45 acp Ammo

[Damon555]

That comes to .15 per round, and you're shooting 230 FMJ, from the looks of it. I'm reloading with 230 LRN, and I can't get my price down below .18 per round. Where are you buying your components?

I'm getting bulk lead from midway, and then primers and powder from cabela's (buying these online entails a hazmat fee that costs a ton).

Those were built with Unique, Rainier 230g round nose plated bullets and federal primers. The bass is usually the expensive part. But my brother has a very large supply from his shooting days 10 years ago.


Every round I have ever made has functioned flawlessly except for 1. That was a .223 that ended up having a bad primer.....not really my fault. I have loaded thousands of rounds on a single stage press....

Yes, I do have the occasional malfunction. But we're talking 1 out of every 500 that might fail to eject. Acceptable for range ammo in my opinion. But the rounds always go boom. I attribute the malfunctions to the brass. It's unsorted and I'm sure some cases aren't perfectly in spec.

It's nice to buy in bulk. I've got 8 lbs of Unique, 1500 Rainier plated bullets and 2000 primers. Not to mention a good supply of components for my 9mm and 38 Super. This stuff isn't getting any cheaper. I buy it when I need it and I order as much as I can afford.

 

[Fmjblack]

Honestly I look at doing it all the time but when I factor in the cost of equipment, time and the space which might be the biggest issue of all never pull the trigger. I do not have a room I can dedicate to it at this time.

There are some cost savings but when I question a lot of reloaders and they are honest it is not that they spend less they just shoot more which is a good thing.

What I have found is that most people have a $$$ amount they can spend on shooting. Lets say its $150 a month. If you buy NIB in bulk that means about 500 rounds of 45 a month. Once they start reloading they are still spending $150 but they are now shooting 1000 rounds a month. Again not a bad thing but it does not really end up putting money back in your pocket....

Well of course you CAN spend just as much money in a given timeframe if you choose to shoot more after you start reloading, but that is a personal choice and you are still saving money on an equal quantity of ammo. When I started reloading I didn't look at it like "hey I'll shoot the same amount each month and save money!" I looked at it like "hey I can shoot 3 or 4 times more ammo for the same money!" I have many calibers that I shoot and I do not reload for all of them. It isn't worth the time or investment to me for cheap ammo like 9mm or calibers that I very rarely shoot like 7.62 nagant. The amount I have saved on other calibers like .45 acp, .45 colt, .44 magnum, .44 special, .223, etc. has paid for my equipment several times over.

 

[capreppy]

How??

The cheapest way I can buy powder is at Cabela's (at least, where I live). 1# of Win 231 costs $20, before tax. There are 7000 grains in a pound, and my load is 5 grains. So that means I use 70% of a 1# container of Win 231. 1000 cast 230 grain bullets costs me $93 shipped, that's through Missouri Bullet Company. 1000 primers is around $30, again at Cabela's. I have to pay sales tax of 9.5% there, but its cheaper than paying shipping + hazmat fee if I buy online (that goes for powder too).

So excluding the price of brass, that all comes to .14 a round. How are you doing this for .07 a round? Heck, the price of the lead alone comes to .09 a round.

Bulk is key.

Powder Valley:
8# jug of HP-38 (same as W231) is $110.50. @ 5grs per round, this works out to $0.01 per round. 8# is good for 11,200 rounds
10K CCI #300 (LPP) is $255.00. this works out to $0.025 per round

Yes there is a $25 HazMat charge. There is only ONE charge for the above order. $25 over 10,000 rounds is $0.0025 (obviously insignificant). Shipping for the above will be around $15 (being overly conservative here).

MBC:
Price of shipping 1000 ($13) is the same as 2000. I buy 2000 to spread the cost of shipping.

This is how you get to really low per round values.
$0.075 (MBC, for me it is the 200gr LSWC, IDP #1)
$0.026 (Primer)
$0.010 (Powder)

I don't factor in brass as I have TONs. Total cost per round is $0.11

Cabela's instore ONLY sells 1# cannisters @ $20/cannister + tax.
By buying from PV in 8# jugs, it works out to $13.81/#. That is $7 per pound savings.

 

[Trisha]

For those who love beautiful quality cast bullets, Oregon Trail has a "Buy 5K and get another 1K free!" deal.

http://laser-cast.com/

Gosh, how to keep reloading prices down? Wait for sales, hon. Get on the mailing lists for a handful of good companies and then be patient. My last order through a "going out of business" sale was 10K Remington 230gr RN. Came to $.06/round, delivered. I'm just finishing that batch.

(shrugs)

I've got the time, and the space here to do that. Lots of folk don't and I truly do feel the pain of being at the mercy of the current market!

