Component cost, if I only knew then.

[howlnmad]

I was just going through my supplies to make a shopping/wish list. I found a box of Berrys® 9mm 115 grn RN bullets with a price tag of $9.99. Sure wish they were still that price.

[woolleyworm]

Yeah it'd be nice to go back about 4 yrs and stock up wouldn't it? There's still some deals to be had, but they're few and far between. I just stopped by the LGS and they're clearing out powder for $17/#, so I picked up a # of Benchrest for the 7mm-08. I'd like to have picked up a bunch more, but I've got better things to spend the cash on this weekend. I hope they'll still have some next week, but I'm not holding my breath.

[rcairflr]

Years ago I bought 4000 .357 magnum 125 JHP bullets for 5 cents each. I still have a couple thousand left. At the same time I bought 7000 pistol primers and still have about 4000 left. I had also stocked up on 9mm for JHP at 4.5 cents each. I feel like I'm shooting for free when I shoot .357 magnum and 9mm.

I'm now in the process of stocking up on .223 bullets. I would like to accumulate 3-4 thousand, cause there's no doubt in my mind that in 5-10 years the price will be double or triple todays cost.

[312shooter]

Originally Posted by howlnmad

I was just going through my supplies to make a shopping/wish list. I found a box of Berrys® 9mm 115 grn RN bullets with a price tag of $9.99. Sure wish they were still that price.

Yeah, that was a nice price. What I dont understand is why Berrys and Rainier plated bullet prices have surpassed many of the jacketed bullet prices, such as Zero and Precision Delta. It's been nearly two years since I bought plated - I thought they cost less to make and they passed the savings to the reloader, ah well maybe someday things will come back down, fingers crossed.

[X Ring]

Many years ago, I can’t even remember how many, I bought a case of .223 55g FMJ, 3680 count, for $79.95. I still have about 2000, as I like shooting JHPs instead of FMJs. I also bought 2000 .357mag 125g JHPs, and have about 1200 left. Man was I shocked when I found out 500 of them cost the same today as 2000 did then.

[howlnmad]

Whenever I go to Cabelas, the first place I go to is the bargain cave. Picked up 3 bags of Rem 9mm HP for 9 bucks 100 not long ago.

[joncutt87]

Whoa a bargain cave? I know not of this bargain cave. Let me check this out

[carver]

Way back when I first started reloading (somewhere around '70) I thought the prices for bullets, powder, and primers were excessive for what I thought was a way to save money, and reloading was a way to save money even at those prices. Back before I retired (in '97) I was makeing good money, and the prices of reloading supplies had gone up, just as my pay had. If you think the prices today are high, just wait a few more years! In 2020 you will look at the supplies you bought today, and wish things had not changed! Prices are not going to go down, so stock up on any good deal you find!

[Boris]

Originally Posted by carver

Way back when I first started reloading (somewhere around '70) I thought the prices for bullets, powder, and primers were excessive for what I thought was a way to save money, and reloading was a way to save money even at those prices. Back before I retired (in '97) I was makeing good money, and the prices of reloading supplies had gone up, just as my pay had. If you think the prices today are high, just wait a few more years! In 2020 you will look at the supplies you bought today, and wish things had not changed! Prices are not going to go down, so stock up on any good deal you find!

I put the reloading gear away a few years ago. I remember back in the late 80s and early 90s when the CHEAPEST 9x19mm was $9.99 a box. Whats the cheapest you can get today? I buy factory ammo at gunshows for $8.00 a box. I make more than 4x the money I did back in the late 80s early 90s. That sounds like a good deal to me. Now look at powder, primers and projectiles. All have more than doubled from early 90s prices. reloading cost more than twice as much as it did when I made 4x less money. Aint worth my time right now to reload at all!

Ammo is cheap compared to what it SHOULD cost. Add in inflation alone (with raw material increases it should be even higher) to prices from the early 90s and that box of $9.99 9x19mm should cosy $18.00 a box, but can be had for $8.00. It would be like gas costing $0.63 a gallon today compared to $0.86 a gallon like it was back in the same time frame. Yet people complain about ammo costs

factory ammo is cheaper and component prices are twice as much. A minimum wage earner in the early 90s had to work 3 hours to buy that box of cheap 9mm back then. Now they work a single hour to buy a box of ammo.

Just a trip down memory lane, nothing more............

[carver]

You need to dig out that reloading gear! I reload .44Mag with Hornady XTP 240gr bullets today for around $16 a box of 50. Cheaper that dirt is selling the Winchester White Box, 50rd's for $38.59. I can still reload .38spl wad cutters for less than $3 for a box of 50.

[X Ring]

I have always enjoyed handloading almost as much as shooting, and I can’t imagine not being able to assemble tailor made ammunition better than I can buy anywhere, regardless of price. I also cast my own bullets, and find that an involved hobby in its self. With my cast bullets I can load a box of 50 9mm for less than $4.00, and score better than my buddies at the range. I can’t express what a feeling of accomplishment that gives me. Wouldn’t trade it for anything, even if it cost more, let alone less.

[howlnmad]

Originally Posted by joncutt87

Whoa a bargain cave? I know not of this bargain cave. Let me check this out

Yep, it's the first place I go at Cabelas. It's mostly return items put out at discount. I beleave they have one on the website too.

[Duckboats]

I remember buying .45 for $12 a box. Now the same box at the same store costs $24 and that is just 3 years difference. I reload them at $9. No gun show anywhere around me sells pistol ammo that cheap. Plus, it gives me the reason to stock up on ammo at 1000 rounds at a time...."Honey, I can only buy 1000 bullets at once, so I need to buy enough powder and primers for 1000 rounds."

