.223/5.56 Reloading Cost

FishingPilot

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Is it still worth reloading .223/5.56 rounds?

With the ammo becoming more available by the day and prices starting to come down, I decided to do some research. The cheapest I've been able to find these rounds are listed below (granted there are probably some cheaper prices out there):

STEEL CASED
Cheaper Than Dirt: Brown Bear .223 Rem. Full Metal Jacket Steel Cased, 55 Grain, 3050 fps, 500 Round Case, AB223FMJ $112.19 per 500 / $0.22438 per round

BRASS CASED
Cheaper Than Dirt: Federal Independence XM193 .223/5.56 NATO, FMJ Boat Tail, 55 Grain, 3240 fps, 20 Round Box XM193I $6.31 per 20 / $0.3155 per round

For my reloads, I have the following prices:
55 gr FMJ, used brass (no brass costs)
Round Cost $0.22
per 50 $10.95
per 100 $21.90
per 1000 $219.00


With all that being said, it's just as cheap to buy steel cased rounds in bulk as it is to reload right now.
I know, we don't reload to save money. However, with all the time that is spent prepping fired casings (trimming, cleaning, etc...), I'm beginning to contemplate just buying these rounds.

Anyone else thinking about making the move to purchasing these instead of reloading?
 
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For range / plinking ammo, I usually just buy the American Eagle stuff by the case, and eat the hundred or so bucks extra it costs me compared to reloading. I am willing to pay the extra for time and effort saved.

For critical use, both accuracy and bullet performance, especially in my bolt actions, accuracy AR, and Contender, then I reload. It is worth the effort then for the increased performance. Lots of great performing factory ammo out there, but costs are way above what cheap range ammo costs, and I can reload quality stuff, tailored to each gun and use, for not much more than the cheap stuff. I usually do not shoot the "good stuff" in nearly the quantity I do the basic range / plinking ammo.

Larry
 
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A good question is how the cheap factory stuff compares in accuracy to the rounds you load yourself. If there is little difference in the weapon you use, then probably not worth the time reloading.

If there is a significant difference, and accuracy is important for what you are doing, then you have your answer.

A lot depends on whether you enjoy reloading or not.
 
You need to add shipping cost to Cheaper Than Dirt's price because they have notoriously high rates. To be fair, add sales tax to locally procured components to get an accurate comparison. That said, I use the cheap bulk ammo for fun plinking. Like fishinfool said, it's not worth the time & effort for casual fun at the range.
 
......

A lot depends on whether you enjoy reloading or not.

And that is the heart of the matter.

As for cost comparison, I can reload cheaper than 22 cents per round. You can generally find 55 Hornady FMJBT bulk bullets or the bulk 55 grain SP w/cannelure for around 9 cents/round. And you can catch X-Treme has 55 FMJBT on sale for less than that and they shoot well. Another 3-4 cents/round for a primer and then depending on what powder you load with, 6-9 cents/round. And I personally find reloading to be a relaxing hobby for me as it takes my mind off of other concerns and instead focuses them on making quality ammo for me to go have a good time with.
 
I haven't started reloading rifle ammo yet, but the biggest reason to reload is to not be a slave to the market the next time there is an event like Newtown. And there will be another Newtown, unfortunately.

So buy components now and save yourself the headache later.
 
Depends on what I'm doing. I have a bunch of factory ammo, a bunch of handloaded ammo, and a bunch of reloading components for the 556. I can reload cheaper than buying. I can also reload more accurate ammo than I can buy.

You are correct in that it isn't as cost efficient to reload 556 as it is more obscure calibers. I all depends on your budget and more so, what you want.
 
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I'm looking at new hunting rounds for my .223.

Nosler partitions/20 8.80
primers .70
powder 1.57

That is $11.07 per 20 round box.
Factory ammo with these bullets is $30 at LGS.

Bulk FMJ bullets cuts costs in half, but they aren't much good for hunting.
 
I use the 52gr Sierra Match King with H-335 for my general purpose .223 load. Buying everything in bulk, it costs me about $0.34 per round. This particular load will shoot under 1.25" in any AR I've ever used it in. It may be more expensive than 55gr FMJ's, but if I miss my target, I know where the fault lies.
 
Thanks for the comments.

I should have been more specific as I am referring to plinking ammo. I will continue to hand load hunting rounds, both for accuracy and price savings. However, for general target shooting at the rang <100 yards, I think I will start buying the cheap stuff and save the rest for the next ammo crisis.

I do enjoy reloading, just not the time it takes to process fired brass. My hands get cramped after 100 rounds. :)
 
Cheapest non steel (I won't shoot steel cased ammo in my AR) is still about 31-32c/rd. Buying in bulk, I can reload for about 16c per rd or almost half. So if you shoot a lot, yes it's worth it. If you already have equipment for loading another caliber, yes it's worth it. I only process brass once, pick up my plinking brass, so I don't see a time or trouble issue there.
 
