.45 ACP is up to $17/box of 50 rounds. Outrageous!Casting and reloading are your friends.
My hard cost is about $3 per box, but that doesn't count the time involved in brasswhoring, berm mining, smelting, casting, lubing, loading, etc. For me, it's worth the hassle because I enjoy the process. YMMV.
Yes - I used to reload, too.
Joked that it was only throwing a handfull of dimes downrange - now they're quarters.
Out of competition now so not firing enough (500 rnds/week) to do the whole reloading thing...