U.S. shooters feel pinch as ammo costs soar

Reuters ^ | Mon May 19 | Tim Gaynor

[ßuddaßudd]

I just paid 22.50 for a box of 50 .223 Black Hill Seconds.

[kitchen]

Any suggestions...

My retired neighbor heads out to the club with shovel, screen, and wheelbarrow to sift through the pistol range backstop. A couple weeks ago he told me he'd sold 2,000 pounds of lead to a scrap dealer this year.

[alarm rider]

This is why I keep Nagants.

7.62 X 54R ammo is still reasonable.

Some of the Eastern European and Russian ammo is caustic, so you have to really clean after shooting. Anyone have other thoughts on the subject?

[RonF]

How might I get an estimate of how many rounds of ammunition are produced/used in the U.S. every year?

I’m crafting an argument against “guns are for killing people” by showing that 99.99+% of all ammunition in the U.S. is used for recreational purposes - skeet shooting, target shooting, hunting, etc.

[AngryJawa]

I have actually mined a 5 gallon bucket’s worth from the berm at my club to try as a sample. Seperating the spent bullets from sticky Georgia red clay is going to be a real chore. I also hear that jacketed bullets tend to soften the alloy, so I reckon I’d need to add some tin.

[woollyone]

I’m not sure I did the math right (I hate word problems!), however, here goes...

At current new prices of .43/round for .223, compared to the reload costs of .20/round and assuming that the reloading equipment would cost ~$500 of an investment...

The recovery of initial expenses woudl require re-loading 2500 rounds befoe any savings are realized. Which does not factor in the time required to gather materials (esp quality brass!) and actually perform the reloading process.

I suppose that very long term, it would eventually work out and those that have been doing this for years and years already realize nice savings.

[stevio]

The last time I was at the scrap yard I asked about lead, they told me scrap lead has not risen that much through all of this.

[RightWhale]

if I could only make my own primers

Hazardous chemicals there. Could be done, but if it gets to that point a return to flintlock might be in order.

[dashing doofus]

Article understates the price increases. 14 mos ago I could buy 9mm quality ball ammo for less than $10 a box.

I’m saving the brass, but not reloading yet. What presses are people using?

[dashing doofus]

....but the next Democratic Congress will end all that. I am afraid they will drive ammo prices through the roof intentionally...just make shooting unaffordable. Exactly. In fact, I believe that is their exact goal. Like with the silly microstamping of cartridges by having firing pins imprinted, that some states have proposed. No one believes it would solve a single crime, but everyone knows it would really make the price of guns soars. That's how the Dems intend to emasculate 2A. Regulate it to death, and make the prices soar.

[clee1]

I don’t disagree with your premise, and the “capital outlay” for reloading equipment must be considered, however, consider this:

Initial capital outlay for ONE caliber: Die Set $40, Press $20-$65, Scale $15, Misc small items and supplies $50, good reloading book $15. Melting pot $40, and bullet mold $20. Call it $200-$245 for capital equipment. Now, you CAN spend more, but that will just increase your loading speed.

Additional calibers can be loaded for $60 each (die set and bullet mold).

Reloading is 50%-70% cheaper than “factory” ammo, and 25%-35% cheaper than “range” reloads or surplus.

I put about 500-600 rounds downrange every week. Even at double your cost figure, it wouldn’t take me long to realize immense savings.

A suggestion - find someone that reloads and pay THEM to supply you. It’ll be cheaper, and you won’t have to buy factory (and be recorded doing so).

[AngryJawa]

What presses are people using?

Dillon is very popular, very good,but pretty expensive.

I decided to wade into the hobby using a Lee Classic Turret and I'm pretty happy with it. It can't crank out 500+ an hour like a Dillon (I do about 150/hr), but it only cost about $80 for the press and die sets run $20-30 each.

I'm pretty sure I'll upgrade to a Dillon progressive eventually.

[clee1]

Go with Lee - cheaper by a long shot and adequate to the task.

[dashing doofus]

Thanx all. Midway will be getting an order today. Better to be prepared for an all out assault on 2A after the next election.

(One more reason to hold nose, and vote McCain, IMO.....)

[Current Occupant]

Tom Gresham of "Gun Talk" says buy 6 hi-cap mags for every autoloader you have. After this next election they won't be available. And get the good ones. He also says BLOAT in a big way, ammo is going up .15% very soon.

I'm stocked up pretty good on components but my range trips have been limited to around 25 rds. instead of the 100 or so.

[xmission]

I just bought a Hornady Lock-N-Load AP. Put my first 100 rounds through it this weekend.

I had a little trouble seating primers occasionally, and with the ejector spring, but some of it may be newbie inexperience related. Overall, I love this thing.

[Current Occupant]

I NEVER use the press to seat primers, the hand loader gives you a better feel when you seat them. But that's just me. I use the Hornady for the small and the K-M for the large. Perfect seating depth of .005.

[xmission]

Thanks. I’ll investigate the handloaders.

[stuartcr]

Lee Challenger...’cause I’m not in a hurry.

[xmission]

Whose primers do you use?