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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:11:59 PM EDT
[#1]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
PSA working with melting lead wheel weights/ auto batteries will shorten your life. How much cents per pound is that worth?[img] ] Shooting a gun can expose you to lead, and will shorten your life. Eating too many eggs and too much bacon will shorten your life. Drinking too much beer will shorten your life. I'm here to enjoy the life I have, not avoid hobbies I enjoy because I cam die 5 years sooner because of them. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:12:18 PM EDT
[#2]
I'm brand new to reloading. I'm loading .45 acp at $.19/round, all taxes and hazmat fees included. And I'm only buying enough stuff to do 1000 rounds at a time, so not even in bulk. I'm loading nice .223 ammo for $.20/round, and it shoots way better than the $.50/round stuff I can get at Walmart. My payback period on my equipment will be 3000 rounds of .45, or a couple hundred rounds of precision .223. This is without even trying. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:12:58 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Bravo! This is one of the best responses on the entire thread. The key words being RIGHT NOW. 30K rounds is A LOT of ammo but a reasonable mathematical assumption. NO ONE has brought up the fact that reloading brass COSTS money where buying .45 at WALLYWORLD and then SUBTRACTING BRASS COSTS BY SELLING IT TO RELOADERS VIA CRAIGS LIST SAVES YOU MONEY. 
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Bravo! This is one of the best responses on the entire thread. The key words being RIGHT NOW. 30K rounds is A LOT of ammo but a reasonable mathematical assumption. NO ONE has brought up the fact that reloading brass COSTS money where buying .45 at WALLYWORLD and then SUBTRACTING BRASS COSTS BY SELLING IT TO RELOADERS VIA CRAIGS LIST SAVES YOU MONEY.
Quoted:
I just priced out things you can buy right now and for 30k rounds you can get down to $.28 per round. That's with good, brand new Remington brass, Precision Delta plated bullets, CCI #500 primers, and 15 pounds of powder. Five minutes of research, and counting on using the brass only three times. There are much better deals out there, and a lot of people have brass already, or load it many more times. Using the brass 6 times cuts it down to $.23 per round. This would be for good, competition level ammo, not just plinking crap. 30k is a lot, but I have friends that reload too, and that would be easy as hell to split up and get 5k rounds to myself at those prices. No one ever claimed reloading was easy. I reload because I can get velocity I want, with the bullet weight I want, and can do it consistently. I don't save money, but I do shoot more because my cost per bullet is less. The bullets I picked for this are $137 shipped per 1k. There are certainly better deals than that. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:15:03 PM EDT
[#4]
Just checking reloading supplies, expensive
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:15:49 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Nice bullets, what type of coating are you using on them? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
My lead is free, and I mine and collect what lead I do shoot from a berm. The lubricant cost for a lead bullet is almost ridiculously tiny. A 16 oz container of tumble lube is like 15 bucks from White Label and lubes thousands and thousands easily. My primers are 3.5 cents each. My powder is roughly 1.6 cents each round. .45 ACP brass is literally free for the taking at any range. I have thousands and I recover what I shoot. (4 grains of red dot behind a 230 is my favorite load, so 1750 per lb, at $28 a lb) I reload on a Dillon 550B for pistol cartridges so it takes me very little time- I can do 500 an hour easily. At barely over 5 cents per round I can hardly see how you don't think reloading is the correct option. The only people not reloading are those without the time, space, or sense to do so. If you're so hung up on FMJ that's hardly going to break the bank either. Plenty of cheap FMJ and plated, although why you would think you need anything but lead for something as slow as the .45 ACP is beyond me... I've been shooting lubed or coated lead at rifle velocities with no problems for a very long time, and .45 ACP is about as low-octane as a modern cartridge gets. Pictures of some of my favorite $0.05 reloads: http://i.imgur.com/UT8j7qI.jpg Nice bullets, what type of coating are you using on them? Harbor Freight matte black powder coat. Those were just more of a test run, I haven't found a bullet or load yet that leads a .45 with a good quality tumble lube. Powder coating rifles and high power handguns though, that's the stuff! It's super easy to apply and holds up perfectly at any velocity you might want to shoot them at. I've done over 2900 fps with powdercoated rifle slugs with very good accuracy. Not top tier jacketed bullet accuracy, mind, but excellent practical accuracy- generally a hair over an inch to 3 inches depending on gun and bullet at 100 yards. PC does add maybe 1-2 cents in cost to your bullets for the ultimate cost min-maxers, but it is easier to apply than tradiitional lubrisizing and doesn't require a lubesize press and dies- just a cheapo electrostatic gun and a spare toaster oven you probably already have. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:20:25 PM EDT
