Beginners Guide to Reloading Costs (most cost effective rounds you have)

[Member 5605]

I've been eyeballing a comprehensive list that's collaborated by all of us members to what the cost is for reloading. Now I'm not factoring in the tools to reload, just the components. I've noticed a few threads scattered around that have this information such as:
https://www.northwestfirearms.com/threads/reloading-cost-spreadsheet.65537/

This thread is 5 years old though so if we get this going maybe it can be stuck to the top of this sub-forum. The idea is simple. I'll provide a basic layout and when posts are added with the information I will do my best to update this first post with the information provided. The benefits of this is to have all costs so if I wanted to get into reloading a caliber I could look here and see who has a similar bullet/load and I can estimate from there.

Sounds simple enough right?

Share your most cost effective reloading rounds. It helps sometimes to specify current pricing on the powder, primers. No reason to dwell on what they were of yesteryear, that doesn't help anyone new to the reloading scene. That's part of the reason why I have the dates by the listings. If your reloading costs are from 1970 and they haven't changed, then I'll put 1970 by your name.
***************************************************
Template:
(Caliber)
Bullet Weight (quantity purchased) at $xx.xx (cost per bullet)
We will assume recycled brass (or you can specify your brass price per piece)
Total cost per round: $xx.xx
***************************************************
PISTOL:
.380


9mm 9x19

• Dyjital on 5/1/2016
  • 124gr (1000) $62.75 = $.0625 (T&B Bullets - Cast Lead)
  • Total cost per round: $0.106

• Tarster on 5/2/2016
  • RMR 115gr bullets 1000 (78$)
  • Cost per bullet $.16
  • No brass in this cost

• Benchrest 5/1/2016
  • 115gr Berrys @ $70 per K = 0.07
  • CSB-1 @ $18# = 0.01
  • S&B 1K @ $20 = 0.02
  • Cost per round: $.10

• Reno911 on 9/7/2016
  • Extreme Bullets @ $90 per/1000 ($.09)
  • Powder Titegroup @ $.01 per charge
  • Primer Wolf SP's @ $.0177
  • Cost per round: $.11

.38 Special

• Dyjital on 5/1/2016
  • 158gr (500) $42 = $.084 (Badman Bullets - Cast Lead)
  • Total cost per round: $0.123

.357 Magnum

• Dyjital on 5/1/2016
  • 158gr (500) $42 = $.084 (Badman Bullets - Cast Lead)
  • Total cost per round: $0.135

.40 S&W

• Dyjital on 5/1/2016
  • 140gr (500) $44 = $.088 (Badman Bullets - Cast Lead)
  • Total cost per round: $0.136

.44 Magnum

• Dyjital on 5/1/2016
  • 240gr (100) $26 = $.26 (Hornady XTP)
  • Total cost per round: $0.37

.45 ACP

• Tarster on 5/02/2016
  • RMR 230gr Bullets 1000 ($124)
  • Cost per bullet $.18
  • No brass in this cost

.45 Long Colt

.454 Casul

.500 S&W


Rifle:
.222

.223

• Tarster on 5/2/2016
  • Hornady V-max 55gr per 1000 ($19)
  • Cost per bullet $.33
  • No Brass in this cost

.243


7MM-08

• P7id10T on 6/1/2016
  • Hornady .284 139gr Interlock, 500 on "Get Loaded" rebate, $8 shipping, 2¢/ea
  • LC 1x fired 7.62 brass, reformed, $100/500 FTF, 6 reloads min: 3.3¢ ea
  • WLR Primer: 3.3¢
  • IMR 4064 @ $23/lb, 14¢
  • Cost per Loaded Round: 23¢, ~50¢/ea if you buy the Hornady Interlocks at retail.

