Author Topic: FYI (Read 1082 times)

twoshooter · « **on:** September 10, 2012, 04:24:56 PM »

Was in Wally world today. Cheapest box of CF ammo in the store- $ 15.97

for Federal or Win 30/30. Helps me remember why I am here. Last box of factory 30/30 loads I bought were I think, $3.95.

Now my AMMO collection is the big thing, not the guns.

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** September 10, 2012, 06:06:25 PM »

I can't recall ever buying a box of .30-30 ammo.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 10, 2012, 06:20:08 PM »

i can.

it was at the point in time when we
had to show i.d. to buy it because
the contender handgun was available
in 30/30 and at the time you had to
show i.d. for handgun ammo.

(how ever long ago that's been- 20, 30 years?)

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #3 on:** September 11, 2012, 12:37:47 AM »

I doubt your going to load your own much cheaper unless your shooting cast bullets you made yourself.

LanceR · « **Reply #4 on:** September 11, 2012, 02:06:06 AM »

GB, I've never bought a box of .30-30 either but maybe that's because I've never owned one...

What I tell folks who are looking into reloading is that what you save is going to boil down to what cartridge and bullet you load and the average number of loadings you get from your brass when range and hunting losses get figured in.

A few years ago I wrote an article on potential reloading savings that presumed that you'd get four loadings from your brass and used a .308 Winchester and .300 Weatherby for price comparisons. The then current prices were based on the local Bass Pro, Gander Mountain and a good gun shop with a great reloading selection here in Central New York.

If you loaded Remington Core-Lokt 150 grain PSP bullets the cost per 20 rounds was $11.80 which was a 48% savings ($8.69) based on the retail price of $24.99/box. For a 150 grain Nosler Partition the reloading cost was $20.20 a box which was a 52% savings ($18.78) from the average retail price of $38.91 a box.

Thing got really dramatic with the 300 Weatherby with 180 grain Partitions. The cost of loading was $26.40 a box for a savings of $46.59 (64%) from the $72.99 retail price.

The prices above reflected the price spike in ammo and components after the last presidential election but the percentage of savings has held pretty consistent for the 35 years I've been reloading.

Our county finally changed from shotgun only to rifle for big game hunting this year so there's been more interest around about reloading. We're planning another reloading clinic soon at our local club and hope to bring a few more over to the roll you own crowd.

Lance

twoshooter · « **Reply #5 on:** September 11, 2012, 01:45:41 PM »

I do shoot mostly cast bullets these days. My 500 S&W loads run me about 12-14 cents per, 45/70 just about a nickle more. I watch for sales on jacketed bullets and buy 500-1000 at a time. I picked up 1500 jacketed 357 bullets at an estate auction for $65. They are all saved for my handi

. I use jacketed in everything under 30 cal, and quite a bit in 30 cal also. When I bought the 30/30's mentioned above I was also paying $2,95 a pound for most IMR powders.

BBF · « **Reply #6 on:** September 12, 2012, 12:51:37 PM »

Are you keeping that powder in a freezer?

twoshooter · « **Reply #7 on:** September 13, 2012, 04:03:33 PM »

No, I keep it in sealed ammo cans in temperature controlled storage between 56 & 64 degrees, low humidity. I have and am loading powder that is anywhere from 10- 20 years old, and there is no problem. I had some FTF on cast bullet loads that old due to lube eventually soaking into powder, so I don't store loaded cast ammo for very long any more. Jacketed loads are good after 25 years with no problem.

yukondog · « **Reply #8 on:** September 13, 2012, 06:11:56 PM »

I don't find that much in savings between fact. and reloads but in reloads I can get much better accuracy.

petemi · « **Reply #9 on:** September 14, 2012, 12:09:08 AM »

I have a Handi in .356/.358. .356 and .358 Winchester ammo locally sells for 55.00 for 20 rounds. I load 100 rounds of either for 123.00 for the first loading using the Hornady 200 gr. Spire Point. That's 24.60 per box of 20. Subsequent loadings cost 45.20/100 or 9.40 per box of 20.

Pete

Bill,SC · « **Reply #10 on:** September 14, 2012, 04:10:21 AM »

Petemi,

Please explain: Why does it cost less after the first loading? You still have bullet, powder and primer. Are you including the cost of brass in the first loading?

