.223 bulk reload cheaper?

[olchevy]

I have been looking at the prices of .223, 5.56 for bulk ammo like 62gr.FMJ

And well it just seems cheaper to buy it already made. Like right now I have 1000 rounds of 5.56x45 62 FMJ on the way to me for $308 total....I have not found a place where I can buy bulk bullets and cases and come out cheaper than this...Are there some places I am missing?

 

[brown42]

You won't save a whole lot starting out since you'll need the brass. Berry's has this: http://berrysmfg.com/product-i14776-c50-g8-b0-p0-.223_Bullet_Brass_Combo_500ct.aspx

After you've got a good collection of brass then it's just bullets, primers and powder. $150 would get you 1000 bullets, 1000 primers and 1 Lb of powder.

Edit: I haven no idea how much powder goes in 223 cartridges, so I'm not sure how many rounds 7k grains is going to get you.

 

[Outsydlooknin]

You may want to check that 62 grain stuff and I bet its not just FMJ. Most times 62 grain 223/556 is going to be steel penetrator. The reason I say to check it is because most ranges if you shoot steel targets with it, you just bought the target.

In general, for blasting ammo Ill buy it. For precision stuff I reload it. There are a lot of steps into reloading rifle brass and is really what makes the biggest difference. Reloading rifle brass is time consuming if you are doing it all by hand, if you have some of the more expensive things like a Giraud trimmer, and progressive press its faster, but more expensive. Its really a trade off.

 

[SpeedyR]

The real savings is when u start loading things like 77gr bullets or other loads specific to your rifle.

As for powder I use varget around 25-26 gr loads. 7000 grains in a lb of powder.

 

[olchevy]

You may want to check that 62 grain stuff and I bet its not just FMJ. Most times 62 grain 223/556 is going to be steel penetrator. The reason I say to check it is because most ranges if you shoot steel targets with it, you just bought the target.

In general, for blasting ammo Ill buy it. For precision stuff I reload it. There are a lot of steps into reloading rifle brass and is really what makes the biggest difference. Reloading rifle brass is time consuming if you are doing it all by hand, if you have some of the more expensive things like a Giraud trimmer, and progressive press its faster, but more expensive. Its really a trade off.

True almost all the 62gr I have and am getting is Steel penetrating rounds...I Only shoot at my house, or at other families/Friends property and none of us have steel targets, mostly shoot cans, milk jugs, two liters, old baseballs and softballs etc. I never really go to ranges, think i have been twice in my life once cause someone else was going and another time cause a guy thought he could out shoot me and wanted to meet at the range and I proved to him who was better...lol

 

[buckwheat762]

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[olchevy]

you must be new to the internet if you can't find components for cheaper than 150/k for bullets. i stumbled across m855 bullets just last night(i dont want them) for 89/k plus shipping which was 9.99. you can pick up brass for about 85/k already processed if you look. there is a seller who has a ton of it on ar15.com right now. get wolf small magnum primers 15.50 plus hazmat. get a minimum of 4lbs of powder(i use 25.5gr of H335 to light my tracer rounds off) and order from the same place as the primers. powder valley has very good prices on both.

you will pay about 260 for your first 1k, but after you use the brass(or pick enough up at the range for FREE) you can deduct 85 per 100 and you will be under 200 per k.

yes there are costs associated with getting setup. if you are only looking to load 1k rounds, dont waste your time. if you want to load custom loads and bulk(5-10k) ammo, its definitely worth it. you should be able to pay for the press and dies after about 5k rounds, even buying all the components. once you shoot that and have the brass for free, it will only take 2-3k to pay for it. you can also do other calibers(pistol ammo is a big saver on a press, i can load .45acp JHP 230gr for 20 cents a round) and save even more. it does take an initial investment before you get the savings. low volume, get a single stage press for 99 bucks.

in the end, if you load enough ammo, you will pay for everything you have purchased. maybe you buy the press, punch out 30k rounds and then sell the stuff off. now you have the cheap ammo and you have your money back too. i would advise against selling the press once you have it though. they are fantastic to have around. buy bulk anywhere you can and it should help save some costs.

Oh I am already set up for reloading, I have been doing it for a good while, I only did .40s&w,.45acp,.357/.38,.308,.45-70....I have everything....I will guess those M855 bulletts were pulled bullets? If so is there any problems with using pulled bullets?

 

[buckwheat762]

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[Bypass]

You guys know about Midwayusa right?

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=2586165491

 

[olchevy]

You guys know about Midwayusa right?

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=2586165491

Did you see the reviews? A lot of people are saying that a bunch are messed up, horrible lead cores that aren't in there right causing the bullets to just tumble erratically...I will pass. Thank you though! I have used Midway for a long time, great stuff and GREAT customer service!