Reloading math: Or check the cost benefits

possum · August 10, 2007, 02:42 PM

I've just spent a bit surfing the Internet and gun boards looking at the ads for the now unobtainable .308 milsurp ammo.

Common prices I have seen folks asking for Aussie or Portuguese or South African milsurp that they hoarded a few years ago are around 45 to 50 cents per round, or $10 per box of 20.

Looking at those prices, I did a little reloading math.

Now, I bought my Dillon RL550B press about 12 years ago.

Over those 12 years, I've collected pretty much every single .308 casing I've fired that has a boxer primer.

My RL550B press paid for itself a long time ago, as I've reloaded close to 3000 rounds of cheapo handgun ammo on it in a variety of calibers.

The brass I've got, I paid for years ago.

With the brass and the press on hand, here are my other costs.

One pound of Varget powder sells for $22 at my local gun shop. One pound of powder contains approximately 7000 grains of powder.

My pet load of Varget calls for 44.5 grains. That means one pound of powder will produce about 157 charges of 44.5.

Let's call it more like 140 such powder charges due to spillage, accidents, etc.

I can get 168 grain Sierra Match King .308 bullets for $24 per 100 bullets, or 24 cents each.

As for primers, the same gun shop sells match primers for $3 per 100, or about three cents each.

Total costs for supplies would be $22 plus $24 plus $3, or $49, which means that for the same cost as the MilSurp is selling for, I can make MATCH GRADE ammo that has given me .25 MOA groups out of two of my rifles.

But, if I go out and buy commercial Match Grade ammo in .308, I'm going to be spending a little more than $1 per round, as the last time I priced FGMM in .308, it was about $23 per box.

That's basically twice what my own, homemade match grade reloads cost, which also produce little bitty groups out of my rifles.

Now, here's where it gets sick.

If I opt to go with reloaded ammo more like MilSurp stuff, my costs go even further down.

The same gun shop sells 147 grain MILITARY SURPLUS pulled bullets for $9 per 100.

So, if I decide to make an equivalent Mil Surp load, it gets really cheap.

First, my milsurp load in milsurp brass calls for only 43 grains of Varget, so I can get about 162 such loads out of one pound of powder.

But, for simplicity's sake, I still need the $22 can of powder, the $3 worth of primers, and only $9 worth of bullets.

Total cost is $34, or .34 cents per round, or $6.8 per box of ammo........or 32% cheaper than what current good MilSurp is going for.

But that's my reloading math project for this afternoon.

possum

shepherddogs · August 10, 2007, 04:59 PM

The last primers I bought were about 19.00 per 1000 if I recall. Midway also has bulk bullet deals and their own brand of some bullets for cheap. Shop around and you can save $.

Stargazer · August 10, 2007, 07:10 PM

I get my reloading supplies at gun shows. I figure the $7 to get in pays for some shipping I would have to pay for if I ordered the supplies on line. Magtech primers were only $18, pound of Unique, $17.50 (no HAZ MAT fee), and my .357 bullets were $11.50 per (100) and I can load a good (900) from a pound of powder. ( no paper trail either ) I know the cost savings are not dramatic but reloading does save at least a third of the price of new ones. Another reason I reload is if something like the recent, but changed, proposed regulations by OSHA come down the pike. OSHA has backed off of these new proposed regulations as they stirred up some very angry people for trying to force regulations on a product that did not need the regulations in the first place. The Anti-gunners will just have to find some other way to take our ammo away. And we will fight that battle too if and when!
Now remember, if SHTF ever, each old burned out car has at least (4) bullets on it! Yes they should be cast into bullets with the proper mold but if it ever comes down to it, a bullet could be shaped with a pocketknife and reloaded.

August 10, 2007, 02:42 PM	#1
possum Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2004 Posts: 135	Reloading math: Or check the cost benefits I've just spent a bit surfing the Internet and gun boards looking at the ads for the now unobtainable .308 milsurp ammo. Common prices I have seen folks asking for Aussie or Portuguese or South African milsurp that they hoarded a few years ago are around 45 to 50 cents per round, or $10 per box of 20. Looking at those prices, I did a little reloading math. Now, I bought my Dillon RL550B press about 12 years ago. Over those 12 years, I've collected pretty much every single .308 casing I've fired that has a boxer primer. My RL550B press paid for itself a long time ago, as I've reloaded close to 3000 rounds of cheapo handgun ammo on it in a variety of calibers. The brass I've got, I paid for years ago. With the brass and the press on hand, here are my other costs. One pound of Varget powder sells for $22 at my local gun shop. One pound of powder contains approximately 7000 grains of powder. My pet load of Varget calls for 44.5 grains. That means one pound of powder will produce about 157 charges of 44.5. Let's call it more like 140 such powder charges due to spillage, accidents, etc. I can get 168 grain Sierra Match King .308 bullets for $24 per 100 bullets, or 24 cents each. As for primers, the same gun shop sells match primers for $3 per 100, or about three cents each. Total costs for supplies would be $22 plus $24 plus $3, or $49, which means that for the same cost as the MilSurp is selling for, I can make MATCH GRADE ammo that has given me .25 MOA groups out of two of my rifles. But, if I go out and buy commercial Match Grade ammo in .308, I'm going to be spending a little more than $1 per round, as the last time I priced FGMM in .308, it was about $23 per box. That's basically twice what my own, homemade match grade reloads cost, which also produce little bitty groups out of my rifles. Now, here's where it gets sick. If I opt to go with reloaded ammo more like MilSurp stuff, my costs go even further down. The same gun shop sells 147 grain MILITARY SURPLUS pulled bullets for $9 per 100. So, if I decide to make an equivalent Mil Surp load, it gets really cheap. First, my milsurp load in milsurp brass calls for only 43 grains of Varget, so I can get about 162 such loads out of one pound of powder. But, for simplicity's sake, I still need the $22 can of powder, the $3 worth of primers, and only $9 worth of bullets. Total cost is $34, or .34 cents per round, or $6.8 per box of ammo........or 32% cheaper than what current good MilSurp is going for. But that's my reloading math project for this afternoon. possum

August 10, 2007, 04:59 PM	#2
shepherddogs Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2007 Posts: 1,007	The last primers I bought were about 19.00 per 1000 if I recall. Midway also has bulk bullet deals and their own brand of some bullets for cheap. Shop around and you can save $.

August 10, 2007, 07:10 PM	#3
Stargazer Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Posts: 506	I get my reloading supplies at gun shows. I figure the $7 to get in pays for some shipping I would have to pay for if I ordered the supplies on line. Magtech primers were only $18, pound of Unique, $17.50 (no HAZ MAT fee), and my .357 bullets were $11.50 per (100) and I can load a good (900) from a pound of powder. ( no paper trail either ) I know the cost savings are not dramatic but reloading does save at least a third of the price of new ones. Another reason I reload is if something like the recent, but changed, proposed regulations by OSHA come down the pike. OSHA has backed off of these new proposed regulations as they stirred up some very angry people for trying to force regulations on a product that did not need the regulations in the first place. The Anti-gunners will just have to find some other way to take our ammo away. And we will fight that battle too if and when! Now remember, if SHTF ever, each old burned out car has at least (4) bullets on it! Yes they should be cast into bullets with the proper mold but if it ever comes down to it, a bullet could be shaped with a pocketknife and reloaded.