General cost to reload per round.

ihriec · Jul 17, 2014

Not counting equipment or brass (both of which I have accumulated over the years):
9mm - $.15
38spl - $.16
357mag - $.17
45acp - $.21
Using Berry's or Rainier's plated bullets.

Pinecone · Jul 17, 2014

Speed3 said:
Yes its cheaper but you also have to factor in your time.

I look at the price difference as paying me for my time.

Last time we did this exercise on this forum, I figured out, I make about $300 per hour reloading .45 ACP.

Streetgang · Jul 17, 2014

Pinecone said:
I look at the price difference as paying me for my time.

Last time we did this exercise on this forum, I figured out, I make about $300 per hour reloading .45 ACP.

Wouldn't that be nice if you could actually turn that into a business model.

Magnumite · Jul 17, 2014

Load development/building aside:

Comparisons are tricky. You can compare for minimal shot cost regardless of components/performance or compare value of the cartridges you are replacing through reloading. Using melnic's plated bullet example I calculated about $6.85/50. This favors okay when compared to Tulammo steel case steel jacketed bullet ammo at about $11.00/50. But if you compare factory jacketed bullet ammo (Winchester 115 gr 100 bulk box) to Winchester jacketed bullet reloads the price of factory ammo/reloads is now $13.50/50 factory vs. $9.95/50 reloads. Of course, you can always calculate in selling once fired brass when doing a cost analysis. Then it is break even for good blasting grade jacketed 9mm ammo. To me, that is a greater value - equivilant loads without routine loading time. But when one must push for economy/availability then any comparison trumps not shooting or going broke to shoot. For a short period of time before the hysteria I was buying factory Federal 45ACP cheaper than I could load it when I calculated in selling the brass. It is just the way the industry was at the time.

Others have indicated some calbers are handloading propositions to be feasible to shoot in quantity. No argument there, that was the only way I learned to be proficient with the 44 Magnum. Component development there allows one to build cost effective high performance/accuracy loads.

Over a period of time one figure's out the real beauty of reloading and load application. That is where the real value lays.

fabsroman · Jul 17, 2014

JettaRed said:
And it's fun/relaxing if you have time to do it. Kids are grown and out of the house.

I let my kids pull the handle, feed the shells, and feed the wad. I just supervise. Then, they get to box up all the shells. About to get back into metallic loading here, and the main reason I am reading this thread is to determine if it is worth reloading .223 versus buying it at Walmart at a 10% discount. Sad thing about it, I have the per round cost calculator in a spreadsheet that I created a decade ago and could easily determine the cost per round.

My biggest hangup with reloading right now is finding all the components on a consistent basis. I just don't feel like hunting down powder, bullets, brass, and primers. Waited a couple of months to come across Win209 shotgun primers. Still cannot find the Hodgdon Clays powder that I like because the plant had a fire problem. Having to find the supplies just makes it a lot less enjoyable.

LGood48 · Jul 17, 2014

This link has a calculator to show you the price per round / 50 /etc. You enter your costs for components and it does all the work!
http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp

Magnumite · Jul 17, 2014

"I let my kids pull the handle, feed the shells, and feed the wad. I just supervise. Then, they get to box up all the shells"

I still have the first six rounds my son and I loaded so many years ago. Six rounds of 1300 fps 240 grainers for when he wants to shoot 44 Magnum. Right now he shoots everything but the 44.

Uncle Duke · Jul 17, 2014

fabsroman said:
I let my kids pull the handle, feed the shells, and feed the wad. I just supervise. Then, they get to box up all the shells. About to get back into metallic loading here, and the main reason I am reading this thread is to determine if it is worth reloading .223 versus buying it at Walmart at a 10% discount. Sad thing about it, I have the per round cost calculator in a spreadsheet that I created a decade ago and could easily determine the cost per round.

My biggest hangup with reloading right now is finding all the components on a consistent basis. I just don't feel like hunting down powder, bullets, brass, and primers. Waited a couple of months to come across Win209 shotgun primers. Still cannot find the Hodgdon Clays powder that I like because the plant had a fire problem. Having to find the supplies just makes it a lot less enjoyable.

If loading .223 is your goal, you're in luck as the necessary components are pretty readily available. I'd say that availability of .223 components is now the best it has been since 2012. Now if you were looking to get into loading for handgun, you might want to stock up on Aspirin as finding powder can be a real headache. Not impossible, but you really have to look around and keep your eyes open for very limited offerings. Definitely much harder finding pistol powder than finding suitable rifle powder this past year.

Streetgang · Jul 17, 2014

Bottom line is that when you reload you spend MORE money because you shoot more because your cost per round is lower...
Vicious cycle....

