Reloading costs

nun_hunter

Well-Known Member
Hi all, I've never reloaded as still fairly new and don't shoot enough yet to justify it but it is something I'd like to get into at a later date (mainly when I have room for the gear).

what I'm asking advice on is a rough cost per 100 rounds for a .223 and .308 without the cost of brass as I have access to free military once fired brass. .223 would be for fox and .308 for stalking purposes (fallow and roe and hopefully boar at some point) and also maybe some distance/target work.

i know prices will depend on brands and type of powder and primers and also on differing bullets (weights and type) so I'm just after examples of rough figures so I can decide when to start saving up to get the necessary equipment.
 
Hi all, I've never reloaded as still fairly new and don't shoot enough yet to justify it but it is something I'd like to get into at a later date (mainly when I have room for the gear).

what I'm asking advice on is a rough cost per 100 rounds for a .223 and .308 without the cost of brass as I have access to free military once fired brass. .223 would be for fox and .308 for stalking purposes (fallow and roe and hopefully boar at some point) and also maybe some distance/target work.

i know prices will depend on brands and type of powder and primers and also on differing bullets (weights and type) so I'm just after examples of rough figures so I can decide when to start saving up to get the necessary equipment.

Not trying to be rude, but why would the members spend time looking up the costs of components and doing the math when you are probably just as capable? There are 7000 grains of powder to the pound, and loading data is on line. Figure roughly 23 grains for the .223 and 45 grains for the 308. Look up the costs of the powder, bullets, and primers and get out a calculator. As I said, I'm not trying to be harsh but if you do reload, you will need to get used to doing your own leg work and engaging the brain on this kind of thing is good practice towards self reliance when reloading. Too many new reloaders spend more time on the Forums trying to wheedle load info and such from the members than they do reloading. Reloading doesn't need to be expensive. The Lee Classic Loader will fit in a shoe box and not require bench mounting. About $30US for the kit for a single caliber. Get a Lee's "Metallic Reloading Volume II" and read it before you do anything. You'll do well, and if you get free brass??? Excellent!! ~Muir
 
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Re military cases... I think they are still Berdan primed.
​You need to read up on that if you want to use them.

Not actually come across any 223 berdan primed brass. RG was all boxer LC stuff from the bases FC military was all boxer.
Have had some berdan 243 (head stamped 243 not resized 308)
 
Roughly speaking

.223 - 25-30p a round
.308 - 50-60p a round

above depends on bullet heads and powder

BE
 
Cheers for the help guys, I was just asking as I do not have enough knowledge to even know where to start looking, no idea what the differences between various powders are.

Muir I wasn't expecting anyone to look it up for me, I was more hoping someone in the UK who already reloads these calibres had worked out the cost for themselves and would be willing to say. My local gunshop doesn't sell any reloading gear as he is more about shotguns so there would be no point going to ask him as he wouldn't even know what I'd be after!

I like the idea of experimenting and fine tuning my own loads but that is a way off yet, I was after a rough cost simply to work out if I can afford to start doing it and then continue doing it. If or when I do start then getting a good book will be my first port of call.
 
The Lee Classic Loader will fit in a shoe box and not require bench mounting. About $30US for the kit for a single caliber. Get a Lee's "Metallic Reloading Volume II" and read it before you do anything. You'll do well, and if you get free brass??? Excellent!! ~Muir
As the OP has been answered regarding approx costs, this advice by Muir for someone starting out is spot on.
Cheers
​Richard
 
Definitely good advice, I'll get a book first then when I have a better understanding I'll take up Spud on his offer
 
I'm in a similar place to yourself, and I've picked up a copy of the Richard Lee 2nd Edition Reloading Manual, got it off Fleabay 2nd hand. By the time I've moved house, or at least cleared at ton of stuff out of the garage, I'll be in a position to start should I deem it necessary.
 
I started because of cost and the Lee Loaders were the answer (now these b@stards on here have turned me into "Mr Weights and Measures"!).

I spend the princely sum of around £50 on hardware (lee loader, lee scoops, wooden mallet, case trimmer, chamfer, primer pocket cleaner, some wire wool)
£70 on a KG of powder (can get cheaper)
£35 on 1000 primers (could have used Privi and been cheaper)
£60 on 300 bullets (Hornady)
I already had enough brass (norma)

for £215 I had enough to make at least 300 .270 rounds (approx 70p each including the hardware outlay, 55p if you just count consumables!)

The same in factory Norma would have cost £577.50!!

and mine grouped better!
 
I started loading for the same reason as above.
The problem I have found though is once you start you find yourself
in a never ending quest of the one hole group, and when you start seeing
results that helps you square away in your mind the hundreds of pounds your sending down the range.
The amount I have spent on reloading could have bought me A LOT of factory
bullets.
 
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When I got my .243 it came with some hand loads from the previous owner and they were more accurate at 200m than factory loads at 100m so definitely want to try from an accuracy point I view and save a few quid at the same time.
 
cost wise about 50p per round/£50. per 100. the lee loader whilst very good and therapeutic to use would be be for case's fired from your rifle (fire formed from your rifle) fired from the military would need resizing. i shoot more at the range than at deer so reloading has saved me loads of money. lees' book is very very good.
 
Largest cost will be the bullet, I only shoot targets and buy my bullets by the thousand. Nosler Custom Competition .30 168gr over here are around £300 - £360 x 1000 (if you can get them) in the US they're around £140, in Europe I've had them shipped to my door for £180.

Excluding the case, it's around 3 to 4p for a primer and 15p for powder (42gr of N140 @ £55/Kg) so under 40p a round for ammunition that will produce 1/4MOA or better results.
 
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