Which rifle round is easier to reload?

spacecoast · February 12, 2011, 09:33 PM

Thinking about a real rifle in the future (as opposed to my 9mm Hi-Point). Looking like either an AK-47, some other 7.62x39 or some variant of .223 Rem... maybe a Mini-14 or a bolt action w/magazine.

Which round is easier to reload, and which chambering tends to be more tolerant of reloads? I suspect the answer to the latter is the AK, but would like to know from those who know for sure. I'm sure the 12x grain AK bullets are more expensive than the 55 gr. .223s, but my shooting volume won't be enough to sway my decision one way or the other. Power required looks to be about the same.

DiscoRacing · February 12, 2011, 09:37 PM

Since I do all the same steps with each caliber of rifle loading.... no one is easier/less complicated...than the others. they are all equal...

...ive also not had any problem with any of my calibers of reloads functioning any differently in any of the rifles.

.223, .22-250, .270, .308, 30/30, 300win mag, 300weatherby mag, 7mm rem mag, 30-06.

cheezhed · February 12, 2011, 10:06 PM

I have reloaded both calibers for both my mini and my wasr. Both rifles will work well with factory or my loads but the AK dents the brass more than the mini. reloading is the same for either round.

dawico · February 13, 2011, 12:03 AM

223/ 5.56 componants will probably be easier to find and cheaper. Military once fired brass and pulled bullets are very cheap to buy. Besides that, the act of reloading and shooting them are about the same.

chasep255 · February 13, 2011, 12:49 AM

If you've ever noticed most 7.62x39 come in steel casings (non-reloadable). Whereas you see mostly 5.56/.223 with brass casings. This being said I think you will have an easier time finding brass if you load the .223. Also 7.62x39 is probably the cheapest centerfire rifle round so I don't think its worth reloading. The 5.56 in my opinion is.

Shoney · February 13, 2011, 04:50 AM

I've looked for a source of 7.622X39 brass for 12 years.

Loaded 7.622X39 cartridges cost about the same as bullets, primers, and powder.

spacecoast · February 13, 2011, 06:12 AM

Thanks for the replies, I checked my latest Sportsmans Guide catalog and found each type of ammo for 18-20 cents a round (non-reloadable Wolf or other Russian). At that price, it hardly seems worth it with 55 gr. bullets running 10 cents apiece from Berry's, but then again I might be able to do a better job myself. Seems like .223 Rem WWB runs about 50 cents a round at WalMart.

m&p45acp10+1 · February 13, 2011, 08:09 AM

I would recomend reloading for .223 Rem for several reasons. First being simple economics. Brass is more common, plentiful, and worlds cheaper. Even match grade bullets are still in affordable range (this is coming from a die hard tight fisted cheap dude) Using range pick up brass, Hornady Match bullets, CCI primers, and powder purchased in 1 Lb cans. I load realy acurate ammo for less than quarter. Price of loaded rounds using theese bullets runs from 50 cents using comercial reloads, to about 1 dollar with Hornady factory match ammo. Using cheap 55 grain FMJBT less than 20 cents each.

I shoot mine out of a bolt action Savage Model 12 Long Range Varmint. It is deadly acurate with the cheap bulk 55 grain ammo. It is insanely acurate with my handloads

Note most rifles chambered for 7.62x39 are not built to milk accuracy out of anyway. There are some bolt actions made that are capable of this they are just not as popular as ther AK and SKS counterparts. I own an SKS and I shoot steel cased ammo out of it, and it does just fine. Brass cased ammo for it is expensive, and bullets cost well over what the .224s will run.

DiscoRacing · February 13, 2011, 08:10 AM

Quote:

At that price, it hardly seems worth it with 55 gr

You have to buy components in bulk to get better savings.

I can reload 20 rds of .223 for just over $6.00

Ive never seen them that cheap at Wallytown.

maillemaker · February 13, 2011, 08:23 AM

Just a side note here:

I have recently learned that you can shoot .223 in a 5.56 chambered rifle, but you should not shoot 5.56 in a rifle chambered in .223! The rounds are not identical. You can get overpressures shooting 5.56 in rifles designed for .223.

http://www.thegunzone.com/556v223.html

Google this to find out more.

Also, lots of 7.62 x 39 is Berdan-primed, which makes it hard to reload. 7.62x39 is currently running at about $.25 a cartridge for the Wolf stuff ($250 per 1000). If you can scrounge free Boxer-primed brass, you could probably reload them for not quite half that. If you're buying all the components, it's probably not worth it.

Brian Pfleuger · February 13, 2011, 09:25 AM

The bullet will run maybe .25 a piece, brass is .40 each so if you get 10 shots each that's only .04, figure .04 for primers, .10 for powder... that's .43 cents a shot, $8.60/20.... if that's all about right, I'd much rather shoot my own stuff for .43 each than some surplus crap for .25, unless I shot A LOT.

As for ease of loading, I have to agree with the others... I load .204, 22-250 and 7mm-8 and they're basically all the same. The only trouble is getting that teeny, tiny bullet to sit on the .204....

Incognito · February 13, 2011, 10:17 AM

Like everyone says, .223/5.56 is the way to go if you really want to reload rifle ammo (given the two options). For the AK, rounds are not worth reloading when you consider how inexpensive steel case ammo is.

Another choice however would be .308 Winchester. It would probably cost about the same as reloading 7.62X39, but will completely out-perform that cartridge.

