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  #1  
Old 10-17-2012, 08:58 PM
GummyMonster GummyMonster is offline
 
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Location: Northwestern Alberta
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Default Reloading vs store bought cost.

Evening,
Am setting up a dedicated gun and reloading room. Have all the equipment so initial cost doesn't factor here.
Had a friend ask this but it's been very long since I last reloaded.
He bought a box of 170 grain winchester 30 -30 shells. Cost about 22 dollars.
How much would it cost to reload 20 shells with similar components?
While I am asking , what about .204 and 22-250 ammo, using good quality components, approximately how much per cartridge to reload??
Thanks' in advance,
Ken
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  #2  
Old 10-17-2012, 09:19 PM
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Lefty-Canuck Lefty-Canuck is offline
 
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Initial shell vs shell cost would be close to the same...

BUT....once you factor in multiple loading from the same case, then you only factor the cost of the consumables (powder,primer, bullet)....until the case is not longer usable. Depending on the brand of brass that cost could come out to ~50% of the initial cost on the case only (ie. the loaded round is $1....the case intial cost could be $0.50)

As was mentioned here a few days ago....if cost is the only factor you are using to justify reloading, you will be sorely disappointed when figuring out the numbers.

BUT for some chambering that are rare (ie. 240WBY) 20 unloaded cases is about $45-50 dollars...they cannot be made from any other case either. Then you factor in a premium bullet @ $1 each....each of your loaded rounds would be approx $3.00.... but a box of loaded rounds could top $100/20 with a premium bullet.

...so it is more economical to reload for certain chamberings over certain others.

LC
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Old 10-17-2012, 09:21 PM
Pudelpointer Pudelpointer is offline
 
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If you have the brass, cheap bullets can be loaded for ~$8-11 p/box of 20, premium bullets ~$18-23 p/box.

Buy bulk packs of bullets, 8lb kegs of powder from Higginson, and primers 5k at a time and you can reload varmint rounds for as little as $7 p/box.

Basically reloading allows you to save 45-80% of the cost of factory loads.
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Old 10-17-2012, 10:19 PM
Comstar Comstar is offline
 
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Anyone have the cheapest possible .308 combo?

I'm lookin to get a lee hand loader for Xmas to reload a bunch of spare brass I've been keeping.

I'll I need is something to replace the factory Ammo, and shoot a little more accurate doesn't even need to be soft point.(except when I need to)

Any one have an estimate for fmj rounds? Minus the brass.
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Old 10-18-2012, 06:52 AM
lyallpeder lyallpeder is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Comstar View Post
Anyone have the cheapest possible .308 combo?

I'm lookin to get a lee hand loader for Xmas to reload a bunch of spare brass I've been keeping.

I'll I need is something to replace the factory Ammo, and shoot a little more accurate doesn't even need to be soft point.(except when I need to)

Any one have an estimate for fmj rounds? Minus the brass.
I load .308 and use my old brass, varget, cci primers and hornady 150gr SPBT bullets. I think the powder is about $30-$35 the bullets $28 per 100 and primers are about $4?.
Bullet- .28 cents
Primer- .04 cents
Podwer- .22 cents (7,000 gr in a pound about 150 rounds per pound)
Brass- free

.54 cents each vs $1.00 at the store
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  #6  
Old 10-18-2012, 06:58 AM
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Dean2 Dean2 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Comstar View Post
Anyone have the cheapest possible .308 combo?

I'm lookin to get a lee hand loader for Xmas to reload a bunch of spare brass I've been keeping.

I'll I need is something to replace the factory Ammo, and shoot a little more accurate doesn't even need to be soft point.(except when I need to)

Any one have an estimate for fmj rounds? Minus the brass.
Whatever load you want to calculate it is very simple matth. Bullet cost, plus primer plus powder cost.

Bullets sell in 100, 500 or 1000 packs. You can get FMJs as cheap as $5/100 or 5 cents each. Primers in 5k lots can be bought as cheap a 2.5 cents. Powder in 8 Lb jugs, $24/lb. 7000 grains in a pound so a typical 308 45 grain load gives you 156 rounds per pound so 15.4 cents for powder. So 22.9 cents per round or $4.58 a box of 20. With Barnes premium TSX bullet about $22/20. In Either case this is a lot less than factory loads with the same bullets. Even bulk 308 milsurp runs about $12/20.
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Old 10-18-2012, 07:34 AM
Comstar Comstar is offline
 
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Thanks guys!

I've calculated costs before but doing it on a website wasn't the most accurate info. Thought I'd see what people could actually find.
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  #8  
Old 10-18-2012, 07:35 AM
skinnykid skinnykid is offline
 
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I think it is cheaper... That being said, I reload for a .338LM and factory Match ammo is anywhere from $130-$180/20 where as I can reload higher quality match ammo with top components. Say $130/20, that's $6.50ea. My reloads work out to be about $1.80ea.

That and the gain in accuracy far exceeds any other work you can do to an individual rifle. Apart from a total custom build. (I believe)

skinny
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  #9  
Old 10-18-2012, 09:25 AM
GummyMonster GummyMonster is offline
 
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Thanks' for the input everyone.
Cost savings is a very small part of my interest to get reloading again. Need a hobby to keep busy when I am at home. I have been asked about the savings from other shooters before, but I could not really answer. Now I can.
Thanks' again as always guys.
Ken
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