556/223 Load or Buy Bulk?

[Eddietruett]

My stepson who is a Deputy just got an AR. Being a personal owned firearm he can shoot anything he wants (department issue can use only issued ammo). Since I already load for handgun, setting up to load for him is not a major deal, but is it cost effective? We’re not talking about match grade ammo here. He just wants ammo to burn and practice. Normally I would say buy some bulk and when “new” wears off it won’t be an issue, but he loves to shoot and will burn up all he can get forever especially if I’m buying. Question is can I save a bunch of money loading? Brass is available free so that’s no issue. I’ve been told it’s like 9mm that really is not that cost effective to load unless you have tons of time on your hands. You experts tell me.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

For plinking quality 223/556 ammo, it is cheaper to buy! I had stocked up on 55gr. FMJ/BT projectiles in the 80's when the Army switched to 62gr steel core. I paid about $7/1000! I bought 21K (and have 1K unloaded. Back then, buying everything in bulk and on sale/close-out, I loaded for about 6.5 cents a round! Mil-spec ammo cost about 8 cents. I loaded 20K and, I still have about 3500 left and #2 son has about 3K left! Two winters ago I saw 55 grain Hornady FMJ/BT at $17.00 per hundred at Cabela's. (ridiculous!)

Ivan

 

[elpac3]

I think the bigger issue here is your stepson is a grown, working (law)man who should be able to afford to buy his own ammo. If not, HE needs to figure out how to get what he wants/ needs and can afford.

 

[fordson]

Interesting question. I’ve been thinking of getting back into 223/556 reloading just for range ammo. Am also looking at getting the conversion kit for my xl 650 and how cost effective that would be. My main concern is with all of the current gun hysteria and potential for additional restrictions, will ammo availability start to dry up. If that happens, then reloading would be an answer.

 

[Harbinger_of_lead]

For plinking ammo It comes down to brass and the value of your time. If you own brass and the tools for prepping the primer pockets, then you can eliminate a large expense. However, if you value your time at anything north of minimum wage, you are better off buying (IMO).

I did see that some online vendors sell fully prepped military once shot brass for .16 each. Add a bullet, powder and the pesky .03 primer, and you are already more expensive than most readily available NATO (like at Wal-Mart).

 

[zeke]

Because I already invested in components, dies etc and just retired, will handload 223 and 9mm because can't afford loaded rounds right now. However, am very hesitant to spend time loading 223 with 55 fmj bullets. For the time spent, ain't worth it for my use.

I'd have/help him buy rounds, and save the brass. If needed in future, start considering investing in dies.

 

[Eddietruett]

I think the bigger issue here is your stepson is a grown, working (law)man who should be able to afford to buy his own ammo. If not, HE needs to figure out how to get what he wants/ needs and can afford.

I agree with you to a point, but he’s just out of college. Spent 3 months at the academy and starting pay is squat. Until he has been on job at least 6 months he will make very little overtime and he can’t work any side functions that help out tremendously with finances. If this was something he was doing just for fun, he would be on his own 100% but it’s something that could save his life. While he works for a large department, they don’t have the funds to provide AR’s or ammo. I don’t want him undergunned out there as well if he has an AR I want him to be proficient with it. He was able to scrape up the money to buy the gun and didn’t ask me for a dime, nor has he ask me to buy any bullets. He is not a freeloader nor a silver spoon kid that’s been handed everything. He worked after school and summers to help put himself through college. He will be successful in life because he is not afraid of work and understands perfectly that if you want something you work for it. I’m proud of what he’s already accomplished and right now I’m concerned about his safety as well as the ones around him more than if he can figure a way to buy a box of bullets to practice with.

 

[elpac3]

Should be proud there dad!

I was a starting LEO in 1973, still finishing college, small town, job paid almost nothing. I feel your pain.

Used to shoot about a 1000 rounds of handgun a month, buying reloads for $2/box at the local gun store. Had to make the practice really count.

I am certainly not opposed to helping one grow and survive. Sound like you are in a place where you just have to buy your time. One work of caution - I would highly recommend not having handloads get mixed with service ammo - bad juju in court. Likewise for any modifications or additions to the weapon. Just be sure everything has a written department blessing.

Different days on the street now. Seeing more nut jobs and unemployed lawyers looking for deep pockets to go after.

Be smart, be safe.

