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Old June 23, 2019, 01:45 PM   #1
ninosdemente
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Buying cheaper .223 projectiles

I have been getting Nosler CC/Barnes MB/Sierra Matchking 69gr. Mostly Nosler CC. Looking to get some cheap 55gr that I can load for when I take family with me so they can use those. As they are not looking to be accurate rather to just simply shoot a firearm, I don't have to see the "expensive" projectiles go to "waste". I found the following online and hopefully they will suffice for its intended use, shoot and not care for accuracy/groupings.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/52...ket-bag-of-100

https://www.ammosupplywarehouse.com/...ducts_id=16380

https://www.ammosupplywarehouse.com/...ducts_id=16101

Savage 12FV .223 bolt action 1:9

Not looking for specific grains, as long as they are less than what I usually get. Thank you in advanced.
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Old June 23, 2019, 01:58 PM   #2
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Those are some pretty good prices. Rocky Mountain Reloading has some for pretty good prices but other than that, watching the sales is usually the best one can do...
https://www.rmrbullets.com/product-c...le/224-5-56mm/

Tony
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Old June 23, 2019, 02:14 PM   #3
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I do well with Hornady 55gr FMJ, I bought a bulk pack of 6000 for under $400.
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Old June 23, 2019, 03:25 PM   #4
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Check Everglades ... good prices on all sorts of 223 projectiles. Most items include shipping
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Old June 23, 2019, 06:18 PM   #5
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Midsouth Shooters has a 500 count bag of Varmint Nightmare 55g on sale for $39.79.
I have bought some of these and have to say the are good bullets.
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Old June 24, 2019, 12:56 PM   #6
ninosdemente
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Thanks guys for the help. Will definitely check those sites out. Do you guys reload those just for shooting or for accuracy/groupings etc?
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Old June 24, 2019, 01:28 PM   #7
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Hornady 55 gr FMJs are higher quality than Remington's equivalent, and can often be found for the same price listed above.

The Speer bullets are good.

I won't touch Winchester component bullets any more. Unless all you're looking for is a copper-jacketed chunk of lead to leave the bore, with no expectation of accuracy, consistency, or even hitting the target; they aren't worth it.

Right now, Midway has blemished Hornady 55 gr FMJs for a $30 per five hundred ($6 / 100).
Buy a couple thousand and forget about searching for cheap bullets for a while.

If you want something expanding or explosive, there's nearly always a good deal to be found on Dogtowns, Varmint Grenades, Varmaggedon, Ballistic Tips (Varmint), or the old, basic, reliable, but plenty-good Speer 52 gr HP. You just have to look around a bit. (Links provided for the two that are currently on sale/clearance.)
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Old June 24, 2019, 07:05 PM   #8
ninosdemente
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FrankenMauser, thanks for the help. Had no idea the Winchester were that bad. Glad I asked. Am interested in the Hornady 55gr you provided the link to. Up to this point, I have not gotten any blemished projectiles. Are there any difference from the "good factory" projectiles? What do the blemish consist of? Just curiosity. I won't worry about it since using it for general shooting only for family/friends. They sure as heck won't tell the difference either way.

Too bad the Speer are out of 100 qty... cheaper to buy 10 - 100 of those rather than 1 - 1000.
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Old June 24, 2019, 07:20 PM   #9
David R
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I bought the winchester bulk. You could see they were not straight rolling them the table.

David

Last edited by David R; June 25, 2019 at 07:49 AM.
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Old June 24, 2019, 09:22 PM   #10
ninosdemente
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Thanks for the reply David R, sure now know to stay away from those period. Out of curiosity did you still use them?
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Old June 24, 2019, 10:03 PM   #11
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I have had really good results with the Hornady 62 gr HPBT from Mid-South Shooters Supply. They also have the Nosler 62 gr Varmageddon on sale for just over .10 per bullet. It has also proven very accurate, but the Hornady offers a superior b/c.
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.c...-224-dia/62-gr
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Old June 24, 2019, 10:07 PM   #12
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I just snagged the last of the Midway blems. I am planning on putting together a slow twist AR this summer. and these will be just the ticket for light plinking. I bought 1000 of Midway .20 caliber blems a few years back and they shot fine
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Old June 24, 2019, 10:25 PM   #13
FrankenMauser
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Quote:
Up to this point, I have not gotten any blemished projectiles. Are there any difference from the "good factory" projectiles? What do the blemish consist of?
They usually just tarnished or "stained" in some way.
Occasionally, the cannelure will be in the wrong place, missing, or ugly from being rolled incorrectly.
That's about it.
Midway claims that some may not be proper diameter, but I've never seen it. I think it's just a CYA statement.

I shoot a lot of Hornady blems. I've never seen any difference in performance between them and 'first rate' Hornady bullets of the same type.


