The cost of reloading.

[300WSM]

I've been reading a lot of new posts about reloading and the cost of it. I thought I would put this formula up here because some people just hate doing math or don't understand it....yet would like to know how much it costs them to actually load ammo. I will do this down to a box of twenty so you can compare. I will also use a 300 WSM for the example.

7000 grains in one lb.powder
Divide 7000 by your powder charge
7000gr/65gr charge = 107.6923 rounds per pound
$19 per pound/107.6923 = .1764285 x 20 = $3.53

Bullet count per box broken into a box of twenty
50 bullets divided by 20 bullets (per box)
50 bullets/20 per box = 2.5
$22 box of 50 bullets/2.5 = $8.80

Brass count per bag broken into a box of twenty
50 count of brass divided by 20 count (per box of 20)
50 brass/20 pieces of brass per box = 2.5
$33 for a bag of 50 brass/2.5 = $13.20

Primer count per box broken into a box of twenty
100 primers divided by 20 primers (per box of 20)
100 primers/20 primers per box of ammo = 5
$2.90 per 100 primers/5 = .58 (.58 cents)

$26.11
20 rounds of 300 WSM loaded with a 65 grain powder charge, 180 grain Ballistic Silver Tip bullets, primed, with brand new brass. If you threw away the brass after firing just one time it cost $26.11 to load 20 rounds with these premium bullets.

The cost per 20 drops pending how many times you fire the same brass case.

Using the same formula but with brass fired 5 times ($13.20 for 20 new brass divided by 5 for the times fired = $2.64 for the adjusted average cost of twenty brass. Now the cost of 20 rounds is reduced to $15.55 a box.

The constants in all of this are always the cost of primers, bullets, and powder. Brass is the variable as you can use it again. The amount of times you use the brass will keep reducing the cost average per 20 rounds.

So to answer the many questions regarding how much it will cost or save someone, as you can see it is significantly cheaper than going to a store and buying a box of Winchester Supreme loaded with 180 grain Ballistic Silver Tip Bullets.

Hopefully this helps some people understand how much it actually costs them to load ammo. Also note that I used my cost of components for this formula. Your component might be different. The cost of component may change but the formula will always give you the actual net cost per box of 20. For those that want a cost per round just divide your answer by 20 and that is your per round cost.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

45.99 for a box of your ammo at Cabela's. I just looked it up.

 

[JD338]

300WSM

nicely done. Thanks for posting.

JD338

 

[joelkdouglas]

You forgot to add the cost of the concentricity gauge.

And the fancy calipers.

Oh yeah, the neck turner too!

:lol:

 

[CMBTshooter]

Looks like I'm down to $8.37 a box!

 

[Wincheringen]

You're not going to save any money, you just shoot a lot more than you would before. That pays big dividends later on.

 

[Elkman]

Great post 300!!!!!!

By careful shopping the costs can be reduced even further. SPS is an excellent example. My last Partitions cost me $15.95, plus shipping. But of course as a Washington resident I avoided the sales tax. I am constantly on the watch for sales and bargains on bullets (the primary expense). Savings can also be made by buying in bulk. I still have 1/2 of a box of 500, .308, 180's bought several years ago. I just recieved two unopened boxes of 180 gr. Bergers for a 7mm that cost less 80% of over the counter bullets. When I bought my STW several years ago, I bought 200 cases. I still have the majority of them. Most of my primers are "years" old and cost much less than today. Reloading is not cheap, but it beats buying the factory stuff by a long ways.

 

[FOTIS]

I can get 700 rounds of 17 Hornet from 1 pound of LILGUN :lol: :lol:

 

[Mortis]

Good post.... +1

As a shop manager I'm always figuring quotes to customers for parts. It can get confusing for the unenlightened.

I stopped figuring costs years ago, knowing that if I reload 1200 rds of 9mm, I'm going to save at ton of nickles verses buying over the counter ammo.

And I would have hated to figure out the factory costs on the 1800+ rounds of ammo my family shot up back in November.

Once past the initial costs of equipment, reloading becomes a very inexpensive way to enjoy a hobby. And the act of reloading is in itself a hobby. And I know hobbies much more expensive, even if you toss in the cost of the firearms.

Plus for me.....after 41 yrs of marriage..... it's a good way to stay out from under the wife's feet when there is nothing else to do around the house.

