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Questions about reloading
- Thread starter Martlet
- Start date
TonyD
One Shot One Maggie's Drawers
Martlet - I think it all depends on what you're going for and what caliber you're considering.
I'm handloading match .223 rounds for two reasons; 1) I can load them for about 25% (or less) of the cost of commercial match loads. 2) I can get better accuracy and quality control. Since accuracy is what I need, it makes sense. I don't think it would be worth loading plinking rounds, though.
I'm handloading match .223 rounds for two reasons; 1) I can load them for about 25% (or less) of the cost of commercial match loads. 2) I can get better accuracy and quality control. Since accuracy is what I need, it makes sense. I don't think it would be worth loading plinking rounds, though.
I can't find it here, but I thought that I had posted (here) a breakdown on costs for reloading pistol.
Yes, you save a lot of money if you shoot a lot (so you can amortize the cost of equipment).
Briefly, when I started shooting in 1976, I picked up a .380 for CCW and nobody reloaded .380 commercially. Cost of factory ammo in 1976 was $7-8/box. I bought bulk for components and my cost to reload .380, .38SP, .357Mag, .45 was in the vicinity of $1.50/box! This was using lead bullets and not counting cost of cases or equipment.
I haven't reloaded pistol in >20 years but have two new presses (Dillon 450B and 650) sitting downstairs waiting for me to do it again. Looks like it will be soon as I'm running low on .40 and .45 since I'm regularly shooting 150-200 rds/week.
Yes, you save a lot of money if you shoot a lot (so you can amortize the cost of equipment).
Briefly, when I started shooting in 1976, I picked up a .380 for CCW and nobody reloaded .380 commercially. Cost of factory ammo in 1976 was $7-8/box. I bought bulk for components and my cost to reload .380, .38SP, .357Mag, .45 was in the vicinity of $1.50/box! This was using lead bullets and not counting cost of cases or equipment.
I haven't reloaded pistol in >20 years but have two new presses (Dillon 450B and 650) sitting downstairs waiting for me to do it again. Looks like it will be soon as I'm running low on .40 and .45 since I'm regularly shooting 150-200 rds/week.
TonyD
One Shot One Maggie's Drawers
Found it, Len:
(From LenS' post)
Back when I started reloading (1976-7), I was doing .380ACP (no commercial reloads were available), .38SP, .357Mag, 9mm and .45ACP. It was costing me no more than $1.50/box to reload vs. $7-8/box for factory ammo. I bought enough components that I still have enough to reload for the distant future (exception being primers).
Here's what I see as the breakdown in current costs (very roughly):
- primers - $0.75/box
- powder - $0.50-1.00/box (pure guess here)
- bullets - $2.00/box for lead, $4.00/box for jacketed (in bulk)
- brass - $0.50-1.00/box (figuring conservatively, 3 reloads of 1x fired brass, actual cost is likely to be infinitesimal)
(From LenS' post)
Back when I started reloading (1976-7), I was doing .380ACP (no commercial reloads were available), .38SP, .357Mag, 9mm and .45ACP. It was costing me no more than $1.50/box to reload vs. $7-8/box for factory ammo. I bought enough components that I still have enough to reload for the distant future (exception being primers).
Here's what I see as the breakdown in current costs (very roughly):
- primers - $0.75/box
- powder - $0.50-1.00/box (pure guess here)
- bullets - $2.00/box for lead, $4.00/box for jacketed (in bulk)
- brass - $0.50-1.00/box (figuring conservatively, 3 reloads of 1x fired brass, actual cost is likely to be infinitesimal)
Just to give you some rough numbers:
I can pick up .44 mag for ~ $23 for 50 rounds, that comes out to $0.46 per round. When I reload for what I need (less powder, so they are not full magnum loads) I can pump them out for about $0.08 a round.
Lead bulk bullets are about $25 for 500 rounds,
Primers were about $90 per 5000,
Unique was $90 for 8 pounds,
Bullseye was $53 for 4 pounds,
Brass is from the factory loads that I bought. With the loads that I am shooting I figure that I can get 12 to 15 reloads per case.
Time spent in the basement doing something for myself: priceless.
I would expect that it's near the same cost for the .45 ACP loads since the powder charges are about the same, and I use the same primers.
I can pick up .44 mag for ~ $23 for 50 rounds, that comes out to $0.46 per round. When I reload for what I need (less powder, so they are not full magnum loads) I can pump them out for about $0.08 a round.
Lead bulk bullets are about $25 for 500 rounds,
Primers were about $90 per 5000,
Unique was $90 for 8 pounds,
Bullseye was $53 for 4 pounds,
Brass is from the factory loads that I bought. With the loads that I am shooting I figure that I can get 12 to 15 reloads per case.
Time spent in the basement doing something for myself: priceless.
I would expect that it's near the same cost for the .45 ACP loads since the powder charges are about the same, and I use the same primers.
That's about right.
When we broke down the cost of buying .45 and loading .45 we figured that buying was about .25 cents a bang if you buy cheap brass plinking rounds. And .7 cents to reload when you keep the brass that you already shot and picked up.
I find it worth it.
When we broke down the cost of buying .45 and loading .45 we figured that buying was about .25 cents a bang if you buy cheap brass plinking rounds. And .7 cents to reload when you keep the brass that you already shot and picked up.
I find it worth it.