[#6]
you can get bullets from RMR, 1000 for $117
so... .12 for the bullet .03 or .04 for the primer at $30 to $40 per thousand 7000 grains in a pound of powder, let's say you pay $30 max for a pound of powder and load the max charge of unique at 7.3 grains for a 200 grain TMJ so that's .3 cents worth of powder so we come out to a MAX of .19 a round this price can be cut down by useing faster powder that requires smaller charges, bargain shopping, and casting. I can get lead so cheap that it comes out to less than a penny a bullet which would cut it down to a max of .07 a round. so there ya go op I could load it for .07 a round if I really wanted, but using store bought components I can still keep it at .19 a round BTW I've never loaded .45 ACP and don't own any firearms in .45 ACP, I just know how math works. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:20:38 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My joint date of 2008 does not qualify me as an old timer NOR a noob! Quote HistoryQuoted:
My joint date of 2008 does not qualify me as an old timer NOR a noob! Quoted:
Quoted:
All this talk about hoarding different types of powder & primers. Hornady vs Barnes vs. Sierra; Vargat, vs. Ramsot vs. IMR. Crazy expensive ammo reloading rooms, wasted time pulling handles like an old woman pulling a casino bingo machine with her money from social security......... 
Sure, reloading probably was price effective 10 years ago, heck maybe even 5. But to all those getting "INTO" reloading NOW, you are wasting your TIME and MONEY!!!!!!! Noob Reloading Noob |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:22:45 PM EDT
[#8]
Thats why I don't own a .45.
9>40>45>.357sig. I do own a .357sig  but I almost never shoot it for that reason. I will someday get setup to load it though so it will be cheap then. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:23:34 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Shooting a gun can expose you to lead, and will shorten your life. Eating too many eggs and too much bacon will shorten your life. Drinking too much beer will shorten your life. I'm here to enjoy the life I have, not avoid hobbies I enjoy because I cam die 5 years sooner because of them. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
PSA working with melting lead wheel weights/ auto batteries will shorten your life. How much cents per pound is that worth?[url=http:// ]http://] Shooting a gun can expose you to lead, and will shorten your life. Eating too many eggs and too much bacon will shorten your life. Drinking too much beer will shorten your life. I'm here to enjoy the life I have, not avoid hobbies I enjoy because I cam die 5 years sooner because of them. Or you could just get 1000 cast 230gr pills shipped to your front door for about $80.00 if you shop around. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:23:36 PM EDT
[#10]
.19c a round all in for FMJ lead or....... Where are you buying your components online and how long are they backordered? Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'm brand new to reloading. I'm loading .45 acp at $.19/round, all taxes and hazmat fees included. And I'm only buying enough stuff to do 1000 rounds at a time, so not even in bulk. I'm loading nice .223 ammo for $.20/round, and it shoots way better than the $.50/round stuff I can get at Walmart. My payback period on my equipment will be 3000 rounds of .45, or a couple hundred rounds of precision .223. This is without even trying. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:23:44 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Bravo! This is one of the best responses on the entire thread. The key words being RIGHT NOW. 30K rounds is A LOT of ammo but a reasonable mathematical assumption. NO ONE has brought up the fact that reloading brass COSTS money where buying .45 at WALLYWORLD and then SUBTRACTING BRASS COSTS BY SELLING IT TO RELOADERS VIA CRAIGS LIST SAVES YOU MONEY. Quote HistoryQuoted: Bravo! This is one of the best responses on the entire thread. The key words being RIGHT NOW. 30K rounds is A LOT of ammo but a reasonable mathematical assumption. NO ONE has brought up the fact that reloading brass COSTS money where buying .45 at WALLYWORLD and then SUBTRACTING BRASS COSTS BY SELLING IT TO RELOADERS VIA CRAIGS LIST SAVES YOU MONEY. Quoted: I just priced out things you can buy right now and for 30k rounds you can get down to $.28 per round. That's with good, brand new Remington brass, Precision Delta plated bullets, CCI #500 primers, and 15 pounds of powder. Five minutes of research, and counting on using the brass only three times. There are much better deals out there, and a lot of people have brass already, or load it many more times. Using the brass 6 times cuts it down to $.23 per round. This would be for good, competition level ammo, not just plinking crap. How does shooting store-bought ammo save you money when shooting cheaper reloads