Ak Guy Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 Does anyone have a rough estimate of typical .45 reloading costs ? I'm talking about cheap stuff, nothing fancy in bullet or brass etc. I've got all the equipment, and even a start of 500 brass. I'm getting Blazer, alum cases, for $9.65 per box of 50, and am not sure it's worth the time and effort to reload. Any guesses on the long term cost of a reloaded box of 50 ?? Thanx.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redmercury2 Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 ROUGHLY,2 cents per primer,2 cents for powder,5-6 cents for a lead bullet,about 8-10 cents for a jacketed/plated bullet, check your DILLON CATALOG OR BRIANS STORE FOR SPECIFIC COMPONENT COSTS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knee Deep Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 my cost average around $85 per 1000, using 45cal 185 plated bullets, WST powder/prmers. this includes average out use of brass at $20 to $35 per 1000. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 To add: 1 lb of powder = $16.00 1000 primers = $15.00 $1000 bullets = $65.00 =$96.00 Component cost Reports here is that 45 ACP brass has a life that rivals the Twinkie, so figure each loading (over the total life of the brass), the brass costs you $.01-$.03. Plus, depending on charge weights, most 1 lb cans of powder will make well over 1000 rounds, some up towards 1200+. So, very approximately, per 1000 rounds, you're looking at a total cost of about $100-105. Quick math tells you that is ~$5 per box of 50. You're cutting your cost nearly in half. The benefits that handloaded ammo gets you that commercial does not is that you can tune the load to what suits you and your gun best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggorloader Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 I use (all) Winchester Brass, LP Primers, and 230 gr FMJ Bullets and Titegroup powder for a theoretical cost of $72.50/1000 assuming the brass will 8X load and if I can manage to pick them all up they far outlast that. I quit trying to figure I was saving money because the more I make the more I shoot and the lead mine (backyard range) gets bigger and bigger. Dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogmaDog Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 I answered a post just like this over on Matt Burkett's forum (www.mattburkett.com). For me, the cost is $55 per thousand rounds of USPSA major ammo if I load each case 10 times, or $87 per thousand if I only load each case once. I buy once fired brass from indoor ranges ($35/k), Win primers, WST powder, and hardcast lead bullets of local manufacture ($30/k) Those figures don't account for sales tax, or consumables used in case cleaning, or waste. Even at the high end ($87), it's still only $4.35 per box of 50 DD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildman Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 I get about $6 per hundred rounds for bullets, primer and powder, and reload the brass for practice until I crack or lose it. For larger match stuf, use once or twice fired, sorted by headstamp. Usually lost brass matches. May not make a difference, but I feel better. I don't think you can reload Blazer aluminum cases. Wrong primer. Stay with a major manufacturer of brass cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gun Geek Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 AK: My experince is that my costs are typically between 7 and 10 cents per round or $3.50 - $5.00 per box of 50. The low end requires lead bullets, low powder charges (saves the brass and stretches the powder) and atleast 10 reloadings per brass case (I've got some that have been loaded 20 times and look pristine). BigDave, I had to think about the twinkie comment. I thought twinkies had a short life because they were eaten quickly, so I didn't understand your post. Then I realized that they were synthetic material floating in perservative so they last for ever... The other thing to think about (if you're an accountant) is amortizing the cost of your press. I have about $1200 in mine (That'll get you a loaded 650 with dies, etc), and I have about 10,000 total (including other calibers) rounds through it for a cost of 12 cents per round. This more than doubles my total cost to 22 cents per round which puts me at a total cost of $11.00 per 50 round box. So I'm just now crossing the break-even point. How long will it take you to shoot 10,000 rounds? It took me about 9 months. No, I'm not accountant, but I would play one on TV if they let me shoot guns... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 I am spending about $95 per thousand and using Zero 185gr JHP, 5.2gr of WST, Win Primers and once fired brass. I also divide the brass cost by 10 to reflect the reuse vs. loss issue. As BigDave pointed out you also get to tailor your loads to your needs. Finding factory loaded ammo that does that is very difficult and expensive. -ld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 Using WestCoast 200 RNs bought in bulk w/ other shooters for $50/k delivered and H. straight Clays pwder bought in 4 or 8 lb jugs and 5K primers for $14/k, my costs are at the low end of Gungeek's: $3.50 a box of 50. I work here: www.shootersparadise so brass is free for the sorting but if you shoot in a match, you generally don't get your brass back (not around here anyway) so it only lasts so long. Reloading can't be beat! BTW, your Blazer 230s are running over 190 powerfactor while your competition is shooting 200s at about 167 powerfactor (I did) - better ammo for less money. Something to consider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 About $55-60/1K... give or take. West Coast 200gr SWC, Winchester WLP primers (or Federal 155), Clays powder (light loads), reusable brass, the usual stuff. This is all .45ACP, mind you. Reloading is worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 Where on God's green earth are you guys buying lead? Loaded ammo for $55-60 per thousand? I can't even buy the bullets for that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 I don't think you can reload Blazer aluminum cases. Wrong primer. Stay with a major manufacturer of brass cases. Wildman, He wasn't saying he was planning on reloading Blazer casings. He was wondering if it was financially worthwhile to take up reloading compared to the cost of Blazer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Run n Gun Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 I buy Burgess Bullets (Moses Lake, 509-762-4419) 200gr LSWC at my local gun peddler in Salem for $41/1000. With TiteGroup and Winchester LPs it comes to less that $60/1000 loaded. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 RNG- THANKS! I feel a field trip coming on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 Sorry... that was the price for the bullets. It all ends up being about $5.50 for a box of 50--therefore $11 for a quantity of 100. The unit price diminishing gradually the more I use the brass I originally acquired. (Errors: That's what happens when the phone rings while you're posting to the forum. And it was a damn' wrong number, too...!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liota Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 Where on God's green earth are you guys buying lead? Loaded ammo for $55-60 per thousand? I can't even buy the bullets for that! Eric, Check out Precision Bullets. He has 200 grn. SWC for $45/thousand. Really nice bullets. The coating keeps them from fouling the barrel. They are consistent. If I was still shooting .45ACP, I would be using them. Aside from that, David is a really nice guy. L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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