Reloading Math - yup its way lower cost

[HighlandLofts]

I have primers if someone has a 65 convertible Mustang in the garage to trade.

 

[Lesliet]

End of this last yr I bought a full-size Rollsizer.

So my ROI on this is = brass that 100% case checks, always feeds always ejects. Ya $ tied up in it but that $ is still there when I want it back.

I think one of those is in my future, as well. The Lee bulge buster on an APP gets the bulge out of my .45 acp, but man that thing is obnoxious to use. Not looking forward to the next bucketload I have to process. I'd still rather pull that handle, though, than pay what a case of factory .45 acp goes for these days, as well as that my loads are a lot easier to shoot accurately.

 

[Mikej]

I think one of those is in my future, as well. The Lee bulge buster on an APP gets the bulge out of my .45 acp, but man that thing is obnoxious to use. Not looking forward to the next bucketload I have to process. I'd still rather pull that handle, though, than pay what a case of factory .45 acp goes for these days, as well as that my loads are a lot easier to shoot accurately.

Why do you have bulged .45acp brass?

 

[Helocat]

if anyone is selling their house, I have some small pistol primers for trade.... say 1 primer per square foot? No lowballers, I know what I got.

Was at Washington Military Depot in Spanaway WA on Tuesday, they had about 20 boxes of small pistol primers on the shelf. Heck, they had 9mm and 10mm in stock. Only noticed the 10mm price at $19.99 box not bad for 10m. Did not see the price on the primers, did not buy any as I am still good and left them for the guys that could use them.

I think one of those is in my future, as well. The Lee bulge buster on an APP gets the bulge out of my .45 acp, but man that thing is obnoxious to use. Not looking forward to the next bucketload I have to process. I'd still rather pull that handle, though, than pay what a case of factory .45 acp goes for these days, as well as that my loads are a lot easier to shoot accurately.

Rollsizer is a great tool
I ran 3.5k of 9mm last week and I case check 100% of my loads as I put them in plastic MTM boxes or bag them into a bulk 50cal can as I run out of boxes. Here is the failure rate: (yes I actually log the #'s)

0.008% failed inspection for any reason (28 rounds in total went into the future pull bucket)
0.00057 failed to case gauge (2 rounds one split case and one with a rolled lip)
0.0074 Failed visual inspection due to primer issues, upside down, or sideways (26 rounds) (upside down is from using an automated primer tube filler and sideways is from pushing the speed of the press loading, the primer can "kick up into the brass" as the primer shuttle stops below the open primer pocket.)

Outside of those 2, every single round "plunked" into and fell free of the case gauge due to the combo of using the undersize die and roll sizing the cases in case prep. The roll sizer is the #1 reason these all drop free of the case gage. Before using it I would have about 8% to 11% failure to drop free of the case gage. Most guns can still load fire and eject those failed rounds, but some can not. Looking for 100% reliability, if they case gauge they are going to feed and eject no problem.

(0.012% lost due to using automation to load. Bullet gets stuck in the seating die, then punches the next 2 or 3 to bits, or bullet falls over on top of the case and the bullet checker misses it and the seating dies punches it etc. Usually, the bullet/brass and primer are a loss. Sucks to loose components but it is part of using automation to load. It's going to happen, the key thing is learning why then adjusting. I track it each run and tweak how I do things and monitor to lower this %. My goal is less than 0.01% each time)

Before someone asks, no I do not use a single case gauge. I use Hundo gauges from Shockbottle. Dump 100 round into them check for any high rounds, then use the flip tray, and all 100 rounds drop into an MTM (or Dillon) plastic case in one shot. Best way to check 9mm and 45ACP!

100 Round 9mm Luger Hundo Chamber Checker Cartridge Case Gauge

Ben Stoeger Pro Shop has a large selection of USPSA, IDPA, IPSC, and 3-Gun Gear, Guns and Parts to help you train and shoot better.

benstoegerproshop.com

 

[Helocat]

Back to Saving $$ with reloading.

Example:
I just picked up a Desert Eagle in 50AE. Good deal on it since there is no ammo available for it outside of security rounds at about $1.5+ each, any buyer in this ammo climate is facing this.

