Hey Guys

I am used to paying $365 for 1000 rounds of PMC Factory ammo. If I reload for 5.56, will I save money? I don't care about my time but just seeing if I can get them cheaper than say $7.50 a box of 20.

I also read you can only use 5.56 brass like 3x and then discard them. Thoughts?

Longevity depends on how hot you load, and how hard you work the brass when resizing.

Some decades ago, I think I got 8 firings from some .223 brass in a Mini-14 before I lost it in the weeds.

For my AR15, I load .223 brass 3 times, and then recycle it now. I load it hot, and size it sufficiently that it will feed an all my rifles.

Its not worth my time to handload 55 grain bulk FMJ bullets. If I want to shoot that sort of ammo, I shoot new ammo, and salvage the brass for handloading better ammo.

You can do the arithmetic. It is cheaper to handload the 55 grain ammo for sure. But not nearly worth my time.

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WWSSD?
What would Skeeter do?

Midsouth shooters supply 55 gr jacketed bullets $84 per thousand. Primers $25 per thousand locally. Powder 25 gr per shot, 8 lb keg @ $160 + 30 shipping and hazmat. Powder costs are 23.75 a lb 7000 gr pr. lb.
Total costs 193.82 per 1000 rds. Time, equipment and space to reload are not included. I get around 10 loadings per case using LC brass.

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Front sight and squeeze

FYI, you can get Federal at Walmart for $34.XX per 100

DISCLAIMER - this is a very quick and dirty cost analysis, back of the envelope stuff Any errors to be blamed on bourbon!

You'll get a LOT of variance in these numbers so you'll have to do your own fine tuning.

I'm going to assume bulk purchases to reduce "add ons" like shipping/haz-mat AND I'm going to assume you've been saving your brass. I'm also not going to add in start up costs for dies, ... Just steady state cost.

8 pound CFE223 about $160 (ROUGHLY 2K rounds and other powders are similarly prices)
2000 Extreme 55gr about $208 (I'm sure you can find lower)
2000 CCI #400 SRP about $55 ($75 for #41)

$423 for 2K rounds. Say $470 if you want to include shipping and hazmat. That makes the cost roughly $0.235 per round on the high side.

Add tax and/or shipping to the factory cost above and you're saving 15-20 cents per round give or take. Wait for sales or team up with others on your orders and you can push it further!!!

I can't shoot FMJ around here (easily) so it's a no brainer for me. I buy these and load SP for less than above (far less than factory for SP)!
22 Caliber 224 Diameter 55 Grain Soft Point W/ Cannelure Approximately 6,000/Case by HORNADY BULK BULLETS

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Really? U saw it in Wikipedia?

I reload .223's a couple times at about $0.20 each, then reform the brass for 300BLK and reload those until the primer pockets are too worn.

I'm reloading it for somewhere between $.21 and $.23 per round depending on what bullet I use. That's using my own once fired brass. I have bought some brass a couple times that raise the cost about $.07 per round. This doesn't include the cost of equipment which can be pricey. On the other hand, this is another hobby for me and I really enjoy doing it and currently reload for every handgun caliber I shoot with the exception of 22LR plus 223/5.56 for the AR15. With the money I have invested in equipment it will take me years to see any type of real savings versus just buying factory ammo but it's very satisfying to spend a day shooting the ammo I made.

When I'm not at a range with a dropcloth to catch brass, I only manage to recover between 60% and 70% of my brass. At that kind of a loss rate, most of my brass (85-92%) has been lost by the 5th loading.

.223 brass with middling loads will last a long time with proper care and inspection. I recently recycled all of my LC, WCC and TW headstamp brass from 1969 or earlier because I didn't want to be reloading brass that may have been in Vietnam with my father.

As others have said, YES you will save money. If you buy your components in bulk quantities, you will save more money. I use exclusively Lake City brass, several thousand cases are at the 9th reload with zero problems. I load my 5.56 pretty warm.

I did the math to figure out when my Dillon 650XL would be paid for with cost savings from loading my own, and it was not too difficult to get to that point at the rate my sons and I shoot.

All that aside, I don't really care weather or not my equipment is 'paid for' as I enjoy reloading, it's part of the hobby for me and I trust my handloads more than most manufactured ammunition.

