Thank you for the new content. I appreciate the effort, knowledge and time it requires to make these videos I am new to reloading and I find your content very helpful Today I was able to bookmark Powder valley as a new place to search for components.
For the most part you DO really only pay for brass once. Im just now seeing sign of brass problems with some 9mm thats been in the family since the late 70s.
I'm still working on stock from 2019, yes, even primers. I learn many, many election cycles ago to stock up BIG. So I did and when the Pandemic hit I had over 15,000 rounds loaded over numerous calibers not including 22LR. In addition I had 25,000 rounds worth of Primers, Powder & Bullets. I get once fired brass at my Gun Range for free but have a couple bags of Starline brass just in case. I started reloading in 1975 while in the Navy and never stopped. There is a lesson to be learned here but not to be acted upon at this time I'm afraid.
Kudos on how to do it right. Best time to buy/stock up is when things are static and BORING (usually best prices then too). Once an "event" happens, it's all over for pricing and availability for who knows how long. Definite learning lesson for sure. BTW, thank you for your service.
Thanks. I just set up my reloading equipment after a 24 year hiatus. Found I had 1,000 new Starline cases in .45 colt and 1,000 255 grain swc. Just add primers and powder.
Well if you could get your bullet cost very low though not zero. If you cast and PC your own bullets, the cost would be close to nothing except the cost of the PC and the 'sweat equity' of scrounging for scrap lead - after the initial start up cost. A Lee 4-20 pot, a Lee 2 cavity bullet mold, and a thrift store toaster over (trust me you would find many), then some lead and powder PC.All of that today would be less than $200. Powder PC is often apx $10 a pound or less. Not sure how many bullets a pound does but I'd bet the number is in the thousands. If you live where there are lots of public shooting spots into dirt berms usually thats a gold mine to 'sift' for range scrap. Its the easiest way to free bullet alloy. Also switching to cast PC shooting would lower your powder costs compared to reloaded jacketed.
Scrounging for lead is now, at least around me, much easier said than done. Gone are the days of swinging by tire/auto repair shops and taking (or buying) wheel weights.
@@ReLoadersBench Most rural areas will have at least a few spots where people target shoot.You might have to research the county online for where people shoot on public lands. You might end up driving a little to get there. End of summer the ground is usually dry and if you can find a decent sandy berm, usually a days worth of sifting usually gets me apx 250lbs of range scrap. After jackets and debris maybe 210-220lbs of clean ingots. Get the small square aviary steel screen, a 2x4 and a 1x3 and some screws and gorilla glue and make a screen sifter. Sure it takes about 8 hours total sifting time to get the lead, and then time to sort and melt down to ingots, but I havent paid for lead in over 10 yrs now sifting range scrap. Usually comes out around 10bhn
@@ReLoadersBench those were the good old days. My dad worked as a mechanic for 35yrs. We had Antifreeze jugs filled with used wheel weights for years. Down to the last 200 or so lbs of ingots we cast from them. We used to reload 9mm for about 3 cents/round.
Yeah the days when you could take a pack of cheap beer to a service station and haul off two 5 gallon buckets of wheel weights is over. Now they are mostly zinc. Marketplace, Craigslist, or just people you know, generally I can find lead around $1 a pound if I have to process into ingots (big bricks of boat ballast, cable shielding, and so on) but I might pay $2 for ingots of a hard alloy that are already fluxed and clean.
I am soo glad that I stocked up on supplies for my reloading before covid and lot before Biden. I am a hoarder when it comes too reloading everything. If I need bullets I shop at local stores and never have anything shipped too me.
Was reloading a 1000 rounds of 9mm several years ago for $130. My reloaders have been under dust covers for close to 4 years now. Buying new ammo for years now.
At one time about 20 years ago there were several places you could buy once fired brass. I don't remember the places but don't know if that is even an option anymore.
If you watch GunBroker you can sometimes get good deals. Personally I look for unprocessed brass. Otherwise you’re likely to get stuff with gummed up media. Some of it might be wet tumbled with primers still in. Leaving them sit like that seems to lead to ringers. I’d prefer as picked up, and I’ll decap and pin tumble.
8 Years ago, I was paying $125 for 5000 genix primers. I bought 15,000 at that price. I scored at the time a great deal on 231 powder for $20 a pound, so I bought 20lbs. Bullets were always bought on sale (usually Veteran's Day) and in bulk. I probably picked up over the course of one summer about 20,000 pieces of brass. I'm set for years. I can't believe how much reloading costs now!
That is a MidwayUSA branded "bag"/pouch. I searched my purchase history on that site, but I got pissed at them back in 2019 and deleted my then account, so all my older purchase history is gone so I was unable to find it. Did a search on a number of terms and don't see it.
