Cost of Ammo?

[Snakebite]

I was ask by a fellow yesterday how much does it cost for ammo to play this game using 38 special. A difficult question, with lots of variables that will effect the final cost. After some wiggling, I decided to tell him that once he was set up with loading equipment, and purchased new brass, powder and bullets, the first 500 rounds would cost him $.40 each. After that, reloading his brass would drop the cost to $.20 each. After that it would vary depending upon what kind of deals he might find on Powder, bullets and primers. If he bought new ammo expect the cost to be at least double. No doubt that many are able to load for less, but just going out and purchasing what is needed, without relying on Old Stock that you have is pricy. I didn't want to give him a false impression. He as been shooting a lot of 9mm, and paying a premium price for ammo, so I don't think this sounded too bad to him. What do you think.. are my numbers close of way off?

[Zeb Gray, #36839]

At current retail prices for primers, powder & bullets, my cost per round is $0.171 for .38 Special, $0.209 for .45 Colt & $0.273 for 12ga. cowboy ammo using my brass & hulls.  

[Cypress Sun]

 

For .38spl reloads with factory shotgun shells..

 

Shotgun shells (factory) .60 x 24 = 14.40 

.38 (bullets only) .08 x 120               = 9.60

Primers .12 x 120                                = 14.40

Powder .013 x 120                              = 1.56

Brass .10 x 15                                        = 1.50

 

Total ammo cost                                = 41.46

 

Fuel 8 gallons @ 4.00                       = 32.00

Match fee                                             = 15.00

 

Total monthly match cost = 88.46

[Captain Bill Burt]

I bought 7,000 pieces of 38 special a few months back at about .07 each.  I figure they're good for at least 20 reloads, so by then the cost of brass is so low, about a third of a penny per round, that I ignore it. 

 

Primers are running me about .11, bullets are .05, and powder is about .02, so cost per round is .18, roughly double what it was before the craziness.

 

So, .18 x 120 = $21.60 + $10 (box of factory shells) + a buck or so for lost shells equals $32.60 per match.  Times three people is basically $100 per match.  Add in gas and match fees and a monthly is probably just north of $150.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

Based on current retail prices for factory loaded ammo observed up here in MN, as follows:

 

38 Spl 158 gr LRN;  120 rounds @ .64= $76.80

12 Ga @.65=                                                   16.25

Total                                                              $93.05   

Reloading, after the initial cost of purchasing press, dies and other equipment, even though it has become more expensive, is still cheaper relative to store bought ammo.  A buddy in another state just bought 1,000 rounds of factory 38 Spl on sale for $22/50.  That's cheaper than the going rate as it was a "once a year sale".  He indicated that as the cases on the floor were depleted, staff brought out more cases.  It seems then that the wholesale price is a lot less than believed.  I would expect that prices will start to drop as more and more ammo is showing up on the shelves.

 

With respect to components, it's still difficult for most reloaders to find primers, although they show up now and again.  A local big box store has CCI small rifle primers in stock at $130/1000.  That is the first time in several months that any have been in stock.  Powder isn't freely available and I haven't seen any of the more common reloading powders in stock for quite awhile.  Reloading presses are available, but dies can be difficult to find.  Dillon presses were being sold without caliber conversions due to excess demand late last year and earlier this year.  I don't know if that situation persists still.  In any event, it's a difficult environment whichever way one chooses to go. 

[Eyesa Horg]

2 hours ago, Cypress Sun said:

 

For .38spl reloads with factory shotgun shells..

 

Shotgun shells (factory) .60 x 24 = 14.40 

.38 (bullets only) .08 x 120               = 9.60

Primers .12 x 120                                = 14.40

Powder .013 x 120                              = 1.56

Brass .10 x 15                                        = 1.50

 

Total ammo cost                                = 41.46

 

Fuel 8 gallons @ 4.00                       = 32.00

Match fee                                             = 15.00

 

Total monthly match cost = 88.46

You need 105 more brass.

[Cypress Sun]

28 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said:

You need 105 more brass.

 

I figured that I lose 15 pieces of brass on average. The rest, I get back. You'd think that it evens out over time, but it never does.

[Eyesa Horg]

32 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

 

I figured that I lose 15 pieces of brass on average. The rest, I get back. You'd think that it evens out over time, but it never does.

Yeh, never does, I typically lose 3-5%.

[Snakebite]

Yep as we all know, the cost goes down the more we use the brass. I was of course basing my "Broad" rule of thumb on starting out with nothing and buy all new. Bottom line is that once you get set up, shooting local matches really is still affordable entertainment. 

[Snakebite]

4 hours ago, .44bang said:

Locally I'm seeing most hunting ammo has increased 25-50% depending on the flavor. The 30-06 Hornady ammo that was $32-35 a year ago is $45 now. However more of it is starting to sit on the shelves longer, which is a plus.

I have seen the same thing out here in California too. Last year there was no ammo at all on the shelves, but now I see a fair amount of "Heavy" hunting ammo. As my old body wears down it's getting too hard for me to do much serious hunting anymore, and it seems that every year the Forest Fires end up either cancelling or destroying the hunting seasons out here. With the cost of hunting and fishing license, and non-lead ammo, it's getting pretty pricy for most folks to hunt anyway. 

