44 mag loading cost

[ericuda]

Kinda wondering how folks afford to shoot much or the bigger bores with the cost of factory ammo. I recently paid 55 for 50 at lgs and a lot I see online is at the 1.00 per round and up. Quick figure buying all components not casting. I know better deals on components out there and my primers and powder is not at cost but fair is using current prices.

Mbc 240 @ .13 to door
Xtp 240 @ .38
Primers @ .09 lgs
Brass @ .24 lgs or figure .03 as reusable or could figure less as I pick up a few at range for free
Powder figured 20 gr 2400 @ 50 per pound is .14

Total per round 60 cents for lead and 85 cents for xtp's.

I kinda always figure brass is free or for sure but could be used 10x so even if you factor in brass cost at 10/ it is only 39 cents for lead and 64 cents for xtp's which is not a bad deal.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Kinda wondering how folks afford to shoot much or the bigger bores with the cost of factory ammo. I recently paid 55 for 50 at lgs and a lot I see online is at the 1.00 per round and up. Quick figure buying all components not casting. I know better deals on components out there and my primers and powder is not at cost but fair is using current prices.

Mbc 240 @ .13 to door
Xtp 240 @ .38
Primers @ .09 lgs
Brass @ .24 lgs or figure .03 as reusable or could figure less as I pick up a few at range for free
Powder figured 20 gr 2400 @ 50 per pound is .14

Total per round 60 cents for lead and 85 cents for xtp's.

I kinda always figure brass is free or for sure but could be used 10x so even if you factor in brass cost at 10/ it is only 39 cents for lead and 64 cents for xtp's which is not a bad deal.

I would only factor in Primer, Powder, & bullet. I would save money with HC lead for range and bear use. Develop a different load for XTP for carry use and such.

also, 7000 gn in a pound, so powder should be more like $0.01

New figures: $0.23 a round to reload range/bear stuff

 

[ericuda]

Dang, did I misfigure. I figured 20 grains of powder for load. Guess not ready for physics.

 

[Riomouse911]

I got into reloading in the mid 1990’s just to feed my .45 Colts and .44 Magnums…and that was back when finding .45 Colt cowboy loads ran just $16 bucks a box. (Of course my wages were much less then, too.) A decade or so later prices increased a bit, so reloading became even more sensible.



Today? The price of any ammo other than the big 2 or 3 is nuts.

Stay safe.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I got into reloading in the mid 1990’s just to feed my .45 Colts and .44 Magnums…and that was back when finding .45 Colt cowboy loads ran just $16 bucks a box. (Of course my wages were much less then, too.) A decade or so later prices increased a bit, so reloading became even more sensible.

View attachment 1137100

Today? The price of any ammo other than the big 2 or 3 is nuts.

Stay safe.

$2-$3 a round is why we reload!!!! close to as expensive as 45/70, .458 SC, .50BW, .460

 

[drband]

Yep— .20-.25 per round if you shoot coated or plain lead. Brass can be loaded till it splits, so no cost there till you need more. Probably a dozen times or more. If you shoot light loads with Unique, you might get 20x out of a case!

Sure is nice to just dump cases out of a revolver into a bag or box. Never hits the ground!

 

[ericuda]

20 cents per would be better but I guess i can't get that low with current prices and even taking brass out I still get mid 30 cents. Wouldn't powder cost be 14 cents as I figured 20 grains per load so 350 loads per pound and at 50 per pound is 14 cents.

Nbd sure closer than factory. Only thing I remember buying in the 90s cheap is 7.62x39. Wasn't a box then around 4 dollars.

 

[Mark_Mark]

20 cents per would be better but I guess i can't get that low with current prices and even taking brass out I still get mid 30 cents. Wouldn't powder cost be 14 cents as I figured 20 grains per load so 350 loads per pound and at 50 per pound is 14 cents.

Nbd sure closer than factory. Only thing I remember buying in the 90s cheap is 7.62x39. Wasn't a box then around 4 dollars.

if 2400 is $35/pound @7000 grain. = 350 loads

350/$35= $0.10 … opps! lol

so $0.35 a round! but don’t donit for the savings only… Do it for the Cool Factor, that you make ammo!

 

[ericuda]

Thx for confirming. You was making me think. I just guessed 50 for current price at lgs. My numbers are what a new reloaded would spend not us old hoarders.

 

[mdi]

Not really an answer, but for those that worry about $$$; My most favorite cartridge for shooting/reloading was the 44 Magnum. I almost exclusively reloaded it for well over 20 years and all with cast bullets (mild to wild. 123 gr balls over a dusting of Bullseye to 300 gr. ingots over max. loads of WC820). I own 5, 44 Magnum guns. I cannot tell you the cost for my handloads, nor do I care. I have not checked the retail price of factory ammo, other than 32 S&W Long (I needed some brass), in many years. Some may be concerned with costs, but in 40+ years of reloading I can't say if "I'm saving (?) money". I like reloading...

My apologies for my "rant", but there is much, much more to reloading than reducing it to a cost thing...

 

[ericuda]

My apologies for my "rant", but there is much, much more to reloading than reducing it to a

Np, I completely agree, the coat to reload to me is irrelevant too. I just ran the numbers as I purchased a box of factory and that was the first box of factory ammo besides 22 and 5.7 I have bought for 20 years since I started reloading.

I too enjoy having the ease to load from mild to wild as I please and play with bullet weights outside of the normal factory.

Funny 2 weeks ago had no 44 mag, today have 2.

 

[drband]

20 cents per would be better but I guess i can't get that low with current prices and even taking brass out I still get mid 30 cents. Wouldn't powder cost be 14 cents as I figured 20 grains per load so 350 loads per pound and at 50 per pound is 14 cents.

