Bullet Cost - Why is this so much a wild hair?

Hi, I am in Australia to, North Queensland, so prices are a bit higher here, l have looked into getting projectiles from the USA, cannot buy from Suppliers & import, but, if have a friend over there, they can buy them and send to us through the post as a gift, as long as they are declared, l would be happy to pay a friend for a "cup of coffee" and have a gift sent over, just wish I could send primers & powder back, so in conclusion, I need to make some American friends, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone on site,
Regards
Graham 🐢
 
Thanks for the offer.
The problem is that red tape plagues all imports regarding firearm parts/brass/bullets.
I tried importing a rifle earlier this year, rifle was $1100AUD from Buds, import duties were close to $1500AUD just to land it here, not including the shipping or tax!
You would need an export permit and I would need an import permit, just not worth the trouble.

My turned solid brass bullets I use in my 338-416 Rigby Improved cost me the same as a box of 25 cal 110gr Accubonds, about $1.65 each.

Cheers.
Stupid question Time:):):) I live by the term if you don't know the correct answer, ask some who does. Can you turn quality/True brass bullets on a small table top Leith say from HARBOR FREIGHT $600.00 to $800.00. or should I drop 2grand in a bigger unit from some where else??? Keep in mind, It will only be used for turning out brass bullets. "DEDICATED SET UP." That should keep tooling coast down. As far as turning any thing else like barrels. I'll leave that to the professionals. I thought about this many years ago, but just couldn't see the need at that time. Now is a real good time to start being your own independent supplier/manufacture for personal use.. I still have a lot of research to do on this subject for 223/6.5/308. I have a dream of one day building a Rail Gun, and this will help feed it.
Just my childish dreams.
 
Stupid question Time:):):) I live by the term if you don't know the correct answer, ask some who does. Can you turn quality/True brass bullets on a small table top Leith say from HARBOR FREIGHT $600.00 to $800.00. or should I drop 2grand in a bigger unit from some where else??? Keep in mind, It will only be used for turning out brass bullets. "DEDICATED SET UP." That should keep tooling coast down. As far as turning any thing else like barrels. I'll leave that to the professionals. I thought about this many years ago, but just couldn't see the need at that time. Now is a real good time to start being your own independent supplier/manufacture for personal use.. I still have a lot of research to do on this subject for 223/6.5/308. I have a dream of one day building a Rail Gun, and this will help feed it.
Just my childish dreams.
It all depends on how concentric your centreline is from chuck to tail stock.
I have an old lathe which has .0018" eccentric in the chuck...someone prior to me purchasing it drove the bit holder into the chuck, no amount of shimming would fix it, only made it worse.
I worked for a gunsmith whose lathe was .008" out...he wouldn't replace it.
If those cheap lathes can keep concentricity then it is viable. You can live with a few thou out, but it's better if there is none.
Fixtures made on a lathe that are out will be out too, unless you true them prior to making the finished product.

Cheers.
P. S.
My turned solid bullets are CNC made.
The price is very reasonable for a solid.
The aluminium versions are 3 times the cost and outside my budget or needs.
 
I have to laugh at this discussion.
Premium bullets here in Australia start at $2.00 each and go up from there.
Recently paid $2.10 each for Nosler 142gr ABLR 6.5 pills, $2.30 each for Nosler 210gr ABLR .308" pills. I think my 285gr ABLR .338" cost $2.50 each.
Paid $3.30 each for Nosler .375" 260gr Accubonds.
None of these prices include shipping.
As I look at all the websites here trying to find stock of what I need, all I see is prices climbing higher and higher.
Desperately need 44 cal 240gr Speer SP Deep Curls, none to be found anywhere, then I read that Deep Curls are no longer in production. I just can't win.
Heading out for 3 weeks on Jan 3, guess the 30 rounds I have will have to do for my first years hog eradication program. My 25-06 will have to be used I guess.

Cheers.
This is just bullets, not loaded ammo?
 
We build rifles at $$$$, optics at $$$$, Kestrels, rangefinders, ballistic apps, bipods, spotting scopes, hi tech clothing, atv's, utv's, outfitters, tips to guides, tents, ad nauseam. But holy cow a premium bullet at $1+ each is considered too expensive? Its the most important piece of the LRH puzzle and baffles me how we squeeze Lincoln's beard off the penny for a bullet but think nothing of swapping out barrels, stocks, optics at blink of eye. Help me understand this! All I seem to read lately is the cost of bullets being outrageous. I know we like to shoot a lot but to get LRH performance from a bullet it does take engineering and consistent manufacturing processes which does add costs to the final product. No I am not rich, am retired so fixed income but I know what it takes to manufacture a highly specialized product. We ignore the money we drop on equipment but get unglued on cost of premium bullets!

Just a random thought looking at snow coming down!
It's really just availability of the bullets more than the cost. I'll go for high cost every time to get consistency with each shot.
 
Hi, I am in Australia to, North Queensland, so prices are a bit higher here, l have looked into getting projectiles from the USA, cannot buy from Suppliers & import, but, if have a friend over there, they can buy them and send to us through the post as a gift, as long as they are declared, l would be happy to pay a friend for a "cup of coffee" and have a gift sent over, just wish I could send primers & powder back, so in conclusion, I need to make some American friends, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone on site,
Regards
Graham 🐢
hey, brother be glad to help you out I like making friends, and I wouldn't even think of charging u anything more than it cost me what kind are u looking for how many etc. I thought Australia, was a gun-hating country so I'm surprised to hear from you over there. I know you cant ship live ammo across the border but I think just the bullets themselves would be ok.
 
Not to hijack the thread, but does anyone know where I can buy a RCBS universal hand priming tool? Everywhere I've looked they are sold out.
Thanks everyone.
do yourself a favor and get the automatic bench-mounted version I had one of the hand primer versions but I gave mine away when I bought the bench mounted version it's like night and day better and your fingers don't get sore.
 
do yourself a favor and get the automatic bench-mounted version I had one of the hand primer versions but I gave mine away when I bought the bench mounted version it's like night and day better and your fingers don't get sore.
Thank you. I'll look into one of those.
I never installed the priming too option on my reloading presses because I prefer the handheld priming tool because it does not need that much pressure to prime. Also, it gives me flexibility to prime away from my reloading table. Besides, I have a grip exerciser similar ro the handheld primer machine so it is an extension to my exercise regimen. :)
 
Hi, I am in Australia to, North Queensland, so prices are a bit higher here, l have looked into getting projectiles from the USA, cannot buy from Suppliers & import, but, if have a friend over there, they can buy them and send to us through the post as a gift, as long as they are declared, l would be happy to pay a friend for a "cup of coffee" and have a gift sent over, just wish I could send primers & powder back, so in conclusion, I need to make some American friends, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone on site,
Regards
Graham 🐢
I thought those regulations changed? Call Steve at Hammer Bullets, pretty sure they're shipping to Canada, Australia etc.
 
hey, brother be glad to help you out I like making friends, and I wouldn't even think of charging u anything more than it cost me what kind are u looking for how many etc. I thought Australia, was a gun-hating country so I'm surprised to hear from you over there. I know you cant ship live ammo across the border but I think just the bullets themselves would be ok.
Sorry to hear that you thought we were gun Harding, quite the opposite, love our guns, just the extreme left "Sheeple " are the squeaky wheel so get heard the most, as to being friends, sounds great, projectiles aside, I am happy to make new friends especially with common interests ie guns, if you can pm me, l'll see if I can work out how to do it again,
 
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