I can’t believe it (cost of reloaded rounds)

[Dead Eye Dick]

My reloads are costing $0.9021 each at today’s prices for components. And that is not the cost of propane to anneal or case prices. Howver, I am using Sierra bullets which are not quite as expensive as Bergers. (But proving just as accurate in my rifle) Ninety cents per shot. I can’t imagine what people are paying for factory rounds.

Now the backstory

The MPA arrived at my FFL dealer on March 02, 2021 and at our home later that day. First shots were made on March 7th. I have fired 964 rounds though that rifle to date.

After returning home from the range yesterday, having shot both the the MPA for 15 rounds and the RPR for 13 rounds. I made a note to Brenda and she immeadiately remarked, 15 rounds at $2.00 apiece. So, I sat down and figured the cost of reloads thinking surely no more than forty of fifty cents. Boy was I wrong. (keep in mind two things about Brenda, first, she fired about 50 rounds though her handguns, second, she keeps me solvent and we live fairly comfortably for retired folks so I can’t complain about her being tight with the money).

My point. This year I have shot close to a thousand dollars in each Precision Rifle. Growing up, you could purchase a pretty nice car for what I spent in less than a year on Reloads for just those two rifles9. Guess I better start heading out to the range after dark and scarfing up the shot bullets to smelt down the lead.

As I said, can’t complain about the wife, Every successful move I have made since surviving Vietnam, has been with her advice and help. She is the definition of a Good Wife. (And fusses at me like I am a dog sometimes but she gets the same or better from me, ain’t life grand?)

 

[spife7980]

You think thats expensive? Try drugs AND guns.

 

[Dstoenner]

Still cheaper than golf and less pulled backs. So my idea of golf is put the golf ball at 100 yards and put a hole in it

David

 

[Jackomason]

Life's getting expensive. I'm a youngster, but this is another great lesson to get serious about retirement. I can't imagine what the cost of living will be when I retire.

 

[Winny94]

how are you amortizing the brass cost? That seems very high.

 

[MarshallDodge]

Shooting is always going to be cheaper than therapy! Or is it therapy?

 

[spife7980]

how are you amortizing the brass cost? That seems very high.

10 cents a primer once its here
40 cents per bullet (more if bergers)
23 cents per powder-7000*8=56k/40=1400 rounds per 8lbr 320/1400=23 cents
thats 73 cents plus brass which I make a dime 1 per -10 reloads so $.83 or so, I can see it being more if all you can get are 1 lbers and bergers and br primers

 

[NH4X]

" Shooting buddy " and I did some rough figuring in our heads last week and came to about the same conclusion as @spife7980 . Being "poors " ,we've decided to save some pennies by moth balling our 40 + gr rounds and breaking the 25 + gr rounds back out. I don't foresee prices of components being any lower in the future ,because of many different reasons......buy what the wallet and availability will allow now, is my thinking . We are watching our dollar become worthless by the day.

 

[Hobo Hilton]

On a warm summer's evening
On a train bound for nowhere
I met up with the gambler
We were both too tired to sleep
So we took turns a-starin'
Out the window at the darkness
The boredom overtook us
And he began to speak
He said, "Son, I've made a life
Out of readin' people's faces
Knowin' what the cards were
By the way they held their eyes
So if you don't mind my sayin'
I can see you're out of aces
For a taste of your whiskey
I'll give you some advice"
So I handed him my bottle
And he drank down my last swallow
Then he bummed a cigarette
And asked me for a light
And the night got deathly quiet
And his face lost all expression
Said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy
You gotta learn to play it right
You've got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
Every gambler knows
That the secret to survivin'
Is knowin' what to throw away
And knowin' what to keep
'Cause every hand's a winner
And every hand's a loser
And the best that you can hope for
Is to die in your sleep"
And when he'd finished speakin'
He turned back toward the window
Crushed out his cigarette
Faded off to sleep
And somewhere in the darkness
The gambler he broke even
But in his final words
I found an ace that I could keep
You've got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
You've got to know when to hold 'em (when to hold 'em)
Know when to fold 'em (when to fold 'em)
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
You've got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done

 

[TonyTheTiger]

You think thats expensive? Try project cars AND guns.