February 12, 2011, 09:33 PM	#1
spacecoast Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Location: Sunshine and Keystone States Posts: 4,461	Which rifle round is easier to reload? Thinking about a real rifle in the future (as opposed to my 9mm Hi-Point). Looking like either an AK-47, some other 7.62x39 or some variant of .223 Rem... maybe a Mini-14 or a bolt action w/magazine. Which round is easier to reload, and which chambering tends to be more tolerant of reloads? I suspect the answer to the latter is the AK, but would like to know from those who know for sure. I'm sure the 12x grain AK bullets are more expensive than the 55 gr. .223s, but my shooting volume won't be enough to sway my decision one way or the other. Power required looks to be about the same.

February 12, 2011, 09:37 PM	#2
DiscoRacing Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: milton, wv Posts: 3,640	Since I do all the same steps with each caliber of rifle loading.... no one is easier/less complicated...than the others. they are all equal... ...ive also not had any problem with any of my calibers of reloads functioning any differently in any of the rifles. .223, .22-250, .270, .308, 30/30, 300win mag, 300weatherby mag, 7mm rem mag, 30-06. __________________ Desert Eagle Alliance Group Launcher Extraordinaire ______ ----Get Busy Live'n.....Or....Get Busy Die'n......Red -------They call me Dr. Bob,,,, I have a PhD in S&W

February 13, 2011, 04:50 AM	#6
Shoney Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2002 Location: Transplanted from Montana Posts: 2,311	I've looked for a source of 7.622X39 brass for 12 years. Loaded 7.622X39 cartridges cost about the same as bullets, primers, and powder. __________________ I pledge allegiance to the Flag - - -, and to the Republic for which it stands….Our Forefathers were brilliant for giving us a Republic, not a democracy! Do you know the difference??? and WHY?http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissue...les.asp?id=111

February 13, 2011, 08:09 AM	#8
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I would recomend reloading for .223 Rem for several reasons. First being simple economics. Brass is more common, plentiful, and worlds cheaper. Even match grade bullets are still in affordable range (this is coming from a die hard tight fisted cheap dude) Using range pick up brass, Hornady Match bullets, CCI primers, and powder purchased in 1 Lb cans. I load realy acurate ammo for less than quarter. Price of loaded rounds using theese bullets runs from 50 cents using comercial reloads, to about 1 dollar with Hornady factory match ammo. Using cheap 55 grain FMJBT less than 20 cents each. I shoot mine out of a bolt action Savage Model 12 Long Range Varmint. It is deadly acurate with the cheap bulk 55 grain ammo. It is insanely acurate with my handloads Note most rifles chambered for 7.62x39 are not built to milk accuracy out of anyway. There are some bolt actions made that are capable of this they are just not as popular as ther AK and SKS counterparts. I own an SKS and I shoot steel cased ammo out of it, and it does just fine. Brass cased ammo for it is expensive, and bullets cost well over what the .224s will run. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

February 13, 2011, 09:25 AM	#11
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	The bullet will run maybe .25 a piece, brass is .40 each so if you get 10 shots each that's only .04, figure .04 for primers, .10 for powder... that's .43 cents a shot, $8.60/20.... if that's all about right, I'd much rather shoot my own stuff for .43 each than some surplus crap for .25, unless I shot A LOT. As for ease of loading, I have to agree with the others... I load .204, 22-250 and 7mm-8 and they're basically all the same. The only trouble is getting that teeny, tiny bullet to sit on the .204.... __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

February 12, 2011, 10:06 PM	#3
cheezhed Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2007 Posts: 302	I have reloaded both calibers for both my mini and my wasr. Both rifles will work well with factory or my loads but the AK dents the brass more than the mini. reloading is the same for either round.

February 13, 2011, 12:03 AM	#4
dawico Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2009 Location: Lampasas, TX Posts: 326	223/ 5.56 componants will probably be easier to find and cheaper. Military once fired brass and pulled bullets are very cheap to buy. Besides that, the act of reloading and shooting them are about the same.

February 13, 2011, 12:49 AM	#5
chasep255 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 727	If you've ever noticed most 7.62x39 come in steel casings (non-reloadable). Whereas you see mostly 5.56/.223 with brass casings. This being said I think you will have an easier time finding brass if you load the .223. Also 7.62x39 is probably the cheapest centerfire rifle round so I don't think its worth reloading. The 5.56 in my opinion is.

February 13, 2011, 06:12 AM	#7
spacecoast Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Location: Sunshine and Keystone States Posts: 4,461	Thanks for the replies, I checked my latest Sportsmans Guide catalog and found each type of ammo for 18-20 cents a round (non-reloadable Wolf or other Russian). At that price, it hardly seems worth it with 55 gr. bullets running 10 cents apiece from Berry's, but then again I might be able to do a better job myself. Seems like .223 Rem WWB runs about 50 cents a round at WalMart.

February 13, 2011, 08:23 AM	#10
maillemaker Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2010 Posts: 1,635	Just a side note here: I have recently learned that you can shoot .223 in a 5.56 chambered rifle, but you should not shoot 5.56 in a rifle chambered in .223! The rounds are not identical. You can get overpressures shooting 5.56 in rifles designed for .223. http://www.thegunzone.com/556v223.html Google this to find out more. Also, lots of 7.62 x 39 is Berdan-primed, which makes it hard to reload. 7.62x39 is currently running at about $.25 a cartridge for the Wolf stuff ($250 per 1000). If you can scrounge free Boxer-primed brass, you could probably reload them for not quite half that. If you're buying all the components, it's probably not worth it.

February 13, 2011, 10:17 AM	#12
Incognito Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2008 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 370	Like everyone says, .223/5.56 is the way to go if you really want to reload rifle ammo (given the two options). For the AK, rounds are not worth reloading when you consider how inexpensive steel case ammo is. Another choice however would be .308 Winchester. It would probably cost about the same as reloading 7.62X39, but will completely out-perform that cartridge.