What’s your current cost per round on .308?

[greg vess]

Price for loading can and will vary a lot depending upon what combinations you are shooting. But here's an easy way to figure it out.

Components:

Primers- typically $75-120/thousand if you are buying now. Higher price if you want match primers, lower price for standard. Large rifle is probably still the hardest of the primers to find right now. Anything under $75/thousand is a good price now on LRP.

Powder- 4064, Varget, TAC are all good choices. 1 pound = 7000grains. Most of the better 308 powders are $40-50/pound these days. Typical loads are 40-45gr of powder, so roughly 150-175 rounds per pound of powder. If you want less expensive but still decent performance and not too hard to find, check out Shooters World powders. See what might be best for your weight bullets (typically some powders will work better for the 150gr range, others better for the 175/180gr range).

Bullets- this is where the difference in prices really show- if you can buy in bulk that's the best bet but a big difference between 147-150 gr FMJ vs 175gr HPBT/SMK. Best price will be blem 147gr FMJ bullets. Check Rocky Mountain Reloading, MidSouth, or there are a few places that sell mil spec "demilled" parts. Pats, Bartlett, etc.

Brass- again, big differences here. Bulk LC brass isn't too bad to use and actually is good brass with a little prep work. Or you can buy Lapua if you are shooting precision. $.25 a case for LC vs $1.00 per case for Lapua. Find a good source for once fired Lake City and you are set.

Some of the combinations you mentioned could be almost 2 bucks a round. That's fairly high for reloading isn't it? I mean if you are competition shooting I can see why but just target/ Hunting ammo I can't see it. Not when I can get sun MOA of the shelf and for a buck a round. Don't get me wrong here. I believe you are right on prices and variances but if he is not comp shooting he really needs to watch his P's and Q's if he wants to save on run of the mill target ammo.

 

[SpeedyR]

for sure. top level comp rounds are $35 for 20 rounds (for 308 that's Federal Gold Medal Match). but given the prices of components these days it's gotten a bit crazy. But you can look for deals and find them. In the past (just say 5-8 years) I bought match rifle primers for $30/1k. I have Lapua brass I bought for less than $1 per case. I typically bought powder around $25-30/pound for the good stuff.

Bullets are always the expensive part but a few years ago I went by Sierra bullets and bought a bunch of 175SMKs at the factory. They sell cosmetic seconds by the pound. current price is $11/pound for the 175SMK's. Around 40 bullets per pound. I think I paid around $9/# at the time. They had buckets full. But they only sell in person, no internet, no shipping, etc. Or i would get closeouts/seconds from Shooters Pro shop/Nosler and find deals there (they were good for 6.8 bullets as well but I haven't seen many deals there recently). When you find a deal, stock up. MidSouth shooters supply, etc.

For me the advantage of reloading was being able to make good quality ammo (308 175gr SMK) for close to the price that folks pay for range ammo. Tailor it to the rifle, and be set for a while and not have to worry about going to the store, finding that specific load, etc.

Friend ask about reloading a lot. I tell them if all they are shooting is 9mm lighter weight bullets, and standard 223/308 ammo it's probably not worth it these days to get into it unless they are just looking for a new hobby. It's when you start to shoot "different" stuff that it's well worth the time. One cartridge I shoot (not too often) is almost $85/box of 20. I can reload a box of 20 for about $8. Less if I bother to cast the bullets. I've got maybe 300 pieces of brass for the rifle (win m71 lever gun) so a lifetime supply and probably worth more than the rifle. lol. Or subsonic ammo. or precision ammo. or older/harder to find cartridges. or you just enjoy it as a hobby.

I am hoping that prices continue to fall on the bits that make up this fun hobby and get back to when it was cost effective to produce bulk ammo.

 

[BHPSteel]

One other round that is often worthwhile reloading is the good old 38 special.

If you want anything other than boring old RN, you sometimes have to look around to find it. Building your own wadcutter rounds for example is real cheap if you use plated or cast bullets.

Back on subject though - as has been said already - the bullet cost is probably the biggest factor in the economics of 308 reloading.

