1Cent Charges.

[jgstrug]

People laugh at me when I say that I don't want to waste a primer on sighting shots. Well, its true, I Just finished this pound of powder and got 3500 charges from it! Took over a year to do it. I load the .32s&w long for my Marlin 92 for lever action rifle silhouette pistol cartridge. The load is two grains of Titegroup, 98gr hard cast Rimrock RNFP,and whatever primers I can fit in the case. It takes about 10 charges to equal the cost of one primer!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230423/81ea6ed9dfacee782c2ef25367e8477b.jpg

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[Der Gebirgsjager]

An interesting post, but you're losing me. Do you mean that you don't use shots to sight in? Anyway, you are obviously a thrifty shooter, with 3500 charges from one pound of powder! :shock:

DG

[toallmy]

It might be time to look into loading primers as well .

[Outer Rondacker]

May I suggest a sling shot. Rocks are free. Reusable ammo.

Unless I misunderstood. Are you looking for a cheaper way to shoot? Perhaps a 22lr. I have been grabbing 525 round packs for 20 bucks. Thats cheaper than any primer on the market.

I too use Titegroup. Love it. Its not to kind to PC but works well as long as you dont store bullets to long.

Do a search, There is a guy who made his own 32 cal or 28 I cannot remember. It was battery powered spark and took one grain of powder. He sat around plinking all day. Was a nice video. Oh cost him like 38 thousand to try and produce the gun but didnt make it. Good luck.

[jgstrug]

Wasn't trying to reinvent anything, just posted to show how powder economical my pistol cartridge lever action silhouette rifle load is. I am completely satisfied with this load and its performance in this application. I have not tested how different primers affect it. I use a plethora of different types, small pistol, small rifle, and both magnums,as well as match, and cci ones from the 70's.

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[mnewcomb59]

It wasn't that long ago when 1 cent charges got you 3.6 grains of Titegroup!

[deces]

Uh... how many pennies would that be if cast in zinc?

[35 Rem]

And I thought I was conserving powder with the 32-20 and 38 Special! :) Yeah, when you get down to 2 grain powder charges you are close enough to free and powder will last forever. The lowest charge I've ever dropped was somewhere a bit under 5 grains the best I can recall. In the 460 Weatherby on the other hand, I've gone up to 122 grains. That burns up a pound of powder in only 57 shots so you have to buy it in 8 lbs cans or you are always running out.

[Outer Rondacker]

I have a store that still sells Titegroup for 27.99 a pound. With tax that is $30.23 here. That is .0043185 cents a grain. So two grains is .008637 of a cent. Still under once cent. Only powder I feel is worth the money still these days.

[dverna]

Saving money on powder when primers are $85+/k.

Makes perfect sense.

Anyway, you start with, "People laugh at me when I say that I don't want to waste a primer on sighting shots." And then show how much you save on powder.

[Soundguy]

I love tightgroup. Very economical.

Since its virtually impossible to save money on primers..might as well save somewhere.

[Half Dog]

That’s great!! Sounds like you’re living the reloaders dream of how economically we can shoot.

[35 Rem]

Not sure why some are having trouble understanding the OP. The way I read it he was merely commenting that the cost of the Primer is his primary expense in shooting this rifle. I doubt he is really reluctant to shoot at all because he said he shot up the pound of Tightgroup in a bit over a year and that represents 3,500 shots.

[35 Rem]

I got some surplus powder last year that loads "equivalent" to TightGroup at $214 for 10 lbs delivered to my door. I'm using it in 45 ACP for a lot of cheap shooting. I have a 32 ACP but have never tried loading for it. With a bullet trap to reuse the lead it would be practically free. Especially until I've used up all my $20/1000 primers.

[FergusonTO35]

I use nothing but pistol/shotgun powders with large pistol primers in .45-70. No point in using 50 grains of pricey rifle powder per shot for just fun shooting or deer at woods range. 12.8 grains Unique/292 Lyman is my current fave but I'm going to try Titegroup when my Unique runs out.

[jgstrug]

Not sure why some are having trouble understanding the OP. The way I read it he was merely commenting that the cost of the Primer is his primary expense in shooting this rifle. I doubt he is really reluctant to shoot at all because he said he shot up the pound of Tightgroup in a bit over a year and that represents 3,500 shots.Yeah that, I was wondering if the pound was ever going to run out, and thinking 'I have to be shooting this thing more than most people' I am building another old Marlin 92 to take advantage of this load too.

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[Soundguy]

Not sure why some are having trouble understanding the OP. The way I read it he was merely commenting that the cost of the Primer is his primary expense in shooting this rifle. I doubt he is really reluctant to shoot at all because he said he shot up the pound of Tightgroup in a bit over a year and that represents 3,500 shots.

I agree for many of my handgun calibers I'm sitting at about 4 cents for powder and a cast projectile and then 10 cents for a primer if you look at new prices

[jimb16]

I cast my own for .25 auto. Powder charge is 1.4 gr of Unique. I get the lead for free. If it wasn't for the cost of the primer, I would be shooting for less than a penny per round.

[Outer Rondacker]

I cast my own for .25 auto. Powder charge is 1.4 gr of Unique. I get the lead for free. If it wasn't for the cost of the primer, I would be shooting for less than a penny per round.

Some guys are reloading their own primers on here. Have you looked into that? Might not be worth it or who knows.

[ascast]

I can't help but wonder, in a post apocalyptic world, would that load take out a zombie? at what range?

