Is it just me, or is reloading getting expensive?

[shooter]

Went to the local reloading supply store today to pick up some things. The guy has just about as good a normal price on anything as most of the online catalogues. They beat him when they have a sale, but I also don't have to wait or pay shipping when I buy from him.

Anyway....I bought a few hundred bullets, 50 pieces of brass, and a 4lb jug of Unique, and ended up spending upward of $200. I usually don't buy that much at one time, so that may be the cause for the sticker shock, but I also know that prices have gone up considerably in the last few months. The .224 bullets that I used to pay $11 for are now $16 for 100. I've been seeing the prices keep going up, and I've had to give up a few other indulgences to keep my hobby going. I know it's still cheaper than buying factory ammo, and I like doing it anyway, but I don't know how much I'm going to be able to afford to shoot if prices keep climbing.

[Old Ironsights]

Went to the local reloading supply store today to pick up some things. The guy has just about as good a normal price on anything as most of the online catalogues. They beat him when they have a sale, but I also don't have to wait or pay shipping when I buy from him.

Anyway....I bought a few hundred bullets, 50 pieces of brass, and a 4lb jug of Unique, and ended up spending upward of $200. I usually don't buy that much at one time, so that may be the cause for the sticker shock, but I also know that prices have gone up considerably in the last few months. The .224 bullets that I used to pay $11 for are now $16 for 100. I've been seeing the prices keep going up, and I've had to give up a few other indulgences to keep my hobby going. I know it's still cheaper than buying factory ammo, and I like doing it anyway, but I don't know how much I'm going to be able to afford to shoot if prices keep climbing.

Well... go buy an equivalent amount of OEM ammo. Reloading is still (is especially) a bargain.

[Hobie]

You are right. Prices going up. I remember primer prices a quarter of what they are and some really low powder prices but those are only memories. Also the dollar is worth lot less than in that once upon a time. All I can say is that you do what you can as long as you can.

.22 rimfires are rising in popularity for this reason.

[Ray Newman]

The Wag sez: "prices aint goin' up; your money is worthless."

But, what has not gone up in the last six months or so? And with the increased cost of fuel for all modes of transport and shipping, we aint seen nothing yet folks....

[damienph]

As said before, still a MUCH better bargain than any factory ammo that you can buy. Yet another reason to stock up; if you think it is high now, just wait. I am buying as much as I can afford (and get away with without causing my wife too much anguish) because components do not go bad and it will never be cheaper than it is right now.

[jdad]

When good quality 22mag ammo is more expensive than .223 you know prices have gone up.

My 22 match ammo has gone from $30 per brick to $65 per brick, in the last 2 years. I stocked up 4 years ago when I found a lot my rifle liked. I haven't been able to shoot rifles since October, so I'm doing ok.

[Old Savage]

It is all commensurate with other prices. In 1965 Campbell's Tomato Soup was 11 cents a can - now it is about a buck.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Yup ! I cant see it getting any better.
Shoot em if ya got em.
Fill em up and shoot em again!!

[Dave]

It's not getting any cheaper that's for sure. I had some sticker shock the other day when I bought a thousand primers. Yipes!

[Griff]

Only if you have to buy bullets (or lead), primers and powder. But have you looked at the prices for factory ammo? That'll make your hair out! (If you needed an excuse that is)!

[win38-55]

It is getting expensive but so is everything else. This is one reason I have started shooting the
Mosin Nagant the surplus ammo is dirt cheap.

http://www.the-armory.com/shopsite_sc/s ... t1569.html

[BenT]

Just bought a 357 bullet mould for that reason, can't afford to feed what I have.

[shooter]

Hobie, I too remember about 5 or 6 years ago when we could get 1000 primers for $15 or less. I think they were about $12.50 for a while. Those were the days, lol.

I usually don't buy bullets except for a couple of my rifles. I cast about 90% of everything I shoot, but my lead supply has dried up and I don't know where to get it anymore. I'm down to my last 3 buckets of wheel weights. I know it's still cheaper to reload than to buy factory ammo, and I wouldn't be able to shoot if I had to buy all my ammo, but prices are way more ridiculous than they should be. I won't get into the political aspects of why, but I don't agree with any of it.

[El Chivo]

I feel your pain; I've concluded that I should use Remington Core-Lokts for 35 Rem and they're 30 cents apiece in bulk, 40 cents by the hundred. Maybe I should try the Hornady, they're only 30 cents each.

Still I'd be shooting those for about fifty cents, whereas factory is $1.50 a shot.

One thing I'm considering is to sell off some calibers to concentrate on a favorite, then just load for that one.

[stretch]

One thing I'm considering is to sell off some calibers to concentrate on a favorite, then just load for that one

El Chivo, I've had the same though. I've got some guns in odd
calibers that I really like though, so I'm reluctant to actually
act on that thought. Some of my older acquisitions also have
no paperwork with 'em, so that's a factor, too.

