Reloading 45 ACP cost?

I'm building them for about 0.24 per unit including tax

Win231 powder
Campro projectiles
Win primers

Everything in bulk if possible (4lb powder), min 500 projectiles at a time, min 1000 primers at a time - buy when on sale somewhere and enough for free shipping.
 
I cast my own bullets.......I'm under 10 cents a round
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Clay00019 said:
Nice set up...do u buy ingots or use scrap lead?
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I've managed to find a source of 25lb bars of Lino type that I trade for two 3lb bars of pure Babbitt. Currently sitting on 15 bars of babbit and 3 25lb bars of Lino type. The fella I trade with has hundreds of pounds of Lino type. Got the babbit for free from a good friend.
 
Clay00019 said:
If I already have brass, what is the cost of reloading 45 ACP?



Thanks.
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I love reloading 45ACP! Everything just seems to go so much smoother than 9mm (likely due to the stubby, straight walled, wide case). And I love shooting it even more!
Due to the cost of factory 45ACP ammo, I only ever reload. I figure if I can stay at or below the cost of factory 9mm then I can continue to shoot it since that's about all my bank account can bear.
I honestly don't pay too much attention costs of my reloading, but when I first started out reloading 45 I put together this simple cost chart using the supplies I can source locally here in Calgary to make sure I was staying ~$200 below what factory ammo cost per 1000rnds.

With collected brass = $0.24/rnd
Brass = Free
Bullets = $0.16
Primers = $0.05
Powder = $0.03

With purchased once shot brass = $0.38/rnd
Brass = $0.14
Bullets = $0.16
Primers = $0.05
Powder = $0.03

With Purchased New Brass = $0.69/rnd
Brass = $0.45
Bullets = $0.16
Primers = $0.05
Powder = $0.03

Factory 45ACP Ammo = $0.54/rnd when purchasing 1000 rnds.

1lb = 7000gr = ~$35
1rnd = 5gr on the high side = $0.03
Bullets are CamPro Plated 200gr TC or 230gr RN and going for ~$80/500
Primers are CCI 300.
 
Don't forget the cost of equipment like dies, shell plate, primer feed tube etc. Yes it's a one time expense but not cheap for a good set up. And if you cast there is more stuff to buy.
 
I'm currently casting and powder coating for my .45acp loads. Local tire shop sells me 5 gallon pail of wheel weights for $20, last two pails Ive gotten about 110lbs of clean ingots from each.
$40 ÷ 220 = $0.18/lb.
7000gr/lb ÷ 230gr (projectile weight) = 30 bullets per pound of lead.
$0.18 (1lb cost) ÷ 30 = $0.006 / round.
Powder coat works out to less than a cent per projectile.

Using brass I've picked up from the range, my cast projectile, and about 3 cents a round worth of powder, and a 5 cent primer,

Definitely worth it for me.
 
Ok just so the non reloaders realize that reloading, casting, lube sizing or powder coating is really just an extension of the shooting hobby. Yes it's cheaper to reload, yes you save even more if you cast bullets............but........... you actually need the time to do all this. Like anything these days you can pay now (buying pre made ammo) and get instant gratification. And when you are a busy person this mostly makes sense, but it cost more.
For me personally I am very busy during the week and not much reloading happens but I do take advantage of the winter months of nonstop rain and cold where I live. Instead of sitting on the couch with no motivation I get into my reloading space and get busy. It feels good, it saves money and it's a great hobby to go along with the sport of shooting. It is just as much fun setting up your reloading space to make it your own. The comments about it's not cheap to get onto reloading is absolutely correct. It's very expensive if you are buying top notch gear, but that can also be said about the whole sport of shooting.
For those who have not taken the plunge yet these are just some thing to think about. If you like to tinker, you have the time and have the space you will not regret reloading or the associated costs.
 
VinnyQC said:
I hate lead bullets. Wouldn't take them if they were free.
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To each their own. Maybe you could explain why you hate lead bullets. For pistol shooting or cowboy action shooting in my opinion they are great. Also for those in Alaska a hard cast bullrt for any bear type defence projectile they are top notch out of a large caliber wheel gun. As long as the lead bullets are made to proper hardness then leading of the barrels is a non issue. Shooting soft lead is not a good idea!
 
pr connection said:
Ok just so the non reloaders realize that reloading, casting, lube sizing or powder coating is really just an extension of the shooting hobby. Yes it's cheaper to reload, yes you save even more if you cast bullets............but........... you actually need the time to do all this. Like anything these days you can pay now (buying pre made ammo) and get instant gratification. And when you are a busy person this mostly makes sense, but it cost more.
For me personally I am very busy during the week and not much reloading happens but I do take advantage of the winter months of nonstop rain and cold where I live. Instead of sitting on the couch with no motivation I get into my reloading space and get busy. It feels good, it saves money and it's a great hobby to go along with the sport of shooting. It is just as much fun setting up your reloading space to make it your own. The comments about it's not cheap to get onto reloading is absolutely correct. It's very expensive if you are buying top notch gear, but that can also be said about the whole sport of shooting.
For those who have not taken the plunge yet these are just some thing to think about. If you like to tinker, you have the time and have the space you will not regret reloading or the associated costs.
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That's an excellent point about the time involved. For some it just may not be feasible
 
I buy commercial cast for $100/k and consider it money well spent over either scrounging dirty old lead, buying dirty old scrap, and having my blood lead levels creep ever upwards.

I'm still under 20 cents a round with Titegroup powder and a stockpile of cheap Russian or Czech primers.

Most of my brass was range pickup as well.
 
1F brass and commercial bullets:
primers = $30/1000 = $.04 ea
1F brass = $20/100 = $.20 ea 10 reloads = $.02 ea
powder = $30/lb = $.03 ea
bullets = $70/500 = $.15 ea
Total = $.24 per round

With my own cast bullets:
primers = $40/1000 = $.04 ea
1F brass = $20/100 = $.20 ea 10 reloads = $.02 ea
powder = $30/lb = $.03 ea
bullets = $1.80/1b = $.03 ea
Total = $.12 per round

If you can scrounge brass or lead it brings down cost

Reloads are about 40% - 50% the cost of new commercial ammo.
Reloads using home cast bullets are 20%-25% the cost of new commercial ammo.
 
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