I've never reloaded before and am curious how much I can expect to save on average. If I am buying a box of 9mm FMJ now for between $10.00 - $11.00 / box (50), how much can I expect to shave off that if I reload? I realize there are other benefits as well, but right now I am interested in it purely from a cost perspective. Thanks.
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How much will I save???
- Thread starter Tiberious
- Start date
From an earlier Post, I don't load 9mm personally but:
Shop, shop, shop your supplies or accessories, buy new, on sale, buy used, Trade. I have very little cash money invested in my equipment, just had the right deals at the right times. Pick a little up here or there at a time, upgrade when you can. I load alot of different calibers, cost savings depending on what your loading will vary. Depending on what or how I'm loading, Example - I can load for my.30 carbine at approx .20-.25 per round or $10-12.00 per box 50, .38spl .09 ea. or $5.00 for 50, .44 mag .12-.15 ea. or $7.50 per 50., 30.06 .35 ea. or $7.00 box 20 these are hunting rounds. These are just examples of a few that I load, you can go higher or lower depending on your cost of supplies that your loading for. My carbine loads are even less right now because I just swapped for 500 bullets so I have nothing in the cost of the bullets. Shop, Trade, Purchase when you have to.
ABOVE ALL HAVE FUN SHOOTING THEM!!!!
Good READING here:
http://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/sh...-exchange-for-some-reloading-knowledge./page2
Shop, shop, shop your supplies or accessories, buy new, on sale, buy used, Trade. I have very little cash money invested in my equipment, just had the right deals at the right times. Pick a little up here or there at a time, upgrade when you can. I load alot of different calibers, cost savings depending on what your loading will vary. Depending on what or how I'm loading, Example - I can load for my.30 carbine at approx .20-.25 per round or $10-12.00 per box 50, .38spl .09 ea. or $5.00 for 50, .44 mag .12-.15 ea. or $7.50 per 50., 30.06 .35 ea. or $7.00 box 20 these are hunting rounds. These are just examples of a few that I load, you can go higher or lower depending on your cost of supplies that your loading for. My carbine loads are even less right now because I just swapped for 500 bullets so I have nothing in the cost of the bullets. Shop, Trade, Purchase when you have to.
ABOVE ALL HAVE FUN SHOOTING THEM!!!!
Good READING here:
http://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/sh...-exchange-for-some-reloading-knowledge./page2
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Honestly, I don't think you'll save that much in reloading the common calibers like 9mm & .223. You *would* have the ability to tailor your loads to exactly what *you* want if that matters to you.
IMHO the big savings comes with reloading for less common calibers like .45 Colt or .32 Mag, or with rifle calibers.
IMHO the big savings comes with reloading for less common calibers like .45 Colt or .32 Mag, or with rifle calibers.
Probaly only a dollar or three. Not really much savings with the 9mm in my opinion. You start getting into the larger HG calibers and you will start to save. Pretty much the same for some rifle calibers. IMHO the savings really stack up in your favor when you start loading so called "Premium Ammo".
I started casting my own because I was tired of paying the prices for so called "Premium Bullets" ( think Cast Performance,Beartooth etc.) or performance loads (Garrett, Buffalo Bore etc.).
Reloading does broaden your horizin on the aspects of ammunition, that is for sure!
Tom
I started casting my own because I was tired of paying the prices for so called "Premium Bullets" ( think Cast Performance,Beartooth etc.) or performance loads (Garrett, Buffalo Bore etc.).
Reloading does broaden your horizin on the aspects of ammunition, that is for sure!
Tom
^^^This. You might save $2-3 per 50 if you shop the components and get good prices.
However, I have saved a lot of money on .38spl by loading it myself. Depending on the components...my loads range from as cheap as $5 per 50 to as much as $8 per 50. On rare occasions I can buy Remington UMC for about the same price as my high-end loads...but otherwise, I can go to the range and blast 150 rounds for about what 1 box of 50 costs at the range itself. Which is what makes the time spent reloading well worth it to me...
yea, that was what i was hoping for. i do shoot several other calibers besides 9mm but that is my primary round. i thought maybe i could get it down to around $5 / box. sounds like maybe its still worth it but just not so much on 9mm
$5 a box in 38spl = cheap cast lead bullets, light charge of Bullseye (nasty stuff, not my preference) and cheap Wolf primers. Even with this load...if I can't get the bullets dirt cheap...the price jumps up to about $6 a box. My favorite target load generally hovers in the $6.50 range...
If you shoot a LOT of 9mm...as in like a competition shooter, then you'd probably see the saving start to add up. But in batches of 200 rounds or so...might not be worth the time unless you want to develop a highly accurate low recoil round for target practice.
9mm FMJ bullets 1K/$77, 1lb powder/under $20, primers 1K/less than $30, 9mm brass-free if you have been shooting it and keeping it or picking up at the range. So the cost is less than $127 for 1K of loaded 9mm in comparison to your 9mm cheapest $20/100 or $200 for 1K factory ammo. The cost is a little more than half the cost of factory ammo or over a $70 savings every 1000 rounds fired.
The bullets are typically the most expensive item purchased. You can buy 1K of lead cast RN for about $50 or less than $100 for 1/k loaded cast reloaded ammo. If you start casting your own then even less than half the cost of factory ammo. The largest reloading savings are realized on high dollar ammo 10mm, .44 Magnum or specialty rounds like center fire sub-sonic ammo. I can reload 1K of 10mm barn burners for less than $160. Georgia Arms will sell you reloaded 1k of 10mm for $390 and it is not “barn burner” ammo.
The bottom line is you don't really save money; you just shoot a heck of a lot more!
The bullets are typically the most expensive item purchased. You can buy 1K of lead cast RN for about $50 or less than $100 for 1/k loaded cast reloaded ammo. If you start casting your own then even less than half the cost of factory ammo. The largest reloading savings are realized on high dollar ammo 10mm, .44 Magnum or specialty rounds like center fire sub-sonic ammo. I can reload 1K of 10mm barn burners for less than $160. Georgia Arms will sell you reloaded 1k of 10mm for $390 and it is not “barn burner” ammo.
The bottom line is you don't really save money; you just shoot a heck of a lot more!
Ain't that the truth!!!!
