The cost of feeding my .45 acp (why I use cheap ammo)

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Damon555

Damon555

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I've made a few observations that might interest those who like to shoot a lot and reload the ammo. If this belongs in the reloading section then so be it but I figured more people would find this interesting within this topic.

I buy the Monarch .45 acp brass cased ammo just for reloading. If I get a few bad eggs in the process I don't mind. I just want them to go bang so I can have the brass. I've done the math......New brass + bullets + powder + primers = more than what it costs to buy a box of Monarch already loaded.

Here's how my math worked......(using the cheapest prices per component from Midsouth Shooters Supply)

$0.22 (brass) + $0.20 (bullet) + $0.05 (primer and powder) = $0.47 per round.

I can get loaded Monarch ammo for around $20 a box (50) here in TN with taxes and all the fees.....that equals $0.40 a round. These prices are still outrageous but in this day and age what isn't?

Of course I already have my reloading equipment....If you add in buying all that stuff from scratch then the price is much different. The price of buying components has almost made reloading not worth it anymore. Although it is easier to roll your own when you can't find ammo on the shelf at any store!

Don't get me wrong.....I love to reload and have my choice of any custom load, but it's much easier when the first step to reloading is emptying an already loaded cartridge.

Just some food for thought..........
 
The cost of raw materials is what is driving the cost of reloading. With the price of copper going through the roof, brass and guilding metal have followed. Even lead has gone up in price.
 
Actually copper has come down a lot from 6 months ago. Here is the 5 year chart. Note that prices are back down to 'normal' levels.



It's simply a supply and demand issue right now. People are scared.
 
bulletworks 200rg lws 45acp--delivered---- @7.3 CPR
primer & [email protected] CPR
brass [starline delivered 15CPR-relaod 10x][email protected] CPR

is 13.3 cents per round.
add 1 penny/round to amortize the equipment and call it $15.00 per 100 rounds. plated at $18.00; jacketed at $23.00.

if you are only going to reload new brass once, of course your cost skyrocket.
a 20 cent bullet is perhaps a HP jacketed SD style . i can load 3 LSW for the cost of 1 of them. or 2 plated.
buying from midsouth may not be the best bang for the buck. YMMV
 
I agree Claude, there are much cheaper ways to go about it. I am just a casual reloader. I do it to load premium rounds.....not for bulk shooting. My components get ordered by the 100's not the 1000's (except for primers when I can find the darn things!) from local suppliers.

It's just 2 different ends of the spectrum. If I split the difference I'm still saving money by reloading. But with as little ammo as I actually use these days (time is not easy to come by) reloading has become just a hobby not a money saving proposition.

I look at some of the old boxes I have laying around and see the $9.00 american eagle stuff and get sick. That ammo is 10 times better than the cheap imported crap I'm paying almost $20 a box for now. Oh well, at least I can own a gun and do some reloading. Many folks around the world can't do either!
 
Failed to notice

You have failed to figure in the fact that the brass should not be a one-time purchase like the primer, bullet, and powder. Recover your brass after shooting it and you can get lots of uses from it before it must be replaced. That drops the price per round significantly.
 
China is complete or is completing the copper spot buying and has reserves of copper now. Cost of copper are going back up. My source is Marketwatch online.

I usually pay 24 dollars for a box of 50 TMJ training ammo and maybe 26 for 20 defense rounds. Not so bad when you think about shotgun rounds at about a buck each for what I get.

Hm. Shotgun, buck, a dollar for a buck... hm...
 
I would LOVE to start reloading, but at this point in my life, between work, wife and 2 sons, I'm lucky to be able to get to the range weekly and shoot. I have found that the cheapest way for me to go is sending my empty cases to http://mastercast.net/amo.htm for reloading. I buy 230gr RNL .45's for $7.93/50. Add on $1/50 for shipping my spent brass to them and return shipping of the ammo...and the cost is still under $9/50 or $0.18/round.
 
I think it is unfair to compare the cost of FMJ bullets to Lead bullets. Of course lead bullets are cheaper, but then all you are getting is lead bullets... They are dirtier to reload, expose you to more lead, can lead your barrels, and the lube on them is smokey and smells bad when it burns.
 
