RanchRoper's Reloading Ruminations

[RanchRoper]

That's the one alright. Love it.

[RanchRoper]

Reloading as we speak....250 gr 7.0gn of powder. Some cowboy thumpers....

[runnin n gunnin]

Good looking cast boolits. What are they ?

[RanchRoper]

I buy them in bags of 500 from Western Munitions in Calgary Alberta. No idea who cast them.

[runnin n gunnin]

They look a lot like the Hunters I load. Put some downrange today, preformed great. Just posted on Range Reports.

[BigAl52]

Can you buy the coated ones up there RR

[RanchRoper]

Not sure..have not seen them.

[BigAl52]

Give them a shot if you find some I think you will like them.

[RanchRoper]

The Fiocchi factory ones I have are powdered. Real nice ammo.

[PT7]

Just read your "1st Wild West Lead of 2020" thread, RR. Jumped over here to your ruminations reload stuff to ask you something about the current year....if you might consider doing this.

Since I don't reload, I agree when Al commented that .45 Colt ammo "ain't cheap." Your C$ amount is up there, too, between 73-99 cents/round. So far I've found reasonable prices at Choice Ammo in Montana and have stuck with their CAS loads. Last bag (125 rounds) of 250gr hi-tek coated RNFP ammo I bought was at 44 cents/round, excl. shipping. It is also hand-loaded ammo with this doable price for me. But again I have to be ultra conservative in how many rounds I shoot per range visit since it is expensive ammo. Always keep my eyes on upcoming sale prices, too.

Since you are right at the start of shooting 2020 lead, curious if you track how many rounds you shoot at each range visit? Might you consider tallying your 2020 ammo reloads usage as a stat for everyone to look at versus buying manufactured ammo? That would be some good raw data to chat about at next New Year's eve. As you shoot only this lone caliber, might be easy to do. What do ya think? At the same time, it would be fun to see how many Cowboy cards you take out in one year!

OK, I'm heading back to your 1st 2020 range report to check it out again. Have a good day.
PT7

Also a very good point. Cheapest factory ammo here was about .73 cents C$. Most is almost a buck a round.
I have not done the math but I am sure reloads are cheaper and I don't shoot any less.

[RanchRoper]

Hmmm...let me think about that.

[runnin n gunnin]

Don't know if this will shed any light for you, or if I am off target on what you are looking for.

I hand load 9 different calibers. I just received a 45-70 Henry for Christmas and ordered all of the needed components to start loading. I also bought a box of factory ammo to put rounds down range before I am able to load. Here is how the numbers break out.

Since the 45-70 is a straight walled case, I will be able to get more reloads than a necked rifle round. The numbers are based on getting 5 reloads out of each piece of brass, although I expect to get more. All components were purchased at Midway USA.

Factory Ammo: Black Hills 45-70 20 round box 1250 FPS= $33.86 500 rounds = $846.00

Reloading Components: (reloaded rounds are 1251 FPS
Star Line Brass: 100 pieces = $46.76
Bullets: Hunters 405 grain bullets = $0.36 each X 500 = $180.00
CCI Primers 1,00 = $36.00 500 = $18.00
Powder: H4198 27 grains = 13,550 grains or 2 pounds for 500 rounds = $60.00

Total for 500 rounds:
Factory: $846.00
Reloaded ammo: $304.76
Savings: $ 542.24 savings or roughly 60% savings

[PT7]

Yup. A year is a long haul and good to think on it. I've kinda admired Howard Funk's "chase" and summaries for the LEO quals from our 50 states. I wonder if I'd have the patience to do that now that I'm retired? Funk's stuff is really turning into a long-term project.

And if you don't wanna track your lead, it's just fine. Totally okay to tell PT7 "chase your own .45 Colt down the range;" or "what a bunch of hooey!" I've always liked "playing" with numbers. Yet I know it can be a pain remembering to keep up with it as well as not so much fun doing the gathering for a lot of folk. I got to do that kind of thing for almost 25 years on the job. Lots of digit dodging and chasing in 2-1/2 decades!