Capital Cartridge in TX had 700 nickel-plated once fired range brass in stock for .23 each delivered. Midway has Speer 300gr 50AE bullets in stock for a killer price of .21 each and free shipping. Since I went through the Obama yrs I learned to stockpile my primers and powder so covered there. Dies and tool head for my little D550 press = $150.

50AE nickel plated 300gr JHP costs:
.23 Brass
.21 Bullets
.15 powder (32gr of powder each!!!!)
.03 Large Mag Pistol primer
------------------
$0.62 per round. + next time I go to load them with my existing brass the cost will drop to $0.39 per shot for a 50AE load!

 

[Certaindeaf]

Back to Saving $$ with reloading.

Example:
I just picked up a Desert Eagle in 50AE. Good deal on it since there is no ammo available for it outside of security rounds at about $1.5+ each, any buyer in this ammo climate is facing this.

Capital Cartridge in TX had 700 nickel-plated once fired range brass in stock for .23 each delivered. Midway has Speer 300gr 50AE bullets in stock for a killer price of .21 each and free shipping. Since I went through the Obama yrs I learned to stockpile my primers and powder so covered there. Dies and tool head for my little D550 press = $150.

50AE nickel plated 300gr JHP costs:
.23 Brass
.21 Bullets
.15 powder (32gr of powder each!!!!)
.03 Large Mag Pistol primer
------------------
$0.62 per round. + next time I go to load them with my existing brass the cost will drop to $0.39 per shot for a 50AE load!

The thing is, those numbers would be much the same would the .50 be a 50/120 or .500 Nitro etc.

 

[zenbreath]

Slightly off topic....

"Faith in the Government can be measured by the amount of 9mm on the store shelves."

 

[awshoot]

Slightly off topic....

"Faith in the Government can be measured by the amount of 9mm on the store shelves."

Insightful!

 

[Wombat of Doom]

I have started reloading 9mm 147s for suppressed use. First thing I noticed was the lack of gas in my face. My rounds are just plain cleaner, and I was very happy with them.

 

[Lesliet]

Why do you have bulged .45acp brass?

Got a huge batch of national match .45 acp brass, and all of it either has a slight base bulge, or extractor marks that make it not want to gauge. My CZ97 has a chamber that seems to be unsupported at the bottom, if I'm looking at it right, so it bulges the cases slightly.

 

[zenbreath]

I run a .40 glock. I have a push through die by Redding. It takes care of the bulge problem.

 

[Mikej]

Got a huge batch of national match .45 acp brass, and all of it either has a slight base bulge, or extractor marks that make it not want to gauge. My CZ97 has a chamber that seems to be unsupported at the bottom, if I'm looking at it right, so it bulges the cases slightly.

Hmm, I've picked up 100s, bought used, and shot/reloaded factory and never seen bulged .45acp brass. .40, yes, just barely showing something that might have been a slight bulge. Always just sized it and shot it again with no chambering issues in my CZ SP01.

 

[etrain16]

Was at Washington Military Depot in Spanaway WA on Tuesday, they had about 20 boxes of small pistol primers on the shelf. Heck, they had 9mm and 10mm in stock. Only noticed the 10mm price at $19.99 box not bad for 10m. Did not see the price on the primers, did not buy any as I am still good and left them for the guys that could use them.



Rollsizer is a great tool
I ran 3.5k of 9mm last week and I case check 100% of my loads as I put them in plastic MTM boxes or bag them into a bulk 50cal can as I run out of boxes. Here is the failure rate: (yes I actually log the #'s)

0.008% failed inspection for any reason (28 rounds in total went into the future pull bucket)
0.00057 failed to case gauge (2 rounds one split case and one with a rolled lip)
0.0074 Failed visual inspection due to primer issues, upside down, or sideways (26 rounds) (upside down is from using an automated primer tube filler and sideways is from pushing the speed of the press loading, the primer can "kick up into the brass" as the primer shuttle stops below the open primer pocket.)

Outside of those 2, every single round "plunked" into and fell free of the case gauge due to the combo of using the undersize die and roll sizing the cases in case prep. The roll sizer is the #1 reason these all drop free of the case gage. Before using it I would have about 8% to 11% failure to drop free of the case gage. Most guns can still load fire and eject those failed rounds, but some can not. Looking for 100% reliability, if they case gauge they are going to feed and eject no problem.

