I can’t believe it (cost of reloaded rounds)
- Thread starter Dead Eye Dick
- Start date
In Utah it’s all about Ace Hardware. I’ve just started reloading for the first time this week. With Ace’s app they constantly send me $5 off $25, $10 of of $40, etc. coupons. Hell they just sent me a $10 gift card for my birthday. I don’t think I’ve ever shopped there and not used a coupon. They sell reloading components and I’ve been buying powder and primers there for the last 6 months when I see it so I could start reloading. So I’ve never ordered online and had to pay a hazmat fee.
Looking at the .308 loads I just started making and the prices out the door after tax I’ve paid for the components:
100 Hornady 178 ELD’s: $38.50 is 38.5 cents per
1 pound of IMR 4064: $33.00 At 7,000 grains and call it 41 grains per round, that’s 19.4 cents per round
1,000 Federal Gold Metal Match 210M primers: $64.75. That’s 6.47 cents each.
I’ve collect my brass for 10 years expecting to reload one day. 10 years ago when you could find loaded Federal Gold Medal Match ammo for $16 a box online I bought a crap ton of it. So I consider the brass that’s been sitting in buckets in my garage for a decade as essentially zero cost. I probably have 5,000 once fired .308 brass saved.
38.5 for bullet
19.4 for powder
6.47 for primer
64.37 cents per round for .308 match ammo. Or $12.87 per box of 20. Not to shabby
Looking at the .308 loads I just started making and the prices out the door after tax I’ve paid for the components:
100 Hornady 178 ELD’s: $38.50 is 38.5 cents per
1 pound of IMR 4064: $33.00 At 7,000 grains and call it 41 grains per round, that’s 19.4 cents per round
1,000 Federal Gold Metal Match 210M primers: $64.75. That’s 6.47 cents each.
I’ve collect my brass for 10 years expecting to reload one day. 10 years ago when you could find loaded Federal Gold Medal Match ammo for $16 a box online I bought a crap ton of it. So I consider the brass that’s been sitting in buckets in my garage for a decade as essentially zero cost. I probably have 5,000 once fired .308 brass saved.
38.5 for bullet
19.4 for powder
6.47 for primer
64.37 cents per round for .308 match ammo. Or $12.87 per box of 20. Not to shabby
Last edited:
Admittedly I didn't and still don't reload. I always told myself...buy primers even if you don't reload. Primers = #1 hardest component. Kicking my own ass. I keep toying with reloading, but right now I come to the conclusion that to get set up and get a turret and/or progressive to shell out massive amounts of practice 223 and maybe 9mm, I'd be in well over 1400 bucks to get started. But I too priced primers out at they're about 10c a shot, bullet (30-40c), powder (unknown since I've never reloaded but I'll go with 25c). I'm not at that price saving any money from just buying some Hornady/Frontier 68g. I have two 5 gallon paint buckets full of brass - mainly 223 and probably 15-20% 308 and a few 6.5 Manbuns. People at range just leave it. I doubt much of it is reloaded, and figure it's once fired. So my brass cost would be almost nothing.
However, some stuff, like Manbun, 270, etc is impossible to find < $2 per round. Which then makes me reconsider reloading...not to mention different bullet options, more precision stuff as well. It's the hurdle of getting set up for me. Been looking at a LNL progressive or just a LNL. Or just say F-it and get Area 419 Turret. I'd need to get set-up with tumblers, case cleaners, etc, etc. So it's quite the investment for what right now doesn't appear to be much in savings (short term).
However, some stuff, like Manbun, 270, etc is impossible to find < $2 per round. Which then makes me reconsider reloading...not to mention different bullet options, more precision stuff as well. It's the hurdle of getting set up for me. Been looking at a LNL progressive or just a LNL. Or just say F-it and get Area 419 Turret. I'd need to get set-up with tumblers, case cleaners, etc, etc. So it's quite the investment for what right now doesn't appear to be much in savings (short term).
I think your estimate on reloaded 223 is pretty high. Let’s assume you’re running 25gr of powder at $300 a keg, or 2240 rounds per keg at $300, or $0.133 powder per. Looks like you could get the 68gr Hornady HPBT for about $0.26 shipped on Midsouth (just one example). So:
Primer: $0.10
Powder: $0.13
Bullet: $0.26
Brass: Free to you
Grand Total: $0.49 per round
Are you able to find factory 223 for less than $0.50 per round? If not, then those are savings. Getting into larger caliber match ammo such as 6.5CM starts to pay off very quickly, esp if you can use the same primers across multiple calibers (I like SR magnums such as CCI 450/41 for both 223 and 6.5CM).
Don't forget to amortize your barrel life into the Cost Per Shot. $500 barrel that lasts 1500 rounds of 6CM = $0.33 per shot on top of the reloading costs 
It’s an important overall consideration when evaluating the cost of shooting, but not when comparing reloads vs factory ammo. Unless you run really hot reloads, the barrel life works out about the same, so it’s a wash between the two.Don't forget to amortize your barrel life into the Cost Per Shot. $500 barrel that lasts 1500 rounds of 6CM = $0.33 per shot on top of the reloading costs
Sounds reasonable. I wasn't sure about powder. I've never reloaded so I have to amortize the reloading into the cost per round. Not sure when the payout comes. I can get 68g 5.56 Frontier for < $0.70 so not much of a savings; though I am not a huge fan of frontier nor the 68g as I usually run 75 or 77 if not just plinking some 55 for 0-300 yard training.
