Feel better about prices

[Hogtamer]

...since I put calculator to the actual cost of reloading. I haven't done that in years. Of course I had to use a baseline so I figured 1 1/8 lead loads, 30 grns of powder, wads, primers and nothing for the hulls. Even with lead @ $2.00 lb this "average" load works out to about $2.80 per 25 rounds based on prices I've most recently paid. Of course you would have to figure the cost of loader over time, but even at $3.00 a box that's less than half of what you pay for cheapo loads these days. That ratio is still attractive relative to other "necessities." I'd be pretty happy if I could manufacture gasoline for a buck and a half a gallon. Load 'em and shoot 'em boys, and support your reloading retailers while we still can!

[Janoosh]

When doing your reading on shot loads, note the amount of pellets (7.5 shot) in your 1 1/8 load. I've tuned my shot loads down to 1oz or even 7/8 for sporting clays and crow loads. Just being frugal! And all the hulls you want at a clays course!

[kenyerian]

I like to think that I can load better shells for hunting than the so called pheasant loads. Plus they do save money. At the rate that my Grand kids go through them that is important.

[groovy mike]

...since I put calculator to the actual cost of reloading. I haven't done that in years. Of course I had to use a baseline so I figured 1 1/8 lead loads, 30 grns of powder, wads, primers and nothing for the hulls. Even with lead @ $2.00 lb this "average" load works out to about $2.80 per 25 rounds based on prices I've most recently paid. Of course you would have to figure the cost of loader over time, but even at $3.00 a box that's less than half of what you pay for cheapo loads these days. That ratio is still attractive relative to other "necessities." I'd be pretty happy if I could manufacture gasoline for a buck and a half a gallon. Load 'em and shoot 'em boys, and support your reloading retailers while we still can!

Thanks for sharing that. I have a buddy who keeps telling me that its not worth reloading 12 gauge. But considering that I swap free lead for shot and use 18.5 grains of powder, I must be loading at about $1 per box.... I'll let him keep buying shells at $6 per box but will feel better about my time spent reloading :)

[dverna]

...since I put calculator to the actual cost of reloading. I haven't done that in years. Of course I had to use a baseline so I figured 1 1/8 lead loads, 30 grns of powder, wads, primers and nothing for the hulls. Even with lead @ $2.00 lb this "average" load works out to about $2.80 per 25 rounds based on prices I've most recently paid. Of course you would have to figure the cost of loader over time, but even at $3.00 a box that's less than half of what you pay for cheapo loads these days. That ratio is still attractive relative to other "necessities." I'd be pretty happy if I could manufacture gasoline for a buck and a half a gallon. Load 'em and shoot 'em boys, and support your reloading retailers while we still can!

Math is good skill to have. But you have screwed up.

1 1/8 oz per shell means you have 28.125 oz of lead in a box of 25.
That equates to 1.758 lbs.
At $2/lb for lead you have over $3.50 of lead in a box of shells
Now add you powder, primers and wads.

I reload because I shoot a lot and I buy in bulk so I not only save money but produce a better shell than "el cheapo" promo loads. My cost is right at $4.35 or 1 1/8 oz and $4.07 for 1 oz loads. When you shoot 500-600 boxes a year, a savings of even $1.50-2.00 a box adds up.

BTW, the cost of the reloader is nearly zero. It has been my experience that after 10-15 years you can sell your reloader for what you paid for it. If you buy a used reloader, you will likely make a profit on it.

Don Verna

[Hogtamer]

That's what I get for doing math before sunup! Thanks for the correction. Dang lead @ $2.00. That's what's screwy!

[sandman228]

When doing your reading on shot loads, note the amount of pellets (7.5 shot) in your 1 1/8 load. I've tuned my shot loads down to 1oz or even 7/8 for sporting clays and crow loads. Just being frugal! And all the hulls you want at a clays course!

