Price comparison question

[drakeslayer]

Sure similar has been discussed but its been 35 years since Ive hand loaded and it was all rifle and shotgun.

I shoot 9mm, 45acp, 38/357 and some 380. I buy whats on sale and an example would be 9mm 115gr Blazer for $200 case.. I see guys buying it and saying "i cant load it for that".
My question is what quality/accuracy is being loaded in comparison to bargain case price?
Basically is the basement price of a hand load better quality than a basement price factory load?

Read More

 

[deadeye]

Sure similar has been discussed but its been 35 years since Ive hand loaded and it was all rifle and shotgun.

I shoot 9mm, 45acp, 38/357 and some 380. I buy whats on sale and an example would be 9mm 115gr Blazer for $200 case.. I see guys buying it and saying "i cant load it for that".
My question is what quality/accuracy is being loaded in comparison to bargain case price?
Basically is the basement price of a hand load better quality than a basement price factory load?

It really depends on price of components and right now primers and powder are still high. It also depends on what cheap ammo you buy but Winchester white box is poor quality and I can definitely state that I can load it cheaper and be more consistent on target. I could always load cheaper and have better results but there are people who dont have the overabundance of time and prefer to just buy plinking ammo when it's cheap and settle for the minimal quality and lesser performance. The 9mm has always been the benchmark for this argument but most others are always cheaper and better.

 

[Member 24198]

If you're just going for target pistol, you'll have a hard time beating raw material plus your time on 9mm sales. I was planning on getting back into reloading, but component prices are too high for me to justify my time.

That said, I'm planning on getting back into reloading for precision rifle.

 

[Nosferatu]

I load for quality, not quantity or budget.

If you're trying to compete with the big manufacturers on price alone, you'll lose.

 

[bionic knees]

I don't load for any autoloaders, I do pickup what brass I can find.

 

[Pete F]

It really depends on price of components and right now primers and powder are still high. It also depends on what cheap ammo you buy but Winchester white box is poor quality and I can definitely state that I can load it cheaper and be more consistent on target. I could always load cheaper and have better results but there are people who dont have the overabundance of time and prefer to just buy plinking ammo when it's cheap and settle for the minimal quality and lesser performance. The 9mm has always been the benchmark for this argument but most others are always cheaper and better.

By Winchester White Box, do you mean the stuff made overseas? I have found the Winchester USA ammo to be quality. Most Winchester 9mm is in a white box, but some of it does not say where it was made.

 

[monks]

I'm still loading 45acp and 45 colt. 9mm isn't worth my time since the cheapest components don't give me enough savings per box for my time. If I already had a progressive press setup that might be worth reconsidering but I'm not going to invest in that and I recovered 6k rounds brass on my range over the last year. I've had zero problems with blazer and blazer brass and it's $10 a box right now. ZSR and winchester ammo seems good to go too. The only one I've really had issue with is federal if you can believe it. The ammo is good but I have one particular pistol that won't extract it every time. The rim is a little thicker and I think that's the issue as that gun eats everything else just fine. Also, I enjoy my unloaders a lot more than my reloaders!

 

[Alexx1401]

I first started to roll because we could not order ammo and I needed something it was impossible to find in stores. Soon it was also cheaper. Now? LONG ago quit bothers for most rounds BUT, anyone who shoots should know how. Should have to parts and know how. Right now we again have plenty. Memories are short. Many times something happens and there is suddenly NONE to be had without paying scalper price. So for those who shoot for fun? They should keep a good supply and be ready to roll more if another panic rolls through that just does not go away for a while.

 

[deadeye]

By Winchester White Box, do you mean the stuff made overseas? I have found the Winchester USA ammo to be quality. Most Winchester 9mm is in a white box, but some of it does not say where it was made.

All winchester ammo but specifically range and target/practice ammo. I can load it cheaper and have better consistency on target.

 

[Catfishmoon]

I think the amount that can be saved between purchasing or reloading is the least with 9mm, the price difference is wider (the savings are greater) with any other caliber...
My most recent purchases of bulk 9mm components for inexpensive target ammunition have been:
.04 each - 9mm, 115 gr. pulled, poly-coated bullets.
.045 each - small pistol primers (Argentina).
.02 each - powder (8 lb.) local pickup.
Free - brass picked up at range.

I look for sales like Black Friday or Holiday sales and then buy in bulk. The prices shown above included shipping to my home.

 

[Richo877]

I've been loading 9mm for about $.12/rd in primers projectiles and powder. I'm not taking into account my time spent doing it or the initial cost of brass (which I'm getting from factory rounds purchased at $.20-$.24/rd for the first run), but I have enough components to load and shoot for at least a couple years at my pace. Consistency and quality so far seems to perform better than factory. Most of my powders I've picked up here and there in partials, but primers and projos can be found for $.04-$.08ea depending on where and how much you buy.

