looking for more cost savings 45 acp loads

[mdi]

Perhaps a new sub-forum is needed "Money vs. Reloading", or "Putting a Price on My Reloads". Seems to be a lot of interest lately...

Also a new sticky is needed; "How to Find Load Data"...

 

[jmorris]

Sticky's and searches, if read, would make this forum dead. I know it's time to take a shower when another "what press" thread is started.

 

[NWcityguy2]

No one has ever worn out carbide dies due to reloading steel cases.

 

[tonyjr]

Ist - I don't do lead - coated or plated . My cost has dropped I think because I have 4 nephews and 2 nieces that shoot and reload here .
Last year I got CFE pistol power , a brink of CCY regular and a brick of magnum primers , a box of 100 45 , 9 mm and 44 mag bullets . [ a bunch better than an ugly shirt or tie ] True , I have to buy the Lee , dies , all the stuff for reloading and everyone buys the stuff to reload their shells
So , get some friends and teach them to reload / help you .

 

[Bama Drifter]

Vectan powder...

Just picked up a cheap can of Nobel Sport Vectan BA10. Stuff is made outside of Paris, France and is still cheaper than US made Hodgdon/ Alliant/ etc. Burn rate chart shows it close to Bullseye. Haven't reloaded any .45acp with it yet, but always keeping my eyes peeled for cheap pistol powder!

 

[Dudedog]

Use range brass for .45 all the time.
Lots of people don't reload so they don't pick it up.
Look for split necks, sort SP from LP (nothing wrong with the SP ones use the same loads)
If the primer pockets feel to loose I mark them with a sharpie so I know they are to be tossed and pick them up so no one else gets them. (really loose deprime and don't use)

 

[jmorris]

No one has ever worn out carbide dies due to reloading steel cases.

I know people who have worn out carbide dies loading brass cases. Actually more often than you might think. They are loading around 30,000 a day on any given machine though. Likely more cycles in a week than the average reloader would do in a lifetime.

 

[reddog81]

1. Get cheaper lead. Maybe not possible but it looks like you're paying about a $1.50 per pound with the cost of coating included. This could be lower, but not much.
2. Reuse the brass more or get cheaper brass. I saw 2000 once fired .45 ACP LPP brass for $90 yesterday.
3. Convert to 9mm and you will use less lead and slightly less powder.
4. Stick with what you have because realistically you aren't going to be able to drop any component costs significantly unless you can start getting items for free. I have got lead wheel weights for free in the past but not any more...

 

[LiveLife]

Cast 228gr. Lee RN. Cast and coated at $23.50 per 500---.05 per bullet

Mixed ranges brass at $40 per 500----- divided by 8 reloads-----$.01 per brass case

Powder tite group $20 per lb------4.8 gr per round-----$.01 per round

Primers ginex or S&B ---$20 per 1k----$.02 per round.

Total of $.09 per round or $90.71 per 1000 rounds.

See anywhere I can save more?

Yes, lighter bullet and powder/charge.

My plinking load is 200 gr SWC with 4.0 gr of Promo and it is very accurate (1" at 15 yards/2" at 25 yards out of 5" Sig 1911) - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=9415802#post9415802

Promo is probably the lowest cost powder you can get (around $110/8 lbs) and if you load other calibers (Promo works well for 38Spl/9mm/40S&W/45Colt), you will have additional savings.

And when your primer pockets get loose, instead of tossing the brass, use larger diameter Wolf/Tula primers to extend the life of brass. Not sure why you are factoring 8 reloads for your brass as I am getting way more reloads with my brass.

 

[mdi]

Your costs would really go down if you steal some lead and cast yer own bullets and shoplift some primers from your LGS...