FIFY

 

[huntnh]

Seems high to me I’m around .65 for match rds.

 

[KnowNothing256]

Seems high to me I’m around .65 for match rds.

What cartridge? That has a major impact.

 

[lash]

Seems high to me I’m around .65 for match rds.

At today’s component prices or at what they cost you when you bought them?

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

10 cents a primer once its here
40 cents per bullet (more if bergers)
23 cents per powder-7000*8=56k/40=1400 rounds per 8lbr 320/1400=23 cents
thats 73 cents plus brass which I make a dime 1 per -10 reloads so $.83 or so, I can see it being more if all you can get are 1 lbers and bergers and br primers

Nailed it, I am using the price of the least expensive one pound cans. Some local shops are charging $50.00 or more per pound. What makes even this palatable is when you purchase two one pound jugs at $40.00 apiece and add a $20.00 Hazmat fee, the cost is $50 per. (two jugs is all they will let you purchase at one time.)

 

[HousePlant]

TECHNICALLY you should factor in the cost of your labor, the driving to and from the range, development cost to get to a node and load.

I'm not reloading jack shit until prices come down. I'm not going to start that train when prices are like they are. There are factors driving inflation other than printing money right now that CAN BE resolved... prices should go down. They'll be higher than they were in the past, I'm sure, but they will go down. I need to be able to walk into a store, buy primers and powder. Or go online and without hunting to do the same (and have a way to avoid or maximize the hazmat fee). If/when that happens, I'll reload. I see no point as I am not an accurate enough shooter to justify the effort.

 

[Winny94]

They'll be higher than they were in the past, I'm sure, but they will go down.

Who wants to give odds on this?

 

[Im2bent]

Was at my local reloading center here in Socal the other day. A guy was in there inquiring about starting to reload. The guy at the shop basically talked him out of buying a reloading setup ( he was looking at a Dillon system) because of the high cost of primers. I was like wtf??? Here we are in Socal where he have to do a background check to buy ammo ( yeah you read that right). On top of that ammo is way more expensive to buy than roll. They are trying to make it illegal to own ammo here. If you do order ammo online it has to ship to an ffl. The ffl needs a form from the shipper beforehand due to prop 63. So yeah don't reload cause primers are .10 to .14 cents a pop.....

 

[Winny94]

Was at my local reloading center here in Socal the other day. A guy was in there inquiring about starting to reload. The guy at the shop basically talked him out of buying a reloading setup ( he was looking at a Dillon system) because of the high cost of primers. I was like wtf??? Here we are in Socal where he have to do a background check to buy ammo ( yeah you read that right). On top of that ammo is way more expensive to buy than roll. They are trying to make it illegal to own ammo here. If you do order ammo online it has to ship to an ffl. The ffl needs a form from the shipper beforehand due to prop 63. So yeah don't reload cause primers are .10 to .14 cents a pop.....

Does this reloading shop also have the FFL to do the ammo transfer / sell ammo?

 

[Im2bent]

This was at Angeles Crest shooting range. They have a reloading center and a separate gun shop. Don't know if they would bother or what they would charge for this service. I reload everything I shoot. The one time I ordered ammo online was .22LR match ammo and I used a lgs that was closer to where I work. The only online retailer that would ship under these conditions was Brownells. The other online retailers I tried basically told me to fuck off when I asked them to do the form thing.

 

[johnnyvw]

A thousand dollars? I've seen a family of 4 drop nearly that much for one day of skiing.

How many range outings does that cover?

 

[HousePlant]

A thousand dollars? I've seen a family of 4 drop nearly that much for one day of skiing.

I like skiing. Well... let me be clear. I like the bar at the bottom of the hill where rich girls are.

 

[Jackomason]

This was at Angeles Crest shooting range. They have a reloading center and a separate gun shop. Don't know if they would bother or what they would charge for this service. I reload everything I shoot. The one time I ordered ammo online was .22LR match ammo and I used a lgs that was closer to where I work. The only online retailer that would ship under these conditions was Brownells. The other online retailers I tried basically told me to fuck off when I asked them to do the form thing.

