[sulaco]

Wow! And here I thought shooting Buffalo Bore was expensive! It's definitely going to take me a while to save up. Either that or my local shop was pricey. A big jug of gunpowder was over $70.00! I didn't realize it was so much. Brass seemed high too. In fact, the only thing I saw that seemed affordable was primers! :shocked:

So where do you guys buy your reloading supplies and how much do you figure it ought to cost me to get start reloading for my 20? I don't have an aftermarket barrel yet, so I'd rather not shoot lead just yet either. I was thinking a hand press would be a good way to start.

 

[Jumper]

You'll probably get more help if you post this question in the normal reloading forum. Most of the reloaders are over there. But just to comment, if that jug of powder was an 8# jug you could load about 6000rnds of 10mm at least. Dies are about $40. There is a good sticky at the top of the reloading for you should look at.


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[Meathead9]

That big jug of powder was probably a 4lb jug. There are 7000gr of powder per pound, so if you loaded 180gr FMJ's @ 9.2gr Longshot, that 4lb jug would make 3,044 rounds of 10mm.

I like Montana Gold, Zero & Precision Delta bullets for general purpose loads. I buy powder & primers from Powder Valley, even with the $25 hazmat fee it's cheaper than buying locally. I get brass straight from Starline, it runs $78 shipped per 500 last time I checked. You'll still save money buying new brass, but you really see the difference when you RE-load them for the first time.

I figure a 180gr bullet costs around $0.12-$0.15 each, primers around $0.02-$0.03 each, and the powder charge is less than a penny. That's less than $0.20 per round, $200 per k, for custom 10mm loads.

 

[Breadman03]

I recommend starting with a progressive press. I loaded a few rounds with a Rockchucker, but for pistol where you are going to shoot a large volume of rounds, the progressive is the way to go. You can run just one shell at a time through it to get comfortable, then start putting out volume when you are ready.

 

[21Carrier]

Like Meathead is explaining, I think you are underestimating the amount of rounds you can make for that $70. Any way you cut it, your ammo prices will be reduced by at LEAST half. Even a 1lb jug of powder will get you almost a thousand rounds. And that's $20. So here are the component costs for 1000 rounds:

Brass: if you saved at least 200 pieces, you can get at least 1000 rounds out of that. I have brass that has been loaded 15 times. So, 200 pieces of brass should net you almost 2,000 rounds (at 10 loads each), with no cost if you saved it. If you buy it, 500 pieces is about $90, and that will get you about 5,000 rounds. So, we will say about $18 for 1,000 rounds.

Bullets: I only use jacketed bullets, so we'll use them. Realize plated and lead are much cheaper. You can get 1,000 jacketed bullets for about $110. So, 1,000 rounds is $110.

Powder: Let's say two pounds will get you 1,500 rounds. At $20 per, locally, that's about $30 for 1,000 rounds. So, $30 get's you 1,000 rounds.

Primers: A box of 1,000 CCI 300s costs me $33, locally.

So, using saved brass, we get 0+110+30+33=$173 for 1,000 rounds.
Using new brass, we get 18+110+30+33=$191 for 1,000 rounds.

Buffalo bore is what, about $40 per 50 rounds? That means 1,000 rounds would be $800!!! You have just cut your costs to 1/4 of Buffalo Bore. Plus, your rounds will be just as high quality. If you use lead or plated rounds, the cost goes down further. Realistically, you will buy some good bullets, which will raise the price, but they will likely be offset by the cheap practice bullets you buy. I hope my math was good on all of that.

 

[JPP]

yup, 21 has it about right

Because of various sales and hundreds of brass casings just given to me for free, I calculated that loading 100 rounds of 115 gr RN plated 9mm is costing me about $8
45 ACP and 10mm plated is about $14 per 100

Most of my 9mm brass is reloaded 8 or 9 times already

8 pounds of powder will last you a loooooonnnnnnnng time, LOL! I use Unique which requires small amounts of charge in each loading, so it lasts me a very long time.

 

[sulaco]

I guess what I'm saying is, unless I plan to do a good bit of shooting, it's hard to justify the cost. Plus the cost of getting started (buying all of the reloading equipment). I just don't have a large amount of cash to throw at it is all, and I was surprised by how expensive the components seemed.

Maybe one day!

 

[_The_Shadow]

This ecconomy everything is up in price and that is what they are trying to do make it too expensive for people to enjoy the hobby!

It maybe that oneday you may not be able to buy any of the stuff if the gun grabbers have there way, handloading might be the only way to supply yourself...

