How and why can reloading be so much, or even any, cheaper???

[ZombieZoo]

Is there some huge "ammo tax" I haven't heard about, like on cigs/booze, that jacks up price on factory loads?

What is the major barrier to entering this market and selling cheap ammo at near reloader prices?


Just seems that making little bullets would be so much cheaper if making them by the millions and buying stuff in super bulk.

[Stoopy]

Because you reuse the brass. I do it to make better ammo for my guns. You ever buy match grade rifle rounds, the price adds up quick when you shoot a lot.

[toby]

The only way to make it a lot cheaper is to buy in bulk or light bulk, hit every sale you can and look on forums for guys selling stuff. I've not bought fatory ammo for over 27 years except for a few boxes from private sales and got that CHEAP.

[joelogic]

Just as an example new .223 brass is $250 per 1k.

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=FA556UPB

Plus margin, insurance, FFL, ITAR, rent, and anything other expense. Reloading is cheaper because the brass and labor are "free".

[211275]

The place I go to sells 50 rounds of .223 reloads for $24, they make them on site. I have fired hundreds of rounds with my AR without a single issue. I stocked up on em.

[joelogic]

Great example of cost to reload.

Cost to buy reman'd ammo $480 per 1k.

Bare bones cost to reload 1k, (before the craziness), $150 per 1k.
$.07 bullet, $.06 powder, $.02 primer.

[crackerman]

And yes there is an ammo tax. Just like a gun tax and arrow tax and fishing tax. Has been for 100 years that they fund wildlife conservation with.

[Inkman]

WWB .45 is what, .45 cents a rd at Walmart?

My own ammo is:

LPP 3 cents.
Powder 1 cent. Double that for VV.
Brass free.
Lead free.
Labor free (mine).
Casting and reloading equipment paid for a long time ago.
Propane almost free considering how a little goes a long way.

OTD, maybe 5 cents per finished rd.

1000 rds, $50.00

1000 rds factory, $450.00

Multiplied by 10 to 20 thousand rds a year and the savings are significant.

Plus my loads are much more accurate than any factory garbage to boot. Winner all around.

Al

[bill_k_lopez]

When you buy a box of ammo, you pay for the brass and throw it away.

When you reload you take that used brass and reload it again. And again. And again. And again. Depending on what you are shooting, and how you are reloading, you can reload the brass a bunch of times.

There are 7000 grains in 1 pound of powder. Whatever load you are working you can divide it out and see what your costs are.

For example, I use 13 grains of Unique powder to reload my 45-70 rounds. 1 pound of powder is about $30. That should be enough to load around 538 rounds

Lets base the cost over those 538 rounds.

Primers cost around $30 for 1000, so thats .03 per round x 538 = $16.14

Projectiles vary - but lets take 500 lasercast bullets for $100. thats .20 per round x 538 = $107.60

We already have the brass, since we purchased factory ammo and instead of just throwing it away, we picked it up and kept it.

$30 powder
$16 primers
$108 projectiles

$154 for 538 rounds of 45-70

Factory ammo $42 for 20 rounds, or $2.10 per round x 538 =$1129.80

Now there are up front costs, like buying a press, and dies, and getting a digital scale and some calipers, and a reloading book -

$200 press
$35 dies
$20 digital scale
$9 calipers
$25 reloading book

$289 start up costs + $154 for 538 rounds of ammo = $443 // Factory ammo $42 for 20 rounds, or $2.10 per round x 538 =$1129.80

Still around $800 in savings compared to going out and buying more factory ammo.

Now how about the real benefits.

1) I have absolutely no fear of the run on ammo, got plenty of primers, brass and projectiles.
2) I have no fear of the "ammo registry" if imposed.
3) I am the quality control manager of the ammo I shoot, and can customize what I reload to shoot in my gun.

[Press Check]

For me, the goal was not to decrease the cost. Overall, the savings are marginal, IMO. For me, the goal was to develop better ammunition for the same cost as factory ammunition. A 100-count box of 52gr, Sierra Match King bullets is $20. Once you have brass, powder and primers on-hand, you're essentially doing nothing more than buying bullets when you need them, and restocking your supplies as they deplete.

They initial cost in starting can be expensive, though.

[Spanky8601]

Is there some huge "ammo tax" I haven't heard about, like on cigs/booze, that jacks up price on factory loads?

What is the major barrier to entering this market and selling cheap ammo at near reloader prices?


Just seems that making little bullets would be so much cheaper if making them by the millions and buying stuff in super bulk.

OP, all you need is the proper FFL license and insurance. Yes, you can make a profit, but selling requires lots of overhead.

[bill_k_lopez]

For me, the goal was not to decrease the cost. Overall, the savings are marginal, IMO. For me, the goal was to develop better ammunition for the same cost as factory ammunition. A 100-count box of 52gr, Sierra Match King bullets is $20. Once you have brass, powder and primers on-hand, you're essentially doing nothing more than buying bullets when you need them, and restocking your supplies as they deplete.

They initial cost in starting can be expensive, though.

Another valid point is how MUCH do you shoot? I shoot every other Friday all year long. If I only shot once ever 3 or 4 months, reloading wouldn't make much sense.

Its also important as to what caliber you shoot. I shoot a lot of 44 mag, which I couldn't afford to keep buying. Compare that to 9mm which is only around $200 for 1000 rounds, and you're right the cost difference is marginal.


I don't agree that the initial cost can be expensive - its whatever you want to invest in it.

A Classic Lee Loader only costs $30 and is all you need to get started - you aren't going to go very fast, but you'll be reloading.

[G60]

Not cheaper, you just shoot more.

[elsolo]

You are paying a federal excise tax when you buy loaded ammo.
Also paying for new brass being manufactured
Paying for their employee's time
Paying for price inflation due to market conditions
Also paying for the convenience

[joelogic]

I think the OP's point was, "Why cant companies sell reloads cheaper?"