avg. cost of reloaded box

[dlbrown75]

I would like to know what you calculate to be your average cost per 50 rd box of ammo you have reloaded after you have bought your brass, primers, bullets, and powder. I plan on reloading .45 to start and want to see if cost is worth my time.

 

[strongcrow]

its actually easier to calculate the cost per 1000 or each. I don't buy brass, but the initial purchase of all the equipment you'll need is rather costly. Payoff is down the road as it takes a while. Try to find someone with a press that they'll let you use to learn the HOW, and then calculate the when to purchase the hardware. just my

 

[RoyalTenenbaum]

2.5 cents per primer, 13 cents per bullet, 1.1 cents for powder =16.6 cents/round

Add 12 cents or so for new/used brass if you don't have any. 2 hours tumbler time at 1.6 amps at 120 volts for .384 kwh @ .11/kwh for 4.2 cents electricity per 250 cases polished yielding a cost of .016 cents per round. Rack the handle on the calculator for a total cost per round using your own brass of 16.618 per round or $8.09 per box. This figure does not include shipping as my last order included a lot of non reloading stuff and I didn't want to bother figuring that out.

You may have guessed, I am an accountant among other things by trade.

 

[dlbrown75]

2.5 cents per primer, 13 cents per bullet, 1.1 cents for powder =16.6 cents/round

Add 12 cents or so for new/used brass if you don't have any. 2 hours tumbler time at 1.6 amps at 120 volts for .384 kwh @ .11/kwh for 4.2 cents electricity per 250 cases polished yielding a cost of .016 cents per round. Rack the handle on the calculator for a total cost per round using your own brass of 16.618 per round or $8.09 per box. This figure does not include shipping as my last order included a lot of non reloading stuff and I didn't want to bother figuring that out.

You may have guessed, I am an accountant among other things by trade.

Thanks for your detailed answer.

 

[Classic]

2.5 cents per primer, 13 cents per bullet, 1.1 cents for powder =16.6 cents/round

Add 12 cents or so for new/used brass if you don't have any. 2 hours tumbler time at 1.6 amps at 120 volts for .384 kwh @ .11/kwh for 4.2 cents electricity per 250 cases polished yielding a cost of .016 cents per round. Rack the handle on the calculator for a total cost per round using your own brass of 16.618 per round or $8.09 per box. This figure does not include shipping as my last order included a lot of non reloading stuff and I didn't want to bother figuring that out.

You may have guessed, I am an accountant among other things by trade.

How about amortizing the cost of the equipment based on average savings then? How many rounds would you have to load to pay off the equipment?

 

[RoyalTenenbaum]

Those numbers were predicated on the 5k primer purchase price and a 1k jacketed 230 gr roundness purchase, and obviously did not include amortization of equipment or accounting for the cost of the polishing media.

 

[RoyalTenenbaum]

I have roughly $500 dollars in my equipment. Assuming the substitute ammunition costs on average 35 cents per round for the cheap stuff, the difference being 18.382 cents. Break even on the equipment ammortised at 18.382 cents per round would require producing 2,720 rounds to depreciate the equipment to zero dollars. Assuming the average reloader is a member of a pistol club that meets once per month and fits in another practice session one might expect consumption in the area of 200 rounds a month conservatively. So the equipment pays for itself in a little over 13 months. Give or take, assuming price stability and opportunity cost of zero as no one offers any real rate of interest on a 13 month deposit of $500.

 

[Classic]

That's great. I looked at a ballpark for an entry level setup for 1 caliber.

Lots of places carry PMC Bronze, .45 ACP, 230 Grain FMJ, around $17.50 for a box of 50. Given a reload cost of $8.09 for a box of 50 produces a savings of $9.41 per box. Another thread on this forum discusses putting a basic reloading setup together for $150.

About 16 boxes of reloads would cover that.

 

[mospeada]

It's all about shooting. I reload to shoot more, not save money. I used to try and figure out all the costs and whether I was "saving money" well, of course I am per round, but I ended up spending just as much money, I just got more bangs for my bucks. So at the end, you won't have any more cash in your pocket, just more ammo and reloading equipment taking up space in the garage.

 

[BE Mike]

This question gets asked regularly. It begs more answers from you, i.e. What calibers do you shoot? How many rounds do you shoot per week/ month/ year of each caliber? How much spare time do you have to devote to reloading? As a match shooter, there is really no other option than to reload. Match shooters shoot a lot compared to recreational shooters. Match ammo is expensive. One can save from 40% on up (depending on caliber and components used) when reloading compared to buying factory loaded ammunition.

A price breakdown is only applicable to specific calibers and components. Bullets are the most costly component. Brass can be had for free or a reduced price if it is once fired, compared to virgin new brass. Pistol brass can be reloaded many times more than rifle brass. If shooting pistol, lead bullets work well in many pistols at a decidedly marked cost reduction compared to copper jacketed bullets.

