Is cheep .45 Ammo No MOre? Need Help.. Too Da*n Expensive
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Landric
Member
Its pretty sad when $20 for 50 rounds of "cheap FMJ" is considered a deal by anyone.
My handloads are costing me about $5/50, perhaps slightly less, and I could drop the price even more if I would just get off my lazy duff and start casting.
My handloads are costing me about $5/50, perhaps slightly less, and I could drop the price even more if I would just get off my lazy duff and start casting.
johnny_boy
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hmmm, what are you using to get $5/50? The best I can do is about $6.50/50?
Landric
Member
I'm using Missouri Bullet 200 grain RNFPs, Wolf LP primers, and Hodgdon Titegroup powder. I just figured it again using current costs and it was $5.50/50. It was $5/50 last year, so I guess I was a little off. Still, $11/100 is a lot better than $20/50 or $30/100 (if ChiComMart has it in stock).
I have recently purchased Winchester White Box 45 fmj at walmart for around 15 dollars a box. 2 weeks ago, I bought a box of Winchester for 19.95 at walmart. I really didnt look at the label. When I got to the range - lo and behold it was Hollow Point self protection ammo! It shot as well as the fmj in my S&W 1911.
Today I got Blazer aluminum case for 16.95 at Academy Sports. I think that's reasonable. The Blazer ammo, at least in 45 - is quite good. The quality of the assembly and fit seems to be down a bit for their 9mm aluminum 'brass'...but it shoots well in my guns, including my apparently finicky 709 Slim.
I have found that online 45 ammo is quite expensive. Even the remanufactured stuff is expensive, but it falls into the purchasable category (were it in stock and I could buy enough to offset shipping).
Today I got Blazer aluminum case for 16.95 at Academy Sports. I think that's reasonable. The Blazer ammo, at least in 45 - is quite good. The quality of the assembly and fit seems to be down a bit for their 9mm aluminum 'brass'...but it shoots well in my guns, including my apparently finicky 709 Slim.
I have found that online 45 ammo is quite expensive. Even the remanufactured stuff is expensive, but it falls into the purchasable category (were it in stock and I could buy enough to offset shipping).
Man, I remember a couple years ago, before anybody knew who Barack Obama even was, our local WalMart had so much WWB in 9mm and .45 that they had to set up a table in the aisle to put it all on. And that's no joke! 100pack of .45 was $29.98. Still the same price now, if you can catch them with any.
Think about that....two years ago nobody outside of Illinois had ever heard of Barack Obama, and now he's our President? That's pretty scary.
Think about that....two years ago nobody outside of Illinois had ever heard of Barack Obama, and now he's our President? That's pretty scary.
oneounceload
member
Local gun store has CASES of ammunition - ALL kinds.....American Eagle (Federal brand) is being sold at $38.50/box of 50 for 45 acp - might explain why he has so much.....$10/box of 20 for Wolf steel cased .223, again CASES sitting there.....some folks just don't get it
SharpsDressedMan
member
Reload. No matter what you pay for inflated primers, your ammo will be less expensive. Plus, once we get beyond the panic, you will have the opportunity to stock away your NEXT "crisis" supply of primers, components, or ammo. I learned from the "Clinton" scare that supply/demand can affect my ammo availability, and, thus, my shooting. Now I have about 7M-12M of each primer size, and enough ammo already loaded for all my guns to shoot for several years straight before I have to load again. I have been making it a point to load SOMETHING every week, or at least every month, and I guess I have been reloading more than shooting. I have always had the goods to cast bullets, but got lazy for awhile and bought jacketed bullets. I am now casting once a month in the good weather, and hope to accumulate a good quantity of cast bullets before winter so I have something to do indoors. Until I have all my brass loaded, my job will not be done!
