ammo

[five.five-six]

This a very real answer - thank you! At least for me, that gives me a more realistic perspective - preparing your own ammo is really about the love of the game, than saving money. If its the later, I probably want to rethink that math!

that said...the way I practice at the range, I think I'll get to that 250k round count a LOT faster!

With bulk ammo, in times like these, the cash savings is attractive but not a deal closer. With just a little bit of hunting, decent range 9mm might be 10CPR But you buy years worth of components. It’s not that you save all that much but you can pretty much shoot all you want. And during the crisis times, you don’t run out.


Now for premium and rifle ammo, the contrast can be staggering as can be the quality.

I put it off for years but after Virginia tech, when ammo was unobtanium again, that’s when I was motivated to start and I’ve never looked back. I had a buddy who didn’t even shoot but he loved reloading. To each their own.

 

[AR15barrels]

This a very real answer - thank you! At least for me, that gives me a more realistic perspective - preparing your own ammo is really about the love of the game, than saving money. If its the later, I probably want to rethink that math!

that said...the way I practice at the range, I think I'll get to that 250k round count a LOT faster!

Everyone does not need a reloading bench like this:

I have dedicated 1050's to 9mm and 223 and dedicated a 650 to sizing/trimming 223.
Then I load everything else on 550's because I don't use nearly as much of everything else.
You could buy $1000 worth of reloading tools and still be able to load just as much ammo, but you would be spending more time swapping the machines around between different cartridges.
My setup was built to support match shooting so I can step up to a press and load for the following day for 15 minutes and then put that ammo in my range bag for the match without needing to do any machine setup and without needing to do large volume runs of ammo to store.
If you only have one press, you run large amounts of ammo before swapping calibers and then run large amounts of the next caliber until you get all your brass turned into loaded ammo.
Then you go shoot and collect brass for a while until you need to refill your supply.

 

[five.five-six]

There are a lot of approaches On my bench, I have 2 550s, one for small primer and the other for large because I don’t like changing out primer tubes an FU, I want them. I can change out calibers in under 5 minutes. I normally make 100-500 rounds in a run The green press in the middle is for load development and short runs. I have it set up with a lock and load bushing system and can change dies within seconds. Dies can be had on the 2nd hand market for very reasonable prices. Typically when I want a gun I start keeping my eye out for dies and components and eventually, the right gun will present itself to me. This is my collection of dies, @AR15barrels collection of die is borderline psychotic.




Both drawers are packed and I’m trying to figure out where to store additional mags because I’ve recently been wanting a Arisaka type 99, M91 Carcano, .280 Ross and a French Lebel. (Damb you Othias!)

 

[five.five-six]

Tactical cat says: “Load more ammo …. meow”

 

[vplaza96]

Unless I can find 9mm ammo that's less than $0.18 CPR (including costs for taxes, shipping, etc.), I don't mind reloading since I already have a small setup that allows me to reload ammo below that cost.

I'm always on the lookout for sales on bullets, primers, and powder (i.e. free hazmat) to keep the CPR for reloads fairly low.

I've considered the FFL/COE route to order ammo, but there's also an initial cost to getting that, so any savings would come later one after recouping those costs.

 

[five.five-six]

Unless I can find 9mm ammo that's less than $0.18 CPR (including costs for taxes, shipping, etc.), I don't mind reloading since I already have a small setup that allows me to reload ammo below that cost.

I'm always on the lookout for sales on bullets, primers, and powder (i.e. free hazmat) to keep the CPR for reloads fairly low.

I've considered the FFL/COE route to order ammo, but there's also an initial cost to getting that, so any savings would come later one after recouping those costs.

For plinking “range ammo”. The blems and pulls from american reloading work fantastic. Even for USPSA

Here’s primed 9mm brass for 6.6CPR in cart

9mm Luger Blemished Primed Brass - 1000ct

This listing is for 9mm Luger brass casings with a Norma headstamp. These are pulled, blemished components, and may show light cosmetic marks from the pulling and bulk handling process. Casings may have minor dents or surface scratches, and overall appearance will vary from piece to piece. Each...

americanreloading.com

Here’s 124 .355’s jackets for 6CPR in cart

9mm 124gr FMJ w/ concave bottom PULLED - 1000ct

These are 9mm, 124-grain full metal jacket (FMJ) projectiles with a concave bottom. Pulled from loaded ammunition; you may see minimal cosmetic marks from the pull and light residue from assembly, but function is unaffected. The concave bottom can aid consistent seating and may affect crimping...

