Cost of reloading

[rbahri5206]

I am just getting into reloading and was wondering if it's worth it over buying ready ammo.
I wanna do .45acp and .223 what's the total cost per 1000 of each and we're do you guys recommend I purchase supplies from (bullets,cases primers powder)? I don't know if it makes a diferance but I have a rcbs single stage press.
Thank you all in advanced

[Dark Mod]

definatley. IF you buy in bulk

I get my powder and primers from powder valley or wideners

Bullets from Xtreme

brass i pick up at the range. Heres a good cost per 1000

1000 .45 230 grn plated bullets $88
1000 wolf LPP $15.50
1 lb W231 $18
Brass: Free

Total thats about $125 per 1000. Compare that to like $400 factory ammo, and $280 for reloads.

[noylj]

Are you just interested in the cost of consumables or to amortize the cost of equipment?
If all reloading is to you is a way to save money, you probably won't enjoy it and would be better off buying your ammo.
If you want to tune the ammo to your gun and get better performance from your gun, any cost savings will be unimportant.
The whole "how much can I save reloading" is a somewhat meaningless question.
For .45, all I shoot are lead bullets. When I could get lead almost for free, my cast bullets were running less than 1 cent a bullet (plus cost of electricity, I guess). However, I enjoyed casting my own bullets and didn't do it strictly to save money.
Any way, for lead bullets for the .45, you will spend any where from 6-11 cents a bullet, with 8.5 cents maybe being the average. Primers are about 2 cents and powder is about 1 cent (or 2 cents for the high priced imported stuff). Brass is free if you have been saving your cases. So, for expendables-only, your loads will cost about 11-12 cents a round. What is your "per round" cost for factory ammo?
The real benefit to reloading is getting to shoot more, not any actual money savings in your wallet.
You can start with a Lee kit for $118 and have everything, except dies and expendables, to reload. For bottleneck cases, you will need a case length gage and trimmer (you can get a fixed Lee case gage/trimmer or buy a fancy lathe) and a 6" caliper.
You could start for even less money, but it won't be as fun and you would only be loading light target "starting" loads.

[ptroxx]

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=552074

[razr]

You wont save all that much. You could however figure out a good load if you shoot more than average shooter. Look at used equipment or Dillon.

[shmeddie]

Start up costs can turn people off but you will make it up within your first 1000rds. Reloading .45 is so worth it. Only $0.18 comepared to $0.50 a rnd for factory and pistol rounds are easy to load for. You DO save alot of money. I also load .308 match for about $0.50 compared to $1.00 rd factory. It takes more time but the cost and the performance are worth it. You don't save too much when you reload .223 though.

[rbahri5206]

Start up costs can turn people off but you will make it up within your first 1000rds. Reloading .45 is so worth it. Only $0.18 comepared to $0.50 a rnd for factory and pistol rounds are easy to load for. You DO save alot of money. I also load .308 match for about $0.50 compared to $1.00 rd factory. It takes more time but the cost and the performance are worth it. You don't save too much when you reload .223 though.

so .45acp alone is worth it for me because i have my ccw and shoot a lot of 45 because thats what i carry, do to the equipment i have (rcbs single stage press, given to me brand spanking new in the box with 45 die) i plan on doing one stage every night is this a good idea or just make complete rounds every time?

[Bill Steele]

so .45acp alone is worth it for me because i have my ccw and shoot a lot of 45 because thats what i carry, do to the equipment i have (rcbs single stage press, given to me brand spanking new in the box with 45 die) i plan on doing one stage every night is this a good idea or just make complete rounds every time?

Yes, do it in batches, decap/size a btach, prime a batch, powder charge a batch, seat/crimp a batch. Get some inexpensive loading blocks to hold your cases as you work through each batch. Get an inxpensive powder drop to charge your cases, that way you only need to weigh your charge once before starting and once when done to assure accuracy.

[johnny1290]

I think I had to reload something like 5k rounds of 9mm to amortize the equipment costs on my lee pro 1000 progressive.

I've done 7500 now, so I'm home free! ;-)

It's fun to do, and I get to load the round *exactly* how I like it, so it's more fun to shoot and I'm theoretically more accurate at least.

Besides, it's like making your own fireworks, there's lots of different cool sounding powders and recipes to try. What's not to like?!?

I save around 30% off of bulk reload ammo cost with 9mm.

With .45 being as expensive as it is, you'll save a grip, especially if you already have equipment.

I started with a progressive, but it made it tougher to get started than it needed to be. It's not all that hard, really, but its just a lot to figure out if you're teaching yourself.

[mjmagee67]

Won't save you a penny, not a one! You will just shoot more

[Cheap Shot]

You may not save much money, and will spend more time (reloading), but you can fine tune the ammo you reload for your particular firearms. I reload for 9mm and .30-06 and price per round is about half of ready to use ammo (for me, others claim to save more using lead cast- I use plated in 9mm and jacketed in .308). I can store more reloading supplies in the same space ready to use ammo takes up. I enjoy the assembly line task of reloading to erase the hard day of fighting computer viruses and stupid automobile drivers.

[rbahri5206]

Won't save you a penny, not a one! You will just shoot more

+1 to that. The thing is I got all the equipment for free and a friend of mine has been loading for 20+ years and he said he would be more than happy to teach me plus he lives in the same subdivision as I do so I think in my case it's a win win, I also want to reload some 762x54r for my old mosin but wanna load a little lighter. I really don't enjoy running a lot of ammo threw it

[roc_my_tims]

Thanks

[Cowboy T]

Since you have a single-stage press already (your Rockchucker), you've already taken care of the major equipment expenditure. Yes, absolutely, it's worth it, especially for your .45 ACP.

More importantly, should another AB 962-or-similar come down the pike, you won't have to worry about an ammo supply. You can simply make your own as needed, as long as you keep a decent stock of cartridge components. Given the makeup of the Assembly and who's in the Governor's Office, and that it's happened before, you might want to seriously consider that.

[CalTeacher]

You'll still spend the same amount of money, you'll just shoot a hell of a lot more and not have to rely on the volatile relationship between politics and the marketplace to determine the price/availability of ammunition.