SharpsDressedMan
member
Another solution is to get a 1911 pattern gun, get a .22 or 9mm conversion unit/slide, and have a competent gunsmith rework the gun to shoot the combo cartridges (there are peculiarities to smithing the 1911 to accomodate 9mm, .45, and .22 on the same frame). A combo 1911 allows you to practice with cheaper ammo, while using the same frame/trigger feel of your defensive round (.45). In the case of the 9mm, it makes your gun able to shoot another, sometimes less expensive or more available round.
Shear_stress
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People have been grousing about the cost of factory ammo since the invention of the metallic cartridge. My 1982 copy of Guns Illustrated has a review of the UZI semi-auto carbine which refers to a box of Federal 9mm costing $17.40. That's the equivalent of more than $38 in 2008. In constant dollars, ammo is actually less expensive than it's been in a while. We just got used to a brief period of time when it was really rock bottom.
tdyoung58
Member
Why buy .45acp ammo when you can reload for less than .15 cents a round with match grade primers, bullets and powder?
stonecoldy
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- Nov 30, 2008
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- 350
You can have a whole new hobby of tracking down "reasonably priced" ammo and reloading components. Traveling for work, I try to find new places to stop in and find such things. I have really enjoyed that, after holding off shooting more than a box of 50 rounds per caliber (except for .22 LR) at the range and being a little frustrated at my ammo stock.
I really, really like shooting the .45 ACP round, so this is how I modified my shooting habits for now:
Put my .22 caliber conversion kit on my Kimber. Fun to shoot!
Bought a S&W 625 recently, having the moon clips means the brass stays my property.
Anytime I run across Large Pistol primers, I pick up typically 500 or so.
Unless you had the forethought starting years ago with reloading, these are tough times. I ask friends who don't reload for any brass they don't want, even if not in a caliber I own a gun for, mostly for trading for what I do want.
FYI, at most I make a range trip once a month, so I'm pretty conservative, and pretty busy with other things.
I'm a big fan of .22 handguns and rifles, and don't mind using them more right now. My inventory of .22 ammo goes back about 25 years.
I really, really like shooting the .45 ACP round, so this is how I modified my shooting habits for now:
Put my .22 caliber conversion kit on my Kimber. Fun to shoot!
Bought a S&W 625 recently, having the moon clips means the brass stays my property.
Anytime I run across Large Pistol primers, I pick up typically 500 or so.
Unless you had the forethought starting years ago with reloading, these are tough times. I ask friends who don't reload for any brass they don't want, even if not in a caliber I own a gun for, mostly for trading for what I do want.
FYI, at most I make a range trip once a month, so I'm pretty conservative, and pretty busy with other things.
I'm a big fan of .22 handguns and rifles, and don't mind using them more right now. My inventory of .22 ammo goes back about 25 years.
GojuBrian
Member
I've found it to be challenging and rewarding stalking .45 ammo.
I check the wal-marts almost every day of the week.
I'll tell you this, there is no method to the madness. You CAN'T predict when it will come in. I've found it being shipped in almost every day of the week at one time or another, day or evening.
Just today I checked for a.45 ammo with no luck. I did some shopping and went back before I left. Bingo, they were just opening the boxes,lol, ain't life grand??
I check the wal-marts almost every day of the week.
I'll tell you this, there is no method to the madness. You CAN'T predict when it will come in. I've found it being shipped in almost every day of the week at one time or another, day or evening.
Just today I checked for a.45 ammo with no luck. I did some shopping and went back before I left. Bingo, they were just opening the boxes,lol, ain't life grand??
TexasRedneck
Member
Hmmm.....guess I got lucky - 4k loaded, 15k primers, 12 lbs powder, 7k bullets (45's) - about the same # of bullets in 40 & 357, only 'bout 4k in 380.
All I knew was when I saw the election results, it was time to stock up. If nothing else, the panic buying was gonna make stuff hard to get for a while!
All I knew was when I saw the election results, it was time to stock up. If nothing else, the panic buying was gonna make stuff hard to get for a while!
You just have to keep looking and get lucky every now and then.
I just bought 500 rounds of American Eagle .45 ACP off a fellow forum member for $160.00.
