Last two years the price I pay for ammo has more than doubled.:smack:
Cost of Ammo.
I paid over $35 for a box of .44 Rem. Mag. 240 GR. JSP WWB @ Wally World today. Around $25 for box of .45 ACP 230 GR. JHP WWB @ Sports Academy yesterday. And over $8 for a box of Winchester .22 Mag. shells a few weeks ago. I think that I'm going to start concentrating on building up my ammo supply. How is it for everyone else?
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
I don't shoot them but I've noticed that the Remington 550 packs of .22 bulk ammo have went from around $9 in August to $15 now.
I just ordered a case of Eley .17 Mach 2 ammo this week. I figure they money I'll save will be way more than any interest that I might could earn at the bank.
I just ordered a case of Eley .17 Mach 2 ammo this week. I figure they money I'll save will be way more than any interest that I might could earn at the bank.
7.62x39 is up to 5$ a box most places for wolf. 7.62x54R was 6$ for a 20 of corrosive surplus. those are the 2 i shoot the most now, so hopefully surplus won't go up much more....
I remember buying Wolf 7.62x39 for $66/K delivered a few years ago. Glad I still have about 6K stored.7.62x39 is up to 5$ a box most places for wolf.
That is $70/100, 70 cents per round. You can reload it for less than a quarter a round, and around 6 cents per round with lead bullets. If you shoot very much of it, it would pay to invest in a reloading setup. You could recoup your investment in less than 1000 rounds, and the more calibers you shoot, the more you can save.I paid over $35 for a box of .44 Rem. Mag. 240 GR. JSP WWB @ Wally World today.
I'm definitely going to have to check into that. I've reloaded shotgun shells before, but never rifle or handgun ammo. Is there much difference? How do I get started, and what all do I need to get started? What kind of reloader would you recommend?That is $70/100, 70 cents per round. You can reload it for less than a quarter a round, and around 6 cents per round with lead bullets. If you shoot very much of it, it would pay to invest in a reloading setup. You could recoup your investment in less than 1000 rounds, and the more calibers you shoot, the more you can save.
my uncle just got a reloader, so my .308 bullets will be well stocked on reloads.
pistol ammo on the other hand, i am just not sure if enough time to reload, but paying $13 a box hurts
pistol ammo on the other hand, i am just not sure if enough time to reload, but paying $13 a box hurts
You can start out very basic with a Lee single stage press. I'd have to look and figure a little, but I am sure you could get started for ~$200 or so. It wouldn't take long to recoup your cost of the equipment. With a single stage loader, you could probably load 50 to 100 rounds in an hour, it's been so long since I did any single stage loading that I can't remember for sure how long it takes.I'm definitely going to have to check into that. I've reloaded shotgun shells before, but never rifle or handgun ammo. Is there much difference? How do I get started, and what all do I need to get started? What kind of reloader would you recommend?
If you really enjoyed it and wanted to get into reloading full blast, you could then step up to a progressive loader. They can start anywhere from $150 to over $1500. Reloading is just like any other hobby, you can get into it as light or as deep as you want.
Another thing you can do as a handloader is to make lighter loads for practice and then the full power loads for hunting. That is what I do with the 357 and 44 magnum loads for my son. Light loads are 240 grain hard cast SWC bullet ($40/K) over 11 grains of Unique powder. It gives a mild load of ~900 fps, gives him a lot of trigger time and doesn't break the bank. The 240 grain JHP loads are loaded to full power and reserved for hunting.
I'll do some calculations and post a little info tonight.
I just punched a couple of numbers in the calculator.
I buy 44 caliber hard cast bullets for $40/1000, or 4 cents each.
Primers run ~$20/1000, 2 cents each.
A pound of Unique is ~$20 and there are 7,000 grains in a pound. That calculates to .287 cents per grain times 11 grains for 3.14 cents per round.
Add 'em up and you have just over 9 cents per round, or $9.14 per 100 rounds.
Change powder to a full charge and the component costs stay the same except for the powder, I'd use 2400 powder, 18 grains at 5.14 cents per round and that raises the cost of 100 rounds to $11.14 per 100 rounds. Now this is using a hard cast lead bullet that would be just fine at 44 mag velocities.
Change that to a 240 grain Hornady XTP from Midway and the cost would be $21 per 100 bullets, (21 cents each), 2 cents for the primer and 5 cents for the powder. You can load 100 rounds of premium ammo, tailor the load for your gun and have a cost $28 per 100 rounds. Same percentages for the 45ACP ammo you spoke of, and for any other rifle or pistol ammo. If you buy in bulk, these costs go down even more. I buy primers 5, 10 and 20K at a time, powder in 8# jugs, 2 to 4 at a time and bullets by the 5 to 10K lots. Costs drop dramatically when you buy in bulk. I am loading M193 equivalent loads for my AR's for 7.5 cents each, $75/1000. Right now, M193 ammo on the market is just under $500/1000. I couldn't afford to shoot the amount I do if I had to purchase factory ammo.
If you shoot more than a few hundred rounds a year, you really need to look into reloading. There are several on this board that have gotten into it over the last year or so, and if you have any questions, there is always someone on the board that will be more than happy to help you out.
I buy 44 caliber hard cast bullets for $40/1000, or 4 cents each.
