Current Actual cost to reload /round

[babalooie21204]

I'm thinking of making the plunge but wanted to see what are the current costs (as opposed to the cost I remember during the SB 281 scare) are to reload by round for all your favorite loads....MDS help me make this decision...

 

[obiii]

There are a lot of variables in the equation. Do you have brass currently? Do you have powder, primers? Are you shooting j-words or cast? If cast, are you buying boolits or casting your own? If you already have all the equipment that you need to reload, then your costs will be brass, primers, powder and bullets. If you look around for the parts for the type of ammo that you reload, it should be easy to determine what your cost per round will be. With most ammo, reloads are always more cost effective than store bought. Good luck to you.

OB

 

[Traveler]

9mm and .223 are getting cheap again. The more unusual, or larger the caliber you reload, the more you save. Properly done reloads would need to be compared to match ammo to get a good number. Reloads done correctly are very accurate.
Now, when the ammo dries up, and you have components to reload:

Priceless

 

[Melnic]

I shoot enough pistol to make it worth it. I think I pay about $6/box 50.
Hard to evaluate time. I'm not casting. Cause if I could work longer and get the same $ for it, I'd be better off buying it. I think I enjoy it though.
I'm lucky to travel enough to PA to be good on Pistol Powder.

Rifles, I reload Milsurps and ability to tune a load and not have to hunt for bullets that are 80 cents a round is priceless to me. Match ammo for 60 cents a round for these large puppies is worth my reloading. Sometimes, only choice is to reload (7.7 jap).

There was a long thread on this subject not too long ago. and then not too long before that .. and so on. You need to be into it for MORE than saving the $$$. I think some retired folks reload so they can afford to shoot.

 

[Speed3]

IF your looking to just save money on reloading vs buying off the shelf ammo, I don't think its worth it. There is lots of time spent at the reloading bench, time is certainly worth something espically if you have young children etc.

If your looking to load consistent accurate ammo, then it starts to make me sense.

Its very nice to be able to continue to shoot when ammo becomes unavilable like it has in the past.

 

[AntiGun]

9mm and .223 are getting cheap again. The more unusual, or larger the caliber you reload, the more you save. Properly done reloads would need to be compared to match ammo to get a good number. Reloads done correctly are very accurate.

Now, when the ammo dries up, and you have components to reload:

Priceless

That was what pushed me into it. I don't have much time for it but at least I have the materials in anticipation of the next shortage.
The money savings are not big unless you're a high volume shooter. Better to do it for rare calibers and for accuracy and fun than for money.
I'm not even remotely close to recovering the cost but as is stated above it's about having something for the next time the ammo dries up.

 

[Traveler]

It has been said before, and now I have to agree. You don't save money, you just shoot more.

 

[AntiGun]

read through the many useful reloading threads
here's a more recent one

When to buy new, when to reload
http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=150471

 

[iH8DemLibz]

For a person who shoots a lot, reloading is a no-brainer.

For a person who goes to the range once a quarter and shoots 50 rounds, reloading makes no sense.

For some calibers, reloading is just plain fun and saving money is a bonus.

For a 100 grain .243 Winchester: Bullet-.25, Primer-.035, Powder-.15, Brass-0.00 if you have been saving it.

Sooooooooooo, .25 + .035 + .15 = .435 for one round x 20 = $8.70

Basic Federal Power-Shok is $22.00 for a box 20.

Premium ammo is $30.00 or more for a box of 20.

No more math required.

Pick your favorite round and cost out the components for that round.

 

[navyis2]

Main thing i reload is 300 blackout. My current cost for my cast rounds come to around 12cents. For the OTM i load up my cost is closer to 38cents.

 

[hodgepodge]

I reload .45LC for Cowboy Action Shooting.

The 100 I use in a typical match would cost $60 -70 for new, commercial ammo.
Reloads cost me about $0.15 each, the last time I figured it out, or 15.00 for the day.

Once I started, I never looked back.

 

[tony b]

great joy in making your own ammo. When not available I can make ammo. You can make accurate ammo tuned to you needs and weapon.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Main thing i reload is 300 blackout. My current cost for my cast rounds come to around 12cents. For the OTM i load up my cost is closer to 38cents.

If it weren't for me making my own 300 brass, I wouldn't be shooting a 300.

Crazy newfangled ammo prices right there.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

great joy in making your own ammo. When not available I can make ammo. You can make accurate ammo tuned to you needs and weapon.

And it costs even less when you win a Karma.

 

[cpc1027]

If you do some research and get some estimates on equipment and component costs for your planned reloading setup, this spreadsheet should help with the cost saving estimates. It's all basic math, but the spreadsheet is pretty well laid out, and it helps make sure that you are accounting for everything. The second tab will help you figure out how long it will take you to break even on the setup costs.

 

[Klunatic]

What caliber(s) are you planing on reloading?

I shoot lots of .308 and .300 Blackout and can reload for a lot less than new. Plus there is that availability issue as well. I can generally find boolits in .30 cal. Not so for 300 Blackout.

 

[mike_in_md]

After the reloading savings offset the price of the reloading equipment I bought, I saved about 1/4 the cost for 45 factory ammo and about a 1/5 the cost if I use non jacketed bullets. Range brass is free.

 

[JoeRinMD]

It has been said before, and now I have to agree. You don't save money, you just shoot more.

Long before I got involved in reloading, I was given this advice. However, it wasn't until I started shooting Cowboy Action that I began to really understand it. And this was doubly true when my son began to shoot with me.

Stated differently "for a given budget amount, you can shoot a lot more if you reload".

JoeR

 

[Travis Bickle]

http://reloaderhub.com/calculator.cfm

For my loads:
11.6 cents a round for 9mm
18.7 cents a round for .223 (ar15 plinking loads)

Of course im not factoring in the entry cost of all the equipment I bought and how time consuming (and kind of boring) a hobby it is.

 

[Kelson1066]

I shoot a lot so the cost of my equipment has been paid for at least twice over.

9mm
147gr XTreme RN w/ Accurate #5 powder costs $9.05 a box
Federal in the same configuration costs $19.49 a box

Like JoeRinMD said "for a given budget amount, you can shoot a lot more if you reload"

It also lets you tailor loads to your gun or to your situation. For my carry guns I use the Hornady Critical Defense ammo. I get to practice with it by setting up a load on the press and using the same XTP bullet.