I started reloading 4 years ago, 40 S&W. The current price of most .40 ammo is about $15/box, 30 cents/round+. I've got several thousand 40 rouns loaded up for 12-13 cents/round, or $6-$6.50/box.:)

I recently bought a Remington 700 .308, shooting factory ammo in this thing is rediculous, 80 cents to a dollar/round.:eek: I've begun reloading this caliber for 35 cents/round and its better ammo to boot.:)
 
LG, all the traits you mentioned about lead bullets I either find not to be so from my experiences or are non-issues for me.
Yes, comparing prices between lead and FMJ are unfair because there is no comparison.
In the lead bullet's favor is cost, accuracy, and less barrel wear.

In my opinion, especially for a high volume shooter, it's a no brainer.
 
You are correct.

You have failed to figure in the fact that the brass should not be a one-time purchase like the primer, bullet, and powder. Recover your brass after shooting it and you can get lots of uses from it before it must be replaced. That drops the price per round significantly.
Click to expand...

And the brass will last even longer if it's loaded lightly. Hot loads will stress your brass and destroy it before its time.
 
In the lead bullet's favor is cost, accuracy, and less barrel wear.
Click to expand...

Lead is cheaper, for sure. I think to say it is more accurate...not so sure about. Barrel wear is not much of an issue either.

I think cost is the main reason lead bullets are popular. At best, other issues are neutral. You do need to take into account the potential health risk of handling lead, especially if you cast your own bullets, and breathing lead vapor.
 
Cost of copper are going back up
Click to expand...

Tell me about it, I've been holding thousands of pounds of high grade copper turnings for many months waiting for it to go back up to over $2 per pound. At one time #2 copper scrap was paying us well over $3. As time goes on we develop more and more scrap waiting for the price to go back up. Our situation is probably repeated thousands of times all over the world.


Current ammunition prices are effected more by supply and demand considerations. I expect the agitation and panic to continue for at least another 3 1/2 years. It is based on current political conditions. Anyone see any rays of hope on the political scene? :rolleyes:
 
Pick up the brass, cast the bullets yourself, and get it all done for less than $5/100 rounds. Rather, less than $4, given that I'm using powder and primers that are years old.

If you buy everything in small quantities and rely on manufactured bullets, you're missing the real savings. Just sayin'.
 
Here's a good Casting 101. If you don't want lead, you're outta luck (or fiddling with tin). If you don't want lead due to health reasons, do a bit more reading, it's not as dangerous as you might believe. My blood tests well within accepted limits for lead, and I handle all sorts of filthy brass, and cast bullets regularly.
 
45 bullets

You can do much better than that on bullet prices.
Try $114 for 1k shipped (230 gr Jacketed).

I calculate (assuming you pay nothing for brass)
$7.76 for a box of 50 using jacketed bullets.
 
i recommend precision bulets. coated lead, no problem or fouling with slower powders like american select or hp38. i use universal clays for IPSC. cheaper than jacketed.

reloading becomes a true value when you buy in volume. order bullets by the thousands and powder by the jug and primers by the bulk case. i've driven 9 mm down to 90/k and 40 down to 101/k. for steel matches i shoot plain lead since the power floor is even lower, that makes it like 65/k.
 
as everyone else has mentioned...
brass is amortized out over many reloads, and bullets can be had for about 10c each. Further, I started reloading with .45acp by buying 800 cases for $55 shipped off of the buy/sell forum of this website(thehighroad.org). Thats about 6.7c per case. The OP's math:

Here's how my math worked......(using the cheapest prices per component from Midsouth Shooters Supply)

$0.22 (brass) + $0.20 (bullet) + $0.05 (primer and powder) = $0.47 per round.
Click to expand...

My ACTUAL costs: .0067 (brass, 10 reloads) +.10 (bullet) +.05 (primer and powder)... about $0.1567 per round. Get a better deal on bullets, drop the price even more. the prices I have listed here are everyday prices... about $7.83 a box of 50 if you reload. That is FAR cheaper than the $20 a box he is paying for retail.
 
my pastor told me; "always come home with more brass than whatever you bring to the range". Naturally he reloads in all sorts of caliber and encouraged me to do the same. Well, i only have a 9mm and it;d be easier; cost and time wise to just buy em at the store.
 
I have a few safe queens, a 45GAP XD, and a 44mag Desert Eagle. =P

If those can be reloaded economically, i just may have to take it out. =P
 
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