cost per reload

[givemeashot]

Im thinking about starting to do my own reloading, mostly to save money. I have a 300 Wthby and a 30-06. Does anyone know about how much it will cost me to reload each?(powder,primer and bullets) Im just trying to figure out how long it will take me to recoup the expence of setup.

 

[abinok]

It really depends on your exact load, but I load my prefered long range loads for my 300WM (between your two case capacities) for about .74cents a round. Its easy to calculate your costs...
Figure your powder at $20 a pound,
Primers at $20 per 1000,
Bullets will depend on what you want to shoot.. and could range from $7.00 per 100, up to as much as you want to spend.
There are other things that will be an initial cost, like case lube, but really isn't a factor in cost per round.
One thing however, you will probably not save money reloading. I thought i would... total BS. It is still just as expensive to shoot as before... because You will shoot a lot more! If you have a general idea of how much you are looking to spend for setup, there are many folks here that could give you some pointers on equipment.

 

[MachV]

[ QUOTE ]
Im just trying to figure out how long it will take me to recoup the expence of setup.


[/ QUOTE ]
Based on 25years of experience a <font color="red">lifetime </font>
Ya end up shootin more-needing more dodads.Its a never ending cycle /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[41mag]

If your only going to load for those two rounds, and stick to one or two components for them, then you will pay for your equipment in the first year, depending on how much your shooting. Actually, if you load your own bullet, work up the best load for each of your rifles, then end up taking the best head of game of your life, using your bullet, then you just effectively paid off your equipment.

Pretty much, other than that it is as the others mentioned. Once you get into it, you will find that it is very enjoyable to load your own ammo, and experiment with the different bullets out there. If you only shoot three or four boxes of shells a year, it really isn't worth it. If you shoot that many in a weekend or a month, then you can absorb your initial cost in short time.

If your looking into it, I would suggest picking up one of the complete starter kits like RCBS offers. Pick up a couple of manuals to go with it. Then after reading the manuals you will have a better idea of what you want your initial load to be. I would suggest picking out one or two powders at first that will give you the best bang for your buck. In other words after reading through the manuals, you will find that one or two powders will be decent load for both calibers. Use this sort of set up for your initial outlay of fund. Say use the same powder, and bullets. This will at least keep you from opening that big can of worms until you have some experience. You can get some really good loads for say a 165 - 180 gr bullets which will work just fine in either of those calibers. If you shoot that Whby. a lot, it won't take you too long at all to pay for your equipment. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Read up on everything and ask questions before you buy, and you will be fine.

 

[Neverlost1]

I ran some numbers using prices from a popular shooters supply store comparing Premium and Standard ammo to handloads with those same bullets. In theory, you could save between 25% to 50% of Factory prices by handloading. You could probably get all the reloading equipment you need to get started for about $300. Now using a savings of the more optimistic 50% you would have to load 40 boxes of 30-06 or 20 boxes of 300 Weatherby to break even, before you would even begin to realize any savings from handloading. And there's more. You have to experiment with different bullets, powders, etc. to find the best performing load in your rifle, so you end up buying 5 times more components than you really need to find the right combination.

Rifle handloading isn't about saving money for most folks(unless you are a really high volume shooter). For me, handloading is making custom ammo for a particular need, such as benchrest accuracy or long range performance, or maybe you want to load a light recoiling load for your wife or child that no factory ammo can compare to. It's about the satisfaction you get by knowing you built it yourself, when you see 5 bullets went into one small hole on your target, or you harvest that trophy.

I don't want to discourage you from handloading, in fact, I hope you get into it, but saving money is probably the last reason to do it. Once you start, it can become a lifelong addiction, bringing both pleasure and frustration searching for that perfect load. It will also make you a better shooter, since you will shoot more.

 

[Reloader]

Givemeashot,

It cost me $0.43 per load for 30/06 loads and $0.55 per load for 300 Weatherby loads. That includes Brass, Powder, Primers, and Bullets.

If you want the details email me at [email protected]

Reloader

 

[tpv57]

Take your componets bullets,powder,primers,cases you will be using over so you can't really figure that in.
for powder there are 7000gr's in 1lb divide that by your charge and that will give how many loads you can get with 1 lb (I.E. 7000/70=100/buy the cost of power=cost per cartridge for powder)
bullets (amount of bullets in box divide by cost of box)
primers (amount of primers in box divibe by cost of box)
add together=cost per cartridge.

 

[craigp40]

This is just my opinion, but here is how I see it.

Years ago, you had to reload to get good accurate ammo. Nowadays you can get some really good factory stuff, but you still can't tune it to your rifle if you want the absolute best performance. If you're going into it strictly to save money on the 3 or 5 boxes of shells you shoot a year, save your money, it's not worth it. If you're going into it because you want the best performance from your rifle and the therapy that goes along with processing your own ammo, then go for it. It's a wonderful hobby to take up. The savings in this case is realized because you are shooting much more.

 

[Buffalobob]

If you have been saving your Wby brass and do not have to buy new brass then you are off to a head start on the costs. Wby brass is made by Norma and is very high quality and very expensive, although high quality brass is expensive in just about any caliber.

If you have been throwing your Wby brass away, then go get a brick and hit yourself upside the head several times /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Reloading bullets is about like tying trout flies. Either you do it for the enjoyment of making your own or else it is drudgery and you won't do a good job.

 

[sniper2]

I have been loading for almost forty years and have saved thousands of dollars!!!I buy my components wholesale.I don't shoot as much now so I am really enjoying the savings!
Let me encourage you to take up loading I load for over 15 calibers and enjoy it very much.Don't get caught up with trying to load precisely enough to put them all in one hole
or there can be some frustration involved with this...

 

[Bob S.]

I don't know or care how much I have saved over the years. I do know that I enjoy sitting at my bench and cranking out a few rounds. My kid has gotten interested in it and we sit down together and load some for his rifles. That in itself is worth any amount I have saved. He is a teenager and has little to do with me these days but reloading and the subsequent shooting brings us together for a little while at least. Get started and you too will get more than you bargained for and you may save in the long run.

 

[Kenster-Boy]

I always figured that I saved about 50% with just raw componets. That is once you have all the reloading equipment and stuff. So depending on how much your gonna shoot you should take it up. Not to mention that if you are looking at any sort of long range shooting you HAVE to start reloading.