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Reloading Supplies
- Thread starter H60Gunner
- Start date
Do quite a lot of reloading .38/.357/.45 ACP/.22 Hornet/.243/.257 Roberts/.270/.308 right now.
There's no one place that has the best deal on everything but a few I use include; http://www.grafs.com/ and http://www.midwayusa.com/ if you can find a buddy that is a dealer http://www.bhshooters.com/ but they're wholesale only. A friend of mine has an account and we do group orders once a year or so.
There's no one place that has the best deal on everything but a few I use include; http://www.grafs.com/ and http://www.midwayusa.com/ if you can find a buddy that is a dealer http://www.bhshooters.com/ but they're wholesale only. A friend of mine has an account and we do group orders once a year or so.
I personally dont reload but have many friends who do. This is the method they say is the cheapest. I asked 2 of them a few minutes ago if they know any bulk places or good deals, they started listing off a ton of places. I would imagine theres no super cheap place. They both said they use Midway frequently
Best source I've found is Huntington's, in Oroville CA.
www.huntingtons.com
They seem to have just about everything.
www.huntingtons.com
They seem to have just about everything.
So, I've been looking at this reloading gig for a while, but I'm just not convinced. Seems like a decent initial outlay for equipment, then some very non-trivial consumable costs.
Then again, even buying in bulk is expensive these days ($0.36 a shot for Magtech .45ACP, bought in bulk)
I shoot scads of .22LR, a fair amount .45 ACP, and very few .308, so I think all I'd really be looking to load is .45.
How low can you really get your cost per shot loading your own?
How long does the gear last before you need to replace things (for cost amortization calcs.)?
Then again, even buying in bulk is expensive these days ($0.36 a shot for Magtech .45ACP, bought in bulk)
I shoot scads of .22LR, a fair amount .45 ACP, and very few .308, so I think all I'd really be looking to load is .45.
How low can you really get your cost per shot loading your own?
How long does the gear last before you need to replace things (for cost amortization calcs.)?
Depends how far you want to go to save money. Molding your own bullets? Have a source for brass? Look around your local range (but for this exercise lets assume new). I shoot mostly lead 185 gr semi-wadcutters for .45 ACP so lets assume all new stuff.
500 are about $43 so 11 cents each
500 new unprimed brass $103 = .20 each
500 large pistol primers about $12 = 2.4 each
Powder a lb of $16
So discounting the powder as I won't try and figure out how many .45 loads a lb of bullseye will do (lets say a metric butt-ton and we'l round up for it). so in these quantities it'll run you $.34 each with a decreasing cost every time you reuse the brass. So $17 each 50 compares to basically the same price as a box of CCI Blazer in the beginning and goes down from there.
So for .45 ACP it's a wash if you want to shoot Blazer but half the fun of reloading is shooting your own loads and playing with different bullets and powder, particularly when it comes to rifles. When you start reloading you start shooting more and it really is a fun hobby.
The stuff basically lasts forever. I still use dies, shellholders, scales etc I've had for more than 20 years. I've upgraded some of it but it's all still good.
I reload 30/06 and .308. Mostly for accuracy. Some experimental loading. Saves no money, but can achieve consitency in loads, weights, case length etc. Once fired brass goes back into the same chamber, never resized (must re-neck). Spend a whole lot of time measuring and weighing. Use cheap equipment - Lee. Accurate scale necessary. I weight each and every load down to the nats arse as they say.
I stay away from used military brass, for several reasons.
www.midwayusa.com is where I go for most stuff. Good folks. Need to send them photocopy of your military ID or other ID, they keep it on file and send you stuff without a lot of hoops to jump through.
I stay away from used military brass, for several reasons.
www.midwayusa.com is where I go for most stuff. Good folks. Need to send them photocopy of your military ID or other ID, they keep it on file and send you stuff without a lot of hoops to jump through.
I can answer a couple of those q's.
I have not done a cost analysis of reloading for a few years, but several years ago, I computed the cost (not counting time, and initial outlay) of loading 9mm rounds to be $.05 per rnd. Probably more now.
If you shoot a crap load of .22's reloading isn't going to help. The .45 should save some $$. As well a .308.
Replacement costs of equipment were solved, for me, by purchasing a Dillon. They will replace any part, defective or broken, for free. Case in point- one of my boys destroyed a spring on my Dillon. I called to order a replacement fully expecting to pay for it and they sent it to me at no cost, and no questions asked.
For me the biggest advantage is to be able to custom load rounds for each wep.
For pistols it's a matter of finding the most economical mix of bullets, brass, primers, and powder. Then crank out 500 at a time. A progressive press is nice for this.
For my rifles it's more of a finesse game. I am obsessive compulsive anal with my rifle ammo. I weigh each bullet, measure each powder charge on a digi scale and load one at a time. Progressive press has no advantage, but works. I also have a chamber gauge for every caliber I own, tells me the "exact" overall length the rifle likes. Had a .308 that did not like factory ammo, got it down to 1" groups at 100yds using custom ammo. The reason I am OCD with my rifle ammo is I hunt, and I absolutely positively cannot have a material failure. Had a bad experience with factory ammo last year, Barns X bullets.
FlyinRock
Registered User
******************************************
Typically you can reload for half the cost of factory ammo or less and if you shoot a lot its well worth it. I have loading equipment that was heavily used in the early 80's while I was active in pistol competition and loaded nearly a million rounds of the 45acp. Quality or name brass I loaded in excess of 50-60 times before the cases started to split. That included a lot of military match brass. Rifle cases will wear more quickly and after 5-6 reloads will probably get tossed.
My loading equipment, even the expensive stuff, amortized itself out and was virtually free after about 7000 rounds when compared to costs of factory ammo. Now I load for cost of components only and if I buy in bulk can get the price well below current factory costs. The best part is, the factory stuff is going up in price very quickly (but components are not far behind either).
The smart guys will get buddies to joint venture either the equipment or the components so they can get a lower price. The best local price I have seen for quality reloaded ammo in lots of 1000 is $240 for hardball equivilent. That is not a bad price if you don't want to set up for reloading. Again, it all depends on what you consider a lot of shooting.
If its only 1000 rounds per year, that isn't worth setting up a reloading bench unless you just want a fun hobby.
Visit a gunshow and check the prices for components and or equipment for a more current price on everything.