How much $ do you spend in one trip to the range? (ammo)
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mdauben
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To be honest, I can seldom make it to the range every week. I'm actually lucky to make it once a month. 
Shooting centerfire is more expensive than shooting rimfire, but in a way it's a self correcting problem, as there are few centerfire guns I want to shoot 200-300 round through at one visit! Generally, I'll shoot maybe 50-100 rounds of centerfire pistol at one range visit. For rifle, it can be as few as 20-30 rounds if its a hard kicking caliber, to maybe 100-150 for a lighter caliber. I also tend to alternate or supplement shooting centerfire with rimfire guns. Just because you start shooting centerfire does not mean you have to abandon rimfire all together.
So, I guess I spend around $50-60 per range visit on average.
Shooting centerfire is more expensive than shooting rimfire, but in a way it's a self correcting problem, as there are few centerfire guns I want to shoot 200-300 round through at one visit! Generally, I'll shoot maybe 50-100 rounds of centerfire pistol at one range visit. For rifle, it can be as few as 20-30 rounds if its a hard kicking caliber, to maybe 100-150 for a lighter caliber. I also tend to alternate or supplement shooting centerfire with rimfire guns. Just because you start shooting centerfire does not mean you have to abandon rimfire all together.
So, I guess I spend around $50-60 per range visit on average.
Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply. It seems that I have to do more research on reloading. All the searches I've done seemed to indicate I would only be saving about 25-30% but after reading some comments here it seems it's possible to save much more.
My brother has been talking about buying reloading equipment since we started with this and I showed no interest. Im going to look into it more closely now. Thanks again
My brother has been talking about buying reloading equipment since we started with this and I showed no interest. Im going to look into it more closely now. Thanks again
Krogen
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Handloading is another facet of this endeavor. When you're not "unloading" at the range, you can be reloading at home.
If you lay in a supply of components, you can be somewhat insulated from ammo shortages that seem to come and go these days. For example, a supply of small and large pistol primers, and a jug of 231 or Unique covers nearly all my handgun loads - 8 different cartridges. Bullets are more specific, but even then there's commonality between 38SP and 357 etc. Plus you can dial in your load to whatever power suits you. By handloading, you separate yourself from limitations of ammo suppliers/manufacturers and what they stock.
If you lay in a supply of components, you can be somewhat insulated from ammo shortages that seem to come and go these days. For example, a supply of small and large pistol primers, and a jug of 231 or Unique covers nearly all my handgun loads - 8 different cartridges. Bullets are more specific, but even then there's commonality between 38SP and 357 etc. Plus you can dial in your load to whatever power suits you. By handloading, you separate yourself from limitations of ammo suppliers/manufacturers and what they stock.
If it's just me, about $50. 50rds of 9mm, 50rds of .40, 525 bulk pack of .22, and $3 for a pass. I will generally load up all the .22 mags, shoot them thru once, load em again, and shoot em empty between handgun magazines to keep it interesting. Good way to kill 2-3 hours.
If I'm shooting .223 or bringing along a first time shooter, the cost goes to about $100 (spring for nice targets, extra pistol ammo, and another pass). I have a rule that I will take any of my friends shooting once on my dime. If they like it and want to go again, I will provide the guns but they need their own ammo which I will help them pick beforehand. Have had several friends purchase their first firearms after a trip with me which is a good thing.
If I'm shooting .223 or bringing along a first time shooter, the cost goes to about $100 (spring for nice targets, extra pistol ammo, and another pass). I have a rule that I will take any of my friends shooting once on my dime. If they like it and want to go again, I will provide the guns but they need their own ammo which I will help them pick beforehand. Have had several friends purchase their first firearms after a trip with me which is a good thing.
Reloadron
Contributing Member
I would think about pooling reloading resources with your brother. Also, keep in mind that reloading can save some money but also depending on what you are loading, like match grade ammunition, can also at times exceed store cost. Just a matter of what you load and for what.Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply. It seems that I have to do more research on reloading. All the searches I've done seemed to indicate I would only be saving about 25-30% but after reading some comments here it seems it's possible to save much more.
My brother has been talking about buying reloading equipment since we started with this and I showed no interest. Im going to look into it more closely now. Thanks again
Thinking about it my old truck got about 10 MPG. I drive about 60 miles to and from so a range trip is about 120 miles or now roughly 10 gallons of gas with the current truck. I need my o0wn range in my yard!
