The cost of pistol bullets.

[kmw1954]

This is just an observation and not a gripe. My last bullet purchase was way back when Bullets.com went out of business and had their closeout sale. I just bought a bunch because they were so cheap and I do still have a good deal left and a whole bunch already loaded.

But I did go last night and visit Berry's, Xtreme, RMR, The Bullet Works, Midway and Cabela's just to do a price check. So has there really been that much of a price increase or am I just imagining it?

[T. O'Heir]

Everything goes up in price. The commodities we big kids use are subject to various market influences like The Donald arguing with China.
Look around at a local gun show, if there is such a thing, for a guy making cast or swaged bullets. Or look into Grizzly.com. They supposedly got most of Bullets.com stuff.

[edward hogan]

Commodity prices rose like hell back in 2013-ish. Then dropped like a rock to all-time lows. Still close to those lows, but like soda and candy bars that went from a dime to .25cents in the 70s; when the commodity (sugar) declined way back, the mfrs kept their price cause they could...

Then, there's all the new guys buying guns and gear....

Got $450 to buy a Redding Ultra Mag? A Dillon 550c outfit will cost you a Grand, if you got your own dies already! If gear is built well, it's a fortune. Or does everybody make so much $$ these days that they actually have thousands to spend? Not talking about lines of credit, actual money???

Cast your own handgun and rifle bullets. Unless you're shooting longrange precision or hunting cape buffalo or kodiak bear, cast or traditional bullets work fine.

Lee molds come with handles for about $20. Got a campstove and old pot for melting lead? You're set once you buy a dipper and maybe an ingot mold. Although any cast-iron cookware will serve for ingots.

I got no use for highprice bullets. All according to what flavor KoolAid you prefer....

[Road_Clam]

Reloading components like everything else purchased in life goes according to supply and demand. This holds especially true based upon political 2a climate. Currently the political atmosphere is driven with minimal fear which means ammo and reloading component inventories are at a high which means it's a buyers market. Not the case back in 2013-2016 when a brick of 22LR was about $80 and it was considered gold... I'm making small monthly reloading component purchases to increase my inventory while times are good because come 2021 things can go REAL bad...

[res45]

I only buy jacketed bullets for rifles when it's something I can really use and they are on sale, that was probably around ten years ago when I last bought those type bullets and most are still in the boxes.

I have been casting my own pistol bullets for around 30+ years so naturally casting my own rifle bullets was always part of the plan as well. I have around 30 molds for both pistols and rifles, most are Lee which cast great bullets the other are from NOE, Accurate and Arsenal.

All those molds have already been paid for multiple time over from all the bullets I've cast on my leisure time enjoying my hobby and none of the lead or lead based alloys cost me a dime. I know many don't have that option as free lead is hard to come by for many these days and casting isn't something they really don't have the time or want to do.

Your best option is maybe look into shooting coated lead bullets. If you know the dia. you need there are several companies that offer a good product for a cheaper price than jacketed bullets. And you can check out places like Rocky Mountain Reloading that sell bulk jacketed bullets, the more you buy the cheaper per bullet prices.

[Mike38]

Welcome to the group "Everything is going up but my paycheck". The list is long and distinguished.

[kmw1954]

So it's been what, about a year since Bullits.com closed and I haven't looked at prices since then as I hadn't the need for any. But I also guess that since then we've had Cabela's change ownership, Xtreme go into bankruptcy and now Rainier closing and who was the other? Dardas?

A lot of changes in this past year or so.

Those that cast their own, good for you. I looked into it but the supply of cheap and easy lead just doesn't exist any more. At least around here. Illinois and Minnesota have both outlawed lead wheel weights. Then the Scrap dealers in Illinois will not sell lead because there it is a hazardous material and one needs a hazmat license to deal with it.

[sparkyv]

I agree that the environment is one that should be ripe for a buyer's market. But I too, have observed projectile prices have increased, so I'm shopping elsewhere, finding deals, paying less, and having good results. These other retailers that are charging more will have to drop their prices to stay in business, and by then, they'll have lost me as a customer.

[jdc606]

I was buying Precision Delta 9mm 124gr HP's at $85 per 1K about 5 years back. Just looked and they are now $89 per 1k. I don't think that's much of a hike.

[reddog81]

What kind of prices were you getting when bullets.com went out of business? RMR has mixed 9mm bullets for $.057. Reviews show that they are mainly 115 grains. New plated 9mm are around $.08. 45’s can be bad for about $.12.

At these prices I question why I cast my own... My materials cost about half of these prices, add in all the time to cast, size, powder coat and it becomes hard to justify unless you enjoy it.

[kmw1954]

I recall the closeout was at about 40-50% on the Berry's I purchased. At that time I hadn't shot or loaded any 185gr 45acp but at the price I couldn't pass some up. I have been following the RMR products on The High Road forum, our sister here, and I will be giving them a try when I'm ready to order.

