Is the price of reloading shotgun cartridges getting better value

[Redgum]

I've been reloading 12gauge for a while now basically as I was given four tubs of red dot and 30kilos of 6 shot when my father had a clear out. I have notice a lot more posts on reloading for shotguns, does this mean its starting to become more cost effective as it was cheaper to buy loaded that to reload ( unless you go back 40yrs )

[hawkeye]

I find it a lot cheaper but there are 3 of us and we buy in bulk for bigger discounts we also make our own shot and that is the biggest saving..

[Guest cookoff013]

I have beaten factory prices a few times.

I can't compete for clay fodder.

[Uncle Albert]

You are unlikely to compete for clay loads but even so I find reloads perform better than factory loads and you can get a load you want for whatever game you are shooting. It's a very addictive addition to your hobby and means you don't have to be so dependant on gun shops stocking shells you want.

 

Have a look at the cost of using Vectan powder. It's about half the price of American powders.

Edited January 17, 2016 by Uncle Albert

[rovercoupe]

I do it because I can!

[Guest cookoff013]

I do it because I can!

That's about it from me too. A bit of fun and often a few good things can happen on the way.

[kent]

for me its all about supply i only load for the ten and the reason was getting what i wanted without getting ten seasons supply in each time.

I have an itch to scratch with lighter fast steel wildfowling loads in 3" 12 but as yet gamebore are working just fine

[pestcontrol1]

for me its all about supply i only load for the ten and the reason was getting what i wanted without getting ten seasons supply in each time.

I have an itch to scratch with lighter fast steel wildfowling loads in 3" 12 but as yet gamebore are working just fine

some good loads out there now for 3" 12G crimped and rto 1500 + fps they beat gamebore hands down.

[Lord Geordie]

For specific game loads and your own special stuff, its cheaper to reload!

 

What I find odd though, the cost of cartridges went spiraling upward! We get told the cost of fuel is one reason, then when lead prices peaked a few year back they went up AGAIN.

 

Since then BOTH the price of lead crashed, and fuel fell by approx 40p per litre!

 

 

Anyone noticed a drop in prices to reflect this? No? Neither have I

 

Get ready to get shafted again when oil prices recover! Oh, that will be because fuel has gone up in price

Edited January 17, 2016 by Lord Geordie

[pestcontrol1]

I've been reloading 12gauge for a while now basically as I was given four tubs of red dot and 30kilos of 6 shot when my father had a clear out. I have notice a lot more posts on reloading for shotguns, does this mean its starting to become more cost effective as it was cheaper to buy loaded that to reload ( unless you go back 40yrs )

All depends on what you load like has been said i find that you get a better cartridge than factory loads and you can simply put what ever size shot you want in your cartridge ( i like 24 gram #5 lead and 24 gram #3 #4 steel ) as for saving money well some you win some you don"t. As for clay loads i use reclaimed shot so i can churn them out at a cheapish price not sure how much off the top of my head. But its all about the fun of reloading it is very addictive and therapeutic

[pestcontrol1]

For specific game loads and your own special stuff, its cheaper to reload!

 

What I find odd though, the cost of cartridges went spiraling upward! We get told the cost of fuel is one reason, then when lead prices peaked a few year back they went up AGAIN.

 

Since then BOTH the price of lead crashed, and fuel fell by approx 40p per litre!

 

 

Anyone noticed a drop in prices to reflect this? No? Neither have I

 

Get ready to get shafted again when oil prices recover! Oh, that will be because fuel has gone up in price

When buying shot a month or so ago i asked why it was the same price as it was last year ( with the price of lead been cheap ) and got told it was all down to carriage which prompted the question but fuel has gone down to !!!!! but we have to pay what they want for the delivery. Just another reason i am going to start and make my own shot when i pull my finger out

[rjimmer]

40 years ago, home-loads were about half the price of taylor-mades. Not sure what they work out to now. Toxic shot might work out cheaper, but buying in factory cartridges in bulk would probably be the cheapest way for lead loads.

[deershooter]

The manufacturers are ripping us off why should 28 gram 5 shot be £240 per 1000 when 28 gram 7.5 shot are £150

 

Rip off Britain again

 

Reloading

 

28 kg lead £77

1000 primers £24

1000 wads £18

1.3 kg powder £39

 

Total £158 But remember these are equal to Hull Sovering , Eley Supurbs, express super comp , not the cheap fodder

[Guest cookoff013]

The manufacturers are ripping us off why should 28 gram 5 shot be £240 per 1000 when 28 gram 7.5 shot are £150

Rip off Britain again

Reloading

28 kg lead £77

1000 primers £24

1000 wads £18

1.3 kg powder £39

Total £158 But remember these are equal to Hull Sovering , Eley Supurbs, express super comp , not the cheap fodder

- what he said, n some more !