costs you money? You really have a way with brain cells, don't you? |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:25:33 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Reloading for economics makes no sense... wow... ( must be a troll ) My loading started at about 14yrs old after my father trusted me to load my own rifle rounds. BTW: when I was 14rys old I also shot at Camp Perry the first time for the Louisiana Jr. National High Power team. Meh.... pistol, it's about pumping out massive amounts of practice rounds.... For rifle.... that's a labor of love... my big time killer these days is seeing if I can shoot 4" skeet off a berm at 1000yds every time with my 300wm... or shooting a 10" plate every time at a mile with my 375 CheyTac custom.... Loading rifle rounds correctly is not just about making something that goes bang... it's about headspacing rounds within .003" every time and shaving the necks of the brass and, annealing every second firing and trickle charing every round and setting the length of the round to maybe .004 from the lands or even jamming the bullets into the lands depending on what your rifle wants...... I can take a VERY long time to produce 50 rounds for any of my accuracy rifles... and they all shoot under .25 moa... my 375ct will shoot .6 moa at a mile. You're not going to get FGM to shoot anywhere in the ballpark to any of my accuracy loads...... and for pistol, you can't buy anything off the shelf cheaper... .sure, it's an investment to get started but, if you're loading for accuracy for your special rifle or you're loading for bulk practice, you're not going to buy it off the shelf and come out better. Sounds like a contender for the 1MOA all day "Wall of Claim"! |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:25:57 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Harbor Freight matte black powder coat. Those were just more of a test run, I haven't found a bullet or load yet that leads a .45 with a good quality tumble lube. Powder coating rifles and high power handguns though, that's the stuff! It's super easy to apply and holds up perfectly at any velocity you might want to shoot them at. I've done over 2900 fps with powdercoated rifle slugs with very good accuracy. Not top tier jacketed bullet accuracy, mind, but excellent practical accuracy- generally a hair over an inch to 3 inches depending on gun and bullet at 100 yards. PC does add maybe 1-2 cents in cost to your bullets for the ultimate cost min-maxers, but it is easier to apply than tradiitional lubrisizing and doesn't require a lubesize press and dies- just a cheapo electrostatic gun and a spare toaster oven you probably already have. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
My lead is free, and I mine and collect what lead I do shoot from a berm. The lubricant cost for a lead bullet is almost ridiculously tiny. A 16 oz container of tumble lube is like 15 bucks from White Label and lubes thousands and thousands easily. My primers are 3.5 cents each. My powder is roughly 1.6 cents each round. .45 ACP brass is literally free for the taking at any range. I have thousands and I recover what I shoot. (4 grains of red dot behind a 230 is my favorite load, so 1750 per lb, at $28 a lb) I reload on a Dillon 550B for pistol cartridges so it takes me very little time- I can do 500 an hour easily. At barely over 5 cents per round I can hardly see how you don't think reloading is the correct option. The only people not reloading are those without the time, space, or sense to do so. If you're so hung up on FMJ that's hardly going to break the bank either. Plenty of cheap FMJ and plated, although why you would think you need anything but lead for something as slow as the .45 ACP is beyond me... I've been shooting lubed or coated lead at rifle velocities with no problems for a very long time, and .45 ACP is about as low-octane as a modern cartridge gets. Pictures of some of my favorite $0.05 reloads: http://i.imgur.com/UT8j7qI.jpg Nice bullets, what type of coating are you using on them? Harbor Freight matte black powder coat. Those were just more of a test run, I haven't found a bullet or load yet that leads a .45 with a good quality tumble lube. Powder coating rifles and high power handguns though, that's the stuff! It's super easy to apply and holds up perfectly at any velocity you might want to shoot them at. I've done over 2900 fps with powdercoated rifle slugs with very good accuracy. Not top tier jacketed bullet accuracy, mind, but excellent practical accuracy- generally a hair over an inch to 3 inches depending on gun and bullet at 100 yards. PC does add maybe 1-2 cents in cost to your bullets for the ultimate cost min-maxers, but it is easier to apply than tradiitional lubrisizing and doesn't require a lubesize press and dies- just a cheapo electrostatic gun and a spare toaster oven you probably already have. Thanks. I will probably try this out or some graphite powder on my next 38 super batch. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:27:58 PM EDT
[#14]
So you know how math works? How can you pay $117 for 1000 bullets and come out to .17c per??????? (OK I know what you were trying to get across but I just had to bust your balls!!!!)