Shortages (like those of recent times) can panic people. Leaveing them unable to get items to load with or ammo or guns! Staying supplied should help you ride out the periods of the shortages.

The hobby of handloading is a labor of love and so self rewarding!

 

[Maine1]

Keep putting some money by, and start small if you have to. A lee hand press and dies will be less that $100. Get a manual NOW, and read up on what youa re doing, so that when you get the cash for the gear, you have a better idea of how to start.

When you get serious about it go to Powder Valley's Website and say" waht do i need to get fro the next 5-10 years?" then GET it. it will NEVER get cheaper, shipping costs will NEVER be lower, and when you really need it, it will be unavailable.

 

[sulaco]

I'm reading the ABC's right now. Good stuff!

 

[michael e]

The way to do it, never run out of primers lead and powder at the same time. This is really the case when you load 10 calibers. Sure the stuff seems like a lot, but when you think about it , primers $30 for 1k, thats a box of 45s, powder $15 lb thats a box 40sw, I use lead bullets its 20 30 for 500 depending on caliber. With 9mm it saves me over half price, 40 45 357 380 45gap 44mag 10mm 357sig the savings really add up.

 

[21Carrier]

It really does not take that much to get started. Think about it like this. We just said that it would cost about $173 to load 1,000 rounds. Well, how much do you shoot in about 3 months? What about 6 months? First of all, I just realized I SEVERELY miscalculated Buffalo Bore's prices. They are $30 for 20 rounds. That means 1,000 rounds would cost $1,500!!!!! Or, for the price of a press, dies, scale, and all the components (about $400-500) you could make the same 1,000 rounds. It will only cost you about $400-500 to get started with a decent press and everything you need to load 1,000 rounds. So, you just got 1,000 rounds for 1/3 the price. THEN, the NEXT 1,000 is only $170. That's almost 1/10 the price of BB!!!

You might say you don't shoot that much. Well, even if we compare it at 500 rounds. You could get a press and everything you need to make 500 rounds for about $350-450. Or, you could pay Buffalo Bore $750. The point is that even with all the start up costs, your break even point would only be at about 240 rounds, not 5,000. Once you have bought 240 rounds of Buffalo Bore (12 boxes, or $360), you could have spent that $360 on a press, dies, scale, and components, and had around 400-500 rounds. Then, from then on, your bullets will be insanely cheap.

Also, this is the little known fact that is the BEST part about reloading. You know that feeling you get when you're shooting all that expensive ammo? You know how you want to conserve rounds, and don't want to shoot all of your ammo? Every shot seems like you're burning $1.50, right? You deprive yourself of some of the basic joys of shooting, like a rapid-fire magazine dump. If you start reloading, that feeling absolutely disappears. From then on, you will shoot 300 rounds per range session, and won't think twice about doing it. That pit in your stomach disappears, and shooting becomes pure fun. No regrets, no guilt, just fun. Just save for a month or two, and do it. You won't regret it, especially if you like shooting. You just need to have a talk with yourself, and ask yourself two questions. 1. Do I REALLY like shooting? 2. Will I be doing this a few years from now? If you answer yes to both, the sooner you start reloading, the less money you will lose in the end.

 

[sulaco]

Unfortunately I am indebted to myself until sometime early next Spring! My wife and I allocate a set amount of money each month for "his" and "hers" accounts. Hers has tons, mine's negative! Ha! :crying::faint:

 

[Jitterbug]

One way I fixed that was to get the wife to shoot too, I'm lucky in that regard. Last year for Valentines Day she popped $500 for components...a big order from Powder Valley, heck I just broke into an 8 pound jug of powder, from that one. And she only goes shooting maybe 1/2 the time, not that I don't enjoy shooting with her, but still nice to get out with the boy's or go alone.

For $30.00 bucks I can purchase a top notch, best in Denver Rib Eye from my custom butcher, an inexpensive California Red and a few vegetables that I can grill my way on the back porch and it rivals Ruth's Chris were it costs me $125.00+ to walk out the door.

Reloading is kinda like that.

And no manufacturer can make ammo as good as or customize it like my own. When you get away from the mainstay calibers like 9mm and .223 the savings really do add up...or to put it another way, you get much more bang for your buck.
Even Black Hills and Federal Gold Medal Match can't touch my rifle reloads.

Recently I purchased what I hope was my last batch of factory ammo, some high end 9mm and .45acp, I couldn't afford to chrono, check zero or test the ammo that way I know I should. Over a $1.00 a round for a quality self defense round is ridiculous.


If I put in 45 minutes to an hour a few days a week I can pretty much keep myself well stocked, even with a single stage.