Unless I find a better deal (kinda unlikely as the start of shooting season for most = spring) I'll probably buy 3K of their FMJ from Montana Gold and maybe jump on that deal from Oregon Trail. Nine cases will last me a long time, what with shoulder surgery ahead. I still have 8K Fiocchi primers (love that lead styphenate ignition) and a couple 5 gallon buckets of brass waiting to be cleaned up.

I'm going to be adventurous and try a couple pounds of Hogdon powder, see how it compares to my long time love affair with VihtaVuori (http://www.vihtavuori-lapua.com/vihtavuori.php).

How do I get lead cheaper? I trade some of my fresh roast coffee for a couple buckets of wheel weights from a tire franchise owner every now and then. Looking at maybe not having full strength again in my right arm (casting just seems safer with two hands IMO), I'll just move on and enjoy those lovely Laser Cast rounds.

 

[mnhntr]

I am with the reloaders on this. I started reloading a couple years ago and it is somthing ou can just buy the parts as you can afford it and when you got it together it is cheap to reload.
Trisha, I use hodgdon for 45acp. I like Tightgroup but I also use Accurate #5 from Accurate powders.

 

[dprice3844444]

try gander mountain and see if they still have the saturday buy 1 box,get the second half off

 

[The White Tiger]

You know, those rumors about "cheap" ammo at Wally World certainly may have gotten folks to go to their stores an check out the ammo...because I've been to two of them today and couldn't find a single box!

I went to Gander Mountain and found out that the Remington UMC, 230gr, FMJ's were on sale, but they're sold out.

I found that Gander had another brand of "bulk" (box of 250 rds) of Remington .45 ACP on sale for $99.00 or a box of 50 Blazer Brass .45's for $25.00...neither of which sounds like a "sale" to me...

...but is anyone else finding it difficult to source .45 ACP rds locally?

 

[Fmjblack]

You know, those rumors about "cheap" ammo at Wally World certainly may have gotten folks to go to their stores an check out the ammo...because I've been to two of them today and couldn't find a single box!

I went to Gander Mountain and found out that the Remington UMC, 230gr, FMJ's were on sale, but they're sold out.

I found that Gander had another brand of "bulk" (box of 250 rds) of Remington .45 ACP on sale for $99.00 or a box of 50 Blazer Brass .45's for $25.00...neither of which sounds like a "sale" to me...

...but is anyone else finding it difficult to source .45 ACP rds locally?

The inventory of ammo at most walmarts has been pretty spotty since the ammo shortage after the election. For the ammo I don't reload I usually just buy online or check the shelf at walmart when I happen to be there for something else and sometimes I get lucky.

 

[CJS06]

There is a new(er) ammo manufacturer that I just recently tried. Now they will be my primary supplier for .45,.40S&W,.380,9mm,5.56 etc. They use all new components for reload pricing.

Freedom Ammunition
http://freedomammunition.com/

Give them a try. Great guys at a small company doing it right.

1000rds 230gr FMJ .45 ACP $317 shipped

 

[The White Tiger]

The inventory of ammo at most walmarts has been pretty spotty since the ammo shortage after the election. For the ammo I don't reload I usually just buy online or check the shelf at walmart when I happen to be there for something else and sometimes I get lucky.

Went to another Walmart on my way home this evening - it was a big Superstore - same story. Plenty of 40 S&W, .380 ACP, 38, 22 (Mini and Maxi mag)...but not a single round of 45's...the clerk told me they haven't been able to keep it in the store. I commented that they seemed to have plenty of 9mm Luger, but he said that was rare too - they've only just caught up with demand on this size.

...he's been wondering why they can't seem to do the same on 45 ACP - said that folks show up and check all the time, when an order for it comes in - it's gone in a couple of hours?!

Seems a bit odd -anyone else having trouble finding .45 ACP in central Florida?

 

[The White Tiger]

For all of those "non-loaders", found some decent ammo deals (but you have to buy "bulk"/1000 rds minimum) at U.S. Armoment.

 

[jeepguy]

.45 is my favorite round to shoot but i only have 1 .45 caliber pistol, becuse of the cost. i used to be able to find it for $16 to $17 a box but lately more like $20. so i have 3 9mm's & a .40 to shoot more affordable ammo. (imo) i would think .40 would cost more becuse their isn't as many people who have them, compared to .45 caliber handguns.

 

[capreppy]

Wally World (2 within a 5 mile radius and a few others) hasn't had any .45ACP since before Christmas. I'm sure the biggest issue is when something comes in, whoever is there first just guys everything. I am unfortunately guilty of this. When I first got my SA XDm .45ACP, I wanted to take it to the range and the only way to get cheap ammo was to just buy whatever WM had on the shelves. Whenever I am in WW, I swing by that department and take a peek at the shelves. I go once or twice a week (ours is a Super WM so grocery shopping is done there). Nothing in 3+ months.