303_enfield · Jul 17, 2014

Streetgang said:
Bottom line is that when you reload you spend MORE money because you shoot more because your cost per round is lower...
Vicious cycle....

THIS!

Also, chasing the perfect bullet, doing ladder test, changing powders and waiting between shots. In the end your ammo will be better then $5 a round factory ammo.

Buy the book ABC's of Reloading!

BlackBart · Jul 17, 2014

lx1x said:
google reloading calculator.
hard to say.. depending how much you pay for components

Cool program! Comes to ABOUT same price as reek HXP per 1,000. :thumbsup:

http://handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp

miben · Jul 17, 2014

how about 38 special, anyone reload that?

BlackBart · Jul 17, 2014

miben said:
how about 38 special, anyone reload that?

Use that calculator........... ABOUT 160.00 per 1,000.

ihriec · Jul 17, 2014

I like loading 38spl...about $.16 per round.

Uncle Duke · Jul 17, 2014

miben said:
how about 38 special, anyone reload that?

Cost per reloaded round?

Can be right there with 9mm cost wise.

vafish · Jul 18, 2014

Really depends what you pay for components and how much you use.

I just bought bullseye powder for $22 per pound. In 9mm I use 3.5 grs, that's 1.1 cents per round of powder, primers are $25 per k or 2.5 cents each.

I pick up range brass.

I cast my own bullets from scrap lead, so if I don't count my time, propane or electricity costs I can load 9mm for 3.6 cents per round. That's cheaper than .22lr these days.

vafish · Jul 18, 2014

Streetgang said:
Bottom line is that when you reload you spend MORE money because you shoot more because your cost per round is lower...
Vicious cycle....

My disposable income is the same if I reload or shoot factory ammo. I spend the same amount either way, but I get to shoot a lot more for the same price if I reload.

But I do agree with your point that you don't save money by reloading.

ken792 · Jul 22, 2014

miben said:
how about 38 special, anyone reload that?

I do it at $0.118 per round.

Slug: MO Bullet Cowboy #11 158gr $0.0735 shipped each
Primer: CCI Small Pistol $0.031
Powder: 3.4gr Trail Boss $0.0138

I could cut that down even lower if I were to use a less "expensive" powder than Trailboss and/or used a lighter slug which costs a tiny bit less

j8064 · Jul 22, 2014

Streetgang said:
Bottom line is that when you reload you spend MORE money because you shoot more because your cost per round is lower...
Vicious cycle....

vafish said:
I do agree with your point that you don't save money by reloading.

Well, yes, and no.

Sure, when you reload you tend to shoot more. And there is an initial "capital" investment in reloading equipment. That investment can be a "Lexus" or a "Ford Taurus" of reloading equipment. Both will get you to your destination. Additional investments (such as more dies and tools) can be spread out over time - heck, I have almost 50 die sets now - that's only 2 new sets per year over 25 years.

Once you have equipment, the cost of consumable components and time become the factors:
- Range cases are free.
- Cheap scrap lead to mold bullets can still be found.
- Primers (that once cost a penny) are now ~ 4 cents.
- Powder cost depends on the round.

At the end of a reloading session my 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 ACP rounds still cost me less than 12 cents each. That's on a par with today's 22 rimfire ammo prices (if you can find it). And center fire shooting is much more fun than 22.

I recently began building 300 BLK rounds from 223 cases for a new rifle. The prices for factory 300 BLK I looked at today were over $1 per round. I can build as good (if not better) ammo on my bench for < 50 cents.

Then there are the C&R guns to consider:
- It's still cheaper to buy Tula ammo than loading my own 7.62x39. But when the pendulum swings, I can keep shooting.
- 9x18 MAK? No biggie. Trimming free 9mm Luger cases is easy and free.
- 7.62x25? When the surplus ammo is gone chopping .223 cases to build my own ammo to feed my Toks and CZ-52's is doable - inexpensively.
- 7.62z54r? My Mosins will not go hungry when there's no more surplus ammo around.
- Fun rifles like Enfields, Arisakas, Schmidt Rubens, Carcanos and many others can only have economical range days when fed bench-built rounds.

Then there's the "time" invested. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. You need to define what your own leisure time is worth. For me, my reloading time is an extension of my range time. And I enjoy both.

I think you get my point. Reloading isn't for everyone. But if done correctly and safely, reloading can be both economical and rewarding.

ihriec · Jul 22, 2014

Streetgang said:
Bottom line is that when you reload you spend MORE money because you shoot more because your cost per round is lower...
Vicious cycle....

Yeah, but a good vicious cycle. I've had a lot of fun and become a more experienced and better shooter!

General cost to reload per round.

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