Well I have another guestion. What would you say the price of hand loaded ammo cost.

Saying you use a 270 for the gun and don't go over broad on the type of bullets and such.

If I did it right I came out to about 16.40 a box using once fire brass , and 22.40

a box with new brass. I do like reloading enough to keep doing it even if the savings is

low per box. There is just somthing about it don't you think?

Powder -21.99 lb

primers- 2.59 per hundred

bullets 14.99 per hundred

new brass 14.99 per 50

These are the prices I used. See what you think . Thanks

I'm confussed...

I don't think your math is right. Even if you figured you could only load 100 rounds from a pound of powder for a 270 you're still a little high. 7000 grains per pound, figure 55gr powder in a 270 case. roughly 125 loads per pound

Check out this calculator (Savings Calculator)

The initial cost with the new brass works out to 13.54 per 20. Second loading minus new brass works out to 7.55 per 20 with say 55.0 grains of powder. But it is enjoyable making your own accurate ammo. Now if you are like me and cast your own bullets probably work out to say maybe .25 a hundred. Figuring gas checks, electricity and free wheel weights. The equipment costs I figure are minimum as I can probably sell it for little loss. Hope this helps. Boon

My 7mm mag reloads, using my once fired brass:
(excludes brass)
62.5gr per bullet for .17cents for powder
Nosler partitions at 40 cents each
primer at 2 cents each

cost per round 59 cents or $11.80/box. A lot cheaper than paying for the Federal premiums. Or any other brand for that matter.

Good Shooting,

HL

I don't know how you are figuring, or where you are buying components, but this is my cost:

POWDER			
Cost Per Pound			 $13.22 
Grains Per Load			  53.1
Cost Per Load			 $ 0.10 

PRIMERS			
Cost Per 1000			 $13.79 
Cost Per Load			 $ 0.01 

BULLETS			
Cost Per 100			 $14.49 
Cost Per Load			 $ 0.14 

CASES			
COST PER 100			 $-   
Cost Per Load			 $-   

TOTAL COST PER ROUND		 $  0.26 

TOTAL COST PER 20			 $  5.18 

TOTAL COST PER 50			 $ 12.95 

TOTAL COST PER 100			 $ 25.90 

TOTAL COST PER 1000		 $258.97 

This is using Sierra 140 grain HPBT bullets, Winchester WLR primers and 53.1 grains of IMR-4350.

If new brass is required, Winchester or Remington brass will add about 19 cents to each load, for the first load only.

Shopping a little can really save a bunch.

For instance, I think it's Midway that has a closeout on FailSafe's right now at $10 a box. If you buy surplus powder, shop for closeout's, you can really drop the cost. Nate

P.S. That is until you start shooting a lot more!

My 375 H&H using IMR4350, Nosler partition seconds and CCI magnum primers, with brass cost averaged over 5 reloads run me $14.40 per box.

My 308 using IMR4064, Hornady 165 grain BTSP, CCI LR primers and brass over 10 reloads cost me $5.40 per box.

quote:

Originally posted by ricciardelli:
I don't know how you are figuring, or where you are buying components, but this is my cost:

POWDER			
Cost Per Pound			 $13.22 
Grains Per Load			  53.1
Cost Per Load			 $ 0.10 

PRIMERS			
Cost Per 1000			 $13.79 
Cost Per Load			 $ 0.01 

BULLETS			
Cost Per 100			 $14.49 
Cost Per Load			 $ 0.14 

CASES			
COST PER 100			 $-   
Cost Per Load			 $-   

TOTAL COST PER ROUND		 $  0.26 

TOTAL COST PER 20			 $  5.18 

TOTAL COST PER 50			 $ 12.95 

TOTAL COST PER 100			 $ 25.90 

TOTAL COST PER 1000		 $258.97 

This is using Sierra 140 grain HPBT bullets, Winchester WLR primers and 53.1 grains of IMR-4350.

If new brass is required, Winchester or Remington brass will add about 19 cents to each load, for the first load only.

This is a lot closer to my estimates but one needs to add brass....and use 1/5th of the cost of new because you should be easily able to get five shots per case.

This is a very interesting thread. I am just getting into reloading and am mainly doing it to reload for my 375 H&H. I am also going to do a little for my 270, but I was at Academy this weekend and found some Monarch brand 270 ammo for $8.86/box. From what I am seeing here, I can't touch that price by reloading my own. I haven't tried the Monarchs at the range yet, but if they will shoot even halfway decent, I will probably give up reloading for 270.

.223 loads

Powder WC846 3.25 for 100 rounds
Primers 2.25
Brass 2.00
50 Gr. V-Max 12.79
-----
20.29 for 100 rounds

$4.06 a box.

