Post by: Craig on October 06, 2009, 12:16:39 PM
I am tired of paying crazy prices for factory ammo. I just bought 2 boxes ( 40 rounds ) of Nosler custom ammo for my .300 RUM 180 grain Accubonds for with tax for $156.
Post by: TheHunt on October 06, 2009, 12:18:58 PM
Post by: BIGBULLBALLS on October 06, 2009, 12:31:49 PM
Post by: gottatree on October 06, 2009, 12:33:30 PM
Post by: Rgrady35 on October 06, 2009, 12:52:34 PM
Post by: HUNT on October 06, 2009, 01:11:31 PM
It really pays off when you take your kids to shoot prairie dogs and shoot 2500 rounds per day!!
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on October 06, 2009, 01:24:18 PM
So, that's ~three boxes of 338winmag, four boxes of 30-06, 3 boxes of 357mag, 3 boxes of 44mag. Or, in your case, just four boxes of 300rum. Now you've got some brass for that one rifle. You mean to tell me you only have one rifle to shoot? No pistols that you shoot? Once you've got the equipment, then you save and horse trade your brass. Buy primers, powder and bullets in bulk. (then get accused of hoarding) But you'll have thousands of rounds to go shoot any time you want. So, is it cheaper? NO! Because you'll shoot more.
Certain cartridges will pass on more cost savings than others. For any of the magnums, you can save more than 50% of retail cost. For my 45acp for which I pour my own lead target loads, I can load them for $.09-$.12ea. Try to find a box of 50 for less than $25 retail. Even when lead and primer prices are up, I'm still reloading for not more than $.15ea. $.22ea. for 44mag 'reloads'. Use range pickup brass for practice and buy new brass to form and hunt with. I can load 9mm/40s&w for $.07ea. Even buying bulk hunting bullets for rifle cartridges has 30-06 at $.40-$.50ea. That's $15.00 less per box of 20 from retail prices. And... Oh, you get to tailor the load/bullet selection to yourr rifle. Just try to find some light load Unique driven 200gn SWC in 44mag to practice with, or some AA#9 powered shoulder bustin 300gn Sierra SP's in 44mag that jump out the 7 1/2" barrel at 1350fps from the store shelf. -Not gonna happen. Or some 206gn LSWC 45acp that are load tuned to run out the 5 1/2" barrel at 810fps that will hold the 10ring at 50yds from your Kimber 1911. -Not gonna happen. At any price.
Factory ammo has come a long way from where it was 20 some years ago. In most cases it's pretty good, but at a price. Non-reloaders don't have the options that reloaders have. Do you need all those options. Depends on how much and what you're shooting. If you're punching paper for fun once a month with a buddy. Maybe not. If you've got more than two regular shooters in the house, shooting just about anything more than once a week, then you ought to be reloading. For the competition shooter, there is no choice. Every competitive shooter I know, reloads.
-Steve
Edit.. Reloading ammunition is a great hobby! (Other than a box of 30-30, I haven't purchased factory ammo, (other than rimfire) in more than 22years.)
Post by: Bean Counter on October 06, 2009, 01:35:55 PM
Tangent on hoarding: In Venezuela, where socialism has destroyed the cattle industry, when an occasional rancher was actually able to raise beef and bring it to market under the cost-controlled price, many would race to the store and hoard as much as they could. To correct this problem, the infinitely wise Mr. Chavez created a toll free number where hoarders could be reported for torture.
:mor:
Post by: HUNT on October 06, 2009, 01:55:06 PM
Post by: Rgrady35 on October 06, 2009, 02:12:15 PM
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on October 06, 2009, 02:19:43 PM
Quote
Is 10,000 primers hoarding?
Not in my book. But if you go in the store and they just got a shipment in of that many in various sizes, and you buy them all just 'because' then I know people that would think so. I was in Kesselrings a couple months ago and asked if I could have five bricks of large pistol primers while I was on the phone to two friends that needed primers. They paid me back for the 3,000 I bought them. I buy what I need, which is base on a projected shooting reloading season to come. I've heard of guys cleaning out a store of up to 50,000 just so they have a four year supply. I don't think that's very nice to fellow shooters.
There are a lot of municipalities that have some little known laws about how much ammunition you can keep on hand, and how it's stored. Most of those laws reference 'enough for two shooting sessions'. Much of this is in fire codes. Laws for the keeping of components for ammunition are even more vague. The liberal press would go nuts with a headline of 'a household that had more than 10,000rnds of ammunition and components to manufacture another 10,000.' Our society doesn't understand that a truly competitive shooter might shoot 1,000rnds of practice a week. If the shooter has a life... shoots a few days.. mows the lawn once, works, then he really doesn't have much time to reload, so most of them go on reloading binges in the winter months and stock up.
-Steve
Post by: HUNT on October 06, 2009, 03:05:30 PM
Post by: MtnMuley on October 06, 2009, 03:12:42 PM
Post by: C-Money on October 06, 2009, 03:22:15 PM
Post by: Skinnyman on October 06, 2009, 03:54:39 PM
My 338 Win mag is $1.16 per round (if I am re-using brass) with a Barnes TSX Bullet if I reload. If I buy that ammo as a factory load it is $2.80 per round!!!! A few hundred rounds in my case pays for the equipment.
