By the time you pay for shipping, it's usually cheaper to just buy 100 round boxes of cheap ammo at WalMart.

Cabelals has come good deals if you buy in really big volumes.

Cabela's bulk ammo is really not all that much cheaper than buying at local discounts. Just shop the sales at the big box stores and buy when the price is right. Just avoiding the shipping costs for ammo is a big savings in itself.

It's the shipping that cancels out the cheaper prices online. For my 9mm, I found that it's close between Rem UMC FMJ 250 bulk packs at Walmart for $61 out the door and Federal American Eagle 50 round packs at my local gun guy (both about .24 cents/round).

It's the same for shotshells... best I've done is about .23/shell for target loads.

The only time I've saved online is when I have taken advantage of a "spend $150 and get free shipping" sort of deal. Then you hammer them with ammo shipping! Or have gift cards or other credits to spend.

Sorry for multiple posts... I"m just always looking for deals on ammo!

I'm curious about the aluminum cased, nylon jacketed rounds. Haven't heard anything about reliability, but there may be a way to save some cents/round. You cannot reload them though.

http://www.cabelas.com/handgun-ammunition-herters-select-grade-tnj-handg...

looks popular...

Graf & Sons at times offers free shipping on some orders over $50. www.grafs.com

The Sportsman's Guide has some very good prices on ammo and can beat most retail stores. You will get 10% off for joining their Buyer's Club and often they will provide free shipping on orders over $100 or at least a coupon for $10 off orders over $100.
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/browse/ammo-pistol-40-s-w.aspx?c=95&s...

Midway USA is my other source of ammo (when The Sportsman's Guide doesn't have what I want). Often the Midway price is less than the Graf & Sons price and thus makes up for the free shipping G&S provides.

mind you, reloading is only for cool people...its the best!

CL3, I like to hunt and shoot on the cheap. So my loaded ammo purchases are a combination of retail from WalMart, Academy Sports, & local gun shops; my online purchases are for those items I can't find retail or when there's a good deal. Whatever is the least cost avenue for what I want to do general shooting.

Where I deviate from cheap is in my hunting ammo. I like to shoot premium bullets at game with the idea that ammo is one of the lowest costs of the entire hunt. Therefore, I want to use better bullets.

For example, I shot a pig this year with my .45-70 on public land in the middle of a swamp. It's a 2-hour one-way drive. So, my gasoline cost was much more than the two bullets I used, right? There was some wear & tear on my vehicle too. The IRS allows 55.5 cents per mile as a general measure of operating costs. At 220 miles round trip thats $122 in vehicle operating expense alone. Those two Hornady LeveRevolution cartridges cost a combined $3.00

I've got investment in firearms, canoe, clothing, climbing stand, ground blind, gps, pack, and other accessories that far outweigh the price of ammo used on any one hunt. So, why not shoot what you think is the best ammo no matter the cost per round? That's why I don't have a heart attack over spending more for premium hunting ammo. I use factory loads for my .45-70, for my wife's .243, my Mosin-Nagants, for our shotguns, and for defensive handgun carry.

I also reload. Not to save cost but instead to craft ammo tailored to my firearms. For example, my M1 Garand shoots 1 minute of angle with 180 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip handloads. My .45 Long Colt is much more potent with 1100 fps 250 grain handloads. I'm still shooting handloads in my old .308 that have the original Barnes X-bullet because at the time you couldn't find factory ammo with that load (many many years ago).

Handloading is like any other craft hobby and can be enjoyable just in creating something on your own. But it's not for everyone and it won't save the average shooter money. To get started in handloading you will need some basic equipment, brass, bullets, primers, and powder. You can reuse the brass several times before discarding but the other components are of course consummable. You can probably get started for less than $300 if you go on the cheap but can spend 5 times that much if you want better equipment.

CL3, you're right about taking a long time to break even making handloads. I can make an argument that you will never break even, if you consider the opportunity cost of your time at the reloading bench. For instance, if you have the chance to work extra overtime then do so and spend the proceeds on factory ammo if you are pleased with it's performance. It's the competition shooter, someone obsessed with accuracy, or those who just enjoy the act of handloading that get the most benefit.