reloading prices worse then gas prices

[Lloyd Smale]

bought primers back in the early 70s for a buck a pack. Just paid 10 bucks a pack at the local hardware store!! Someones making a killing off of us. Thats a 100 bucks a brick and thats what you would pay if you went to midway on line too. i bought 4 packs of small rifle and 4 packs of small pistol. Sadly the first time in over 30 years ive ever bought single packs of primers. I thought i was slumming when i bought single bricks. Told the wife its time for me to start shooting up my stash and let who ever gets my crap when i die worry about finding primers and powder.

[gene_225]

While I agree, every time I sit down and compare the hours of work required to pay for a couple of snow tires, it turns out it takes the same amount of time to buy them today as it did in the '60s when I bought my first set.

[Lloyd Smale]

While I agree, every time I sit down and compare the hours of work required to pay for a couple of snow tires, it turns out it takes the same amount of time to buy them today as it did in the '60s when I bought my first set.

yup gene i tell people all the time that stick there nose up in the air at buying a pickup for 50k that i bought my first new one in 77. Paid 8k for it. at the time i made about 550 a month in the service. But to be fair the job i got after i got out paid about 6 bucks an hour then. When i bought my last new one in 2020 a lineman doing the same job i did when i retired made 45 bucks an hour and the truck cost 50k. So its close enough to costing the same now as then to not even argue the point. But what do you get for that same money. A truck that comparing to that 77 is like comparing the 77 to a model t. So we are actually getting a hell of alot more for our money when it comes to buying a new truck today as we did in the 70s.

Now reloading on the other hand hasnt taken any great strides. The same primers i paid a buck a pack for that i pay 10 bucks for now are identical. Same with powder and brass.

Even your tires that you figured cost you as much now as in the 60s are MUCH better tires. Better in the snow and will last probably 3 times longer.

Some things are astronomically cheaper then  "the good old days" Dad bought his first color tv in the mid 60s and paid if i remember right about 600 bucks for it. A 21 inch screen which was big for the day. He made 4.50 an hour then and was supporting 5 kids so that 600 bucks was BIG BUCKS. Today hed be making ten times as much and you can still buy a good tv for 600 bucks with a 55 inch or even bigger screen. compared to what dad bought in the 60s a 21 inch tv would be probably under 200 bucks today so 20 dollars in his 60s money. Even 4 dollar a gallon gas that we all cry about (including myself) isnt really any different then what it cost back in the 60s if you factor in incomes. Houses?

[locust]

back when Obana first took office i was told to buy primers .so i did . i cant see my self ever running out of primers

[Ranger99]

I've been telling myself for years
that when components got to be
expensive enough to make loading
a losing deal, that I'd load up everything
I had and start buying cases of
factory loads. It's pretty much that
or very nearly that way now.
It used to be extremely economical.
I can't imagine trying to buy tools
and the goods starting from
nothing these days.

[Lloyd Smale]

its still cheaper then buying ammo. but then if I figured in the probably 50k i have into my loading room and tools id probably could have bought factory ammo from the git go and been ahead. I write those costs off to the fact its a hobby and something to do no different then a side by side boat or snowmobile. even with primers at 10 bucks a 100 and bullets at 100 bucks a 1000 so say 10 bucks a hundred too. Not going to figure it out but lets just say powder at 10 bucks a hundred which is probably a high estimate you can make a 100 556 for 30 bucks. Which makes a box of 20 cost 6 bucks and your not going to buy them in the store for that. Then switch to handguns or pistol caliber rifles where i can cast my own bullet and they use 1/5 the powder so your probably talking 12 bucks a 100 and thats as cheap as i can buy 22 shells for. But my theory on it is this. I think its the ammo companies not the government that is choking us with these high prices and shortages. THeres no doubt what so ever that speer and hornady make more money selling you a box of ammo then they do bullets to make your own. Same with primers and powder. What they have is an ideal time to end reloading so they can make more money and convince the country its the governments fault. Just look at the prices. A year ago you paid a 100 bucks a brick from primers and they would only let you have one or two boxes because there was shortages and thats what they blamed the pricing on. Today that brick of primers is still a 100 bucks or more and you can buy all you want. No shortage but the price is still high and going higher. Its to the point i would have to agree with you. IF i didnt reload i sure wouldnt bother buying equiptment today. Sure you could buy a single stage cheap lee press and make ammo but my time is worth money too and how long would it take to crank out 300 rounds of 556 or 9mm which is a typical day at the range? A guy would be better off getting a retirement job and working those hours and buying factory ammo.

I've been telling myself for years
that when components got to be
expensive enough to make loading
a losing deal, that I'd load up everything
I had and start buying cases of
factory loads. It's pretty much that
or very nearly that way now.
It used to be extremely economical.
I can't imagine trying to buy tools
and the goods starting from
nothing these days.

[Ranger99]

IIRC,  the initial used equipment I
bought with RCBS and Lyman stuff
was $200.00 + -
I could have started loading immediately
with some powder and projectiles
Today at the end of 2022, that same
group of tools would be roughly $600.00
looking at the "kits " offered today, not
including brass or boxes, etc.
I don't have any idea how long it would
take to amortize that cost figuring nailing
down proper technique ( I've met several
people that have been "reloading " for
decades that don't do it correctly) and
the expense of load development, etc.
Also,  to me my time is the most valuable
thing I have since I can't buy any more
at any price

[Lloyd Smale]

yup and starting with that rcbs stuff which is good stuff start loading 9mms. Load up a 1000 and see how much time that takes you. Time you could be doing something else. I remember when i started loading at 15 on my rcbs jr. id be proud as a peacock to see a box of 50 shinny 357s i just finished. Even with my progressives today with this bad back a 1000 rounds is at least two days and that doesnt figure in the two days making the bullets. Its gotten to the point with me that reloading is work. I used to enjoy it as much as shooting but now id be awful happy to have someone else come over and pull on the handle or cast the bullets. I do it because i love to shoot and couldnt afford to buy 500 9s or 223s to go out every week and just blast up to put a smile on my face. If i had to try to keep up with a single stage press id have found another hobby years ago.

