Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Reloading equipment, methods, load data, powder and projectile information.

Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Post by therealshabado » 30 Nov 2021, 4:43 pm

HI Team!

I am just starting out in IPSC and it seems like many of the more experienced members reload to save money and for better results.

I started to look into it but I cant make the maths work out. These are the cheapest I could find
Primers ~$140 for 1000 https://shootersdelight.com.au/product/ ... 00-pieces/
Bullets ~ $160 for 1000 https://shootersdelight.com.au/product/ ... 00-pieces/
Powder ~ $80 for 7000 grains (no one seems to have pistol powder but lets just say I could get some) https://shootersdelight.com.au/product/ ... 1lb-454kg/

That is 38c a round if Brass and reloading gear was free?
I can buy factory ammo at .44c a round https://shootersdelight.com.au/product/ ... 50-rounds/

Am I missing something really fundamental here? I was imagining an approximate 50% decrease in cost to cover the significant time investment?

Thanks for you replies

James.
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Re: Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Post by Blr243 » 30 Nov 2021, 10:32 pm

If u calculated what your time is worth it’s def not worth reloading pistol. You would make more money in a clothing factory in Bangladesh .....and save yourself some lead exposure too
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Re: Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Post by bladeracer » 30 Nov 2021, 11:24 pm

I think 9mm has always been borderline for saving money, particularly if you don't already load your own ammo. If you order 10,000rds of 9mm you should do better than 44c apiece though. Rebel Gun Works I think discount 15% for just 1000rd orders, but they can't ship currently.

Just now it's virtually impossible without primers or powders, but reloading let's you make your ammo suit your purpose.

Primers are even cheaper by the 5000, and 5000 don't last long shooting IPSC. If you can find them, grab them, you can always swap them for ammo.

To actually save money you need to cast your own bullets, preferably from your own recovered bullets, but I don't think ranges let people recover bullets these days. Shooting the same lead over and over again does make for cheap shooting. I think it's only a matter of time until they try stopping us from recovering our own brass due to the primer residue contamination.

Lead (pure sheet, bird shot, bullet alloy) generally runs around $11/kg currently, although you may find it cheaper if you look around. A kilo of lead makes about 100 147gn bullets, or 130 115gn - under 10c per bullet. Again though, order bulk and you'll get cheaper prices on bullets as well.

Powders are your immediate problem though. ADI is normally about $140/kg, or $450/4kg, but trying to find any pistol/shotgun powders is difficult. Unfortunately, if you can find other manufacturer's powders, they are quite expensive.

When I was shooting IPSC, a club member loaded ammo for maybe 20% of the club members, for just enough profit to make his own shooting free. Oddly, the club even then didn't recover lead for their own use, but I think they had a bulk supply deal with Westcastings.

As for time factor, just as nobody pays for your time shooting, nobody pays for your time making your ammo. For some of us, we can make our ammo quicker than going to a shop to buy it.


therealshabado wrote:HI Team!

I am just starting out in IPSC and it seems like many of the more experienced members reload to save money and for better results.

I started to look into it but I cant make the maths work out. These are the cheapest I could find
Primers ~$140 for 1000 https://shootersdelight.com.au/product/ ... 00-pieces/
Bullets ~ $160 for 1000 https://shootersdelight.com.au/product/ ... 00-pieces/
Powder ~ $80 for 7000 grains (no one seems to have pistol powder but lets just say I could get some) https://shootersdelight.com.au/product/ ... 1lb-454kg/

That is 38c a round if Brass and reloading gear was free?
I can buy factory ammo at .44c a round https://shootersdelight.com.au/product/ ... 50-rounds/

Am I missing something really fundamental here? I was imagining an approximate 50% decrease in cost to cover the significant time investment?

Thanks for you replies

James.
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Re: Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Post by Rwd22 » 01 Dec 2021, 6:17 pm

It really depends on what components you want to use and what you can actually find.

Mine are currently costing me 23c per round or $234/1000. The cheapest factory ammo I am aware of at the moment (That's in stock) is $365/1000, which is a super special on Winchester 124gr FMJ thru Cleaver's. (The only costs I've factored are projectile, powder and primer).

Re-calculation with some of the components I've topped up recently put me at 25c/ea or $251/1000.
When I go to top up some more components, I'm expecting that price to jump to around 29/30c ea.

For the volume myself and mrs have been shooting, I can easily validate the cost of my Dillon XL750, accessories and time.

But for the moment, I'd be stocking up on a heap of factory ammo, lots of guys that don't have/wont have reloading components are going to be buying it.
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Re: Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Post by rc42 » 01 Dec 2021, 11:09 pm

Bear in mind that every time ammo stocks run low and a new import comes in (if one comes in) the prices will be 20% - 30% higher, we're in for a rough few years of high inflation across all imports according to most economists. I would urge everyone to get comfortable stock levels if you can afford to, sooner rather than later.

