How Do I Save Money On AMMO?

Hatcher's Armory
#1

@coloneldan I have been wanting to dive further into this idea. But, I haven’t been successful in finding large savings short of going the recycling route that @Axel_Ohmstede is trying to do where he is making his own bullets from lead he gathers. From the exterior Axel’s plan seems to be falling out of favor as sources of free lead are drying up, mainly tire weights are transitioning to steel and linotype is no longer a part of printing in scale. But, as he has been gathering and I’m only looking from the outside he may have more sources than I know of.

I thought buying in bulk might be an option for me, but I don’t know where we can go to get bulk discounts on loaded ammo or components? Most places I find the pricing structures stop at 1000 and the discounts at that level are minimal. If we could find a source for bulk and we had to do a group buy to get in on it, I’d be up for buying 5k to 10k in 9, 38, and 45. If we had a few others maybe we could get in the range to get a wholesale order if we had a supplier. I’d be up for components to reload or possibly already loaded ammo. Plus, once I had my supplies, you bet I’d get some consistent reloading classes. :wink:

So do any of us have contact with wholesale components or loaded ammo?

Do any of us have consistent sources for free or cheap lead? If we do, maybe it is time for Hatchers to invest in casting options because in the scale of 4 or 5 big shooters this may be a reasonable option for the committee. Casting bullets would lend directly into reloading we could also unite with creative art, fired arts, and fine metals on the casting setup as it would be some what cross committee.

#2

https://gun.deals/category/ammo

This is what I use ultimately I found it was much more expensive to load my own.

But personally I generally try to buy 1-2K at a time per caliber is where I get the most savings.

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#3

Early this year I had a conversation with a co-worker about .223 ammo.
He is a good guy, seems to know what he is talking about. I think he spends time on the side with a rural volunteer police department.

Internet is going to have the best offers, starting with http://www.luckygunner.com/ . Other sites he mentioned are https://www.sportsmansguide.com/ , https://www.midwayusa.com/ , https://www.aimsurplus.com/ , https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/ . I have not gotten around to really looking through any of these sites till now, but lucky gunner .223 get down to 23.5¢/round.

Cheap ammo can be cheap quality. Here are some tips that I jotted down:

  • Tool Ammo is Dirty - Nothing wrong with it if you like cleaning your gun
  • Silver Bear is okay stuff
  • Wolf is good plink-plink, cleaner than Silver Bear
  • Steel casing rounds are cheaper than brass, but not for reloading

Past these notes, I have not really looked through any of the sites or done price comparisons. Some of you may have already had good/bad experiences with these sites.

While the core of my reply is based on rounds of ammo, these sites appear to also sell components - Maybe Hatchers sees some deals on that level too.

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#4

Rocky Mountain Reloading, they might be willing to work with us.

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#5

@BenjaminGroves and I match in our level of research and rules of thumb we have figured I have a post it with those same points on my desk. Lucky gunner is new to me. The steel case is the biggest point for me. Not all gun ranges allow steel case to be shot at them and steel casings are useless for reloading to my knowledge.

@Robert_Davidson gun deals is new to me as well.
As for cost of reloading being much more expensive in what ways are you meaning? I’ve found that buying all components similar to the components used in shelf ammo end up being slightly cheaper to slightly more expensive on the first loading and saving tend to be in bulk and reuse of brass. But, like I’ve stated I haven’t found massive saving.
I know many add in the time it takes to reload as a cost and if I where doing it to make money for a business I would agree with that point. But, If I’m trying to extend the money invested into a hobby I tend to not count my time as a expense. Is this the point that makes it much more expensive in your view? Thanks for sharing.

#6

Yes. I own part of a business that holds an FFL and SOT, and have plenty of contacts with distributors that can purchase both components and loaded ammunition.

That being said, there are alternatives to going through wholesalers when it comes to ammunition group buys. It just depends on what you want.

Almost certainly not.

Also, and fair warning here, the cost of lead has made casting an exercise that you enjoy, not one that you do to save money. You can purchase cast lead bullets shipped to you cheaper than you can acquire the lead to roll your own.

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#7

Consider why you want to reload ammunition. It’s not cheaper to reload though it has many other pros (enjoying making something, rare or commercially unavailable stuff, customization, etc.). The cheapest option is going to be bulk assembled ammo purchased online. For example $0.15 per round of 9mm is going to be hard to beat.

http://www.sgammo.com/product/wolf-or-wpa/1000-rounds-9mm-luger-115-grain-fmj-steel-case-wolf-wpa-polyformance-or-military

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#8

I was not buying apples to apples components when I did it myself I have no doubt i purchased more premium bullets and casings than some of the items that I have purchased in the past.

So your YMMV but for me it was just cheaper for bulk plinking ammo to buy online.

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#9

I also buy in quantities of 1K or more at a time. First thing I do when I am ready is check out http://www.gunbot.net/ammo/pistol. They gather/scrape deals and offerings from internet into one place which can then be sorted and filtered based on your preferences. Very similar to Robert’s link…

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#10

Well that is only kind of right. If you have free brass, you are only paying for primers, powder, and bullets. Bullet .07 ea, Primer .03, powder .01 ea. that is .11 a bullet which beats the .15. But, common pistol calibers are the hardest to make reloading a viable option for saving money. Also, having free brass is a luxury that not many have the first round out. I used uncoated bullets because you used steel cased. :wink:

#11

Beware of some web sites… Southern Ohio Gun hides (on a T&C page) that they charge you 3% more if you pay by CC. You’ll see one price on checkout and a different price on your CC statement and your receipt that is in the box.