I was reading online that by dropping from 1 1/8 oz to 7/8 oz you can get 102 more loads per 25 lb bag of shot so theres 4+ boxes of shells . I went happy medium and load 1 oz so im at least getting 2 more boxes per bag of shot. I just picked up a bag of shot locally yesterday 38$ plus tax for an imported brand called Viking. ive never heard of it before but figured I would give it a try . my father inlaw has been a reloader for 30+ yrs I was telling him about it he told me last bag of shot he bought he paid 8$ for. with todays prices you gotta make things go as far as you can I guess and when you run across a deal grab it up . my last bag of shot I was foolish enough to order it from midway at 48.95 I believe plus shipping and was figuring my reloading costs at roughly 4.50 per box(hardly worth it in my opinion)for 12 gauge. I do however load allot of 410 shells the lowest price ive ever seen on 410 ammo in stores was 11$ for win AA 8 shot , so at only using 1/2 oz shot per shell and getting claybuster wads for roughly 7$ per 500 it is very well worth it reloading 410.

[pipehand]

Because of the cost of shot, it hardly pays for me to load fine shot shells, so instead, I buy the trap/game loads and use the empties for reloading buck, roundball, and slug loads. At least there I can save some money casting my own projectiles.

I had intended to test the Federal FliteControl OO buck loads. Couldn't find any. When I did, they were $8.99+tax for a box of 5. Just couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of money when my .311" 9 pellet loads are shooting 8" patterns at 25 yards.
$5.99 a box buckshot is shooting 24" patterns at the same range.

If I were a serious clay target shooter, I would probably have a great need to make my own lead shot. There's a range that recently opened about 25 miles from me that does sporting clays. Been meaning to check it out, at least to shoot terribly and scrounge some hulls.

[Hogtamer]

Pipe, load some 20's w/7/8 oz and head to that range. Sporting clays are much fun and they most likely will let you p/u hulls and sell you components at a good price too.

[pipehand]

Hogtamer, we were talking about saving $, and now you've got me buying a 20 gauge shotgun! I don't own one, but I do have one of the 28 gauge Rem 870 Expresses they came out with a bunch of years ago, and if there was ever a shotshell that made economic sense to reload it is that one, along with the .410. I don't reload for the 28 yet, but 3/4 ounce of shot is even cheaper than 7/8.

For some reason the 20 gauge has never appealed to me. I've seen Win AA loads for the 28 in Wal-Mart, but come to think of it, I don't remember seeing any 16 gauge loads. That's another one it would pay to load for if you're a dedicated wingshot.

[Hogtamer]

Sweeeeeeet! I'm envious of that 28!

[dverna]

Hogtamer, we were talking about saving $, and now you've got me buying a 20 gauge shotgun! I don't own one, but I do have one of the 28 gauge Rem 870 Expresses they came out with a bunch of years ago, and if there was ever a shotshell that made economic sense to reload it is that one, along with the .410. I don't reload for the 28 yet, but 3/4 ounce of shot is even cheaper than 7/8.

For some reason the 20 gauge has never appealed to me. I've seen Win AA loads for the 28 in Wal-Mart, but come to think of it, I don't remember seeing any 16 gauge loads. That's another one it would pay to load for if you're a dedicated wingshot.

No need to buy a 20 gauge. I load 7/8 oz in 12 ga for Cowboy Action and for introducing new shooters to shotguns.

At the other end of the spectrum, I load 7/8 oz in my 28 gauge for hunting only because it is such a joy to carry a gun that weighs about 5 lbs in the field.

I have a 20 ga and rarely use it. But it would be my one shotgun if I ever had to limit myself to one shotgun. Hulls are not expensive, you can buy "promo" loads in 20 ga, and it will run 3/4 to 1 1/4 oz loads to cover most target and bird hunting purposes.

As a reloader, you have so much leeway in what you can do.

Don Verna

[Black Powder Bill]

As a reloader, you have so much leeway in what you can do.

Don Verna ####

That one line says it all!