Primers run ~$20/1000, 2 cents each.
A pound of Unique is ~$20 and there are 7,000 grains in a pound. That calculates to .287 cents per grain times 11 grains for 3.14 cents per round.
Add 'em up and you have just over 9 cents per round, or $9.14 per 100 rounds.
Change powder to a full charge and the component costs stay the same except for the powder, I'd use 2400 powder, 18 grains at 5.14 cents per round and that raises the cost of 100 rounds to $11.14 per 100 rounds. Now this is using a hard cast lead bullet that would be just fine at 44 mag velocities.
Change that to a 240 grain Hornady XTP from Midway and the cost would be $21 per 100 bullets, (21 cents each), 2 cents for the primer and 5 cents for the powder. You can load 100 rounds of premium ammo, tailor the load for your gun and have a cost $28 per 100 rounds. Same percentages for the 45ACP ammo you spoke of, and for any other rifle or pistol ammo. If you buy in bulk, these costs go down even more. I buy primers 5, 10 and 20K at a time, powder in 8# jugs, 2 to 4 at a time and bullets by the 5 to 10K lots. Costs drop dramatically when you buy in bulk. I am loading M193 equivalent loads for my AR's for 7.5 cents each, $75/1000. Right now, M193 ammo on the market is just under $500/1000. I couldn't afford to shoot the amount I do if I had to purchase factory ammo.
If you shoot more than a few hundred rounds a year, you really need to look into reloading. There are several on this board that have gotten into it over the last year or so, and if you have any questions, there is always someone on the board that will be more than happy to help you out.
This will be something that I will definitely be checking into. Thanks for the information.
Just got a lee challenger kit, dies for my 243, trickler, case lube (spray), two shell holder boxes, powder, primer and bullets all for about $180. That will load 7 1/2 boxes of shells. That's $24 a box for premium shells, but my next batch will cost me $7.43 a box. A comparable shell at bass pro would cost me $30 a box. So even with my initial cost, I'm saving money.You can start out very basic with a Lee single stage press. I'd have to look and figure a little, but I am sure you could get started for ~$200 or so. It wouldn't take long to recoup your cost of the equipment. With a single stage loader, you could probably load 50 to 100 rounds in an hour, it's been so long since I did any single stage loading that I can't remember for sure how long it takes.
If you really enjoyed it and wanted to get into reloading full blast, you could then step up to a progressive loader. They can start anywhere from $150 to over $1500. Reloading is just like any other hobby, you can get into it as light or as deep as you want.
Another thing you can do as a handloader is to make lighter loads for practice and then the full power loads for hunting. That is what I do with the 357 and 44 magnum loads for my son. Light loads are 240 grain hard cast SWC bullet ($40/K) over 11 grains of Unique powder. It gives a mild load of ~900 fps, gives him a lot of trigger time and doesn't break the bank. The 240 grain JHP loads are loaded to full power and reserved for hunting.
I'll do some calculations and post a little info tonight.
I'll soon be getting dies, bullets and powder for all my center fire guns.
After that it will be a tumbler, then probably an electronic scale and then some case trimming stuff.
That sounds great, johnf!! :thumb:
The nice thing about your press and dies is that it will last you at least 20 or 30 years, so the initial cost of the equipment will add just pennies to the price of each box of your reloads over its lifetime. I'm still using equipment that I bought when I first got into reloading almost 30 years ago and its still going strong.So even with my initial cost, I'm saving money.
Wish I'd saved some of those several thousand rounds of brass I've left laying in my lifetime.:smack:
I went out and started measuring some space in my shed. I'll have to move a bunch of stuff and probably do a little construction, but I think I can pull off a place to set up a single stage press. I've got the bench already in place. Need to move some lights too.
After surfing for .45 Colt ammo, I've GOT to load for it or not shoot it much at all.
I think I'll order a couple of reloading manuals first and give them some reading, then start putting together a "basic" set-up. I still have dies for .357 and .45 ACP from fifteen years ago that have been boxed up for the past twelve years, add dies for Colt and I'll be able to do what I need to.
After surfing for .45 Colt ammo, I've GOT to load for it or not shoot it much at all.
I think I'll order a couple of reloading manuals first and give them some reading, then start putting together a "basic" set-up. I still have dies for .357 and .45 ACP from fifteen years ago that have been boxed up for the past twelve years, add dies for Colt and I'll be able to do what I need to.
If'n ya need any help, feel free to holler. I'm just down the road. :thumb:
snydedawg, you've got access to a firing range don't ya? I've discovered that's a great place to find once fired brass. When I can get to this one here I pick up everything I can even if I don't load for it. I can always find somebody that can use it. :thumb:
I just paid $3.17 for 50 22lr at Wal-Mart. I didn't notice it until I got home, but it was only marked $1.62 on the shelf.
I think I'd go back, buy some and when it rings up the wrong price, get the manager involved. Then buy all on the shelf at the lower posted price. Otherwise that would be false advertising.I just paid $3.17 for 50 22lr at Wal-Mart. I didn't notice it until I got home, but it was only marked $1.62 on the shelf.
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Arkansas Hunting
A forum community dedicated to Arkansas hunters and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about optics, trails, clubs, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
