Searching old threads online, I saw one that mentioned Academy was selling 9 for 3.86 a box back in 2005. I can't remember exactly what I was paying, since I had a long stretch of not shooting. If reloading cost what it does now back then, I would think only competitive shooters would have bothered. Have components and equipment risen as much, less, or more than factory ammo?
how much did reloading used to cost?
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medalguy
Member
No idea really but I would guess prices have risen about the same, percentage-wise. I don't know how you could compare the two.
Forgot-- I was looking at a friend's stash of brass yesterday and he had a box of 20 .303 British Winchester factory ammo marked $3.97. I'm guessing it was 30 years old? Wish I could even reload it for that today.
Forgot-- I was looking at a friend's stash of brass yesterday and he had a box of 20 .303 British Winchester factory ammo marked $3.97. I'm guessing it was 30 years old? Wish I could even reload it for that today.
James2
Member
Yes, components have risen in proportion to ammo over the years. I remember buying primers for $7.00 per 1000. Ya, guess that dates me. I started loading in 1957.
Krogen
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I got started in the mid 80's. I still have some powder that was $9.95 / lb and primers that were $10.95 / 1k. But, my paycheck was less in those days too. What really strikes me, though, is ammo prices. I think they've gone up faster than handloading components. It hasn't been over 10 years since Lake City 5.56 was ~ 16 cents per round. Now 40 cents is a good deal, with 45 or 50 cents not uncommon. That has led me to re-start handloading for 5.56 mm, 9mm and 45 ACP. In days past, it wasn't worth handloading; now it is.
MachIVshooter
Member
Powder hasn't jumped temendously. Brass & Bullets have gone up significantly. Primers are what really took a hike.
If I were to hazard a guess, these are the approximate percentage increases over the last decade or so:
Powder: +10%-20%
Brass: +50%
Bullets: +50-70%
Primers: +200%-250%
Reloading equipment: +10%-20%
Now this would be for common stuff. A lot of the higher end or obscure components were always expensive, and have not changed much.
If I were to hazard a guess, these are the approximate percentage increases over the last decade or so:
Powder: +10%-20%
Brass: +50%
Bullets: +50-70%
Primers: +200%-250%
Reloading equipment: +10%-20%
Now this would be for common stuff. A lot of the higher end or obscure components were always expensive, and have not changed much.
highlander 5
Member
I started loading in the early 70s as 44 mag ammo was $5 a box of 20. I believe I got it down to around $2 a box of 20 and that was with the original Lee Loader.
blarby
Member
It was basically free.
You apparently used to be able to chew primers back into shape, grind powder off the end of the stove, and pluck bullets off the trees.
Any lead shot you needed could apparently be picked out of the toilet, thanks to the amount of lead floating around and through everyones body- and you could roll your own shotgun hulls out of dark shade grown Virginia tobacco.
Happy thanksgiving.
You apparently used to be able to chew primers back into shape, grind powder off the end of the stove, and pluck bullets off the trees.
Any lead shot you needed could apparently be picked out of the toilet, thanks to the amount of lead floating around and through everyones body- and you could roll your own shotgun hulls out of dark shade grown Virginia tobacco.
Happy thanksgiving.
Magnum Shooter
Member
I have a box of 100 Speer 158g JSP for 38 bought back in the early 80s, it’s priced at $ 5.49. Powder was about $12/lb and primers about $10/K back then.
Most competitive shooters want/need the best performance from their guns and the only way to get that is to hand load, regardless of price.
Most competitive shooters want/need the best performance from their guns and the only way to get that is to hand load, regardless of price.
wv109323
Member
I think where reloading has the biggest advantage is in "specialty" ammo. That would include ammo like Federal Gold Match and some of the game ammo loaded with partition or bonded bullets.
Federal Gold Match runs like $36.00 per box of 50. You can reload a compatible load with a cast bullet for $6.50 to 7.00 for 50. Ammo with jacketed bullets would be about $12.00 per box of 50.
The same thing applies with FGM in .308 Winchester.
It is hard to buy new brass and load some of the more common calibers and even break even with promotional ammo. This would include 9mm, .38 Special and .223/5.56.
Primers and Bullets have risen much faster than inflation . This is due to the recent wars, panic buying and the demand for raw materials such as copper and lead.
Federal Gold Match runs like $36.00 per box of 50. You can reload a compatible load with a cast bullet for $6.50 to 7.00 for 50. Ammo with jacketed bullets would be about $12.00 per box of 50.
The same thing applies with FGM in .308 Winchester.
It is hard to buy new brass and load some of the more common calibers and even break even with promotional ammo. This would include 9mm, .38 Special and .223/5.56.
Primers and Bullets have risen much faster than inflation . This is due to the recent wars, panic buying and the demand for raw materials such as copper and lead.
Arkansas Paul
Member
Here's new brass for quiet a bit cheaper than that.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1601358387/remington-reloading-brass-7mm-stw
rodinal220
Member
I remember being able to buy Win231/HP38 from HSM for $8 a lbs back in the early mid eighties. primers like $10 a thousand.It wasn't that long ago you could buy mil-surp 5.56 brass for $10-12 a thousand.Its insane now.Lead is both a precious and unwanted by some metal.
oneounceload
member
I used to buy 5000 209 primers for 85.00; but then I also bought a case of Remington .22 (6250 rounds) for $95.00 at the same show
VINTAGE-SLOTCARS
member
Reloading cost
I have a bottle of unique priced at $7.99 a pound, a tin 8 0z of Red Dot at $1.88 and CCI primers at .97 cents a hundred also early 80's. Cast bullets were done by a friend for $20 dollars per 1k lead cost included. I still have several thousand .45 acp, 45 long colt, 44 mag, 357 mag, 9mm, and .380 I used for a mac 11. My buddy always needed money and I bought what I thought was way too many bullets at that time.
