Hi there,

I am going to put together a Bushmaster A4 1:9 clone this weekend. I will be shooting with open sights at first and maybe scope the gun down the road. My intention for the gun is for it to be a plinking and SHTF gun.

I don't have a lot of experience with ARs or any experience with reloading but I am eager to learn. I have a lee turret press and a set of 223 dies. My plan is to buy 500 rounds of bulk ammo of some sort from cabelas and start reloading with the brass. I see PMC, Fiocchi, American Eagle, HSM and black hills all in stock right now. What bulk ammo would you guys recommend I buy if my plan is to save and reload the brass?

Thanks,

870fan

Remington UMC is not bad for reloading.  And the Hornady ammo is real good too.

I know that's probably the best way to go but I have been working away from home the last couple of months and thought a 1/2 case or case of ammo sitting on the doorstep when I get home would be nice. I don't have my press set up on my workbench or the neccesary components together yet. I just want to make sure whatever I order is go for reloading when I get my bench set up next month.

Why would you want to BUY once fired cases from a stranger, when you can BUY loaded ammo and have once fired brass from your own gun?



 

I reload remington UMC. it's pretty good ammo and pretty good brass.

Black Hills has 3 grades of ammo red new unfired brass, blue reloaded brass, white factory seconds.  When I was stationed in the black hills I bought the white box locally and it worked fine the cases just had some dents in them and where already fired several times.  They use Lake City cases for the most part.

I understand what you are trying to do, and I agree it would be nice to ammo waiting for you.  Another thing to think about is back ordering primers as they have been hard to find. 6mm benchrest has info most of the 223 brass and then you should be able to select what brass has the qualities that you want.  Then pick an ammo brand that uses those cases.  Another thing to think about is the crimped in primers and that will add an extra step over new brass.

being new to the AR platform, I'd buy some good factory ammo; be sure to break in the new barrel properly (see sticky or link on AR forum).

Get a brass catcher if you can't pick up you're own stuff at the range (high grass, rocky, too many other folks) ; as of late there's been alot of range rats getting any brass they can, espically at open public non-controlled ranges.

Read you're reloading manual's, (ABC's of Reloading-Amazon $17.00 shipped, Speer, Hornady, etc), lurk here & read, and ask questions before you start.

AR's are not that hard to load for, but they are more pickey than a bolt gun in regards to reloads. I'd use the Winchester bulk 55gr FMJ's or bulk pulled/new boolits from the EE as a start. YMMV

I am not a fan of FC rifle brass (Americian Eagle).

Any of the others.