Who can help me out?

yetavon · January 6, 2014, 10:59 AM

Any and all opinions are welcome.
I am trying to get my plans together on doing 223/5.56 with adding 300 AAC in the future. I just built my 1st AR, PSA parts, 1:7 16" barrel in 5.56. will add a 300 upper next. Uses,fun and plinking mostly with hunting deer and hogs with the 300. Have a Lee single stage that I have used for many years for pistol...averaging maybe 1000 rounds a year. So far I have 200 rounds of mixed brass, mostly 556.
In researching and figuring I have my best cost down to .18 a round, 2K rounds with pulled power and hazmat fees, about .24 a round buying local supplies, and my best found deals on factory ammo was .36 a round for brass and about .25 for steal. (not every day deals)
Now for the equipment...found a Lee progressive with 223 dies for around $200, and would love one for doing pistol rounds, but dealing with the primer crimps kind of defeats a progressive...at least for the first run.
Thinking another single stage set up and can de-prime prep and hand prime, then change dies and finish,(boy the progressive would work good here).
Of course the cheapest way, $30 for a Wack-a-mole....
Then add the stuff to cut down to make the 300...
Or just buy the 223/5.56 and make the 300...
Or?????
And just wait for my dumb questions on the actual reloading...still researching specific's
Thanks in Advance
Darrin

steve4102 · January 6, 2014, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Of course the cheapest way, $30 for a Wack-a-mole..

This will not work for your AR. It neck sizes only. Semi-Autos need the Full Length sizing treatment.

SWThomas · January 6, 2014, 11:21 AM

A progressive and all the goodies. Buy once, cry once. This is not a hobby of "cheap" things.

gundog5 · January 6, 2014, 12:18 PM

You may want to consider a turret press. Not as fast as a progressive but a lot faster then a single stage.

Gabe1519 · January 6, 2014, 07:37 PM

I'm definitely getting a 300 upper down the road as well and will be making my own rounds for it of course. That is insanely low to be able to make your rounds at $0.18/rd. Do you buy bulk 8lbs of powder at a time and 1000 bullets at a time? I find it hard to source bulk powder locally here in Houston. I don't even think about buying powder online due to the hazmat fees. It's takes big bucks to make paying a hazmat fee worth it.

yetavon · January 7, 2014, 09:48 AM

Thanks Steve...my cheapest went Bye Bye LOL....

Gabe, that figure was buying in bulk of 8 Lbs of pulled powder AND 2K primers and bullets shipped under 1 Hazmat fee.

yetavon · January 8, 2014, 10:52 AM

Low and behold...My mothers BF heard me talking with my son and say's "I have some old reloading stuff I haven't used in years, let me see if I can find it" So I now have an old Rock Crusher to use.

January 6, 2014, 10:59 AM	#1
yetavon Member Join Date: November 27, 2012 Posts: 23	Who can help me out? Any and all opinions are welcome. I am trying to get my plans together on doing 223/5.56 with adding 300 AAC in the future. I just built my 1st AR, PSA parts, 1:7 16" barrel in 5.56. will add a 300 upper next. Uses,fun and plinking mostly with hunting deer and hogs with the 300. Have a Lee single stage that I have used for many years for pistol...averaging maybe 1000 rounds a year. So far I have 200 rounds of mixed brass, mostly 556. In researching and figuring I have my best cost down to .18 a round, 2K rounds with pulled power and hazmat fees, about .24 a round buying local supplies, and my best found deals on factory ammo was .36 a round for brass and about .25 for steal. (not every day deals) Now for the equipment...found a Lee progressive with 223 dies for around $200, and would love one for doing pistol rounds, but dealing with the primer crimps kind of defeats a progressive...at least for the first run. Thinking another single stage set up and can de-prime prep and hand prime, then change dies and finish,(boy the progressive would work good here). Of course the cheapest way, $30 for a Wack-a-mole.... Then add the stuff to cut down to make the 300... Or just buy the 223/5.56 and make the 300... Or????? And just wait for my dumb questions on the actual reloading...still researching specific's Thanks in Advance Darrin

January 6, 2014, 11:21 AM	#3
SWThomas Member Join Date: August 17, 2013 Location: Fort Lee, VA Posts: 73	A progressive and all the goodies. Buy once, cry once. This is not a hobby of "cheap" things.

January 6, 2014, 12:18 PM	#4
gundog5 Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Posts: 116	You may want to consider a turret press. Not as fast as a progressive but a lot faster then a single stage.

January 6, 2014, 07:37 PM	#5
Gabe1519 Member Join Date: December 10, 2013 Location: Houston/College Station Posts: 38	I'm definitely getting a 300 upper down the road as well and will be making my own rounds for it of course. That is insanely low to be able to make your rounds at $0.18/rd. Do you buy bulk 8lbs of powder at a time and 1000 bullets at a time? I find it hard to source bulk powder locally here in Houston. I don't even think about buying powder online due to the hazmat fees. It's takes big bucks to make paying a hazmat fee worth it.

January 7, 2014, 09:48 AM	#6
yetavon Member Join Date: November 27, 2012 Posts: 23	Thanks Steve...my cheapest went Bye Bye LOL.... Gabe, that figure was buying in bulk of 8 Lbs of pulled powder AND 2K primers and bullets shipped under 1 Hazmat fee.

January 8, 2014, 10:52 AM	#7
yetavon Member Join Date: November 27, 2012 Posts: 23	Low and behold...My mothers BF heard me talking with my son and say's "I have some old reloading stuff I haven't used in years, let me see if I can find it" So I now have an old Rock Crusher to use.