I have a bottle of unique priced at $7.99 a pound, a tin 8 0z of Red Dot at $1.88 and CCI primers at .97 cents a hundred also early 80's. Cast bullets were done by a friend for $20 dollars per 1k lead cost included. I still have several thousand .45 acp, 45 long colt, 44 mag, 357 mag, 9mm, and .380 I used for a mac 11. My buddy always needed money and I bought what I thought was way too many bullets at that time.
JLDickmon
Member
Today, I broke open a brick of WLP primers I bought in the late '80's or early '90's.. sticker said $16.50
CZ57
member
A lot less! The biggest price increases have been with bullets and primers. 
gamestalker
member
Wll, I started out with Shotshell loading back in the mid 1970's and at that time some shops would offer powder in sample size quantities, like 1/8 or 1/4 lb.baggies as I remember it. The standard 1 lb. container of Red Dot was like $6 or $7. chilled shot was probably around $8 per 25 lb. sack, AA wads were $2.50-ish per 250 ct. or mabe it was 500 ct., 209's were like $12- $13 per K, and hulls could be found in vast quantities for .03 each. That was back when Blue Magics could be found every where, I always thought those hulls were a tad better than AA's, and paper hulls were also widely available too. I might be low balling it though cause I think a box of 1-1/8 oz trap / skeet loads cost about $1.50 per box to load and that was using the more expensive AA wads.
I started loading metalic like 1979 I think. Primers were easy to find @ $16 per K, powder was in the $8-$10 per lb. range, high end jacketed rifle bullets were $6-$8 per 100, and I don't remember what I was spending on brass. I know that on occasion when I couldn't find brass factory high powered rifle ammo for like .270 win, 30-06, and 7mm RM could be found for $8 per box for Rem, win, Federal, and the economy brands like PMC were about $6 per box. Ya, those were the days my friends and I sure do miss them.
I bought my first RCBS "O" frame aluminum press for $60 from Longs Drug store in Flagstaff, Az.., it is an RS2 or Reloader Special 2. Bought a Rock Chucker for $20 also at a yard sale. Bought my RCBS 5-10 scale at a yard sale for $5 and it was in perfect condition and still in the original box. I remember the guy had a $10 price on it and I talked him down. Bought my first Mec 600 JR for $89 or less brand new. Then in the mid 1990's I bought my second 600 JR on sale at Cabela's for $189 if that sounds accurate.
Bought my first several Rem. 700 ADL's for $180 or $190 from Kmart, Rem. Wingmaster 870 was only $225. or so, and the economy model 870 was $150 or $160 I think. Ya, things have deffinietly gone up a smidge you could say.
GS
I started loading metalic like 1979 I think. Primers were easy to find @ $16 per K, powder was in the $8-$10 per lb. range, high end jacketed rifle bullets were $6-$8 per 100, and I don't remember what I was spending on brass. I know that on occasion when I couldn't find brass factory high powered rifle ammo for like .270 win, 30-06, and 7mm RM could be found for $8 per box for Rem, win, Federal, and the economy brands like PMC were about $6 per box. Ya, those were the days my friends and I sure do miss them.
I bought my first RCBS "O" frame aluminum press for $60 from Longs Drug store in Flagstaff, Az.., it is an RS2 or Reloader Special 2. Bought a Rock Chucker for $20 also at a yard sale. Bought my RCBS 5-10 scale at a yard sale for $5 and it was in perfect condition and still in the original box. I remember the guy had a $10 price on it and I talked him down. Bought my first Mec 600 JR for $89 or less brand new. Then in the mid 1990's I bought my second 600 JR on sale at Cabela's for $189 if that sounds accurate.
Bought my first several Rem. 700 ADL's for $180 or $190 from Kmart, Rem. Wingmaster 870 was only $225. or so, and the economy model 870 was $150 or $160 I think. Ya, things have deffinietly gone up a smidge you could say.
GS
Sheldon
Member
I would venture to guess you'de save about half of retail for your reloads versus buying factory ammo if you get components in bulk quantity.....at any given time. Ammo manufacterers make a profit over what they have invested in the combined components used to make their ammo and for the most part that is what the reloader saves in doing it himself.
cpt-t
Member
hardheart: I started reloading on my own in 1963. I bought a 218 BEE and a 50 round box of WIN 46gr HP`s for it were $4.25 a box. I bought 2 boxes a week to build my brass supply. At a Gun Show a few weeks ago I saw and old box of the same WIN 46gr HP`s for $90.00 plus. I was looking thru an old 1964 reloading manual and found a rececite, from Gunning Wholesale in Wichita Ks from for a 1lb can of 2400 powder for $2.69, and 2 boxes of 224 Dia 45gr Sierra bullets, They would have been a 100 bullet`s in a box for $4.28 for 2 boxes. and $00.21 taxs for a total of $7.18. Primmers Don`t quote on this but the figure .25 to .35 cents a packet of a 100, comes to my mind.
ken
ken
Most everything costs more today than it did "X" years ago though the actual value of a dollar fluctuates across many different standards - while reading some of the ads from 60's might make a person drool over the great 'buys' to be had, in the context of the times and workers' wages, they were not really great deals, just normal prices. Inflation is a strange thing indeed. lol
MachIVshooter
Member
Ammo has more than doubled in the last decade. Home prices, new cars and average wages have not gone up anywhere near that. It's not just normal inflation.
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