Cost per round 9mm, .40, .45ACP

gunstock said:
Non reloaders often bring up the cost of the press and equipment in calculating cartridge cost. We reloaders then feel we have to justify it by how many reloads it takes us to pay it all off.

I don't agree with this. Expendables like powder, primers and bullets are an expense.
The equipment is an investment.

From the prices used equipment seems to be going for on the exchange, a lot of your investment can can be recouped if you have stuff you no longer want or decide reloading is not for you.
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Absolutely. If you get a really good deal on a Dillon Press then if you had to sell it you will get your original investment back or slightly less.

I haven't bought bullets for years and usually cast all the pistol bullet I need for the upcoming season in the winter when ever I get a spare moment. 2 Lyman 20 lb pots and 2 6 cavity .45acp molds will cast a lot of bullets very quickly. I alternate between the two molds so that one mold doesn't get to hot. I built a PID temperature controller for both pots and that keeps the temp to within 30 deg F. I have a Lyman 450 for my rifle bullets and a star sizer for my pistol bullets.

If I had to sell everything I use for reloading and casting I would probably get about 80% of my money back which is good considering all the money I have saved over the years doing it myself instead of store bought.
 
Skyhawk said:
I'm not a quick caster by any means, but I manage to cast up to 300 per hour with a Lee 2-cavity in 230gr .45 ACP. And that's using a ladle too. So it's not hard to believe the reports of people making 1,200 per hour with a 6-banger with a bottom-pour production pot.
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how long do you let the bullet sit in the mold before you open it up?
 
Spawn-Inc said:
how long do you let the bullet sit in the mold before you open it up?
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As soon as the sprue is set, I cut it and let the bullets out right away in my quenching pail (no waiting required). I try and keep the mold temperature at the point where the sprue sets in about 6 seconds or so max. This is with aluminum Lee molds.

In order to keep the mold at this temperature, I press it against a wet folded cotton hand towel that sits in a shallow bowl of water for about 2 or 3 seconds every second cast.

Once you get into it, temperature management of your mold becomes instinctive based on how fast it takes the excess lead to solidify that sits on your sprue plate.
 
hunter64 said:
I alternate between the two molds so that one mold doesn't get to hot.
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This is a great way to manage your mold temperature and something I've been considering trying out (I have to get another mold). I just wonder if fumbling for the other mold and putting it down each time takes much less time than the 2 or 3 seconds of pressing one mold against a wet sponge or towel every second cast?
 
Skyhawk said:
This is a great way to manage your mold temperature and something I've been considering trying out (I have to get another mold). I just wonder if fumbling for the other mold and putting it down each time takes much less time than the 2 or 3 seconds of pressing one mold against a wet sponge or towel every second cast?
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I used to use the wet sponge method also but I set up my "work station" so that one mold sits on a brass shelf on each side of the pot.

I have the other pot about 1 foot away heating up the lead so when the one pot drains I put it aside and move the ready to go pot into position.

I use the left mold for 5 pours and then I sit it on the left shelf and then I pull the right mold and use it for 5 pours and alternate back and forth.

Once I get into a rhythm I can cast a lot of bullets in a short amount of time with out getting fatigued quickly.

Works for me.
 
Hello All,

I'm looking at getting into reloading and I am getting a significant difference in my cost calculation to reload 9mm.

Most posters on this forum that don't cast their own bullets costs are about 15~ cents a shot. When I do the math manually/use a calculator, I get 19 cents?

Did I make a error any where? Or am I over paying for bullets? I am sourcing my prices at Le Baron.

(Taxes included)
Brass is recycled...
CCI Primers = $34/1000
Winchester 115 Grain bullets = $143/1000
Propellant @ 4 grains = $14.20/1000

Total is = 190.75/1000, so .19 cents a shot.

Thanks,

Q
 
^^^ you are overpaying for your bullets I think, they shouldnt cost more than $125

my .45 load:
Brass = free
Bullet = 0.11 --> DRG lead 200 gr swc
Powder = 0.015 --> titegroup 5 gr
Primer = 0.032 --> cci LP
Total = $0.16 OR $8 per 50

9mm loads cost slightly less because the bullets are a bit cheaper
 
qwertar said:
I am sourcing my prices at Le Baron.
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Get their membership and you save 10%. That will knock off ~2 cent each. Really hard to beat Lebaron prices except on the bullets, cast and platted bullets are cheaper. Most areas have a local guy that casts and sells them, ask at your local club.
 
Oh yeah I didn't realize the membership would apply to bullets. Thanks! So we're down to 17.6 cents. Once I get it down to 15 cents a shot I can justify the equipment purchase faster!
 
Yah I'm basing my powder and primer price on -10% lebaron discount. They only sell those Winchester bullets in packs of 100 hence the higher prices. Tho not sure if there is a Toronto store that sells projectiles cheaper. Epps has plated and lead bullets at cheaper prices when buying 500 or 1000 packs
 
My 9mm are:
.09 for copper plated bullet, .010 for fmj hp-c,
.03 for a primer
.01 for powder @ 18$ a pound
brass is range pcik up

that's .013 tax in and about 4 min to make 100... :)

Equipment costs are insignificant, sell anytime to recoup your costs...
 
luke s said:
Yah I'm basing my powder and primer price on -10% lebaron discount. They only sell those Winchester bullets in packs of 100 hence the higher prices. Tho not sure if there is a Toronto store that sells projectiles cheaper. Epps has plated and lead bullets at cheaper prices when buying 500 or 1000 packs
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Drive to aim's in Hamilton, they will save you some cash for sure...
 
45 acp is about 0.14 per round or $7 a box. Vs 20-30 or more for factory
357 is about .012 per round
338 is around 1.45 per round and that match bullets or barns bullets
I can buy 9mm cheaper then I can reload including my time ( single stage press) $70 for 500 Winchester super unleaded
Rounds like my 270 7mm-08 303 30-06 Cost around the $1 per round normally a little less.
As for the cost of press. That was covered many moons ago.
 
9MM:
75 - 1000 bullets
31.50 - 1000 primers
22.50 - 1lb powder
--------
128.75
15.45 - 12%
--------
$144.20 / 1000 = 0.1442 cents per round
 
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