The Cost of Ammo Is Killing My Hobby. Solutions?

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

armed85

Member.
Joined
Apr 27, 2007
Messages
372
I enjoy shooting handguns and have now moved on to rifles. My next purchase will be one of the Remington 700 CDL rifle models (Standard, Stainless Fluted, or Boone & Crockett Edition) in either .243, .25-06, or .30-06.

I shoot .45 ACP, .223 Rem., and soon one of the above cartridges once I make up my mind on which to buy. With that said, I'm considering buying a .22 LR rifle such as the Ruger 77/22 or a reloading kit.

My budget is $400 to $500.

In justifying how much money I'll save on ammo, I'm considering the reloading kit to cost $0 or nothing. This is because if I buy a reloading kit I wont have to buy a new rifle to save money on ammo :D

While I'm sure there are a lot of people who love their 22s, I would rather shoot my three cartridges above.

I have some concerns with reloading:

  • I don't want to spend all of Saturday making enough ammo for 4 magazines of .223 (120 rounds) to shoot out of an AR-15 on Sunday. That seems like a waste of time. My AR-15 is by far the most expensive firearm I own.
  • I need a good book that will show a complete newbie how to do this safely. I like my face and hands to stay just the way they are. What's a good book recommendation?
  • I want an all-in-one kit. What kits are available in one box with everything I need?
  • With the upcoming election in 2008, will bullets, powder, and primers be hard to come by?
  • I'm not including the cost of the reloading kit, but rather the cost of powder, bullets, primers, dies for my cartridges, etc. How long or how many rounds will it take for me to see real savings on ammo?

Can some of you more experienced enthusiasts help a newer, younger enthusiast out? Thank you.
 
Many all in one kits from Lee, RCBS and Dillon. I reccomend the RCBS kit. Check out midwayusa.com for complete details. Powder is cheaper locally, same with primers, due to hazmat fees with shipping. Bullets can be ordered, or you can go the extra mile and cast your own, another almost separate hobby.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=646599&t=11082005

If you are short of funds, the Lee set will work well.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=820810&t=11082005

Then dies, powder, primers, and brass. If you use the Lee trimmer, get the cutter with the wooden ball handle.
 
Reloading is your only answer other than making more money. I have always felt ammo was expensive. Sorry.... $0.15 per round is a lot of money especially when you shoot 10 or more in one magazine. My solution is to shoot less and eventually I will get back into reloading. I also buy small quantities of ammo weekly or when I visit a gun shop. It builds up. But I don't feel that I can afford to blow away several hundred dollars worth of ammo at the range in one day regardless.
 
Of course Reloading is the way to go. The prices are only going up. Now is the cheapest time to buy..whichever way you go.


I know you want something with some boom, but dont overlook the .22.
 
Yeah I was thinkin of getting myself a little 1022 so I can shoot more for less money. I dont know alot about rifles though. I'm sure its just as much fun as shooting handguns. I want to get into reloading too, the initial investment of a reloading kit is whats holding that back. I'm trying to get more guns over here! lol
 
Not to hijack the thread or anything but.... what else would one need with the RCBS kit? Other than podwer bullets and brass.
 
Dies, brass, primers, powder, and at least two manuals. Lyman's 48th is a good one. Each powder manfacturer has thier own loadbooks, and the bullet makers do as well, and those are usually free. The single caliber Loadbooks aren't a bad investment, either.
 
$0.15 is a good deal. I'm current shooting $0.53 for .223 per round and $0.30 for .45 ACP. This is with FMJ. The good stuff is $1 per round in rifle ammo.

In my AR-15, each 30 round magazine is $15.90 in ammo. I liken my AR to my Ford F150. Very hungry machines.

A 1911 with 7 round magazines and bolt action rifles have a higher fun per round ratio :D

I need to get a second job at a gun store. I'll have them pay me with ammo ha ha.

Seriously though, please keep the suggestions coming.
 
Might I suggest, since this is essentially a reloading issue, that you visit the "Handloading and Reloading" forum below. This sticky - For the New Reloader: Thinking about Reloading; Equipment Basics -- READ THIS FIRST - at the top of that forum contains a lot of pertinent information for you.

A good turret press should easily be able to load 120 rounds of .223 within 2 hours.

I recommend the ABC's of Reloading as a primer. Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/ABCs-Reloadin...8208642?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188752752&sr=1-1

I haven't run across a single kit that contains everything. You will need to suplement with individual purchases.

I don't know anyone who can accurately predict the future. The future availability of components is unknown. Prices, however, will likely continue to rise.

