I was forced to buy a box of factory loaded ammo the other day and was a little shocked at the price. $40 for a box of Federal premium in 280 with 160gr Nosler AB's. In my opinion this is probably the best factory loaded ammo out there. I was out of reloads and needed some ammo for an afternoon hunt. The hunt was unsuccesfull and now I don't know what to do with this box of "premium ammo". I'm sure it will shoot different than my hand loads. I am thinking of pulling the bullets, dumping the powder and starting over.
Ammo prices
- Thread starter old #7
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C.Smith
Handloader
- Oct 11, 2006
- 1,411
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Why not save them for next time you run out of handloads. I bought some factory stuff for the same price. I shot three just to see what the point of impact was, so I would know. And now they just sit in the safe, just in case.
Corey
Corey
- Thread starter
- #3
- Nov 4, 2004
- 24,938
- 7,842
Chanches are you won't be able to return ammunition so you could shoot 3 shots for reference and save the target and tuck it in the box or just wait until there is a need .
2 bucks a shell, WOW!
JD338
2 bucks a shell, WOW!
JD338
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,664
- 5,453
Reloading costs money. Factory ammo costs more.
I find myself shooting more .22's now than at any time in my life...
Take a look at the prices for some of the bigger, more exotic ammo like the .338-378 Wby, or even the .338 Rem Ultra mag with premium bullets... Amazing...
I find myself shooting more .22's now than at any time in my life...
Take a look at the prices for some of the bigger, more exotic ammo like the .338-378 Wby, or even the .338 Rem Ultra mag with premium bullets... Amazing...
C.Smith
Handloader
- Oct 11, 2006
- 1,411
- 0
If your scope has measurement numbers write down where the factory stuff shoots on the box itself. If no numbers mark it with white out or something similiar. Then you don't have to remember.
Otherwise just shoot them for practise.
Corey
Otherwise just shoot them for practise.
Corey
It would be more of a waste to pull the bullets and re-use all that stuff, especially for that price. Save them for something. Believe me, something will come up and you will wish that you still had them. My father has a 6 x5 shelf with just misc. ammo that we dont ever use. Sometimes it comes in handy when we do need it. We have also re-sold the ammo to other people. Just save it man. You will find a purpose for them. Be patient.
R 300 Ultra Mag
Beginner
- Oct 27, 2007
- 17
- 0
I was reading in a mag today and another reader wrote and asked if reloading would save him money. The editor wrote back and said no unless he was into benchrest shooting or something. I was shocked. It has sure saved me money over the years. I do not buy factory stuff anymore, but it makes me reload more ammo so i know i wont run out at the worst possible time.
C.Smith
Handloader
- Oct 11, 2006
- 1,411
- 0
If I only shot what I would normaly buy I would save money. However I shoot more now that I reload, so I'm not sure I have saved money. Even though it is a lot cheaper to shoot now though.
Corey
Corey
longwinters
Handloader
- Oct 10, 2004
- 1,476
- 1
Without knowing your POI with the factory ammo, compared to your reloads, it was probably good that you did not have to shoot them. No guarantee that the bullets would have gone where you thought they would.
Long
Long
Just save it, you can’t have too much ammo and you can always find a use for it
With today’s ammo prices you can’t help but save money reloading. I have a friend who doesn’t shoot a ton, but stopped by top look at my set up, he shoots 308 Federal Gold Medal Match in his 2 308s. At 30.00 a box for that stuff, we figured he would pay for nice progressive set up after 1000 rds. Between him and his sons they shoot about 3 to 4k rounds a year in 308 and another 2 or 3k in .223, it was a slam dunk for him.
Even if you do not shoot a lot, for 500.00 you could get a nice used setup and split the cost with 3 or 4 of your friends and have a load night once a month. My buddies have about 125.00 each in a nice progressive setup. These guys only shoot a few 100 rds a year, but still save money and are actually shooting more because of the cost.
For hunting rifles, I try to keep 250 rd per gun of each load for that gun, even if it is the same caliber. I fire form the brass to each gun and do not interchange them. For my ARs I keep 5000 rds per caliber and 5000rds of auto pistol per caliber, 2000rds for revolvers and 1000 rds for each bench rifle. No way I could do that if I had to buy the stuff.
With today’s ammo prices you can’t help but save money reloading. I have a friend who doesn’t shoot a ton, but stopped by top look at my set up, he shoots 308 Federal Gold Medal Match in his 2 308s. At 30.00 a box for that stuff, we figured he would pay for nice progressive set up after 1000 rds. Between him and his sons they shoot about 3 to 4k rounds a year in 308 and another 2 or 3k in .223, it was a slam dunk for him.
Even if you do not shoot a lot, for 500.00 you could get a nice used setup and split the cost with 3 or 4 of your friends and have a load night once a month. My buddies have about 125.00 each in a nice progressive setup. These guys only shoot a few 100 rds a year, but still save money and are actually shooting more because of the cost.
For hunting rifles, I try to keep 250 rd per gun of each load for that gun, even if it is the same caliber. I fire form the brass to each gun and do not interchange them. For my ARs I keep 5000 rds per caliber and 5000rds of auto pistol per caliber, 2000rds for revolvers and 1000 rds for each bench rifle. No way I could do that if I had to buy the stuff.
Here is a handy calculator that will tell you how much it cost to reload. The only variable is the brass cost. If you use the brass 5 times just devide it's cost by 5 and enter that number.
i.e. 30-06 Nosler brass = .65 each / 5 = .13 per load.
http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp
i.e. 30-06 Nosler brass = .65 each / 5 = .13 per load.
http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp
