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Tinkering around with my morbid fascination with spreadsheets (Numbers in Mac). I keep all my price lists, costs, etc for my ammo on separate spreadsheets and segregate my retail, wholesale, and LE prices to its own file.
I'm looking to fine tune efficiency and reduce costs associated with my business. I took a look at using off the shelf powders for pistol loads. I have always liked medium burn powders and that's what I use in commercial and personal ammo. Nice balance of performance and safety with reasonable economy. With the exception of high velocity, light bullet loads they are all going to load 1,000 rounds per pound or more.
So I grabbed a beer and starting spreadsheeting. Figured costs per keg (or drum as applicable), cost per pound, cost per case for all loads in my catalog for #5, Uniue, WSF, W231/HP38 (same exact powder), and Longshot. W231/HP38 being the same powder but slight price difference at keg prices.
Here's a summary I'd like to share.
Interesting things going on. First off, I use certain powders in certain applications only and the others are N/A for the field, so the averages contain those loads in which the powder is used for the load in question. This is applicable to loads in standard bullet weights in 9mm, 40, 10mm, 45, 380, 357 SIG.
Keg-wise, Unique is the cheapest by the pound and keg price. HP38/W231 has the lowest overall charge weight average and the cheapest Cost per Case price. I thought Unique would have it for sure, but I was wrong.
However, buying a drum of Accurate #5 is the way to go for efficiency across the board and price. Usable for my loads except for 40 135gr and the 10mm 180gr. Largest buy in price but with shipping and haz mat fees it's the cheapest per pound price and cost per case price. Average case would cost barely over $12, just a mere 83 cents per case over the HP38/W231 cost per case.
In these times where money is everything and we all need to watch our spending habits, spending 2-3 beers worth of time analyzing powder consumption and prices might save us a few pennies when we badly need them. Using a powder that is economical and versatile is in our best interest sometimes. These powders will work in loads for all the calibers above, except the .380 is a picky SOB and I use nothing faster than W231 in it.
That's all. Carry on.
I'm looking to fine tune efficiency and reduce costs associated with my business. I took a look at using off the shelf powders for pistol loads. I have always liked medium burn powders and that's what I use in commercial and personal ammo. Nice balance of performance and safety with reasonable economy. With the exception of high velocity, light bullet loads they are all going to load 1,000 rounds per pound or more.
So I grabbed a beer and starting spreadsheeting. Figured costs per keg (or drum as applicable), cost per pound, cost per case for all loads in my catalog for #5, Uniue, WSF, W231/HP38 (same exact powder), and Longshot. W231/HP38 being the same powder but slight price difference at keg prices.
Here's a summary I'd like to share.
Code:
Cost per Keg incl. assumed $37.50 ship/HM fee [drum qty in brackets] AA #5 $146.49 [$487.49] [B]Unique $129.09[/B] WSF $148.29 W231 $148.29 Longshot $155.49 Cost per Pound AA #5 $18.31 [B][$12.19][/B] [B]Unique $16.14[/B] WSF $18.54 W231 $18.54 Longshot $19.44 Cost per Case Ammo AA #5 $18.18 [B][$12.10][/B] Unique $13.47 WSF $15.14 [B]W231 $12.93[/B] Longshot $21.84
Keg-wise, Unique is the cheapest by the pound and keg price. HP38/W231 has the lowest overall charge weight average and the cheapest Cost per Case price. I thought Unique would have it for sure, but I was wrong.
However, buying a drum of Accurate #5 is the way to go for efficiency across the board and price. Usable for my loads except for 40 135gr and the 10mm 180gr. Largest buy in price but with shipping and haz mat fees it's the cheapest per pound price and cost per case price. Average case would cost barely over $12, just a mere 83 cents per case over the HP38/W231 cost per case.
In these times where money is everything and we all need to watch our spending habits, spending 2-3 beers worth of time analyzing powder consumption and prices might save us a few pennies when we badly need them. Using a powder that is economical and versatile is in our best interest sometimes. These powders will work in loads for all the calibers above, except the .380 is a picky SOB and I use nothing faster than W231 in it.
That's all. Carry on.
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