americanreloading.com

Puts you at 14CPR including brass


Here’s SPP’s 4CPR

MEDEF Small Pistol Primers Free Ship & Haz - 5000ct

These Small Pistol Primers are made by MEDEF Defense, a Turkish manufacturer known for quality, consistency and affordability. MEDEF is now offering civilian reloaders high-quality components they can rely on to perform.

americanreloading.com

Puts you at 12CPR if you have your own brass


Prices include shipping and hazmat

 

[weaverftw]

For plinking “range ammo”. The blems and pulls from american reloading work fantastic. Even for USPSA

Here’s primed 9mm brass for 6.6CPR in cart

9mm Luger Blemished Primed Brass - 1000ct

This listing is for 9mm Luger brass casings with a Norma headstamp. These are pulled, blemished components, and may show light cosmetic marks from the pulling and bulk handling process. Casings may have minor dents or surface scratches, and overall appearance will vary from piece to piece. Each...

americanreloading.com

Here’s 124 .355’s jackets for 6CPR in cart

9mm 124gr FMJ w/ concave bottom PULLED - 1000ct

These are 9mm, 124-grain full metal jacket (FMJ) projectiles with a concave bottom. Pulled from loaded ammunition; you may see minimal cosmetic marks from the pull and light residue from assembly, but function is unaffected. The concave bottom can aid consistent seating and may affect crimping...

americanreloading.com

Puts you at 14CPR including brass


Here’s SPP’s 4CPR

MEDEF Small Pistol Primers Free Ship & Haz - 5000ct

These Small Pistol Primers are made by MEDEF Defense, a Turkish manufacturer known for quality, consistency and affordability. MEDEF is now offering civilian reloaders high-quality components they can rely on to perform.

americanreloading.com

Puts you at 12CPR if you have your own brass


Prices include shipping and hazmat

How do those primers compare to federal or Winchester? Both in terms of reliability, dirtiness, and hardness? Never tried them but it would suck to buy 5k and find out your pails don’t ignite them or something

 

[token]

Any reloader will tell you, you don't really save money.. You shoot more..

I'm always on look out for someone selling powder way below retail or getting out of reloading.

 

[ikeo1]

I'm always on look out for someone selling powder way below retail or getting out of reloading.

No one sells below these days , you can get a deal but I wouldn’t say way below unless it’s an estate sale.

Otherwise, prices are moving up. The powder I bought for $220 is $320 now

 

[token]

No one sells below these days , you can get a deal but I wouldn’t say way below unless it’s an estate sale.

Otherwise, prices are moving up. The powder I bought for $220 is $320 now

Yeah its rare but they are out there. Picked up 45 lbs of pistol and rifle powder a few months back for about $25/lbs.

 

[five.five-six]

How do those primers compare to federal or Winchester? Both in terms of reliability, dirtiness, and hardness? Never tried them but it would suck to buy 5k and find out your pails don’t ignite them or something

I’ve never used them. I do have 10 k of the factory seconds, which I’ll get around or or not I’m running through Winchester right now. Let’s say they do suck… just sit on them till the next panic, SPPs are always gold in a panic.

I’ve been following their products on other forums and I haven’t read of any of their stuff being garbage….well one guy but I’m not even sure he actually ever bought anything there.


They usually sell win SPP for 5 cents when they have them. They also get magtech for 4 cents which seems to be the favorite with PRG USPSA guys. AR can be slow to ship too but it’s all part of the fun.


I’ve been doing this a minute, I’m looking for replenishment 6 months to a year before I run out. My problem is over stockpiling. I’m also a little bit OCD so I stopped buying when I start running out of space.


Like I said, I went through Covid without actually having to buy anything. This last year I probably spent $4000 on components loading back up. For my major calibers I’m not gonna need to buy anything for many years maybe rest of my life. I do always find myself buying stuff for new oddball components. Today I’m getting everything I need to make 38 WCF. I was practically gifted a Winchester 1892…fun stuff.


I have been wanting a Enfield for many years. And it just never appeared for me. But about two years ago, one showed up for me…. And then another lol. But all the time I’d be like gee, I need .312 150’s. I kept forgetting I already had some lol. I think I have about 800 now. That’s probably gonna last the rest of my life because it’s just not a gun you go dump 400 rounds in an afternoon with. it ends up working out because I want an Arisaka 99 and they use the same bullet. Also, I think I want Ross rifle which also uses the same bullet. And I think I can actually use that bullet for 76 2 x 39. It’s all part of the fun.


If I have a bunch left when I die, my kids will inherit it. I’ve got friends who will buy or help them sell it.

 

[five.five-six]

Yeah its rare but they are out there. Picked up 45 lbs of pistol and rifle powder a few months back for about $25/lbs.

