.223 reloading, cost effectiveness

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rangermonroe

New member
I have a few .223 launchers and I am considering reloading for this caliber.

With "blaster grade" ammo available for about $150/1000 delivered to the door, is it cost effective to load?

To further clarify, I don't intend to cast my own. I would be purchasing bullets, and powder runs about $19/20 per pound.

Also I am considering 7.62/39 for the above mentioned reasons.
 
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Dave R

New member
Here are my costs for reloading .223, based on about $16 a lb for H335, $1.75 a box per 100 primers, and:

Pulled milsurp bullets at $15/500, total cost for 1000 rounds: $107

If I use hunting bullets (Midway's Dog Town) at $10/100, cost of 1k rounds is: $177
 
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Toolman

New member
".223 for $150/1000?"
That's what I'd like to know also.
In my neck of the woods 335 costs $18.75/lb, primers run $15.95/1000 and Win 55gr FMJBT run $24.95/500.

I don't shoot soft point bullets in my AR anymore because of the probability of shaving a chunk of lead off & having that get in the lock mechanism.
 
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firechicken

New member
My standard .223 load costs me right at $100/1000. Winchester 55gr FMJBT (about $45/1000), CCI 400 primers (about $16/1000) surplus IMR4895 (about $11.25/pound, 280 rounds/pound.....so $40/1000).

Do you already reload, and have the equipment? Or are you thinking of starting? It's worth it to me even if it would cost the same to reload as it does for the factory stuff!

I just bought a pound of H335 for $14.75 :D
 
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rangermonroe

New member
I already reload everything that I shoot enough of to make it feasable.

I haven't even considered reloading milsurp eaters as ammo was cheap and plentiful.

As it now is not as it once was, I am reconsidering. Hence my question here.

I own 3 presses, and 14 or so dies. I can work them all.
 
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goose2w1

New member
Well mine cost me about 88.00 for 1K. I bought everything online and in huge bulk(splitting cost with my buddy). Here's the list....

1) 32lbs of WC844(same as H335) from http://www.gibrass.com $365
2) 6K 55gr FMJBT Machine Pulled,Resized, Polished from http://hi-techammo.com $190
3) 25K primers from http://www.tntreloading.com $460
4) 2K once fired federal and lake city brass from police/gov. range free

The groups in my mini-14 went from Minute Of Softball to a 10 shot group covered by a quarter at about 75 yards. On a LEE 4 hole turret I safely get 180-200 rds and hour:D
 
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Clark

New member
I shoot thousands of rounds of .223Rem 35 gr Vmax moly coated, 15 gr Blue Dot, 3,500 fps.

I do not use factory or surplus ammo becuase it:
1) Heats the barrel
2) Burns out the throat
3) Is less accurate
4) Does not explode when it hits the varmint
5) Fouls the bore with Copper
6) I like my FL bushing sizer and sliding sleeve seater and chamfered case mouth etc

I can load the ammo cheaper than I can buy 17HMR, and the .223 shoots much flatter, hits harder, and is better in the wind.

Powder 4 cents
Primer 1.5 cents
bullet 12 cents
moly coat 2 cents
______________
total 19.5 cents


What does it all mean?
You think I am a liar, because you can get 17HMR for 18 cents.
The key is that when you see Vmax on sale in bulk for 7.7 cents, buy them by the thousands for years to come. The UPS will allow 80# per box, so get many boxes.

My cost was 15.2 cents
 
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UniversalFrost

New member
The groups in my mini-14 went from Minute Of Softball to a 10 shot group covered by a quarter at about 75 yards.
Click to expand...

I got the same "minute of softball" problem with my winchest 94's when shooting the new leverevolution. Actually it is closer to minute of basketball. :D

As far as reloading the .223 or 7.62X39 I like the ability to work up custom loads just to see how much accuracy I can get out of the rifle. I am definately going to stock up on powder, primers and bullets now that Pelosi and her gang are in power. Never know when they are going to limit the amoutn you can buy. Read that they are thinking of trying to enact an "arsenal" license so that if you own more than 20 guns, 500 rds of ammo etc. you need to get the liscense from the BATF kinda like the C&R FFL.