Nbd sure closer than factory. Only thing I remember buying in the 90s cheap is 7.62x39. Wasn't a box then around 4 dollars.

30 cents might be closer. I forget I am reloading from components purchased years ago.

 

[N555]

Even 25 years ago 44mag was expensive to buy but cheap to reload and that's when you could get winchester 240gr white box ammo from Walmart for $20.
Now ammo like that is around $1 per shot or more if you can find it.
I sold all my 44 factory ammo I had on had for 3 to 4 dollars per shot during the summer of peaceful riots and looting.

 

[dfish1247]

I’m still using primers from the 90’s so .02 each or something similar. Powder I bought was $30-$40lb. Boolits are .12-.34 each. Brass was $18 per 100 at the time for what I bought and some of my dad’s old Remington and Midway brass which who knows is how old.

Not real expensive, but I don’t go through enough center fire anything to worry about cost per shot. If I bought everything minus brass new, it looks about .30-.75 a pop depending on boolits.

 

[sparkyv]

I too enjoy reloading almost as much as shooting! I think it has to do with pride of workmanship. My current cost is 31cpr on the average for all my 44RM loads, mild to wild. Range: 19 to 41cpr.

if 2400 is $35/pound @7000 grain. = 350 loads

350/$35= $0.10 … opps! lol

so $0.35 a round! but don’t donit for the savings only… Do it for the Cool Factor, that you make ammo!

 

[cfullgraf]

When I got into reloading, I could load 38 Special wadcutters for less per round than 22 LR. But those days are long gone.

It has been decades since I calculated cost per round of my reloads vs factory but I know the reloads are lower cost than factory.

I enjoy reloading as a hobby so my time is valueless which keeps my out of pocket costs low.

Finally, alot of the ammunition I load is not available commercially. My reloads tend to not be at maximum levels or use bullets not normally used by factory loaders or commercial reloaders.

Anyway, reloading is a way to extend your shooting dollars. If you get hung up on treating production costs as a business, you might as well keep buying factory ammunition. You will never be able to justify your time on a monetary basis.

 

[Obturation]

I could never afford to shoot my big 'uns if I didn't handload. No chance. I don't bother loading anything I can buy "cheap" and I don't shoot much of what I choose to buy. The greatest savings is for cartridges just outside of what I consider mainstream . I see the greatest saving in 45-70 & 454 casull, it's not uncommon to see 454 rounds at $2-4 each, same with 45-70. I can shoot my 454 for under .40 a shot, less than I've paid for 45 acp at times.

I re-use my cases as many times as possible and I cast my own bullets, I buy powder in bulk and I try to trade for primers. I've only bought 1 brick of primers since the madness started in 2020 but I've swapped stuff for a few bricks since. I buy lead from wherever I can and save whatever possible. People think I'm nuts when I spend an afternoon shooting magnums without a care . I only get tight when I'm shooting jacketed bullets, there's no cheating the buck on that so I only use jacketed for specific tasks.

Overall I've saved the most on 357 mag though, it's no problem to shoot 500 rounds in a session and I think I have about .25 each into them. Replenishing components will change that but I hope prices fall dome before restock is required.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I too enjoy reloading almost as much as shooting! I think it has to do with pride of workmanship. My current cost is 31cpr on the average for all my 44RM loads, mild to wild. Range: 19 to 41cpr.

Ooooyeah!!! nothing more satisfying then finishing up a 1,000 round of something with a single stage RockChuncker!!!! give me goose bumps!

I just like a Huge pile of ammo!!

 

[1976B.L.Johns.]

nothing more satisfying then finishing up a 1,000 round of something with a single stage RockChuncker!!!!

That's the only way I know........

I just like a Huge pile of ammo!!

Ditto!

 

[Palladan44]

Never paid much attention to the cost. Basically I wait for a good looking deal when I compare prices... and it's something I want or need, and I buy it.
12 cents a piece for 240 grain LSWCs is a good deal these days.
I pay about 25$ per 100 for Hornady XTPs.

This brings me to my old pal Dave......
He used to pride himself on his ammunition, and how cheap it was.
His 44 ammo was 3.5 cents per round.

All of his brass was reclaimed/reused.
He cast all of his bullets by hand from wheel weights that were given to him for free at a tire shop.

He had huge amounts of powders, but many he purchased in a gigantic lot where each was around 5$ per pound.

Primers were stocked up and bought at 2.5 cents each.
He says about a penny worth of powder was in each.
And guys, this was not that long ago.......

 

[joneb]

A dollar a round and the sheep said "BAA"


Oh shoot there's more, Warning foul language,

 

[sparkyv]

Yup, this is the main reason why I chose the 460S&W over the 500S&W...projectile cost. These also were considerations: availability and variety options.

I could never afford to shoot my big 'uns if I didn't handload. No chance

 

[Targa]

Yup, this is the main reason why I chose the 460S&W over the 500S&W...projectile cost. These also were considerations: availability and variety options.

$60 for 20 factory rounds isn’t affordable?. Yep, if I didn’t reload an occasional range trip with .357 would be about as close to big bore as I would get.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Yup, this is the main reason why I chose the 460S&W over the 500S&W...projectile cost. These also were considerations: availability and variety options.

You know you want to .500!!!! They are now $1400+ for the S&W V … INFLATION ouch

 

[Mark_Mark]

$60 for 20 factory rounds isn’t affordable?. Yep, if I didn’t reload an occasional range trip with .357 would be about as close to big bore as I would get.

.460 guns are very versatile! you can shoot like 3-4 different rounds thur those guns