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Thread: Why are air rifle bullets (slugs) so expensive?

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    Why are air rifle bullets (slugs) so expensive?

    So I'm thinking about getting into air rifles.

    I was looking at the cost of ammo, and I was absolutely floored by how much Air Venturi is charging for .357 or .458 bullets, something like $0.80 *each* for 250-350 grains!!

    I looked at one seller of cast bullets used in 45-70 reloading, and it was about $0.32 for 500 grains, another was $0.38 each in 100 ct boxes. Less than 500 grain bullets costs less, of course. At $0.80/bullet I could get copper jacketed .458 bullets. I found Sierra 300 grain soft-point jacketed bullets for $0.63/bullet, and with reloading I can have finished cartridges nearly for what Air Venturi is charging for plain bullets. If I cast my own, the cost per bullet is silly cheap.

    Is there something that I'm missing, or can I use regular Missouri Bullet Company (for example) bullets in an air rifle?

    ...as an aside, I looked at cheap .22 pellets, they can be had for 2 cents each.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    When I was in college studying for a business degree (never graduated) I recall our professor stating that the reasons that many products cost what they cost is generally because people are willing to pay what they cost. It's kind of smart-alecky but it seems to be the way of the world. The technical marketing name for this phenomenon is, "Perceived-Value."

    A good way to cut the price down on such projectiles is to invest in a mold that will cast those same slugs for you. Initially it may cost a bit but the more you shoot, the cheaper it will become.

    HollowPoint

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    ghh3rd's Avatar
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    Excellent answer on both points!
    Plata o plomo?
    Plomo, por favor!

  4. #4
    Boolit Master

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    Those Air Venturi slugs look to me like they come from the same molds you see and read about here.

    Somebody is getting a pretty good markup.

    You might have some issues with diameter and hardness if you purchase what is in stock at the local gun store.

    Air rifles want pretty soft alloy.
    Most commercial casters pride themselves on hard cast.
    To lazy to chase arrows.
    Clodhopper

  5. #5
    Boolit Mold
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    HollowPoint,

    That's exactly what I was thinking, but I questioned myself in case there was something I didn't understand. I learned a long time ago I don't know everything.

    clodhopper,

    NOE (and others) make molds specifically for airguns, so that's fortunate. Another fortunate thing is that pure/soft alloy tends to be the cheapest besides range recovery. If I ever get into the big-bore airguns at least I know I can cast myself and there's nothing really magical about the air rifle-specific bullets.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Using slugs in airguns is fairly new and until the market catches up you will see those outrageous prices. After shooting a lot of airguns with factory pellets and cast pellets I believe that the most accurate will be swaged bullets, made similar to factory pellets.

  7. #7
    Boolit Bub
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    The swaged AG bulets are also expensive. The equipment is expensive, and there is not the mass market as there is for Powder bullets. All niche products are usually more expensive than the mass marketed items. It's simple economics.

    also, the swaters of AG bullets are doing them one bullet at a time. Not production runs. It takes time, and time as they say, is money.

    I cast my own, and recover the lead from my personal range. It is virtually free after the initial investment of a furnace and molds. And first investment in lead and tin of course. LOL

    I shoot a LOT. I average 200+ airgun bullets, or pellets I cast myself. This is far less expensive than even cheap low grade airgun pellets. ;<)

    KnifeMaker

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    Just one of the reasons I have not gotten into big bore airguns.

    Whole nothing set of tools needed to swage those skirts right. I suspect most of them are shooting pure or very close to pure lead.

    Over .22 for me it is simply easier to load and fire center fire and have complete confidence that it will hit where I want and do what I want. YMMV.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Some .30s and 25s are extremely accurate using factory pellets, prolly more accurate to 75 yards and still cheaper (and quieter) then center fire. Work goes on trying to make home cast or swaged boolits as accurate.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    The fewer manufacturers of what amounts to a low volume of sales specialty item the less competition as far as prices go. That and the fact that in mass production setting up to produce ten thousand items costs nearly as much as producing ten million of the same item.
    The more you can sell of any item the less you have to charge to turn a good profit.

  11. #11
    Boolit Mold
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    MT Chambers & Multigunner got it right, I know a lot of people with regular firearms, a few people with airguns but nobody with a bigbore airgun so short run setup costs etc. drive the price up imho.
    If I go to bigbore I will cast my own .

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy

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    You can find a lot of info here:

    https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA...php?board=12.0

    And cast bullets/slugs and pellets are just as accurate, if you know what you are doing.

    Tia,
    Don

  13. #13
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    Its all about supply and demand along with our perceived value of something.

    Example: If diamonds had no value to us, be it real or imagined, they'd just be another piece of gravel.

    If there was a few hundred tons of those pellets gathering dust in a warehouse, they'd eventually end up in a scrap yard.
    Since people want them, and the supply is small- their price goes up accordingly.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check