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Posted: 3/12/2014 4:24:25 PM EDT
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I am in the process of deciding what all I want buy for reloading. I shoot a lot of 9mm, and am pretty well sure I can save an appreciable amount of money per round.
I am seriously Jonsing to get into the .45 game. No clue why, but I want 1 or 5. Lol. Can anybody tell me what you guys are reloading them for? I am talking using cast bullets, or hardballs, for range ammo, and training. Brass is around 8 cents a piece, that factored, what else are we looking at? What kind of powders? How many gr. on average? Also, I see that there are small pistol and large pistol brass. Which is the more common? I appreciate the help guys, thanks in advance. |
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You'll lose brass before you wear it out, so the cost of the brass per load is negligible. Primers right now are running around $35/k, LRN are about $80/k (assuming you're buying, which makes sense unless you happen to have access to a lot of free lead), and powder, if you could find it, would probably run around $25/lb, and you get roughly 1000 rounds per lb.
Thus, you'd be looking at $0.035 + $0.025 + $0.08 per round, or about $14 per hundred rounds loaded (ignoring the up front cost of the brass). Right now, pistol powder is unobtanium - you'll pay a premium for it if you can find it. ETA: Large primer brass is more common, but both work just fine. I use the small primer stuff at matches, etc. where I won't get my brass back. My favorite load is a 200 grain LRN with 6 grains of unique in my 1911. In general, 45 pushes bullets slowly enough that leading doesn't become much of a problem. If you're shooting indoors, plated rounds go for about $0.12 apiece. |
| Guys, thanks for the advice! Not to derail my own thread, but the powder.....I realize it's hard to get right now, I have seen that in all the posts. Why is that? Why is ammo coming back, hell, even at some near decent prices, but powder is harder than anything to get? Where is the problem in this supply line? |
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Quoted:
Guys, thanks for the advice! Not to derail my own thread, but the powder.....I realize it's hard to get right now, I have seen that in all the posts. Why is that? Why is ammo coming back, hell, even at some near decent prices, but powder is harder than anything to get? Where is the problem in this supply line? supply vs demand. Demand is high and to keep demand high you limit supply. Banks did the same thing with all the short sale homes and forclosures, if you limit supply you keep demand high and you don't need to pay employees overtime or hire a third shift. Business decision. for 45 I've switched from lead to plated bullets. xtreme bullets are good for my 1911. |
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Quoted:
Guys, thanks for the advice! Not to derail my own thread, but the powder.....I realize it's hard to get right now, I have seen that in all the posts. Why is that? Why is ammo coming back, hell, even at some near decent prices, but powder is harder than anything to get? Where is the problem in this supply line? There are a lot of new reloaders that are now in the market for components. |
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There are a lot of new reloaders that are now in the market for components. Quoted:
Quoted:
Guys, thanks for the advice! Not to derail my own thread, but the powder.....I realize it's hard to get right now, I have seen that in all the posts. Why is that? Why is ammo coming back, hell, even at some near decent prices, but powder is harder than anything to get? Where is the problem in this supply line? There are a lot of new reloaders that are now in the market for components. I am not new to guns, or the shooting sports. My decision to reload, is just for my hobby, as it is for most all of us. Are there that many new shooters, and reloaders, that they can't make enough powder? Has this situation gotten any better at all with the past year? Like I said, ammo is getting plentiful again, and returning to sane prices. Hopefully this follows suit, so we can enjoy the sport we all love so much. |
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I am not new to guns, or this type of sport. My decision to reload, is just for my hobby, as it is for most all of us. Are there that many new shooters, and reloaders, that they can't make enough powder? Has this situation gotten any better at all with the past year? Like I said, ammo is getting plantiful again, and returning to sane prices. Hopefully this follows suit, so we can enjoy the sport we all love so much. IMO, a lot of people's mindsets have changed. If powder is available they buy it even though they might not need it. |
Follow the threads here for a week or so and you will see many new folks/reloaders finding their way here. Steel cases, free. If I use brass cases, they were range pick up, so free. Home cast bullets with free lead Bought lot of primers when they were $12 k, so 1.2 cents Powder at $15 a pound (good old days, pre 2008) 1-2 cents? So cheaper than 22 LR.
