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

[Muddyboots]

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!

 

[JMW67]

and the bullet is what actually takes the animal all the rest is just the support team

 

[Rugerman77]

Because by the time you buy premium everything and put your time into your hand loads cost much more. Actions, stocks, etc are seen as a one time purchase for the most part. Most guys who shoot barrels out also don't want to pay $2 a bullet when a $0.50 bullet serves the same purpose. It's the same with guys spending a mint to build a super light gun and sit in a heated deer blind. I personally don't want to shoot high dollar bullets just to punch paper. But for the hunt I prefer the good stuff. Haven't tried hammers yet or cutting edge but I get guys being tight.

 

[Deleted member 103481]

Same people would rather not shoot their 5k dollar rifle and sit at home complaining than pay another 100$ in primers for the entire life of a barrel.

the stink that came up here and everywhere when the a-tip pricing came out was unreal

 

[1894C]

Because by the time you buy premium everything and put your time into your hand loads cost much more. Actions, stocks, etc are seen as a one time purchase for the most part. Most guys who shoot barrels out also don't want to pay $2 a bullet when a $0.50 bullet serves the same purpose. It's the same with guys spending a mint to build a super light gun and sit in a heated deer blind. I personally don't want to shoot high dollar bullets just to punch paper. But for the hunt I prefer the good stuff. Haven't tried hammers yet or cutting edge but I get guys being tight.

First off most guys who shoot out multiple barrels a year in multiple rifles know they are expendable. The most important factor in this entire equation is the bullet. If you can pay to shoot out multiple barrels you can pay to shoot up premium bullets. Last time I emptied my trash can beside my press it had something like 22 empty berger boxes 36 empty Sierra boxes and the remaining 20 or so a split of partitions accubonds and elds.


if you can't pay to practice then you shouldn't play. Trainer rifles are fantastic. If it's a close of your hunting rig and has a nearly identical curve.

whoever said practice makes perfect is a liar. Perfect practice makes perfect.

 

[Muddyboots]

If you are shooting short range any cup and core will do fine. Reaching out there is another story. I liken this to buying a 4x4 loaded, lifted, tired up and complain about the MPG?

 

[JMW67]

or complaining about tire cost on a 1/4 mile car, I hear it all the time and can not figure it out my 70,000 dollar race car keeps using up tires

 

[sea2summit]

If you are shooting short range any cup and core will do fine. Reaching out there is another story. I liken this to buying a 4x4 loaded, lifted, tired up and complain about the MPG?

I'm in this camp. Yeah 140s for my daughter's 6.5 will fly way better but in reality she hasn't done much past 500 and 130s are cheaper so she can shoot more. Obviously get the right bullet for the job (animal/target/varmit) but don't judge me because I don't use your perfect bullet and expensive bullet. Heck, even allow me to complain about the price of components once in a while, it's a cover story for the wife

 

[Quintus]

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?

That logic is why Chevy made Cadillac and GMC. If you really want to spend 2 or 3 times more to accomplish the same mission the option is there. Do the more costly bullets have features others don't? Sure. Are those features needed? Nope. The big question, are they worth it? To some absolutely. To some, not really. Honestly the only bullets I have ever had "fail" were the ones I asked to punch out of their class. Personally I like the performance of several of the premium bullets and use them. I also have several economical C&C bullets I trust with any job as well. Given the choice to spend $1,200 a year on bullets or $2,400 I end up much closer to 1200.

 

[Mrvmax]

Everyone has different purposes and applications for their firearms. I like spending time developing loads them once I'm satisfied it probably won't get used until it's time for a hunt. I can see someone who shoots a lot wanting a lower cost bullet to lower the per round cost. I don't hang around rich people so everyone I know ultimately has budget constraints. I guess there are some here that don't and can drop as much money as needed for shooting as much as they want. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Canhunter35]

I don't make a stink about it, but I built a load with 105rdf instead of 105hybrids because it's a match rifle, will shoot thousands of rounds and the rdf is half the cost of a Berger in Canada. That's a savings, for hunting rounds, cost is negligible, it takes one bullet usually to kill something

 

[P7M13]

Same guys who complain about the mileage on their Excursion. Also kinda like people at Starbucks ordering a venti Carmel Macchiato with extra whip and non fat milk, coming unglued when its 2% milk.
You can shoot precision to 800 with flat based spire points, just can't shoot them out to 1600 like with a OTM.
I reload for every caliber I shoot. As a reloader, where my ammo costs me 1/2 to 1/10 what OTS ammo costs, I will shoot 1-2x the value of the gun in consumables before the barrel wears out. In pistols, I'm already at 4x the value on a CZ.
I can understand people complaining about the cost. Don't have any empathy though.
Next time, ask them how much for their greens fees.

 

[Muddyboots]

Maybe I wasn't clear enough. Don't care what bullet anyone shoots but my comment is about those who get shorts in a wad for a bullet that is in the $1 range. Don't shoot it! Totally agree shoot what you want but complaining about a bullet cost due to high cost of its manufacturing when you drop $5K on setup is my wild hair. A bullet CNC'ed is going to be costly no matter who makes it.

 

[P7M13]

Maybe I wasn't clear enough. Don't care what bullet anyone shoots but my comment is about those who get shorts in a wad for a bullet that is in the $1 range. Don't shoot it! Totally agree shoot what you want but complaining about a bullet cost due to high cost of its manufacturing when you drop $5K on setup is my wild hair. A bullet CNC'ed is going to be costly no matter who makes it.

C'mon man, this is 'murica!
If they're going to give out free education and medical care, and hugs to all BLM rioters, they should give out free ammo too!
Merry Christmas, BTW.