I have also found 45 at my local Wally world (WWB) for normal pricing.
Maybe they do not ship ammo to the left coast.....
I just bought 500 rounds of American Eagle .45 ACP off a fellow forum member for $160.00.
I have also found 45 at my local Wally world (WWB) for normal pricing.
Maybe they do not ship ammo to the left coast.....
loop
Member
Reading threads like this makes me feel really good.
I reload my .45 ammo. I've been paying far too much for primers and powder, but it still only comes out to about $50 per 1,000.
Because we are at a north/south and east/west crossroads there are numerous truck stops and, therefore, lots of lead available.
My cost, including sales tax, for .45 ammo is about $3 per box of 50.
I use a Lee Pro progressive press for ammo I shoot a lot. Well, I use a lot of Lee Pro progressive presses for ammo I shoot a lot. I have five reloading stations and they just aren't that expensive or demanding of space.
A loading bench costs about $25 to build. A complete press with dies costs about $200. Four of my stations are dedicated to one caliber. One is for everything else I shoot.
Buy a handful of gas checks and you can have a ball shooting 30/06 with a pistol charge that has no recoil and fills the stew pot with bunnies for about four cents a round.
Doggone it, .45 ammo is costing me at least five cents a round. It's killing me!
I may have to take up water boarding, or is that wind surfing? Maybe snow boarding. I hear it is a lot cheaper...
I reload my .45 ammo. I've been paying far too much for primers and powder, but it still only comes out to about $50 per 1,000.
Because we are at a north/south and east/west crossroads there are numerous truck stops and, therefore, lots of lead available.
My cost, including sales tax, for .45 ammo is about $3 per box of 50.
I use a Lee Pro progressive press for ammo I shoot a lot. Well, I use a lot of Lee Pro progressive presses for ammo I shoot a lot. I have five reloading stations and they just aren't that expensive or demanding of space.
A loading bench costs about $25 to build. A complete press with dies costs about $200. Four of my stations are dedicated to one caliber. One is for everything else I shoot.
Buy a handful of gas checks and you can have a ball shooting 30/06 with a pistol charge that has no recoil and fills the stew pot with bunnies for about four cents a round.
Doggone it, .45 ammo is costing me at least five cents a round. It's killing me!
I may have to take up water boarding, or is that wind surfing? Maybe snow boarding. I hear it is a lot cheaper...
Bishop.357
Member
PMC Bronze makes a halfway decent round,be it .357 or .45,and it goes for about $18 for a box of 50(at least thats what I pay). Forget Wal-Mart,all the chain stores rip you off. Find a good mom and pop place,if you become a regular loyal customer you'er more likely to get better deals then other places.
SeanB23
Member
re: the poster who suggested the Tokarev
I too live in the Portland region. 45 ACP is almost nonexistent at the local stores, but if you are diligent, and happen to stop in when it's there, it can be yours, if you are lucky. Cheapest I've seen is $20 for 50 rounds of white box at Bi-Mart. If they have it, of course.
So these days I always take my Polish Tokarev with me to the gravel pit, no matter what other firearms I bring. I just got into the 1911, but my Toks have accompanied my .357 Model 19, my 9mm, my 9mm Makarov pistols, each and every one of my long guns and my shotguns, for a long time now. Before I had a couple of Tokarevs, I had their inferior cousins, the CZ52s.
I can get surplus 7.62x25 Tokarev delivered to my doorstep for 10-13 cents per round, depending. This is an outrage ! Used to be under seven cents ! I have gone through thousands of rounds of this stuff, and always keep at least 1.5K stowed away no matter what.
Sure, it's not chambered in .45, but the TT-33 is a Browning derived design, and those humongous piles of 7.62 Tok still flooding into our country make great plinking ammo.
Plus, have you ever seen what that stuff does to what it hits ? I've tested it on all kinds of objects, and let me tell you, if I had a choice of what to be shot at with, that would be way, way down on the list.