I don't reload for the purpose of saving money, it's a hobby I love doing. There was a time when you could save a ton of money reloading bulk ammo but that time is not now. I don't buy powder and primers online , the hazmat fees make the prices obscene. When I see stuff on the shelves I buy it all!! With today's prices it's hard to beat factory ammo for 9mm and .45 and if you add in the brass I can't make it cheaper. I buy factory 9mm for the same cost as reloading and I get free brass.. .14 cents a primer is absolutely insane , I'm still using primers I bought for 3 cents each but those days are numbered.
Long time reloader as are many others . Range brass there's no way of knowing how many times it's been reloaded back setting a bullet in a gas gun can be catastrophic sold my Dillion when prices went wild. Am enjoying my rimfire more now.
You can always spot a reloader at the range. Their ammo will be in either a "bag" (clear plastic, pouch, etc.) of some sorts or for the "serious" reloaders their reloads will be in the plastic ammo boxes. Reloaders don't let their brass hit the ground (i.e., revolvers/bolt action rifles) if they can help it and if it is hitting the ground, it doesn't stay there long. That usually means the brass that others are leaving on the ground tends to be once shot, brand new. I'm good with that and have not run into issues. I remember a few years ago when press prices went through the roof and no one had inventory. Crazy times.
I recently started restacking some ammo cans and ran across an unmarked can. Inside was a box of 45 ACP marked at $15.99 and a box of 30-30 at $12. The receipt was in the box from 1995. Are you in CA ?
for my video I used ~5gr which would be yield ~1,400 (7,000gr powder / 5gr per casing). But it really depends on your specific recipe (bullet and powder). For example, when I load 230gr RN with WST, my target charge is ~4gr, which would yield ~1,750 loads (7,000gr/4gr) and that would actually lower my estimated reloading cost per round. YMMV.
@ReLoadersBench It sorta sounds like you're the small percentage of reloaders doing it to save money. I've been reloading for a little over two years now myself, that's why I was asking. I use 9.2 gr of Accurate #7 in my .45acp myself.
@@Modine. I like to compare the theoretical cost savings of reloading over buying commercial. I don't actually believe I'm "saving" money as I tend to spend way too much on any/everything that may make reloading more enjoyable (like right now "eyeing" the new Hornady case trimmer - do I need it? Absolutely not. Do I want it? Kind of). The true benefit of reloading to me personally, is the actual process/steps and results. I don't know if I reload to shoot or shoot to reload. In either case, it's a win. So for me, it's my "therapy". Reloading gives me control over every aspect of creating that round. The brass, primer, bullet and powder. Fine tuning a round for a particular firearm. Buying off the shelf doesn't allow that. You don't even know what powder is used in commercial ammo. Then there is the availability factor. 9mm is marginally cost "effective" to reload (depending on what you paid for your components) when things are good (no mass un-alivings, pandemic, etc.). But when 9mm (or any other caliber) is COMPLETELY unavailable (think back to 2021-2022 with the cough) at any price, then what's that reloaded 9mm (or other caliber) worth now? Too many other factors besides savings, but people like to talk savings so I make my videos for other to enjoy/comment. Welcome to the never ending (learning, new gear, fun, frustration, etc.) journey of reloading.
@@ReLoadersBench Sense you mentioned the number of rounds you were getting from your powder more than a couple of times it just came across as a cost savings measure more than anything, sorry if I miss understood.
@@Modine. - Absolutely no worries and no misunderstanding on your part. The video was intended to focus on cost as that seems to be an important variable to many. I just wanted to call out what it would cost me if that was my focus. All good.
.45 a cartridge casts well from wheelwrights and range scrap. The primer shortage is artificial and hopefully a problem to be solved Jan 20th. The founders would never have left ammunition or militia rifle production in the hands if England and their auxiliaries.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you for the new content.
I appreciate the effort, knowledge and time it requires to make these videos
I am new to reloading and I find your content very helpful
Today I was able to bookmark Powder valley as a new place to search for components.
You're welcome, glad it helped.
@
Content idea
I would be interested to hear your preferred online retailers and the ones to avoid
Your experience is much appreciated
@@richardr616 - good idea, especially for newer reloaders that those who have been reloading for a while tend to forget.
For the most part you DO really only pay for brass once. Im just now seeing sign of brass problems with some 9mm thats been in the family since the late 70s.
Mr Reloaders Bench, you should check out rocky mountain reloadings selection of projectiles. Really nice quality for the $$$.
Thanks for the tip, will look into them.
