Reloading Costs

**cobra2411** · December 8th, 2008, 12:13 PM

Just thought I'd share so people have an idea of what the cost of a reloaded box is. Brass is reused, primers are CCI 300's bought in a 1,000 ct brick. Powder is Unique bought in 1 lb container except 45LC which is Trail Boss bought in 9oz container. Bullets bought in 500ct boxes. Loads are max recommended by data from either Lee manual or manufacture website.

$11.03/50 - .44 Magnum with Remington 240 gr JSP
$8.84/50 - .45 ACP with Berry's 230 plated RN
$6.27/50 - .45 LC with 250 gr lead RNFP

My range (Targetmaster) will not allow lead rounds (except .22 and .45LC) or I would use lead in all of them and cast my own.

Prices will be even lower if you buy in larger quantities. I'm just starting and didn't want to buy too much of any one thing in case I had problems or didn't like it. You don't want to buy 5,000 bullets and then find you don't like them...

**andrewjs18** · December 8th, 2008, 05:09 PM

Cost me about $16 to reload 100 .40 S&W bullets with 155gr Magtech Guardian Gold JHP heads. I bought the heads in a bag of 100, just to get a decent load set. I'm going to buy a bag of 1,000 soon..not sure if I want to go lead or FMJ...

I used 8.9gr of Blue Dot in my current load..I only loaded 6 so far and haven't test fired them...so we'll see how they shoot.

**JoeWilliams** · December 8th, 2008, 06:01 PM

My costs for 9mm, .38 Special, and .357 (roughly the same)

500 cast bullets (from Rogers Better Bullets) = $33
500 primers (Winchester WSP) = $12
1/3 can of Titegroup = $6

Total = $51 per 500, $5.10 per 50.

If you want to add the cost of brass, 500 = $75. I figure each case is good for 10 uses (I actually get a lot more because I load light and don't expand the case mouth more than I have to). That cost adds $7.50 per 500, $1.50 per 50.

So, total cost of materials is $6.60 per 50. And it's better, more accurate, and more reliable than the cheapo WWB or UMC ammo.

I've got a melting pot. Now I just need to buy some bullet molds, and get my hands on some wheel weights, and I should be able to lower that cost even more.

**andrewjs18** · December 8th, 2008, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by cobra2411

Just thought I'd share so people have an idea of what the cost of a reloaded box is. Brass is reused, primers are CCI 300's bought in a 1,000 ct brick. Powder is Unique bought in 1 lb container except 45LC which is Trail Boss bought in 9oz container. Bullets bought in 500ct boxes. Loads are max recommended by data from either Lee manual or manufacture website.

$11.03/50 - .44 Magnum with Remington 240 gr JSP
$8.84/50 - .45 ACP with Berry's 230 plated RN
$6.27/50 - .45 LC with 250 gr lead RNFP

My range (Targetmaster) will not allow lead rounds (except .22 and .45LC) or I would use lead in all of them and cast my own.

Prices will be even lower if you buy in larger quantities. I'm just starting and didn't want to buy too much of any one thing in case I had problems or didn't like it. You don't want to buy 5,000 bullets and then find you don't like them...

Try South Philadelphia Archery & Gun Club. I'm pretty sure they allow you to shoot anything.

http://www.philadelphiaarcheryandgunclub.com/

$25 to shoot your own ammo, all day.

Targetmaster=$15/hr and very limited on what you can shoot.

**lethal93ta** · December 8th, 2008, 06:16 PM

I do .223 by the 1000, 170.30

30-06 16.48/ per 50 with FMJ bullets, 20.48 per 50 with hornady SST's

.45 9.11 per 50 with nosler competition's

**marinakorp** · December 9th, 2008, 12:14 PM

.45 Acp - Approx 13.00 / 100...and probably a little on the high side

70.00 - 1000 200gr SWC (approx) ~ 35 / 500
25.00 - 1000 Primers (approx)
15.00 - 1000 Powder (approx) ~ 20.00 Per pound 4.3 Gr per load (round up)
20.00 - 1000 Misc (tumbler media, electricity, lube, marker pens, storage bags, etc.)

when I need new brass... I go get WWB and blast through several hundred to a thousand to replenish the few that get lost / split / etc.
Sometimes buying it you can get a good deal on brass
If you want to add Brass to the costs...figure 1/2 cent a piece...you do get several reloading out of a single piece of brass...useable life = 20. WHatever price a piece you get...divide by 20 and add that to the overall costs...not that much IMHO.

So it can save AT LEAST 50% off of factory ammo... figure WWB = 30/100 and some other bulk.... 23 - 30 / 100 if you find a good deal..

At 0.10 a round savings (each) the payoff for the reloading machine and other goodies will pay for itsself in less than a year... 8000 rounds or so for me. I probably coulda saved a bit on the machines and bought used.. but I'm a little nutty that way