Still Cheaper?

[Potatohead]

How much is it costing to reload (per bullet) based on current component prices? I know it will vary by caliber and such...I'm not trying to get into anybodies financial business here, and I'm researching/starting to reload anyway (for the fun as much as anything) and wondering how you guys are faring in relation to factory prices. Thanks in advance

 

[silicosys4]

I'm paying about $0.33/rd to reload .223, cheaper than current market price for factory reloaded ammo, but I would be buying factory if it were the same price it was 6 months ago. 6 months ago I would have been paying about $0.25/rd to reload.

For handguns I'm still paying about the same per round as I was 6 months ago. Partly because I had a good supply of components on hand and hand cast, and partly because I have been able to keep up on my supplies of powder and primer at normal pricing by keeping a close eye on online and local supplies.

 

[gamestalker]

Well, your right, it varies by cartridge being reloaded. Example, I can load top notch self defense, full magnum, jacketed hollow points for .357 mag at about $11.50 per 50 round box. For factory of like quality, will run about $1 per round, or more.
Where as I load 7 mag with quality hunting bullets for about $8 per 20 round box, and about $12 per using more expensive Barnes bullets.
But many load for much less than I do using lead or plated bullets, rather than jacketed.
GS

 

[Sam1911]

Hmmm, I'm shooting mostly 9mm right now. Brad's price for 500 147s is $34.50, add shipping and call it $36 a box. So that's about $0.07 a bullet. I'm still buying primers (occasionally) at around $0.03, maybe $0.035 a piece, so we're up to ten cents a shot or so. A can of WSF is still under $20 at local shops, and at 4 gr. a shot, that's 1,750 rounds a can, so a little over one cent a shot for powder.

I've never paid for a 9mm case, and I've had the reloading equipment for years so I can't count a cost for that any more. So call it $0.12 a shot, $6 a box of 50, $12 per box of 100.

 

[45lcshooter]

I'm at about .10 for a reloaded 9km and about .20-.23 for 223. But its awful nice to find freebie brass at the range. Keeps cost down.

 

[Potatohead]

wow. ive just been wondering because i thought i saw 1000 primers for 100$ and 100 bullets for 100$, and then brass for such and such, somewhere the other day online and i was thinking that was already 200+$ so maybe it ends up being close to factory. i was wrong i see. ---Sam, close this if you want after a few replies, i was just trying to get a few ballpark figures. thx

 

[ksimons]

1000 primers, $40, 1000 projectiles $120, 1Lbs powder $25. That is what I spent last month and it cost me about $0.27 around where as store bought was about $0.57+

 

[Potatohead]

wow. thx

 

[ngnrd]

Like anything else during the great panic of '13, you don't have to buy components at panic-level prices.

With very few exceptions, I've managed to buy everything I've needed at regular retail prices or below. So, even though availability has been hit-and-miss for the last few months, there really hasn't been any impact to costs for me.

 

[32_d3gr33s]

With all the equipment I bought for loading 9mm (press, bench, scales, dies, extra turret heads, etc.) literally everything, I have just over a grand into it. That includes 6000 primers, powder to load about 5000 rounds, and about 3000 projectiles. So figure 1300 bucks / 3000 rounds I'm at 43 cents a round. That's about the going cost around here for 9mm (if you can find it), and that is with the cost of all the equipment. Once I load those rounds, my price per round will drop to 14 cents or so, depending on what powder/bullets I use.

 

[kingmt]

Might as well leave it open.

223 FMJ about 8 cents. V-Max 15 cents. lead about 2 cents.

30-06 FMJ 16 cents, lead about 2 cents & hunting ammo 20 cents.

9 HP 22 cents & lead 2 cents.

243 V-Max 18 cents & lead about 2 cents.

45 lead about 10 cents.

I don't cast for the 45. When I run out of lead & bullets I bought 4years ago I'm sure those will go up. I don't see me running out of primers & no way will I use up my powder. The powder was so cheap it isn't half a cent a round.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Yup, still worth it.
Just don't buy in at peak prices.

 

[GT1]

ngnrd has it.

I bought all my .223 supplies in the middle of the panic, but not at panic prices.


I am reloading .233 at 16 cents per round. After a few hundred rounds it has handily paid for my Lee Classic turret, tooling, and bench at current factory ammo prices, if you can get it.

http://ultimatereloader.com/tools/reloading-costs-calculator/

 

[788Ham]

I bought all of my .223 components after the last charade, when prices settled some. The powder I use was a whole lot cheaper than now, primers the same, I've got supplies dwnstrs that will keep me shooting them for quite awhile. I've got 6K bullets for .223 and 22-250 rifles, sure beats the $1.00 to $1.35 range per round we're seeing now.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Most people here don't buy primers at $100/1000, more like they already have a ton at $18/1000, and powder at <$20/lb.. then there's the bullets. The spectrum can run from a penny per (cast your own, free lead, right!) on up.. it really depends.
If you want to know good current prices for components check out bds's thread.. it's updated many times a day here.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=707473

 

[Elkins45]

The last box of primers I opened had an $18 price tag on them, so let's call that two cents. Add three cents for a cast lead bullet. Finally add one more penny for a powder charge, assuming seven grains of Promo that I paid $10/lb for. That works out to $6 per hundred rounds for common pistol rounds not loaded with a giant charge of slow powder.