Buying the reclaimed powder in bulk is really a fantastic value. I am finishing up 16 pounds of WC 844. Sure you spent a little bit more time developing a load because it’s not canister powder but once you have that load data you just bought 16 pounds of powder for a few hundred bucks. Especially for range/blasting ammo it works fantastic. I probably have 5 pounds left but I’ve also got 2000 rounds of 223 cooked up already so I’m not in any kind of rush.

 

[token]

It was a bunch of consumer 8#. I miss wc844 pricing a decade ago was basically half retail of h335. I have access to bulk commercial canister powder but the minimum order quantity is about 15 100# canisters for wc 844

 

[vplaza96]

Regarding powder prices...I use Win231 for my 9mm loads (115gr RN with 4.7gr of W231)...nothing fancy...

Bought 4lbs from Natchez in Nov 2024 for $179.26 (includes taxes, shipping and free hazmat).

Bought 4lbs from Midsouth Shooters in Feb 206 for $194.90 (includes taxes, shipping and free hazmat).

I just checked Midsouth and saw the price went up by $4.

 

[AR15barrels]

No one sells below these days , you can get a deal but I wouldn’t say way below unless it’s an estate sale.

Otherwise, prices are moving up. The powder I bought for $220 is $320 now

Someone gave me 5.5lbs of Accurate 2460 today.
That should make me a nice 1500 rounds of 223 using the 5cent 55gr bullets I ordered last week.
I also have free small rifle primers from the same guy that gave me the powder today.

 

[ikeo1]

Someone gave me 5.5lbs of Accurate 2460 today.
That should make me a nice 1500 rounds of 223 using the 5cent 55gr bullets I ordered last week.
I also have free small rifle primers from the same guy that gave me the powder today.

Lol nice… they were talking about selling. If it was gifted that’s another thing.

All things considered it’s definitely not the norm. If it’s a personal relationship there’s deals to be had.

Sometimes people gift things, like we gifted the badges. Most of the time people pay.

When you help people sometimes you’ll get something for nothing. I hope people are being fair here, I think it’s better overall sometimes people will get lucky but it’s definitely not the norm.

I’m sure though if you have persistent lowballers asking you to lower your retail price it’s not going to happen. All depends on the relationship

 

[Jeb52]

Got an email from TargetSportsUSA today, front loading me that ammo prices for popular calibers (9mm/5.56and 45ACP) are set to rise in the next couple weeks. Half of me thinks it’s just a scare tactic to sell more ammo. The other half thinks, yeah everything is going up. So what am I gonna do? Eff em. Sell some of my ammo I don’t need, want or can never use. You can’t take it with you. Keep an eye out in the classifieds folks.

 

[five.five-six]

$108 I got 100 new starline brass, 250 bullets and new lee dies. It's probably a lifetime supply of ammo for one of these.

best price on ammo-seek is 81.5 cents plus shipping and all the hastle

took 30 min to cook up 10 rounds but now that the dies are set up I can make them a lot faster

the other thing is this, if the headspace is a little off, it will be fire formed and my brass will now be sized for the chamber on this rifle. if I see overpressure signs, I or I want to put a little more heat in the round, can do all that.





I'm going to have a great time with this gun!

 

[vplaza96]

For plinking “range ammo”. The blems and pulls from american reloading work fantastic. Even for USPSA

Here’s primed 9mm brass for 6.6CPR in cart

9mm Luger Blemished Primed Brass - 1000ct

This listing is for 9mm Luger brass casings with a Norma headstamp. These are pulled, blemished components, and may show light cosmetic marks from the pulling and bulk handling process. Casings may have minor dents or surface scratches, and overall appearance will vary from piece to piece. Each...

americanreloading.com

Here’s 124 .355’s jackets for 6CPR in cart

9mm 124gr FMJ w/ concave bottom PULLED - 1000ct

These are 9mm, 124-grain full metal jacket (FMJ) projectiles with a concave bottom. Pulled from loaded ammunition; you may see minimal cosmetic marks from the pull and light residue from assembly, but function is unaffected. The concave bottom can aid consistent seating and may affect crimping...

americanreloading.com

Puts you at 14CPR including brass


Here’s SPP’s 4CPR

MEDEF Small Pistol Primers Free Ship & Haz - 5000ct

These Small Pistol Primers are made by MEDEF Defense, a Turkish manufacturer known for quality, consistency and affordability. MEDEF is now offering civilian reloaders high-quality components they can rely on to perform.

americanreloading.com

Puts you at 12CPR if you have your own brass


Prices include shipping and hazmat

Hey, thanks for the link to the primers at AmericanReloading.com. My 5,000 primers arrived this week and loaded the first 100 with them. Took them to the range today and they all worked fine. So far, so good.