[Three Foot Johnson]

How are some of you losing so much brass? The ranges I shoot at here are gravel in front of the stage fronts, no grass to comb through, and if I lose any at all, it's maybe one piece in a six stage match.

 

I'm planning on two days at the range this weekend, at two different ranges several miles apart, about 260 miles round trip total from my house, so I'll tow a small trailer along to stay in. I figure diesel will run me around $120 + $10 entry fee + $15 entry fee + ~$70 for reloaded ammo components + a few dollars for groceries = ~$250... for two shoots...

... maybe we should start doing postal matches. 

[High Spade Mikey Wilson]

I'm very lucky. I'm still using the component stock that I accumulated after the last shortage. My ammo cost for an average 5 stage shoot with 38's & 12 ga. is $11.00 for 100 rounds of 38's, and $4.50 for a box of 25 shot shells, plus the average $10 entry fee. That's $25.50 for a few hours of fun times 25 shoots a year. I have enough components on hand for the next 4 years. Hopefully the shortage and gouging will be over by then. 

[Sixgun Seamus]

If I figured how much I was spending for a monthly match, I would probably stop shooting. That being said, I came into this ammo mess well prepared. We can shoot our full schedule for another two years+. I also want to add that the friendships and camaraderie at the shoots well offsets the costs for us.

[Rip Snorter]

Like the old joke about a yacht - if you have to calculate what it costs, you can't afford it!

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

2 hours ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

How are some of you losing so much brass? The ranges I shoot at here are gravel in front of the stage fronts, no grass to comb through, and if I lose any at all, it's maybe one piece in a six stage match....

Miroku toggle-link guns and Marlins, plus leaning forward to shoot, is how a lot of it goes forward.  Most of the places I shoot have half the stages where you can't really reach the brass out front, and the others usually have weeds.  When I'm picking brass I do reach forward of the line for all I can get, but usually miss some (plus the T.O. says "this isn't an easter egg hunt" so I go quickly as I can)  My .357 '73 made in '97 always made a neat pile of brass just to my right rear, until I put a short stroke in, now half of it goes forward.

[Three Foot Johnson]

49 minutes ago, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said:

Miroku toggle-link guns and Marlins, plus leaning forward to shoot, is how a lot of it goes forward.  Most of the places I shoot have half the stages where you can't really reach the brass out front, and the others usually have weeds.  When I'm picking brass I do reach forward of the line for all I can get, but usually miss some (plus the T.O. says "this isn't an easter egg hunt" so I go quickly as I can)  My .357 '73 made in '97 always made a neat pile of brass just to my right rear, until I put a short stroke in, now half of it goes forward.

Ah, can't go downrange, that explains it. The ranges I shoot at here all have big dirt berms between stages.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

5 hours ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

Ah, can't go downrange, that explains it. The ranges I shoot at here all have big dirt berms between stages.

All the ranges I shoot at in Texas have a shared firing line and no separation between them. No going forward of the firing line until after the match. Then at certain times of the year you have to be careful reaching near a building because of possibility of snakes under them.

[watab kid]

this has been an interesting read , id never really thought of cost with my reloads , i was always reloading to have the loads i like shooting , ive not been able to find a factory load that matches so i reload , its also fun , but ive never thought to calculate it backwards to see what it cost , i like shooting my own handloads and regardless of cost would continue to do so  , 

 

for the record most of my powder was purchased a long time ago at great prices in large quantities of 16lbs or more at under $100  , properly stored in sealed plastic containers should be good a long time , all of my brass save about 250 cases were reclaimed off a range i work at , the new being starline i won at a shoot and i shared the other 250 with a good friend i shoot with  , primes and bullets ive always bought in real large quantity - i did get a very large quantity of lead years ago that i traded to a caster for a 50/50 split of cast bullets , i only bought bullets once a couple years ago when i was starting to load 38s , i have a lot of rounds loaded and stockpiled as well as a fair amount of components on hand to reload what i shoot for a couple years ,  so ill not go to the trouble of trying to calc it all out , 

[Dirty Dan Dawkins]

On 4/22/2022 at 3:57 AM, .44bang said:

Locally I'm seeing most hunting ammo has increased 25-50% depending on the flavor. The 30-06 Hornady ammo that was $32-35 a year ago is $45 now. However more of it is starting to sit on the shelves longer, which is a plus.

I managed to buy 6 boxes of 270 federal blue box for $24 a pop at walmart on Friday. The Winchester PowerPoints were $28. Paid $35 for both Hornady and Norma within the last year ( includes shipping).

Cci 22 are going for around $5 per 50 after tax. 10 cents each….Last time I bought 22’s it was $225 for 5000 including shipping 3 years ago.

 

Pistol ammo is just outrageous at .35 cents to .80 cents per round in common calibers. 

[Texas Jack Black]

 I belong to a few shooting clubs they all have shooting pits .There is plenty of brass free  .The shotgun ranges have trash barrels for the  used shells so plenty of those also. 

 New ammo is through the roof .