I was crussin' an LGS with indoor range a few years ago, There were a couple of early 20's young men congratulating each other for keeping a 30 round magazine on a xeroxed Zombie at 25 feet with a AR-15 carbine with a holo sight. I see you are a Marine, and know what marksmanship really is! The not too expensive import 223, has not been all that accurate at realistic AR ranges 200-500 yards, with a scope, without a scope I would think it is next to worthless. Running out and buying up components will yield expensive ammo or junk ammo and sometimes both. Take your time and buy a supply of good primers, good bullets, good brass and of course good powder. Prep your brass as you acquire it (Clean, FL size and deprime, remove crimp on military brass, and trim to one length). Once you start loading, you will then turn out ammo you know you will hit with. I loaded a 20,000 round batch in about 1984-5, The military had just switched from 55 grain FMJBT bullets and Winchester put several million on the market, I was buying them for $8.95/1000 +tax. (last winter I saw Hornady 55 FMJBT for $17/100 at Cabela's) Primers by the 1000 were about the same price and about 10% less by the 5,000. Mixed GI once fired brass ran 3 to 4 cents each depending on quantity. I got these good for then prices by shopping around and waiting for sales or "pay up front/ order it in" deals. I bought powder in 8/10 pound canisters. My ammo cost me around 7.5 cents around. new import 223 FMJ was about 20 Cents each. It shot just OK, mine shot one hole groups under test conditions. I have around 6,000 left loaded and a few thousand components. I'll never load that cheep again, but my ammo will hit what I aim at! The import junk, not so much. Ivan
 
Trying to cut down on the cost of 223's also. Just made a set of swaging dies to make my own .224" bullets.

22lr brass ='s free
range lead for cores ='s free

69g hp's I swaged today. Wanted to try them before I did the final lapping of the point forming die.



primers $.03
powder $.08 to $.10

So right now I'm looking @ $110 to $130 a 1000 to load my own with my own brass.
 
I bought my dies, but it is fun to roll your own 223 bullets for essentially free. OF course I doubt I ever make enough to pay for the dies, but being able to, regardless of govt intervention or economy, priceless. I have maybe 8-9K clean spent 22lr, 52#-58# of scrap lead, I'm in business.
Some guys are having success using cast lead bullets & the HiTek coatings. Also essentially free bullets but for the coating. Of course you need a casting setup.
 
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I'm looking at new hunting rounds for my .223.

Nosler partitions/20 8.80
primers .70
powder 1.57

That is $11.07 per 20 round box.
Factory ammo with these bullets is $30 at LGS.

Bulk FMJ bullets cuts costs in half, but they aren't much good for hunting.

Hornady also sell some bulk 55 grain Spire point bullets that are quite accurate and also make great varmint hunting bullets. They have an exposed lead point that let's them mushroom well. Here's a link to Midway about the bullets I'm talking about. Powder Valley has them a little cheaper than Midway. I actually rather buy those than the bulk Hornady FMJBT bullets.
 
I haven't started reloading rifle ammo yet, but the biggest reason to reload is to not be a slave to the market the next time there is an event like Newtown.
I've reloaded for decades. I can remember a time when a local store would have 45 ACP on sale so cheap I would buy it for the brass. But this is probably the best reason to reload. The last 10 (?) years I've seen ammo shortages beyond belief. Prices sky rocket. Yes they come down but then every hoards. I've never been without ammo for anything I own. Never will.
 
muddocktor,

The Hornady's are the ones I am switching from. They are good bullets, but everything I read says that bonded is more effective, and partition even more so. FWIW, Natchez has the Hornadys for $11/100, or $555/6000. They are cheap enough to use for plinking, and can be used for hunting in a pinch. I'd been using them because local indoor range I frequent only allows soft point, or hollow point on the range for rifles. I prefer a longer range for rifle, but closest to me is an hour drive one way. Indoor range is 5 min away, and I have a yearly membership.
 
I personally will not shoot steel-case ammo in any of my guns, nor do I have any use for or interest in shooting FMJ ammo, so I guess I'll keep reloading. I'm more interested in accuracy and field performance than in burning through a bunch of ammo in an afternoon, but that's just me... and, as others have stated, I enjoy reloading almost as much as shooting. Keeps me occupied on rainy days and evenings at home.
 
Clovishound,

I guess it all depends on what you are hunting, whether you need a partition type bullet or not. But for general all-around use, those Hornady bullets are a pretty good deal. And you probably won't be loading 1,000's of those Noslers either. BTW, Powder Valley is selling the Hornadys for $180/2000, which actually works out a tad cheaper than Natchez.

And I am another that refuses to run polymer coated steel through my pistols or my ARs. And I have only run 1 box of that aluminum Blazer junk through anything too. That was the dirtiest, nastiest ammo I have ever shot!:eek:
 
I too am not a fan of steel cased ammo. I've got a couple of buds at work who shoot the steelies, but they don't reload. I got issues as to what the steel and lacquer coatings might do to my barrel and chamber, not to mention my reloading dies. Besides, I got brass of many calibers to last me for decades. The only time I buy factory ammo now is if I cannot find loading components or else I'm building stock for a new firearm. A few years ago, when I first got into reloading, I built a spreadsheet that would calculate out to the 0.XXXX cent my per cartridge cost. My current .223 load, a 63gr. Sierra PSP on top of 24.5gr. H-335 costs me just under $14 for a box of 50. This is my go-to fodder for my Remmy 700 BDL Varmint. What I have found over the years though is that cost is secondary. I enjoy the reloading because it allows me, if not just an hour or two at a time, an escape from the stresses of daily life. This, like the credit card commercial says, is priceless.
 
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