 

[Czechvar]

What I would do if it were me...Get him a simple manual press and Dies, maybe a Lee Turret set. Buy the brass and a Swager, show him how to clean the brass, Swage it, clean out the Primer pocket, trim, and load his own. Then you can just provide him Primers, powder and bullets til he can afford his own. He can shoot as much as he can make.

Little Crow Gunworks has some nice little manual reloading tools, I’d recommend starting off with these:

Precision Prep Tool (PPT) | Little Crow Gunworks

The Original World’s Finest Trimmer | Little Crow Gunworks

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I can't imagine owning a centerfire firearm for which I did not have everything needed to produce my own ammunition.

Started shooting during the 1950's, served in the military late 1960's to early 1970's, started reloading about 1971, started casting bullets about 1972. I own several firearms that have never been fired with factory ammo, and several others for which I have produced every round fired during my ownership.

Anytime I acquire another firearm in a caliber I have not owned before the first order of business is acquiring a set of reloading dies, and usually a good bullet mold.

While there seems to be a good supply of ammo now available at reasonable prices, it hasn't been that long ago that there was little or no ammo available at any price (nor primers, powder, etc).

I suggest that the time to get set up to produce ammo for that new AR is right now. Don't get caught in the future without the ability to supply your needs.

 

[reddog81]

IMO it's not worth it to reload 5.56. Between the cost of the bullets, powder and primer you're basically at the cost of ammo you can buy.

Unless you're looking for match grade ammo tailored to a specific gun or have tons of free time on your hands I wouldn't do it.

 

[rockquarry]

With some load development, experienced handloaders can make more accurate ammo than they can buy unless they purchase expensive match stuff.

I've tried a number of the bulk ammunitions. Overall, accuracy wasn't impressive. That's not a concern for many today. As long as the ammo feeds reliably and always fires, it's fine. Even the cheapest products will do that.

I've haven't done any figuring but feel safe in saying that total cost for a handload using a good, accurate bullet and other components will be more expensive than cheap commercially loaded ammo, but it will probably shoot better.

 

[MichiganScott]

I use bulk Federal XM193 when introducing newbies to the AR platform. My handloads consist of a Sierra 52gr MK over H335, all bought in bulk, for my general purpose load.

The match grade handload costs exactly the same per round as the XM193. That way I know if I miss it is my fault. I enjoy handloading. If I didn't, I'd never load another .223.

 

[gwpercle]

Might want to buy dies , stock up on bullets and get ready for the next "panic" , the next president may not be one of our ilk ....one election can dry up all the cheap and plentyful ammo for years to come.... and when it does come back...it's doubled in price.
I'm telling you now....Be Prepared.
Gary

 

[GB]

I load 223/5.56. Mostly all reloads for my bolt guns. Some reloads in my H-Bar Colt ( match ammo) I also have an M4 clone that I shoot mostly bulk ammo. Over the last decade I bought bulk when I could get it at what I considered fair prices. I have passed on ammo in 223/5.56 lately even though it could be had a screamin' low prices because I have a fairly large quantity on hand (3 to 4K) and doubt that I will shoot all that I have.

If you enjoy reloading, picking up a set of dies and a shell holder isn't that costly. You will also need to be ready to trim cases (something I don't do will pistol calibers). If you decide to go the reload route, explain to your son that he is going to be responsible for some of the costs involved and will have to spend some time polishing your reloading bench chair (with the seat of his pants) and pulling the handle on the press.

 

[fredj338]

I load for 223 because I already load for something like 25 calibers. So I am just buying dies & shell plate for my 550. At current cost, I am loading for 18-19c each or less than $200/1000. If I want to spend more time, I can make my own bullets from spent 22lr, reducing my cost to 11c each; free bullets, free cases, powder & primer is all I need. to shoot.

 

[bigedp51]

I think the bigger issue here is your stepson is a grown, working (law)man who should be able to afford to buy his own ammo. If not, HE needs to figure out how to get what he wants/ needs and can afford.

I agree 100% and would think twice befor loading ammunition for someone else.

I once bought a bad brick of primers that were recalled by Remington. The problem was my bolt face was badly etched before I knew the primers were bad.

Also loose primer pockets on a over gassed AR15 can also be a big problem.

I found the photo below in a AR15 forum and its food for thought.

And how will your relations be with your stepson if his bolt face ends up looking like below.

I was given three five gallon buckets of .223/5.56 free brass fired by our local police. I gave up using much of these once fired cases because of quality problems and loose primer pockets. And the biggest problem with Federal cases was over sized primer pockets after they were fired once.

Below you can see the difference in the thickness of the flash hole web in the Federal cases.

