Reload Costs vs Factory Costs

[YoteSmoker]

Often, when I tell people I reload, they ask if is a lot cheaper to reload than to buy factory ammo. I usually reply " I can shoot a lot more than if I were to buy just a few boxes in the store". Well, tonight I made some calculations and boy was I really surprised (not to mention my surprise as to the costs of factory ammo, as I have bought little to no ammo since reloading my own).

I figured out component costs of powder, bullets, and primers each of my loads but did not factor in cost of brass, because of the countless reloads possible.

One loaded round of 204 ruger with 32 V-max bullets costs .23 to produce. That comes out to $4.60 per 20. A factory Hornady box costs $18.00 at Cabelas.

I currently have a total of 360 rounds loaded with a total investment of $82.80 not counting the unknown cost of brass.

It would cost nearly 4xs my cost at $324 for 18 factory boxes of ammo.

It is definitely worth a quarter for every prairie dog I have launched or blown to smitherenes, and the 3 quarters I spent to shoot 1/4-1/2" groups on paper!

 

[bullet]

Example: 1.20 for one 375Wby round if I reload

Example: 6.30 for one 375Wby round if I buy Nosler factory ammo if I add shipping it is 6.95 a round.

Example: 4.60 for one 375Wby round if I buy Weatherby factory ammo if I add shipping it is 5.25 a round.

 

[Guest]

I put together a comparison for a friend of mine on handloading the Weathebry cartridges versus handloading standard stuff, and factored in the cost of brass amortized over 5 loadings and 8 loadings. Even using a 5 loading amortization, the cost of handloading Weatherby ammo is still only about $15-18 per 20, and that's using premium bullets, so compare that to premium ammo costs of $35-75 per box of 20 for standard and Weatherby cartridges. If you load for standard stuff, like 270Win, you can load for about $12-15 per 20, for the record, using premium components. Using bargain components, one could likely still get it done for less than $10 per 20. I'm pulling those numbers out of my memory, so they may not be exact, but as close as I can recall, that's the information as I calculated it. I'll try to check back over my data when I get home and correct if necessary.

 

[old #7]

The only thing that doesn't pencil out well is 45 acp, 40 S&W and 9mm pistol ammo when compared to bulk prices. I figured I could load 500 rounds with a 230 gr Hornady xtp for around $5.00 less than the bulk Remington UMC ammo. Granted there will be a substantial difference in accuracy and consistancy but when I am shooting at steel plates and cans why spend the time loading.
I guess if I ever buy a fast progressive press I might load more pistol ammo.

Loading for my 357 mag is a totaly different animal.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Here's the math on a 7STW.

20 Nosler AB seconds: $4.65
2000gr Surpluss powder $1.04
20 fed 215 primers: $0.56
20 rounds of premium ammo $6.25

Last nights 1.5" group at 300 yds......priceless.

 

[bullet]

Here's the math on a 7STW.

20 Nosler AB seconds: $4.65
2000gr Surpluss powder $1.04
20 fed 215 primers: $0.56
20 rounds of premium ammo $6.25

Last nights 1.5" group at 300 yds......priceless.

You are right about a 1.5" group at 300yds being priceless - THAT IS GREAT!!!

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Thanks Bullets. It really felt good after fighting with that rifle all summer...

 

[russ808]

Here what I came up with.
7mm Remington Mag/50 rounds
Brand new Nosler Brass/Pro rate for 5 reloads-$.22
We know I'll get more than 5 reloads
Nosler 175 grain Partition seconds-$.35
IMR4831/60 grains/$.14
CCI 250 primers/$.03
Total $.74 x 50=$34.00 cost of shipping included
Best group was .27"

Remington Premium ammo is $65.00 a box of 20. Can't afford to pratice for 3.25 a round.

 

[quickdeath]

hi,,,go to www.handloads.com ,,,go far right of page,,,go down to calculaters,,,you got it