What i have done is stop giving stuff away. i allways had people comming over that wanted ammo to shoot ppc or cast bullets to load there own or some ammo for deer season for there rifle. Not one of them would even bring me a pack of primers and didnt even have the ambition even after me asking them to pick up the brass and bring it back. I even stopped the son in law. Hed stop by when i wasnt even home and load up bricks of 22s and coffee cans of ammo and wouldnt even leave a not saying he grabbed it. Straw that broke the camels back with him was one day he borrowed my jeep. I had a 4.5 inch ar15 9mm in a bag along with 10 30 round mags full of ammo loaded with xtps. About a week later i took it out to shoot and all that was there was empty mags. I was pissed. I chewed his ass up one side and down the other. Not only did he waste 300 xtps which at the time were about impossible to replace but i told him what the F would I have done if i had to use that gun to defend myself and ripped open the case just to find there was no ammo! that is the purpose of a truck gun not shooting beer cans. I asked him if he even thought about how much money he had shot up if he would have had to buy 6 boxes of factory ammo with xtps!! Nope! My ammo is free ammo!!

 It put me over the edge. I told him my ammo stash is off limits. If he wants ammo buy some once fired brass  and powder and some of those 10 bucks a pack primers and ill give him the cast bullets and he can come over and load his own. Its been over 6 months and he hasnt showed up. My guess is he just wont go shooting anymore. He isnt going to park his harley or jet skis and come over and actually spend 4 hours loading. I know one thing. If i wont the lottery i might still load some ammo for rifles i have that ammo is tough to come by but id never again load ONE 9mm or 556 shell and id never cast another bullet. 

IIRC,  the initial used equipment I
bought with RCBS and Lyman stuff
was $200.00 + -
I could have started loading immediately
with some powder and projectiles
Today at the end of 2022, that same
group of tools would be roughly $600.00
looking at the "kits " offered today, not
including brass or boxes, etc.
I don't have any idea how long it would
take to amortize that cost figuring nailing
down proper technique ( I've met several
people that have been "reloading " for
decades that don't do it correctly) and
the expense of load development, etc.
Also,  to me my time is the most valuable
thing I have since I can't buy any more
at any price

[Ranger99]

The way I was taught led me to
assembly line stages if loading
for volume.
Case inspection and prep all
cases for a batch.
Prime all cases.
Throw ( or measure and weigh)
the charges for the batch from
one lot number of the same proven
powder.  Seat and crimp as needed.
Visual inspection of loaded rounds
and boxing and marking and log
update with explicit details and
information
Bad thing is the powder and primer
cost is astronomical compared to
when I started.
When I was using 243's for some
hunting, I'd spent lots of time and
money working on a proven load
with specific bullets and powder.
What I used was 785, and it never
failed me. When they discontinued
the powder, it meant starting from
scratch which I wasn't willing to do.
I couldn't imagine trying to work up
a proven load from zero today with
30 dollar plus a pound powder and
10 dollar plus a hundred primers.
Not to mention what the miracle
bullets everybody uses costs.

[Lloyd Smale]

yup i used to get a new rifle and shoot AT LEAST 25 different loads out of it searching for that .10 of an inch better group. Last half dozen or so i bought i load up maybe 5 loads that make sense for the gun with proven bullets and if one  of them goes under an inch i stop right there go home pull the rest and load 10 more to shoot two more 5 shot groups to verify its a shooting group then load hunting ammo. I might load 50-100 rounds for hunting and for many guns thats a lifetime because i dont go out playing with bolt action rifles at the range. Ars go in two catagorys. First ar pistols and basic ars. They get fed whatever i can make cheap. I have some hunting ars that get treated like the bolt guns. havent worked up a load for a handgun in years. Mostly because i quit handgun hunting and just dont buy handguns im all that conserned about group size. Mostly guns like glocks M&Ps ect. Years ago i got over that anal accuracy thing and now mostly just plink to have fun or to keep my defensive shooting motor skills tuned.

[DDZ]

Just recently bought some powder, and bullets for reloading my 25-06. IMR 4350 couldn't be found in my area nor could H-4350. Ordered online for $35 a pound plus hazmat shipping fee. Couldn't find any 117gr .257 dia bullets around hear either. Lots of 100 or 87 gr. So I ordered those online also. Didn't find much to choose from either. Ended up getting the hornady SST 117 gr for around $50 bucks a box with shipping included.  I have primers, but they are pricy and hard to find also.  I figured with what I paid for components, why am I reloading. I figured the cost out, and I can still load a box of 20 rounds for half the cost of what factory ammo costs now. 

I figured with primers at around $70 per thousand. It would cost 1.40 for 20 rounds. My IMR4350 at $6.20 for 20 rounds, and $10 for the bullets for 20 rounds.  Which comes to 17.60 for me to reload a box of 20 rounds of 25-06. 
Looking at prices online it was anywhere from $32 on the cheap end to Nosler trophy grade 117gr at almost $80. rem Core Lokt 120gr is around $45. So even from the inflated prices of reloading components. Its still cheaper to reload. Maybe not so much if you have to buy brass.