Reloading 1000 .223 costs HOW MUCH??
- Thread starter brokensoldier
- Start date
I'm pushing 40 and have been shooting recreationally for 15 years, plus another 9 years in the infantry where I shot for a living. I figure I have another 25-30 years of shooting left before the inevitable happens (boredom..lol).
There are better reasons than savings to get in to reloading, I know... But to be perfectly honest, until my kids leave the home savings will be one of my main reasons to do or (not to do) anything. So like you I'm a big believer in 'buy it once - buy it right'.
The reason why I ask about caliber savings is maybe there's a caliber that I can get into which will help me get past the mental block of spending all that cash...? Savings PLUS accuracy = go. In all likelyhood I will still invest in my own factory, because you guys are all correct - the machine is amortized and brass can be reused 10-50 times (depending on who you talk to); and in the long term you will definitely save cash plus all that extra enjoyment.
Plus where will I get my ammo when the zombie apocalypse happens?.
pretty much, i'm 23 and although i could buy a cheaper press for $300 or so i would rather spend the $1000 now and have a press that will last a long time and can do various calibres. (hornady LNL AP)
the sooner i get a press and start reloading the sooner i start to save.
I'm not saving much money if you compare the cost of my reloads to the cheapest 223 factory ammo, but I've shot the cheap ammo and it won't print a satisfactory group in my 1 in 8 twist barrel AR. Match grade ammo will, so that's what I have to compare my 69gr SMK reloads to price wise.
30-06 and 45acp.
9mm is alright, but the other two I save a lot of money on, as long as you don't count your time in the cost.
It's a great exercise to run the numbers once in a while, to see if everything still makes sense:
.223 Brass @ SFRC - $69/1000 = $0.07/rd, and if you get 5 or more reloads out of it, that's close enough to say 1.4-cents per round.
Primers @ SFRC - $130/5000 = 2.6-cents each.
Varget Powder @Higginsons - $125/7pounds = $17.85/7000gr-per-pound times 25.5gr per round = 6.5 cents per round.
Bulk pack of 55gr Remington match bullets @Epps $10/100 = 10-cents each.
(add taxes, and shipping or buy locally where applicable - these are just ballparks - I travel a fair bit for work, so there's always a good deal to be had nearby - opportunistic buying saves a lot)
So I can reload .223 for 20.5-cents each.
SFRC has 1000 rounds of American Eagle 55gr FMJ for $439. So 44-cents per round. Reloading saves me $234 per 1000 rounds.
Dillon 550 press, Lee Deluxe Die Set, RCBS scale, and various other bits, boxes, tools, etc. cost a fair bit initially (I probably have $1000-$1500 in fiddley bits), but if you reload over a few thousand rounds... I'm into service rifle, three-gun, and I bought a hunting/target rifle in .223 to go with the AR, so all ammo components and reloading tools are common between the two firearms - it doesn't take too long to pay-off the hardware. I also reload 9mm for IPSC, probably 1200 rounds per month minimum, using the same Dillon press, scale, etc (new dies and caliber conversion kit), so it started saving money for me within a year.
Of course, the purists and I will tell you it isn't just the cost saving - you can tune your loads down toward the minimum power factor for competition, which will give you better performance, or you can pick and choose bullets and components for the best hunt, etc. Reloading is a pretty deep rabbit-hole, becoming a hobby in itself, sitting shoulder to shoulder next to the "gun hobby".
.223 Brass @ SFRC - $69/1000 = $0.07/rd, and if you get 5 or more reloads out of it, that's close enough to say 1.4-cents per round.
Primers @ SFRC - $130/5000 = 2.6-cents each.
Varget Powder @Higginsons - $125/7pounds = $17.85/7000gr-per-pound times 25.5gr per round = 6.5 cents per round.
Bulk pack of 55gr Remington match bullets @Epps $10/100 = 10-cents each.
(add taxes, and shipping or buy locally where applicable - these are just ballparks - I travel a fair bit for work, so there's always a good deal to be had nearby - opportunistic buying saves a lot)
So I can reload .223 for 20.5-cents each.
SFRC has 1000 rounds of American Eagle 55gr FMJ for $439. So 44-cents per round. Reloading saves me $234 per 1000 rounds.
Dillon 550 press, Lee Deluxe Die Set, RCBS scale, and various other bits, boxes, tools, etc. cost a fair bit initially (I probably have $1000-$1500 in fiddley bits), but if you reload over a few thousand rounds... I'm into service rifle, three-gun, and I bought a hunting/target rifle in .223 to go with the AR, so all ammo components and reloading tools are common between the two firearms - it doesn't take too long to pay-off the hardware. I also reload 9mm for IPSC, probably 1200 rounds per month minimum, using the same Dillon press, scale, etc (new dies and caliber conversion kit), so it started saving money for me within a year.
Of course, the purists and I will tell you it isn't just the cost saving - you can tune your loads down toward the minimum power factor for competition, which will give you better performance, or you can pick and choose bullets and components for the best hunt, etc. Reloading is a pretty deep rabbit-hole, becoming a hobby in itself, sitting shoulder to shoulder next to the "gun hobby".
Any of the big magnum rifle calibres. I reload premium level .338 Win Mag for $1.60-$1.70 per round and commercial ammo will be around $4.00 per round. It doesn't take many rounds to amortize your investment when you are saving $2+ per shot.
Another one is .44 Mag, I reload for $0.20-$0.25 per round and commercial will be around $0.80 per round.
Some calibres are very underloaded in commercial form, while you can reach full potential with handloads. The 6.5x55 and x57 family come to mind here. Also, don't overlook the savings to be had by making cheap plinking ammo, such as light cast bullet loads for many major centerfire calibres such as 30-06, .303, 8x57 and so on.
Then there are the oddball calibres that aren't available as commercial ammo. Those are priceless, because handloading is the only way to get there from here.
Don't forget, you can start loading with a modest set up using a turret or single stage press and step up to the big ammo producers as time, money and demand allow.
Mark
Price out 22 hornet.222,243,7x57, 45-70.416,375,etc. 223 can be got for 50 cents a round easy. Is it what you want to shoot,are you only shooting paper, do you shoot in non range type of environments(ie;rocky fields)? Reloads are tailored to your gun and can shoot lots better. The more premium the load the more you save.
