Cowboy 45 Special OEM ammo vs Reloading cost

[Tall John]

Cowboy 45 Special OEM Ammo in stock

 

8/11 UPDATE: $5 shipping at Natchezss with coupon code

FR260810

For anyone interested in trying some commercially mfg’d Cowboy 45 Special ammo without committing to the investment for reloading, Natchezss dot com has the 180 grain American Cowboy ammo back in stock for $69.99 or $1.60/round.  It generated a power factor of 100 out of my 5.5” NMV’s for me back in May

 

Cost to reload this ammo runs from $0.40-$0.67/round assuming you have to buy all the components at today’s prices.  

 

UPDATE My calculated cost to reload Cowboy 45 Special at today’s new component cost is as follows:

 

1. STAR. case:  $0.31 ($.31-$.39)

2. Primer:          $0.060-$.075

3. Powder.         $0.020-0.030

4. 180 grn HT.    $0.16

Total /rnd:       $0.55 -$0.675

 

Ranges depend upon how you buy components and will move lower over time as the cases can be reloaded many times.

 

Note that I have no affiliation with Natchezss.com other than being a regular customer

 

https://www.natchezss.com/american-cowboy-handgun-ammunition-45-special-180-gr-rnfp-475-fps-50ct

 

Edited August 12 by Tall John
Added point of clarification

[Tall John]

Natchezss has $5 shipping on ammo this week with Coupon code.

 

FR260810

 

 

 

 

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

It's a fallacy to count full purchase price of the CASE every time you reload one.  If you can get 10 reloads out of cases, then count 1/10 of the cost of the case every time you load it.  And if you can only get 1 reload out of a case, you need to check yourself.

 

My MATERIALS cost to load C45S is about:

0 cents for cut-down .45 Colt range pickup brass

6 cents for primer

3 cents for Bullseye powder

3 cents for a cast bullet I made with a combination of range scrap, purchased spent linotype and a little scrap pewter bought from yard sales

1 cent for homemade bullet lube (as good as Alox 50-50 commercial lube)

 

So, 13 cents a round.  Or $6.50 a box. 

 

One-tenth of purchased ammo cost, and I can go get more in the time it takes to walk to my loading room and cycle the loader.  good luck, GJ

 

[Tall John]

GJ,

 

my example was for a simple, credible comparison to new OEM ammo with the assumption that a new C45S shooter had no C45S cases, didn’t cut down brass, or cast bullets.  (For which I was one in January).  
 

Most start a new caliber from scratch after buying a few boxes of OEM ammo and then supplement with new or 1x fired brass and small qtys of commercially produced components as they start reloading.

 

Your $0.13 cost is enviable but includes assumptions about the materials, processes and tools that most will never have access to, invest in or use.

 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

You can reload the cases many times......

[Tall John]

3 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

You can reload the cases many times......

Absolutely!  

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Comparison was simple, yes, but economically flawed, as described.  Cowboy shooting is a reloader's game.  Meaning lots of our cowboy folks can get to close to my cost per round since they have most of the equipment already.  No one I know buys factory ammo, especially for handguns, for which most pards need the most (practice) ammo.  Unless they get a great deal (this isn't one) and they need the brass that remains after shooting.   Nothing you have provided negates my cost per round. 

good luck, GJ

[Horace Patootie, SASS #35798]

I reload 45 Colt and I almost never have to toss a case unless I accidentally crush one.  I figured I'm spending about $13.20 per 50 rounds.  If I wasn't reloading, I doubt that I would be in this game.....well maybe.

Horace

[Tall John]

2 hours ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

Nothing you have provided negates my cost per round. 

Joe, 

 

I never said your Cost per round was wrong.  I said it was enviable! Meaning I am envious that you can reload it so cheaply at $0.13/round.

 

the whole point of my post was to let folks know that NATCHEZ HAD  the HSM AMMO IN STOCK AGAIN this morning WITH $5 shipping (Tuesday only) for anyone that wanted to try some that isn’t fully invested in the tools needed to reload it.
 

But At the crazy price of $69.99/box or $1.60/round! I also wanted to provide some idea of how little it costs to reload it with commercially available components given my experience jumping in this year! 

 

But jumping in with both feet for me required purchasing ammo to try, then new Starline brass, and commercially cast bullets so my cost per round on the first 1,000 rounds I reloaded was in the range I provided.  

 

As I am following the process mentoring you and others are providing here on the wire,  my costs are declining quickly and I  hope to get closer to your cost/round over time as I improve my case trimming and bullet casting/coating skills.  It’s been an interesting journey! 🤠
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

Personally, been playing this game for 30+ years.  After the first loading, I have never thought of cases as other than "free."  I also, have never sat down to figure out the cost per box (100 Rd) nor cost per round.  Just didn't make sense.  To play the game, you need ammo, to afford the ammo, you (most of us) need to reload.  So, to reload, we all started buying components and tools.  I figure I amortized my loading presses years ago.  ALL my brass came under the category of "free" years ago.  I bought Primers and propellant in bulk years ago.  My only current expense is bullets.  When I need bullets, I buy bullets and pay no attention to what they cost.  Doesn't really matter 'cause I'm gonna buy bullets anyway.