I started reloading .30-06 in the early 1970's using a Lee Loader to save money. I found I liked the process and soon bought a RockChucker, another pound of powder and a 100 primers. Today I have a 8x12 room dedicated to reloading. I load for over 20 calibers and buy my powder by 8lb. kegs and my primers by cases.

Saved a bunch of money over the years, but that first .30-06 cartridge was the most expensive one that I ever loaded.

I think as cheap as .223surplus is, it's about at a breakeven point. If you have to buy the reloading setup, it's not worth it, IMO.

It's a highly produced round, therefore cheaper. Velocity has a narrow range due to semi auto operation which pretty much limits it to FMJ bullets as the cheapest that can be used.

I don't know if coated bullets can be used.

Almost ANY other rifle loading has big savings over bought ammo. I can substitute a lead bullet in a rifle and save about .35 per round using lead or coated bullets. That is the most expensive component for rifles. The powder and primer are a few cents each.

Me, Myself, I would reload .223 if I saved ANYTHING per round because I have more time than money being retired on disability. Most people have more money than time.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I load .223 55 gr FMJs for about .23/rnd. I presume I could do better (previous replies) if I put more effort into scrounging deals.

As far as brass: I've never had to buy any. However 1/ I have two friends who shoot .223 and don't load and 2/ my range let's people scrounge. I set the very simple goal of going home with no less empties than I shot. If I take even just one more than that home I've come out ahead. Through those two methods I have about as much .223 brass as I can handle.

My input: If you're interested in loading because you're interested in loading than go for it. There have been long debates here about whether loading "saves money". From a cost per round perspective I think there is no question it does. Some get into it thinking they'll save real dollars - only to find out they shoot a ton more because "it's so cheap". So in the end did they save money? Yes - based on cost/round. No - based on total dollars expended. (Yes - they got more shooting.)

Maybe this is a stretch - but if the ONLY thing motivating one is saving dollars - I wonder if the hobby will be stuck with. If there is a hint of dislike about loading it might reach a point where one says "The heck with it. I'm off to Wally World to buy some ammo."

For me, the personal satisfaction and overall fun of both loading and "unloading" the stuff I've loaded is so big, I'd do it if costs were a wash. I feel like I benefit in ways beyond the cost savings.

OR

Handloading Cost Calculator

Handloading Cost Calculator



Component
NumberCost Powder (lbs)
$ Powder Charge (gr)
Primer
$ Case
$ Bullet
$
Cost / round $ Cost / 50 $ Cost / 1000 $

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Still Running Against the Wind

Using bulk 55gr FMJ bullets, H335, CCI#41 primers and used brass I load 20 rounds for under $5. Loading 1000 rounds costs me $246.81.

I get many more loads from brass than 3. I used the cases until they split, the primer pockets stretch or I lose them.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

~$0.21 per round for (eg) Hornady 55gr HPBTw/c and H335 ex brass costs.

Acquisition costs for brass vary too much . . . figure your own. IME, 5 reloads is certainly achievable for the bulk of brass head stamps I've used.

Cost savings in only one factor in reloading any cartridge. For most of us reloaders its a hobby. I reload everything except 7.62x39 ($.21c) and enjoy all phases of the process. It's relaxing, your ammo is spot on cartridge to cartridge, you can tailor your loads anyway you want them, and gives tremendous satisfaction and pride. Rifle bottle necks do require much more work than pistol brass, but hey, that's part of it. I usually load the rifle cartridges during winter because of the extra steps involved. A little smooth jazz and a glass of wine in the reloading room is priceless.

Despite any real or perceived cost saving factors, consider the practice of handloading as a lone entity. To do it safely and do it right takes a bit of self-education; something it seems a number of people don't care to involve themselves with these days.

You might want to buy at least one current handloading manual, like the Lyman (the general book, not the cast bullet only version). Read it thoroughly before buying any equipment. You'll quickly find out whether handloading is for you.

This is a far better method of learning about the procedures and equipment than getting questionable information form the Internet. And, if you're unfamiliar with handloading, you won't know what information is questionable. You must have a basic background before handloading.

As a suggestion, if you decide to go forward, buy a single stage press, or, at most, a turret press to begin. Don't make the mistake of starting the process with a progressive machine. Some self-anointed Internet experts will tell you otherwise, but as a non-expert who has used them all and is still learning, I'd go with simple to begin.

