Cost of Reloading - Pre-Covid Vs Post Covid

[Muddyboots]

First, I hope we can have just a cost discussion and not HIJACK this thread into a vilification of certain on-line sellers.

So reading all the threads on primers, powders etc and decided to put to paper costs to see how bad the difference is and I was a little bit surprised by the numbers. We can take unique cartridges and use them as why costs have sky rocketed but I decided to use a bread and butter load that a lot of folks have used.
300WM
200AB
RL26@75 grains/load = 93 loads/lb of powder (7,000 gr/lb) - pulled a normal load and not a primer pocket killer
FM215 standard primers - 1K box of primers
Hornady brass - 50 count and used simple 5X loads on each piece - we can argue this all day but just for demo purposes.

Assume purchased at LGS since HAZMAT costs are not standard. No sales tax just raw pricing. I still can buy and bought some 200AB at exact same price as before. I used Hornady brass just as a place holder. Pick your own and put in. Primer costs are the main complaint but reality the lowest cost of the loaded round. We can say their costs have doubled but is that a "so what" when going from $0.04 to $0.07? Brass and powder are bigger increased costs. But the powder costs seem to be only outrageous on line since I bought some 4000MR last week at LGS for $35/lb. My issue with on line is if LGS can sell powder at $35 just LAST WEEK, why can't on line sellers do so as well.? Just an observation and curious why there is such a disparity when on line sellers have greater buying power? Brass is another issue since metal costs have sky rocketed and virgin brass costs are rising faster than a lot of other metals so not surprised there at all.
Again let's not HIJACK this thread into a vilification of certain on-line sellers.

So how has your cost per round gone up based upon your component costs?

	Bullet	Brass	Powder	Primer	Costs
	200 AB	Hornady (50)	1lb RL26	1K FM215
Pre-Covid	$40.00	$49.00	$35.00	$40.00
per loaded round	$0.25	$1.00		$0.04
Assume 5x loads		$0.20
Assume 75 gr/load = 93 loads			$0.38
Cost/load					$0.87
20 rounds					$17.40
Post-Covid	$40.00	$58.00	$70.00	$70.00
per loaded round	$0.25	$1.16		$0.07
Assume 5x loads		$0.20
Assume 75 gr/load=93 loads			$0.81		$1.33
20 rounds					$26.60
Assume powder and primers are purchased at LGS to make it simple comparison since HAZMAT cost is not standard.

 

[QuietTexan]

I'd rather pay $5 a round for something that shoots than a nickle for one that doesn't. At a certain level it's not about cost anymore, it's about performance. I'm well past that level, I think a lot of people here are also. I see the numbers and I read the arguments about costs, but honestly it's secondary to achieving the goals I want to. I'm happy to see it's a relatively small impact though.

For the people loading to shoot higher volume maybe cost comes in to play because it reduces how much they can shoot at the same cost level. I load 300 BLK blaster subs, but that was the shooting I dropped when components became more scarce.

If you ever do a cost analysis like this on hunting venison compared to buying beef.... the math does not work out in favor of hunting as a practical endeavor anymore. "He hunts to feed his family" is pretty much BS in Texas today. Unless you inherited a bunch of land to hunt on for free and can get management tags, the costs don't work out trying to fill five tags a year on limited public lands. Isn't even close if you're paying to be on a lease. Much cheaper to go to the sale barn and pick up a steer or two. Couple months ago I bought two, and got 1,500 lbs of meat back at an average of $3.50/lb. Filled up my chest freezers, and the guy I bought them from delivered them straight to the processor.

 

[ducky]

I think your math is a little off. As far as I know AB bullets come in boxes of 50 so at $40 that's .80 ($40/50=.80) cents per bullet not .25 ($40/160=.25). Primers for 215M are closer to .15 ea around here. Then you have .23 cents per case not .20 assuming 5X loads. So you come out at $158.25 per 75 rounds or $2.11 per round right now price and $1.42 per round prior to 2020.

That amounts to a 67% increase in component costs. Then when you figure out your time spent having to chase down components, fuel driving to various shops, taxes or Hazmat and shipping I imagine there is more than a 100% increase in component costs. Don't forget that equipment costs have gone up as well, so for a person trying to get in the game it's pretty expensive.

 

[Muddyboots]

OMG Back to school!!! Was doing couple things at same time and put wrong numbers into spreadsheet. How bad is that? Dang!! So I put 50 bullets into 200 grains? How do you do that?

 

[Dosh]

Prices are slowly easing here. Powders went from $50/lb to $44.95/lb. bullets are holding and the seldom seen primers are still outrageously high. Some of the big box sporting goods stores have no ammo, brass, powder, bullets or primers and replaced the empty shelves with other items.

 

[Muddyboots]

Just for clarification, these are my costs and were not represented to be anything else than that. Note my last statement of the posting to be sure.

I have contractors at house and I did not proof my work which really ticks me off but guess what? We all make a mistake now and then. I think anyway.

My last brick of primers bought this year was $70 at LGS which is my math basis. I am able to buy powder at reasonable prices. Can I get exactly what I want? No but I had bought kegs 2 years ago maybe in premonition of future? My point is when you start to add up costs of just the components and what you are achieving with them, it is still not a deal breaker for me. I don't add in ancillary costs like travel etc since where do you draw that line? Do I add in my consulting hourly costs, portal to portal travel costs, mileage costs, meal costs? Where do you stop? I know it has been a royal PITA to find and get components but I just care about that as long as I can get what I "need" to actually load and not hoard.