Prices go up for rifle rounds due to the much larger powder charges and the need to buy jacketed bullets or at least gas checks. But since all my bullets were bought before the panic I can still load 308 for <$0.25 per round.

 

[kostyanj]

The last box of primers I opened had an $18 price tag on them, so let's call that two cents. Add three cents for a cast lead bullet. Finally add one more penny for a powder charge, assuming seven grains of Promo that I paid $10/lb for. That works out to $6 per hundred rounds for common pistol rounds not loaded with a giant charge of slow powder.

Prices go up for rifle rounds due to the much larger powder charges and the need to buy jacketed bullets or at least gas checks. But since all my bullets were bought before the panic I can still load 308 for <$0.25 per round.

With inflation that $18 price tag on the primers is likely what they're going for today (non panic prices), same goes for the powder.


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[Certaindeaf]

With inflation that $18 price tag on the primers is likely what they're going for today (non panic prices), same goes for the powder.


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I don't know about that.. $18/1000 was the norm like 4-6 months ago for Tulammo primers. we're not talking 1972 or something

 

[kostyanj]

I don't know about that.. $18/1000 was the norm like 4-6 months ago for Tulammo primers. we're not talking 1972 or something

$18 in 2003 is 22.77 now (roughly the cost of tulammo primers today) according to the Bureau of labor statistics. That's only 10 years. Also the poster never said they were tul or otherwise.

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[gahunter12]

I'm still loading at early 2012 prices. I will start getting in to my late 2012 stock by end of summer, and 2013 stock by Christmas/Newyear.

My current components are as follows

CCI SPP=$27/k 7,400 left on the shelf
XTreme 180gr RS .400= $106/k. 4,400 left
Berry's 180 RS .401= $110/k 2,000 left
WST powder= $143/8lb 18lb left from (3) 8lb jugs

Late 2012 Stock
CCI SPP= $29.95/k 5,000 on the shelf
CCI LPP= $29.95/k 9,000 on the shelf
MBC 230gr softball= $86/k 4,200 left to load

2013 stock
CCI SPP= $35/k ouch! 5,000 in stock
CCI LPP= $35/k 2,000 in stock
Rainer 180gr= $120/k 1,000 in stock
XTreme 180gr= $110/k 1,000 in stock

Even at these prices I'm still well to the good. I also have more brass than I know what to do with. I picked up 2 5gal buckets of .40s&w from a buddy of mine last week in trade for some 9mm cases.

 

[Certaindeaf]

$18 in 2003 is 22.77 now (roughly the cost of tulammo primers today) according to the Bureau of labor statistics. That's only 10 years. Also the poster never said they were tul or otherwise.

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Yes I understand the difference between nominal and real dollars. What are you talking about?

 

[Potatohead]

With all the equipment I bought for loading 9mm (press, bench, scales, dies, extra turret heads, etc.) literally everything, I have just over a grand into it. That includes 6000 primers, powder to load about 5000 rounds, and about 3000 projectiles. So figure 1300 bucks / 3000 rounds I'm at 43 cents a round. That's about the going cost around here for 9mm (if you can find it), and that is with the cost of all the equipment. Once I load those rounds, my price per round will drop to 14 cents or so, depending on what powder/bullets I use.

wow again. thx for posting all

 

[Potatohead]

Most people here don't buy primers at $100/1000, more like they already have a ton at $18/1000, and powder at <$20/lb.. then there's the bullets. The spectrum can run from a penny per (cast your own, free lead, right!) on up.. it really depends.
If you want to know good current prices for components check out bds's thread.. it's updated many times a day here.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=707473

thx very much

 

[cfullgraf]

How much is it costing to reload (per bullet) based on current component prices?

I really could not tell you what it costs me to reload, I quit worrying about it decades ago. A reloaded round will always be less expensive than a factory round unless you have to justify your time.

I have suffered through several shortages so i keep a supply of components on hand and I figured 2013 would be a repeat of 2009 so i planned ahead.

Components are still available to be had at reasonable prices if you shop around and are willing to wait. Other posters have shown that.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to get started at reloading at this time. Be patient and keep your eyes and ears open.

 

[kostyanj]

Yes I understand the difference between nominal and real dollars. What are you talking about?

This all moot unless we know what brand and when they were bought. I was just making the point that even in the last 10 years inflation is 30% so if the components were bought before that, inflation would be even greater. Hence the real price being the same.

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