It's possible to save money by handloading, but many quickly find it is a fascinating hobby unto itself and the money-saving part becomes secondary.

A no brainer for me. Once we had finished a patrol rifle class on the range I would bring home two five gallon buckets of once fired brass. I would load it, shoot it and didn't worry if I got it back. I probably have 25 gallons of brass in the basement now (Yes, I am a hoarder).

One thing you need to keep in mind is that there is an additional step with most .556 brass... you need to remove the primer pocket crimp before the first reloading.

I load whatever I can find on sale or the cheapest. I stocked up on Midways blemished bullets and bought a bunch of 55 grain soft points awhile back. Most of my rifles prefer 62 grain loads and I buy pulled 62 grain SS109 bullets from companies like FS for $80 per thousand. Some people don't like the marks on the pulled bullets but for typical usage inside of 100-150 yards, it doesn't really affect accuracy.

Hooray! Wise_A Bullet Beancounter time!

I used a a starting load of Hodgdon's CFE 223 powder as a middle-of-the-road. I'm probably over on the prices here and there, but that accounts for gas and tax.

Bullet is a 55-gr jacketed from Xtreme Plated. I tacked on $4/500 to account for shipping.



So instead of $365/1000 for PMC, you'll be paying $228.11. And I think my price entries were a bit on the high side.

If you spend $300 on reloading gear, you'll pay it off after 3,000 rounds of .223 alone. But .223 doesn't have the greatest margin on savings. Some of the handgun cartridges, you could pay off your press after your first 500 rounds loaded.

The real value is not how much you save, but how much more you shoot because ammo isn't quite as expensive.

" Some of the handgun cartridges, you could pay off your press after your first 500 rounds loaded."

A friend of mine just invested in a decent reloading set up. He did a cost analysis and figured that he had hit his break even point and paid for his set up at 1,013 rounds of .45 A.C.P.

I'm a self-appointed internet expert....

I started with a progressive (Dillon 650) because I wanted to. Then I progressed to the single. No regrets whatsoever. But, I've always been the type to study the **** out of everything I've been interested in. There is a lot of home work required...... to stay on top of it all. Happily, between the internet, magazines, manuals, on-line videos, and on-line articles, just about everything required is there, anytime someone has a question. There will be plenty of questions. However, I seldom ask them. Almost never. The info is always archived somewhere. Best advise I can give, is to wade through many answers & opinions. A lot of them, will be opposites.

edit: the **** started with Cra*

I still have a 1000 round bag of once fired 223 resized cleaned & trimmed with bullets I bought from Scharch with free shipping for $75.

others have broken it down, but yeah, you can save money, and you can reload most if not all brass more than three times if not running hot loads. I have friends still using 38special brass picked up off a a.f. range from the vietnam period.
costs can get real low. Not .223 but i also cast. in some calibers like 41 magnum my cost is probably less than 3.00 a box as apposed to factory at 30bucks on up.
Plus if you reload and stockpile, you are never caught short in periods of shortages. During desert storm I you couldn't buy primers or .223 55grain fmj for about a year.
commodity prices continue to climb, so do ammunition costs. Then being a horder i look at 1000count bags of winchester 55fmj i bought for 25bucks a bag. Still haven't used it.
I have a mold for .223 too, and if forced to it i could make cast bullets.
I just love it when people throw that once fired brass on the ground for me to scrounge. If you are an active shooter, the knowlege you will pick up in reloading is worth something too. The cost of the equipment is immaterial over the long run.
I know what prompted me to start reloading and casting back in the dark ages. It's called a ruger superredhawk in 44magnum. I went ouch when i checked the price of factory ammo.
In reloading you also can vary the projectile in a lot of ways, and much cheaper than buying the high priced stuff at the store. I also have a dillon for making a lot of ammo. But my rockchucker does the same thing, it's just slower.

I don't recall anyone mentioning my goal, to make more accurate ammo. I can make it cheaper and more accurate, (as long as I don't figure in my time and equipment).

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I am powdercoating projectiles, and yes you can use powdercoated cast bullets

Thanks everybody! I have been reloading pistols for years. I make my own defense loads for 9mm using stirling brass(new) and XTP bullets from hornady and allient powder. it's a lot cheaper to reload self defense for SHTF than buy stuff off shelf. I do however only use factory for CCW.