(0.012% lost due to using automation to load. Bullet gets stuck in the seating die, then punches the next 2 or 3 to bits, or bullet falls over on top of the case and the bullet checker misses it and the seating dies punches it etc. Usually, the bullet/brass and primer are a loss. Sucks to loose components but it is part of using automation to load. It's going to happen, the key thing is learning why then adjusting. I track it each run and tweak how I do things and monitor to lower this %. My goal is less than 0.01% each time)

Before someone asks, no I do not use a single case gauge. I use Hundo gauges from Shockbottle. Dump 100 round into them check for any high rounds, then use the flip tray, and all 100 rounds drop into an MTM (or Dillon) plastic case in one shot. Best way to check 9mm and 45ACP!

View attachment 731890

100 Round 9mm Luger Hundo Chamber Checker Cartridge Case Gauge

Ben Stoeger Pro Shop has a large selection of USPSA, IDPA, IPSC, and 3-Gun Gear, Guns and Parts to help you train and shoot better.

benstoegerproshop.com

Cool tool, but not $100 cool!!

I supposed if I were loading massive numbers of rounds (I'm not, ATM), it might make sense. I have to wonder why a plastic tray would be so darn expensive.

 

[Helocat]

Cool tool, but not $100 cool!!

I supposed if I were loading massive numbers of rounds (I'm not, ATM), it might make sense. I have to wonder why a plastic tray would be so darn expensive.

The plastic flip tray is CNC machined, not injection molded. Most likley due to the small volume of demand for the specialty reloading gear. Both not cheep for sure but being able to case gauge 100% of 9 and 45, then drop directly into storage boxes for the range is very nice.

 

[awshoot]

The plastic flip tray is CNC machined, not injection molded. Most likley due to the small volume of demand for the specialty reloading gear. Both not cheep for sure but being able to case gauge 100% of 9 and 45, then drop directly into storage boxes for the range is very nice.

I'm going to guess that even if it was a mass market item, it would still be CNCed -- there is shrinkage and warpage with molding so getting it right would be very difficult, time consuming, and expensive.

 

[Helocat]

I'm going to guess that even if it was a mass market item, it would still be CNCed -- there is shrinkage and warpage with molding so getting it right would be very difficult, time consuming, and expensive.

Only the flip tray is plastic so not so precision. But I am not a plastics engineer, just more of a machinist so to me I just always want to cut chips for solutions!

 

[awshoot]

Only the flip tray is plastic so not so precision. But I am not a plastics engineer, just more of a machinist so to me I just always want to cut chips for solutions!

View attachment 732858

I see -- yeah -- the flip tray is better with some slop.

 

[Helocat]

This thread unfortunately due to our current claimant highlights true fact reloading is lower cost. 12 months ago this thread has "its cheeper to just run down to Walmart" and "reloading is a false economy" statements that just don't work now. Unfortunately the reality of lean times most certainly shows that reloading is definitely lower cost way to shoot more and is magnified in times like this right now. The 50AE I just bought would sit in the safe if I did not reload, but I do and cases/projectiles are all available.

$ spend on stockpiles from 4/2019
$160 bought full case of 9mm on sale at Bi-Mart.
OR
$160 bought Just a little less than 7,000 small pistol primers on sale from Graphs and Sons.

As of today powder is still available as are projectiles. (Powder Valley is showing good stocks, at lest today) brass is out there if one does not have their own.

Still loading:
115g FMJ 9mm for about $5.50 per box or $110 a case of 1k.
Or
115g 9mm Blue Bullets for about $5per box or $100 a case of 1k.

I am disappointed that other shooters out there right now cant get the ammo they need to keep their training up. (Or just go blast targets) I am probably going to go through my stocks of factory and see what I can part with since I can replace it with my own.

 

[awshoot]

This thread unfortunately due to our current [calamity] highlights true fact reloading is lower cost. 12 months ago this thread has "its cheeper to just run down to Walmart" and "reloading is a false economy" statements that just don't work now. ...

Give a man a box of ammo and he'll shoot for a day. Teach a man to reload and he'll shoot for a lifetime.

 

[Wombat of Doom]

Well, I buy lots of ammo when it is cheap, and reload when it is not, and when I buy more ammo, it is more brass to reload.