWC for under $40 per thousand shipped, that'd be a good price.

Regarding reloading, reloading for other expensive calibers also helps defray the costs. You'd just have to buy some dies, but loading for 44 mag or 45 colt can save a fair amount of money, and you're probably not likely to be shooting a ton of 44 mag, compared to the thousands of rounds of 45 acp you'll be sending down range.
 
As others have said, "Nothing". But you WILL probably be able to shoot around 30% more, since the cost of a brass case is usually around 30% of the cost of a loaded round.
 
Check out precisiondelta.com. They have good prices especially for volume orders. Fortunately for us in the Memphis area, they're located in Mississippi, about 2-1/2 hour drive.

The local supplier is Tennessee Cartridge located in Oakland, TN. They're a commercial reloader and provide range ammo for most of the area ranges. They use a very distinctive orange box. The owner was nice enough to "manufacture" 200gr SWC bullets for the Bullseye crowd. We are expecting prices to go up once the current supply runs out (when he restocks). He gave us heads up 3-months ago.

One thing about ordering bullets by mail...you have to be really nice to your postal delivery person...those boxes, laden with 2000 pieces of 185gr lead bullets, weigh quite a lot. Unlike UPS or Fedex, they don't customarily have dollies in their trucks.:(
 
Your cost will vary depending upon what good deals you can find on components by shopping around, and by buying in bulk. Loading quality 200-gr SWC lead bullets, my current cost is $2.78/box of 50...and it's highly accurate to 50-yds, with no barrel leading problems.

If you need a reloading tool, here's a real special...Graf & Sons has a special flyer out celebrating their 50-year anniversary...50 of their items are on sale for 50% off. Included is a Lee Challenger "O" Frame press for $18.49 (sale starts Jan 31st and goes only until stocks are depleted)...that will be excellent for your purpose and you'll never beat that price!:D
 
because you will just shoot more.

Pretty much.

Considerable savings per round. Assume brass is free because you've saved or scavenged it. Primers are somewhere in the range of $20/1000. Powder, last time I bought, was $17/pound for Bullseye. 1lb == 7000 grains. 4.7 grains of Bullseye is what I use behind a 230 grain bullet. Bullets are somewhere in the mid-$20 range, for cast lead. You do the math ('cause it's late and I'm lazy).
 
you can pick up a lee pro 1000 press in 45acp ready to load for about $140 delivered,

it cost me approx $4.48/box 50 using 200gr lswc bullets, when I cast my own out of wheel weights it runs $1.48/box using once fired cases.

Handgun
200 Bullets Purchased at $12.00
1 Pounds of Powder Purchased at $18.00
50 Pieces of Brass Purchased at $0.00
10 Boxes of Primers Purchased at $18.00
(1 box = 100 primers)

4.5 Grains of powder per cartridge

Price per 50 rounds $4.48


Handgun
200 Bullets Purchased at $0.00
1 Pounds of Powder Purchased at $18.00
50 Pieces of Brass Purchased at $0.00
10 Boxes of Primers Purchased at $18.00
(1 box = 100 primers)

4.5 Grains of powder per cartridge

Price per 50 rounds $1.48



price might be a bit higher now, I haven't checked the price of primers lately, but if you shoot more than a couple hundred rounds a year, then its more than worth it to reload.
 
You asked about the costs of setting up to reload. As an absolute minimum: You will need a press (see my post above...Lee Challenger, $18.50), Die set (Lee 3-die set incl shell holder, $18...Midway), Shell holder (free with Lee, about $5 for other die suppliers), beam scale (about $30), set of calibration weights (free from a friend with a calibrated scale...trimmed pieces of copper or aluminum wire), powder trickler (free...use a rifle case twirled in your fingers), loading data (free from the powder manufacturers). Say $60 to $75 total.

Very nice to have: A drum powder measure (Say $40...set by your beam scale, so its not an "either or"), vernier caliper ($10 from Graf, another of their 50% off sale items...otherwise about $18), plastic shell boxes (about $10 for ten from Midway), box labels ($5 from Midway or Graf...you could write on 2-inch wide adhesive paper tape for almost free), vibratory tumbler ($28.49...another Graf 50% off item...otherwise about $45 from Midway), tumbler media (10-lb corn cob, another Graf sale item at $5.99). Graf pays shipping...Midway doesn't.

As with the actual reloading, your set up cost will depend upon what deals you can find by shopping around. Second-hand equipment in good shape is fine...check for reloaders getting out of the practice...gunshows and gun shops. Tools, scales, and powder measures don't wear out unless grossly mistreated...mine have been in heavy use for 50-years and are as good as new.
 
Definitely agree that you'll plow all your savings into shooting more. But the reason you reloaded them was to shoot them, so that shouldn't be a problem. The savings is in the fact that you'll get a lot more practice/enjoyment/hunting/competing/what-ever-your-game-is out of your dollar than you would have. So you're not SAVING money, you're GETTING MORE of what you wanted for the money you were willing to spend. For some of us, it makes the difference between occasional trips to the range and being really reasonably competitive in a shooting sport. I couldn't have afforded to shoot enough to get into some of the games I participated in (IPSC, Highpower) without reloading to stretch my money out, but I put in every bit as much as I would have on factory.

Best point that was brought up here is that reloading can just be a fun hobby in itself, and it adds to the feeling of accomplishment you get when on the range or in the field, firing loads you've made and tested yourself. Just do it and enjoy it. By the way, the .45 ACP is a reasonably easy cartridge to start loading for -- straight-walled; low pressure; not especially persnickety about loads. Just get some reasonable equipment and loading manuals, pay attention and be safe. You may end up liking it as much as shooting!
 
I'm the odd guy who shoots as much now as he did before he started reloading, so I save about half over the cost of commercial ammo. My costs run $4-5 per 50, depending on how good a deal I get on bullets.

The biggest cost in reloaded ammo is the bullet. The cheaper you can get the bullet, the more you save.
 
My expiercence

I recently purchased a Dillon 550B from Sportsmans Warehouse. I bought everything needed to load .40 and 9mm. After it was all said and done I had almost $800 into everything. The good news was that my shooting buddy wanted to reload but didn't have anywhere to set it up at his house so he paid for half and comes over to my house to reload.

Since we are doing a lot of practice right now we are just loading 9mm.


Prices for loading 1000 rounds.
  • 125 grn Master Blaster Bullets $43.30
  • Winchester Primers $21.09
  • Hodgon HS6 $16.85 (lasts aproximately 1100 rounds)
  • FREE brass from the club
  • GRAND TOTAL = $81.24

If I buy WWB at Walmart it costs me $135.88 per thousand. That means my current savings are $54.54 per thousand. Another area that I can save a little is by switching to to a powder that I can load more rounds with. I think by switching to Titegroup I will be able to load 1800 rounds with a 1lb can. If you are looking for cheap bullets for your .45 they have 230 gr as MB for $65 per thousand.
 
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