Ron
Working Class Poor
I'm unemployed and attending online college, my wife works full-time and we have two sons ages 14 and 18 (the 18 year old works full-time). I only go to my local gun shop/range every 3-4 months. I shoot a Mosin-Nagant .30 caliber centerfire rifle. It cost me $24.00 dollars, not including my own ammo supply, which costs me $9.95 online for a box of 20 cartridges. I really enjoy my target shooting, but can only afford to do it every so often. Whenever we have extra money (assuming my accountant wife approves!), I take my sons with me to rent a handgun and shoot one box of 50 cartidges. These trips cost me either $74.00 or $91.00 dollars.
I'm unemployed and attending online college, my wife works full-time and we have two sons ages 14 and 18 (the 18 year old works full-time). I only go to my local gun shop/range every 3-4 months. I shoot a Mosin-Nagant .30 caliber centerfire rifle. It cost me $24.00 dollars, not including my own ammo supply, which costs me $9.95 online for a box of 20 cartridges. I really enjoy my target shooting, but can only afford to do it every so often. Whenever we have extra money (assuming my accountant wife approves!), I take my sons with me to rent a handgun and shoot one box of 50 cartidges. These trips cost me either $74.00 or $91.00 dollars.
I shoot skeet and sporting clay. I spend around $50 to shoot skeet. I spend at least $100 to shoot sporting clay. That doesn't count gas, eats or any expense other than shells and range fees.
coloradokevin
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pmata814 said:
There's a huge variation in savings with reloading. So much of it depends upon where you source your components, whether or not you buy in bulk, what kind of loads you're producing, how you come by your brass, and how many loads you get out of a piece of brass.
I definitely save some money when loading match-grade ammo for my .308, though I guess my costs have gone up a bit lately. I just ran the numbers through my reloading spreadsheet again, and found that I'm probably coming out to about $10.30/box of 20 for my match .308 ammo, on the basis of components purchased at Sportsman's Warehouse. I suspect that I could get my costs back down to the $7-8/box range if I was buying components in bulk online. Regardless, .308 factory match ammo usually seems to run around $20-25/box here, and my ammo shoots more accurately through my guns.
If you have access to MS Excel, I'd be happy to e-mail you the spreadsheet I wrote, which allows you to quickly calculate your reloading costs. I put this together a few years ago, when I wanted to be sure that I actually was saving money when reloading for certain high-volume calibers. I still use the spreadsheet, and I've found that it has made my calculations much quicker and easier (since you can change any one component price and see how it impacts your total cost). Feel free to PM me an e-mail address if you'd like me to send you the file!
I'll typcially shoot 50 rounds out of my 9mm and 50 rounds out of my 40 S&W on a range outing. That comes out to be about $12-$13/week, shooting reloads.
My Mini-14 with reloads will cost me about $9/40 rounds and my .308 will run me about $18/40 rounds. I very rarely shoot more than 40 rounds out of either of these rifles in one session. So that's $27 for 80 rounds of rifle shooting.....not bad!
I rotate between the pistols and rifles, so twice a month I shoot rifles and twice a month I shoot pistols.
My Mini-14 with reloads will cost me about $9/40 rounds and my .308 will run me about $18/40 rounds. I very rarely shoot more than 40 rounds out of either of these rifles in one session. So that's $27 for 80 rounds of rifle shooting.....not bad!
I rotate between the pistols and rifles, so twice a month I shoot rifles and twice a month I shoot pistols.
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My typical range trip includes mostly shooting 22 rimfires with occasional centerfire thrown in for good measure. Seldom will I shoot an entire box of centerfire anything whether it be 480 Ruger, 41 mag, 40 S&W, 357 or 38spl. So, on average, probably about $50 per trip. $100 would be a huge splurge for me and would probably result in one less future trip to the range. I seldom shoot center fire rifles or shotguns anymore. But I can if I feel like it.
I hit the range once a week but with only one gun usually. Now I pay $199 a year for range membership. I shoot 9mm, 45 acp and 45 Colt at the range usually about 100 rounds a time when I go. I also shoot once a month cowboy action and there I shoot 90 rounds of 45 Colt as my pistol and rifle are both 45 Colt. I recently picked up a 45-70 Rio Grande which I will also be hitting the range with but maybe after the first time to dial in the scope and break in the rifle it will not be a regular at the range but for hunting which my 92 Rossi in 45 Colt also does when not shot in cowboy action events. I am now making all of my own ammo with the exception of my SD ammo for my semi auto pistols. That I don't make at all but buy only in 9mm and 45 acp usually Speer Gold Dot ammo.