 

[The White Tiger]

Interesting - I am researching whether I can get a .22 barrel for my Sig P220?

If I can shoot for accuracy, with my current pistol, I can buy some Hornaday's for home defense - and shoot a BUNCH of .22LR's (cheaply) to develop accuracy with one pistol!

 

[bobnailer]

I've bought lots of Tula .45acp from SG Ammo, it all went bang except for one round which upon retry it too went bang.

Bob

 

[Hondo 60]

I'm a reloader too.
When I decided to start reloading it was because I didn't like the cost of factory ammo.

But I have to admit I'm as guilty as many others, in that I don't save anything, I just shoot a LOT more.

And by the way, my favorite reloading manual is Lyman's 49th Edition.
It has all the advantages of Modern Reloading by Richard Lee with out all the grandstanding about Lee equipment.

 

[csa77]

where i live the cheapest .45 ammo i can find is from wallmart, i pay 33cents per round.

i have scoured the internet many times hit up every local gun show and the best i have found is 33 cents but i have to buy 1,500 rounds at a time. can can get wwb-100rds and UMC 250 count boxes at wallyworld for 33cents per. so far its the best i have found.

i have seen steel case go for lower but i refuse to shoot that though any of my guns, same for reloads.

 

[Apocalypse-Now]

eventually 9mm and 40cal will be going for current 45acp prices.

9's catching up with 40 in price pretty quick, and 40 is catching up with 45 even faster.


ammo prices rise faster than inflation and materials value (brass, lead etc.).


it's no mystery.

this is the kind of thing that happens when a monopoly largely controls an industry in this country: remington/winchester/ATK.

 

[Whiskey11]

What I have found is that most people have a $$$ amount they can spend on shooting. Lets say its $150 a month. If you buy NIB in bulk that means about 500 rounds of 45 a month. Once they start reloading they are still spending $150 but they are now shooting 1000 rounds a month. Again not a bad thing but it does not really end up putting money back in your pocket....

This argument really started to get old with me. If I reload only what I intend to shoot on an outing, eventually I will save money. I shoot approx 500 rounds an outing of .45 ACP. I buy bullets (my limiting component due to amount per box) on my way home from an outing, 500 at a time. If I shoot twice a month, at 500 rounds an outing, I'm still saving aprox 50% over the cost of factory. Now, granted, I reached the cap on how much I can shoot in a day, so the argument of "you don't save money, you just shoot twice as much" is false, for me. I don't look at the monthly cost, just the cost of what an outing is. Why? Because I don't like budgeting my range trips as they are dependent on how work goes and how I feel. Some weekends I just don't go, some I do. At least twice a month though!

Thankfully loading 500 at a time has saved me enough money to pay for my Hornady LNL AP progressive after a whopping 1250 rounds or so.

As for how much? Buying components all locally, I have a cost of 110$ per 500 rounds. Not the greatest pricing ever, but still cheaper than buying locally. Here locally I'd be happy to buy a box of .45 ACP for less than 25$ per 50. Walmarts here don't carry handgun ammo, just shotgun.

 

[The White Tiger]

And to put a finer point on it - brass, copper, and lead, aren't really going up in price - the dollar is simply eroding away before our eye's...

I have found a place that will teaches classes in reloading. They asked which ammo I shoot the most and told me the same thing Whiskey, it's the same as budgeting.

Can any of you re-loader's advise (via PM, so I don't hijack this thread) with what would be a decent price on a reload lesson(s)?

 

[capreppy]

Can any of you re-loader's advise (via PM, so I don't hijack this thread) with what would be a decent price on a reload lesson(s)?

Cabela's does reloading sessions for free (or at least mine does) twice on Sundays. They are always there (well most of the times anyway) to ask additional questions.

I learned basic reloading and safety steps by attending a couple of sessions. I did a follow up session after my equipment showed up and I'd done a hundred rounds.

 

[The White Tiger]

Thanks capreppy, do they provide the equipment, or do you have to buy/have the reload equipment prior to the reloading session(s)?

 

[Apocalypse-Now]

i just don't have time to reload. it'd be nice to save money, but i can't quite my job and fore go other obligations to sit in my basement pumping a loading press.

 

[capreppy]

Thanks capreppy, do they provide the equipment, or do you have to buy/have the reload equipment prior to the reloading session(s)?

I did not know SQUAT nor have any equipment. My wife actually suggested it. After I attended the free course (asked a lot of questions as did the others attending at the time) I had a good basic knowledge of reloading.

You can buy equipment there. They don't care where you buy it. They just want you prepared. I do buy some things there but mostly off the web.

 

[capreppy]

The classes "show" you how to do the steps. There are some things that are hands on, but mostly discussion about tools and procedures and steps.