For those new to pistol reloading, you'll have plenty of time to look at youtube videos about the process before you get to start in about 3 years, who knows what the economics will be like then but 9mm at $1 per round will not be as ridiculous as it currently sounds.

For me, pistol reloading is a fun part of the hobby to develop recipes for different competitions such as low recoil for ISSF or Bullseye types, heavy projectiles and slower powders for silhouette and power factor for IPSC. It's also surprising how much difference the load can make to group size on a target. Factory ammo severely limits options, especially when shortages are looming.
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Re: Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Post by therealshabado » 02 Dec 2021, 6:03 am

Thanks for all your answers.
I have decided that Ill just buy a 10000 of those cheap rounds that cleaver has on offer (even though it sounds like they are a bit hot) build up my casing stock and re asses the primer/powder situation in 12 months. It just seems a bit hard at the moment. Also it will give me the opportunity to stock up when/if things come on sale instead of having to pay todays market price.

Thanks again team.
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Re: Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Post by ob1 » 02 Dec 2021, 9:44 am

You can also re-use the factory loaded components from Cleavers to tailor your own loads to suit the recoil and power factor you desire.

You will need access to a loading press. Ask a friend if you can use their press.

Pull the bullet ( https://ultimatereloader.com/2016/12/16 ... et-puller/ ) and collect the powder, case and projectile.

Resize the case without removing the primer.
Fill with desired powder load.
Seat and crimp.

You then have a softer shooting round without having to buy any components.
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Re: Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Post by rc42 » 02 Dec 2021, 10:18 pm

ob1 wrote:Fill with desired powder load.


The one big flaw in an otherwise good (if time consuming) process, unless your desire is a different amount of the same powder that just came out.
It could be years before pistol powder is back on the shelves.
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Re: Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Post by ob1 » 03 Dec 2021, 12:22 am

Same powder.

Shooting hot 9mm factory loads is not optimal for IPSC matches. Spend a bit of time and produce better ammo. The components are already there, they just need adjusting.
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Re: Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Post by Rwd22 » 03 Dec 2021, 11:19 am

The other option is to talk to someone like TigerShark in Brisbane. I've never used his services, but plenty have and do regularly, he can supply loaded ammo suitable to your specs to meet PF. Cleavers also have factory Winchester 147gr ammo on special, if that works better in the PF department.

Hang onto as many of your cases as possible, start collecting projectiles and reloading tools in anticipation for the arrival of components. Alliant powder is due into the country in the short-term future and regarding primers, I'm not sure where Aus will be with primers manufactured outside of the US. US made primers are going to be the problem.
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Re: Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Post by yoshie » 03 Dec 2021, 6:23 pm

Can't shoot FMJs on a lot of ranges
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Re: Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Post by bladeracer » 03 Dec 2021, 6:36 pm

yoshie wrote:Can't shoot FMJs on a lot of ranges


Sounds like the people running the ranges need educating then, wrapping a piece of lead in a thin copper jacket doesn't make it magical, it's still just a piece of lead.
The only issue might be rifle bullets that could have a penetrator inside them, but I don't think many people use them in handguns.
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Re: Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Post by rc42 » 04 Dec 2021, 4:06 pm

We've seen the left over jackets from FMJ projectiles on our range, even though they shouldn't be used there.
They look like small copper Frisbees with lots of sharp edges, very dangerous if they come back at you and ricochets can be unpredictable with those things. It's understandable why many ranges ban them and no attempts at 'education' is going to get those particular rules changed. I share the view that they are right to be in place.

Copper washed and plated are OK so things like Berry's projectiles are no problem, they just deform like cast lead when hitting steel targets and have the same benefits as FMJ for keeping barrels free of leading.

This is all about pistol ranges though, rifle ranges have to allow FMJ as nothing else will stand up to the muzzle velocities in rifles and the targets are so much further away that the copper sheath isn't coming back again.
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Re: Reloading finances for IPSC shooting

Post by bladeracer » 04 Dec 2021, 4:21 pm

I think "very" dangerous is a stretch, marginally dangerous perhaps. Aren't there distance minimums when shooting at steel nowadays in IPSC? Lead fragments have been known to come back from steel targets as well, but are hardly lethal. If jackets were a genuine problem they wouldn't be allowed on any pistol range anywhere in the world.

rc42 wrote:We've seen the left over jackets from FMJ projectiles on our range, even though they shouldn't be used there.
They look like small copper Frisbees with lots of sharp edges, very dangerous if they come back at you and ricochets can be unpredictable with those things. It's understandable why many ranges ban them and no attempts at 'education' is going to get those particular rules changed. I share the view that they are right to be in place.

Copper washed and plated are OK so things like Berry's projectiles are no problem, they just deform like cast lead when hitting steel targets and have the same benefits as FMJ for keeping barrels free of leading.

This is all about pistol ranges though, rifle ranges have to allow FMJ as nothing else will stand up to the muzzle velocities in rifles and the targets are so much further away that the copper sheath isn't coming back again.
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