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Cost of Bullets


Pee Wee #15785

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Just went looking for bullets and was I surprised.  I did not look at shipping but bullets are all over the price range.  Bullets ran from $0.08 to $0.15 per bullet.  I was looking at 200gr RNFPBB sized .427-.429, smokeless lube, 500 per box.  I don't see why there is such a difference in cost.  Prices are from 7 SASS popular bullet makers.  Samples from 6 of them are spot on for sizing and finish, no sample from one.  Using the same powder and weighed load they all shot the same in my .44WCF Model 92.  Looks like I will be using a different bullet maker till I get my casting area setup.

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Probably based upon what the labor costs are that go into producing them.   Same raw materials for everyone (unless some are casting with a lot of recycled lead).   Same equipment, generally.   Shipping by USPS flat rate would cost about the same for everyone.   So it's either their labor costs or the  profit they want.

 

Hard to imagine it's an exciting business model.  Fulfilling - perhaps.  Mold filling - certainly.

 

Good luck, GJ

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Volume too.  We have picked up bullets at Missouri Bullet Company and gotten somewhat of a tour of their facility.   They buy lead by the trailer truck loads and negotiate prices well in advance. I forgot the amount they go through but it was staggering.  They only use "new" lead (may come from scrap but industrially refined to alloy mix).  They use different alloy mix for different bullet designs.  

 

We stopped in at another bullet company that was basically one man in a machine shed behind his house.  All I noticed was one pallet load of lead. We mentioned the lower prices of Missouri Bullet Company and he committed that he doesn't see how they can do it.

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I don't know if I'm allowed to do this, but I have a friend in the business that sells them for less than you mentioned plus shipping. PM me if interested. Good shootin'!

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5 minutes ago, Preacherman said:

I don't know if I'm allowed to do this, but I have a friend in the business that sells them for less than you mentioned plus shipping. PM me if interested. Good shootin'!

 

Yep, Waimea makes some of the best bullets money can buy at a great price ;)

 

 

He puts magnets in the so he can shoot Outlaw and doesn’t need sights... Outlaw Bullets if you will.

 

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1 hour ago, BLACKFOOT SASS #11947 said:

I think it is called "free eterprise".:FlagAm:

 

B)

 

 

It's a business decision.  The little guy makes and sales a small fraction but has far less overhead and keeps more of what he makes. 

 

We ran a "mom and pop" business for 25 years.  Our business plan was simple - "Make some money and try to keep most of it.".  By having no employees,  we were exempt from a lot of regulations.  

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45 minutes ago, Preacherman said:

I don't know if I'm allowed to do this, but I have a friend in the business that sells them for less than you mentioned plus shipping. PM me if interested. Good shootin'!

I added to my Waimea bullet collection just last weekend.  Check out Outlaw Bullets.  

 

Preacherman, we missed you at Black Gold.  Hope your foot is healing up well.

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WC's posts show a useful way to get cast bullets less expensively - pickup your bullets at the casters shop and avoid shipping.  Some casters deliver to nearby matches.  Buy from them too and avoid shipping costs.

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Several others in our area!

 

Scarlett Darlin’ 

Ringer’s Bullets 

Col. Tuscarora

 

Along with Wiamea, these are all SASS supporters and shooters!!

 

 I buy from ALL of ‘em!!

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So many factors go into the cost of ANYTHING manufactured.

Raw materials

Labor

Delivery of the product

Regulations

Taxes

 

I've been very fortunate to keep all my costs really low.

Still a one man operation.

Might be frustrating to some customers because I limit what is in the inventory on my website.

But labor costs at my shop - I just don't even want to know. LOL

Delivery - thank God for USPS Flat Rate.

Plus the best is personal delivery. Getting out and shooting. That's really why I started the business. Get to meet lots of people.

 

Thank you to everyone who supports the guys and gals you're shooting with.

 

Waimea

:FlagAm:

 

 

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1 hour ago, John Boy said:

All Outlaw bullets on their website are listed as ... Out of Stock ?

 

He probably didn't get home from Black Gold 'til Tuesday!!  We lightened his trailer considerably last week and weekend!!  He also donated ten or more boxes of bullets as prizes on Saturday night!!

 

The phone is the ticket for a few days, I'd suspect.

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I use Ringer's Bullets because he will make a run of Hi-Tek soft cast (BHN=9) for me.
I buy them in lots of 6,000 bullets.
They are safely packed and shipped, and very easy on the wallet.

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Lead Ringer is a top hand!!

 

I’ve used his products and will again!!

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Lee precision for a pot, molds and tools.

I just got back into molding after 25 years.

Lee has a neat design for tumble bullets that do not require sizing.

My .45 230-grainers coat me from $0 each (when I find free lead) to $.035 each (when I buy lead). Molds run about $26 each.  I can easily mold 125 an hour.

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125 bullets an hour. I cast for 4 shooters in my family, that would never fly. You might want to try the LEE 6 cavity molds, speeds things up considerably, more like 600/hr as long as the lead pot is big enough to keep up.

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Lead alloy @ $1.50 per pound+ shipping.

Time, some bullets are more labor intensive than others. Will not collate and require hand feeding in the sizers one at a time.

labor. $25 hour avg.

taxes 7-10%

ITAR registration $2500/ year

Shipping $18.00 per 2000. Minimum.

Do the math.

Small shops do not make a large profit.

 

If you amortize the cost of production....

volume is your friend and makes production cost decrease. 

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I ran a small casting operation for 5-6 years, just 2 casting machines. And have been a hand caster for many years

 

Hand casting when you figure all the cost and time is not cheaper than buying from a commercial caster

 

Hand casting I use at least 2-4  6 cavity molds and 2  20# melting pots, I can run about 800-1000 bullets and hour. I can size them in about the same time

 

With the 2 casting machines and 1 sizer  I was turning out over 4000 bullets and hour in an 8 hour day

 

I still hand cast my bullets, but only because I like to do it and have all the time I need to do so

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