The other point is not to assume cost drives whether I shoot or not. I will shoot as long as I am not taking food off the table and the bills are paid. Easy statement. I am retired.

I don't shoot AR's and but I can easily see where bulk purchasing has gone through roof but is it lack of components or increased number of new owners and can I say possibly "hoarding" for the next crisis? When I go to the range there is still a ton of 4.56 and .223 brass in barrel so someone is getting the ammo! I see people at the range with AR's that never owned one before and tell me they wanted to have one before they were banned! WTH!

Getting into reloading can be real challenging right now with lack of equipment but if you talk to Redding, they are to the wall manufacturing so what is the cause? Again millions of new gun owners that now want to reload to insure they have ammo has stressed the chain to breaking point all across the board IMO.

I guess I have been lucky since the LGS NEVER jumped prices above $70/brick and although they are out of them, they told me they will not GOUGE.

Which is why I buy as much as possible from LGS, they NEED us to stay in business and we NEED them to stay in business for us.

 

[QuietTexan]

I see people at the range with AR's that never owned one before and tell me they wanted to have one before they were banned! WTH!

They seem to inevitably have opinions about everything and for some reason are more than happy to tell me all about them. Funny how they seem to know everything. Then they leave their target on the backer so we can all see their awesome 3 foot grouping at 100 yards. BUT MUH IRUN SITGHS!

I'm all about helping new owners, but on the other hand I don't show up where they work and tell how to do their jobs.

 

[Chadp82]

Only thing I can offer, is I have paid on average of $40/lb of powder recently. I know you said not to consider online orders, but if people wait and buy 8lb jugs, you can get all in for $40 or less per lb. I have picked and chosen where/what to buy without getting into the high price game and also trying to realize people may need stuff too. I just wait for the things I need.

Primers seem to be non-existent. luckily haven't had to buy any just yet. I have even been trying to get percussion caps to start shooting a muzzleloader a little more. I got black powder and projectiles, but haven't run across caps anywhere. I have about 50-60 on hand. Like other things, I will be patient. I figured worst case, I can load black powder in 45-70 also.

The above may not help the discussion, but if people wait and watch, you can get powder and bullets, some local, some online stay relatively close to pre-covid prices.

Also, I liked the comments by QuietTexan, cost of venison vs. beef... HAHA! I don't even want to do the math on my sheep hunt last year, it is better to just have good memories of a great hunt and some tasty meals along the way

 

[P7M13]

I stockpiled so my costs remain the same.
When I build or buy a gun, I buy all the components I need to load at least 1K rounds.
I keep an eye out for sales too. For example, I see guys offering .243 105gr Bergers for >$50/100. I saw it coming and bought all the boxes available locally for $37/box. Did the same for varmint bullets in 6mm.
Yesterday, chanced upon 105gr TPC bullets for 38spcl / 380 auto, 500 for $38. Considering I poly coat my cast 44 bullets, I consider those to be just like copper plated. Bought the box. Last time I bought 380 bullets, it was $95 for 1K of 95gr RN.
I'm sure, in five years, I'll howl like crazy. Until then, I think I'm pretty set.

 

[AZHTR]

Muddy boots, I like your analysis (I was thinking of doing the same thing). I was a aerospace financial analyst for many years and I knew as soon as you posted it you would be "roasted over the fire"....LOTS of variable inputs and critical timing of those inputs

But I will say that I have reloaded for 30+ years and in the past if I needed a pound of powder or a couple hundred primers I would pick them up "as needed". BUT NOW I own more 8 pounders of various powder and thousands of primers and bullets that will literally take me 10 YEARS or more to shoot up. ( I believe this is true for many on this forum)

So YES, I am part of the problem, but I'm retired also and when I want to shoot, I go shoot without thinking I just shot another $XX of reloading components. Primers always seemed too cheap anyway compared to the rest of the components.

 

[dok7mm]

It's the future that bothers me. What prices will remain high after components are generally available?

I have felt no price increase, as I am pretty well stocked for the future. Of course, there a a few powders and high quality brass I'd like to pick up. I'm solid on bullets and primers, but never pass up a good deal.

I still shoot several days per week, but it's mostly load work up with secondary powders and bullets. For now I'm stingy with my top of the line components I use to hunt with.

I'm afraid it will be years before we can go to our usual suppliers, knowing we can find what we want.

As far as reloading prices rising, I believe it's a sure thing. The large companies that provide our components are aware of our needs, so they're likely to up the price. How much? Time will tell!

 

[Muddyboots]

+1 on retired! I am big boy and had to deal with presidents of divisions when I had to tell them no on various issues so have teflon skin! I wanted to float this discussion out there to generate some good comments and thought.

I believe components will start to show up when the initial surge subsides a bit, gougers start losing money and hoarders decide they have enough for the next millennium!

 

[Ol' Red]

I too have dealt with anti-gun administrations since Billy Clinton, so I was well stocked up coming into this shortage. Except for a rebarreled .300 Win Mag, that I needed new powders for. I have not noticed the extra cost yet, but as DOK7MM said "It's the future I wonder about.

 

[seattleman1969]

Gotta agree with QuietTexan on his first comment. I also think reloading is more about performance and cost savings was just a convenient excuse to tell our spouses, as well as being a nice side effect!