That's a decent shooting range for LA, shot there last spring. I also really enjoy oak tree but they don't have much distance. I did snag 2k primers from there when this whole thing kicked off for $50/each.

 

[padom]

A thousand dollars? I've seen a family of 4 drop nearly that much for one day of skiing.

How many range outings does that cover?

Or birthday dinner this past weekend. or x3 if you count the present and roses.

 

[308pirate]

TECHNICALLY you should factor in the cost of your labor, the driving to and from the range, development cost to get to a node and load.

I don't factor labor cost because reloading isn't work and I'm not doing it at a time of day that I could be working.

The other two are even more ridiculous. You're shooting. That's what the rifle is for.

 

[HousePlant]

I don't factor labor cost because reloading isn't work and I'm not doing it at a time of day that I could be working.

The other two are even more ridiculous. You're shooting. That's what the rifle is for.

Yeah, well... they are if you want to have relations with ladies and have time to plump yourself up for that optical inch before she sees it.

 

[st1650]

Match ammo right now in Canada (Hornady 6.5 creed 140) is 60$+tax for 20 rounds and thats not even scalping prices

 

[Jackomason]

If I put a dollar value on going to the range I'd have to reevaluate my life's decisions... but I'm not Jeff bezos and my life is more than a dollar sign.

I rate it based on time pulled away from my wife and kids. I incorporate my kids as much as I can and bring them shooting. But then again, here I am on my phone ignoring them all. I've probably spent $20 just reading this post and replying... shame on me.

If you're not enjoying it or it costs too much then go do something else.. more powder, primers, bullets left for me.

 

[HousePlant]

Match ammo right now in Canada (Hornady 6.5 creed 140) is 60$+tax for 20 rounds and thats not even scalping prices

That's awful.

 

[Im2bent]

Match ammo right now in Canada (Hornady 6.5 creed 140) is 60$+tax for 20 rounds and thats not even scalping prices

So 47 dollars U.S.? Or was that in U.S. dollars?

 

[acudaowner]

believe it and as long as old buck shot biden is in office and the companies that make the items are likeing record high profits it's going to be this way for a really long time .they have zero incentive to lower the prices or flood the market with there products keep it scarce keep the prices high keep em profits rolling in .

 

[st1650]

So 47 dollars U.S.? Or was that in U.S. dollars?

No that was CAD but in early 2021 was able to buy Sako match 136 at 40$cad per 20 and now can’t find anything under 55$cad/box so I’ll be mostly reloading. Also primers who used to be 60$ cad per 1k is now 80-100$ cad per 1k unless you find old stock.

 

[Bacarrat]

I'm right at 49 pennies a round for my 6.5 manbun. And thats buying 140gr ELDMs recently at a killer price. Have to know how to shop around and buy when prices are right.

 

[KnowNothing256]

I'm right at 49 pennies a round for my 6.5 manbun. And thats buying 140gr ELDMs recently at a killer price. Have to know how to shop around and buy when prices are right.

Lol I call BS, or at least BS on being able to do that with prices now.

Primer: $0.10
140 ELDM: $0.40
~40gr Powder at $300 a jug: $0.21
Total: $0.71

These prices are reasonable or low-ball (sales tax and shipping is real money too, to say nothing of HazMat). Also, even if you’re getting 20 firings from Lapua brass, that’s still at least $0.05 there too. Hornady brass is a third to a half the price, for a third the brass life (primer pockets die quick with Hornady). Plus you lose brass eventually, plus 40gr is a light charge, etc.

You’d have to buy your ELDM at $0.18 ea to hit that $0.49 round cost, and perhaps it can be done once, but not repeatably. You’d have to buy them at $0.13 ea if you factor in brass life.

Add $0.20-25 cpr if you ever burn out your barrel, but in fairness we’re only talking reload costs.