 

[Richo877]

Servicios y Aventuras Small Pistol Primers .038 Each .036 for VIP Members - Republic Ammunition

Product Overview:

republicammunition.com

Accurate #5 Powder - Republic Ammunition

Product Overview:

republicammunition.com

Armscor 9mm .355 115gr FMJ - Republic Ammunition

Product Overview:

republicammunition.com

AA#5 - 8lbs (11000+rds) - $274.99
S&A spp - 10k - $380
Armscor projo - 10k - $800
Total $1454.99 for 10k rounds without really shopping around. Get in on some of the good free shipping and hazmat deals and source better deals, you can load your brass for quite a bit less.

 

[ron]

Reloading for the 9mm may not be cheaper then factory ammo. BUT 45 auto is a different story.
Factory 45 ammo available is usually 230 FMJ or exspensive JHP. Very popular handload is the
200 SWC with 4 grains of Bullseye. Low recoil easy shooting and very accurate. I get 1750
rounds out of a pound of Bullseye! I like these Polymer coated bullets from T&B.


Revolver ammo 357/38 is exspensive. Very easy cartridge to reload for and much cheaper. 38 special 158 SWC Polymer
coated shoots excellent and cheap to reload. Shipping included in prices!! I get my order in 3 days.
There Polymer coated bullets shoot great. I don't like shooting bare lead bullets anymore due to lead exposure.

Log In ‹ T&B Bullets — WordPress

 

[orygun]

I started reloading because I was shooting 41 Magnum. The last box of 50 41 Mags I saw recently was nearly $60.
Around a dozen years ago I was shooting a S&W 500. Once I had the brass I could load a round for 94 cents. There's not any box of 500 you can buy for $2 bucks a pop.
If you shoot magnum or uncommon handgun calibers, once established in reloading, the costs will drop dramatically.

The quality and accuracy of my handloads compares nicely with factory ammo.

 

[aasbra]

My experience is similar to what others have shared. I load for all of the handgun calibers you noted and more. At today's costs for a case of 9mm range ammo, you are not saving as much if also buying primers, powder, and projectiles at today's prices of components. To make it pencil out from a cost savings standpoint, shooting pretty significant volumes of ammo is where the savings add up for range ammo.

That said, if you want something other than just inexpensive FMJ range ammo, the savings are greater. If talking 38/357 or 45, maybe even 380, the cost savings is more substantial.

The initial equipment cost is an investment that gets amortized over time if you use it. Some purchase equipment and try reloading and determine it's not for them for different reasons. I really enjoy it.

Accuracy—Although I haven't done any serious, side by side testing, my experience is that I group more consistent and feel more confident using the ammo I load than when I've shot store bought ammo. I occasionally mix in a little factory ammo I bought years ago, or on a good sale, or I end up with from trading stuff around or acquired within a lot of gear, but generally the only ammo I don't reload is rimfire and shotshells.

 

[orygun]

I've found that 223/5.56 ammo is cheap enough that I don't want to hassle with reloading it. I keep the brass I pick up, though.
I always make sure it goes to someone that'll do something with it, even if I won't.

 

[P7M13]

Basically is the basement price of a hand load better quality than a basement price factory load?

In short, absoforkinglutely.
I always thought "no" and loaded Titegroup with 124gr for 9mm, and with 200gr for 45.
When I used up all my Titegroup, I did load workups with a bunch of different pistol powders. Holy Moly - what a difference it made in accuracy.
Plus, some powders smell nasty when you shoot them.

 

[Dozer99]

My biggest problem with handloading for pistol lately is- I can't find Bullseye anywhere in the wild. I've since switched to Win-clean 244. It seems ok and I got a bunch of it cheap before they raised the prices.

 

[deadeye]

I started reloading because I was shooting 41 Magnum. The last box of 50 41 Mags I saw recently was nearly $60.
Around a dozen years ago I was shooting a S&W 500. Once I had the brass I could load a round for 94 cents. There's not any box of 500 you can buy for $2 bucks a pop.
If you shoot magnum or uncommon handgun calibers, once established in reloading, the costs will drop dramatically.

The quality and accuracy of my handloads compares nicely with factory ammo.

Yep I started when I was feeding pistols and rifles 45LC and the savings offset the price of the equipment in no time flat. the equipment doesn't even factor in for me even with upgrading but some try to factor it into the argument.

 

[drakeslayer]

So it sounds like If I buy bulk and load for my 38/357', 380, and 45acp, i can keep cost down.