A lot of variable factors will affect when you actually begin to see savings in ammo costs: cast lead vs premium jacketed bullets, local purchases vs internet, powder selection, bulk purchases vs small quantity purchases, buying brass vs using brass on hand, etc. With this in mind, I would estimate that in .45ACP, for example, cast lead plinking ammo should start showing savings at 300 rounds or maybe a bit less vs a similar commercial ammo.
 
RELOAD!Seriously though, I began reloading last year when the ammo prices started shooting up. Once a case of Fiocchi 40 S&W ammo hit $200, I said "that's it, I'm done". The next month I bought a Lee 4 hole turret reloading kit, a set of dies for 357 mag and 40 S&W, a couple thousand bullets, 8 lbs of powder, several boxes of primers. My initial cost outlay was recovered in the first 1000 rounds I reloaded. Since then, my ammo cost for 40 S&W is running $5.50/50 and my cost for 357 mag is running $6/50.:D I'm easily saving 20 cents/round on 357 mag and 40 S&W. Last time I checked, a box of factory remington 158 grain soft points were $30/50.:what:

Without reloading, my shooting days would be over, or seriously curtailed.
 
what else would one need with the RCBS kit? Other than podwer bullets and brass.
Click to expand...

Some process to clean brass - tumbler, liquid cleaner, handwash with a brush?

Scale check weights are handy to verify the scale is weighing accurately.

A means to trim rifle brass to length periodically.

Some folks find case guages to be handy.

If shooting military brass, a primer pocket swager.

If shooting for accuracy, primer pocket and flash hole tools to clean and uniform.

The list goes on....
 
The cost

Reloading is the only way to save enough so you can keep on shooting. Find someone who reloads to give you help in reloading and maybe let you load some to get the feel of it. I prepare my brass for the next year in the winter and load early spring enough for the years shooting.It can be a good past time.I've been able to get a lot of brass I use (.40 and 9mm) from the small range I belong to,and picked up a 100 rds. of .40 Win. White Box rds. today. Somebody didn't bother to pick up after their done, their lose,my gain. The brass is in perfect shape. But do examine any brass you pick up. Most pistol brass will not have a problem,but look rifle brass over for cracks, and bulges.
 
There are DVDs to show you you each part of the reloading process. Years ago I bought a VHS I think from Cabalas that was pretty instructive. Also Sportsmans Wharehouse used to have reloading classes, I noticed a couple years ago. I would guess they still have them, and are prolly even more popular today. Check them out.
 
You can also get a ciener conversion for your AR. Anything I can convert to .22 right now is getting priority.

I've got a *lot* of ammo right now (stocked HEAVY the last few years) but with prices the way they are I can't go out and blow 1000 rounds a day like I used to. I can shoot my AR all day for $10 now, and then I'll run one mag of .223 through it to blow out the gas system.

I'm also taking my Ruger MkII, Ruger 10/22, and S&W 317 to the range every trip now - go till I get tired and then I'll shoot a little bit of my "real" calibers.

Reloading is great as well - I'm set up for .45 but the cost of components is way up as well...again, my $0.02 is to go with a .22 conversion.
 
I appreciate the responses.

This is a tough decision.

I'm trying to think of the pros and cons of each.

Buying a .22 rifle like the Ruger 77/22 has advantages.

I doubt I can get the price of .223 down to $0.06 per round which is what .22 LR would cost me. I assume .223 would be cheaper to reload than .45 ACP or .30-06 based on the price of the bullets.

I can stock up on .22 LR without investing time and energy reloading cartridges.

I have to decide if whether or not I'll enjoy reloading. I might, but I can't say for sure.

Back and forth I go.
 
have you checked your local walmart for 223? I know it sounds crazy - but some of the local walmarts have been running "clearance specials" on some pistol calibers. then a week or two later they are getting in newer stock. Also some of the local walmarts have 200 round value packs of federal 223 ammo for around $57. It is brass cased, reloadable, and with the price of wolf 223 where it is now - not to bad in price. Basically $342 before tax for 1000 rounds - and wolf polymer coated is around $200 or $208 before shipping.

Of course a 10/22 makes for a fine rifle to hunt and go to the range with. :)
 
I don't really enjoy reloading either, but don't dislike it at the same time. It does let me shoot a lot more .45 than I would feel comfortable shooting, normally, however.

Also if you can get Federal .22 like I can at the Walmart at $10.99 per 500, or Federal Target .22 at Dick's for $15.99 it is even cheaper than 6 cents per; more like 2.2 cents to 3.6 cents per, no .223 can come close.

