Wolverine6G
Marksman
- Oct 2, 2012
- 178
- 18
If you really want to save some serious money, get into casting your own bullets, I can reload .45 acp for around $.06 each.
For those of you reloading 9mm for 12-18 cents per round, is this lead or jacketed bullets? Does this price include brass? If brass is factored in, do you use 1/3 the brass cost assuming you'll use the same piece three times? Also, how do you factor in loss? Unless you shoot in a very static and/or sterile environment, it seems unlikely you retain 100% of your brass after each outing. Do these costs factor in taxes and or shipping costs on all components?
A couple years ago I could buy a case of 9mm for 20-21 cents per round, and so 18 cents per round was not appealing. This is no longer the case. Factory 9mm is 25 cents per round if you're lucky, and closer to 30 cents if you're taking what you can find. So the thought of reloading has more appeal.
Also, how much additional time do you estimate that you spend reloading? How long would it take you to put out 1000 rounds? How much extra time do you spend at the range picking up brass? Cleaning brass? Trimming cases? (Maybe not a factor for pistol bullets.)
I spent an hour at a range Sunday picking up brass and picked up about 3k pistol and rifle brass.
Anyone who can't get all the range pickup 9mm brass they want free isn't trying very hard. Regardless, pistol brass has a MUCH greater life than 3 loadings unless one is loading them very hot, and for most people pistol brass will be lost long before it reaches the end of its life. I have conducted lots of brass life tests (and posted several of them here and elsewhere) and most pistol brass will last 30-40 loadings easily. So the amortized cost for brass is much lower than most people think. Essentially it is the cheapest part of the reloading process along with powder.
I spend lots of time loading cause I love it. I spend my winter in the barn with heater and cool tunes casting,sizing, tumbling, and loading. It keeps the cabin fever away till spring when my girls and I spend the reast of the year shooting what I made. Its a vicious cycle and after I think about it maybe I don't really save money I just shoot more. As for brass I always leave with more than I came with. I tell the girls to leave the range better than we found it. I get free brass and the chance to teach about doing the right thing.For those of you reloading 9mm for 12-18 cents per round, is this lead or jacketed bullets? Does this price include brass? If brass is factored in, do you use 1/3 the brass cost assuming you'll use the same piece three times? Also, how do you factor in loss? Unless you shoot in a very static and/or sterile environment, it seems unlikely you retain 100% of your brass after each outing. Do these costs factor in taxes and or shipping costs on all components?
A couple years ago I could buy a case of 9mm for 20-21 cents per round, and so 18 cents per round was not appealing. This is no longer the case. Factory 9mm is 25 cents per round if you're lucky, and closer to 30 cents if you're taking what you can find. So the thought of reloading has more appeal.
Also, how much additional time do you estimate that you spend reloading? How long would it take you to put out 1000 rounds? How much extra time do you spend at the range picking up brass? Cleaning brass? Trimming cases? (Maybe not a factor for pistol bullets.)
For those of you reloading 9mm for 12-18 cents per round, is this lead or jacketed bullets? Does this price include brass? If brass is factored in, do you use 1/3 the brass cost assuming you'll use the same piece three times? Also, how do you factor in loss? Unless you shoot in a very static and/or sterile environment, it seems unlikely you retain 100% of your brass after each outing. Do these costs factor in taxes and or shipping costs on all components?
A couple years ago I could buy a case of 9mm for 20-21 cents per round, and so 18 cents per round was not appealing. This is no longer the case. Factory 9mm is 25 cents per round if you're lucky, and closer to 30 cents if you're taking what you can find. So the thought of reloading has more appeal.
Also, how much additional time do you estimate that you spend reloading? How long would it take you to put out 1000 rounds? How much extra time do you spend at the range picking up brass? Cleaning brass? Trimming cases? (Maybe not a factor for pistol bullets.)
If the primary reason you want to reload is cost savings
Cost savings is the only reason. I have no other interest in reloading at this point. I travel frequently for work and I don't know when I would find the time to put in to it. But if I could save $100 per case of ammo, I could probably find the time.
For those of you reloading 9mm for 12-18 cents per round, is this lead or jacketed bullets? Does this price include brass? If brass is factored in, do you use 1/3 the brass cost assuming you'll use the same piece three times? Also, how do you factor in loss? Unless you shoot in a very static and/or sterile environment, it seems unlikely you retain 100% of your brass after each outing. Do these costs factor in taxes and or shipping costs on all components?
A couple years ago I could buy a case of 9mm for 20-21 cents per round, and so 18 cents per round was not appealing. This is no longer the case. Factory 9mm is 25 cents per round if you're lucky, and closer to 30 cents if you're taking what you can find. So the thought of reloading has more appeal.
Also, how much additional time do you estimate that you spend reloading? How long would it take you to put out 1000 rounds? How much extra time do you spend at the range picking up brass? Cleaning brass? Trimming cases? (Maybe not a factor for pistol bullets.)
I sort of disagree with my buddy Shibum. Brass is indeed cheap or rather free if you can pick it up. I have a very hard time finding brass at the range anymore. Around here even the non-reloaders pick it up and resell it. The only time I can get range pickup brass is after a USPSA match, where a lot of other people are picking it up as well, and if I am lucky enough to be out there after the local PDs have some training sessions. Finding brass is a very big deal for me! Brass used to be cheap and plentiful at gun shows and such but those days have since passed as well.
I sometimes, but not always, collect my own brass and I do not reload. I have sold some. Mostly I just put it in a box in my garage just in case I decide to start reloading. Somewhere I have couple gallons of .45 brass, and random other containers of 9mm brass.