Calculating Cost per Round

[WilBloodworth]

If you just want to kill some meat, and don't have the need for precision reloaded rounds, and don't enjoy practicing, and don't enjoy reloading, then don't do it. I think if you answer yes to 2 out of three of my other criteria, then even with today jacked prices, it makes sense.

Primers are still the bottle neck. If you are starting out, then buy a nice lot of factory rounds (find some Lapua) shoot them and save the brass. Get say 140 or 160. Unless you are really blasting, those should keep you shooting for a little while. Make sure they are all one lot. Not just same brand, but same load and lot. You'll get better matched brass that way. Then you will have a supply of already formed brass to your gun when the primer prices finally subside.

My thoughts.

Oh, and you will not 50 loadings out of most brass. With anealing, light loads, proper sizeing, and the right cartridge, you *might* get 20. Lots of basic brass is dead after 5-8 loads. Some less.

Thank you. How do you know when brass is "dead"?

 

[Muddyboots]

Cost of shooting at range enjoying every moment? Priceless
Cost of reloading when standing over an animal that you shot with your "custom" load? Priceless!
Cost of reloading when son is standing over shooter buck he killed with your reload? Priceless!
Cost of salmon versus trolling mindlessly for hours couple hundred miles from home? Priceless!
Cost of salmon trolling standing over net with 30+ lb'er on floor? Priceless!
Don't show this to my wife. Priceless!

 

[30BR]

You all just threw me into depression as I added up all the stuff I have bought to shoot tiny groups. Including the 3 extra benches to hold all the crap...

 

[J-B welder]

I try to get things at a good price. That helps with the overall cost. And I'll use blems/ 2nds brass or bullets. I only use top tier components for special big game hunts or specialized high priority ammo.

That's the way I've tried to operate. Just about all of my equipment was purchased used, and a lot of my components were bought from folks looking to offload stuff they didn't need any more.

When I first started reloading I kept track of my per-round cost, and it was in the same ballpark as you, WilBloodworth. That included my equipment costs, which obviously goes down on a per-round basis the more rounds you load.

 

[xsn10s]

That's the way I've tried to operate. Just about all of my equipment was purchased used, and a lot of my components were bought from folks looking to offload stuff they didn't need any more.

When I first started reloading I kept track of my per-round cost, and it was in the same ballpark as you, WilBloodworth. That included my equipment costs, which obviously goes down on a per-round basis the more rounds you load.

Estate/ garage sales are a great place to pick up reloading equipment. My last garage sale purchase was a RCBS case trimmer for 5 bucks. Ebay is pretty handy too. I just purchased a 60 MOA NF rail for 49 bucks delivered. We should see what it looks like today.

 

[J-B welder]

If you want to bring down your cost per round, start reloading pistol ammo. Lots cheaper.

 

[xsn10s]

If you want to bring down your cost per round, start reloading pistol ammo. Lots cheaper.

The sad thing is I shot pistols/ revolver competitions, but could never make that ammo better than factory ammo. My rifle loads are more accurate than factory.

 

[cornshank]

Cost of shooting at range enjoying every moment? Priceless
Cost of reloading when standing over an animal that you shot with your "custom" load? Priceless!
Cost of reloading when son is standing over shooter buck he killed with your reload? Priceless!
Cost of salmon versus trolling mindlessly for hours couple hundred miles from home? Priceless!
Cost of salmon trolling standing over net with 30+ lb'er on floor? Priceless!
Don't show this to my wife. Priceless!

Don't forget cost of reloading ,when opening freezer ,to pick out wild game for dinner ? Priceless !
Or
Cost of reloading when you look at set of antlers and remember the hunt? Priceless!
Or
Cost of reloading when when you look at the new carpet your wife bought cause you spent so much on powder ? Priceless!

 

[Roninco]

Thank you. How do you know when brass is "dead"?

When the primer pockets become loose or the necks begin to split. Not shooting maximum loads can delay the former. Annealing can prevent the latter.

 

[Ol' Red]

Don't forget cost of reloading ,when opening freezer ,to pick out wild game for dinner ? Priceless !
Or
Cost of reloading when you look at set of antlers and remember the hunt? Priceless!
Or
Cost of reloading when when you look at the new carpet your wife bought cause you spent so much on powder ? Priceless!

Cost of the vacuum cleaner when you suck up a couple live primers. There is a price on that one.

 

[xsn10s]

Cost of the vacuum cleaner when you suck up a couple live primers. There is a price on that one.

Wally World 100 bucks on sale lol. Plus two years of life lost due to the shock to the ticker lol.

 

[cornshank]

Cost of the vacuum cleaner when you suck up a couple live primers. There is a price on that one.

Cost of chiropractor, from leaning over for half hour while digging through vacuum bag looking for 2 primers!! Priceless

 

[Mike Matteson]

Back 60+ years ago. I could reload a box of 20 for 300 H &H for a $1.40. Buying factory ammo was about $5.00 back then. I hadn't put the numbers together in a long time. Now it would be about $33.00 per box of 20. A coupe of years back I was getting 5.56 Ammo for $0.24 per round. I hadn't realize just how much things have changed over the years. The days of old. I CAN REMEMBER WHEN, OR BACK IN THE DAYS, as the saying goes.

 

[Plinker147]

If you factor in the fact that you are reloading custom ammo. To buy custom loaded ammo is much more that just a box of average off the shelf ammo. Reloading still save you about 1/2 the cost to buy the equivalent ammo. I don't know what it cost me per round but I know its tripled in price since i started 30 years ago. But reloading is still the BEST and MOST bang for your buck !!!