.223 Ammunition? How much to reload??

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crazy_train04

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I am thinking of getting into reloading .223 for varminting.
How much does it cost you guys on average per round to load it yourself?
The Varmint .223 rounds at walmart are about 48 cents per round after tax.
Is it any cheaper to reload yourself?
 
The main reason to reload is to have the most accurate ammo for your rifle, but yes you will save some money.

How much money?
depend how much accuracy you want
 
My cost break down per round not including reloading equiptment.

Brass $15/100 10 fireing per 1.5 c/round
bullet 50gr Vmax 17.5
primer 3.0
powder 250rnd/pound 1.1

total 23.1c per round


Growler
 
PSSSST Growler:

250 rounds to the pound is .10-.11 @ round unless you can find powder for $3.00@lb:eek:


100 hornady 50 gr SXSP $13.00
100 small rifle primers $3.00
2700gr of your fav powder $11.50ish
$27.50
GST 1.93
$29.50


30¢ per round, for components.
 
Thanks alot guys for the help.
That was exactly what I was looking for.
I have never reloaded before so it could be a fun Venture to try one day soon.
Thanks again for the help!
 
I gave up reloading .223 when spent 6 days reloading 1000 rds, then I went to the Wholesale Sports catolog and added up the cost of the reloading components and compared it to the cost of 1,000 rds of Norinco .223. I lost over $50.00 and wasted 6 days. I could have been reloading one of the other 10 calibers that I reload for.
 
The cost effectiveness of .223 reloading is questionable unless reloading for accuracy. I buy ammo in 1000rnd lots 55grn and find it is comparable in price to reloading and pump it out of my AR's.

That said if you are chasing accuracy and performance you can not beat a good reloaded round in price and performance.
 
savagefan said:
Wholesale sports lists UMC 223 55 gr $5.99 box of 20 ....30c a shot.
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That's for FMJs.

American Eagle FMJ's are the same price.

There is USA AMMO 223 listed at $5.45 for 55grJHP, or 29¢ a round.

If you are lucky, it will shoot accurately out of your gun. The next cheapest to try if it doesn't is 43¢ a round. Then 80¢ and higher.

Even if you buy by the 1000 from marstar, they are still FMJs, they still cost 27¢ inc GST, and you are still stuck with out of the box accuracy.

Personally, even if it was a break even proposition cost wise, I would still rather reload than sit in front of the tube. But that's just me.
 
Garand said:
I gave up reloading .223 when spent 6 days reloading 1000 rds, then I went to the Wholesale Sports catolog and added up the cost of the reloading components and compared it to the cost of 1,000 rds of Norinco .223. I lost over $50.00 and wasted 6 days. I could have been reloading one of the other 10 calibers that I reload for.
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If anyone ever needed a progressive press! :)
 
I don't reload yet, however will be shortly for .223, and wanting to reload heavier bullets (75,77,80 gr) in that case, it would be economical to reload vs winchester white box.
 
Long Range Canuck said:
Progressives are great for volume, not precision.
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I process and load my .223 on a Dillon 1050.

Aside from the need to use ball powder rather than extruded, I'd pit my ammo against anyone elses.

My cases are uniformly trimmed, and pocket swaged. The primer seating depth is uniform. There are fewer human induced errors case to case.

I've been looking for areas of weakness in my system, and compared to a single stage press, I don't find I'm missing out. If I absolutely had to use extruded powder, I'd still process my cases on the 1050, then fill and seat on a single stage.
 
Looks like I stand corrected, I was told and always under the impression that Progressives could not produce consistant and accurate powder loads, fluctuations of up to half a grain in powder. If this info is wrong guess I need to be looking at a dillan and maybe save a bunch of time and money.
 
I can make my coyote load for 36 cents per round

55 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips
25.6 grs. Hodgdon Benchmark
W-W case
Federal 205M primer

my plinking load comes up at 20 cents per round

55 gr. Hornady soft point w/ cannelure
23.0 grs. WC845 milsurp
W-W case
Winchester WSR primer


so that is $7.20 per box of 20 for my hunting load and $4.00 a box for my plinking load. :)
 
Long Range Canuck said:
Looks like I stand corrected, I was told and always under the impression that Progressives could not produce consistant and accurate powder loads, fluctuations of up to half a grain in powder. If this info is wrong guess I need to be looking at a dillan and maybe save a bunch of time and money.
Click to expand...

In the use of any powder measure, the choice of the powder is important.
Yes dropping powder instead of weighing it is less accurate, but some powders are more forgiving.
These powders should be your first choice, and they do not compromise the accuracy of the load, on the contrary it helps.

Also, it is not because your progressive press can turn 500 or 600rnds per hour, that you should hurry up and acheive this performance.

A progressive press is faster because it does many thing at the same time, and it is alright if you turn only 300rnds per hour by making sure everything is consistent.

I am always amaze to see that some people are content with cheap ammo, but to each is own.
I would never own a mini 14, but it is ok with me if it makes you happy.
 
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todbartell said:
I can make my coyote load for 36 cents per round

55 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips
25.6 grs. Hodgdon Benchmark
W-W case
Federal 205M primer

my plinking load comes up at 20 cents per round

55 gr. Hornady soft point w/ cannelure
23.0 grs. WC845 milsurp
W-W case
Winchester WSR primer


so that is $7.20 per box of 20 for my hunting load and $4.00 a box for my plinking load. :)
Click to expand...

That's a good price on the plinker's. Can I place an order?;)
 
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