BBF · « **Reply #11 on:** September 14, 2012, 08:08:26 AM »

I would think the price of brass makes the difference. Up here even standard cartridges go for 25-30 bucks per 50. Add tax and possible shipping and this makes a large portion of the cost on the first load.

twoshooter · « **Reply #12 on:** September 14, 2012, 06:17:14 PM »

The cost of the brass is amortized over the lifespan of the brass. I have some 38 sp brass that has been loaded 40+ times, they eventually wear out the mouth , but you can just trim them to under length a bit and keep the same OAL with the cast loads. Very few cases last less than a half dozen loadings unless you get plumb ridiculous . I did just look at the warehouse stores monthly flier, and did get sticker shock. Whoever thought that $25 a hundred for 30 cal bullets is a SALE? Good thing I have all those straight walled rimmed cased handi's, shooting 1 at a time. I may need to get a 25 , wish I could get a 250 Savage in a handi. Anybody have a reverse reamer, so I can shorten a 25/06 chamber

Another reason to hope for a reasonable 300 AAC. Meanwhile, it is getting cooler, I can fire up the Lee pot and have at it.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 15, 2012, 06:30:48 AM »

reverse reamer??
ha!
everyone knows those were outlawed
during the Klinton administration along
with barrel stretchers.

petemi · « **Reply #14 on:** September 15, 2012, 07:31:42 AM »

BillSC, yes, I included the cost of the brass in the first loading only. I didn't amortize it over X number of loads, mainly because I'm not sure yet how many I'll get.

Pete

Catfish · « **Reply #15 on:** September 15, 2012, 08:35:32 AM »

Two Shooter, you have to be an old guy cause that was a long time ago. When I started loading my own I was paying $ 1 / lb. for powder, but that was several years before most of the guys on this board were born, and alot of them before their dad was born.

twoshooter · « **Reply #16 on:** September 15, 2012, 12:39:20 PM »

Definitely senior citizen anyway. I started reloading in '67. Bought a new RCBS Rockchucker & accessories for $59.95 not long after that, and a brand new 44th edition Lyman manual, hot off the press. They said the 223 would never make it, the neck was too short, and the 303 Savage and 32 Winchester were still mainstream deer rifles. The 25/06 was still a wildcat, and the 22/250 was brand new in factory guns. 22 LR were on sale for $1.99 a brick, until after MLK & Boby K got shot, then the GC Act of '68 came in and you had to be 21 to buy 22 ammo & sign for it. Waiting for my draft notice to show up. Those were the days.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #17 on:** September 15, 2012, 02:04:52 PM »

303 savage?
32 winchester?
everyone knows you can't take
a deer with those.
i saw it in a magazine.
it said so.
really.

kennyd · « **Reply #18 on:** September 15, 2012, 03:26:44 PM »

I took a bucket of odd range brass to the scrap dealer and got over $2.00 per pound. Before you holler, I sort out anything I can use, anything someone else can use to gift to others as they will do for me. The stuff I take in is the Berdan primed Russians, 8x57, and most all of the .32 and 9 stuff. There is a lot of old mil stuff, too. You have to watch for the aluminum and steel as that will knock the price down to 12 cents. I have blundered into 40+ .308's from the trash, 30-06,45 colt, and 30-30. Seldom do I see .243, or any belted stuff. Used to be we did sight in and you could get a lot, now it is picking through the brass buckets, or looking in the trash cans. I don't know why anyone throws away .308, box, insert and all, they could just leave it on the bench for anyone who needs it.

I have figured around a buck a bang for reloads with new brass, 50 to 60 cents with once fired.

The same bullets I look at go up 2 or 3 bucks every couple weeks, same box. Who would figured on 5 cents for a primer, 30 dollars for a pound of powder.

30gman · « **Reply #19 on:** September 15, 2012, 03:45:09 PM »

I can still load 30-30 rounds for $4.00 a box using plated bullets.

BBF · « **Reply #20 on:** September 16, 2012, 06:34:00 AM »

I used to use(LOL) the slowest powder available for a given cartridge to make sure I can fill the case. At the present prices I have done a 180. Use fast powder and hold down the velocity and utilize heavier bullets.

twoshooter · « **Reply #21 on:** September 21, 2012, 12:38:05 PM »

I usually go that way also. I get 350 of the 500 S&W to the pound @ 20.95 a pound. Ironically, that is the same thing I get with my 444. My jacketed 30/30 take almost twice that much.

I need to round up a few more 444 brass, but I probably have enough 30/30 and 500 brass to last me forever

wileynet · « **Reply #22 on:** September 21, 2012, 02:28:14 PM »

there's a handloading calculator at handloads.com, for my 7mm mag with cases being free 50 rounds avg 26.00 a box of 50, for my new 44 mag it with price brass included with the brass to be 60.00 per 100 including the brass and 30.00 per hundred on the next reload

max1138 · « **Reply #23 on:** September 26, 2012, 03:39:32 PM »

whelens at 40 per box is not what I call reasonably priced, whatever it cost me to load mine its less than that and I feel better about using mine.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #24 on:** September 26, 2012, 03:53:19 PM »

cost calculator on LEE SHOOTER disc
also. good programs w/ lotta info