I will be reloading for 5.56 as factory ammo is still quite pricey

The main reasons behind reloading are to make our sport less expensive,produce quality custom loads and have something to do instead of watching the boob tube.

So one thing for sure is not to buy your reloading components at Bass Pro Shops.

I was in my local BPS yesterday looking for some decapping pins when I noticed the prices on the powders.

The Alliant and Winchester powders were at/near the $35/lb mark and the Hodgdons/IMR were near the $30/lb

No wonder the store was empty.

I'm using a lot more Titegroup these days for my pistol loads that I buy at my local Academy for a little over $20/lb

I'll have to look at the Alliant prices at the next gun show I attend

The rifle powders at Academy are also priced well but the selection is very limited.

My Academy doesn't offer primers by the 1000/5000,only by the costly 100 packs.

My bullets have been coming from Xtreme on the daily deals or the free shipping offers.

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NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN

That sheds a whole new light on the subject. Considering you already have most of the equipment you are golden. Really all you need at this point is a set of dies, case trimmer, and a chamfer/deburring tool and your good to go.

I haven't done an exact accounting, but it's cheaper to reload if you reuse existing brass. With bulk M855 ammunition selling for $0.30 each, that's barely more expensive than buying jacketed bullets alone.

The OP said for plinking, and M855 is certainly good enough for that. However the groups are not that great when target shooting. I get much better accuracy reloading 68 grain HP target rounds.

At current prices, I am around 16-17c per round, not counting brass.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

If you are spending $30/100 for bullets you are buying in the wrong places. Bulk 55gr FMJ come in around 8c each.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

9mm is cheap right now. I can get 50 rd of target ammo for about 11-12 bucks, but I still reload 99% of the rounds I shoot because I can reload them for about half that.

If I shoot 30-06, the cheapest ammo is about 22 dollars. I can load those for about a third of that, depending one what bullet I use. Rifle bullets have a wide cost range but using a lead bullet is the most economical.

The rifle bullets I load cost from 22-35 dollars/100. Takes more powder, too. But savings go up because I can reload these for about 1/3 the cost of manufactured ammo.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

As with anything it depends on how much you need or plan to shoot. If you just plink around every so often, just buy a case or two, If you plan on shooting a lot then get into reloading,

I like loading handgun but reloading 223/556 to me is is PITA and I find to "jouy " in it. Primamrly due to keeping track of my brass as I worked so hard on keeping it trimmed, I have a electric trimmer but there is just more prep work involved.

I got components, bullets powder brass when it was cheap so I can still save money. If I bought it today it would be kinda a draw like 9mm is.

Only caliber I don't reload is 7.62x39 (AK)as the brass gets to dinged up. So I shoot the steel stuff. It's cheap enough and it's actually fun knowing I do not need to pick it up. Just let it rust away!

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Still Running Against the Wind

At first, no, but over time yes, it can be more economical.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Well everything has a cost up front, but if you already reload, dies & shell plate, case trimmer, about 1/2 a case of ammo.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

IF you really want to get cost down, swaging your own bullets from 22lr cases gets cost down to about 8c per loaded rd. Yes it is time intensive, but it is cheap. That is right @ 1moa, better than I get with bulk 55gr fmj.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I feel obliged to add that once you enter into hand loading, there are several things to consider besides cost savings and payback on investment:

- While equipping a shop can be done for less, it's hard to find anyone who has spent less than $500-$1000 on any setup let alone a multi-caliber setup. Many have spent much more

- In addition to equipment, there's a bench, storage space, and hand tools (which you may well already have) to equip and care for what is in fact a small production factory. This factory has a waste stream that probably must be "scrubbed", too.

- To produce least-cost ammo you must buy in bulk, so don't forget that periodic bulk investment. (However, to get low cost factory ammo you must also buy in bulk, so maybe this is a wash or better.)

- How you value your time is important. If you don't have time, do not hand load. Producing plinking 223, 9mm, or 45ACP isn't going to pay as well (in terms of savings) as flipping burgers unless you use a progressive and are currently shooting many thousands of rounds frequently . . . though you CAN handload in your underwear if you wish To be fair, the further you get from factory-junk and popular caliber/loads, the more significant the savings become. Savings on a precision 308 round can be $0.70 to $1.00 . . . savings on 338 ammo is probably $3-$4 per round. That ignores the fact that these hand loads will outperform factory best.

