15.4 cents for a 38 spl.

Prof Young · September 9, 2018, 01:48 PM

Have been reloading 38 spl this week. With a 125 gr plated HP and 4.6 gr of acc #2 and cci primer they come in at 15.4 cents a round. Looking at prices of off the shelf 38 spl I appear to be saving about 30 cents a shot.

This is why I reload!

Life is good
Prof Young

FITASC · September 9, 2018, 03:08 PM

My LSWC run about .08, so my reloads are running about .012 or $6/box of 50.......

Sharkbite · September 9, 2018, 05:48 PM

I have not found my reloading to save me money...just allows me to shoot MORE on the same budget. Lol

5whiskey · September 9, 2018, 08:03 PM

I get out for a smidge over .10 shooting dardas cast 158gn swc, using 700x (one of the most economical powders on earth), and.The s&b primers. Could get down to .08ish but I like a heavier bullet.

Reminds me that Matt dardas went out of business and makes me sad...

USSR · September 9, 2018, 08:14 PM

The real savings come when you can make the most expensive component yourself. My .38 Special loads cost me 6 cents each.

Don

tlm225 · September 12, 2018, 01:44 PM

I cast my own bullets, mostly from wheelweights and range scrap. I'm presently at less than 4 cents per round fr .38 special. About 5 cents for .45 ACP. (more powder)

Don P · September 12, 2018, 02:24 PM

Quote:

they come in at 15.4 cents a round

I use SnS coated lead bullets, 160 grain, 3.6 grains of Titegroup and Federal primers, and they come in at .10 a round and a whisker less when I'm loading 38 short colt and using 2.8 grains of powder

gwpercle · September 12, 2018, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prof Young

Have been reloading 38 spl this week. With a 125 gr plated HP and 4.6 gr of acc #2 and cci primer they come in at 15.4 cents a round. Looking at prices of off the shelf 38 spl I appear to be saving about 30 cents a shot.

This is why I reload!

Life is good
Prof Young

I tell my wife this every time I write a check to Midway , Midsouth , Cabela's , Titan Reloading NOE Bullet Moulds..etc., etc., etc.,
I don't really think she believes I save more money than I spend on reloading stuff but she doesn't complain about my little hobby. Claims it keeps me off the streets , out of trouble and away from all my low life trouble making friends.
You would think that after 50 years of buying reloading stuff I would have two of everything....but they keep coming out with new and improved must have stuff every day....I can't seem to get ahead of the game !

Oh Yeah....I save soooooo much money reloading...right !
Gary
loading since 1967

Don Fischer · September 12, 2018, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharkbite

I have not found my reloading to save me money...just allows me to shoot MORE on the same budget. Lol

Shush!

Ben Dover · September 12, 2018, 04:23 PM

Cast your own and shoot for 4-5 cents/round.

Rangerrich99 · September 12, 2018, 08:00 PM

Wait until you start reloading an expensive round, like .44 spl/mag. I'd have to go back and check for exact numbers, but I'm pretty sure it only costs me a bit over 17 cents per round to reload .44 spl. That's about $8/box of 50, or $17.50 per 100. Retail around here for a box of manufactured .44 spl is about $40-45. Online I think it's still something like .50 /rd.

Of course, the result is I shoot a lot more .44 spl/mag than before I started reloading 'em. Whatever, it's a lot more fun to touch off several dozen .44s when you aren't thinking about what you're spending.

sundog · September 13, 2018, 10:16 AM

I'm still using primers I got for $75/case. That's 0.015 per primer. And surplus and estate sale powders. Figure maybe 0.01 per round. I cast my own bullets - no cost other than the hobby of making my own. Lead is either range scrap (free) or wheel weights I've had so long there is no way to figure in cost. I've used the brass so long it's depreciated to zero. Gotta love the 38 Spl!

So, even high siding the cost at 0.035 (figure a penny for the bullet - just for grins), that's $3.50/hundred. Family gatherings are always a 'blast'. Everyone who wants to shoot, gets to.

