.223 reloading cost?
- Thread starter IM_Lugger
- Start date
The cost is only one factor. Making ammo that will be accurate in your rifle is another. You have to decide if 1-2 MOA is good enough with factory ammo, or you want a tac driver that will shoot 1/2 MOA.
All depends on how much you want to shoot and how accurate you want/need to be. If match ammo is what you are looking for, handloading is for you. If you are just plinking and really only care that the ammo is reliable, shoot factory ammo.
How much saving there is over cheap factory ammo also depends on components you use, initial cost of reloading equipment etc.
Think about the cost of 10 boxes of match ammo, this will get you set up with OK reloading gear.
I have never really sat down and worked out the cost per round, but I do know, I would not be able to afford to shoot as much as I do, if I had to buy match ammo.
All depends on how much you want to shoot and how accurate you want/need to be. If match ammo is what you are looking for, handloading is for you. If you are just plinking and really only care that the ammo is reliable, shoot factory ammo.
How much saving there is over cheap factory ammo also depends on components you use, initial cost of reloading equipment etc.
Think about the cost of 10 boxes of match ammo, this will get you set up with OK reloading gear.
I have never really sat down and worked out the cost per round, but I do know, I would not be able to afford to shoot as much as I do, if I had to buy match ammo.
Assuming you've already got your supply or brass, and the tooling....
When I load the 62gr SS-109's I count on
Bullets $100
Primers $30
Powder $70
For powder I've been using H-335 from Higginson's. I got about 30 pounds of his surplus OEM for $14/lb +++
As 667 mentions, there is a lot of time involved, particularly if you need to swage primer pockets and trim. The nice part is you generally only need to do it once. Odds are after the first trim you'll loose the brass before it needs trimming again. Since I've got the tooling, I trim everytime, but that's just me.
If I ever stumble on a supply of once fired Winchester again, I'll go back to processing brass for other people.
When I load the 62gr SS-109's I count on
Bullets $100
Primers $30
Powder $70
For powder I've been using H-335 from Higginson's. I got about 30 pounds of his surplus OEM for $14/lb +++
As 667 mentions, there is a lot of time involved, particularly if you need to swage primer pockets and trim. The nice part is you generally only need to do it once. Odds are after the first trim you'll loose the brass before it needs trimming again. Since I've got the tooling, I trim everytime, but that's just me.
If I ever stumble on a supply of once fired Winchester again, I'll go back to processing brass for other people.
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I don't think you same $ reloading 223. I bought 1000 trimmed sized oncefired 223 brass (off the site), I just clean out the primer pockets, prime, drop powder and seat bullets. cost of teh brass $85, 1000 hornady vmax $170, 1000 small rifle primers $30, powder (260 to the pound at 26 gfr of varget) $118., works out to $8.00 per box of 20, I paid 14.99 for the cheapy winchester HP bulk pack of 40 rounds, Mine is a bolt gun and is much more accurate with my handloads than with the WW stuff.
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I just made some cheap 223 ammo this morningIM_Lugger said:
picked up range brass - free
Federal 205M match primer - 4 cents
23 grains WC845 milsurp powder - 5 cents
bulk 55 gr. Hornady soft point - 8 cents
total for 20 rounds = $3.40
my high performance 223 load featuring W-W case, Benchmark powder, and 55 gr. Nosler BT costs $6.60 / 20
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