Only you can decide whether or not your time is worth reloading, based on the above.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I'm only reloading 9mm as of now. Cost per 50 rounds around $6.

 

[singlestacksig]

if you only reload 1 caliber and it is an inexpensive one like 9mm it will take longer to make up for the equipment costs.
But if you have a rifle or rare chambering say 22 hornet, you can see savings of $10 or more per 50 ..

 

[U.S. Patriot]

if you only reload 1 caliber and it is an inexpensive one like 9mm it will take longer to make up for the equipment costs.
But if you have a rifle or rare chambering say 22 hornet, you can see savings of $10 or more per 50 ..

For what it costs me to reload 9mm, I'm able to shoot twice as much for the same cost. Unless you find sales and or shoot steel cased ammo.

 

[singlestacksig]

For what it costs me to reload 9mm, I'm able to shoot twice as much for the same cost. Unless you find sales and or shoot steel cased ammo.

I agree, one can save $ (or shoot more) reloading even 9mm, but if someone is including the equipment cost; you get a faster return on other calibers..
I load hornet with varmint grenade bullets for under $12 per 50 Vs purchasing for $50 per 50..
i "got back" the cost of the press years ago..

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I agree, one can save $ (or shoot more) reloading even 9mm, but if someone is including the equipment cost; you get a faster return on other calibers..
I load hornet with varmint grenade bullets for under $12 per 50 Vs purchasing for $50 per 50..
i "got back" the cost of the press years ago..

Depends on how much you spend on equipment. I got everything for $289. After roughly 2,000 rounds it will be paid for, and I'll go through that in a year.

 

[PastorBlaster]

I was planning on reloading, but after looking extensively at my per round cost (~$.16/round) I've decided for the time being a local reloading service is the way to go for me at $.195/round. At that cost I'd have to shoot an insane number of rounds to recoup the $300-600 I would spend to start reloading. That being said, I've still got my eyes open for a second hand reloading setup!

 

[BE Mike]

I was planning on reloading, but after looking extensively at my per round cost (~$.16/round) I've decided for the time being a local reloading service is the way to go for me at $.195/round. At that cost I'd have to shoot an insane number of rounds to recoup the $300-600 I would spend to start reloading. That being said, I've still got my eyes open for a second hand reloading setup!

I don't load any pistol ammo that costs me sixteen cents per round. Everything costs me substantially less even when I have to figure new component prices. Fortunately, I've been lucky enough to stock up when prices were good or I found sales on reloading components. I have even had some nice folks give me reloading components when they were getting out of the practice. That really reduces costs!

 

[U.S. Patriot]

If you do not shoot much it's not worth it. Unless you want to load precession rifle rounds. If I only shot once a month or so, I would not be reloading. However, I normally shoot twice a week when the weather is nice. I have 4 9mm pistols so I shoot a lot of 9mm. If I picked up a box here and there, it would cost me roughly $240 for 1,000 rounds. I paid roughly $150 for a lb. of powder, 1k primers, and 1k bullets. There are roughly 7,000 grains in a lb. of powder. With the charge I use, I can charge roughly 1,600 rounds. So to load 2k rounds would cost me roughly $280. I have yet to find 2k rounds of brass cased factory ammo for that price. If you find it on sale, maybe $400 for 2k? So that's roughly $120 saved. Practically enough to reload another 1k rounds. When you break it down it makes sense. If you just figure box to box, it will look like there is no savings involved. When I can shoot more for the same amount of money spent, that's savings.

 

[top hat 45]

i've been reloading for over 20 years. started loading shotgun 12 ga. for shooting sporting clays.have loaded well over 20k shells.about 10 years ago i got into reloading brass. now i reload over 25 different calibers

a lot of people at work know i shoot a lot and reload, several times i've been given brass or loaded rounds just so that they can get rid of them. that helps a lot with costs. went to an auction once and bought a big box of reloading 'stuff'. had over 1000 30-06 pieces of brass, and lots of other calibers. i think i only ended up paying 10$ for box.

also picked up a nice 25-06 rifle later with no brass or rounds, was able to use 30-06 brass and neck it down for the 25.

reloading get into your mind, trying a ddifferent load for recoil reduction, or accuracy, buy a new gun and then pick up another set of dies cause you alreaady have powders and primers. its worth it to me to sit down at the bench and build a few rounds while relaxing from other chores too. just my........daryll

 

[squirrelhntr]

That's a fair question. After re casting bullets we can shoot a box of fifty rounds for about 25% of what factory box of fifty rounds costs. With the cost of ammo now a days and the possibility of government intervention. I think its a good hobby to start. You'll have the equipment and gain the knowledge of reloading. Every citizen shooter should learn the art of reloading ammo . You will be able to shoot your .45 more often. Maybe you could team up with a friend or two, share the cost. Have a blast. .