T. O'Heir · September 13, 2018, 01:00 PM

You should be reloading for the tailored ammo for your firearm. Reloading isn't about saving money. It's about using the best possible ammo.

joeanybody · September 13, 2018, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rangerrich99

Wait until you start reloading an expensive round, like .44 spl/mag. I'd have to go back and check for exact numbers, but I'm pretty sure it only costs me a bit over 17 cents per round to reload .44 spl. That's about $8/box of 50, or $17.50 per 100. Retail around here for a box of manufactured .44 spl is about $40-45. Online I think it's still something like .50 /rd.

Of course, the result is I shoot a lot more .44 spl/mag than before I started reloading 'em. Whatever, it's a lot more fun to touch off several dozen .44s when you aren't thinking about what you're spending.

Try the savings on 45/70 325 gr hornady loads.....
1 box of lever revolution=32.99
1 box of reloaded using same bullet=15

Paul B. · September 13, 2018, 03:29 PM

"You should be reloading for the tailored ammo for your firearm. Reloading isn't about saving money. It's about using the best possible ammo."

Gee, my cast loads are tailored for not only my handguns but for my rifles as well.

THat includes serious hunting loads and plinkers for the handguns. cast for rifles are for targets mostly. I have hunted deer with the 30-30 using cast bullets.

They work just fine.

Paul B.

**Aguila Blanca** · September 13, 2018, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlm225

I cast my own bullets, mostly from wheelweights and range scrap.

Where are you getting wheel weights? Around this neck 'o the woods all the dealerships and tire shops have gone away from using lead wheel weights.

joeanybody · September 13, 2018, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aguila Blanca

Where are you getting wheel weights? Around this neck 'o the woods all the dealerships and tire shops have gone away from using lead wheel weights.

I usually find wheel weights online. Ebay mostly. Im very picky about which ones i buy so i get the best deal/quality.

Prof Young · September 13, 2018, 09:33 PM

Rancherrich: 44 mag is why I started reloading. IL used to have a handgun season for deer. So I got a 44 mag to join that season. Needed to practice. Well even back then off the shelf 44 mag were 80 cents a shot. That motivated me to learn to reload. My first system was the "Lee Classic" which has been referred to as the "wack-a-mole" of reloading. Anyway years later I reload for all my pistols and rifles save for 22. Don't reload for my scatter guns either.

Life is good.
Prof Young

noylj · September 13, 2018, 09:38 PM

.38 special, to me, is a cast bullet load.
Missouri Bullets: 125gn L-TCFP are $32 and coated are $36, or 6.4 and 7.2 cents/bullet. AA2 at $20/lb or 1.3 cents for 4.6 gn.
3 cents for primer, ~7 cents for bullet, and 1.3 cents for powder is 11.3cents/round.
You can get GREAT Zero jacketed bullets from Rosedist: .38 125gn JSP or $95.55/1000 (for orders of 2000 up) or 9.6 cents/bullet. From Powder Valley, they are $43.70/500 (for 2000) or 8.74 cents/bullet. And these are superbly consistent and accurate jacketed bullets.
Almsot as good, and a lot better than plated, you can go to Precision Delta for .38 130gn FMJ-FP for $190/2000 or 9.5 cents/bullet, but I'll go Zero every time.
Don't buy at LGS, buy in quantity and quality, and really consider something other than plated.

USSR · September 14, 2018, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Where are you getting wheel weights? Around this neck 'o the woods all the dealerships and tire shops have gone away from using lead wheel weights.

Scrap yards. A lot of them end up there. My local scrap yard buys them for 15 cents a pound and sells them for 40 cents. I test them with a pair of side cutter pliers to ensure I am getting lead and not zinc.

Don

Nick_C_S · September 15, 2018, 06:15 PM

Quote:

You should be reloading for the tailored ammo for your firearm. Reloading isn't about saving money. It's about using the best possible ammo.

Well, I won't actually tell our OP why he/she should be loading - that's his/her business. O'Heir makes a strong point though.

There are a lot of garages across this country with loading equipment collecting dust because the sole motivation was to save money; and it never caught their interest as a craft. Loading became a chore, not a craft. Big - BIG - difference.

As already mentioned, no handloader saves any money - they just shoot more. Nobody reading this will dispute it

.

And tailoring ammo for a firearm and making the best possible ammo for a given application are great reasons for one to load their own on an enduring basis.

