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Cost of components

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  • Mouser

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    Now that things around supply are "normal" and gun prices are falling like a rock...you can buy 9mm range ammor for under $10/box if you are patient and watch closely...I have noticed that my reloading components powder, primers and especially bullets seem to be selling for about the same prices I was paying a few years ago. I just checked my 9mm 124gr plated bullet orders from the past couple of years and there is no appreciable difference today than a couple of years ago...but, I can buy factory ammo as much as 15-20% cheaper.

    Now I didn't reload until 2014 so I don't know what those components cost in 2008 before the real ammo crunch happened and maybe I am frequenting the same sources thereby missing "deals" but I was wondering what other reloaders who've been doing it a long time are seeing? Do you view the prices about normal? What do you expect, from a price standpoint, to occur over the next few years? I know the cost spread from new vs reloaded is diminished...not that the driver was entirely cost but I expected to see a similar improvement in price and maybe the prices adjusted before I got into reloading, maybe not.
     

    bohica793

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    At $10/box of 50 you are paying .20/round. My current cost for loading 9mm is .12/round and I am not buying in that high a volume for components. Furthermore, my loads are tailored to my weapons and my shooting skills.
     

    Mouser

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    I own my own brass and I calculated .13-.135/round myself for the 124 gr and 5.5 grn of powder...bullets being the most expensive component. That is what I was paying a few years ago...same as today while factory ammo has come down in price a good bit imo. So is that "normal" or do you expect prices to fall a bit...I will still reload, make no mistake about it, but I haven't loaded for a long time so was curious about what long-time reloaders expect to see looking forward.
     

    bohica793

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    Factory ammo pricing is irrelevant to me as I load for the purposes of customizing to my specifications, both pistol and rifle. The fact that I save money doing it is secondary. The only reason I have bought factory ammo in the past 5 years was to acquire brass I was unable to acquire otherwise.

    Additional consideration: If the liberals get back in power, look for them to attempt to implement California style control of ammunition at which point, who will have ammo at what price?
     
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    skeetzappa

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    What bohica793 said is spot on. See it's just not that it's slightly more than half the price of CHEAPEST ammo, it shoots more accurately and can be custom tailored to do what you want it to do for any one or all your weapons. You simply cannot ever get that buying the cheapest stuff around, maybe not even spending twice as much. Plus I see it as part of the hobby, because even though I'm not physically shooting it's still part of the hobby of using firearms so it's very gratifying as well.
    In relation to component costs I can tell you I'm still in my 30's but I remember when components spiked in price was when we had the first Bush in office. Bags of shot were 50lb. for less than 20$ and a pound of powder only 10$ and plentiful. But regardless it's a connection to the hobby and not only a cost cutter
     

    Lindenwood

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    I had this thought the other day, actually. In fact, that is part of the reason I dont reload 9mm anymore; I can now [afford to] buy large quantities of cheap range ammo and get close enough to my reload price that the extra expe se is worth the time I dont spend. Plus, I get to spend more time tinkering with .308, which I do actually enjoy loading.

    And speaking of reloading 9mm for cheap... 7000 cast bullets for sale for half what youd pay for them new!

    http://gulfcoastgunforum.com/showth...ets-16-500-Small-Pistol-Primers-**South-FWB**
     

    Mouser

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    One thing I'm noticing of late, is the 'free hazmat' on bulk orders...I think maybe pricing is ready to crack...companies do not like to lower prices...they will first do other things like free shipping, bundling, bulk buy rebates...etc All in the effort to protect price.
     

    boatbum101

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    I find myself doing more online shopping for components now days . Powder & primers in bulk , usually from Powder Valley . Everything has went up in price especially bullets . If you don't order enough by yourself jump in on group buys .
     

    SCTaylor

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    I’ve been seeing the offers as well. I’d rather shop locally but at $40k for primers and shooting 12-15k per year... buying online saves a lot of cash.




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    Jester896

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    we did a group buy the other day...not the best stuff out there but some OK stuff...pick up about 10K (bulk packed) 115gr for roughly .16 a round
     

    Ric-san

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    At $10/box of 50 you are paying .20/round. My current cost for loading 9mm is .12/round and I am not buying in that high a volume for components. Furthermore, my loads are tailored to my weapons and my shooting skills.

    Save even more by casting your own lead boolits, time consuming but fun nonetheless, my price to load a 9mm is around $ .05-.06 ea.
     

    Mouser

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    I have a melting pot and some lead...but I'd need molds and I believe some alloy/additive needs to be added to make them hard cast bullets. To avoid leading, that seems to be prudent. Can you comment on how you do it, do you add anything? If so, how much of what...if not, do you have leading problems?
     

    bohica793

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    Save even more by casting your own lead boolits, time consuming but fun nonetheless, my price to load a 9mm is around $ .05-.06 ea.

    I pour my own lead also, but find that since I am shooting 900-1000 9mm rounds per week, casting for it would be far too time consuming. I still cast for a number of my rifles. As to alloy, you can push pure soft lead through almost any pistol caliber with no leading as long as you size it properly to the throat size of the pistol in question. Fit beats alloy every time.
     

    Mouser

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    That is alot of shooting! making that much ammo a week would be a part time job to be sure.
     
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