SAA Ruger Bisley Vaquero

[papabear]

I have been a .45acp guy for over 50 years, it all started with my dad being a company commander of a national guard unit, at the tender ago of 14, I got go to the range when the guard members had to qualify every year, so I learned to shoot and handle a 1911A1 and the M1 Garand and M1 carbine before I learned to drive, been in love with all three ever since.

Today however, I now also enjoy shooting the 45LC round. I always had the desire to get a SAA in 45lc but because of the cost of the ammo I stayed away, because I didn't reload, but last January I visited our P-64 gunsmith Norm, he had been trying to get myself and another member here to start reloading, well, on that visit he gave me a crash course in reloading and I have been hooked ever since. I now enjoy shooting my one and only 45LC, a Ruger Bisley Vaquero, a deep blue with case hardened frame, and I plan on getting another SAA 45LC hopefully soon, these are fun guns to shoot with my own reloads thanks to Norm.

[dfunk]

That thing's a beaut!
What does the 45 Colt cartridge cost per round if you reload them vs. fresh factory?

[rottenrick]

It's a beauty, for sure. There's some thing about thumb cocking a large bore revolver and touching it off. I have a .44spl, it speaks with authority. I'm curious about the cost difference too. Sure got a nice weapon there papabear.

[papabear]

Thanks Dick and rottenrick for the kind comments on my Ruger. The cost difference for me right now for 50rds of .45lc is at $0.44 per round or $22 for a box of 50, I'm comparing the cost to a 50rd box of 250gr MagTech Cowboy loads at my local dealer, my cost is $32 OTD or .64 cents ea. and my 250gr reloads at .20 cents each, but each time I reload the 45lc brass the cost of reloading them will go down even more. I might add that to keep the cost down this much I do use lead cast bullets as opposed to jacketed bullets, for example I can get 500 250gr lead cast bullets for $43, compared to around $110 for 500 jacketed bullets, that's a little over 60% less for the lead cast bullets. All the price difference's also include primers and powder also, but of course I didn't factor in the cost of buying the reloading equipment and accessories need to accommodate the reloading. All in all by reloading, each time I reload a box of 50 of any round, my cost will get even lower. A big plus to all this besides the cost is by finding the sweet spot for each load for each gun and the accuracy gets much better than the factory loads.

For me its been a win win situation, and to think I had to be dragged into reloading kicking and clawing all the way until a visit with Norm calm the waters and it all became so clear to me, so again I have to thank Norm for his encouragement and tutoring, not to mention his being patient with me.

.45LC lead cast flat nose


I also reload .45acp, .357mag and .38 special, all of which I shoot often especially the .45acp and .357mag. In the near future I'll probably start reloading in 9mm, 9x18 and .38S&W [shorts], however at the time I have plenty of these in factory loads, and can use the 9mm brass trimmed down for 9x18 brass so the cost will be a lot less for them as well since I already have the brass for all of them, I can also cut down the .38 special brass for the .38S&W loads.

Note: I could lower the price even more if I would invest in molds and form my own cast bullets, but for now I'm satisfied with what I'm doing now to lower the cost not to mentioned how satisfying it is to reload, its just another facet of my addition for guns.