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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 180
Campfire Member
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OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 180 |
Guys,
How cost efficient is it to reload? What do you save on a box of premium ammo such as Hornady Interbond or Nosler Partition? Any input would be appreciated.
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,860 Likes: 4
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,860 Likes: 4 |
Rough figures for a 308 Win. since that's what I load the most:
Lapua brass (expensive): $0.66 "Premium" bullet: $1 Benchrest grade primer: $0.035 45 gr. powder @ $20/lb.: $0.13
That's $36.50 box of twenty. The next time you load that piece of brass it'll be $0.33 for each of thew two loadings. So now the 40 total rounds cost you $59.80, i.e. $29.90 per box. ..... On the sixth loading the brass costs 11 cents for each of the loadings so now those six boxes of ammo cost you $153, or $25.50 each.
I overestimated on the bullet cost to give a worst case which you could almost always beat.
Last edited by mathman; 02/09/09.
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,901 Likes: 11
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 43,901 Likes: 11 |
Bullet .80 Brass .10 Primer .03 Powder .15 ----------- 1.08 each for my WSM and a good bullet.
.58 for practice rounds
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,881
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,881 |
The fun and experience is priceless. You certainly learn more about your guns.
"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." Henry Ford
If it's tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,474
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,474 |
Interbonds and Partitions are not a buck each. I never have seen a 35 cent primer. Most expensive around here Is Federal Match primers @ $4 per hundred
300 Win Mag Federal Gold Metal Match brass .29 TSX 180 grain bullet .56 Federal GMM primer .04 76 gr. powder $16.90 lb .18
$1.07 per round or $21.40 probably at least a 50% savings. I did get a good deal on the brass. TSX bullets were $27.99 per 50the last time I purchased them. Today they were $32.99
I was ANTI-OBAMA before it was CooL
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,860 Likes: 4
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,860 Likes: 4 |
Sorry about that, I got in a hurry and slipped a decimal. I'll revise the original post. Thanks.
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,165
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,165 |
I have only been reloading for just over a year and haven't "saved" a penny, but I get to do a heck of alot more shooting for the same money.
First off, I don't shoot "premium" bullets. The deer and hogs that I shoot haven't been able to tell the difference. Corelokts are an excellent bullet for the price.
I buy my powder and primers in bulk to cut the cost.
The only component that I haven't found a way to cut cost on is Lapua brass, but I believe it is well worth the extra cost.
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,846
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,846 |
Others have posted some good advise. I will add that if you don't shoot much (i.e.: a couple of sight-in shots and then what ever is fired during hunting season), then you are not going to save any money. In fact, you will spend quite a bit more (buying the equipment to reload with). However, you will be able to learn what your rifle likes in terms of loads, you will get a satisfaction that comes from "rolling your own"; and you will take one more step towards the classification of "rifle looney".
If you do shoot a lot, then you will definitely see a cost savings by reloading.
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." - Ronald Reagan
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 10,084
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 10,084 |
The answer depends on what cartridge you select. For my 338WM there is a LOT of savings. There is still a good deal of savings. Most of the others gave you some good numbers, you will need to spend some money to get started and that may seem overwhelming.
Remember Handloading is not just a cost saving exercise� it is a hobby. There is quite the sense of accomplishment when you build the �ultimate� custom round. So while it may take a while to recoup the start-up cost once you add in the fun you will have and the product you will achieve, you will never look back.
That which does not kill us makes us stronger
Friedrich Nietzsche
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12,530
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12,530 |
On my 300WBY I figured .48 a shot minus the brass with Speer Hot Cores. Considering the factory loads are now over $45 a box for the Hornady loads it is quite a savings.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 18,453
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 18,453 |
The saving are significant but for me, the satisfaction of loading my own out weighs the cost out put. It's just a whole lot more fun taking game with roll your own ammo. For practice ammo, you can load something like Nosler BT's for even more of a savings than the premium bullets listed here, not to mention being able to fine tune loads for your rifle.
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 115,424 Likes: 13
Campfire Sage
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Campfire Sage
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 115,424 Likes: 13 |
In terms of both cost and performance, I could not imagine NOT reloading.
It takes some time to recover the initial cost but is worth every penny.
Travis
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,010
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,010 |
The first reason to reload is better accuracy.
When the tailgate drops the BS stops.
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 88
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 88 |
reloading in my opinion is kind-of like a double-edged sword but in a good way. you have to shoot a lot to make it cost efficient, but then you get to shoot a lot since you reload!! someone who is just getting there gun sighted in for deer season, just needs to drop the $30-$40 on a box of shells and head to the range.
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,836
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,836 |
Every head of big game I have killed has been shot with a hand load. Can't see using factory ammo now. If I were to buy factory ammo for my .375 locally it woould run in the neighborhood of $55-$65 per 20 rounds. I like to run the Speer 270 gr. BTSP's through it so I can load 100 for what less than 40 would cost me.
There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor polite, nor popular -- but one must ask, "Is it right?"
Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 6,930
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 6,930 |
I have yet to ever send a factory load down any centerfire rifle I own. I love reloading as a rewarding hobby that allows me to shoot more for less cost, although if I didn't reload, I wouldn't spend as much money. Bullets are not $1 a piece, even good bullets are at most $.70/piece, most of what I shoot are around $.30/piece (sierra matchkings and Nosler Ballistic Tips). Have fun, if you enjoy it, you enjoy it, but it's not something to jump into lightly either. I've tried to get a few friends started and they want to do it fairly halfway and aren't happy with the results, but don't want to go whole-hog either.
Selmer "Daddy, can you sometime maybe please go shoot a water buffalo so we can have that for supper? Please? And can I come along? Does it taste like deer?" - my 3-year old daughter
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 29,650 Likes: 5
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 29,650 Likes: 5 |
I loaded 100 custom rounds (charged the way his rifle likes 'em) for my brother-in-law's deer rifle for $45 my cost. He only supplied the brass. That includes the cost of primers, propellent (powder), and Hornady SSTs.
The last I checked you couldn't get 40 rounds of Hornady ammo for that price.
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,246
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,246 |
I'd rather have 3-4 good rifles and a decent loading setup than 10 rifles that I could only feed factory ammo.
Now with even more aplomb
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,836
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,836 |
I'd rather have 3-4 good rifles and a decent loading setup than 10 rifles that I could only feed factory ammo. Ditto
There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor polite, nor popular -- but one must ask, "Is it right?"
Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,063
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,063 |
I own a Stevens M200 in a 30-06. In short, I was having a problem with my shots stringing high right. I called Savage and eventually sent the rifle to them. They replaced the stock (with a wood one) and was satisfied with their 1.3 and 1.4 inch groups using Federal Match ammo.
When I got the rifle back, (using 57grns of I4350, CCI BR LR, win brass, and 150gr Sierra GK SP) I was able to put 5 shots on paper and cover it with a quarter at 100 yards.
This is a $300 dollar rifle. Savage couldn't do it and I don't think I could repeat that with a factory load.
Depending on the brand of factory ammo (like Wolf), I don't save a lot of money reloading the '06, 308 or 22-250. But the 30-30, 270WSM, 300WSM, 338 Win Mag, and 7mm Rem Mag are hugh savings.
Remember, not everyone has a happy ending, so be happy when you can
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