[fastdadio]

I got some surplus powder last year that loads "equivalent" to TightGroup at $214 for 10 lbs delivered to my door. I'm using it in 45 ACP for a lot of cheap shooting. I have a 32 ACP but have never tried loading for it. With a bullet trap to reuse the lead it would be practically free. Especially until I've used up all my $20/1000 primers.

What powder are you talking about here? My first foray into the surplus powder world is BR-5. I'm having good luck with it. I load with TiteGroup also. You got my interest with this one.

[Tracy]

I like reloading this way too. And as someone else pointed out, there is a thread on here about reloading primers. You can do that for a tenth of a cent per primer, or maybe even less.
Of course some people will say "what's your time worth," blah blah blah. I guess a Type A who sees everything but the bang as drudgery should just go work at the office so they can buy more ammo, but it's all part of my hobby.
Besides all that, the next time primers and rimfire ammo are both unobtanium I'll probably still be shooting centerfire revolvers.

[Sgt H]

Not long ago I loaded a large batch of .38 special and 357 cast boolit plinking loads. The 2 cartons of primers still had the $13.95 price sticker on them as did the 8 lb jug of powder, $117.00. Powder charges for those loads were just under $.02 each and they averaged 9 grains between the 38/357. WW used to make the boolits cost very little. All in cheaper than bulk 22's.

[Soundguy]

What powder are you talking about here? My first foray into the surplus powder world is BR-5. I'm having good luck with it. I load with TiteGroup also. You got my interest with this one.

Also interested..i use plenty of tightgroup.

[Seeker]

I'm really glad that I seen this thread tonight. I've been bummin' since my last trip to the lgs. Varget was stickered at $59.99 lb. I passed on it and was going to work up a load with 4198 as I have a couple of lbs. of that in the cupboard. I also have a couple lbs. of Titegroup! 50 grs. of Varget, 40+ grs. of 4198 or 10.5 grs. of Titegroup.....? A new load work up is about to commence. By the way, I'm loading for my Henry 45-70 with 405gr. boolits. I use Titegroup for 9mm, 40 s&w and .45acp but I have lots and lots of loaded rnds. stored away for them.

[Outer Rondacker]

I'm really glad that I seen this thread tonight. I've been bummin' since my last trip to the lgs. Varget was stickered at $59.99 lb. I passed on it and was going to work up a load with 4198 as I have a couple of lbs. of that in the cupboard. I also have a couple lbs. of Titegroup! 50 grs. of Varget, 40+ grs. of 4198 or 10.5 grs. of Titegroup.....? A new load work up is about to commence. By the way, I'm loading for my Henry 45-70 with 405gr. boolits. I use Titegroup for 9mm, 40 s&w and .45acp but I have lots and lots of loaded rnds. stored away for them.

Keep us posted how it works out.

[35 Rem]

What powder are you talking about here? My first foray into the surplus powder world is BR-5. I'm having good luck with it. I load with TiteGroup also. You got my interest with this one.

313669
It is called SMP-154 and the label on the container says it "loads similar to Accurate #2 and Hodgdon Titegroup". Of course "similar" does not mean interchangeable so I was cautious in developing a load. I'm using it in 45ACP only so far and with the Lee 452-128-1R bullet. Most manuals suggest about 5.0 grains of Titegroup for a similar bullet. I use the RCBS Little Dandy powder dropper to charge pistol cases and the closest rotor drops 4.7 grains of the SMP-154. There are zero signs of high pressure and after loading up a magazine full to test for function - with 100% success - I loaded up 100 rounds. They fed flawlessly in both my 1927 Argentina Colt clones so now I'm loading up a bunch. With Titegroup coming back at fairly good prices this may not be the deal it was when I got it. One difference though is that the SMP-154 comes with two 5 lb jugs in a case rather than the 8lb can you typically associate it with when buying the Hodgdon version.

[Sgt H]

Seeker, look up levergun performance studies (GMDR.com) they have a lot of 45-70 plinking loads with pistol powders. I use Unique, 2400 and 5744 for most of my 45-70 loading. If I feel the need for T-rex loads, 4198, RL7 or other similar burn rate works very well. The last batch of 5744 I purchased was almost $60.00 per pound with hazmat and shipping. Did not like the price but like the powder as it produces the best accuracy and lowest ES and SD for my long range loads. Even at $60 per pound still much cheaper than buying factory 45-70 which are $2.50 and up per round.

[fastdadio]

313669
It is called SMP-154 and the label on the container says it "loads similar to Accurate #2 and Hodgdon Titegroup". Of course "similar" does not mean interchangeable so I was cautious in developing a load. I'm using it in 45ACP only so far and with the Lee 452-128-1R bullet. Most manuals suggest about 5.0 grains of Titegroup for a similar bullet. I use the RCBS Little Dandy powder dropper to charge pistol cases and the closest rotor drops 4.7 grains of the SMP-154. There are zero signs of high pressure and after loading up a magazine full to test for function - with 100% success - I loaded up 100 rounds. They fed flawlessly in both my 1927 Argentina Colt clones so now I'm loading up a bunch. With Titegroup coming back at fairly good prices this may not be the deal it was when I got it. One difference though is that the SMP-154 comes with two 5 lb jugs in a case rather than the 8lb can you typically associate it with when buying the Hodgdon version.

Thanks, I'm going to poke around and see what I can find out about it.
Edit to add;
I found 10lb. lots for sale on Gun Broker. I found a thread on the Ruger forum and the chap did some load testing with a crono, and said it's not just like, but IS, accurate#2.
So there ya go. Thread jack complete.....