Price of reloading is definitely up these days

[longwinters]

I went to Green Bay yesterday to Sportmans warehouse. Wanted to pick up some powder, maybe some bullets and check out the brass prices. Powder was still about the same-under $ 20.00 for a pound of Hogdons with the Ramshot powders the cheapest at $15.50. Bullet were up by about 25% with Hornady being the only ones not showing much of an increase. Then I looked at brass . .. wha. I ck'd out shortmag brass and it was $25.00 per 50 of Rem or Win (I don't remember which namebrand it was but I was really glad I don't own a shortmag). The more standard calibers were $15-18.00. As usual no Fed 210 primers to be found.

I have quite a bit of reloading componants on the shelf, and am contemplating not doing much in the shooting hobby until prices come down, if that happens.

I did not ck out factory ammo for prices. But this is a kind of depressing for a guy that has only been reloading for about 4 years. I had hoped to do an awful lot more shooting at current rates in my following years.

Long

 

[g-man]

While the price has gone up, I think it is still chaeper than buying the ammo. When I purchased my 280 a month ago I didn't realize the price of the federal accubonds would be so expensive ($35.00 at Gander Mountian in Wausau). I can still buy a box of 50 accubonds bullets for around $20.00 along with the powder ($20.00) and still load for less.

Sportmans Warehouse in GB has the best prices for reloading in the area. I have looked in Wausau, GB, and Appleton and no one has come close to them.

 

[wildbio_13]

I think the cost of raw materials (e.g., copper, lead, etc.) is whats driving the increase in prices. With China consuming more and more for their own use in addition to that they use for exported (to us) manufactured goods, I wouldn't expect things to get any better.

 

[longwinters]

You are probably right. Maybe prices are never coming down. Like I said I did not price factory ammo, so reloading is probably still a bargin for anything out side of 30-30, 30-06 etc....

I would be interested in what the boys at Nosler's take is on all of this. They should have the inside scoop.

Long

 

[Richracer1]

You also have to look at the cost of shipping that stuff around. Fuel prices are scary anymore. One more thing, the military's ammo use is astronomical, thereby creating a shortage or raw materials and driving the cost sky high.

FYI, I have a friend in Iraq that has expended over 9000 rounds out of his M4, I think it's M4 - a 223 essentially. He's been there since Sept 2005. This doesn't include the "specialty" rounds fired out of his 50 cal "sniper" rifle.

 

[longwinters]

I understand all of that. As well as that benefits, wages, pensions etc.... keep going up. And I certainly understand that also. I guess I am just hoping that another motivator in this country is not also bearing some responsibility . . . charging what the market will bear. Not that any business does not have the "right" to practice this in this country, but it sure makes me question my loyalties when I look at the big oil companies etc... that are making record profits in the same business climate.

Long