Reloading cost analysis

 Reloading Cost Analysis

After my reloading debacle at the farm, I endeavored to calculate the cost of reloading AA's versus the cost of buying them.  Years ago I did this math and discovered that I was making them for about $5 a box whereas they were closer to $7 when purchased.

I kept a couple of receipts from my most recent purchase of supplies:

Doing the math, powder cost me 16.1-cents per shell; shot 12.5-cents per shell; wads 2.3-cents per shell, and primers 4-cents per shell.

This adds up to 34.9 cents per shell or $8.72 per box. 

Recob's sells target loads, either 7.5 shot or 8 shot for $8.20 a box if you buy them by the case.

I am currently working days to reload a supply for the trap season and paying more for them than I would have to by simply buying them.  With this in mind, I ordered two cases of #8 target loads, to be picked up.  The 29 boxes that I reloaded incorrectly will be a project for me to pull apart and cannibalize the components, which I will do at my own chosen speed, as Bob Dylan said.  

I still have perhaps 15 boxes of hulls and some shot, primers, and powder to be used up, which I can also leisurely do because I have enough loads to last the coming season, when you count in the 13 boxes that I have correctly loaded.

I can be Amish about reloading.  When I find a bargain on component prices, I can purchase.  When prices on pre-made loads go significantly higher, I can use my reserve.  In the meantime I can keep all my AA hulls loaded and in the reserve.

One variable will be for me to recalculate how many shells I get from a pound of propellant, and how many from 25 pounds of shot.  I may revise these when I calculate my next recipe because it's possible I would need to change a bushing in the bar and this would result in modifying the shell count.