How much?

[FA9]

So I did the math, I've come to the conclusion that reloading for .223 isn't worth it anymore.

1k bullets $72
Powder (4lbs) $100
Primers (1 brick $25)
Brass free
Brass prep
Not to mention the required tools to reload 223.

About $200

1 case of 223 steel case ammo(1k rds) $200-229

How much can you reload 223 for?

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[Kruel J]

That's why I haven't looked more seriously into reloading to be honest. The costs involved in just getting set up and the fact that it's barely less than buying in bulk online don't make it look all that good to me.

 

[ageingstudent]

So I did the math, I've come to the conclusion that reloading for .223 isn't worth it anymore.

1k bullets $72
Powder (4lbs) $100
Primers (1 brick $25)
Brass free
Brass prep
Not to mention the required tools to reload 223.

About $200

1 case of 223 steel case ammo(1k rds) $200-229

How much can you reload 223 for?

My #s agree with yours. Right at 200 per thousand.

Still worth it to me because I don't like steel case ammo and my loads are custom for my gun. It's a matter of how you want spend your time I guess. I enjoy the loading as much as the shooting and I don't enjoy much else in life so???
If I found a quality brass cased ammo that my gun liked as much as my handloads I'd buy it. I just don't do steel cased ammo.

Also the firing pin on a revolver belongs on the hammer.

 

[ageingstudent]

That's why I haven't looked more seriously into reloading to be honest. The costs involved in just getting set up and the fact that it's barely less than buying in bulk online don't make it look all that good to me.

The savings add up fast with certain calibers. If you mostly shoot 9mm and .223 not so much right now. However, it wasn't too long ago even those calibers saved pretty good when the panic was on.

 

[Kruel J]

Yeah man, we are in good times right now with ammo and firearms. And yeah, I shoot 9mm and .223 mostly.

 

[ageingstudent]

Yeah man, we are in good times right now with ammo and firearms. And yeah, I shoot 9mm and .223 mostly.

Livin' large brother. I pray it stays that way.

 

[Kruel J]

Yeah, me too. I can actually afford to feed my addiction these days!

 

[Alexx1401]

When they started allowing the folks to order ammo instead of having to buy it from a dealer things started to change fast. When the net got going good even faster. I roll a lot less than I used to for that reason. Most stuff is just too cheap to just buy by the case. There are some exceptions. My new 10mm for one. I will be rolling for that. Same with some other calibers that are just not made in large enough quantities. like .45 Colt or 44. Not to mention strait wall pistol rounds using a carbide die are a lot easier than bottle neck rifle rounds.
There is one other big advantage to have the stuff to load and know how. This last great panic was a prime example of what can and will happen again. Even on rounds I no longer load for, like 9mm, I keep a good supply of what I need to roll it again if I need to.

 

[Member 5605]

After shooting on the 4th and hitting a 12x21" steel plate at 350 yards 90% of the time with my reloads...

I cant do that with bulk ammo listed above.

Im at $.22/round I believe.

$.077/round
$28/lb powder 27.2gr @ $.11/charge
$.03 primer

Brass prep is easy when you have the right equipment.

 

[Alexx1401]

After shooting on the 4th and hitting a 12x21" steel plate at 350 yards 90% of the time with my reloads...

I cant do that with bulk ammo listed above.

Im at $.22/round I believe.

$.077/round
$28/lb powder 27.2gr @ $.11/charge
$.03 primer

Brass prep is easy when you have the right equipment.

Yes that too is another place rolling your own shines, trying to get the best accuracy possible. Pretty much every firearm will have a favorite. Normally to find it takes rolling your own. Some times the premium ammo will do real good but, then you're looking at some pricey ammo too. Many who are not old enough to remember the days before it was sold by mail don't know how good it is now. When you had no choice but to shop with a FFL I rolled everything I shot.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I used to enjoy brass prep, all of hand loading in fact!

Everyone above is correct about it being very nearly as cheap to buy bulk rounds, at least in popular (military) calibers. It's probably even less expensive to buy commercial remans. Actually, economic reasons for reloading haven't been really important for years, except for shortages. It's just the hobby, man!

