Cost of Reloading - Pre-Covid Vs Post Covid

[Casimirblue]

25% at a minimum
35$ is now 45$
190$ is 240$
Etc

 

[Stgraves260]

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.

I was wondering about that same thing about on line sellers being double the price. I'm thinking because of the pandemic all the wear houses were shut down. I don't know how all that works. When I see powder, primers , brass on the shelf at retail stores it doesn't seam to be any higher than normal.

 

[Jay Franklin]

Here in the communist state of Virginia (Formally Commonwealth of Va.) components are scarce but starting to trickle back at higher rates. For the high volume shooter it has definitely hurt. I do agree that I personally am more concerned about "point of aim = point of impact" versus just burning a bunch of powder and components. Still nothing wrong with that if your wallet allows it though. Thanks for the comparisons.

 

[DWier]

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?

Ya did it again muddy. Focus, focus!

 

[DWier]

Ya did it again muddy. Focus, focus!

BTW thx for the comparison. I have found if you look hard enough you can find powders for close to pre Covid prices on line but few and far between. Primers are a different story. Life goes on (thank God).

 

[BallisticExpansion]

I reload bulk ammo in addition to my precision hunting needs. My cost in 2019 for 1k round of 9mm was approx $180. Now the cost is $250-300 variation mostly depending on primer cost. My primary concern is the the cost of copper rising. It may be slightly less of a percentage increase than primers, but primers will fall back down much quicker while bullets will remain high until copper drops.

223 cost is currently $400-$450 per k using hornady 62gr FMJs and self processed brass.

If you reuse the brass those prices are a little lower.

 

[AllenRay]

To start with I'm a new reloader so I know very little of what ya'll paid back in the day. My lgs is a couple racks of bs in a jewelry repair shop, so all my stuff has hazmat and shipping; I will leave that out. I understand the market and I will make no apology for getting what I need from whoever I can get it from for whatever I paid for it. That being said: Paid $89 for a brick of cci 41's last week(Midsouth). Found some A#7 a while back and bought 5lbs for $28 ea(Midsouth). $289 for an 8lb of lt30 3 months ago(GB). $40 ea for 2lbs of 8208 about the same time(GB). Getting 68gn bthp for $13 a box this week(Selway). Pistol primers are a gb item only, sucks but it is what it is at $.18 ea. Starting to see normal suppliers get stock. I'm in S. Texas and my guns are running (much better than on factory ammo), and i'm hopeful it will cost less later. Still cheaper than factory ammo.my $.02.

 

[Muledeerhuntingfreak]

I am with quiet Texan he said it better than anybody on here II have 10 boxes of rounds at home for A 270 that shoot like crap they are worthless to me I paid all this money and they are junkWhat a waste of money

 

[emp1953]

Hammer website has .243 105gr now for around $100 per 100. I bought 3 boxes. Will keep me in deer ammo for 10/15 years.

 

[emp1953]

Berger's website has .243 105gr now for around $100 per 100. I bought 3 boxes. Will keep me in deer ammo for 10/15 years.

Sorry.... Not Berger but Hammer

 

[hybridspecies]

I handload for performance and because I don't want to go through a background check to buy ammo as is required in the People's Republic.

 

[JAYgs8163]

I'm finding that prices are easing big time. Just bought numerous different popular powders all at $35 or less a pound. H4350, MagPro, IMR4955, RL22, IMR4451

 

[FEENIX]

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?

I have used a reloading calculator apps in the past.

 

[cabelasken]

I load for accuracy and specific bullet performance. Cost is a factor because I practice a lot so saving $.50 to $1.50 per shot makes a difference of $1000 to $1500 per year. If I had to purchase components at current prices, I believe my cost per shot would be double over pre pandemic costs. I might add that three of my rifles are the 284 winchester, so factory ammo is not an option. My cost per round would go from about $.75 per round to about $1.50 in todays cost, asuming I didn't have to purchase any new brass. As others did, I was stocked up pretty good when the pandemic hit, so I only needed to add a few bullets here and there for a new caliber. Hopefully prices will trend down over the next year to allow restocking the supply of powders, primers, brass and bullets.