# How cheap have you gotten your .45 reloads down too?



## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

So before I go down the road and buy the equipment to make my own bullets, I'm curious how much am I going to save? 

I can get rounds down to .36 cents, buying them in the stores..... Where is the price point / at want price is it worth reloading my own?

And time factor is worth something, right?

Thanks
Skipp


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

Muddskipper said:


> So before I go down the road and buy the equipment to make my own bullets, I'm curious how much am I going to save?
> 
> I can get rounds down to .36 cents, buying them in the stores..... Where is the price point / at want price is it worth reloading my own?
> 
> ...


 You've got two factors here: price of components and price of time: you can't really count time, as it's just time spent on a hobby: do you count the time you use emptying those bullets as well? That point is where the money you spend on the equipment comes in: is it worth a few hundred more to get a progressive Dillon or something on that level to "rearrange" the proportion of free, disposable time that you use making bullets vs. emptying them..


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## Too Tall (May 21, 2004)

You can get fairly close checking the web for prices to fill in the blanks. I'm guessing any where from .20 to .30 cents a round depending on components. Plus it was mentioned the cost of equipment and time. You would have to treat it like a hobby instead of a cost saver because break even is some distance down the road. Now if you reload for multiple calibers then that point may come sooner.

http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp


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## spurgersalty (Jun 29, 2010)

I haven't broke it down, but believe it would be in the .12-.15 cents a round range. I do not buy brass though as my buddy is LEO and brings me their burnt brass in a 5 gallon bucket at a time for both 40s&w, and 45 acp.


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

I have the reloading equipment just don't have the smelter.

I have some brass, so lead, powder, primers is what it comes down to


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## Bantam1 (Jun 26, 2007)

I'm lucky because someone gave me 1500 Hornady 230 gr FMJ's. It costs me about $0.05/round. I'm using my own once fired brass so I have not factored the cost of brass. Once I run out I expect my costs to go way up.


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## Screeminreel (Jun 2, 2004)

If I had to purchase everything today using the calculator posted above and a few prices I pulled down form Powder Valley, and what I paid for the lead I purchased, they would run around .13 each using the current loads I use now.

Since I have the brass, powder, and primers which wee all purchased before the big inflation they are about half or less, and I am pouring my own bullets.

You can find suitable lead for sale on several of the shooting sites, the 2 cavity Lee molds run about $20 and the 6 about $40, depending on where you get them from. Throw in a thermometer, a fish cooker or similar outdoor type stove, a suitable SS or cast iron pot from either the thrift store or garage sale, and you can ladle pour your own pretty cheap. Size them to fit your bore with a Lee sizing die which also comes with a bottle of lube and your still into it for under $150. If you wanted to go with a new smelting pot you can get the Lee 20# rig for around $60 or less or pick up a cast iron dutch oven at Academy for around $25. Just remember that once you use either for lead it is not to be used for any future cooking what so ever.

For some great reading up on it if you are interested in pouring your own, look over here,
http://www.lasc.us/ArticlesFryxell.htm

You will find just about everything you ever wanted to know about pouring up your own bullets there, and if you still have questions look over to Castboolits.com for the rest.


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## trodery (Sep 13, 2006)

Factor in the cost of blowing up your favorite Kimber pistol when you forget to put powder in a round... I did that once!


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## Screeminreel (Jun 2, 2004)

> Factor in the cost of blowing up your favorite Kimber pistol when you forget to put powder in a round... I did that once!


Well having been loading for close to 40 years, I would have to say I have never seen a round with no powder in it, blow up any gun.

I have seen, and read many reports, where the person shooting the gun, failed to recognize their squib, then shot another round in behind it, which resulted in the blown or damaged firearm. However, this was not the load with no powders fault, nor the one behind it which did have powder. I have also purchased factory loads which had one row charged with powder and the other were not.

Don't put the blame on the application, when the applicator might be at fault.

Just sayin.......


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## trodery (Sep 13, 2006)

There is no doubt it was the applicator's fault... I did it! I failed to charge one round with powder.

I had six of my Kimber 1911's laying on the bench at the Texas City gun range, a young man came by and was admiring the guns and I happily asked if we would like to shoot one, he grinned ear to ear and grab one and a magazine and went to his firing station a few feet from me... he did not notice the squib load and the following round blew up the barrel. The Texas City gun range still has pictures.

Expensive lesson learned!


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## bowfishrp (Apr 5, 2007)

Ouch! Us reloaders know to treat all FTFs as a squib...better safe than sorry.

As for prices...well I look at the cost of the bullets since I dont pour my own and since I can get 1000 plated bullets for about $100-$120 its not bad. Powder is not much and I try to get primers in bulk to save on hazmat fee so overall the price gets lower. Compare that to the price of loaded ammo and its really no comparision.

Really I have no choice now but to reload since my wife has gotten into shooting now too we go through some ammo!


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