Quote HistoryQuoted:
you can get bullets from RMR, 1000 for $117 so... .17 for the bullet I just know how math works. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:28:46 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I thought you were just being dumb before, but now I'm positive you're just trolling. Also, nobody trims pistol brass, tumbling is not a necessity or even necessarily helpful, and most of those other things listed aren't necessary either. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
So you don't include a nice scale in your equation? Cast trimmer? Tumbler and media? How about bullet trays, primer flippers, conversion kits, quick change dies, powder funnels, hazmat fees, fedex charges and about a zillion other accessories/costs? I am going to restate my OP title to .45 ammo only. I am sure if you reload 500 rigby, a necked down .44 to .41 or .375 Holland and Holland, you can probably save money in the long run. But really, reloading to save money is a loosing game and I don't want 'ers to think reloading is a way to save money. I AM TALKING ABOUT TODAYS PRICES NOT THE BRASS, POWDER AND LEAD YOUR POP POP LEFT YOU IN HIS WILL 2 DECADES AGO. PSA working with melting lead wheel weights/ auto batteries will shorten your life. How much cents per pound is that worth? 
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UM, not mad.  Otherwise I would be getting a rant score. Not a rant. Not mad. Just the facts. No one can prove to me
that you can reload FMJ .45 for less than store bought FMJ ammo. I'm not even taking into account a progressive press. I just want perspective 12ers, 13ers and 14ers to look with both eyes open before jumping into a 2grand mistake. 
Quoted:
Why you mad bro? Sounds like your butthurt and a moron. $300 for rcbs set. Another $50 for die set. Added components for me to load match 308 at $0.45 per round over $1.50+ per round for factory means equipment is paid for in 300 rounds. You fail sir. I thought you were just being dumb before, but now I'm positive you're just trolling. Also, nobody trims pistol brass, tumbling is not a necessity or even necessarily helpful, and most of those other things listed aren't necessary either. you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink 
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:30:54 PM EDT
[#16]
Being that I stocked up on powder that I use to make shipping hazmat cost effective, and did the same thing with primers, the only thing I don't keep tons of on hand supply of is projectiles.
I can make cheap, dirty plinking ammo for around 14-15¢ each, and quality ammo for about 23¢ in .45 ACP. If I want to get really fancy, then you are looking in the 30¢ area, but that would be for a shooting grade that I don't need to dabble in just yet. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:32:09 PM EDT
[#17]
Top quality 55gr fmjbt in either .223 or 5.56 for 200$ per K
Top quality 77gr sierra in either .223 or 5.56 for 390$ per K Top quality 55gr plinking ammo in .233 for 170$ You tell me who's stupid? |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:32:16 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I can buy all the .45 remington or federal fmj at wallyworld for 21$ abox of 50 ... and 9mm for 13$ for federal or winchester per 50 fmj. you can't tell me reloading is cost effective, sure it would be something to mess with as a hobby but time + cost effective ,,, no its not anymore. yeh you can reload cheaper im sure, but the time it takes is not worth it, hence why i said it would be a good hobby. .45 would cost me $0.14/round to start making today. That's $280/case cheaper than what you're getting at Wal-Mart, and it'll be better ammo to boot. And as far as the time it takes, I ran those numbers several years ago for another thread, comparing what I save by spending an hour reloading 9mm plinking loads. If my goal is obtaining ammo as cheap as possible, I'm better off reloading for an hour than working another hour at my job, and I make high 5 figures. But keep telling yourself it's not worth it. That keeps the margins bigger for me! |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:32:35 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
So you know how math works? How can you pay $117 for 1000 bullets and come out to .17c per??????? (OK I know what you were trying to get across but I just had to bust your balls!!!!)
Quote HistoryQuoted:
So you know how math works? How can you pay $117 for 1000 bullets and come out to .17c per??????? (OK I know what you were trying to get across but I just had to bust your balls!!!!)