7mm LRM:

• P7id10T on 05/2016
  • Nosler Custom Comp closeouts, 32¢ each
  • Hornady 375 Ruger brass, reformed, $104/100, 4 reloads min, 26¢
  • MRP: 3.5¢
  • Retumbo: $30/lb, 30¢
  • Cost per Loaded Round: 92¢

.300 Blackout

• Tarster on 05/2/2016
  • M80 pulled 147gr per 1000 ($218) - Ammunition Store – Bulk Ammo and Cheap Reloading Supplies For Sale Online (http://ammunitionstore.com/)
  • cost per bullet $.34
  • No Brass in this cost
• Tarster on 05/2/2016
  • Hornady SST/Amax 165gr per 100 ($33)
  • Cost per bullet $.45
  • No Brass in this cost

.308

• Dyjital on 5/1/2016
  • 175gr (100) $42 = $.42 (Sierra MatchKing)
  • Total cost per round: $0.59

• Tarster on 5/2/2016
  • M80 pulled 147gr per 1000 ($218)
  • cost per bullet $.___
  • No Brass in this cost - Add $.25 for LC bulk brass

• Tarster on 5/2/2016
  • Hornady SST/Amax 165gr per 100 ($33)
  • Cost per bullet $.51
  • No Brass in this cost - Add $.25 for LC bulk brass

• Tarster on 5/2/2016
  • Barnes Match Burner 175gr per 100 ($33)
  • Cost per bullet $.51
  • No Brass in this cost - Add $.25c for LC bulk brass

• P7id10T on 6/1/2016
  
  • SMK 168gr HPBT Pulls, 500 @ $75 (purchased 2014), 15¢ / bullet
  • Lapua 308 Brass, $74/100, min 10 reloads: 7.4¢
  • WLR Primer: 3.3¢
  • RL15 powder, $115/5lbs, 14¢/round
  • Cost per loaded round: 40¢

.300 Savage

• Dyjital on 5/1/2016
  • 150gr (100) $28 = $.28 (Sierra Spitzer)
  • Total cost per round: $0.43

.300 Win Mag

338 Lapua: 2016

• P7id10T on 6/1/2016
  • Berger OTM Hybrid 300gr bullets 100 ($89)
  • Cost per bullet 89¢
  • Lapua Brass, bought 1x fired @$1.75/casing, min 10 reloads, 17.5¢
  • Magnum Primer, 3.5¢
  • H1000 @ $29/lb, 37¢
  • Cost per loaded round: $1.47

338 Edge:

• P7id10T
  • Nosler Accubond LR 300gr Overruns, 100 @ $43
  • Cost per bullet: 43¢
  • Norma 7mm RUM brass closeout, 40/box @ $45, min 10 Reloads, 11.3¢
  • Magnum Primer, 3.5¢
  • Retumbo, $30/lb, 40¢
  • Cost per loaded round: 98¢

YouTube videos I watched at the beginning:

While videos are great, find a local, friend or somebody from this board who you may know.... Learn hands on as well. There is a book that the name escapes me, it's often mentioned a lot and is a valuable resource. (Edit: The ABC's of Reloading linked HERE) I personally prefer my Sierra reloading manual, it has a wealth of information in the beginning pages that covers almost anything you want to know about ammunition and reloading. Available <broken link removed> .

Read More

 

[Caveman Jim]

Give me 25 years and I'll give you my honest compilations.

 

[Mark W.]

Interesting My most economical reload is the one that saves me the most money. That would be anything for my 30-40 Krag since IF I could find factory ammo for it it typically runs $38-40.00 a box for plain old Remington SO on average even with Nosler ballistic tip slugs I am saving in the neighborhood of $.90 a round.

Savings would change based on current costs of components.

next up would be anything for the M1 carbine. Also a huge savings.

I don't post loads I use on line as my team of lawyers advised against it for liability reasons.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Now, This is a handy bit of info I think we all need. I am really happy to see you start this as an up to date list of loads and cost per round. May also be helpful to include where the components were sourced from, and if there were any discounts for bulk!

 

[Member 5605]

Now, This is a handy bit of info I think we all need. I am really happy to see you start this as an up to date list of loads and cost per round. May also be helpful to include where the components were sourced from, and if there were any discounts for bulk!

That can be added by whoever wants. I posted my pricing based on cast lead and local casters. Normally a few $$ difference between.

 

[Joe13]

@Joe Link

Sticky worthy IMO.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

i dont save anything. i spend half the amount but shoot twice as much ha ha.

