The economics of loading .223

[rockquarry]

Irrifleman-

Well stated. I completely agree with your handloading philosophy, but many of today's handloaders see it in a different light.

 

[nachogrande]

THE METRIC SYSTEM?

I've never heard of, nor experienced any of these issues. Not sure what gun/powder/primers you are using. All I can do is tell you what is working fine FOR ME. Hope it helps. I am neck sizing Remington-peters & PMC brass for 2 single shot rifles, a Harrington & Richardson Varmint master & a Remington 40XB sporter. The bullets are either Sierra 52gr HPBT MATCH, or Hornady 52gr BTHP MATCH. The powder: 26.5 - 27.5gr's of Winchester 748, (listed powder range is 23.8 gr - 28.9gr from Hornady #8 manual). I don't recall powder coming close to overflowing a case, or being compressed, BUT I haven't tried any max loads either. Powder overflowing the case would be a big RED FLAG for me. Bring a BIG spare suitcase for your trip home.

 

[Borderboss]

Everyone's circumstances and interest in reloading is different. I used to do a lot of reloading back when I competed because I was shooting a lot of rounds in practice (about 25,000 rounds a year).

Now I just practice regularly to keep in tune for defense purposes. Across 5.56, 9mm, and 45, i probably shoot 2,000 rounds a year. Right now, it's easy to get very high quality FMJ ammo made by Federal, Remington, or CCI for the following per-round cost, delivered:

• 5.56 55-grain - 30 cents
• 9mm 115 or 124 grain - 18 cents
• 45 230-grain - 26 cents

For me, I can't make the reloaded ammo cost work, especially when I factor in my time. But as always, YMMV.

 

[apollo99]

I've been getting some great deals on reloading components as of late, I guy I regularly buy my 55gr .223 bullets just had a sale $74 per 1000 plus I had a $10 voucher, then I got a box of SR magnum primers for $10 from a vender selling off his own reloading supplies, along with $10 a pound for powder. My cost this week is .109 a round. Hard to beat that, but as I said I have been getting some great deals lately. When it stops being cost effective for me to reload, I will buy factory bulk ammo.

 

[fredj338]

I agree with the person who said that reloading .223/5.56 and 9mm isn't economical at this point. It's amazing that a few years ago you couldn't touch 5.56 ammo. Now it's practically being given away.

The answer to protecting agaiexceot cost. nst a shifting political climate is to buy a boatload now. There's no reason you can't have 50K rounds of each laying around. They aren't going to go bad over 20-30 years. I'm shooting 5.56 I bought in the early 1990s right now and it's fine.

Except for cost. Which again is when reloading comes thru. Much cheaper to stockpile 50k worth of primers, powder & bullets.

 

[fredj338]

Same here , reloading and casting bullets , I enjoy the hobby.
I don't play golf or tennis,
Do Golfers save money playing golf....nope , it's their hobby.

Recycling wheel weights , printers type and scrap roof flashing since 1967....I was recycling before it became fashionable !
Gary

Berm mining, The ultimate green shooting.

 

[fredj338]

As others have opted, I load .223 for my bolt guns for accuracy purposes, but it's not worth it for the volume I put through my ARs. I roll my own one at a time using a Rockchucker.

I wouldnt even try to feed an ar with a ss press, daunting.

 

[nachogrande]

AMMO SPECIFICALY BUILT FOR 1 GUN, VS EVERY GUN IN THAT CALIBER???

Aside from a possible/likely accuracy advantage & components of your own choice, a nice group from ammo you rolled yourself is worth some $, to me. YMMV.

 

[DumpStick]

I usually shoot around 150 - 200 .223 rounds a year, mostly on the range and on occasional mobs of wild goats.

Mobs of wild goats ? Really ??

How do I get in on helping clear them out ?

This is what jumped out at me. Mobs of wild goats. It sounds like a fun job, thinning the herd, so to speak.

Mobs of wild goats. Crazy times down there.

 

[hdwhit]

Kiwi_Cop wrote:
So I am beginning to think the economics of loading for .223 are against it.

I can't speak to New Zealand, but in the United States, if you are just wanting to generically punch holes in paper at a range, there is little cost advantage to reloading.

If you include the value of your time (I used to work for $74 per hour, but since retirement, my billing rate is $185 per hour) then it certainly ceases to make sense. You will, in effect, be trading your time for about what a child chained to a sewing machine in Bangladesh makes per hour.

I DO continue to reload. But this is because the two rounds I load (a 60 grain spire hollow point and a 55 grain FMJ counterpart with identical ballistic performance used for practice) are not available commercially and I don't mind "paying" for consistency.

 

[fredj338]

I can't speak to New Zealand, but in the United States, if you are just wanting to generically punch holes in paper at a range, there is little cost advantage to reloading.

If you include the value of your time (I used to work for $74 per hour, but since retirement, my billing rate is $185 per hour) then it certainly ceases to make sense. You will, in effect, be trading your time for about what a child chained to a sewing machine in Bangladesh makes per hour.

I DO continue to reload. But this is because the two rounds I load (a 60 grain spire hollow point and a 55 grain FMJ counterpart with identical ballistic performance used for practice) are not available commercially and I don't mind "paying" for consistency.

That would put you in the top 3% of wage earners, so for most of us, you would actually make money reloading your own on a good progressive press. You are correct though, reloading offers ultimate ammo customization. If one likes to shoot match grade ammo, even 223 gets very expensive buying Fed GMM.