What does the numbers mean after an ammunition type?

For example, in my current game it said 'Breakdown 9mm (18)'. However it broke down 100 first go and something like 33 the second time.

i've checked Reloading benches on Search and the Wiki but no luck.

Thanks.

That's how many cartridges you break down in a box of ammo. The other number is how many boxes of ammo you want to make. It took me a while to figure it out, too. But I never regretted all the .308 JSP, .357 JFP, .44 SWC, .45-70 HP, FMJ, +P, and 12 ga Slugs and Magnums since. I usually loot or buy standard ammo of my favorite calibers and break them down instead of tapping into my default loadout on my character. Companions make good ammo mules when you're reloading away from home and playing on hardcoe, that lead weighs A TON!

Excellent, thanks WageslaveZ.

The numbers relate to the ammount of all the basic components you get when you break that ammo type down.

I.E: Lead 5, pistol powder 5, Case 1, primer 1.. means for every bullet of that type you break down, you get 5 lead, 5 powder, 1 casing and 1 primer in return.

On the Ammo itself in the main reloading bench menu, it usually only shows the lead number...

I.E: Breakdown .22 round (5).. 5 lead in return for breaking one round of this ammo type.

I never understood the benches either. Can you break down, say, one size of shotgun ammo and make another size from the breakdown?

Thanks i have never really understood these benches either until now :biggrin:

As long as you have the proper casing yes..
A 20 gauge shotgun shot round can be broken into these components.
1 20 gauge casing.
1 shotgun primer.
# pistol powder.
# lead.

If you find a bunch of them and break them down, then have 12 gauge casings from shots you've fired.
You can use all but the components to reload your 12 gauge rounds.
This makes the late game shotguns easy to reload, as by the time you find a 12 guage one, you'll have tons of 20 gauge rounds to convert to 12 gauge free of charge.

Pistol rounds for the 9mm, and 357 are interchangable as well, and shotgun shot rounds will also provide pistol powder and lead for them.
10mm, 12.7, and .44 again are interchangeable entirely apart from casings, and can use the same powder as small pistol rounds and shotgun rounds.

5.56 and 5mm are interchangable apart from casings.
.308 and 50.70 are interchangeable, and can also use the powder and lead from the 5.56, and 5mm rounds.

Thanks mado, that was really helpful!