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IMO, a lot of people's mindsets have changed. If powder is available they buy it even though they might not need it. Quoted:
Quoted:
I am not new to guns, or this type of sport. My decision to reload, is just for my hobby, as it is for most all of us. Are there that many new shooters, and reloaders, that they can't make enough powder? Has this situation gotten any better at all with the past year? Like I said, ammo is getting plantiful again, and returning to sane prices. Hopefully this follows suit, so we can enjoy the sport we all love so much. IMO, a lot of people's mindsets have changed. If powder is available they buy it even though they might not need it. We saw this with ammo as well. At some point, saturation occurs, and the market corrects itself. Or so we shoud hope so. Yes I agree, there are new shooters, but most are not hardcore shooters, to speak, so at some point, that will lose some of it's shine. It happens with all of our stuff, including guns, mags, etc. It's just a cycle I guess, but I am here to stay. |
Get a list of all powders that work well in 45acp and keep an eye out. Beggars can't be choosers in this market. I found 8lbs of imr PB not too long ago on line. Never used it before but knew it worked. My test loads were wonderful and I am a happy camper. Gunbot is the sight for up to date info on in stock powders, primers, etc. Just keep checking. Also, with the hazmat fee it is wise to buy in bulk
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Just something to keep in the back of your head, if you're ever contemplating reloading 9mm too, you might want to stick to small primer 45 brass. That way you'll only be looking for, and stocking up on small primers. Depending on the reloader you get, you won't have to go through the inconvenience of switching your primer system back and forth. ( some are easier to switch primer sizes than others). Plus, few people want perfectly fine small primer brass! One mans trash is another mans treasure!
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I also cast so my bullets are free, brass got couple 1000s saved over the years, powder and primers on the other hand I've exhausted my old supply and bought some last week. LGS had Red Dot and Blue Dot at $29 lb (no Unique, W231/HP38, or AA5) Primers were $50/thousand. So even on the high side I'm still .025 (powder) and .05 (primer) for around .075 shot/7.50 per hundard. Reloaded some 9mm yesterday using .018 (powder) primer .05 (primer) for .068 shot/6.80 per hundard. I also remine my bullets on the range next to my mancave.
CD |
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Quoted:
Just something to keep in the back of your head, if you're ever contemplating reloading 9mm too, you might want to stick to small primer 45 brass. That way you'll only be looking for, and stocking up on small primers. Depending on the reloader you get, you won't have to go through the inconvenience of switching your primer system back and forth. ( some are easier to switch primer sizes than others). Plus, few people want perfectly fine small primer brass! One mans trash is another mans treasure! This is good advice. You only have to stock one type of pistol primer, and you can usually get small primer 45 for cheaper than large primer. |
| Im loading 45 at around $12 aboxa 50. I use regionally produced coated cast bullets that my lgs carries at $54 out the door for a box of 500 230gr LRN. Coated bullets are all I use anymore for my range/plinking pistol rounds. even work in my glock barrels. Ill buy once fired brass once every 2-3 years or so and pick it up for free when ever I can. I load steel too. So really, my cost is less than $12. |
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If you get your lead and cases for free (range pickup), you can reload all pistol ammunition for about $2.40/box of 50.
That's what it costs me to shoot these days! I smelt indoor range scrap lead and also get my brass for free from the same range (Dad works there part time). So, my only costs are powder and primers. I buy primers for $35/1k, $0.035/rd, and powder in 8lb containers for $147 (after hazmat) for 8lbs. You can reload 11,200rds /8lbs, which breaks down to $0.013/rd. Doing the math, you pay $0.035/rd for primer and $0.013/rd for powder, everything else is free, that's $0.048/rd. Thus, a box of 50 is about $2.40. Beats the hell out of $30/box I'll say that! |
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