[carver]

Stocked up on primers several years ago, it's the bullets that I have trouble keeping on the shelf at this time. Buy in bulk, and buy local, so no shipping charges, and the price isn't that much higher than they are on line. Powder is always bought locally too!

[AngelDeville]

I'm almost out of my coffee can full of 130gr jacketed bullets I got for $5 at the local gun shop.....

[carver]

Originally Posted by AngelDeville

I'm almost out of my coffee can full of 130gr jacketed bullets I got for $5 at the local gun shop.....

It'll be hard to find that deal again!

[langenc]

Originally Posted by rcairflr

Years ago I bought 4000 .357 magnum 125 JHP bullets for 5 cents each. I still have a couple thousand left. At the same time I bought 7000 pistol primers and still have about 4000 left. I had also stocked up on 9mm for JHP at 4.5 cents each. I feel like I'm shooting for free when I shoot .357 magnum and 9mm.

I'm now in the process of stocking up on .223 bullets. I would like to accumulate 3-4 thousand, cause there's no doubt in my mind that in 5-10 years the price will be double or triple todays cost.

If you have any money in CDs/savings that isnt for emergencies you should spend $500 and buy supplies. Your savings may pay 1% , if lucky.

Keep in mind in 10 yrs we still will be saying "...I dont see how a young shooter can get started" and it will be truer than today.

We are seeing fewer younger shooters at the 22 BR matches each of the last 3 and 4 years.

[Brisk44]

A.L. and I have this conversation all the time. True you pay twice as much for everything as you used to but it still is so very much cheaper to reload. I see WW white box .44 mag for $45.00 a box and .45 colt cowboy loads for the same price. It's so rediculous, it costs a fraction of that to reload and you know it costs the manufacturer far less. But it's still a bargain and I will continue to stock up so I don't get caught low when prices skyrocket again.

[res45]

Cutting the cost of reloading in today economy takes a little more effort than it used to,commodity prices for raw material as well as the value of the US dollar agents other currencies all drive up the price of everything and not just reloading supplies.

For me I enjoy shooting,reloading and hunting those are my hobbies. Reloading cost effectively is like a big scavenger hunt for components there are still lots of good deals out there but it's going to require some time and effort to find them. You also have to make a decision on the kinds of loads you shoot and the components you use to create them,you don't need to send the most expensive bullet with a full charge of powder downrange every time you pull the trigger.

I pretty much shoot 9 cast bullets that I cast myself to every 1 plated bullet I buy in all my handguns and many of my rifle haven't seen a jacketed bullet in the chamber in years,I have a good supply of J bullets for all my guns but I just don't shoot them. I can load any of my handgun ammo for $4 to $5 per 50 the cost only varies due to the amount of powder I use. A side note on the plated bullets you can still buy the Berry plated bullets straight from the factory cheap the 115 gr. RN are $83 per 1000 shipped and the 124 RN are $95 per 1000 shipped,that's $8.30 and $9.50 per 100 to your door if you like plated bullets.

For my rifles my 30-30 eats nothing but lead,the plinking and small game loads using my own cast 170 gr. FN bullets and 8 grs. of Red Dot or similar shotgun/pistol powers cost me 8 cents each,for hunting loads I slap a gas check on that same bullet and use 28 grs. of H335 at a whopping cost of 16 cents per rd. that's $3.20 cents for 20 rds. of Deer killer ammo that works just as good as any factory load.


Brass,I only actually paid for brass about twice in the last 20 years and that was for 7.62 x 54r brass because nobody leave that caliber lying around at the range,every other caliber I shoot I have coffee can full of once fired brass I picked up some of which I convert to other caliber I need like 308 to 300 Sav. If you don't have that option look around in the buy,sell and trade section of most reloading forums often time you can buy brass for just a few buck per K plus shipping cost.

Powder and primers are my primary cost and I cover that sever ways first I buy in bulk and I don't buy local. I don't buy local because there prices are just plain ridiculous. For the past couple years I've been buying form PV there great people to deal with and there prices are very fair. To make a long story short i I buy 5K primers and a few # of powder even if I have to pay hazmat and shipping I save money over local prices,plus I don't have to drive 50 mile using my gas either.

Another option and one that I use on occasion is group buys,me and several of of my like minded buddies do group buys on powder and primers and split the hazmat and shipping,my share of that only cost me $10 on our last order from PV and I saved $65 on my component cost over what it would have cost me locally.

[DixieLandMan]

Makes me sick. I recently got back into reloading and noticed the price tag on a box of 1000 small handgun primers. Only $12.95! Now, that same box cost me $34+. About 8 years ago, I bought 1000 rounds of 7.62mm for less than $100. Now, the same 1000 bullet price is over $350.

[howlnmad]

Originally Posted by DixieLandMan

Makes me sick. I recently got back into reloading and noticed the price tag on a box of 1000 small handgun primers. Only $12.95! Now, that same box cost me $34+. About 8 years ago, I bought 1000 rounds of 7.62mm for less than $100. Now, the same 1000 bullet price is over $350.

That happened just before the last erection. All hail king obozo .

[Waldog]

A few years back I bought 2000lbs of magnum lead shot for $15 @ 50 lbs. Makes me smile everytime I reload shot shells. Can't last forever though.

[zant]

Bought 20cs of 7.62x39 at Ral,NC gunshow in 1992 for 65.00 a case...singles were 75.00...copper washed chicom steel core.....and found some old primers I bought at 9.95@1000

[vytoland]

prices, taxes and goo boo ments kick backs....all going ^^^^^

[rleete1948]

Can anyone tell me were i can find some a company that sells 1000 rounds of 308 bullets in bulk lots like the mil 174gr or the any of the mil. spec rounds 165 gr or larger? somthing like the Lake city stuff

Thanks
RL