 

[Horsethief]

I agree with the costs of reloading compared to buying ammo off the shelf. Aside from saving money, reloading keeps you from being at the mercy of a clerk ordering more ammo or that store being able to get more of the ammo you want. If the 180gn ammo you like for your 300 WSM isn't there, you either go to another store (taking more time) or you get other ammo, that will cause more range time to verify your zero, and possilbly find out your rifle shoots this particular ammo not-so-well.

When you reload, you'll learn what works and you can have dozens of cartridges ready to go---to the range OR for hunting season, likely with better accuracy than factory loads.

 

[HeathSexton]

I shoot 5grs of Bullseye in my .44 Mag with 240 cast for practice loads. I get around 1400 rounds per pound and bullets are about $0.12 each.

 

[Vince]

You forgot to add the real final cost of reloading:

The price of staying out of the stripper bar and the wife knowing you aren't out catting around, PRICELESS!

 

[Wincheringen]

My .38 load gets my 1750 rounds from a pound of Bullseye and my bullets cost 7 cents each add the primer at 2.5 cents and I'm $5.67 per box of 50, about 1/3 the cost of buying new. On the Dillon I can crank out at least 400 of them an hour. Of course I'd have to shoot over 2k rounds to break even on the Dillon, but that is pretty easy for me to do in a month during the summer matches. Not to mention the Dillon holds its value pretty well so it really doesn't cost me anything to own.

 

[AzDak42]

I found this linked from another forum and have found it helpful.

http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp

 

[onesonek]

Good post!
As most know however, it's not about saving money for me, like other's mentioned. It's all about making more shooting less costly, and also to fine tune loads. The last is more important to me! But even if I found a highly accurate factory load, I would still reload to make those practice range trips less costly.

 

[Greg Nolan]

onesonek hit on one of the major savings. Customize a load. For instance with my 375 RUM you're looking at $80+ dollars a box with premium bullets. How many boxes would I have to buy to try all variations of bullets in search of the most accurate load? It would then be a compromise between accuracy, bullet type and ballistic co-efficient for down range retained energy. I would never find the 260 gr. AccuBond at 3080 fps that I use available in a factory load. As said already, I can buy Nosler seconds in all my calibers and using the brass a second time for free and seconds bullets +powder and primer and load 20 (best load) rounds for about $10 a box.
It's also kind of like tying my own flies for fly fishing. The more I am involved in creating the tools I use the more satisfaction I get from the results.

 

[nosler06]

Great post 300!!!!!!

By careful shopping the costs can be reduced even further. SPS is an excellent example. My last Partitions cost me $15.95, plus shipping. But of course as a Washington resident I avoided the sales tax. I am constantly on the watch for sales and bargains on bullets (the primary expense). Savings can also be made by buying in bulk. I still have 1/2 of a box of 500, .308, 180's bought several years ago. I just recieved two unopened boxes of 180 gr. Bergers for a 7mm that cost less 80% of over the counter bullets. When I bought my STW several years ago, I bought 200 cases. I still have the majority of them. Most of my primers are "years" old and cost much less than today. Reloading is not cheap, but it beats buying the factory stuff by a long ways.

Wow, I can not believe what you pay for Partitions. Try up here in Canada paying $54.99 per box of Partitions and $35 per lb of powder. Gone are those days when us Canadians were able to purchase reloading supplies in the US. I do remember and still have the box $9.99 Partitions and $9.99 lb IMR4350 tin from White Elephant in Spokane. Yes I am dating myself now. It does cost us Canadians alot more to reload, but it still is well worth it.

 

[.300winmag]

One thing to consider is you get more than one firing with a piece of brass so you can divide the cost of the brass by the number of firings, that's what I've always done. Thanks for the info!

 

[Tytalus]

Wow, I can not believe what you pay for Partitions. Try up here in Canada paying $54.99 per box of Partitions and $35 per lb of powder. Gone are those days when us Canadians were able to purchase reloading supplies in the US. I do remember and still have the box $9.99 Partitions and $9.99 lb IMR4350 tin from White Elephant in Spokane. Yes I am dating myself now. It does cost us Canadians alot more to reload, but it still is well worth it.

This is a useful tidbit for me, since I live in Abbotsford I maintain a PO Box in Sumas WA. Is it outright illegal or just hard to get the certification to move reloading goods across the border?

 

[DrMike]

The issue is not Canada; Canadian law permits importation of components. The issue is US Homeland Security which debars export of components (and of course ammunition), rifles, magazines, rifle scopes and other associated items. To be caught below the line with these items would subject you to severe penalties. The fact that you maintain a postal box (I used to keep one in Custer) would open you to scrutiny. You may be assured that HS knows your travel patterns.