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Posted: 12/11/2011 10:35:23 AM EDT
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Can I reload .223 brass cheaper than I can go out and keep buying it? $300 bucks for 1krds of PMC bronze
Can I reload .40 cheaper as well? Looking into reload for economic purposes, and eventually precision purposes (when I get a scope, not iron sights) |
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The key thing is that you have to want to reload and have the time and inclination to reload. Not whether is it cost effective......
The 223 expendables in bulk will run about 12 cents a round for 55gr FMJ plus that assumes you have the brass. So, that has a savings factor..... The 40 expendabls in bulk will run about 12 cents for 170gr for 170gr Hard Cast Bullet, and 16 cents for 165gr FMJ. |
| I'll bite........yes and no. Assuming only the cost of expendibles (projectiles, powder and primers) I can load for about $190.00 per 1k. That's for cheap plinking ammo, for top quality handloads the price goes way up, about $575.00 per 1k for my favorite match loads, and that does not include brass. |
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Quoted:
I'll bite........yes and no. Assuming only the cost of expendibles (projectiles, powder and primers) I can load for about $190.00 per 1k. That's for cheap plinking ammo, for top quality handloads the price goes way up, about $575.00 per 1k for my favorite match loads, and that does not include brass. well, I feel like for the high quality rounds, I would probably only load them in batches of 5-100 but not much more than that. I have a case of PMC and will start saving the brass. I think it would be good investment. I like to buy things that will last me a long time, and can help me save money over time, even if it is a bit more up front cost. With that said, where would I look for the necessary start up equipment? |
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Quoted: Start up equipment?.......boy that's a loaded question (pun intended). I learned to handload at my fathers knee a loooooooong time ago, I still have that RCBS Rockchucker press, and it still makes fine ammo, so I guess I'm biased. As for places to purchase items, I prefer Midwayusa, great customer service. As I'm sure anyone here will tell you, buy a reloading manual first and read it cover to cover, twice.Quoted: I'll bite........yes and no. Assuming only the cost of expendibles (projectiles, powder and primers) I can load for about $190.00 per 1k. That's for cheap plinking ammo, for top quality handloads the price goes way up, about $575.00 per 1k for my favorite match loads, and that does not include brass. well, I feel like for the high quality rounds, I would probably only load them in batches of 5-100 but not much more than that. I have a case of PMC and will start saving the brass. I think it would be good investment. I like to buy things that will last me a long time, and can help me save money over time, even if it is a bit more up front cost. With that said, where would I look for the necessary start up equipment? A great source for seeing the different makes and model of presses http://ultimatereloader.com/ is hard to beat. |
| If I were starting from scratch, this is what I would buy http://www.midwayusa.com/product/646599/rcbs-rock-chucker-supreme-single-stage-press-master-kit . It has everything you need minus the caliber specific dies, if you buy RCBS dies remeber they do not come with shell holders, you have order them seperately. It's not the cheapest way to go nor the most exspensive, but I doubt anyone will question the quality or customer service. |
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You can save money reloading both pretty easy. They keys are finding deals and buying in bulk to spread out any shipping and haz-mat fees.
