Cost comparison: Reload .45 GAP or buy a .40 barrel?

[SteveW1958]

Based on the numbers you provided 45GAP will cost you $374 per year. If you buy a .40 barrell you will save $119 per year shooting factory .40 vs 45GAP.
If you load with your brass the cost for 1700 rounds is about $153 year. Keep in mind if you load on a manual press you will spend quite a bit of time loading 1700 rounds. On a progressive 400 - 500 per hour is normal. Cost is not the only reason to load. If you truly expect to load only 1700 target round per year, stick with factory ammo.
If you do look at a press I recomend the Dillon 550B. But again for 1700 target rounds a year it will not be cost effective.

[backstay]

Originally Posted by mullanman

You can also modify 45ACP brass by shaving it down to 45 GAP length, Stick to Win or Rem cases. PMC cases start to get too thick near the base. of course you use large pistol primers.

GAP brass of course uses small pistol primers.

Bad idea, 45 Gap is a higher pressure round that 45 ACP. Also the rim is a little different. Might not extract well.

[sindiesel666]

just stick with factory loads and shooting GAP. I see the point in buying like XD40 and getting 9mm conversion so you can really lower your ammo cost, but in my neck of the woods, GAP costs almost exactly as ACP, 40 being about 5 bucks cheaper per 100. So not a whole lot of savings even going to 40 conversion.
And with reloading it would take you years (at your shooting pace) to recoup your money spent on equipment.
I have a Dillon 650 that ran me about 700 bucks, but I shoot a lot of 45ACP, about 1000 a month (slow month, not counting IPSC matches). I figured it'd take me about 1.5 years to see savings start adding up.
Get the 9mm conversion, if one is indeed available, and shoot for 10$/100 rounds........

And the remark about shaving brass is to be taken cum grano salis.
Brass is shorter, but it's also thicker due to higher pressure generated. So, trimming brass is a no-no in this case, you may get away with a few, but one will KB on you eventually. And we don't want the Glock KaBoom reputation to hound XDs as well. :P

[Arnisandyz]

Bad idea, 45 Gap is a higher pressure round that 45 ACP. Also the rim is a little different. Might not extract well.[/quote]

ACP also uses LARGE primers vs small which could effect the burn rate.

[mullanman]

Originally Posted by backstay

Bad idea, 45 Gap is a higher pressure round that 45 ACP. Also the rim is a little different. Might not extract well.

I was actually quoting a recent article from Guns and Ammo, cases were cut down and measured. As always, use caution when reloading. But i think for some people this will be a viable option until more GAP brass is available at a reasonable price.

[ForGreatJustice]

Ok...it looks like most people feel that reloading some 1700 rounds per year isn't cost effective on large, complex reloading setups, and not time effective of small simple setups (I was thinking a Lee Anniversary kit).

If I stick with factory ammo, which costs an arm and a leg, is there anything I can do to recoup the cost of my reloadable brass? I mean, .45GAP is such an expensive round I'd feel like I'm sitting on a bunch of wasted brass. Are there places that will reload it for you? Or is it easy to sell cleaned (but not deprimed) once-fired brass?

[ajamesp51]

I have been offering to buy used 45 gap brass nothing has to be done to it.

[R/T Performance]

If you go www.brianenos.com and look at dillon sqaure deal b.
I love my I reload 40 cal
For 300 dollars shipped to your door you get a first class pistol only progressive with 45 gap dies already installed.
NO BS warrenty for life and very user friendly.
Makes lots of bullet and very easy
I just looked on his site and the gap isn't listed but it is in the blue press so it is avalible

[ch00sen1]

Can this be done by just changing the barrels?

[MGD 45]

Where are you finding .45 lead bullets for only $45 per 1000? Everywhere I look the cost of lead bullets especially in the .45 caliber has gone up to around $80....