Prices for powder here have been creeping down. I just looked at Midway USA and saw powder in the high $30s. Primers are $60/1000 and up. I haven't looked locally for a while. The last time I did the local prices were a lot higher than Midway's.

Yes mate, reloading certainly seems to be something that isn’t alway viable these days. The only real plus side is being able to tailor a load to suit both your rifle and your needs. Factory ammo doesn’t always have the mix of components you want or need (type and weight of bullet, velocity, COL etc).

Oh it's still viable allright. When factory rounds are running from $50-200 per box of TWENTY rounds.... Even with high prices it's not hard to beat $4 a round.

Elvis wrote:

Oh it's still viable allright. When factory rounds are running from $50-200 per box of TWENTY rounds.... Even with high prices it's not hard to beat $4 a round.

DAMN…what calibre rounds are selling for $200 a box of 20 mate?
You are right though…it still looks like it’s plenty cheaper to reload than to buy factory rounds. Costs (all prices in AUD$) - projectiles are anywhere between 50c each up to $1.10 each, primers between 18c and 20c each, and powder at 81c per load…on average AUD$1.49 per round…and this doesn’t take into account the cost of cases assuming you have to buy them (.66c to $1.20 per case).

All in all, it is still cheaper to reload than to buy factory rounds, although there is the time factor and cost of reloading equipment to consider (usually a one off cost except for dies). The next thing to consider is how many rounds you intend shooting a year. Most hunts you would fire maybe half a dozen shots, so in a pack of 20 factory you could expect 2 to 3 hunts.

I think I’ll keep reloading whilst ever components are available…bloody ANTIs are constantly looking at ways to ban shooting and firearms, and the banning of ammunition and reloading makes firearms useless…no bullets = no shooting.

look at prices of some of the newfandangled rounds... even 6.5creambun users were getting shafted a short time ago with $100 a box not uncommon. the prc type rounds,most magnum offerings plus a few of the hornady special superduper stuff are the worst for high prices...the lower volume cartridges....
understandable as they be short runs on machines but there is a limit to whats good business and what is outright robbery/price gouging.
I went for hunt this morning,very economical indeed (didnt fire a shot) went out last week intending to take dog for long walk,fired single round at VERY close deer ,processed it and went home... so my average over last two hunts is only 1/2 a round!!!! if I was to include outing before that..I had a misfire,fired 8 rounds for 5 wallaby and a goat..brings average to 3 rounds per trip....and I usually carry between 10 and 30 lol.