Reloading Cost per Round Calculator: Handload vs Factory Ammo Savings and Payback

How it works

Powder per round = price per lb ÷ 7,000 × charge (gr) · Primer = price per 1,000 ÷ 1,000 · Bullet = price per 100 ÷ 100 · Brass = price per 100 ÷ 100 ÷ firings per case · Cost per round = sum × (1 + tax and shipping %) · Factory per round = box price ÷ rounds per box · Payback rounds = (equipment − resale) ÷ (factory − reload cost)

Reloading cost is simple arithmetic once every component is on a per-round basis. A pound of powder holds 7,000 grains, so the powder in one round is the price per pound divided by 7,000 and multiplied by the charge weight. Primers are priced per thousand and bullets per hundred, and the cost of a case is spread over the number of times you can load it, because the brass is the only component you reuse. Online powder and primer orders usually carry a hazmat fee and shipping, which you can spread as a percentage under More options. Comparing with factory ammo per round shows the saving, and dividing the equipment cost (less what you could sell it for) by that saving gives the number of rounds that pay for the press, dies and scale. Pistol calibres with cheap bullets and small charges usually save the most per box of 50; common rifle calibres save less per round but each round costs more, and for premium or hard-to-find cartridges reloading may be the only practical choice. The saving per hour at the bench shows whether the time is worth it as work or as a hobby. Prices change often, so enter what you actually pay. The calculator does not count case-prep consumables such as lube, tumbling media or replacement decapping pins, which add a cent or less per round.

Worked example

A rifle load uses 42 gr of a $45 per pound powder: 45 ÷ 7,000 × 42 = $0.270. Add a $0.090 primer ($90 per 1,000), a $0.380 bullet ($38 per 100) and $60 per 100 brass loaded 8 times ($0.075), and each round costs $0.815, or $16.30 a box of 20 against $32.00 factory. The saving is $0.785 a round (49%), or $785 a year at 1,000 rounds. A $450 setup pays for itself after 450 ÷ 0.785 = 574 rounds, about 0.6 years. Spread over 5 years, the equipment adds $0.09 and the round costs $0.905. At 1 minute a round you spend 16.7 hours a year, so the saving is worth $47.10 an hour.

Sources: Dillon Precision: reloading cost calculator (lot prices and brass reuse) · AccurateShooter: UltimateReloader cost calculator, brass reuse and tooling amortization examples

Frequently asked questions