I'm going to show my step-son how to load tomorrow. He's looking into it. We've already had the "load to save money" conversation - basically covering all the above stuff. It'll be mentioned again

.

JERRYS. · September 15, 2018, 07:20 PM

when I factor in the money per hour I'm losing doing reloading instead of working... I save money just buying a box.

Nick_C_S · September 16, 2018, 02:34 PM

Quote:

when I factor in the money per hour I'm losing doing reloading instead of working... I save money just buying a box.

Exactly my point.

If it's something you enjoy, it is a craft; and as such, you don't factor in your time as an expense.

If it's something you do not enjoy, it is a chore; and as such, you factor in your time as an expense.

TruthTellers · September 18, 2018, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JERRYS.

when I factor in the money per hour I'm losing doing reloading instead of working... I save money just buying a box.

Depends on the ammo and the availability. For me, .327 and .45 Colt are great choices for reloading.

But I agree with you to a point. The people who rave about the savings reloading 9mm need their heads examined. Unless someone is giving you the components for free, you're not saving anything and you're wasting time not reloading something else.

buck460XVR · September 19, 2018, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by USSR

The real savings come when you can make the most expensive component yourself. My .38 Special loads cost me 6 cents each.

Don

You make your own cases?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick_C_S

Exactly my point.

If it's something you enjoy, it is a craft; and as such, you don't factor in your time as an expense.

If it's something you do not enjoy, it is a chore; and as such, you factor in your time as an expense.

I look at so called "free lead", the same way. Unless someone delivers it to your door for nuttin, it's not free. Used to help my friend who casts, get his so called "free lead". Diggin' in the local range berm and sifting the lead generally meant an afternoon or morning. The drive around town and the local area to various garages to get wheel weights was generally the same thing, plus gas and a few cases of beer. I always got a few "free" bullets for my effort, but when I looked at the time it cost me, they weren't really free. Asked my friend one day if he really saved any money after the time spent and the beer/gas bought. His answer was, it wasn't about the money but the "hunt".

I reload because it relaxes me and I get quality ammunition for a reasonable cost. If I really wanted to save money and time, I'd work more side jobs for cash and come out further ahead. Using a similar mindset, I could call any ammo I bought with that side job money "free".

September 9, 2018, 01:48 PM	#1
Prof Young Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2007 Location: Illinois - down state Posts: 2,404	15.4 cents for a 38 spl. Have been reloading 38 spl this week. With a 125 gr plated HP and 4.6 gr of acc #2 and cci primer they come in at 15.4 cents a round. Looking at prices of off the shelf 38 spl I appear to be saving about 30 cents a shot. This is why I reload! Life is good Prof Young

September 9, 2018, 08:03 PM	#4
5whiskey Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2005 Location: US Posts: 3,657	I get out for a smidge over .10 shooting dardas cast 158gn swc, using 700x (one of the most economical powders on earth), and.The s&b primers. Could get down to .08ish but I like a heavier bullet. Reminds me that Matt dardas went out of business and makes me sad... __________________ Support the NRA-ILA Auction, ends 03/09/2018 https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=593946

September 9, 2018, 08:14 PM	#5
USSR Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2017 Location: Finger Lakes Region of NY Posts: 1,442	The real savings come when you can make the most expensive component yourself. My .38 Special loads cost me 6 cents each. Don __________________ NRA Life Member NRA Certified Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor

September 12, 2018, 01:44 PM	#6
tlm225 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 962	I cast my own bullets, mostly from wheelweights and range scrap. I'm presently at less than 4 cents per round fr .38 special. About 5 cents for .45 ACP. (more powder) __________________ All that is neccessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke

September 12, 2018, 04:23 PM	#10
Ben Dover Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2013 Location: High up in the Rocky Moun Posts: 665	Cast your own and shoot for 4-5 cents/round. __________________ The soldier's pack is not so heavy a burden as the prisoner's chains. Dwight Eisenhower It is very important what a man stands for. But it is far more important what a man refuses to stand for.