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#12

One source of " free lead " is my local NTB store. Whenever I get any work done on my car there - I bring a metal bucket and the manager hooks me up with enough wheel weights to make 1000 rounds.

Another way to free lead is to take your aluminum cans and other metal scrap to Almetco recycling in NE Lewisville and they will trade you for whatever lead they may have on hand - I’ve gotten everything from spent bullets to pounds of fishing weights from there.

And lastly - find it yourself whilst walking the dog. I pick up both cans and wheel weights when I walk the fur children.

I have also gotten free lead out of stained glass windows and old lead battery cable connectors. ( Not the battery internals which are hazardous - careful)

I have also mined fired rounds out of my cousins backstop at his outdoor range.

So - anyone who can’t be bothered to go out and GET the free lead likely won’t simply trip over any - true… You do actually have to leave your living room and go get it :slight_smile:

I purify my scrap lead into ingots in my fire pit using a old metal pot and I pour these into a muffin tin.

I cast when it’s cold and do about 600 bullets a sitting using 6 rd molds - I reload all year round.

50 rds of new reasonable quality factory ammo in .40 S&W runs about $30/box at the range. If I cast lead rounds - I come under $5/ box If I buy plated bullets - I come under $7/ box. My press and gear has paid for itself twice in the last 3 years.

I am mildly OCD and a Picky SOB - so I don’t use a powder thrower - I measure out each powder load - and I believe my own loads to be more reliable than factory ammo by a few percentage points and have NO doubt my loads are more consistent in powder charge. In my last 6000 rounds - I have experienced 3 duds and no squibs.

I have just purchased the means to make my own JHP in .40 and will likely make some for trade and some for my own reloading to defray the cost of the new dies.

As for large buys of bulk ammo and bulk supplies - I’m not a fan - I don’t want to be on the lists you land on. I buy supplies for cash or trade for them. I prefer not to show up in that respect.

And, as I said - I prefer my own quality and the ability to customize to need or desire. When I make it myself I have no doubt what I’ve got - and I have learned more about ammunition making it myself.

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#13

Thanks for the info!

Could I talk you into a class on DIY jacketed .40 process? I would love to see the process to learn. I would also love to have a class on casting lead slug bullets as well. Casting gear isn’t too expensive and might be a goal of the committee to gather some. I have a want to do a plink event in the future where we get members to load ammo in the class and we take it all out to show how it works. Maybe run a few contests of skill and do some position training at the event.

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#14

I keep screwing with my wife about buying 20k. 124 JHP only .083 per projectile.

IMG_0435.PNG640×1136 170 KB

#15

This is awesome. I’m going to start the collecting process. Just last week my son bought new tires at Discount. I wonder if they do the same thing. Surely they have to dispose of the lead since it is probably not reusable. Thanks for the tip.

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#16

That is about $5.60 savings per 1000 rounds if my math is right. I would jump in for the group buy, but I’m looking for plain FMJ for my shooting which are about $10 per 1000 cheaper than the JHP at 20,000 from RMR. I mainly shoot at ranges and with buddies so I don’t have the need for a bunch of self defense rounds and saving $50 for a quarter of an order sounds like a good plan.

I wonder what the best deal on 115 FMJ 9mm bullets are right now?

Thanks for sharing the wife scare tactics with us. :slight_smile:

#17

I reload in order to get quality ammo at bulk prices or to make specialized ammo at reasonable prices.

A lot of people that shoot competition don’t reload to save money but to tune their ammo to the requirements of their sport.

So, I buy bulk ammo for other people to shoot when they come to visit and I load my own ammo for hunting and target purposes.

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#18

Here is a video of one of RMR projectile making machines. Something somewhat hypnotic about it.

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#19

Let me make a few 100 .40 JHP in the new die before I present it to anyone else. I like to make my first mistakes and gotchas in private. :slight_smile: As for casting - sure - any time once it’s cold out - I don’t currently have any scrap lead needing purifying.

As for 9mm cast rounds - I have several 100 laying on my bench that aren’t doing anything - I’ll bring you some to play with. I got 9mm molds to make rounds for relatives. I find 9mm too light a round for me to want to use myself. Not enough stopping power and won’t penetrate a vehicle windshield - ask me about why this is a consideration next time I see you.

I cast outdoors when it’s cold - so I’d likely do a casting class in mid November.

As for a pistol reloading class - we need to get our heads together for a class agenda / syllabus - work out costs and supplies - and set a date. At a minimum class participants would need to pitch in for powder, primers and bullets. Brass we seem to be accumulating enough of.

START COLLECTING MISTAKES! - cracked & bulging shells and errors - nothing like visual aids.

I’d love to find a local range that would swap us free assorted brass and maybe give us a discount to hold our shooting event there as well. If they’d give us a bucket of spent lead that’d be great too. Steven said he knew a local range owner or two. Russell might as well.

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#20

I left the cast 9mm rounds marked for you in Hatchers on the shelf.

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