I hate it when facts come in to play...

[possom813]

Before I undertake loading new rounds for anything, I break the cost down, just to see the cost of loading vs buying factory.

Very, very rarely have they even been in the same ballpark.

I can't find a couple of the components online to add in to the equation, but factory 3" steel shot that I like a lot cost me 0.52 per rd.

Without the gas seal and shot cap, I haven't found those online yet, and factor in shipping, I'm up to 0.41 cents per rd.

I don't know what the gas seal and shot cap cost each, but figure those at a minimum of 2 cents each, and I'm within 7 cents per round. And that's only if I can find everything in one place, at the prices I found all over the web.

Then you factor in that I don't have a steel loader and would have to handload the shot, and this becomes one of the very few occasions where it will be cheaper to buy the factory boxes instead of loading it. :banghead:

 

[tacxted]

I got a gift card to Cabelas for xmas and was looking at the lee load all 12g press. Like you I first researched and broke down the cost of reloading #6 hunting loads, #1 buck defense loads and slugs.

My research showed that I would save 50% or more when making #1 buck loads.

With #6 birdshot I would be spending more money to make my own than to buy the 25 rnd box of remingtons off the shelf.

With slugs, forget about it. I could only come up with a 9% savings.

Yeah, I was dissapointed too.

 

[336A]

Where are you folks finding a shotshell reloading cost calculator?

 

[336A]

Ok never mind I found a calculator. I just plugged in the info and I'd still be saving money even if reloading 1oz #6 hunting loads. The savings cost will only be $2.05 compared to the Rem promtional #6 1oz hunting loads with the black hulls. Two dollars may not be a whole lot but I'm still saving money either way.

 

[splattergun]

don't forget to factor the savings of reusing the shells. You dont have to pay for those every time.

 

[possom813]

My equation and cost break down. Hulls are not a factor. These are the prices that I pay, and a brief explanation


Primer-$.0399(4 cents) each, box of 100 primers, 3.99

Powder-$0.09995(10 cents) per shell, 19.99 per lbs, calculated at 35grs per shell(not exact measurements, but close)

Wad-$0.02796(3 cents) each. 6.99 for 250 of the closest to what I was looking for.

Shot Buffer-$0.0812(8 cents) per shell, 9.99 for *approximately* 8 ounces. Adding 30 grains per shell.

Shot-$0.1314(13 cents) per shell. 1 1/8 ounce steel '4' shot, 18.69 per 10lbs


Total, $0.38 cents per round, if I can find everything at the same online store at the listed prices. Shipping comes into play, as well, but is a varying factor, depending on quantity ordered. Factor in that, as well as the fact that I will have to measure each shot load because I don't have a press that works with steel, and it's cheaper to buy factory loads.

The factory loads, I can buy at 12.97 per 25rds, it works out to 0.5188 per round fired.

At the .52 cents per round, I can either reload those hulls with lead(which is still very cost effective for me) or I can resell the high brass hulls for around 5-8 cents each and use that as savings.

It's not a precise equation, but it works out that if any savings are present, their isn't much. Especially since I only shoot about 60-80 steel rounds per year, if that.

 

[possom813]

In the first post, I converted the 1 1/8 wrong on shot and it showed an extra 3 cents that I fixed in the above post.

 

[oneounceload]

Buying components by the one and two is not worth doing.
Buy components like you need to-
Primers by the 5000, wads by the 5000, powder by the 8# jug, shot by the hundredweight
Anything less is folly, especially buying primers by the 100
My primers cost me $110 for 5000
My powder costs me $110 for 8#
My wads cost me $85 for 500
My hulls are free

 

[336A]

Buying components by the one and two is not worth doing.
Buy components like you need to-
Primers by the 5000, wads by the 5000, powder by the 8# jug, shot by the hundredweight
Anything less is folly, especially buying primers by the 100
My primers cost me $110 for 5000
My powder costs me $110 for 8#
My wads cost me $85 for 500
My hulls are free

This is true if your shooting skeet, trap, or sporting clays all the time. However for the hunter who is not gauranteed a shot when ever he steps into the woods or a individuals income the above is overkill. I wish I could buy in bulk like you, but I don't even have the storage space for that.

