Silly Question

[Rollie]

I'm on a fact finding mission and have a question.

How many bullets would 1# (lb) of powder make.

And is there a formula (i.e. 1# / ????) = ?.

I'm just trying to figure out costs now.

Thanks

[Mongchi]

1lb of powder equals 7,000gr. so if you are using say 7gr of Power Pistol for a 38Spec, 1lb will load 1,000 rounds. If you are loading say a 300 Win Mag with 70gr you will only get 100 rounds.

Now that is bang for your buck!

Steve

[Rollie]

For a .40 SW ?

For a .45 Colt and ACP


Thanks

[Rollie]

Also I am pricing out Brass, bullets, primers and powder and it seems that the price is not that much different than buying. So i am going to make an assumption than I am doing something wrong or just have no clue what I am doing?

Brass 1000 $90
Bullet 1000 $100
Primer 1000 $30
Powder ~ $15

Equals about $235 per 1000 rounds for 165 gr .40 FMJ.

Am I totally off base.

[Mongchi]

A guy on this site Versifier once told me, First off, one current manual is not enough to properly evaluate loads. Sometimes there are occasional mistakes in data entry, and even the best proofreaders make an occasional slip. Two is minimum, three is insurance.

What I am trying to say is depending on the bullet and powder and velocity you want the amount of powder will change. Most powders will load between 800-1200 rounds per pound. The best thing to do is get say 3 books and look at the at what they recommend for powder charges. You can also get info from the powder and bullet manufactures web site.

Hope this helps.
Steve

[Mongchi]

Your very close on the price. If you are buying new brass, that can cost you, but when you reload the brass is when the price drops.

Steve

[Rollie]

Firing an automatic how do i get the brass since it ejects it all over?

I figured reloading my brass would be cheaper.

[Mongchi]

I pick it up on my hands and knees. If you at an indoor range you can sweep it into a pile first.

Under my Dad's deck there are probably tens of thousand of spent brass. Just pick up what you can.

You can save some on "Once Shot" brass. Before I started reloading, which by the way, was not long ago, the guy at the rilfe range loved me. They would pick up (after politely asking) my once shot brass. At the time I didn't know what I was losing. Now I ask friend and family to save me theirs. I probably have 200-300 spent cases of 45 Auto and I don't even own a 45. But some day I might!

Steve

[versifier]

There have been all kinds of ideas to catch the brass semi autos spit out, including mowing the lawn close, tarps, baffles, and a little thingy (technical term) that you wear on your hand with a net that catches the brass. Get creative, we all do.

Prices on everything shooting related right now are off the deep end and tool and supply manufacturers can't keep up with current demand. It's probably the only healthy section of the whole economy. Hopefully things will calm down after the panic buying and hoarding is over and folks find themselves with 10x more supplies than they will ever use in two lifetimes. Then we can prowl the yard sales and clean up. I am not expecting prices on factory ammo to drop at all, it never has before, but I am hoping that those on reloading supplies will get back to sane levels. As long as the government doesn't do something bone-headed that is.

[runfiverun]

where you save money s in buying in bulk.
this does two things for you .more consistency then even factory can provide,and you can tailor the power level you need.
if you buy in 8lb cannisters it is like getting a pound of ppowder free.
buying bullets in bulk will save you also.
primers nowdays are the same price whether you buy 1 box or five in the same sleeve however all 5 are from the same lot.
so lets run it down for a 40.
8 lbs of powder='s about 140.00
5,000 primers is about 150.00
and 5,000 bullets in bulk is lets say 400.00
so for 690.00 with your scrounged 250 pieces of brass you get 5,000 rounds and
if your charge is 6 grains you have enough powder left over for about 4,000 more rounds.
now the cost of 5,000 rounds if you can find them is gonna be what?
450.00 per thousand lets say 400 x5 ='s $2,000,run the numbers the second time now.
5,000 primers 150.00
5,000 bullets=400.00 again
and new rem brass at 200 per thousand.
man bullets are expensive no wonder i make my own.
by casting them 5,000 costs less then 100.00.
so for 1440 dollars you have shot 9,000 rounds, still 600.00 less then buying 5,000 new.
you have just paid for a dillon 550 and a die set. and still have 1,000 primers,bullets and some brass kicking around.