[pestcontrol1]

The manufacturers are ripping us off why should 28 gram 5 shot be £240 per 1000 when 28 gram 7.5 shot are £150

 

Rip off Britain again

 

Reloading

 

28 kg lead £77

1000 primers £24

1000 wads £18

1.3 kg powder £39

 

Total £158 But remember these are equal to Hull Sovering , Eley Supurbs, express super comp , not the cheap fodder

I need to shop at the same place as you lol i can"t get them prices where i go :-(

[rbrowning2]

The manufacturers are ripping us off why should 28 gram 5 shot be £240 per 1000 when 28 gram 7.5 shot are £150

Rip off Britain again

Reloading

28 kg lead £77

1000 primers £24

1000 wads £18

1.3 kg powder £39

Total £158 But remember these are equal to Hull Sovering , Eley Supurbs, express super comp , not the cheap fodder

The good old days of cut-offs and a group of mates making shot on a Saturday afternoon, they were the happy days.

 

Can never see reloading being as cheap as it was then.

Edited January 19, 2016 by rbrowning2

[deershooter]

I need to shop at the same place as you lol i can"t get them prices where i go :-(

Any one can ,you just have to buy large amounts my last wad order was 30,000 and I have been known to buy a ton of shot, yes 1000kg , and primers in 9600 's

[rjimmer]

How good a deal would you get if you placed and order for 30,000 cartridges?

[deershooter]

How good a deal would you get if you placed and order for 30,000 cartridges?

5% if you were lucky

[TIGHTCHOKE]

The manufacturers are ripping us off why should 28 gram 5 shot be £240 per 1000 when 28 gram 7.5 shot are £150

 

Rip off Britain again

 

Reloading

 

28 kg lead £77

1000 primers £24

1000 wads £18

1.3 kg powder £39

 

Total £158 But remember these are equal to Hull Sovering , Eley Supurbs, express super comp , not the cheap fodder

 

I take your point, but the omissions from your list are the investment in the buildings and machinery and the time and labour involved.

[rjimmer]

5% if you were lucky

5% off what price? Are you suggesting that retailers only get 5% trade discount when ordering 30,000?

Edited January 20, 2016 by rjimmer

[pinfireman]

Having spent 20 years in and around the gun trade, I can tell you that reatilers make substantially more than 5% ! If you wish to cut your costs of reloading substantially, then form a club, 4 members or more, and buy your components in bulk, Wads at 5,000 a time etc... new primed cases in bulk, etc (although for 40 years I have always used once fired cases from local clay grounds ( I still have several thousand Winchester AA, and Remington RXP from the great days in the 70,s when I used to collect cases from US bases....) For bulk purchases, try SIARM in Italy. I used to get my powder & shot from cut-offs, but recently someone in South Yorkshire blabbed online about how they had "acquired" some scrap cartridges that had not been cut-off, and had shot them off! Now there are no more cut-offs!

[deershooter]

I was not implicating the dealers make 5 % that's the best a dealer will get of his standard price by ordering in excess of 30.000 shells there will be no credit ,payment would have to be made with the order as well

 

I know that a certain cartridge is available to the trade at £110 +vat per 1000 so that's £132 per 1000 these sell at £155 per 1000 that's £23 per 1000 proffet not including delivery ,handling storage

 

As far as I know this price is special offer and only available for orders over 30,000 there are no further discounts

 

The cartridge companies could sell us componants much cheaper ,but they won't as there is not enough added value for them

 

Deershooter

Edited January 30, 2016 by deershooter

[rbrowning2]

Sadly deershooter ,

 

The £23 profit is not quite correct for a VAT registered gun shop then as any vat registered business person can tell you.

 

If you sell for £155 then 20% (£31) goes to the VAT man so your profit is

 

£155 less £31 less the £110 paid for the cartridges = only £14 profit to the gun shop excluding delivery and other overheads.

 

Not a lot is it? Compared to £31 to the tax man for doing nothing.

 

If they are a small gun shop and not VAT registered then as you say they make £23 profit with £22 going the tax man, but their overheads would be higher as they would not be able to claim the VAT back for running the business expenses like energy, insurance, rent and so on.

Edited January 30, 2016 by rbrowning2

[deershooter]

Sadly deershooter ,

The £23 profit is not quite correct for a VAT registered gun shop then as any vat registered business person can tell you.

If you sell for £155 then 20% (£31) goes to the VAT man so your profit is

£155 less £31 less the £110 paid for the cartridges = only £14 profit to the gun shop excluding delivery and other overheads.

Not a lot is it? Compared to £31 to the tax man for doing nothing.

If they are a small gun shop and not VAT registered then as you say they make £23 profit with £22 going the tax man, but their overheads would be higher as they would not be able to claim the VAT back for running the business expenses like energy, insurance, rent and so on.