Sure, it's a little 85 grain pill, but most of that surplus is pushing 1400-1500 fps or more. Read Fairbairn and Sykes "Shooting to Live" for more on the old 7.63 Mauser round the 7.62 Tok is derived from...those Shanghai cops made a point to inform the reader that nothing struck fear into the hearts of their personnel like the mere mention of that round, and that .45 or even larger caliber rounds often surprised them by failing to live up to their expectations.
www.gutterfighting.org/files/shooting_to_live.pdf
That old .30 Mauser round had a really fearsome reputation for shattering bone and inflicting awful wounds. The authors used the word "pulped" to describe what one little round did to a man's arm, which was later amputated.
OK. It's not .45 and it's not a 1911, what is ? But until prices come down, it's the cheapest thing going...
I too live in the Portland region. 45 ACP is almost nonexistent at the local stores, but if you are diligent, and happen to stop in when it's there, it can be yours, if you are lucky. Cheapest I've seen is $20 for 50 rounds of white box at Bi-Mart. If they have it, of course.
So these days I always take my Polish Tokarev with me to the gravel pit, no matter what other firearms I bring. I just got into the 1911, but my Toks have accompanied my .357 Model 19, my 9mm, my 9mm Makarov pistols, each and every one of my long guns and my shotguns, for a long time now. Before I had a couple of Tokarevs, I had their inferior cousins, the CZ52s.
I can get surplus 7.62x25 Tokarev delivered to my doorstep for 10-13 cents per round, depending. This is an outrage ! Used to be under seven cents ! I have gone through thousands of rounds of this stuff, and always keep at least 1.5K stowed away no matter what.
Sure, it's not chambered in .45, but the TT-33 is a Browning derived design, and those humongous piles of 7.62 Tok still flooding into our country make great plinking ammo.
Plus, have you ever seen what that stuff does to what it hits ? I've tested it on all kinds of objects, and let me tell you, if I had a choice of what to be shot at with, that would be way, way down on the list.
Sure, it's a little 85 grain pill, but most of that surplus is pushing 1400-1500 fps or more. Read Fairbairn and Sykes "Shooting to Live" for more on the old 7.63 Mauser round the 7.62 Tok is derived from...those Shanghai cops made a point to inform the reader that nothing struck fear into the hearts of their personnel like the mere mention of that round, and that .45 or even larger caliber rounds often surprised them by failing to live up to their expectations.
www.gutterfighting.org/files/shooting_to_live.pdf
That old .30 Mauser round had a really fearsome reputation for shattering bone and inflicting awful wounds. The authors used the word "pulped" to describe what one little round did to a man's arm, which was later amputated.
OK. It's not .45 and it's not a 1911, what is ? But until prices come down, it's the cheapest thing going...
Oldtrader3
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- Joined
- Jun 2, 2009
- Messages
- 84
It is the same here in northwestern Washington. The 2 gun stores that are still in business within 50 miles of here both only have the $30/20 rounds or the really cheap Blazer stuff for the .45 ACP now. I am considering handloading for the 1911. I have some .45 Colt dies that will work and I already load for several other calibers.
The ATF here in the People's Republic of Washington have put the squash on several gun dealer's licenses. I understand that the ATF has reduce the number of FFL's nationally from 30,000 to about 6,000 in the past thirty years. The keep finding excuses to not renew or pull licenses and pretty soon there won't anyplace to buy ammo in the PR of W except WallyWorld.
The ATF here in the People's Republic of Washington have put the squash on several gun dealer's licenses. I understand that the ATF has reduce the number of FFL's nationally from 30,000 to about 6,000 in the past thirty years. The keep finding excuses to not renew or pull licenses and pretty soon there won't anyplace to buy ammo in the PR of W except WallyWorld.
ThrottleJockey72
member
I've seen a lot of the federal .45 and .40 as well as 9mm around lately. No specific region, everywhere. I just bought a bunch for $15 per 50, that's 30cents per round.
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