9mm reloading - how much for primers + powder/1000 rounds?

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omen

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Hi all,

Just starting to thinking about reloading, and trying to get an accurate idea re overall cost (to compare to ready-made ammo).

How much would powder and primers for 1000 rounds add to the cost? (brass and bullets are easy to find/see, I have no idea re powder or primers). Just looking for a ballpark/order of magnitude figure, I'd imagine there would be some options available which would cost different amounts...

Thanks!
 
omen said:
Hi all,

Just starting to thinking about reloading, and trying to get an accurate idea re overall cost (to compare to ready-made ammo).

How much would powder and primers for 1000 rounds add to the cost? (brass and bullets are easy to find/see, I have no idea re powder or primers). Just looking for a ballpark/order of magnitude figure, I'd imagine there would be some options available which would cost different amounts...

Thanks!
Click to expand...

D-man, for the amounts you shoot, and the relative low cost of decent reloaded ammo, it's probably not worth your time.

However, primers run between 23 and 35 dollars per thousand. Powder runs $20-40 per pound, and you'll get at least 1k out of a pound with most loads. (edit- heads up my ass tonight)
 
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There's 7000 grains in a pound of powder, depending on your load this will impact the price per round. Standard pound of pistol powder runs about $22.
Small pistol primers run about $24/1000
 
Hmm... ok, so basically the cost looks something like this (all for $1000)

bullets - about $80
brass - about $30
primers - about $25
powder - negligible ($3? )

so I'm looking at about $140/1000 rounds... vs about $180-190/1000 for ready made.. yeah, it's not worth it (actually, I was thinking about this for some of the students who come out, to see if they could save some money by reloading, but it doesn't really look like it's worth the time/effort...)

Thanks, all!
 
omen said:
Hmm... ok, so basically the cost looks something like this (all for $1000)

bullets - about $80
brass - about $30
primers - about $25
powder - negligible ($3? )

so I'm looking at about $140/1000 rounds... vs about $180-190/1000 for ready made.. yeah, it's not worth it (actually, I was thinking about this for some of the students who come out, to see if they could save some money by reloading, but it doesn't really look like it's worth the time/effort...)

Thanks, all!
Click to expand...

I work mine out to be $101 per 1000 rds. (tax inc) Time & effort is my quiet time in the reloading room.
 
Hitzy said:
Standard pound of pistol powder runs about $22.
Small pistol primers run about $24/1000
Click to expand...

$22??
Dude.. shop around.
I pay $104 for an eight pound keg of Bullseye... That's $13 per lb!
$100 for a flat of 5000 fed. SP primers
 
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667 said:
$22??
Dude.. shop around.
I pay $104 for an eight pound keg of Bullseye... That's $13 per lb!
$100 for a flat of 5000 fed. SP primers
Click to expand...

He asked how much it cost to load 1000 rounds, not 10,000 :)
 
I don't think I'm allowed to post the name of the company as they're not a supporting/sponsoring CGN dealer...

They're not into mailorder so unless you're local.... 'not much use
 
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667 said:
I don't think I'm allowed to post the name of the company as they're not a supporting/sponsoring CGN dealer...

They're not into mailorder so unless you're local.... 'not much use
Click to expand...

As long it's not hotlinked you can post name :) or pm info please

No "hotlinking" email/website info or posting of phone numbers for businesses who do not support the operation of CGN.
Click to expand...
 
There are other reasons to reload besides money.

One . Consistant rounds. You can roll a better round compared to your el' cheapos
Two. Knowledge, you will learn new stuff, you will get to know your guns better and eventually shoot better
Three. Its fun, it really is...
Fourth. You will save dollars
Five. You will always have a supply of ammo on hand (unless you do like me and run out of stuff midway)
 
If you want really cheap HG ammo and willing to do a bit of work, home made cast bullets in the 45ACP or 45LC is it.

I cast for all my HG's but stopped with my 9mm because of the need for very hard bullets. 40 could use water quenched WW easily and the 45ACP use WW as they drop from the mold. A bit of Lee liq Alox lube and you are ready for the press.

WW are essentially free in most locations. Just get the know the guys you buy tires from. Some places are glad to have you take them away. Others will let you have a very heavy pail for a case of beer (think 75lbs).

I buy once fired ACP brass and they will be lost or turn 'ugly' before they actually wear out. I put a cost of 1 cent per bang for brass (actually less then that but...).

Primer and powder are pretty much the same costs as the 9mm. I like Titegroup but there are so many other great powders to choose from (Win 231/HP38/bullseye/surplus). You are usually very close to the 9mm load if you use a suitably fast powder.

All said, I am spending around 6 to 6.5cents per bang shooting my 45ACP and 200gr Lee cast bullets. Accuracy is as good or better then commercial ammo and velocity is the same.

If you just want dirt cheap surplus and something to go bang, consider the 7.62Tok. Doesn't get cheaper then that.

Jerry
 
Bullseye

667 said:
I pay $104 for an eight pound keg of Bullseye... That's $13 per lb!
Click to expand...
8 lbs. of Bullseye is $169.99 at Wholesale, $183.61 from Friesen in Chilliwack. 1 lb. of Bullseye is $28.99 at SIR...so no wonder we all want to know the name of the store!
 
Like I said ... they're not into mail order.
So you guys out west and in Mtl. will have to suffer you higher component prices.

For the guys within driving distance of Caledonia you should know already...
If you don't, pick up a phonebook.
 
omen, I reload .45acp and .357Magnum. I can buy reloaded ammo for 16.00 for 50, factory for 350.00 per 1000. My reloading costs for .45 are:

1000 primers 30.00
1000 230g FMJ 110.00
1lb Titegroup 25.00 (7000 grains per pound--use 4.5 grains per round)
brass saved from shooting factory ammo

for .357

1000 primers 30.00
1000 125g JHP 90.00
1lb Tightgroup 25.00 (6.7 grains per round)
brass saved from shooting factory ammo

Inputting the cost into the reloading cost calculator at www.handloads.com, I'm sitting around 160.00 per thousand rounds of .45ACP and 145.00 per thousand rounds of .357.

If your costs are the same as mine 30 for primer, 25 for 1lb Titegroup and 90 for 1000 124g FMJ AND you're using brass that you already have. The magic calculator shows that your cost for 1000 124g 9mm rounds should be around 135.00 (using 4.2 grains of Titegroup per round). If you can source your components at a lower cost or cast your own bullets then you'd save more.


edited to remove hotlink
 
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I Have a Secret

667 said:
Like I said ... they're not into mail order.
So you guys out west and in Mtl. will have to suffer you higher component prices.For the guys within driving distance of Caledonia you should know already...If you don't, pick up a phonebook.
Click to expand...
So I guess we're not allowed to know...jeezus - not exactly in the spirit of CGN.
 
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