Reloading cost per caliber? Post your numbers!

Longshot84 said:
Oddly enough, I'm looking hard at getting into reloading as well, and have come up with some rough budget numbers for components if starting from scratch. Including 1lb of powder per thou as well as new brass, here are my projected cost per thousand:

9mm: $192~
.223: $304~
.308: $692~
7.62x39: $380~

Would love to here some feedback to know if I'm close. Obviously the second and third batches would end up being $50-120 +/-cheaper without the cost of new brass, so the average would work out to be a little cheaper.
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9mm cast bullets with reused brass about 80.00/1000
With campro bullets 180.00/1000

45acp cast bullets 100.00/1000

308 (stash of 168&175 smk's bought in a smokin deal) 720.00/1000
45-70 cast bullets 300.00/1000

Remember this is all with reused brass
 
Robert Nicholson said:
1000 rounds in 3 hours is great! I was expecting a lot less rounds in that time. Are many of you re-loaders getting similar results?
Does that include all the prep time of cleaning and priming the cases? Sorry to go off topic from the OP's question, which, by the way, I am wanting
direct answers for, also. Thanks
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the time i mentioned only starts from when the first casing gets put in to the press.

prior to that i decap the cases on my single stage press with a universal decapping die... then i wet tumble for two hours... then i let them air-dry for 24 hours.. then they are ready for reloading.
 
The cheapest I can reload most calibres using my own brass is the light target loads using Unique, dominion primers and my own plain based lead bullets. I can make a load for under 12 cents per round. Unique @ 10 grains, for just over 5 cents, primer , 3 cents, and lead for buck a pound, and I can get 35 bullets out of a pound of lead.
 
thechineseguy said:
the time i mentioned only starts from when the first casing gets put in to the press.

prior to that i decap the cases on my single stage press with a universal decapping die... then i wet tumble for two hours... then i let them air-dry for 24 hours.. then they are ready for reloading.
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From the time the first piece of brass starts going through until the last round comes out for 1000 rounds is about 90-120 mins. It all depends on the gear, I am lucky enough to have a dillon 650, with casing feeder, bullet feeder, and I also picked up the frankford arsenal primer tube filler (this saves time and sanity). Now I do want to mention the brass process which takes time and not labor. I tumble with lemishine, dawn and boiling water for 45 mins, then into the dehydrator for approx 45 mins then into the corn cob media for another 90 mins. So to prep the brass takes about 3 hrs but not a laborous 3 hrs. In all honesty perhaps 15 mins of actual hands on the rest is the equipment doing it.
 
I have 30-30 plinking rounds down to about $0.11/round. My favourite .303B load is $0.27/round. .444 was costly to get going because the brass wasn't easy to find and was at least $1 each, but they will last forever and I figure I have them down to about $0.44 each one last time I tried to do the math.
 
Robert Nicholson said:
1000 rounds in 3 hours is great! I was expecting a lot less rounds in that time. Are many of you re-loaders getting similar results?
Does that include all the prep time of cleaning and priming the cases? Sorry to go off topic from the OP's question, which, by the way, I am wanting
direct answers for, also. Thanks
Click to expand...

The wife and I just had a "how long it takes her to shoot them compared to how long it takes me to re-load them" conversation this weekend so I did a little timing test with a 650 loading .38sp.
primer tubes and powder measure were all filled and ready, brass in the feeder and a stack of bullets handy (I am the "bullet feeder"). I had no hic-ups thru the whole 400 round batch other than to fill the primer feed. I completed 400 rounds in 24 min. That was a test at a very steady rate, while not hurrying faster than my regular rate. Being an old dude I wouldn't be able to keep that rate up for any length of time . I usually try to do 4-600 an hr, stopping to fiddle or fill primer tubes, enter some records etc. once in a while for a break.

I have a friend that goes like an automaton and is disappointed if he doesn't do 1000 an hr.
 
$31 to $65/100 of .44 mag depending on the bullet and corresponding powder charge. Campros at the low end, Winchester STHP's at the upper. Usual range loads are running $31 to $34 depending on where the bullets came from (about a 10% spread in cost) and brand of primer (1 or 2 cents difference adds up).
$19 to $50/100 for 9mm again depending on bullet/powder. Campro 115's at the low end with HP-38, Speer GDHP's at the top and not very darn often because it's a total waste on paper.
$65 to $75/100 for .308W with Hornady A or V-max bullets and Federal Match primers. I haven't worked out the costs for the individual powders but since I don't shoot a lot of these (yet) a few cents one way or the other isn't a big deal.
 
fingers284 said:
The wife and I just had a "how long it takes her to shoot them compared to how long it takes me to re-load them" conversation this weekend so I did a little timing test with a 650 loading .38sp.
primer tubes and powder measure were all filled and ready, brass in the feeder and a stack of bullets handy (I am the "bullet feeder"). I had no hic-ups thru the whole 400 round batch other than to fill the primer feed. I completed 400 rounds in 24 min. That was a test at a very steady rate, while not hurrying faster than my regular rate. Being an old dude I wouldn't be able to keep that rate up for any length of time . I usually try to do 4-600 an hr, stopping to fiddle or fill primer tubes, enter some records etc. once in a while for a break.

