How can you calculate the cost of reloading shotgun shells?

Answer 1

Depends on whether or not you already have a reloading press. If you do, then don't figure in the cost of the press. If you don't, you can get a Lee shotshell Press for around $40.00 It's pretty much plastic and aluminum, but very durable and should load thousands of rounds with no problems. You figure the price of components against the number of rounds you can load with those components. You will need hulls, unless you already have them, primers, powder, wads, and shot. Lets start with shot. Shot normally comes in 25 lb bags. If you plan on loading 1 oz of shot per shell, then you multiply 16 oz per lb by 25 lb and find that you can load 400 shells with one bag of shot. Let's say the bag of shot costs $19.00 Write $19.00 down on a piece of paper. Now lets say that you can get 100 primers for $2.50. Since we're figuring up how much it costs to load 400 shells, multiply $2.50 times 4 to get $10.00 for 400 primers. Put $10.00 under your $19.00 on that piece of paper. Same thing for wads and powder. Figure out how much 400 wads will cost you, add that amount to the piece of paper, and how much enough powder for 400 shells will cost you, and add that amount as well. If you have to buy hulls, add that cost as well, but remember that you will be able to use those hulls 4 to 6 times before replacing. Add all of these amounts to find out how much it will cost to load 400 shells, then divide by 25 to get your cost per box. Now all you have to do is compare your cost per box to the retail price per box to see how much you are saving. Personally, when I need to replace the hulls, I find it cheaper to buy new shells and save the hulls for reloading, than to buy new hulls alone or even once-fired hulls.