I'm still working on stock from 2019, yes, even primers. I learn many, many election cycles ago to stock up BIG. So I did and when the Pandemic hit I had over 15,000 rounds loaded over numerous calibers not including 22LR. In addition I had 25,000 rounds worth of Primers, Powder & Bullets. I get once fired brass at my Gun Range for free but have a couple bags of Starline brass just in case. I started reloading in 1975 while in the Navy and never stopped.
There is a lesson to be learned here but not to be acted upon at this time I'm afraid.
Kudos on how to do it right. Best time to buy/stock up is when things are static and BORING (usually best prices then too). Once an "event" happens, it's all over for pricing and availability for who knows how long. Definite learning lesson for sure. BTW, thank you for your service.
Love the content. Brownells will take multiple discounts. You just have to find the ones that work at the time.
Thanks. I'll keep my eye out on being able to stack discounts with Brownells.
Thanks. I just set up my reloading equipment after a 24 year hiatus. Found I had 1,000 new Starline cases in .45 colt and 1,000 255 grain swc. Just add primers and powder.
No time like the present to get back into the groove after a bit of a break, regardless of how long!
Well if you could get your bullet cost very low though not zero. If you cast and PC your own bullets, the cost would be close to nothing except the cost of the PC and the 'sweat equity' of scrounging for scrap lead - after the initial start up cost. A Lee 4-20 pot, a Lee 2 cavity bullet mold, and a thrift store toaster over (trust me you would find many), then some lead and powder PC.All of that today would be less than $200. Powder PC is often apx $10 a pound or less. Not sure how many bullets a pound does but I'd bet the number is in the thousands. If you live where there are lots of public shooting spots into dirt berms usually thats a gold mine to 'sift' for range scrap. Its the easiest way to free bullet alloy. Also switching to cast PC shooting would lower your powder costs compared to reloaded jacketed.
Scrounging for lead is now, at least around me, much easier said than done. Gone are the days of swinging by tire/auto repair shops and taking (or buying) wheel weights.
@@ReLoadersBench Most rural areas will have at least a few spots where people target shoot.You might have to research the county online for where people shoot on public lands. You might end up driving a little to get there. End of summer the ground is usually dry and if you can find a decent sandy berm, usually a days worth of sifting usually gets me apx 250lbs of range scrap. After jackets and debris maybe 210-220lbs of clean ingots. Get the small square aviary steel screen, a 2x4 and a 1x3 and some screws and gorilla glue and make a screen sifter. Sure it takes about 8 hours total sifting time to get the lead, and then time to sort and melt down to ingots, but I havent paid for lead in over 10 yrs now sifting range scrap. Usually comes out around 10bhn
@@ReLoadersBench those were the good old days. My dad worked as a mechanic for 35yrs. We had Antifreeze jugs filled with used wheel weights for years. Down to the last 200 or so lbs of ingots we cast from them. We used to reload 9mm for about 3 cents/round.
Yeah the days when you could take a pack of cheap beer to a service station and haul off two 5 gallon buckets of wheel weights is over. Now they are mostly zinc. Marketplace, Craigslist, or just people you know, generally I can find lead around $1 a pound if I have to process into ingots (big bricks of boat ballast, cable shielding, and so on) but I might pay $2 for ingots of a hard alloy that are already fluxed and clean.
I am soo glad that I stocked up on supplies for my reloading before covid and lot before Biden. I am a hoarder when it comes too reloading everything. If I need bullets I shop at local stores and never have anything shipped too me.
Was reloading a 1000 rounds of 9mm several years ago for $130. My reloaders have been under dust covers for close to 4 years now. Buying new ammo for years now.
At one time about 20 years ago there were several places you could buy once fired brass. I don't remember the places but don't know if that is even an option anymore.
Midway USA has once fired brass.
If you watch GunBroker you can sometimes get good deals. Personally I look for unprocessed brass. Otherwise you’re likely to get stuff with gummed up media. Some of it might be wet tumbled with primers still in. Leaving them sit like that seems to lead to ringers. I’d prefer as picked up, and I’ll decap and pin tumble.
8 Years ago, I was paying $125 for 5000 genix primers. I bought 15,000 at that price. I scored at the time a great deal on 231 powder for $20 a pound, so I bought 20lbs. Bullets were always bought on sale (usually Veteran's Day) and in bulk. I probably picked up over the course of one summer about 20,000 pieces of brass. I'm set for years. I can't believe how much reloading costs now!
I like that little black bucket... where did you get it?
That is a MidwayUSA branded "bag"/pouch. I searched my purchase history on that site, but I got pissed at them back in 2019 and deleted my then account, so all my older purchase history is gone so I was unable to find it. Did a search on a number of terms and don't see it.
I don't reload for the purpose of saving money, it's a hobby I love doing. There was a time when you could save a ton of money reloading bulk ammo but that time is not now.
