[Jeff Higgins]

My, how times have changed. I just did a quick "back of the envelope" calculation for loading .45 ACP 230 grain hardball on a per round basis, using component prices found on Midway's website. Here's what I found:

Primer: 0.10
Powder: 0.03 (assuming $30.00/pound and 6 grains per load, rounded up from .0257)
Bullet: 0.25 (bulk 230 grain FMJ "hardball")
Brass: 0.02 (assuming 0.35 each, reloadable 15 times, rounded down from 0.02333...)

So, about 40 cents apiece for .45 ACP 230 grain hardball using cheap bulk bullets. As an aside, imagine if bullets were "free" - that's why I cast. Anyway, pretty much equivalent ballistically to Winchester "white box" hardball, which runs about 60 cents apiece.

We can spend a lot more on fancy bullets (up to a couple bucks apiece), and some powders are at $50.00/pound, so we could spend a bit more. But, if we use bulk bullets and one of the older "standby" .45 ACP powders (Bullseye, Unique, Winchester 231, etc.), we can make it happen for 40 cents each. Not a bad savings - 33% (or 50%, depending on how we want to express it).

That's assuming we have the necessary equipment. Again, perusing Midway's site, I found a number of reloading "starter kits" that have all of the necessary "generic" equipment that is required for every caliber, and is the same for every caliber. This includes a single stage press, powder measure, powder scale, re-priming tool, cartridge block, reloading manual, and some way to lube cases for resizing (for cases that require that - .45 ACP does not). These run from a bottom of about $300 to whatever you want to spend, up to $800-$900 or more. Good, serviceable, quality sets can be had for around $400.

Beyond that, you will need caliber specific dies and a shell holder (this holds the case in the press, on top of the ram). A die set for .45 ACP will run about $60, a shell holder about $8.00 (some die sets come with a shell holder, so you might not have to buy one separately).

So, for less than $500, you can have all of the equipment you need to load one caliber on a single stage press. Adding additional calibers will only require a die set and shell holder. Everything else is "universal", and is used across the board.

How quickly will you close that initial $500 gap by saving 33-50% on ammo costs? I think the general consensus is that you never will. If you get hooked, you'll simply shoot more. And, like any hobby, buy more cool schitt - there is an endless array of nifty little tools that you will find you "need". In the end, the startup costs are a write-off. Don't ever count on making it up.