$300-350 per 8 lb jug seems to be about the going rate these days, and you can estimate powder cost using that number plus some max load data for the bullet you to you might run. The 75gr HPBT would likely be very similarly priced to the 68gr, and for budget precision shooting that line of Hornady bullets is hard to beat.
Yeah, I just looked at bullets. 50ct, 77 SMK's for $20. 100ct, 55g Hornady FMJ for $10. So between 10 and 40c a round. At that point, yes, yes it does become cheaper to load.
Now, I know everything I read says never to start on progressive press; but until I got fluent I could run like a turret and not auto-discharge powder. I guess I've finally hit my personal pain-level threshold for rifle ammo. Pistol is bad too; but my range is gravel and picking up cases SUCKS..I've event tried portable vacuum cleaner
. I have not tried this though: https://ammoupusa.com/collections/rifle-and-pistol-brass/products/compact-ammo-up. Again, hundreds if not thousands of cases at my range. Pistol range brass may have been run over; but most still good - just a pain to pick up with gravel (not pea gravel).My 30-06 load run high about .68 cents (powder, primer, bullet) but that because I use a 150 gn Barnes TSX. The .243 is about .48 cents, same supplies but uses a Sierra 100 gn BTSP. The .223 is probably the same. i guess I need to start amazing dies to start doing 9mm and .45 ACP if cost continue to remain high.
on a separate note, while dancing through web pages looking for some 20 gauge for my brother-in-law I can across a Cabelas in Canada and was amazed at the prices and availability. I started looking at other countries and the US seems to be the only place there are shortages.
on a separate note, while dancing through web pages looking for some 20 gauge for my brother-in-law I can across a Cabelas in Canada and was amazed at the prices and availability. I started looking at other countries and the US seems to be the only place there are shortages.
I’m glad I seen this coming around 2010. I’ve been way ahead of the game for years. That being said, I don’t put a monetary value on my hobby because it’s definitely expensive. If I like shooting my creedmoor and powder is 50$ a pound, I’ll pay it. Although I shouldn’t have to for several years. Same with my other cartridges. I scored 4 pounds of h1000 Saturday for 35$ pound no tax.
My buddy called today and said a local shop has 6.5 staball for 57$ pound, I cringed but if I needed it, I’d go buy 10 pounds of it. In my 20s and early 30s I blew all my money on alcohol, cigarettes, weed and cocaine. I’d blow 2000$ up my nose in a weekend, so this gun hobby is cheap. Definitely more rewarding. Glad I switched to guns.
My buddy called today and said a local shop has 6.5 staball for 57$ pound, I cringed but if I needed it, I’d go buy 10 pounds of it. In my 20s and early 30s I blew all my money on alcohol, cigarettes, weed and cocaine. I’d blow 2000$ up my nose in a weekend, so this gun hobby is cheap. Definitely more rewarding. Glad I switched to guns.
The selection around here was pretty bad. If you were buying 2k worth of blow you had no trouble finding a friend for the weekend. Lol
There is a million reasons to justify getting into reloading. I did it to cut costs but what really happened is I started shooting twice as much.
I would suggest not getting into reloading unless you are willing to set aside 1-2 hours a week of your time. You can make 1/2 MOA ammo on a $99 Lee Kit with $25 Hornady dies, which is as good as any factory loaded ammo. Of course that wasn't good enough for me so I have spent many more dollars chasing that last couple of tenths
I still think reloads are cheaper, but I don’t know how much I gotta make to break even after all that fancy reloading equipment I invested in. But, I feel better making my own then having to buy boxes of factory ammo at the register. Then the other people in the back looking at me like, “gawdaeem! you should get into reloading!” look on there faces.
Now it’s different, person in front of me at the register, “ Um, 5 boxes of 6.5 creed please!” Then me, “ can I get a case of small rifle primers!”
Now it’s different, person in front of me at the register, “ Um, 5 boxes of 6.5 creed please!” Then me, “ can I get a case of small rifle primers!”
Then add 90 grains of powder, and a primer.....Ouch! memtb
Moot point for me. Loading too many wildcats and mod-cats. Spend the money to purchase the reloading presses, dies and other equipment of don’t shoot.
Factory second match bullets (147gr 6.5 mm) $0.13 per.
Brownells shows primers at $0.11 per delivered (when in stock).
I bought H4350 locally about a month ago for less than $30/lb, out the door.
My 6.5 CM load is 41.4 gr h4350.
$0.18 in powder
$0.11 in primer
$0.13 in bullet
$0.42 per round.
I already have a ton of brass so not counting that and can run the press during “down time” so not factoring in time. I’ve got a load dialed in so no adding in range time, etc either.
Current midway usa prices for Hornady 147 ELD-M is $0.41, which would increase the cost to $0.70 per round. Still much better than buying factory loaded rounds.
Brownells shows primers at $0.11 per delivered (when in stock).
I bought H4350 locally about a month ago for less than $30/lb, out the door.
My 6.5 CM load is 41.4 gr h4350.
$0.18 in powder
$0.11 in primer
$0.13 in bullet
$0.42 per round.
I already have a ton of brass so not counting that and can run the press during “down time” so not factoring in time. I’ve got a load dialed in so no adding in range time, etc either.
Current midway usa prices for Hornady 147 ELD-M is $0.41, which would increase the cost to $0.70 per round. Still much better than buying factory loaded rounds.