And STILL it’s worth it, cause factory match loads are $2-3 per shot. Nobody could talk ME out of reloading in this market lol

 

[6MT]

If I put a dollar value on going to the range I'd have to reevaluate my life's decisions... but I'm not Jeff bezos and my life is more than a dollar sign.

I rate it based on time pulled away from my wife and kids. I incorporate my kids as much as I can and bring them shooting. But then again, here I am on my phone ignoring them all. I've probably spent $20 just reading this post and replying... shame on me.

If you're not enjoying it or it costs too much then go do something else.. more powder, primers, bullets left for me.

Exactly!!

 

[KZP]

You can save money by catching bullets before they hit the berm, free component right there.

It's kind of hard though, have to stay hidden and quickly pop up before everyone freaks out waving their hands, yelling stuff I can never understand.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

Skiing, I ski for free at Monarch (over 70, age does have its perks) Also ski on the lake in front of our home. (Home purchased when lots were affordable and homes were being built for far less than $100 per sq ft, now any lot one can find around here will cost more than we have invested) Bike race because my time trial bike is a blast to ride and it gives me a really good reason to stay in shape

But sailing and shooting. Been doing both since the 1950’s. Sailing is eye watering expensive. But its fun and that’s why I do it. Shooting, really learned how to shoot when I was in Vietnam. In my day, it was a sport I could excel in. Today, I was just surprised at how much I was actually spending per round. But its still a whole lot of fun to hit one of those targets a long ways out there.

 

[lightman]

My reloads are costing $0.9021 each at today’s prices for components. And that is not the cost of propane to anneal or case prices. Howver, I am using Sierra bullets which are not quite as expensive as Bergers. (But proving just as accurate in my rifle) Ninety cents per shot. I can’t imagine what people are paying for factory rounds.

Now the backstory

The MPA arrived at my FFL dealer on March 02, 2021 and at our home later that day. First shots were made on March 7th. I have fired 964 rounds though that rifle to date.

After returning home from the range yesterday, having shot both the the MPA for 15 rounds and the RPR for 13 rounds. I made a note to Brenda and she immeadiately remarked, 15 rounds at $2.00 apiece. So, I sat down and figured the cost of reloads thinking surely no more than forty of fifty cents. Boy was I wrong. (keep in mind two things about Brenda, first, she fired about 50 rounds though her handguns, second, she keeps me solvent and we live fairly comfortably for retired folks so I can’t complain about her being tight with the money).

My point. This year I have shot close to a thousand dollars in each Precision Rifle. Growing up, you could purchase a pretty nice car for what I spent in less than a year on Reloads for just those two rifles9. Guess I better start heading out to the range after dark and scarfing up the shot bullets to smelt down the lead.

As I said, can’t complain about the wife, Every successful move I have made since surviving Vietnam, has been with her advice and help. She is the definition of a Good Wife. (And fusses at me like I am a dog sometimes but she gets the same or better from me, ain’t life grand?)

I don't buy much factory ammo but last Fall my BIL was out of 270's and ask me to try and find him some. I paid $39 a box plus tax for Federal, the only thing available around here. I bought him 2 boxes. There wasn't much change from a hundred! And your 90cents a round ammo was probably much better.

 

[Bacarrat]

Lol I call BS, or at least BS on being able to do that with prices now.

Primer: $0.10
140 ELDM: $0.40
~40gr Powder at $300 a jug: $0.21
Total: $0.71

These prices are reasonable or low-ball (sales tax and shipping is real money too, to say nothing of HazMat). Also, even if you’re getting 20 firings from Lapua brass, that’s still at least $0.05 there too. Hornady brass is a third to a half the price, for a third the brass life (primer pockets die quick with Hornady). Plus you lose brass eventually, plus 40gr is a light charge, etc.

You’d have to buy your ELDM at $0.18 ea to hit that $0.49 round cost, and perhaps it can be done once, but not repeatably. You’d have to buy them at $0.13 ea if you factor in brass life.

Add $0.20-25 cpr if you ever burn out your barrel, but in fairness we’re only talking reload costs.