I have a friend that goes like an automaton and is disappointed if he doesn't do 1000 an hr.
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Carrumba! If I hump it, I can barely manage 200/hr of .44 with a Lee turret. That's only for the first hour then I need a break 'cause I'm old too. Going at my usual pace, more like 150/hr tops. Dillion 650 you say.......
 
At $850~ plus tax, it's something I've been debating pretty hard too. I've been trying hard to convince myself to start small with the $150 Lee kit, but I really like the prospects of having my own little cartridge factory lol. Go big or go home!
 
My 45/70 and 45 lc save me alot.. In saying that I load mostly black in those girls.. Cast my own boolits make my lube.. Smokeless the 45 lc is a big saver 9mm just fun to do.. All the rest of them I'm about half price on average.. It's the custom ammo I like.. Yes I have spent $$$ on my set up... In saying that I've been building it since '83.. Freind of mine was wondering about loading asked about $$$ told him that at 2-3 boxes of 243win a year he is wasting his time
 
I haven't loaded 1000 rds yet...

fav/cheapest to date: 8mm Mauser launching 170gr cast(about 30c shipped soon to be home brew) o'er small amount of titegroup ($35/lb and well over1000 per lb) CCI LR primer ($40/1000) in recycled brass. Not sure how long brass will live, but it's a hoot to shoot at about 39cents per bang.

Most costly? 6.5x55 Swede: Lapua brass (bought for the occasion o'er $1/rd shipped to my door), Lapua Scenars (can't recall but well over my 50cent bullet limit), on top of same CCI LR Primer ($40/1000), and RL22 (I bought only a small amount to test with, so cost isn't reflective of market)...so getting close to $1.75/rd...couldn't possibly buy that combo, and I love slinging it at a real distance. (once I'm ready this will be supplanted by ,577 snider's first shots). The brass will be reused, but was acquired for purpose, and is a "real" cost. Many more obscure gems have very expensive brass.

Anecdotal "cost of reloading vs. Commercial" add-on... I really only got into reloading for cost effectiveness. Most of what I reload, factory(if found) is well over a buck a shot, and I put if off for decades... The actual amount of shooting I've done since starting is priceless. I acquired equipment during a time when finding cheap, bulk rimfire was a pain. I now shoot my fav gems as if they were rimfires (good cheap fun) AND load up for both hunting, and target. I've "gotten to know" each of my rifles (some shoot the same ammo but are most certainly not the same rifles) too. That's priceless
 
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17 Hornet w/ 20gr Vmax : $450 per thou
223 Rem w/ 55gr Hornady SP w/c : $370
260 Rem w/ 140gr Berger Hybrid : $910
6.5-06 Ackley w/ 123gr Hornady SST : $900
280 Rem w/ Hornady 162gr ELD-X : $875
280 Ackley w/ 145gr Barnes LRX : $1350
7saum w/ 168gr Nosler ABLR : $1300
300AAC Blackout w/ Hornady 125gr SST : $640
308 Win w/ 178gr ELD-X : $840
300 Win Mag w/ Barnes 175gr LRX : $1375
338-06 w/ Barnes 210gr TTSX : $1580
375 Ruger w/ Barnes 250gr TTSX : $1700
 
Try buying 1000 rounds of.577 Snider for less than $5.00 a round. that would be $5,000. All new components and my cost is $1.36 per round. Save my brass and the cost goes down to $0.36 per round on reloads until it is time to retire the cases.
 
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223/55gr Campro/dominion primers/wc735 powder-$230/K
9mm para/124 Campro/dominion primers/TG powder-$145/K
45 ACP/200 DRG/dominion primers/TG powder-$160/K

Obviously cost savings of reloading compared to what even bulk commercial goes for now days is huge,but just as important to me is being able to taylor my loads to type of shooting,plus I find that my reloads(esp in 223)are more accurate than the factory stuff.Another factor is that I never worry whether ammo is in stock or if there is a current shortage.Over the years I have made a habit of buying in bulk when a good deal comes up(Canada ammo had their small rifle primers on sale awhile back,so I stocked up with 25K which will last me for awhile/my club does group buys on bullets etc).Plus I really enjoy reloading!
 
dirtybarry said:
Carrumba! If I hump it, I can barely manage 200/hr of .44 with a Lee turret. That's only for the first hour then I need a break 'cause I'm old too. Going at my usual pace, more like 150/hr tops. Dillion 650 you say.......
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I have a Lee rotary as well and use it for most all rifle or specialty pistol ammo (a few round that I don't want to reset the Dillon for). I would consider your 200 rnds an hr quite admiral with that press. I don't use a powder drop with it, only measure & funnel pour so I'm lucky to get 100 hr with my rotary.

I had 3 Dillons (2 650's & 550) and the rotary set up at one time but our shooting has slowed down a bit so I have downsized to the one Dillon and the rotary, As long as the wife keeps shooting I will keep my last 650 but if she ever quits, the rotary will be the press I will keep until the bitter end.
 
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