Quoted:
you can get bullets from RMR, 1000 for $117 so... .17 for the bullet I just know how math works. ok, touche so you pointed out that you are even more wrong than I did. so it's about .19 a round |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:32:49 PM EDT
[#20]
ive got a garage full of componets from the 90s, and buy factory ammo, wasnt hurting for ammo all last year, laugh at these threads
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:34:14 PM EDT
[#21]
well i guess i have been doing it all wrong been loading 45 for thirty years and make my own bullets, lead that i cast and size and lube myself as i relax and listen to music and load them on my dillion 550 and .12-.15 cents is about what it costs and i can shoot better groups than with any factory ammo that i have bought and i get satisfaction knowing that i made it my self its called pride in what you do and who you are and i don't have to drive all over town to find it!!
The nice people that shoot and don't reload thank you for all the brass and please don't start reloading its cost to much and is a bad habit and additive too so get a good one like drinking, gambling or what ever floats your boat and leave it to us goof balls that have fun at it!!!
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:35:45 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: ive got a garage full of componets from the 90s, and buy factory ammo, wasnt hurting for ammo all last year, laugh at these threads ... saved me some typing  |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:35:57 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
you can get bullets from RMR, 1000 for $117 so... .17 for the bullet .03 or .04 for the primer at $30 to $40 per thousand 7000 grains in a pound of powder, let's say you pay $30 max for a pound of powder and load the max charge of unique at 7.3 grains for a 200 grain TMJ so that's .3 cents worth of powder so we come out to a MAX of .24 a round this price can be cut down by useing faster powder that requires smaller charges, bargain shopping, and casting. I can get lead so cheap that it comes out to less than a penny a bullet which would cut it down to a max of .07 a round. so there ya go op I could load it for .07 a round if I really wanted, but using store bought components I can still keep it at .24 a round BTW I've never loaded .45 ACP and don't own any firearms in .45 ACP, I just know how math works. $117 for 1k bullets is $.117 a bullet
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:38:13 PM EDT
[#24]
Reloading is one of my hobbies, see sig line.
 Steel 45 ACP cases "you can't reload" free. Home cast bullets, started collecting free lead since the 70's, so again free. Primers, .015, bought in the 90's. Powder, .035, stocked up in the summer of '08 when it looked like to me zero had a chance of winning. Reloading equipment, had most of it since the 70's, it doesn't wear out if you take care of it. So I'm at a nickle per round. About what 22 LR will cost if you can find it. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:40:50 PM EDT
[#25]
The whole thing though is that I don't need the components RIGHT NOW as I have been buying for the last several years when there were sales or good deals. I can load more rounds than I care to shoot without denting my stash.
I can also go into Wal-Mart to just look around and buy if I feel like it instead of needing it right now to go to the range. Reloading tends to make one plan ahead when you are spending $1K to fill a hazmat tag on a primer/powder order
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:41:38 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Reloading is one of my hobbies, see sig line. <a href="http://s250.photobucket.com/user/dryflash3/media/Ammo/P6050140.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg272/dryflash3/Ammo/P6050140.jpg</a> Steel 45 ACP cases "you can't reload" free. Home cast bullets, started collecting free lead since the 70's, so again free. Primers, .015, bought in the 90's. Powder, .035, stocked up in the summer of '08 when it looked like to me zero had a chance of winning. Reloading equipment, had most of it since the 70's, it doesn't wear out if you take care of it. So I'm at a nickle per round. About what 22 LR will cost if you can find it. how do you load the steel cases without screwing up your dies |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:44:23 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
how do you load the steel cases without screwing up your dies Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Reloading is one of my hobbies, see sig line. <a href="http://s250.photobucket.com/user/dryflash3/media/Ammo/P6050140.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg272/dryflash3/Ammo/P6050140.jpg</a> Steel 45 ACP cases "you can't reload" free. Home cast bullets, started collecting free lead since the 70's, so again free. Primers, .015, bought in the 90's. Powder, .035, stocked up in the summer of '08 when it looked like to me zero had a chance of winning. Reloading equipment, had most of it since the 70's, it doesn't wear out if you take care of it. So I'm at a nickle per round. About what 22 LR will cost if you can find it. how do you load the steel cases without screwing up your dies Steel cases are a lot softer than steel dies, especially carbide dies. Most people don't bother with steel because the majority of steel is berdan anyway, but you can use steel cases just fine. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:50:17 PM EDT
[#28]
11.7c per round,( $117.00/1000) not .19 as you incorrectly tried to correct me. Double Touche!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quote HistoryQuoted:
ok, touche so you pointed out that you are even more wrong than I did. so it's about .19 a round Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
So you know how math works? How can you pay $117 for 1000 bullets and come out to .17c per??????? (OK I know what you were trying to get across but I just had to bust your balls!!!!)
