[Double Naught Spy]

Recycling brass as much as possible and scrounging from our range, the guys I shoot with claim to load non-jacketed .45 acp for less than $3 a box. If they were to do FMJ, I understand FMJ would make that much more expensive.

So you have direct costs for the components and maybe you can get brass for free as well by scrounging (although some ranges don't like people to do that except for their own brass). You do have the press already. Do you have the other items to pull spent primers and clean brass? If not, you may need some addtional equipment beyond the press itself.

Once you are all set up and ready to go, there is one unrealized cost and that cost is quite variable to each individual's situation. You will have a time investment and if you are a busy person, that time investment may be relatively huge compared to someone who has a lot of free time.

Since I don't have the time, I go with bulk buying and there are some good deals on the internet. They will all be more expensive than reloading in terms of direct cost. Depending on the seller and shipping, you can get FMJ ammo for between $8-10 for reliable products like Fiocchi, S&B, or Blazer. Botachtactical (yes, I know that have a horrible reputation) has IMI FMJ on sale for $149 plus shipping which would be around $25 depending on where you are relative to them. Natchez has Blazer for $146 per 100 plus shipping. Ammoman's prices, unlike Botach and Natchez, include the shipping price in the amount you see, unless you pay cash and then you get a 3% discount. You can find Wolf and American ammo for cheaper, but I don't suggest them. And, if you order and are not in the state where the material is purchased, then there will be no sales tax to tack on to your total investement.

My point to all this is that if you have the time, reloading is the way to go. If you don't have the time, there are some factory ammo brands and sellers that can get the price down to a more reasonable level than you might be seeing in your local stores.