 

[Member 5605]

i dont save anything. i spend half the amount but shoot twice as much ha ha.

Who doesn't?

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

Who doesn't?

PUBLIC NOTICE: DO NOT GET INTO RELOADING TO SAVE MONEY

 

[Member 5605]

PUBLIC NOTICE: DO NOT GET INTO RELOADING TO SAVE MONEY

When my son and I calculate that at 3,000 rounds of 9mm... Reloading vs buying... I can reload 6500 at the cost of buying 3000....


So Volcom, where are your loads per round to fill in some gaps...?

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

When my son and I calculate that at 3,000 rounds of 9mm... Reloading vs buying... I can reload 6500 at the cost of buying 3000....


So Volcom, where are your loads per round to fill in some gaps...?

my 9mm and .40s&w are $70-80/k IIRC. i think that's counting on the initial cost of brass. would have to run out to my log book.

i know for sure my .223 is $180/k

and my 308 is for sure $.50/round i dont bulk reload .308, just load them for hunting purposes.

i started off reloading to "save money" but now I honestly just do it because i enjoy providing food for my guns. i load many other calibers too i would have to do a lot of calculating to be precise.

 

[Benchrest]

9mm

115gr Berrys @ $70 per K = 0.07
4.6gr CSB-1 @ $18# = 0.01
S&B 1K @ $20 = 0.02

0.10 to make steel ring

I could list 569 loads for the 10mm, but I'd be up all night, and that's past my bedtime.

 

[Caveman Jim]

PUBLIC NOTICE: DO NOT GET INTO RELOADING TO SAVE MONEY

NOW YOU TELL ME!!!!

 

[SteveXKR]

Any tips / places to go for a 'reloading 101' ?

 

[Member 5605]

Any tips / places to go for a 'reloading 101' ?

See first post.
I watched the video when I first started. Eric is very informative. Hickok45 had another good one on YouTube.

 

[Fordcragar]

When I starting looking at reloading, I started by breaking down all of the components and came up with a price for 9mm at about $0.13 per round; which didn't include the brass. I saved all of my brass from the factory ammo and bought some brass in the $0.02 to $0.04 each range. Finding Remington or Winchester on sale it would be about $22 per 100; which didn't include tax. Of my components, the powder and primers were the only ones that I paid tax on, so it is almost a wash. So my theory is I can shoot almost twice as much for the same price. Breaking it down even more, how much you shoot is the big factor. My wife and I try to get out once a week, and we will usually shoot 150 rounds between the two of us; which could be 600 rounds a month. Based on these numbers, it would cost us $132 for factory ammo compared to $78 for reloads; which would be a savings of $54 per month.

I didn't even count the cost of the reloading equipment; which will always have a value if it needed to be resold. Based on my calculated savings per month, the reloading equipment could be easily paid for in less than a year.

 

[therealhitman]

I enjoy watching Johnny'sReloadingBench and Fortunecookie45LC on YouTube. If it's to late to cast, load or shoot then watching someone else do it is a close second. Works with Drag Racing and wrenching vids too.

And if you are looking for economical loading, start casting. It is relaxing to do, easy on barrels and saves you a ton in the long run. I shoot very few jacketed rounds.

 

[Fordcragar]

The range that I shoot at doesn't allow anything but jacketed brass ammo. So casting my own bullets would be a waste of time and money. I had given it some thought though.

 

[Joe Link]

@Joe Link

Sticky worthy IMO.

Agreed and done!

 

[Member 5605]

Interesting My most economical reload is the one that saves me the most money. That would be anything for my 30-40 Krag since IF I could find factory ammo for it it typically runs $38-40.00 a box for plain old Remington SO on average even with Nosler ballistic tip slugs I am saving in the neighborhood of $.90 a round.

Savings would change based on current costs of components.

next up would be anything for the M1 carbine. Also a huge savings.

I don't post loads I use on line as my team of lawyers advised against it for liability reasons.

My best savings comes at $1.07 per round on the .300 Savage. At $30 a box in the store it's the reason I started reloading.