Quoted:
you can get bullets from RMR, 1000 for $117 so... .17 for the bullet I just know how math works. ok, touche so you pointed out that you are even more wrong than I did. so it's about .19 a round |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:52:00 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I'm reloading high quality brass cased 223 for .22 CPR with recently purchased components.Where can I buy 223 that cheap?? This is what I'm doing too. Main reason I got started reloading recently when the prices of brass 5.56 went so high. I can load premium ammo for less than the cost of steel cased stuff. Sure is time consuming though.
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Posted: 1/4/2014 7:54:53 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
You can still get in under .30 a round for .45 at today's prices. $30.00 @ 1400 rounds out of a pound / .02 - .03c a round 1000 primers = $35.00 / .035c a round 500 extreme 230 grain bullets = $65 / .13c a round Total cost if you reload your own brass = .18.5c - 19.5c a round If you have to buy brass then all bets are off. Its been going for .06 - .15c a piece, still potentially less than .30c a round but pushing the economic feasibility and repayment of the press and equipment out much further. This |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 8:08:12 PM EDT
[#31]
I'm at $0.14 per round buying bullets, .08 per 200gr SWC, .02 for 6.5gr of Unique, .04 per primer, that's rounding up, if I bought eight pounders of powder I could cut costs more.
I could probably figure labor and still be under $0.30, the only equipment I bought for reloading 45ACP was the dies, almost all of my equipment was inherited or gifted, I guess I built a bench for something less than a couple hundred. ETA: Component prices all from purchases in the last twelve months. Had I bought all the equipment neccesary to load 45ACP I'd be in for $140-$150, I will upgrade to a progressive some day hundred rounds an hour or so is slow as hell. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 8:15:13 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
11.7c per round,( $117.00/1000) not .19 as you incorrectly tried to correct me. Double Touche!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quote HistoryQuoted:
11.7c per round,( $117.00/1000) not .19 as you incorrectly tried to correct me. Double Touche!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quoted:
Quoted:
So you know how math works? How can you pay $117 for 1000 bullets and come out to .17c per??????? (OK I know what you were trying to get across but I just had to bust your balls!!!!)
Quoted:
you can get bullets from RMR, 1000 for $117 so... .17 for the bullet I just know how math works. ok, touche so you pointed out that you are even more wrong than I did. so it's about .19 a round 11.7 cents per BULLET 12 cents rounded up 12 cent bullet + 4 cent primer + 3 cents worth of powder = .19 per ROUND |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 8:17:28 PM EDT
[#33]
Using the components on hand I can reload 45 acp for about 7 or 8 cents a round, maybe a little less, if I bought new components today, they are a little bit more expensive, I can reload those same cases for 11 or 12 cents per round. If you think it costs more than 30 cents a round to reload 45, you are badly mistaken. I am not casting my own bullets, I am buying cast bullets, 200 gr cast bullet for 45's cost 8 cents each right now, powder and primer will add about 3 cents to that, so 11 cents a round.
Count the cost of brass? Why? I go to my club range and over several visits I've picked up brass left behind by others, now I'm not going to count the cost of gas to get there since I went there to shoot, picking up free brass is a bonus. I've probably got 10,000 empty 45 cases in my inventory, which cost me nothing. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 8:19:53 PM EDT
[#34]
Reloading is far cheaper and I can customize the load for each gun I have to get the best performance possible. What's not to like? If you got money to burn on commercial ammo then go for it.