Who are you guys kidding? Saving money reloading? Maybe that's why I built my own little 8x10 loading shed and have 2 metallic and 4 shotshell presses! Yeah, to save money!
I probably shoot 3-4x more than I would if I had to purchase factory ammo. Loading is a GREAT hobby, but not a money saver -- at least not for me!

If cost is the only reason to reload you must consider the cost of all of the tools such as tumbler, case trimmer, calipers, bullet puller, press, dies, shell holders, primer tube filler, crimp dies, you get the idea
For me reloading is a disease I mean hobby!

quote:

Originally posted by Hairtrigger:
If cost is the only reason to reload you must consider the cost of all of the tools such as tumbler, case trimmer, calipers, bullet puller, press, dies, shell holders, primer tube filler, crimp dies, you get the idea
For me reloading is a disease I mean hobby!

Reloading is a lot of fun, and a hobby all to itself.

As to saving money, I have saved so much money reloading I had to go out and get a second job.

No, just kidding, because you can save some bucks if you are shooting a lot of pistol rounds or expensive rifle rounds (300HH, 375HH, 416Rem, etc.). On the other hand, I have spent what I saved on better equipment, components, etc.

But then you can't take it with you, so you might as well shoot it up. Kudude

Anyone here use the "old timey" Lee Loader kits? As I said in an above post, I am just getting started in reloading (for rifles) and am starting out with the 375 H&H Lee Loader. It is pretty slow, but I am not looking for volume anyway.

quote:

. It is pretty slow, but I am not looking for volume anyway.

LMAO

We all started saying just that! After two boxes that way you'll be saying "well I'll just pick up a press and dies and use my Lee dippers" then you'll get to "I should buy a scale to check these dippers with" and then it's "Wow, I really need to clean these cases" and etc, etc, etc, etc,

Pretty soon you have the extra room built on the house with a progressive press, three turret presses and four single stage presses and still complaining about needing more equipment!

fjold
I have made enough bad investments in my life to NOT buy a bunch of reloading equipment. I already have a MEC shotgun loader in storage, so I have learned from my past mistakes. I was going to buy a RCBS turret press to start with and jump in with both feet, but my old MEC in storage came to mind before I placed the order. My wife on the other hand has not learned a thing. That is why we have a $500 treadmill in use as a clothes rack.

You DO save money handloading, you may shoot more, but buying ammo vs handloading, you save money. If you only shoot a box or two a year, buy your ammo.
7mag, I'm not sure how you calculated the cost, but it's more like $13.50 for Nosler Par. & $7 for say Speer or Hornady. Shop around, you can't buy ammo that cheap. SOme of these guys are quoting pretty cheap component cost, but your examples seem high, find another place to buy.

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Sullivan:
Anyone here use the "old timey" Lee Loader kits? As I said in an above post, I am just getting started in reloading (for rifles) and am starting out with the 375 H&H Lee Loader. It is pretty slow, but I am not looking for volume anyway.

Hey Jeff, I have one for a 300Sav, but no longer have the rifle to go with the Dies. Occasionally find a use for various pieces in the Kit, so I keep it around.

As you reload your 375H&H with them, you will reach a point where the Bolt doesn't want to close on the Resized - Empty Case. Your Lee Handloader is simply "Resizing" the Case Neck and not the rest of the Case. So, you eventually reach a point where those Cases need to be run through a Full Length Resizer in a Press.

You might get 2-4 Reloads out of them depending on the Strength of the Load you are using and how concentric your chamber is. Just be sure to try all the Empty Resized Cases in your rifle BEFORE you Load them.

And save the ones that get too Large, cause you can save yourself some money on Cases once you do decide to go on and get a Press, Dies, Scale and Trickler.

If it helps justify the cost of the equipment, I simply roll the entire amortization of the new Dies, etc., into the very first Cartridge made with them. Then I just figure the Component costs as I go forward.

In my situation, all my Reloading Equipment paid for itself very quickly. And it has allowed me to produce very accurate, SAFE MAX, "Custom Handloads" tailored for my specific firearms. Hard to assign a value for the confidence that gives me when I'm preparing to make a Kill.

Best of luck to you.

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Sullivan:

. That is why we have a $500 treadmill in use as a clothes rack.

You too I thought we were the only one with that.

As far as equipment costs you can always Ebay it a chance are you will make a profit with those people bidding on it. Boon

To really screw up the formula try to factor in man hours spent loading and the time spent in load development.

Maybe the load development thing is just me.
I keep thinking that I can shave another point if I try one more powder.
I guess that brings up the added cost of the powders that don't get used because something else worked better.

In the end it's like figuring the cost of a pound of fish after factoring in the boat, gear, beer, gas, time on the water, and lost sleep.

Just enjoy it for what it is.