 

So:  In the long view, "Cost Per" is simply an academic exercise with little if any real meaning in this game. 

[Tall John]

58 minutes ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 In the long view, "Cost Per" is simply an academic exercise with little if any real meaning in this game. 

CC,

 

I totally get it and don’t disagree but you “Long timers” started years ago and built your reloading benches and inventories over the decades.

 

some of us newbies are trying to catch up in a matter of months and cost is a significant consideration especially with regards to some of the Cowboy calibers.

 

and while I don’t disagree that it is an “academic” exercise, some of us are married to wives who ask a lot of academic questions! 🤣🤣🤣

🤠

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John Kloehr]

There is no question reloading has big financial benefits in this sport long-term. As to the "academic" question...

 

There is also the press, a tumbler, scale, dies, micrometer... Long list of little things. Then powder, unless from a local source, has that hazmat fee so look to buy more than needed soon. Plus it can be hard to find at times. Same for primers.

 

While I have no wife asking me academic questions, where is the break-even point on rounds reloaded versus bought. My sense is it could be as low as 1,000 rounds. Have not added up what I have spent so far as I bought new gear and more than the minimum tools needed, my break-even will take maybe 3,000 rounds. At that time, I will still have lots of powder, primers, and used brass to last at least 5 years. I'll just be buying bullets once up and running. Using the info posted earlier, this will be 16 cents per round, a savings of well over a dollar.

 

But before those savings mean anything, break-even is when the cost of equipment and supplies is less than the avoided commercial ammunition purchases.

[El Sobrante Kid]

Key takeaways here-

 

- Reloading is pretty much always going to be less expensive than buying factory loaded ammo.

- There is a large upfront cost to purchase reloading equipment (even used) that will be amortized across all the ammo you load over the years.

- Buying reloading components when they were/are less expensive can dramatically lower the cost per round.

- Reloading will always be less expensive over time than buying factory loaded ammo, regardless of when you purchase the components.

- The cost per round is academic because reloading will always be less expensive than buying factory loaded ammo.

- Splitting hairs on the cost per round based on any one persons cost of components is even more academic than the cost per round.

[Smokin Gator SASS #29736]

It's not like it's a major chore to add up what your component cost is per round or per hundred. Amortizing the cost of reloading gear and associated costs takes a bit more work. When you get the cost down you can shoot more matches if you choose.

I'm set on powder and primers.  When I buy bullets I'll check a couple of places but not a bunch of them. The only bullets I have cast myself were for black powder cartridge. I'd never try to cast enough for smokeless loads. 

[Tall John]

Bullet casting is a a whole other challenging rabbit hole!

 

 

 

[Griff]

My late wife was an accountant... and in charge of the family budget... as such, she made me justify any expense.  My 1st reloading press was gifted to me along with a couple of die sets.  She quickly understood the economics of reloading... even for the few rounds needed each hunting season.  When I started cowboy action shooting the single stage press and MEC 600 Jr were finally beginning to see consistent use.   However, when she and our son began competing also, the factor most folks leave out of their equations came into play.  Time.  Reloading for 3 on a single stage press gobbled up massive amounts of time... also not helped by the fact that we were shooting up to 3, sometimes 4 matches a month, plus a couple/three annual matches.  Working full time, going to college in the evenings, AND reloading... it was a good thing I found reloading therapeutic. When the spousal unit found out little time others were putting in... she became the driving force behind me getting my 1st Dillon.  Casting was already a no brainer... Since I've never found any .520 diameter commercial round balls, it was already part of my routine.  Adding a couple of molds was not a problem.

 

Making the investment in time and money for a reloading bench and equipment never gets less expensive that it is at the present time... whether that in the 1970s, '80s, '90, aughts, teens or even today... For costs only tend to increase.   The last powder I bought was around 2010... when I found 8 pounder of RedDot at a local shop for $125.  Nevermind that I already had an 8 pound jug in the powder cabinet.  What I paid for powder, bullets, primers or brass in the past has no bearing on my current cost to reload... only what it will cost me to replace those components.  The biggest cost to reloading for CAS isn't necessarily wear & tear on brass... it's unrecovered brass!  When using C45S in the pistols alone, I can rely on getting back, and reusing nearly 100% of my brass.  Using it in the rifle... not so much.  Whether it be C45S or 45 Colt, getting back more than 8 rounds of rifle brass per stage is good, 9 pieces is excellent!  All 10 is nearly unheard of.  Checking prices today, the below represents the cost to initially load 100 rounds of C45S, then to reload that once-fired brass for the 2nd time.  

Cost to Load C45S        Cost to Reload

Brass:     $             0.309

Powder: $             0.019   $             0.019

Primer:   $             0.060  $             0.060

Bullet:     $             0.090  $             0.090

Total/100 $          47.793   $            16.943

 

Those numbers represent purchases made of "bulk" components, bullets by the thousand, primers by the case, powder in 8 lb jugs and a minimum of 1,000 cases.  Except for the cost to buy commercial bullets, my actual current cost is very close to Garrison Joe's...