Always good to stock up now, just incase the bad days come back.
 
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rangermonroe

New member
military brass

Is it worth the effort to reload 'free' military brass. Fired once...laying in the dirt.

See, I have this friend, who can get me all I want. :rolleyes:

I am laughing, as I look online, to see that winchester and Remington want almost exactly the same price for new, unprimed brass per 1K, when I can buy loaded ammo for the same $.

Not gonna buy new brass, or should I?
 
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T. O'Heir

New member
It's not about cost saving. It's about using the best ammo possible. Milsurp is not loaded for great accuracy.
"...Heats the barrel..." So does your hand load.
"...Does not explode when it hits the varmint..." Hunting anything with milsurp ball ammo is illegal for that very reason.
 
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rangermonroe

New member
No. It is all about cost saving.

That is why I posted this thread.

When I can buy $150 or so, ' fire and forget ammo', is it worth it to reload. When the same ammo is unavailable, and the price of that which is becomes $300/1K, the answer is self evident.

I am not asking if wolf ammo will be as accurate/reliable/ clean as my home rolled stuff. I know that it will not be any of the above.

Is military brass worth salvaging today?
 
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UniversalFrost

New member
Milsurp brass tends to have a thicker case than commercial bass, which tends to increase pressure on the load. Also, depending on whether it is obxer or berdan primed will either make it easy or a pain in the rear to reload.

I usually get most of my brass from the local ranges. Most of the guys don't reload and since they are required to clean up after themselves they usually dump the brass in big barrels. I usually stop at the range on a monday after a weekend of shooting and pick up all the brass in the barrel. It is a pain to sort through, but I end up selling all the calibers I don't have and it makes up for it, plus pays for powder and primers.

If I were you I would get the mil surp stuff and take a look at it. Make sure to use a full sizing die the first time you load it up and then if shooting in a semi auto I would stick with neck sizing the next few times.
 
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donkee

Moderator
I have heard that there is a "crimped primer" on milsurp ammo. Rough on decapping pins. Any truth to that?
Click to expand...

Somewhat true. I use a LEE universal decapper and haven't had any problems. Never even pushed the pin out yet. I also use an RCBS primer pocket swager to take the crimp out after punching out the primers. You only have to do it once and it is easy and fast to do.
 
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Storage_man

New member
I decap military crimped primers all of the the time with no problem. I use a dillion 550. You do need to swag them correctly and then reloading is no problem. If you don't care to much about accuracy and you don't have the time to re-load, to save $40/60 per 1,000 rounds is not worth it, but in my case I like to shoot tracers at night and it seems all of the tracer rounds have been shipped to the sand box. They are currently hard to find and if you do find them they are very expensive.

I do not pickup anybody elses brass - Only my own since I know what it is. So my costs for reloading .223 tracers are as follows: $.05 for projectile, $.06 for Powder, $.018 for Primers = $.13 per round (Using my brass). A 1,000 rounds is right around $130. I can't beat that price anywhere.
 
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Edward429451

Moderator
Milsurp brass tends to have a thicker case than commercial bass, which tends to increase pressure on the load.
Click to expand...

I keep hearing this and have not found this to be the case with .223/5.56 brass. More often than not it seems, the commercial brass runs a little heavier but not enough to make a difference. I don't reduce two grains with milsurp 5.56 brass and haven't had a problem. This issue is certainly true with 7.62 and it commercial counterpart, the .308 Win.

You have access to free once fired LC brass? I'd be all over that. That's good brass.

If you plan on swaging the crimp out with a press mount kit ala RCBS, do be sure to sort by year or you'll be bending rods. Crunching the numbers shows me that I'm loading 1K rounds for $140. Might be slightly high, I rounded up here n there.
 
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Dave R

New member
Is it worth the effort to reload 'free' military brass. Fired once...laying in the dirt.
Click to expand...
Oh, yes! Lake City brass (headstamp LC) is good stuff. Lasts almost forever.

Crimped primer pockets are not that big a deal. I have not broken a decapping pin yet. If I do, replacements are well under a buck.

You can remove the crimps with a regular chamfer tool (after decapping.)
 
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