I figered out one time that it was costing me, with my brass.{ and i get alot from friends.} that it cost in .270 or 30/06 size cases about $0.60 cents a round. about 11.00 or 13.00 per box depending on bullet brand

quote:

Originally posted by vines:
I figered out one time that it was costing me, with my brass.{ and i get alot from friends.} that it cost in .270 or 30/06 size cases about $0.60 cents a round. about 11.00 or 13.00 per box depending on bullet brand

You are definately doing something wrong...

quote:

Originally posted by Swamp_Fox:
To really screw up the formula try to factor in man hours spent loading and the time spent in load development..

Oh, that's easy. I figure I save an hour of therapy (at $100 per hr) for every three hours of range time.

How much savings is that per bullet...... LOL! Dutch

It truly depends on how much you shoot, and what you shoot, and how far you want to get into the whole scene..

For instance, my .416 Rigby costs me about eighteen cents per round, to perform at about .404 Jeffery levels (which is no pussycat load, believe me...400 @ 2100fps). This comes to less than four U.S. bucks per 20.

Why??? Because I'm deeply-enough involved to be casting my own bullets. When Federal .416s cost over SIX DOLLARS per round, there is a wee bit of difference. Also, my .416 has fired well over 2000 rounds to date...doing that with factory ammo is utterly out of the question, since it would have cost me over $12,000!!

This is my hobby, and hobby time is NOT subject to calculation of cost-per-manhour...in fact, time spent on hobbys should go on the CREDIT side of the ledger, not as a cost. Casting and loading (and shooting, of course) are recreation and amusement.

Dutch is right; if you must calculate the time involved, calculate what we SAVE on therapy....

Hey Jeff,I would be willing to store that MEC for you, at NO CHARGE.

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Sullivan:
This is a very interesting thread. I am just getting into reloading and am mainly doing it to reload for my 375 H&H. I am also going to do a little for my 270, but I was at Academy this weekend and found some Monarch brand 270 ammo for $8.86/box. From what I am seeing here, I can't touch that price by reloading my own. I haven't tried the Monarchs at the range yet, but if they will shoot even halfway decent, I will probably give up reloading for 270.

I don't consider reloading a way to save money on bullets. It is a way to create the most accurate bullet for your rifle. You can buy all that cheap stuff you want for practice because we all benefit from trigger time.

I shoot 190 grain Sierra MatchKings at around $23 per 100, I use 64 grains of H4831SC at $18 a pound and CCI Magnum primers at around $2 a pack in my 300WSM. I'm estimating half a buck for every bang. It's cheaper than going to the local whorehouse for some good conversation followed by some zesty "relaxation."

Accuracy is not MY problem. With my Blaser R93 270, I can shoot 3 shot nickel size groups at 100 and quarter size groups at 200 all day with Winchester Supreme 140 gr Accubonds. My 300 WSM will do better than that with Win Supreme 150 gr ballistic silvertips, but at over a buck per trigger pull, it starts to hurt after a few pulls(and I don't mean the recoil). I love to shoot and just joined a new range a little closer to my house (28 miles one way), but with $2.50 diesel and over a buck per shot, it hits my wallet pretty hard. Don't get me wrong, I still try to shoot once a week, but the economics involved are not good.

quote:

Originally posted by HL:
My 7mm mag reloads, using my once fired brass:
(excludes brass)
62.5gr per bullet for .17cents for powder
Nosler partitions at 40 cents each
primer at 2 cents each

cost per round 59 cents or $11.80/box. A lot cheaper than paying for the Federal premiums. Or any other brand for that matter.

Good Shooting,

HL

I bought Federal Premmiums in 7mm Rem Mag with Trophy Bonded bullets for $12 a box at MidwayUSA

quote:

Originally posted by MajorCaliber:
I bought Federal Premmiums in 7mm Rem Mag with Trophy Bonded bullets for $12 a box at MidwayUSA

I saw that sale, I was tempted to buy some too. Using about 67gr RL22, 140 accubonds, once-fired brass, and fed 215s I think the cost in my 7mmRM was about $10.50 a box, alot cheaper than spending about $28 for the win. supreme stuff.

I load because my loads will consistently beat the factory stuff, in both speed and accuracy. There is no way that I do it to save money. Several years ago, just after Christmas, I was in the local Walmart sporting goods dept. There, under the clearance $5.00 sign were racks of 243,270,7-08,308, and 30-06. I bought so much ammo that they asked me for a photo I.D and if I was buying this stuff for resale. This week, I found Federal TBBC 225 grain 35 Whelen at a local gunshop. I bought the ammo for $20@. I can't buy the bullet for a dollar a piece. Today, for big game hunting, I just grab some of my fire sale factory stuff. For varmint hunting ot target work, I reload. Just my experience. Stoney

And down loading with faster powders.. it even gets cheaper!!!! if you don't need 3500 fps MV with 3500 ft/lbs at the Muzzle...

cheers
seafire