Since I started reloading I've probably cut my costs a lot but to be honest I've yet to see it start to get a lot cheaper since the equipment costs haven't balanced out yet but will over the next year or so. Ammo costs have dropped about 50% however per bullet costs. I haven't shot a 22 in 45 years now and don't own one.
Since I started reloading I've probably cut my costs a lot but to be honest I've yet to see it start to get a lot cheaper since the equipment costs haven't balanced out yet but will over the next year or so. Ammo costs have dropped about 50% however per bullet costs. I haven't shot a 22 in 45 years now and don't own one.
larryh1108
Member
If the average range ammo (50ct) costs $12 for 9mm, $16 for 40S&W and $20 for .45ACP and I shoot 50 rounds of each per range session that comes to $48. Add another $7 for 100 .22LR (CCI Minimags) and it comes to $55 plus the range fee. Not cheap but not bad, either. That's 250 total rounds for about $75.
OP, you didn't mention what type your two 22LR rifles are. If either one is a mag fed semi-auto you should look into Appleseed (http://www.appleseedinfo.org/). I've found that Appleseed style positional shooting is the funnest thing to do with my 22LR next to "tactical" shooting, and most ranges won't allow that.
Almost all of the shooting I do outside of work is 22LR, probably 95% +. This last weekend I shot 270 rounds of 22LR in about 2 1/2 hours at the range, which is pretty typical for me. The range fee is only $90 a year and the ammo cost me less than $10. I managed a 215 & a 226 on the two AQTs I shot, had a good time, and spent less money that it costs to play golf.
Almost all of the shooting I do outside of work is 22LR, probably 95% +. This last weekend I shot 270 rounds of 22LR in about 2 1/2 hours at the range, which is pretty typical for me. The range fee is only $90 a year and the ammo cost me less than $10. I managed a 215 & a 226 on the two AQTs I shot, had a good time, and spent less money that it costs to play golf.
I spend close to about 50-100 every time I go to the range. Ammo, range time, targets. Always end up buying accessories.
armoredman
Member
Went today with 74 rounds of handcast lead reloads in 40SW, and one box of 50 factory.
Free public range, so no cost to use it. Cost of 74 reloads, by the http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp calculator, was $5.48. The factory cost $16.50, but both the factory and reload brass has already been tumbled, resized/deprimed, and re-primed, ready for the next batch of bullets I will cast tomorrow morning.
Free public range, so no cost to use it. Cost of 74 reloads, by the http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp calculator, was $5.48. The factory cost $16.50, but both the factory and reload brass has already been tumbled, resized/deprimed, and re-primed, ready for the next batch of bullets I will cast tomorrow morning.
Never less than 1000 rounds. Average $3-500 bucks. I go maybe every other month. I use to go once a month. I do go because I love it. But mostly defense practice.
Thx for replying. I own a ruger 10/22 with red dot sight, marlin model 60 with 3-9x40 simmins scope and a browning buckmark pistol.
Ive heard about appleseed but the closest one i could attend is in san antonio which is about a 5 hr drive from where i live (mission, tx). So thats not an option for me :-(
Thanks so much for all the replys...this is great! :-D
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I said "about $50", but to be honest I really don't keep track except with some factory ammo that is fairly new. I keep a fair amount of ammo on hand and really don't remember what I paid for it. So, I shoot what I want, but it still is mostly 22LR with some other stuff thrown in depending on how I feel that day. Replacement cost may well be in the $50 area on average.
bannockburn
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Typically I will bring a brick of .22LR's for 2 pistols and 1 rifle. Probably 100 rounds per caliber of centerfire pistols, usually 9mm. and .45ACP, along with the occasional .380 as well. Same goes for revolvers in .38 Special, .357 Mag, and .45LC.
If I'm shooting my AR-15, then it's another 200 rounds for that. Might shoot 2 boxes of shotgun shells if I have that along too.
If I'm shooting my AR-15, then it's another 200 rounds for that. Might shoot 2 boxes of shotgun shells if I have that along too.
An average range trip for me is only 50-100 rds. Shooting my reloads that cost me about $ 6.00 a box. I am a member of a gun club that cost $ 110.00 a year, so no range fees. Yesterday I took my son and 4 of his freinds. I know it cost me over $100.00 for that trip.
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