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Posted: 1/4/2014 8:38:50 PM EDT
[#35]
200gr swc bayou bullets - 10 cents
Primers - 3.6 cents Powder - clays - .0003 cents Brass - 4 to 6 cents a piece depending on supplier. About 2000 invested in my two presses and accessories. At a high cost including brass I'm at .20 cents a round. Probably closer realistically to 17 with re use of brass and free brass I get from friends / ranges etc. Between 9mm / 45 / 223 / 308 / 300 win mag Ill probably shoot 20-25k rounds this year. My press investment will be well paid off. Just 300 win mag alone. Good hunting rounds for 20 is 70$. I make them for about $20 a box. 9mm I've skinnier down to 12-13 cents including buying brass. 223 I'm down to 18 cents a round including brass. Yeah, reloading is a big investment. A decent progressive, a single stage and all the dies / accessories will run you $1500-2000. Stocking up on bullets / powder / primers / brass will run you another 1k or more depending on how much you want to stock up on and the type of rounds your doing. But in under a year ROI.. Its a no brainer. Especially if you shoot a decent bit or competitively at all. I shoot idpa every weekend. I shoot uspsa once a month. Three gun when ever I can. Plus practice ammo. Thats alot of lead down range. OP is just a hater who doesn't shoot. End of story. Oh. I can do about 350 per hour of 9mm or 45 on my hornady LnL AP with out a case feeder or bullet feeder. That's with checking every round made too. With case feeder I'm expecting 450-500. So show me where you can get 45 acp delivered to my door - a match quality round - for $200 per 1000? Or even $300 if you include my labor time? How about match grade 147gr 9mm for $120 / 1000? I'm not talking about WWB crap 115s either. Edit: At peak this last season I was shooting 1500+ rounds a month. Let alone my 2 buddies who also use my press. I expect even more this coming season. As well I had ammo when no one could find any. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 9:12:13 PM EDT
[#36]
Ex commercial reloader/bullet caster here. I reload for 47 different calibers and cast multiple bullet styles and weights for 12. I have the ability to reload shotgun shells, but I find it hard to beat factory prices for no more than I shoot shotguns nowadays.
I haven't purchased a single reloading component since the early 90's BC (before Clinton). I figure I can still run close to 100,000 rounds without expending a penny, except for my time. I won't set up or sit down to a press or fire up the furnace to fill a mold unless I plan on loading or casting 1,000 rounds or more at a sitting. I agree, to by all the component (powder, primers, factory brass and bullets), 5, Star Progressive presses, 12 Hensley and Gibbs 6 cavity molds, thousands of name brand factory reject premium bullets and a couple of tons of linotype today would make factory ammo seem cheap in the short run. When I used to sell the local LEO's .357/.38 and .45 for $3.00 a box (50) of practice ammo, I thought I would get arrested for scalping. I was making a killing. I reload for less than that today because I am still using components at 1980's prices and just expending some free time. One of my few investments that have paid off by thinking ahead. 
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Posted: 1/4/2014 9:16:34 PM EDT
[#37]
Last I figured, it cost me $0.12-0.15 a round to reload .40 and 10mm, and that's using a powder that requires 8gr for .40 and 15gr for 10mm.
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Posted: 1/4/2014 9:17:38 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Still using primers powders bullets from the 90's I've even got some primers and powder from the late 70's. not much, but some. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 9:34:12 PM EDT
[#39]
OP is a whiner that refuses to do a little research. The only consumable item thats still hard to find right now is powder. Primers and bullets can be found for good prices online in a matter of a few clicks. And I'm willing the OP could probably buy a pound of powder locally (more then enough to get him going for a few months).
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Posted: 1/4/2014 9:38:22 PM EDT
[#40]
Lets see, 3 years ago:
I bought 500 bullets of 200gr LSWC for $33. 4Lbs of Titegroup for $60 1000 Wolf Large Pistol Primers for $21 So for 500 rounds that's .097 cents per round. Lets round it to 10 cents per round. Not bad to me. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 9:39:48 PM EDT
[#41]
Quoted:
All this talk about hoarding different types of powder & primers. Hornady vs Barnes vs. Sierra; Vargat, vs. Ramsot vs. IMR. Crazy expensive ammo reloading rooms, wasted time pulling handles like an old woman pulling a casino bingo machine with her money from social security.........
Sure, reloading probably was price effective 10 years ago, heck maybe even 5. But to all those getting "INTO" reloading NOW, you are wasting your TIME and MONEY!!!!!!! I bought all my components in the 90s, so you lose the bet. |
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Posted: 1/4/2014 9:43:47 PM EDT
[#42]
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Posted: 1/4/2014 11:51:56 PM EDT
[#43]
Quoted:
All this talk about hoarding different types of powder & primers. Hornady vs Barnes vs. Sierra; Vargat, vs. Ramsot vs. IMR. Crazy expensive ammo reloading rooms, wasted time pulling handles like an old woman pulling a casino bingo machine with her money from social security.........