I don't buy powder and primers online , the hazmat fees make the prices obscene. When I see stuff on the shelves I buy it all!!
With today's prices it's hard to beat factory ammo for 9mm and .45 and if you add in the brass I can't make it cheaper. I buy factory 9mm for the same cost as reloading and I get free brass..
.14 cents a primer is absolutely insane , I'm still using primers I bought for 3 cents each but those days are numbered.
If you wait for Brownells no hazmat. You can also get a coupon for 8 to 10 percent off. So no hazmat and no shipping cost. Works every time.
I've caught those every once in a while as individual incentives, but never together. I clearly need to pay better attention!
Long time reloader as are many others . Range brass there's no way of knowing how many times it's been reloaded back setting a bullet in a gas gun can be catastrophic sold my Dillion when prices went wild. Am enjoying my rimfire more now.
You can always spot a reloader at the range. Their ammo will be in either a "bag" (clear plastic, pouch, etc.) of some sorts or for the "serious" reloaders their reloads will be in the plastic ammo boxes. Reloaders don't let their brass hit the ground (i.e., revolvers/bolt action rifles) if they can help it and if it is hitting the ground, it doesn't stay there long. That usually means the brass that others are leaving on the ground tends to be once shot, brand new. I'm good with that and have not run into issues. I remember a few years ago when press prices went through the roof and no one had inventory. Crazy times.
I recently started restacking some ammo cans and ran across an unmarked can. Inside was a box of 45 ACP marked at $15.99 and a box of 30-30 at $12. The receipt was in the box from 1995. Are you in CA ?
Nice to step back in time to see prices from 30 years ago....
How many grains of powder do you use in your. 45?
for my video I used ~5gr which would be yield ~1,400 (7,000gr powder / 5gr per casing). But it really depends on your specific recipe (bullet and powder). For example, when I load 230gr RN with WST, my target charge is ~4gr, which would yield ~1,750 loads (7,000gr/4gr) and that would actually lower my estimated reloading cost per round. YMMV.
@ReLoadersBench It sorta sounds like you're the small percentage of reloaders doing it to save money. I've been reloading for a little over two years now myself, that's why I was asking. I use 9.2 gr of Accurate #7 in my .45acp myself.
@@Modine. I like to compare the theoretical cost savings of reloading over buying commercial. I don't actually believe I'm "saving" money as I tend to spend way too much on any/everything that may make reloading more enjoyable (like right now "eyeing" the new Hornady case trimmer - do I need it? Absolutely not. Do I want it? Kind of). The true benefit of reloading to me personally, is the actual process/steps and results. I don't know if I reload to shoot or shoot to reload. In either case, it's a win. So for me, it's my "therapy". Reloading gives me control over every aspect of creating that round. The brass, primer, bullet and powder. Fine tuning a round for a particular firearm. Buying off the shelf doesn't allow that. You don't even know what powder is used in commercial ammo. Then there is the availability factor. 9mm is marginally cost "effective" to reload (depending on what you paid for your components) when things are good (no mass un-alivings, pandemic, etc.). But when 9mm (or any other caliber) is COMPLETELY unavailable (think back to 2021-2022 with the cough) at any price, then what's that reloaded 9mm (or other caliber) worth now? Too many other factors besides savings, but people like to talk savings so I make my videos for other to enjoy/comment. Welcome to the never ending (learning, new gear, fun, frustration, etc.) journey of reloading.
@@ReLoadersBench Sense you mentioned the number of rounds you were getting from your powder more than a couple of times it just came across as a cost savings measure more than anything, sorry if I miss understood.
@@Modine. - Absolutely no worries and no misunderstanding on your part. The video was intended to focus on cost as that seems to be an important variable to many. I just wanted to call out what it would cost me if that was my focus. All good.
.45 a cartridge casts well from wheelwrights and range scrap. The primer shortage is artificial and hopefully a problem to be solved Jan 20th. The founders would never have left ammunition or militia rifle production in the hands if England and their auxiliaries.
So much of what's happing around "shortages" and price gouging is artificial and by design...all about the Benjamins IMO.
CA is a sucky place. .30 in bulk with some with free shipping if volume is high enough. Time has value also.
Well upside, at high cost of .30
That only $15 a box of 50 rounds.
Great price for 45acp
Funny, I'm only loading SPP and scrapping the LPP. I find SPP are cheaper and easier to find.
Sacreligious!!!!!!! Just kidding. If it works for you good deal.
NV is next door
Time to move to a free state. Thankful Texas does not charge extra fees and requires shipping to a gun store.
Agreed...for retirement. I want a ranch house with property for my range to use from my porch! I just bought a lottery ticket!
@@ReLoadersBench Same dream