And STILL it’s worth it, cause factory match loads are $2-3 per shot. Nobody could talk ME out of reloading in this market lol

Primers are .017 each bought over 30K primers way back in the day. My invoice for 5k Wolf LRM primers were 89 bucks.
140gr EDLMs were .24 each, though factory seconds from Midway, a quick tumble to clean them up and they shoot the same as factory new
Powder was 175 per 8lb jug a couple of years back. Stocked up when I could since Brownells was having .01 hazmat.

A long time reloader once told me primers and powder is and always will be the hardest things to get. Times were good pre Brandon and Rona. Just that everyone else was buying stupid things for their rifles.

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

Are we calculating cost to reload based on actual price you paid before all the bullshit or current pricing?

Im at like $0.50 actual for 6.5CM based on what I paid for things:
Primers $0.03
Bullets $0.30
40gr powder $0.17
1x fired cases FREE from shooting Hornady American gunner ammo in the 200rd bulk packs when they were like $149.

223 I'm at about $0.17

300PRC is at @ $1.20
Case $0.50
Powder ~75gr $0.35
Bullets $0.30
Primer $0.03

Tack on another $0.50 for 6.5 PRC

Then reduced case cost per firing

 

[308pirate]

Yeah, well... they are if you want to have relations with ladies and have time to plump yourself up for that optical inch before she sees it.

Like you would know........

 

[BCX]

Some less prepared shooters are forced to buy off Gun Broker for supplies. Crazy high prices but if guys want to shoot,,, have to pay to play! I can tell you all the time I waste every week trying to source bullets is ridiculous. AND still can’t find them

 

[TicTacTex]

 

[Haney]

223 I'm at about $0.17

What components ?

 

[smoothy8500]

Its been about 4-5 years since I last "dabbled" with hookers and blow, but casual investigation indicates that inflation really hasn't affected this market as much as others.....

 

[2aBaC̶a̶]

What components ?

Mind you this is plinking ammo. I've been reloading that for the longest and bought bulk many years ago.
-range brass FREE
-Bulk packs of factory seconds 55gr fmj no idea what I paid but you can buy 1000 for $95 today so my guess is at least half that.
~25gr BLC2 $0.10
~SRP $0.03

Mostly going off memory because I used to have a rule when I saw brass case ammo for $0.20 or less I would buy it because I could barely load it myself for that.

 

[Haney]

Mind you this is plinking ammo. I've been reloading that for the longest and bought bulk many years ago.
-range brass FREE
-Bulk packs of factory seconds 55gr fmj no idea what I paid but you can buy 1000 for $95 today so my guess is at least half that.
~25gr BLC2 $0.10
~SRP $0.03

Mostly going off memory because I used to have a rule when I saw brass case ammo for $0.20 or less I would buy it because I could barely load it myself for that.

OK, thanks . I was wondering if it was new pricing or not . You are doing just fine at 17 cents .

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

I know we cannot go back, but I do remember…
Primers $1.50 per hundred
Powder $4.95 per pound
Bullets $4.00 per 100.

But then, I earned $65.00 per week after taxes and was glad to get that much.

Graduated from college, in 1977 got a professional position and after paying the fuel bill to get there and taxes I took home about $400.00 per month. (late starter plus an all expense paid year long tour of a certain nation in Southeast Asia made earning a degree almost a mid-life event) Brenda made a bit more and we thought we were doing pretty good and then got smacked in the face by Jimmy Carter’s economy with double digit inflation and interest rates that topped 20%.

 

[Taylorbok]

300 RUM
Bullet $1.00
Powder $0.32
primer $0.10
Brass $0.60
total $2.02/each

Factory ammo is about $5 a round so I am still doing good.

 

[Winny94]

300 RUM
Bullet $1.00
Powder $0.32
primer $0.10
Brass $0.60
total $2.02/each

Factory ammo is about $5 a round so I am still doing good.

You need better brass haha

 

[Taylorbok]

You need better brass haha

ADG brass $179 for 50 calculating 6 reloads. It might last longer than that I'm not sure yet but that's about when I started to lose pockets on the Remington brass.