Cost of Hand Loading

Written by

Russ Kaufmann

in

It is horrible when the wife asks how much something costs. Absolutely horrible. Then, a gun loving friend asked me. Well, now I need to think about it. I will focus on just one caliber, 300 BLK, but the idea is pretty much the same for different calibers.

The costs come down to:

  • Equipment – which lasts forever
  • Supplies – consumed for each round

Equipment – I tend to do things on the cheap, and I also buy stuff so I can reload a step at a time and reload around my other activities in life, like watching TV300Blk Cast.

  • Hand Primer – I use an RCBS hand primer tool, and prime cases when sitting on my couch. $45
  • Hand Press – I use a Lee hand press for several steps of reloading. For example, I can use it to size brass while I am in a teleconference meeting. $65
  • Single Stage Press – I use an inexpensive Lee press for when I want to sit down and just crank out a task like crimping a couple of hundred rounds, quickly. $80
  • Powder Dispenser – I use a Lee Powder Measurer. $35
  • Powder Scale – I use a Lee Beam Scale. $40
  • Case Trimmer – I use an RCBS Pro 2. $135
  • Deburring Tool – I have no idea what brand/model it is. $15
  • Die Set – Decapping, forming, bullet seating, factory crimp, etc. $40
  • Ammo Checker – I like to verify several rounds meet spec at a time. $30
  • Lead Melter – I started casting, and it is saving a ton. $75
  • Lee Mold – I bought a cheap two cavity 230 grain mold for my subsonics. $45
  • Lead ladle and melting pot and other stuff – I got them at a yard sale. $20
  • Lead Mold – Old Corn Muffin cast iron pan – $5

Total investment for equipment is approx: $630

Supplies – I buy lots of stuff all at once, but I tried to put current prices on it, per round.

  • Lead – I try to get it as cheap as possible, free and up to $2 per pound which is 7 cents per bullet.
  • Powder Coat – I have no idea how much I spend, but $12 per pound last about a billion rounds. I will count this as 1 cent per round. It is probably much less.
  • Primers – 4 cents per round.
  • Powder – I figure $190 for 8 pounds. The cost for 20 grains (I use less) is less than 7 cents per round.
  • Brass – Free

Total cost per round: Under $0.19

If you buy your own projectiles, on the cheap end, you can count on at least 16 cents per projectile, vs the 7 cents for cast, which would push your cost per round to about 27 cents per round. Even that is a huge savings over retail.

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