It has been years since I reloaded my own. I've been having price shock over the cost of commercial ammo these days. I am getting back to range shooting and was wondering if any of you are reloading .45 auto and what your average cost per round is. I already have equip but have not looked into the cost of powder, primers and bullets yet. I will be doing 30-30 for an old Mod 94 as well. Thanks.
Cost per Reload
- Thread starter Grits
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Streetgang
OP4
.45 ACP:
1k primers about $25-30
1k bullets from Dardas about $80
Brass:free
Powder: about a pound makes 1k bullets (very roughly): about $20-30 depending on brand.
1k primers about $25-30
1k bullets from Dardas about $80
Brass:free
Powder: about a pound makes 1k bullets (very roughly): about $20-30 depending on brand.
mike_in_md
Ultimate Member
Any where from $5 to $7.50 is the average cost per 50 rounds for 45ACP depending on bullet used. Right now, primers and powder are hard to come by and there is a lot of price gouging so those prices will be higher. I use powdervalleyinc.com to buy my supplies and I buy in large quantities to save money on hazmat.
What kind of reloading equipment do you have?
What kind of reloading equipment do you have?
Don't laugh, I still have my Classic Lee Loaders. I liked going to the basement and loading up at least 50 rnds at a time. I took my time and it was fun. My stash of ammo would grow, especially in the winter. I never ran out and frequently shared with my shooting pals. I still have my scales, trimmers, go-no-go's and load guides. I might spring for a new digital scale. One thing I am still not sure of is the number of unknown (to me) ammo makers out there. I will need to research which commercial ammo makers have good brass for many reloads. Back then, we only used Win and Rem. I used IMR 4895, gave away 3 pounds to a buddy just a few years ago. I also used CCI primers and Speer bullets. The prices you guys are giving me shows that reloading will be worth it. As a side, as it is with you guys too, my reloads were very, very accurate, with each cartridge custom made for my weapons' chamber.
Infantry23
Ultimate Member
I use cast bullets for range shooting.... so that also saves on cost.
This
Deep Creek Rock
.._. .._ _._. _._ .._
I cast my own 45 bullets, but I also get my lead for free, so the cost of bullets is defrayed.
Depending on what I can find primers for it costs me $4 or $ 5 per hundred loading my own. Its cheaper for me to shoot 45 auto then 22LR, and alot more fun too!
Depending on what I can find primers for it costs me $4 or $ 5 per hundred loading my own. Its cheaper for me to shoot 45 auto then 22LR, and alot more fun too!
mike_in_md
Ultimate Member
I use any 45 brass I can find at the range with large primers...and yes, there are a fair bit that use small primers. They all are good and I use them in competitive matches out to 50 yards, and I have shot master scores using them in matches. For bullets, I have a friend that cast H&G130 185 grain bullets for me and that is what I mainly use. Other bullets that I use that I think are great and priced well are made by Zero. I discovered that it is the bullet that makes the biggest difference for accuracy. I also use mostly Tula primers, and Bullseye powder.
During reloading sessions I pick up a handful of clean brass and listen for a bell sound, which is an indicator that the brass cracked, and I keep reusing them until they crack.
During reloading sessions I pick up a handful of clean brass and listen for a bell sound, which is an indicator that the brass cracked, and I keep reusing them until they crack.
j8064
Garrett Co Hooligan #1
Yep, cast boolits is generally a much more economical way to go - especially with .45acp. The problem is the price and availability of commercial CB's has gone nuts like everything else.
Several of us Hooligans load our own .45acp's for basically the cost of primers and powder. The cost per round is maybe 6 cents on the high end. But to get to those economics assumes having casting equipment, supplies and time plus a source for cheap or free lead to use.
The great thing is we're not "wanting" for ammo. And our loads are more accurate than factory ammo that costs MUCH more (if you can even find it).
- Feb 4, 2013
- 28,175
My numbers.
Primer - 3.5 cents
Powder - 0.02 cents - WW231 at 5.5 grains.
Bullet - 8 cents (commerical cast 200 LSWC)
11.7 cents per round.
$11.70 per 100 or $5.85 per box of 50.
Primer - 3.5 cents
Powder - 0.02 cents - WW231 at 5.5 grains.
Bullet - 8 cents (commerical cast 200 LSWC)
11.7 cents per round.
$11.70 per 100 or $5.85 per box of 50.
maverick0379
Member
- Aug 11, 2010
- 32
It's not really a cost per reload thing for me. It's having a quality and abundant ammo supply when panic buying ensues and the store shelves are empty. That's the way you have to look at it.
- Feb 4, 2013
- 28,175
Except when the store shelves are empty of ammo, they are also empty of bullets, powder, and primers. 
Cost at this time to me irrelevant since I bought all of my stuff in the height of the ammo rush. Gouged prices and all. Main thing I found satisfaction in was, being able to shoot when everyone else that didn't reload was holding on to what they had. And it is a relaxing thing to sit back drink a beer and watch tv and crank out ammo. ( kidding no beer and tv). But it is relaxing to me.
http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp
use the calculator...
streetgang.. 1lb = 7000 grains...
use the calculator...
streetgang.. 1lb = 7000 grains...
jonathanglock
Active Member
Why don't you use the ones with small pistol primers? Do you have to load them differently? ie. more or less powder, is it hard to find load data for .45acp with small pistol primers? I don't know, I'm new to reloading.
Welcome back OP! I definitely hear you on the price shock!
I didn't pay attention to ammo prices for years. A combination of a once VERY substantial stock of factory and reloaded ammo and components, coupled with declining range time pretty much kept me out of the shops. Then a few years back, I decided that I wanted to start shooting extensively again like I once had. So with a renewed interest and a fairly depleted inventory, I stopped into Bass Pro to look around. Well, 30-30 sure wasn't $7.99 a box anymore. And .30-'06 wasn't $8.99 a box. The one that REALLY got my attention though was a long time personal favorite of mine......41 Remington Magnum. It was now $1.30 a pop at $65.00a box!
The other piece for me is the current political climate that is largely causing the ammo and component issues. Well, let's just say that my inventory is no longer depleted. And it will never be depleted again. With each round fired, and with each pull of a press handle, I feel like I am extending a heart felt middle finger salute to the many who wish to see both self sufficiency and freedom destroyed in this state and in this country.
Cost per round? To answer your question, and if you have access to free brass, figure 15 cents for .45ACP, as a give or take ballpark. Me, and in today's climate, I'm figuring each box as PRICELESS!
Hope you'll enjoy dusting off your equipment! Good luck!
maverick0379
Member
- Aug 11, 2010
- 32
Except when the store shelves are empty of ammo, they are also empty of bullets, powder, and primers.
For people who are just getting into reloading now empty shelves are exactly what they are going to see. Your a little late to the game. For those of us who learned from the last panic we bought what we were going to need when the last panic died down and have more than enough to get by.
Whitty Whit
Active Member
- Mar 20, 2013
- 571
I reload 230 LRN and the cost goes up just a bit more to maybe .15 a round, so basically for me its anywhere from .11 to .15 which is way better than the .50-.60 a round that is being charged.
Thanks for the shout Uncle Duke
The one sad thing I'm dealing with now, as I get back into this, a couple of my shooting and reloading pals are no longer with us. As I reload I am sure to be thinking about them and our times together in each others basement reloading and then going out to Cresap's to see who could get the tightest group. 
The one sad thing I'm dealing with now, as I get back into this, a couple of my shooting and reloading pals are no longer with us. As I reload I am sure to be thinking about them and our times together in each others basement reloading and then going out to Cresap's to see who could get the tightest group. 