Reloading IS getting expensive, but nothing like the price of gas
or food. I've had to start bringing my luch to work everyday just
be able to afford gas back and forth.

I couldn't afford to shoot 41 Magnum, a favorite caliber, if I didn't
roll my own. I have enough cases to load 38 Special and 45 ACP
for years and years for just the cost of consumables. Only if I find
a real deal on 38 do I buy commercially. Same with 45, although 45
seems to be harder to find at a price that satisfies my miserly tendencies.
9mm is still available at what I consider fairly reasonable prices, so
I mostly shoot store-bought there. I've got thousands of cases of
that savedup too, so when the price becomes annoying, I'll load that
in bulk, as well. Good excuse for a new toy and another progressive press!

-Stretch

[RIHMFIRE]

everthing is going up.........

[rock-steady]

everthing is going up.........

The value of our dollar is going down. Things cost more because the dollar is worth less.

[ndcowboy]

At our local Scheels store, CCI primers went from $30 a thousand to $35 a thousand about two weeks ago. I asked the salesman and he said, "The fresh ones cost more" with a smile on his face.
Of course, there was the fact that you could clearly see they put the new price tag over the old price tag, and it appeared that some had been repriced at least twice.
And the fresh ones don't go bang any better than the WWII surplus I've got in the reloading room.

[Old Ironsights]

I was just looking at some of my reloading stuff looking for 209 primers.

Got a couple of 1K bricks of LRP in there with $15.95 price tags on them...

[Combat Diver]

As stated everything is going up. Still cheaper to reload and cast your own as always.


CD

[Ray Newman]

I remember the "First Great Primer Scare" during the early Clinton years when the price of primers went from around US$13.00 - 14.00 per thousand to over US$18.00.

And at the time, the guys who started reloading back in the 1940's and 1950's were grousing about how expensive reloading was getting to be....

[Canuck Bob]

We always pay a premium due to import and regulations. I compare my costs against buying factory. There is no comparison. One thing I do now is look for used tooling and brass, when there is a sale stock up, buy local as shipping kills a good deal to Canada, and streamline my needs.

For guys who love to reload and experiment with many rifles this doesn't apply. My stable includes only 5 centerfire rifles. I have focused on one jacketed load for hunting and one cast load for plinking for my big game rifles. Even cup and core are stupid expensive if a guy lights up 500 a year. One lead load for my 32-20 and a jacketed load for my Hornet I don't hunt these days but every rifleman should have full power ammo on hand. When I loaded years ago I became a powder collector. I load ammo these days with an eye to using powders that work in a few guns.

Tooling up for cast was front end costly but some simple math proved it to be a major savings for my modest shooting amounts quickly.

In this way I screwed up. I have a 22 Hornet, 32-20, 32 Special, 303 and a 444. If I was real frugal it would read a 223, 357 Mag, 30-30, and 30-06 for heavy hitting. They rarely have what I need or want on the shelf. The good old 30-30 and 223 might be the best duet for economy going, free brass and cheap ammo.

[Mescalero]

Ray Newman,
I remember that bit of unpleasentness, I still have a huge stock from my paranoia during that time period.

[rogn]

We've been on an inflationary spiral for the last few decades-it just speeds up from time to time. It seems we are in an accelerating phase at the moment. Almost all components have increased about 10% over the last 4 months. I just got two shipments in- a set of Lee dies, a few pounds of powder and enough primers to make it work, oh, and a set of irons(50$). Two smallish boxes, over 600$. Well its one of my major hobbies and its still cheaper than chasing women, auto racing or offshore fishing. This buy will cover most of my shooting over the summer, and the coming fall season. The offshore fishing has gone from about 200$ a trip 10 yrs ago to closer to 600$ today. I do a little fishing from shore now and shoot a lot(>90% hand loads). Im hoping when we do some political culling this year , we can improve some of these costs.

[damienph]

Ray Newman,
I remember that bit of unpleasentness, I still have a huge stock from my paranoia during that time period.

I don't see it as paranoia; administrations change, political priorities change, I do believe that if the anti-gun crowd stays in power long enough, our right to "manufacture" our own ammunition will be severely restricted.

[Mescalero]

It does mean the primers I am shooting are MUCH cheaper than what is available today.

[Shasta]

Reloading components are getting noticeably more expensive, so it pays to shop around. I use a lot of Alliant Reloader 7 powder. I bought a pound at my local shop in December at $25, and in March the same pound cost $30. I decided to mail order a couple five pound cannisters at $90 each, but Hazmat fees and shipping added $42 to the cost, making it just over $22 a pound, still cheaper than the local shop.
Then I remembered that a new Sportsman's Warehouse store had opened in town, so before mail ordering I checked the new store. A five pound cannister was $105 plus tax, and with a $10 off coupon for over $100 purchases I found on the internet the powder cost me $102 out the door, or just over $20 a pound. That's more like it!

Just to be safe, I intend to stock up on powder and primers to hedge against price increases and/or shortages.

SHASTA

[Mescalero]

It's going to get worse for a while.