OTOH, there are MANY benefits to handloading if your shooting needs or pleasures go beyond plinking. Or if you come to enjoy the craft as many of us have.

Bayou Bullets for pistols is awesome and cheap.

I'm at about 0.18/rd. using bulk Hornady 55 gr bullets.

If I were going to shoot only .223/5.56 I would probably just shop the sales and by factory ammo in bulk. I don't however. I was already set up to reload when I got into shooting .223. All of my brass has been free so I don't count the cost of that. I don't know how much new brass would cost but I'm sure it would drive the cost up a few cents, especially if you sling it all over hell and half of Texas with an AR.

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That's just somebody talkin.

Let's be honest here. Has anyone who reloads ever saved ANY money? I just find myself shooting 4x as much as I would have had I bought factory.

IF I kept shooting the same volume as I did when I bought factory I would have paid for my reloading equipment. But we all know we shoot far more as reloaders.

Repeat that for .44 Magnum and see what you get. I can reload that for $8.50/50 (full power, too), and buying it locally costs $36/50 or so.

So at $55 saved for every 100 rounds, it takes less than a 500-box to pay off a Lee turret kit.

False economy, though, because without that Lee turret, I never would have plunked $750 into a 629!

I've gotten 8-10x out of mil spec brass in an AR.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

If it doesn't take you long to go through that 1000 rounds, I'd surely consider a progressive press.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I wouldnt consider anything else if feeding an AR. Just the savings on handle pulls makes it worth $500-$600.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Casting my own my costs for 9mm are: lead $1 per lb 125 gr bullets 56 per lb, $0.0178 each. 4 gr powder 1750 shoots per lb, $28 a lb. $0.016 per shot. Primer costs locally are $25 per K, $0.025 each. Total cost is $0.0588 per round, $5.88 a hundred, $58.88 per thousand. I am in at least $1 a hundred for lube but would put my target ammo against factory 9mm.

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Front sight and squeeze

I got a 9mm carbine with a 33 round mag and a Single Stage press.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

OUCH! Only handgun ammo I load on a ss press is some of my single shot stuff & 41mags. I don't shoot enough 41mag to justify buying the tool head for my 550 & setting it up, like 100rds a year.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

For giggles I looked at my loading logs tonight, totaled up rounds loaded across all calibers (9mm, .38 Spcl, .223 and .243), my costs - and what those ammo volumes would have cost if I'd bought them new.....

After recouping the cost of all my equipment I'm about $200-300 ahead. So assuming I don't have major future capital investments....the future is a big upside $-wise.

I didn't account for my time loading, as it is a hobby and I enjoy it. If I wasn't loading I'd be doing some other non-income-generating thing like sitting in front of the boob-tube. And loading is a lot more fun than television!

OR

I started reloading in 1967 and it was for a model of 1917 30-06 enfield. A lot of the older shooters at that range were 30-06 shooters and had a lot of the WWII '06 that they shot and left the brass on the ground. I asked if they wanted it and usually the answer was "help yourself" Now with '06 U.S. military ammo almost non existent I still have a bunch of post war '06 brass and when the spirit moves me load up some and take my semi sporterized 1903A3 out to the range for some fun. And there is nothing wrong with U.S. military brass. About all you have to do is either ream or swage out the primer pockets and then reload like commercial brass. When I started reloading all the stuff I had would fit in a 20mm ammo can. Today not so much. Shop around for best buys on bulk reloading components like brass, bullets, primers and powder. Sounds funny but may cost a little more buying in bulk but actually cheaper in the long run. Frank

Yes, sir; roughly 75%, the last time I figured it out. I'm being honest.


Not me, sir. I have only so much time to shoot, and no more -and it isn't very much. Even if I had more time, I doubt I would shoot much more. I'm very deliberate when shooting, attempting to analyze and correct my mistakes, wrong habits, etc. Probably 80% or so of my shooting is defensive practice, therefore I want to become as capable a defender as I possibly can be.

marathonrunner: Please pardon the thread drift. There seems to be a common misconception that all handloaders are cut from the same mold. That's not true -certainly not in my case, and I know that I'm not the only exception to the rule.


Back to the cost of 5.56s.

Regards,
Andy