Sure, reloading probably was price effective 10 years ago, heck maybe even 5. But to all those getting "INTO" reloading NOW, you are wasting your TIME and MONEY!!!!!!! Sounds like someone is a little butthurt that they blew all their time and money on shitty television and beer because they weren't paying any attention to what was going on around them. |
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Posted: 1/5/2014 12:10:37 AM EDT
[#44]
OP fails at math
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Posted: 1/5/2014 12:18:08 AM EDT
[#45]
I reload for 7.35mm Carcano. Try to find loaded ammo for tat at ANY price.
All my reloading equipment is scrounged. I have three presses and less than $300 invested. Reloading is for ultimate cheapskates. |
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Posted: 1/5/2014 12:24:43 AM EDT
[#46]
Quoted:
All this talk about hoarding different types of powder & primers. Hornady vs Barnes vs. Sierra; Vargat, vs. Ramsot vs. IMR. Crazy expensive ammo reloading rooms, wasted time pulling handles like an old woman pulling a casino bingo machine with her money from social security.........
Sure, reloading probably was price effective 10 years ago, heck maybe even 5. But to all those getting "INTO" reloading NOW, you are wasting your TIME and MONEY!!!!!!! You're right. It's a terrible, expensive, time wasting hobby. If you're smart you will stay far, far away from this activity and warn all your friends too.
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Posted: 1/5/2014 1:00:43 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Scrounged/saved brass $0.00 Stockpiled 90's primer $0.016 Stockpiled/auction pwdr $0.0075 Scrounged lead/ $0.00 Cost of 1 .45ACP 225gr RNFP load: $0.0235 50 rd Box of same: $1.175 You were saying??? I thought that I was going to come in at the cheapest but I'm at about $0.038 per round after bullet lube and other miscellaneous expenses (like tumbler media and the occasional $10 per bucket of wheel weights). Instead of affordable AR .22 conversion kits, I wish there were affordable .45 conversion kits. |
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Posted: 1/5/2014 1:42:11 AM EDT
[#48]
My 2 Dillons have been idle for many years as I started using my "hoarded" factory ammo up.
My projectiles & powder, etc. were purchased in the late '80s and sealed up in case of a real panic/shortage or outright ban. Cost aside, that would give me the capability of loading several thousand rounds if ever there is none to be had. Granted, the current cost of store bought components certainly affect any savings from using factory ammo as that margin has narrowed. If I did have to fire up the presses, .45ACP would be about a nickel each in 1980's money. ( some hand cast & free brass ) |
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Posted: 1/5/2014 1:58:54 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My lead is free, and I mine and collect what lead I do shoot from a berm. The lubricant cost for a lead bullet is almost ridiculously tiny. A 16 oz container of tumble lube is like 15 bucks from White Label and lubes thousands and thousands easily. My primers are 3.5 cents each. My powder is roughly 1.6 cents each round. .45 ACP brass is literally free for the taking at any range. I have thousands and I recover what I shoot. (4 grains of red dot behind a 230 is my favorite load, so 1750 per lb, at $28 a lb) I reload on a Dillon 550B for pistol cartridges so it takes me very little time- I can do 500 an hour easily. At barely over 5 cents per round I can hardly see how you don't think reloading is the correct option. The only people not reloading are those without the time, space, or sense to do so. If you're so hung up on FMJ that's hardly going to break the bank either. Plenty of cheap FMJ and plated, although why you would think you need anything but lead for something as slow as the .45 ACP is beyond me... I've been shooting lubed or coated lead at rifle velocities with no problems for a very long time, and .45 ACP is about as low-octane as a modern cartridge gets. Pictures of some of my favorite $0.05 reloads: http://i.imgur.com/UT8j7qI.jpg Whose mould is that? Talk about a flying ashtray! Have you ever shot them into water jugs or wet newspaper?[ul] |
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Posted: 1/5/2014 2:19:58 AM EDT
[#50]
For you guys looking to save brass, what I used to do was my back my truck into the bay. I would stand just so, so the ejected brass would land in the bed.
The other thing I did was take your generic blue tarp and add more grommets around the edge. Then I took a thin rope, paracord would probably work, and wove it in out, in out through the grommets around the perimeter of the tarp. When I got done shooting, just grab the loose ends and pulled it in tight. It remined me of the green laundry bags I had when in the military. When I was shooting steel matches regularly, we would use my tarp and carry from it stage to stage. Then at the end of the match, we'd carefully unroll the tarp so the brass went into a 5 gallon bucket. Then back at home in the air conditioning my buddies and I would separate out the brass with those plastic sifter trays. |
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