For .40, and .223 if you wish, look into casting lead bullets. It cuts the cost way down. It's a bit easier to get started with the .40 since the .223 takes a bit more work to make a bullet that can take the velocity. Not really work, but a few more supplies and an extra die to press the gas checks on, ect.. Just to give you an idea on casting, 1lb of lead will make around 38 - 180gr bullets for your .40. You can get 50lbs for $50 shipped if you shop around, that's 1500 projectiles for $50. Or 6300 - 55gr bullets from the same 50lbs of lead 
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you can save money by reloading but like most of us you will end up shooting more,thus negating your savings. but if I am saving $0.XX per round I can shoot more rounds for the same amount of money. say my start up costs are $300 bucks, and it costs me $300 to buy a 1k case. if it cost me $200 to home load 1k rds, 3k rds later I have hit the point where it cost me as much to invest and manufacture 3000 rds as it did to buy 3000rds. |
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you can save money by reloading but like most of us you will end up shooting more,thus negating your savings. This man speaks the truth. I just picked up my 650XL earlier this year. It is primarily setup for .40, for Limited USPSA. I have never figured out what its costs me per round to produce...180gr Montana gold JHP, Titegroup and Winchester small primers. Because when I initially started I was looking to make a round that would make power factor out of my gun and run like I wanted it to (factory ammo wont do this). I dont reload bulk plinker ammo (yet), but when I start Im sure I will concentrate more on cost per round than performance. When it comes to getting back your initial investment. Well, lets just say it will take me a long time to do that. I shot about 3K of the rounds I made this year (.40) so that works out to roughly $900 bucks. However, This has become a hobby to me just as much as building/collecting firearms has. Ill be setting up my 650 for .308 in the coming months, so there is more money. When the new house is built next year Im sure I will pick up anothee 650 primarily for rifle cartridges and use the other one for pistol, still more money. You can see how if you are not shopping around for the best deal or going straight for top of the line equipment i.e. bar scale instead of digital, you can add the dollars on pretty fast. It will be up to you how much you want to put into the hobby. |
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Plinking pistol rounds can save you a bunch more over plinking .223. With pistol rounds, you can load lead bullets, a fast burning powder, free brass and CCI primers for less than $120 per 1,000rds. With .223, you'll spend $80 on bullets, roughly $65-$70 on powder, $40 per 1,000 for brass (or you'll get lucky and get it free), and $30 for primers. $175 best case, $215 if you have to buy everything. Since some brass cased ammo is down to $260ish, you're not saving as much with plinking rifle. If you start loading your own "match" rounds, you'll save a bundle over buying them though. The way I see it, even if the price doesn't work out to save you tons of cash, you'll have a load that's perfectly worked up in your rifle or pistol. I also started reloading to save money (and save plenty), I stuck with reloading because the results were better than factory. Depending on how much you spend on equipment, it's possible to pay for your equipment in 2,000rds of pistol. If you spend $1000 setting up a Dillon 550B, you'd most likely have to reload upwards of 6-8,000rds to "pay it off". It's really a bonus if you end up liking reloading. |
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Quoted:
I'll bite........yes and no. Assuming only the cost of expendibles (projectiles, powder and primers) I can load for about $190.00 per 1k. That's for cheap plinking ammo, for top quality handloads the price goes way up, about $575.00 per 1k for my favorite match loads, and that does not include brass. Are you shooting gold bullets? I just bought Nosler 80 gr match bullets and paid $142/1000 to my front door. I know the Berger bullets and Barnes TSX bullets are pricey but cannot see how you get to $575 per thou. |
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Quoted: Quoted: I'll bite........yes and no. Assuming only the cost of expendibles (projectiles, powder and primers) I can load for about $190.00 per 1k. That's for cheap plinking ammo, for top quality handloads the price goes way up, about $575.00 per 1k for my favorite match loads, and that does not include brass. Are you shooting gold bullets? I just bought Nosler 80 gr match bullets and paid $142/1000 to my front door. I know the Berger bullets and Barnes TSX bullets are pricey but cannot see how you get to $575 per thou. My rifle (Krieger SS 26" Match Barrel) likes Lapua Scenar 69gr ($44.00 per 100) in front of vihtavuori N140 ($199.00 plus hazmat per 8 Lbs.) , I did not include the price for Lapua brass. But that is for match shooting, out of a dedicated target AR platform. For plinking I use a Oly Arms (*gasp!* not oly arms!) 16 inch A1 contour (pencil barrel) barrel upper with what ever the cheapest projo's I can find. That barrel is beat to shit and will still shoot 2 MOA, ( that's an expert qual, in the US Army). What some other weapon will shoot best with, I have no idea. I was just giving the median high and low for myself. If your weapon wil preform better for less than good on ya! |
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