Reloading is not so cheap!!!

[Riss]

Shop here for brass, $80 for a couple thousand once fired. Get good lead. Rogers better bullets is $72 for a thousand of lead delivered. 9mm is cheaper. Power is more like $15 per pound, unless its new, or Vihtvouri. AND is cheaper in 4 lb or 8lb cans. In the end reloading does not save you any money. It does however let you shoot more for the same money.

 

[robriboflavin]

One other thing, it's not always about saving money. Back when I was shooting IPSC, the only way to make major in a 38 super was to load my own ammo - no factory rounds were fast enough.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

Actually it is cheap.

My 40 S&W breakdown

Powder = 8 lbs Unique, $100. 1000 rounds/pound at 7 grain charge = 1 cent/round.

Primers = 10,000 wolf = 210 delivered, 2.1 cents/round.

Bullets = 1000 Berry's 165 gr, $106, so 10.6 cents/round.

So the grand total is 13.7 cents/round, round up to 14. Cheapest factory fodder is 30 cents/round. If you use lead bullets, they run about $75/1000, so then the cost will drop to under 11 cents/round.

 

[wankerjake]

Yeah, 9mm brass is like $30 per thousand (once fired)
Bullets $80.35 shipped** for 2000 from stonewall (lead cast)http://www.marlinowners.com/forums/index.php/topic,23847.0.html
Primers $30 per 1000
Powder $18 per pound

I pick up range brass for free and reload 9mm for about $4/box after tax. I spend more money on shooting than I did and shoot WAAAAAY more.

**looks like he is out of 125gr so $84.35 shipped for 147gr. I'm sure he will make more 125's.

 

[Grassman]

http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp

I really like this site for getting down what you spent.

 

[ljnowell]

A bullet press is nothing more than a machine that converts time into ammunition.

I find reloading entertaining and relaxing. To me its almost as much fun as shooting, so the time doesnt matter.

 

[evan price]

9mm Lugeroal 1.115" crimp 0.378"
125-gr LRN, 4.0gr Titegroup powder 1750/lb Wolf SP
Projo: 4.0¢ Primer: 1.85¢ Powder: 0.75¢
Total Cost per round: 6.6¢
Total Cost per box/50: $3.30

9mm is really only cost effective if it is $10a box. However .45 .38 .357, those are money makers. Plus rifle. If you only load 9mm, you are at the minimum savings- and heck, I am saving 67% or thereabouts. BUY IN BULK. I buy my 9mm bullets by the flat-rate box full, powder by the 8 keg and primers by the 5000 sleeve.

 

[Speedo66]

Try an esoteric round like .38 WCF (.38-40). Once almost dead, but now popular with Cowboy Shooting.

The least price for an off brand is $35 a box of 50, Winchester brand up to $70!

Sportsman Guide lists a box of Winchesters, 20 rounds to the box, for $59.

Doesn't make sense NOT to load for that caliber.

I just ordered a set of dies to be able to afford to shoot mine.

 

[Mainsail]

500 Brass Cases-$80
500 Bullets- $50
500 Primers -$15
I dont know how much powder I'd need but lets say 1lb. $30

Having the ability to load your own if/when ammunition is prohibitively taxed or unavailable: Priceless

 

[qajaq59]

SniperStraz, try the math again on a 338 Ultra and see where you come out?

 

[Evenflo76]

Another way to save if it has not been mentioned, is to purchase powder and primers locally to avoid HAZMAT shipping costs.

 

[easyrider604]

Reloading will save you money, comparing reloads vs. factory loads, on a per shot basis. This is why hundreds of thousands, if not millions of shooters, engage in rolling their own.

It is entirely up to the individual to decide on what to do with the savings.
Many of us just re-invest the savings into more powder, primers, bullets and reloading equipment, often spending more than we ever did (on ammo) before we started reloading Nonetheless, savings is still savings, no matter how one looks at it.

More savings can be realized if you cast your own bullets.

Whether you get better accuracy will depend on whether you take the time nd expense to learn how to load for accuracy, but that is not the issue in this thread.

 

[dwave]

.357 mags are $27/50 around here (.54 per round). My reloads cost about .19 per round (works out to $9.87/50) including the brass (calculated @ 10 uses).

 

[Hardatwork]

This is a guy that has cheap brass for sale shipping included. check him out.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=44125

 

[procomps]

I don't know where I found this, but this site should help: "Handgun Cartridge Reloading Cost Calculator.mht"

I use once-fired brass or good range brass, and with plated bullets, I save a BUNCH of money!

 

[procomps]

This is the site I use: http://10xshooters.com/calculators/index.htm

Note that this site has different calculators for pistol, rifle, and shotgun.

 

[moooose102]

yes, on your initial set up, it appears that way. like the other guys have said, a big part of the savings comes when you save and reuse your cases. another place you can save money is by casting your own bullets. especially if you can retrieve your old ones. then you can just melt them down and reuse them for the cost of the electricity and a few cents worth of chemicals.

 

[jcwit]

I'm not sure about saving money by buying locally to save the hazmat fee, I suppose it depends on how much you shoot and reload.

In my case I purchase powder in 8 lb. jugs and usually buy primers in quanities of at least 10,000 at a time. Have never seen a local shop able or willing to match the prices I pay, even when I add in the hazmet fee.

 

[atblis]

Here's my prices
Jacketed 9mm $68 per 1k shipped
Primers are $20 1k Wolf Small Pistol
Powder is $105 for 8lbs Unique 5.8 gr per load
Cases are $20 for 1k once fired

Throw that in a cost calculator.
I get $5.94 per box.
If you reuse the brass 5 times it becomes
$5.14
better than $9 at Walmart

For 38 special it gets better. Brass can be reused many many times and won't get lost
I get $5.14 per box. Consider that 38 ammo is what? $15 per box.

10mm also stacks up well.
I get $8.14 per box. Consider that 10mm is ~$20-$30 per box.

 

[mokin]

There is a lot of good advice in this thread. Experiment with what seems the most logical for you. I found that for 9mm plinker ammo the price to reload is about the same as buying it at the store. I buy that for the cases.

If you want to shoot "higher end" ammo though, you can generally load/reload you own for less than you can buy it. If you are loading for and shooting more "exotic/collectable" calibers, espically rifles (WWI and WWII), your press and other equipment will quickly pay for itself. I got into reloading so I could shoot my rifles few companies load ammo for and when I find it it usually goes for between $1 or 2 a round.

I found that any saving I may have gained in reloading was offset by the amount of shooting I now do. Be safe and have fun!

 

[RustyFN]

Another way to save if it has not been mentioned, is to purchase powder and primers locally to avoid HAZMAT shipping costs.

I wish I had some places close to me like you do. I buy on-line and even with hazmat and shipping included I am buying for close to half of what I can buy for local.
Rusty

 

[JoeShmoe]

Part of the fun of reloading, is finding deals on components, and stocking up.

 

[RustyFN]

and stocking up.

Music to my ears.
Rusty

 

[Ky Larry]

I don't save any money by reloading. Whatever money I might save I just reinvest in components. I reload so I can shoot more. The cost is the same.

 

[jcwit]

Well that there is a problem!!!!!!!!