PT7

[PT7]

You posted while I was typing, runnin n gunnin. Good comparison summary. Yeah, that easily provides good insight of savings when shooting a very spendy ammo. The BHA .45-70 (BHA makes quality ammo) you bought comes out to $1.69/round; much more than an expensive .45 Colt round. Thanks!

RR, your "thunkin" time is over and done with! I think runnin n gunnin has already completed any long-term project. Just go ahead and enjoy shooting that 2020 lead down range, and forget about my asking.

Wow, close to 60% savings on reloading versus buying off the shelf. That's a dang good percentage.

PT7

Hmmm...let me think about that.

Don't know if this will shed any light for you, or if I am off target on what you are looking for.

Total for 500 rounds:
Factory: $846.00
Reloaded ammo: $304.76
Savings: $ 542.24 savings or roughly 60% savings

[runnin n gunnin]

As has been said by many others, the decision to reload is a long term investment. For me, as it does for others, it provides more than just a savings in ammo, it is recreation. When I am at the bench, it is easy to zone out from everything else and clear you mind.

Some additional savings come from what you are shooting. I get many more reloads out of my 38, 357 and 45 Colt brass than rifle.

No matter what you do, just keep enjoying the sport !

[Mistered]

roughly 60% savings

Yep - I'll go with your numbers - and this will get better as your initial cost of brass is offset by repeated use.

Typically reloading will save in the range of 40 - 60 % (as you figured) with an average of around 50%.

Many argue the value of reloading with the cheaper, common calibers (like 9mm) but where it really makes a difference is with the lesser used, uncommon, rare or specialty calibers.

However savings aside I maintain the biggest benefit to reloading is the ability to 'tailor' rounds for your specific purpose and to be able to create loads that are not available commercially - and the savings are still there - even a bit more so if you factor reduced powder charges for 'toned down' loads and using lessor expensive bullets.

Personally I maintain the biggest rational for reloading is as an 'extension' of one's interest in guns and shooting and to be able to create the most effective, and accurate rounds for your guns.

[runnin n gunnin]

Very well stated MrE

[JEBar]

As has been said by many others, the decision to reload is a long term investment.

for a return on investment, volume over the long term are keys .... it is true that from an economic standpoint, not every piece of equipment or component we have purchased has proven to be a good buy .... nothing new about that, with every hobby or other such interest I've had over the years .... on the one hand, with factory 300 Weatherby bullets selling for $3 or $4 each, it doesn't take long to recoup and reduce expenses .... on the other with cheap, foreign 223 ammo available the savings will be much smaller ... the other positives gained from reloading are most certainly true and can most certainly be every bit as valuable ....

[Mistered]

not every piece of equipment or component we have purchased has proven to be a good buy

Ditto this!

AND reloading is one 'hobby' that gets its share of 'recommendations' about how one should start out - and quite often they come from those who obviously have little to no experience themselves.

I get tired of reading (on some forums) about how some ask honest and humble questions about they should start out - and many of the responses suggest overwhelming, complicated and expensive pieces of equipment that are obviously beyond the scope of the person inquiring.

The average reloader (and I'll say that is about 80% of us) can do quite well on a single stage press with a minimum of equipment and accessories with some 'tweaking' along the way but for the most part the 'KISS' system works quite well.

In all my years of reloading I am still on a SS press (eventually added a second, faster and more efficient than my RockChucker but still SS) and only a moderate amount of inexpensive and small accessories added over the years to improve efficiency but my total expenses in reloading equipment are still much less than what I see some investing in initially.

I recently saw two ads on a forum where the members were trying to sell their reloading equipment, accessories and supplies they bought and the both posted receipts that totaled over $2500 !!

Oh, and the stuff was new and unused.....

[runnin n gunnin]

Agreed. I started in the early 70's with an RCBS rockchucker (which I just gave to my son to start reloading), a balance scale, and manual powder trickler and used RCBS .38 dies I bought for ten dollars at a gun show. That was my standard for many years and slowly evolved.

Like MrEd stated, lots of opinions from folks who are glad to spend your money for you, and as he said KISS and see if it is for you or not.