Back about 1992 I recieved a 12GA Lee Load All II, my brother the same only in 20GA. We reloaded strictly for hunting upland game such as squirrel, rabbit, and grouse. Between the two of us we shared a 25# bag of 7 1/2 shot and 1,000 CCI 209 primers. By the time the both of us graduated and left the house we still had shot and primers left over. So to buy in bulk like that is not always worth it nor feassible for some folks.

 

[possom813]

Buying components by the one and two is not worth doing.
Buy components like you need to-
Primers by the 5000, wads by the 5000, powder by the 8# jug, shot by the hundredweight
Anything less is folly, especially buying primers by the 100
My primers cost me $110 for 5000
My powder costs me $110 for 8#
My wads cost me $85 for 500
My hulls are free

I completely agree, but I broke it down in a feasible way for me. This is the first year I've hunted ducks, the only reason I need steel/non-toxic shot.

I load a metric rearend-load of lead shot for dove. I order it in bulk and have a 'goto' load for it that works well from my shotguns.

I still don't buy 5k at a time, I may shoot 5k shells in my life, but between what I have loaded, what I have still in cases from the time before I started loading, and the components I have, I doubt I'll ever buy another round of lead shotshell.

As for the steel, I can only shoot 6 ducks per day, and I can't even guarantee I'm going to like it as much as the first time. I shot 14 shells to get my 6 ducks, and I'll only hunt about 4 times a year, if that.

So, no, it's just not going to be justifiable in my head to start reloading steel shot just for the heck of it.

 

[Armored farmer]

Powder-$0.09995(10 cents) per shell, 19.99 per lbs, calculated at 35grs per shell(not exact measurements, but close)

35gr??


.....most of my 12ga powders are 18-20gr. (red dot, grn dot, promo, clays)

 

[35 Whelen]

Don't any of you reload because you enjoy it? I never calcualte how much it cost to watch a movie on TV, or go fly fishing, or take a nap.

Besides all that, it's been my experience, at least regarding Dove & Quail loads, that I can load really high quality shotgun ammunition for what it cost to buy the cheap stuff.

35W

 

[possom813]

35gr??


.....most of my 12ga powders are 18-20gr. (red dot, grn dot, promo, clays)

The only loads I found with the powder at hand for steel shot were Longshot at 32-36grs in a 3" shell. That was after scrounging the web, I don't have a shotshell manual. I learned from my dad, and the new Lee press I bought re-asserted what I'd been loading for years. 20.5grs of green dot with a 1oz load of 7 1/2 shot in a 2 3/4" shell.

Don't any of you reload because you enjoy it? I never calcualte how much it cost to watch a movie on TV, or go fly fishing, or take a nap.

Besides all that, it's been my experience, at least regarding Dove & Quail loads, that I can load really high quality shotgun ammunition for what it cost to buy the cheap stuff.

I do reload for the enjoyment of it, but I don't enjoy wasting money for something that I only shoot a few rounds for every year when it could be better invested in more lead, molds, powder for metallic cartridges and lead shot for dove.

I just don't shoot enough steel shot to justify the initial cost. I bought 4 boxes of the Winchester shot that I used for 12.97 per box and that's liable to last me until I finish school(05/2016). And I picked up another 4lbs of green dot for my dove loads, and 2 9oz jugs of trail boss to try out, I've never loaded it before in .30-30 with 160gr cast.

 

[MSgtEgress]

KB the recipe you site are target loads, which use relatively fast powders like the ones you mentioned. Possom is loading hunting loads (using steel shot) a whole different ball game. I have a favorite pheasant 2 3/4 inch 12ga load that uses 36g of Blue Dot and 1 1/2 oz #4's At this time I can not justify reloading steel yet. The wads & shot are more expensive than lead, and my time is worth something because I'd have to load one at a time. I have a progressive loader for my target loads and can crank out a box of shells in 5min. On target loads I can save 1-1.50 a box depending on the price of shot