Calculating ammo price per round when factoring in shipping costs

[tink20seven]

Greetings fellow TSP shooters!

I have purchased several large orders from BulkAmmo, and am looking for the best way to calculate the price per round when factoring in the cost of shipping.

For example:   lets say I recently purchased 1000 rounds of .45, 5000 rounds of .22, and 2000 rounds of .223.  Subtotal was $X and shipping for the order was $Y for a total amount plus tax of $Z

Currently I add up the total number of rounds purchased and divide that by the shipping cost (8000/$Y) to get shipping per round.  But this doesn't seem to account for different bullet weight within the order.  Shipping a .45 should cost more than shipping a .22 round, right?

Any help or thoughts would be appreciated.

[DrJohn]

If it really matters, you could figure out the total weight of each caliber and then the ratio to the whole weight, then use that as a percent of the shipping cost and add to each calibers total cost then divide by the number of rounds in that caliber.  Not exact, but good enough?

[tink20seven]

you could figure out the total weight of each caliber

Aha!  I could open the order and weigh each caliber's portion separately on the bathroom scale. That would work.

Not gonna lie.  Wish there was an app for this... Or at least a more elegant solution.  But once you factor in the weight of the packaging, it does add up.

Lesson learned: Buy local, pay cash.

[smurf hunter]

Totally depends on the shipping algorithm.
In some cases the shipping cost increases for every 5lbs., other times a function of unit quantity or total $ amount.

Example:

Min. shipping cost for 0-5lbs. is $10.
Every 5lbs there after is $2 more.

For simplicity sake, assume a box of 50x .45ACP rounds weighs 1.75lbs.

So to ship:
1 box = $10
5 boxes = $10
6 boxes = $12
10 boxes = $20
11 boxes = $20

You almost need a spreadsheet to extrapolate.  Most online places are not linear in their shipping costs as my example, but hope this gives some food for thought.

[tink20seven]

I do keep all information in a spread sheet

Will work on this tonight

[ncjeeper]

Lesson learned: Buy local, pay cash.

Do you have to pay sales tax in the state you live in? For me sales tax is 7.5%. By the time I factor in gas, my time , and the sales tax its easier and cheaper  to just order it online and have it at my door in a few days. YMMV.

[smurf hunter]

Pros and cons to living in a large (seattle/puget sound) metro area:

cons:
9.9% sales tax

pros:
lots of competing retail locations nearby

Example: I recently bought 5 bricks of Federal Champion .22lr (525 rnds) for $15.99 at a farm supply store a few miles from home. 
Sure, it sucked paying $8 in sales tax, but find me anyplace online where I can get that price per brick AND pay only $8 to ship 5 of them.

[Roknrandy]

I take the shipping and divide it between the different calibers.

A case of 223 and a case of 9mm for example

 .223 is $400
9mm is $375
shipping is $30
total is $805
that adds and additional $15 to each case

check local prices (with tax) to see where it falls into the price arena

I generally get it cheaper localy

[tink20seven]

that adds and additional $15 to each case

See?  That's the problem.  Because it doesn't split evenly down the middle.  I imagine that the 9mm rounds would be heavier and therefor would account for a greater percentage of the shipping.

Update:  I got a call from Joe at BulkAmmo.com who suggested a bathroom scale and then dividing the shipping based on weight of individual calibers shipped.

[smurf hunter]

This is being WAY over thought.   

Chances are prices will continue to increase.  Maybe you spent $5 after shipping for that case of 9mm, but next year you may wish you'd bought 2 cases.
Keep some liquid cash set aside and be prepared for opportunity purchases - whether that's online, a gun show or walmart.

[Bonnieblue2A]

Personally, I choose to purchase from those bulk ammo companies who DO NOT charge shipping. That makes figuring the cost/round quite easy.