 

[Mygrainman]

How much can you reload 223 for?

Handloading Cost Calculator
Great tool for figuring what your spending on handloading. The biggest $$$ goes to projos... Time to think about casting I think.
This is always at the back of my mind too...
Making .223 bullets out of .22LR brass

My #s agree with yours. Right at 200 per thousand.

Still worth it to me because I don't like steel case ammo and my loads are custom for my gun. It's a matter of how you want spend your time I guess. I enjoy the loading as much as the shooting and I don't enjoy much else in life so???

Exactly!!!
due to a car accident, I can't work, or do most of the things that I enjoyed before... Reloading and shooting are about it. It gives me a way to do something productive at my own pace... as a hobby shooter, I know every round is going to be consistent, and as a prepper I know every round is a potential meal, barter item, or way to protect my family in a SHTF scenerio.

I still do save money anyway.. when your back still feels the last few hours at the bench, ammo dumps become rare, and you really make more of an effort to use your ammo in the most productive ways possible.

 

[MasterChief]

A lil diff take....tin foil lets say.....ordering ammo online (vs local/regional store buying with cash) SERIOUS amounts...... more of a paper trail. Even if the big shooting places took bitcoin (none I know of) still not as anonymous if you spread out purchases in diff places with cash....

Cash vs Anonymity IMO

Just playing devils advocate....I love prices now.....but they might need to go down a couple more cents a rd

 

[Guilty]

I have been shooting primarily 77 gr bullets the last few years and my reloading cost is $0.28 per round using Nosler 77gr BTHP bullets and $0.40 per round using Sierra 77gr BTHP Match King bullets, so there is still a significant savings for me compared to buying Black Hills 77gr Sierra Match King ammunition at over $1.00 per round.

 

[ageingstudent]

Handloading Cost Calculator
Great tool for figuring what your spending on handloading. The biggest $$$ goes to projos... Time to think about casting I think.
This is always at the back of my mind too...
Making .223 bullets out of .22LR brass


Exactly!!!
due to a car accident, I can't work, or do most of the things that I enjoyed before... Reloading and shooting are about it. It gives me a way to do something productive at my own pace... as a hobby shooter, I know every round is going to be consistent, and as a prepper I know every round is a potential meal, barter item, or way to protect my family in a SHTF scenerio.

I still do save money anyway.. when your back still feels the last few hours at the bench, ammo dumps become rare, and you really make more of an effort to use your ammo in the most productive ways possible.

If you can cast and do an excellent job of powder coating you could potentially drop your cost per round by 10 cents for .223. I'm thinking that mught be my next project to get my AR running ~1.5" at 200yds with a powder coated hard cast bullet without a gas check. You can make a lot of 55 or 62 grain projectiles with 20lbs of alloy. Over 2500 in fact.

 

[SHPD_Retired]

180 per thousand. Just saving money isn't everything. I need something to do during the wet winters.

 

[Caveman Jim]

For me it's not about saving $$$ & I don't do steel in my guns. For me its all about doing something to constructive to keep me out of trouble... like @Mygrainman, I too can't work but I do what I can during the day to stay busy & plus it beats sittin on a friggin couch...

 

[ageingstudent]

180 per thousand. Just saving money isn't everything. I need something to do during the wet winters.

Boy there was a lot of winter in this last winter.

 

[ageingstudent]

For me it's not about saving $$$ & I don't do steel in my guns. For me its all about doing something to constructive to keep me out of trouble... like @Mygrainman, I too can't work but I do what I can during the day to stay busy & plus it beats sittin on a friggin couch...

After dealing with the shifting rules of mind-numbing incompetence all week I find it helpful and therapeutic to work at something that follows the more absolute rules of physics and chemistry. It kind of puts both of my feet back on solid ground even if it's in a backyard science sort of way. As safely as possible of course.

 

[noylj]

If saving money is the only reason to reload, please don't reload.
If you actually want to have "the best" ammo for YOUR gun, reload.
Nobody should even consider reloading unless they are more or less dedicated to it and will put in the time to learn and be safe.