Not quite ready to try the cast in either my 380 or the 45acp but I'm thinking about it.

[Paul B.]

"Not quite ready to try the cast in either my 380 or the 45acp but I'm thinking about it."

A bullet I highly recommend is the H&G #68. H&G no longer exists but SAECO make the #068 which is a bevel base clone and I think #069 is a flat based version. I run the #068 through a custom 1911 target gun and when shot from a Ransome rest it shot into 2 to 2.5" at 50 yards. My Cold Combat Commander from that same rest did 3.5" at 50 yards. It's a 200 gr. semiwadcutter. You can get a cast bullet that duplicates hardball if you want. Run it over 5.0 gr. of Bullseye and you've duplicated the original .45 ACP load. Bullets should be sized .452". That's what works in my guns.
Paul B.

[RickB]

I just bought 500 coated 124gr roundnose from Gallant Bullets for $40 delivered; I honestly can't remember what I last paid for similar bullets?

The real sticker shock was going to a local gun store and paying $50 for 1k primers!
When I started handloading, they were a penny each.

[res45]

"Not quite ready to try the cast in either my 380 or the 45acp but I'm thinking about it."

A bullet I highly recommend is the H&G #68. H&G no longer exists but SAECO make the #068 which is a bevel base clone and I think #069 is a flat based version. I run the #068 through a custom 1911 target gun and when shot from a Ransome rest it shot into 2 to 2.5" at 50 yards. My Cold Combat Commander from that same rest did 3.5" at 50 yards. It's a 200 gr. semiwadcutter. You can get a cast bullet that duplicates hardball if you want. Run it over 5.0 gr. of Bullseye and you've duplicated the original .45 ACP load. Bullets should be sized .452". That's what works in my guns.
Paul B.

Pretty much ever bullet mold makers offers a clone of the H&G #68 I use the Lee version in my Ruger P90 and 45 ACP carbine.

[Hammerhead]

Coated is where it's at now for saving a buck.

I get 9mm 125 coated bullets for less than 7¢ delivered. Big savings on .45 too.

Black Bullets Int.
Missouri Bullets
The Blue Bullets

[Old 454]

I order my bullets from Everglades ammo.
Pretty decent deals and no shipping and get to my door pretty fast

[kmw1954]

If and when I get to trying cast lead I believe this will be my fist choice as I can get them locally, sales tax but no shipping.

http://www.acmebullet.com/bullets-re...product_id=428

[Hammerhead]

Made right there in Wisconsin, perfect.

[gwpercle]

You might want to go ahead and buy a couple moulds right now....you know they aren't going to get any cheaper....
I bought a lot of mine in the 1960's and sure glad I did .
A couple of Lee Double Cavity moulds won't break the bank and if you don't use them , sell them .
They run about $20.00 each , come with handles and made in the USA .
Gary

[kmw1954]

gwpercle I believe post #7 explains why I do not cast.

[5whiskey]

I’m glad I cast now, but I understand why it feels daunting. And lead is much harder to come by. I still have “a guy” but that’s not everyone. Those guys are harder and harder to find. I don’t blame OP honestly.

On to the joys of casting. I’ve found I can cast much more accurate ball ammo for muzzle loaders than I can buy. Now that I’ve cast my own and held sub 6” groups at 40 yards out of my C&B (off hand no less), I don’t think highly at all of Hornady’s swaged lead balls. Night and day difference.

In all, I certainly understand why OP doesn’t. Last time I ordered bullets Missouri bullet co got my business. Decent bullets and decent price (like 6 cents for 124 gn). When Dardas was in business I preferred them. I’ve never reloaded anything but lead. I’m too cheap. And I’ve also noticed prices haven’t gone down like they probably could have. Primers are living proof. I paid less during the panics than I do now, short of a smoking sale at grafs.

[rodfac]

A bullet I highly recommend is the H&G #68. H&G no longer exists but SAECO make the #068 which is a bevel base clone and I think #069 is a flat based version. I run the #068 through a custom 1911 target gun and when shot from a Ransome rest it shot into 2 to 2.5" at 50 yards. My Cold Combat Commander from that same rest did 3.5" at 50 yards. It's a 200 gr. semiwadcutter. You can get a cast bullet that duplicates hardball if you want. Run it over 5.0 gr. of Bullseye and you've duplicated the original .45 ACP load. Bullets should be sized .452". That's what works in my guns.

Good post, Paul. Ditto in my guns as well. Great bullet and no need to fool around with powder coating if your range doesn't mind a little smoke. For .357, get a Lyman 358156 Gc and shoot it up to 1250 fps with the check, or with 3.5 gr of Bullseye for 800 fps...sterling accuracy and about 4c. per shot for components. YMMv Rod