Winchester bulk component bullets... I've talked about them many times.
Basically, they're lowest grade crap available on the market, in every metric that can be measured - weight, run-out, jacket thickness, jacket concentricity, roundness, diameter, length, ogive shape, base shape, and on, and on...
Some people think they're just fine (especially if they only shoot factory ammo, which has higher standards). But, in my opinion, Winchester bulk component bullets are the least consistent thing you can put in any load combination.

To me, they're nearly as bad as loading with whatever unburned powder got swept up off the floor of the local indoor range last week.

By all means, test them and form your own opinion, if you so desire. But I think they're garbage.

Quote:
I just snagged the last of the Midway blems.
Oooh, a low blow.
But, at least you let him know.
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Old June 25, 2019, 01:25 AM   #14
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I bought some Midway blems that had deformed plastic tips. I pulled the tips and was left with some nice looking hollow points.

Most of the time when I've bought blems, I'm hard pressed to find anything wrong with them...

Tony
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Old June 25, 2019, 06:50 AM   #15
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Dogtown, Varmint nitemare, Hornady bulk(6000 in a big heavy cardboard box) are all good economical alternatives. I don't load FMJ since those are cheap OTC and I see no good reason to use them anyway. A softpoint(even a cheap one) has some purpose.
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Old June 25, 2019, 07:36 AM   #16
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I use american reloading, they are good quality and every so often will have a sale on .223 projectiles.

https://americanreloading.com/en/22-...93-1000ct.html
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Old June 25, 2019, 07:49 AM   #17
David R
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************************************************************
Thanks for the reply David R, sure now know to stay away from those period. Out of curiosity did you still use them?
*************************************************************

Chucked them a long time ago.

David
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Old June 25, 2019, 08:35 AM   #18
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dawg
Making me feel like a new be . What the heck is a blem ?

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Old June 25, 2019, 10:52 AM   #19
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Blem=Blemished bullet. See Frankenmauser's description in post #13.
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Old June 25, 2019, 11:06 AM   #20
hounddawg
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Quote:
Oooh, a low blow.
But, at least you let him know.
he had replied to your post 3 hours before I ordered, plenty of time to buy some if he wanted. There were 3 boxes left so I jumped on them
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Old June 25, 2019, 11:38 AM   #21
cw308
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Thanks Uncle
Never heard of them " blems" wouldn't buy them anyway , just another thing to blame for a crappy group . It was those damn blems . Thanks again .

Chris
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Old June 25, 2019, 11:42 AM   #22
ninosdemente
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Thanks guys for the replies. More options to choose from. Didn't buy them right away as wanted to get a reply to my question about blemished projectiles. Knew that they might be gone if I decide to get them, has happened on other items I tried getting in the past. Risk I was willing to take. No worries hounddawg, not mad at you. First come, first serve... lol.

Also, wasn't going to buy them yet.... was looking around as I had often found better deals after buying. At the moment just concentrating on my shooting. Just wanted to have some cheaper stuff in hand when I knew ahead of time someone was coming along. Plus I don't have much brass to go through.

So I have to either buy more factory ammo or buy new brass. If not mistaken I have about close to 300 Remington .223 brass that I have loaded 4 times. Plus I have about 250 once fired Remington .223 brass sitting in a container for when I start loading those. Just keeping an eye out for the other brass already loaded 4 times. Since I have only bought Remington, trying to keep all same brand. I have bought Winchester/Frontier/Federal. But have not reloaded those either. I have a lot of .223 brass (FC and FC 15, different years. Would these be considered the same brass?) I have collected from rage that I need get a primer swager, just haven't gotten to it. Did see a RCBS one for $90... but have been looking at a Dillon one as well (above $120 if I recall correctly). But this is for another thread...lol.
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Old June 25, 2019, 11:47 AM   #23
ninosdemente
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Good to know that the blemishes are nothing major. So for sure next time I see some, will definitely try and get some. At least I know to stay away from getting the Winchester.... was really close to getting those. Those I will use for everyone else, haha.

In the past I did have problems with the Hornady Vmax. I know they are different but was skeptical if I would run with the same problems with the Hornady suggested by FrankenMauser and didn't want to get stuck with 500 problematic projectiles. But I guess I won't know until I try some though.
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Old June 25, 2019, 01:15 PM   #24
cw308
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I tried A Max 168's and they grouped just as tight as the Sierra's 168 MK's using the same .002 jump . I only shoot Sierra's but in a pinch I wouldn't hesitate to order the A Max. And yes I added a new word to my shooting vocabulary , blems . I'm up there with the big boys , watch out guys . I wouldn't shoot blems if I got the for free . Why , when your looking for the tightest group possible why throw a blem in the mix . I'll beat this new word to dearh , thanks guy's .

Chris
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Old June 26, 2019, 03:08 AM   #25
ninosdemente
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Are these any good/descent for just shooting?

https://www.luckygunner.com/bullets-...gold-1000#info
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