September 9, 2018, 03:08 PM	#2
FITASC Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2014 Posts: 6,446	My LSWC run about .08, so my reloads are running about .012 or $6/box of 50....... __________________ "I believe that people have a right to decide their own destinies; people own themselves. I also believe that, in a democracy, government exists because (and only so long as) individual citizens give it a 'temporary license to exist'—in exchange for a promise that it will behave itself. In a democracy, you own the government—it doesn't own you."- Frank Zappa

September 9, 2018, 05:48 PM	#3
Sharkbite Senior Member Join Date: November 4, 2013 Location: Western slope of Colorado Posts: 3,679	I have not found my reloading to save me money...just allows me to shoot MORE on the same budget. Lol

September 12, 2018, 08:00 PM	#11
Rangerrich99 Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2014 Location: Kinda near Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,254	Wait until you start reloading an expensive round, like .44 spl/mag. I'd have to go back and check for exact numbers, but I'm pretty sure it only costs me a bit over 17 cents per round to reload .44 spl. That's about $8/box of 50, or $17.50 per 100. Retail around here for a box of manufactured .44 spl is about $40-45. Online I think it's still something like .50 /rd. Of course, the result is I shoot a lot more .44 spl/mag than before I started reloading 'em. Whatever, it's a lot more fun to touch off several dozen .44s when you aren't thinking about what you're spending.

September 13, 2018, 10:16 AM	#12
sundog Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 1999 Location: Green Country, OK Posts: 782	I'm still using primers I got for $75/case. That's 0.015 per primer. And surplus and estate sale powders. Figure maybe 0.01 per round. I cast my own bullets - no cost other than the hobby of making my own. Lead is either range scrap (free) or wheel weights I've had so long there is no way to figure in cost. I've used the brass so long it's depreciated to zero. Gotta love the 38 Spl! So, even high siding the cost at 0.035 (figure a penny for the bullet - just for grins), that's $3.50/hundred. Family gatherings are always a 'blast'. Everyone who wants to shoot, gets to. __________________ safety first

September 13, 2018, 01:00 PM	#13
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	You should be reloading for the tailored ammo for your firearm. Reloading isn't about saving money. It's about using the best possible ammo. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

September 13, 2018, 03:29 PM	#15
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,802	"You should be reloading for the tailored ammo for your firearm. Reloading isn't about saving money. It's about using the best possible ammo." Gee, my cast loads are tailored for not only my handguns but for my rifles as well. THat includes serious hunting loads and plinkers for the handguns. cast for rifles are for targets mostly. I have hunted deer with the 30-30 using cast bullets. They work just fine. Paul B. __________________ COMPROMISE IS NOT AN OPTION!

September 13, 2018, 09:33 PM	#18
Prof Young Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2007 Location: Illinois - down state Posts: 2,404	Rancherrich . . . exactly! Rancherrich: 44 mag is why I started reloading. IL used to have a handgun season for deer. So I got a 44 mag to join that season. Needed to practice. Well even back then off the shelf 44 mag were 80 cents a shot. That motivated me to learn to reload. My first system was the "Lee Classic" which has been referred to as the "wack-a-mole" of reloading. Anyway years later I reload for all my pistols and rifles save for 22. Don't reload for my scatter guns either. Life is good. Prof Young

September 13, 2018, 09:38 PM	#19
noylj Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2007 Location: Between CA and NM Posts: 858	.38 special, to me, is a cast bullet load. Missouri Bullets: 125gn L-TCFP are $32 and coated are $36, or 6.4 and 7.2 cents/bullet. AA2 at $20/lb or 1.3 cents for 4.6 gn. 3 cents for primer, ~7 cents for bullet, and 1.3 cents for powder is 11.3cents/round. You can get GREAT Zero jacketed bullets from Rosedist: .38 125gn JSP or $95.55/1000 (for orders of 2000 up) or 9.6 cents/bullet. From Powder Valley, they are $43.70/500 (for 2000) or 8.74 cents/bullet. And these are superbly consistent and accurate jacketed bullets. Almsot as good, and a lot better than plated, you can go to Precision Delta for .38 130gn FMJ-FP for $190/2000 or 9.5 cents/bullet, but I'll go Zero every time. Don't buy at LGS, buy in quantity and quality, and really consider something other than plated.

September 15, 2018, 07:20 PM	#22
JERRYS. Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2013 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,969	when I factor in the money per hour I'm losing doing reloading instead of working... I save money just buying a box.