Best of luck,
cavman
 
Before taking any advice from me, I'll warn you that I'm too cheap for my own good. That said, I have a Lee 75th anniversary, one hole press, and reload .38/.357 and .223.
The advert on the loader box, "everything you need to start reloading" is right up there with "no used serviceable parts inside". You need 2 shell holders, one for the press, and one for the primer. I found the decapping tool to be wimpy, and built a much studlier one from a 9/16 bolt and a piece of music wire, but I have a lathe. Haven't broken a decapper since.
You'll need some kind of tumbler to clean the brass. Being cheap, I built mine from a 2-lb coffee can and a 120v gear motor from the local surplus outlet. It has rubber ribs inside it (car door gasket) like a miniature cement mixer. Works fine. A bit slower than the vibratory type, but MUCH quieter. Does 75 shells at a load.
Tumbling media: Go to Pet Smart, and look in the exotic bird section. For 45, you can use corncob parrot litter. They grind it a bit coarser than you find at the gun shops, so not a good choice for the .223, as it will be difficult to get out of the brass. For .223, get the ground walnut shell parrot litter. Identical to the stuff from the gun shop, and about 1/8 the price. I use it for everything.
NOTE: Tumble the brass BEFORE you remove the primers. You will only reverse this procedure once.
The books advise you to look inside the rounds to confirm that there is powder in them before you put the bullet on. I use a pencil, the kind with a metal ferrule instead of an eraser, and scribe 2 marks on the side, one for the depth of a full load, and one for the depth of an empty cartridge. After putting powder into 50 rounds, check each one with the pencil. This catches light loads as well as doubles. Then put in the bullets.
The Lee kit has a small, yellow powder scoop, which I don't remember if it came with the press or the die set for the .223. If you're plinking with the AR, one level scoop seems to be exactly the right amount. If you load a lighter bullet or want a very accurate charge, you'll need a powder trickler, and you'll be weighing every charge. I made mine from a plastic soda straw and a film can.
I can make 100 rds/hr for the pistols, and about 2/3 that for the rifle. YMMV
 
Train with gun chambered for 22 Long Rifle! You can do 90% of your work because focusing on the fundamentals will improve your shooting and prevent the development of bad habits. You should define your goals and choose based upon that goal. Do you want to train for self-defense? Or are you more interested in competitive target shooting? Is hunting your thing, or do you just like to plink?

There are many great 22LR caliber handguns and rifles to choose from. In pistols, I like:

Ruger 22/45
Browning Buckmark
Beretta 87 Target Cheetah

There are a variety of 22 caliber revolvers, including the S&W 617. Taurus makes several also. Ruger makes some nice single action revolvers.

For general use and training, I'd go with the Ruger or the Browning. You can certainly get target versions of the above. The Beretta is expensive, but well worth the price.

You mentioned you had a "45". Is that a 1911? If so, you can order a Marvel or Advantage Arms 22 caliber conversion kit. This is the best of both worlds: you get to practice with your defensive sidearm AND shoot 22. I do not recommend Ciener due to terrible customer service on their part. However, their 22 conversion kit for the 1911 worked just fine.

There are many, many 22 caliber rifles to choose from. The Ruger 10/22 seems to be one of the favorite guns because the semi-automatic action is just FUN. You can also modify this gun to your heart's content. A basic Ruger 10/22 will run you somewhere around $189-$210. You can get their target model for $150 more. If you want, you can get a fully accurized target gun built from custom components for $1200-$2000 or more.

Another fun gun is the Henry lever action 22. I paid around $200 for mine and it is wonderful. The action is slick and it shoots well. Browning makes another great one--the BL-22. It's much more expensive, but certainly beautiful. Also take a look at Marlin rifles.

CZ makes their CZ-452 military trainer rifle. This is a very nice bolt action 22. I like it because the sights more closely replicate those of common military guns.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

H
  • Locked
  • Poll
Do you reload and do you think it's worth it?
2 3
Replies
67
Views
2K
Palehorseman
P
S
  • Locked
How much does a gun really cost?
Replies
19
Views
990
Brad Johnson
B
il.bill
  • Locked
My Shooting Hobby Saves Me Money
2
Replies
25
Views
2K
SleazyRider
S
tominboise
So is 25 cents/round the new baseline for purchased 9mm Ball ammo
2
Replies
40
Views
1K
pharmer
pharmer
F
  • Locked
Best Caliber That Never Took-off
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Replies
249
Views
19K
iron maiden
I
Back
Top