Post by: royalbull on October 06, 2009, 04:23:14 PM
Post by: Gutpile on October 06, 2009, 06:11:46 PM
Post by: Red Dawg on October 06, 2009, 06:17:04 PM
Post by: huntnphool on October 06, 2009, 06:17:40 PM
Post by: Red Dawg on October 06, 2009, 06:20:15 PM
Post by: huntnphool on October 06, 2009, 06:23:13 PM
He doesn't even make you prepair the brass. Lucky dog. That is the worst and most tedious part.
Nope, you should see the ones he did for M-Ray, they look like chrome.
Post by: dontgetcrabs on October 06, 2009, 06:42:20 PM
I have a buddy load all my ammo, I keep him supplied with powders and primers for his own guns and in turn he loads for me, works out pretty nice.
I would be all over that! Anyone need some custom ammo. :)
Post by: Gutpile on October 06, 2009, 06:44:57 PM
I have a buddy load all my ammo, I keep him supplied with powders and primers for his own guns and in turn he loads for me, works out pretty nice.
I would be all over that! Anyone need some custom ammo. :)
:yeah: That would be really nice. Buy me my supplies and your supplies and you betcha I'll load for you.
Post by: mossback91 on October 06, 2009, 06:47:29 PM
I have a buddy load all my ammo, I keep him supplied with powders and primers for his own guns and in turn he loads for me, works out pretty nice.
I would be all over that! Anyone need some custom ammo. :)
:yeah: That would be really nice. Buy me my supplies and your supplies and you betcha I'll load for you.
No kiddin!! Im gonna have to talk somebody into that one!! I like free bullets :chuckle:
Post by: littlebuf on October 06, 2009, 08:22:07 PM
Post by: mazama on October 06, 2009, 08:59:50 PM
Post by: alecvg on October 06, 2009, 09:18:38 PM
Post by: cascademountainhunter on October 06, 2009, 09:36:25 PM
Post by: HoofsandWings on October 06, 2009, 09:44:10 PM
I began reloading and found the OAL was way different than specs. Once I added 0.23 to the OAL, I got tight groups.
Post by: Chopaka81 on October 06, 2009, 09:54:29 PM
Nosler 180gr AB's running $24.49/100 = $9.80 for 40rds.
Powder runs about $24/lb (7000 grs) = $13.71 for 40rds (for a 100gr charge)
Assuming you have saved all of your Rummy's Brass = $0.00
Total cost approximately = $25.23 for 40 rds.
What is not covered is the cost of a press, scale, dies, powder measure, case trimmer, neck trimer, brass polisher (cleaner), you will pass the $500 mark amazingly fast. I would recommend a beginners kit. Another good source is garage sales, where this stuff can had for pennies on the dollar. hosted by a disgruntled wife. :chuckle:
Post by: Huntbear on October 06, 2009, 10:05:37 PM
I reload for all my rifles. I know what is in every cartridge I make. And they are all the same. I measure every powder charge out on the scale. Kind of a pain, but I am anal about reloading.
x 2 especially about the anal part for me.
I have been reloading since I was in my teens. I reload for every centerfire in my arsenal and my brother, and my nephew.
Federal .338 WM shells are 65.00 for 20. I can load for right at a dollar a shell for everything we shoot. Plus we get as good if not better accuracy by the time I get thru messing with COAL after finding a load that works.
3 shots clover leafed inside of 3/4 at 100 yards out of a .338 wm is good enough for me.
Post by: Rhinoron247 on October 06, 2009, 10:07:27 PM
Post by: Chopaka81 on October 06, 2009, 10:20:19 PM
Reloading for me is like "Packing your own Chute" before you jump out of a plane. It's also about having what I want, when I want it and in the amounts I want. Call me a control freak! :o :o :o :o
You control freak! :chuckle:
I could not have said it better. Ditto's.
Post by: littlebuf on October 07, 2009, 07:35:31 AM
Primers are running $43/1000 (or so) = $1.72 for 40 rds.
Nosler 180gr AB's running $24.49/100 = $9.80 for 40rds.
Powder runs about $24/lb (7000 grs) = $13.71 for 40rds (for a 100gr charge)
Assuming you have saved all of your Rummy's Brass = $0.00
Total cost approximately = $25.23 for 40 rds.
What is not covered is the cost of a press, scale, dies, powder measure, case trimmer, neck trimer, brass polisher (cleaner), you will pass the $500 mark amazingly fast. I would recommend a beginners kit. Another good source is garage sales, where this stuff can had for pennies on the dollar. hosted by a disgruntled wife. :chuckle:
where are you finding 180gr AB's for 24.49 per 100 ?!!!! let me in on that one. last i bought was a 50 count for a little under 30 bucks
Post by: MtnMuley on October 07, 2009, 09:05:20 AM
Post by: Chopaka81 on October 07, 2009, 09:43:00 AM
:P
Post by: Jamieb on October 07, 2009, 11:05:44 PM
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on October 08, 2009, 02:05:12 PM
Uh, there's just a 'little' savings by rolling your own. :IBCOOL:
-Steve
Post by: carpsniperg2 on October 08, 2009, 05:11:14 PM
Post by: Chopaka81 on October 11, 2009, 09:42:33 PM