 

[greg vess]

for sure. top level comp rounds are $35 for 20 rounds (for 308 that's Federal Gold Medal Match). but given the prices of components these days it's gotten a bit crazy. But you can look for deals and find them. In the past (just say 5-8 years) I bought match rifle primers for $30/1k. I have Lapua brass I bought for less than $1 per case. I typically bought powder around $25-30/pound for the good stuff.

Bullets are always the expensive part but a few years ago I went by Sierra bullets and bought a bunch of 175SMKs at the factory. They sell cosmetic seconds by the pound. current price is $11/pound for the 175SMK's. Around 40 bullets per pound. I think I paid around $9/# at the time. They had buckets full. But they only sell in person, no internet, no shipping, etc. Or i would get closeouts/seconds from Shooters Pro shop/Nosler and find deals there (they were good for 6.8 bullets as well but I haven't seen many deals there recently). When you find a deal, stock up. MidSouth shooters supply, etc.

For me the advantage of reloading was being able to make good quality ammo (308 175gr SMK) for close to the price that folks pay for range ammo. Tailor it to the rifle, and be set for a while and not have to worry about going to the store, finding that specific load, etc.

Friend ask about reloading a lot. I tell them if all they are shooting is 9mm lighter weight bullets, and standard 223/308 ammo it's probably not worth it these days to get into it unless they are just looking for a new hobby. It's when you start to shoot "different" stuff that it's well worth the time. One cartridge I shoot (not too often) is almost $85/box of 20. I can reload a box of 20 for about $8. Less if I bother to cast the bullets. I've got maybe 300 pieces of brass for the rifle (win m71 lever gun) so a lifetime supply and probably worth more than the rifle. lol. Or subsonic ammo. or precision ammo. or older/harder to find cartridges. or you just enjoy it as a hobby.

I am hoping that prices continue to fall on the bits that make up this fun hobby and get back to when it was cost effective to produce bulk ammo.

I am .223 because I have a ton of brass and RMR sells 69gr. Tapered OTM for hunting and target for 50 bucks for 250 bullets. I already have powders and primers and I want to add it to my stash and have better accuracy than 10 dollar a box ammo. Plus decent hunting ammo is 100 a round at least. It also gives me something to do.

Reloading for 6.8spc ll is definitely worth doing to get real good accuracy. Most of the shelf ammo that is accurate is fairly expensive.

 

[SpeedyR]

Reloading for 6.8spc ll is definitely worth doing to get real good accuracy. Most of the shelf ammo that is accurate is fairly expensive.

Plus with most 6.8spc barrels you can take advantage of the Spec 2 chambers or whatever they call them now and being able to push the bullets a bit more than the SAAMI spec ammo. my original LMT barrel was reamed out years ago to the later spec. There was a MichiGun reamer that was floating around at the time that I was able to use.

 

[madcow]

This will do the math for you.

Reloading Cost Calculator

Dillon Precision: Reloaders, Reloading Equipment, Bullet Reloading, Bullet Reloaders

www.dillonprecision.com

 

[upickemwestickem]

Get into pour lead and the cost will drop i find lead from my tire stores and if all your doing is blasting rounds not looking for groups that would be the way I’d go then powder coat them. Just depends on the time you want to spend

 

[greg vess]

Federal 7.62×51, M-80C 149 gr. FMJ ammo can be had for a buck a round before tax if you look around. I scored several boxes of 40 rounds for 40 bucks. That's hard to beat. Especially since good powder and primers have gone through the roof price wise. Match ammo is about the only thing you can find to buy these days. I think people are just hoarding hunting / SD ammo and leaving nothing on the shelves.

 

[greg vess]

My .308 Ballistic Advantage barrel loves that ammo. I mean it just loves it!

 

[YOTESHOOTER]

.80 - .92 cents, depeding on primer and powder choices and not including your time.

The main thing is case preparation, cleaning primer pockets, case cleaning, case trimming,
watching the case length, finally the OAL, overall case lenght after primer, powder, and bullet seating.

Do right the first time and you will be very happy with the finished product...