The firearm thread

[Mr Merde]

Thanks for the info JDK.

Just went in to Reloader's Supplies but they had sold out of the Lee 50th Anniversary sets. Have one on order though so hopefully will get my hands on it in a few weeks. Also checked out the cost of the materials and with primers at 10c each, jacketed bulk projectiles at 15c and powder at around 3c per round thats $0.28 with my own brass.

Have seen better deals on powder/primers and some lead projectiles at 8.5c each on trademe/gunriflereload.co.nz

Asked the guy at reloaders supplies about lead casting setups but his opinion was that it wasn't worthwhile due to the high cost of scrap lead now ($10/kg?). Might have to put that idea on hold until I'm certain I can find a cheap supply of lead.

I pay $2 per kg

[jono035]

I pay $2 per kg

Yeah, which is what had me confused, where was that from?

[Mr Merde]

Yeah, which is what had me confused, where was that from?

Local scrap merchants

[jono035]

Local scrap merchants

Ok, will ring around a few places and see what the story is around here.

[Mr Merde]

Ok, will ring around a few places and see what the story is around here.

Lets talk the ecconomics of casting.

There are approx 7200 gns in a pound or 15,84o gns to 1 kg

I cast .44 calibre 200gn projectiles therefore 15,840\200 = 79.2

I pay $2 for scrap lead so 200 cents\ 79.2= .53 cents per projectile.

Even if lead were $10 per kg then the cost of the projectile would only be 2.65 cents each.

Now a box of factory jacket bullets will cost you about $50 for 100 or 50 cents each. Thats 20 times more expensive than my cast bullets.

Not counting the brass.

1 head 2.6 cents (assuming lead costs me $10 kg)
1 primer 1 cent
5 gns AS50 powder 4.8 cents

So I pay 6.4 cents per bullet produced.

100 .44 mag rounds for $6.40
1000 rounds for $64.00

Match that with factory ammo or with homemade using factory projectile.

[JDK]

yea the costs soon mount up
cost me about $130 /1000 for hard cast coated bullets
say $93/1000
and about $70 /1000 for powder (AP70 at 7 Grs a load )
time not counted or brass
just a tad under 30 bucks a 100 for 45 colt down to 25 useing a brought cast bullet ..
toss in black powder at 45 bucks a pound (223 rounds per pound ) it's about 13 cents a round more but hell if it blows ya hair back who cares ..
i know some of my hunting rifles there is bugger all in it with some ammo on sale etc etc but i can build up a load that suits my rifles toped off with the type of bullet i want etc etc
catch ya
JDK

[Mr Merde]

yea the costs soon mount up
cost me about $130 /1000 for hard cast coated bullets
say $93/1000
and about $70 /1000 for powder (AP70 at 7 Grs a load )
time not counted or brass
just a tad under 30 bucks a 100 for 45 colt down to 25 useing a brought cast bullet ..
toss in black powder at 45 bucks a pound (223 rounds per pound ) it's about 13 cents a round more but hell if it blows ya hair back who cares ..
i know some of my hunting rifles there is bugger all in it with some ammo on sale etc etc but i can build up a load that suits my rifles toped off with the type of bullet i want etc etc
catch ya
JDK

Black powder is a whole new ball game.

What price the smoke , the thunder and the flame?

How do you load up your BP.

I use a filler. Considering that 50% of the powder doesnt get burnt by becomes the smoke cloud.

.44 mag, 30gns by vol BP with a topping of semolina to give the compression needed for BP.

Less recoil, just as accurate, lots of smoke, cheaper by 30% on a full load, gives me another 100 rounds or so to the lb of powder.

Shotgun is loaded straight, long range pistol calibre is a full load. Just love the 2 ft long flame from the muzzle.

[JDK]

HAHAAH well about 32 Gr's of ffG goex a 250Gr pill on top (45 colt) seems to work ok have not tryed cutting it back was shooting 80 Gr's in shot gun the earth moves HAHA
still learning tho only shot black the last few months as i gave up smokeing not too sure if thats a good thing in all ways ..
got a 3rd placeing shooting black on the west cost over the weekend so doing something right not bad for arseing up in the garden and haveing a wee sleep there
tip for young players if drinking in schools don't be the only one drinking pints and only be in one school HAHAHA
JDK

[Mr Merde]

HAHAAH well about 32 Gr's of ffG goex a 250Gr pill on top (45 colt) seems to work ok have not tryed cutting it back was shooting 80 Gr's in shot gun the earth moves HAHA
still learning tho only shot black the last few months as i gave up smokeing not too sure if thats a good thing in all ways ..
got a 3rd placeing shooting black on the west cost over the weekend so doing something right not bad for arseing up in the garden and haveing a wee sleep there
tip for young players if drinking in schools don't be the only one drinking pints and only be in one school HAHAHA
JDK

Northland regioal at bWaiuku this weekend. Cant shoot but will spectate.

Guest over from UK will be interested, he shoots BP long range at Bisley

[jono035]

1 head 2.6 cents (assuming lead costs me $10 kg)
1 primer 1 cent
5 gns AS50 powder 4.8 cents

Ok, I'll throw my numbers into the mix and see what falls out.

150gr projectiles = 10grams, so 100 projectiles per kg of lead. That is 10c per projectile at $10/kg or 2c per projectile at $2/kg.

Reloader's is selling 9mm jacketed projectiles at $75 per 500 = 15c each.
Trademe has a guy selling em lubed and sized for $85 for 1000 = 8.5c each.

At $10/kg then I'd only be saving 5c/round for jacketed or paying 1.5c/round more than the trademe guy. This is why I was concerned with what the guy said. I think your price of $2/kg is more accurate but if I have to drive to Onewhero to get the lead then it makes things a bit difficult!

Where are you getting primers from and in what quantities, that sounds like a bargain! Looking at small pistol primers (9mm) Reloaders had them at $99 for 1000 (10c each) and there are some on gunriflereload.co.nz at $150 for 2500 (6c each).

So far my numbers are looking like:
15c for jacketed projectile, 8.5c for plain lead
3c for powder ($215/2kg of AD70 at 4grains per case)
6c for primer
24c per round for jacketed, 17.5c per round for plain lead.

[The Pastor]

my uber awesome boolit is $3 / round - I win!

[Indiana_Jones]

my uber awesome boolit is $3 / round - I win!

Your prize is an empty wallet! lol yay!

-Indy

[jono035]

my uber awesome boolit is $3 / round - I win!

On that note, while I was in Reloader's Supplies I had a look at the Marlin 1894 that's a pretty nice looking lever gun although it was a bit stiffer than the Rossi that I was also looking at. $1200 but apparently for the next batch of Rossis they get in the price is going to go up to pretty close to that anyway.

[ManDownUnder]

5 gns AS50 powder 4.8 cents

5 grains? What are loading, pistol rounds? I know it's a big round but the 270WSM takes 58.5grains of 2209...

[jono035]

5 grains? What are loading, pistol rounds? I know it's a big round but the 270WSM takes 58.5grains of 2209...

9mm Parabellum: 4gr of AD70N Powder on a 147gr projectile gets 1100fps apparently.

I think Chris is referring to a .44 magnum target load possibly. Max for AD70N in .44 mag is about 11gr