Thread: Cost of Ammo

Originally Posted by Old_School

If you do alot of shooting, sticking with a military caliber such as .223 or .308 gives you access to limitless cheap surplus ammo.
Sure it might be FMJ, but for the likes of pest control, its no real issue, a FMJ .223 will happily take down a wallaby.

You're right. Just pull the fmj & put in sp, or hp of equivelent weight.

Originally Posted by Jt89

I've started getting myself onto the path of reloading exactly for the cost reduction - but halted due to projectile availability, and time deficiency for the load developing/shooting (two kids under two, no time at all)

The loose intention was to stockpile a nice quantity of Speer 150gr BTSP projectiles and thus be able to practice more affordably (and regularly) out to 500m+ with a projectile more than adequate for anything short of 400 when the time comes. Alas, the bloody bullets are almost always sold out. Just as well, my pockets are often empty anyway.

I asdume its 308?

Be patient, and flexible. Consider other bullets and several powders will get the job done.

The most popular bullets and powders are usually available and cheaper. Primers are still an assume tho.

You won't regret reloading.
If you can, buy in bulk or bulk buy with a mate.

Originally Posted by Oldbloke

I asdume its 308?

Be patient, and flexible. Consider other bullets and several powders will get the job done.

The most popular bullets and powders are usually available and cheaper. Primers are still an assume tho.

You won't regret reloading.
If you can, buy in bulk or bulk buy with a mate.

Yep .308 �� Got a small stash of primers and powder already and a large pile of brass. The cost effective projectiles for .308 have been rapidly disappearing lately, I'm in no rush at the moment.

yes how much money I use factory- on a hunting trip our once a year meat trip use maybe 6-8 rounds - then $50 for gas incl quad - food and beers for overnight $40-50 - our regular hunt well dozen beer for cockie $25 gas $30-40- allowed two fallow so 2 rounds - so ammo the lowest cost of all - target practice use .22 a lot - 308 well 2-3 to check zero - so no need to reload - sadly my eyesight now target shooting is out -

Back in late 2018 I bought an FN FAL.

I then bought 1,200 rounds of GGG fmj. Needless to say, I have plenty of fmj left. I just pull the projectile, drop in a Nosler 150 ballistic tip and off I go. I don't even check them powder charge.

Works well on red deer.

I still own the FAL, just can't shoot it!

It isn't just about cost.
It's an extension of the sport that also gives better accuracy and the satisfaction that goes with that.
If your under saaay 40YO, you would be nuts not to invest in a basic reloading kit.

JM2c

Edit: starting reloading is a long term thing

When I started hunting just over 2 years ago I was paying $89 for a box of Win Deer Season XP, about a year in I decided that reloading was going to be very beneficial to the wallet as I needed, to my mind, time behind the gun to become proficient at reliably dropping animals with one shot. I worked out that I could handload for under $2 a round v's $4.45 for factory ammo and whilst I wasn't chewing through a lot of ammo, my consumption was starting to ramp up.
I bought a new Lee Handloader press for $210 landed, a set of dies off TM for $65 and a few other necessities for around another $150 (case trimmer, powder scoops etc) so all up I'm in for $425 or thereabouts for the gear (and fortunately a mate has a tumbler so that's the cleaning cost taken care of - for now, I'll get my own when one becomes available at a good price) so doing the maths, I only need to reload 173 rounds before I break even.....which I've already done, so for me it was a no brainer. I knew that I was going to ramp up on ammo use (practise makes perfect right....)
My cost break down is (based on my current hunting load)
AR2209: 54c
Primer: 22c (scored 100 today at a remarkably good price at my local sport shop - I'm going back for more!)
Projectile: $1.20 (Nosler BT)

So buck 96 a load, I checked whilst writing this, the current price of Win DS XP has jumped to $99 per 20 so my savings are now $2.99....thats significant and puts my break even point at 142 rounds...so effectively I'm now being paid to reload....
Also...I'm 56 with decades of shooting ahead of me, so I figure that in 50 years I'll have saved enough to buy that Utas!