I now buy bulk once fired Lake City 5.56 brass that is collected from the military. The Lake City cases are made of harder brass than commercial .223 cases. And have thicker flash hole webs that add radial strength to the base of the case.

The harder brass came about after the 1968 congressional hearings on the M16 jamming problems.

How Hard is Your Brass? 5.56 and .223 Rem Base Hardness Tests
How Hard is Your Brass? 5.56 and .223 Rem Base Hardness Tests << Daily Bulletin

Bottom line, the .223 is rated at 55,000 psi and the newer 5.56 M855 ammunition has a max chamber pressure of 58,700 psi. Meaning the Lake City 5.56 cases are made to withstand higher pressures. (built Ford Truck Tough)

 

[muddocktor]

I just looked at some bullet prices at Monmouth and they have some Hornady 55 grain spire point bulk bullets selling for 6.8 to 7.5 cents per round, depending on what amount you are willing to spend for bulk bullets. The 6000 count is 6.8-6.9 cents per bullet and the 2000 count and 8000 count are around 7.5 cents a bullet. On powder, there are many powders that work well with the 223 round. You can figure around $175 for 8 lbs of powder and figuring an average of 25 grains/round, you can load 280 rounds per pound of powder. That works out to a little under 8 cents per round for powder. Now, add 3 cents per round for primers and you come up with a cost per round of 18-19 cents per round. I don't count my time as something to figure in when comparing to factory ammo, since I am making the choice to reload instead.

I bought some of those Hornady 55 grain spire points from Monmouth a few months ago and found that Hornady has now started making them with a boat tail instead of flat base, which makes it easier to start them in the case mouth and also should give a bit better BC to help maintain velocity downrange. Also, since it is a spire point bullet with an exposed lead tip, they should also make for a pretty effective varmint round and will be an expanding bullet.

So, if you can buy quality ammo for less than 18-19 cents per round, you would be money ahead by buying factory ammo.

For reloading 223, I've used Accurate 2230 and 2460, their LT-32 (expensive, bought when powder was so hard to find) and I have an 8 lb jug of 2200 I haven't yet tried. I've also used IMR 4198 and IMR 3031 and good results with them, but those stick powders don't meter real well in my Lyman 55, so I ended up scale weighing the powder charges using those 2 powders. The Accurate powders all metered very well out of my Lyman 55 powder measure.

Hopefully this will help you to your decision.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I agree with you to a point, but he’s just out of college. Spent 3 months at the academy and starting pay is squat. Until he has been on job at least 6 months he will make very little overtime and he can’t work any side functions that help out tremendously with finances. If this was something he was doing just for fun, he would be on his own 100% but it’s something that could save his life. While he works for a large department, they don’t have the funds to provide AR’s or ammo. I don’t want him undergunned out there as well if he has an AR I want him to be proficient with it. He was able to scrape up the money to buy the gun and didn’t ask me for a dime, nor has he ask me to buy any bullets. He is not a freeloader nor a silver spoon kid that’s been handed everything. He worked after school and summers to help put himself through college. He will be successful in life because he is not afraid of work and understands perfectly that if you want something you work for it. I’m proud of what he’s already accomplished and right now I’m concerned about his safety as well as the ones around him more than if he can figure a way to buy a box of bullets to practice with.

OK, but I'm not going to unlike the post you just answered.

I accept your question, and now ask, "What's your time worth?" You can do the arithmetic as well as or better than I can. When you're done adding up costs and seeing what you save (if you save), divide by hours and ask yourself whether you want to work for that hourly wage.

Many years ago, when I was gainfully employed, I asked myself that question. I started buying a lot more ammo, even defensive ammo, than components.

Today, I have enough money. I still load for rifle calibers (NOT .223 Remington) because I can do what the factory can't (except for 7mm-08; if I had known how good Hornady ammo was, I would have just bought a lot of ammo and not bothered with the Wilson dies).

Anyway, your numbers, your choice. Certainly nothing wrong with buying factory ammo, if you can get what you want.

 

[Czechvar]

I would like to add this point. I started buying reloading gear the Summer Of 2016, when it looked like Hellery might steal the election...remember what ammunition prices/availability were like before Trump? I bought a lot of stuff to minimize the Shortages and inflated prices. Things are better now, but the threat never goes away. Most of what I learned came from YouTube videos, because I don’t know anyone around here to learn from. Your son has you and that’s fortunate, because you can teach him to reload.

You know...Give a man a fish, teach a man to fish...etc.