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Old December 24, 2016, 11:59 AM   #26
valkabit6
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I appreciate all the help guys. It definitely gives me a lot to chew over
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Old December 24, 2016, 12:10 PM   #27
wpsdlrg
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Late to the game, so to speak. I also can't add anything that has not already been said, but nevertheless, I'll add my 2 cents worth.

1) I reload .223 for a bit more than half the price of quality commercial .223 ammo.

2) My reloads are tailored to my rifles, so I get the best performance from both ammo and gun.

3) Isn't 1 and 2 enough reason ???
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Old December 25, 2016, 10:18 AM   #28
LittleLebowski
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Removing the crimp is killing me on .223 cases. Got a Hornady tool after my K&M precision bit didn't seem to fully do the job.
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Old December 26, 2016, 06:51 PM   #29
wpsdlrg
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You can remove the primer pocket crimp just as easily with a 45 degree (inside) chamfer tool.

Bear in mind that some primer pocket crimps are severe enough that they deform the primer pocket itself. Just something we .223 reloaders have to live with, unless you want to purchase new empty cases to load.

In my experience, the only tool that really fixes the primer pocket crimp issue is a (primer pocket) swaging tool. Even these, however, do not always do a perfect job, depending on the amount the pocket may be deformed.
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Old December 27, 2016, 03:24 AM   #30
rklapp
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Reloading is worth it if you try different powders (Varget, CFE223, H335, etc.) at different loads (20 to 25 depending on load data) and different bullets.

I use the RCBS decrimping bit in my drill to remove the military crimp. Works awesome. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Old December 27, 2016, 04:31 AM   #31
shootniron
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For my plinking ammo...NO way.

If I want more than plinking performance...YES.
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Old December 29, 2016, 11:11 AM   #32
JeepHammer
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I have to agree with "1. & 2."
I don't blow through ammo, I never subscribed to the 'Spray & Pray' doctrines.
Every case fully prepped, every round consistently loaded with quality components,
Every round carefully aimed and sent down range.

"3. Isn't 1 & 2 reason enough?"

No matter where you buy from, you are going to get bullets that are out of specification, over/under size or weight,
Cases that have flaws, not enough to make the scrap, just not 'Right',
Primers/Powder that have set around long enough they aren't 'Top Shelf' anymore...
That's what I make the 'Blasting' ammo from.
The visitors/relation get the bulk ammo. (They aren't going to hit much anyway)

Nothing is perfect every time, and paying $3 or more a round for factory 'Premium' ammo that might or might not work with the rifle I'm shooting that day rubs me the wrong way...
Generally, for well under 50 cents I can produce ammo that shoots with, or better than any of the 'Premium' offerings.

Aim high, accept less than 'Perfect' results, but put them in the 'Range' ammo box for practice or In-Laws that always want to shoot, but never show up with ammo or money to reimburse for ammo...

Starting with no other expectation than going 'Boom' most of the time results in ammo you could have bought cheaper...
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Old December 30, 2016, 11:31 AM   #33
P5 Guy
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Having the option of reloading frees you from the vagaries of the market or legislation to restrict said markets.
Save your brass, learn which loads run in your rifles, and you can buy whichever is most economical. Take your labors into consideration when deciding which is best.
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Old December 30, 2016, 11:54 AM   #34
Fotheringill
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All other things being equal-

For plinking or varmint control, no way.

For precision target shooting, yes.

"Target" ammunition for .223 is over $1.00/round.

For that, you are getting:

Round OAL to not go over SAAMI specs to be able to fit into a magazine.
TIR that can be as much as 4X the TIR or more compared to properly hand made rounds. Seating depth chosen by maker and not you.
Quality control is not in your hands but someone else's whether in the US or elsewhere.
A round that will be closer to MOA +/- rather than 1/2 MOA +/- or a lot better than that.

Will you be able to disintegrate a squirrel at 200 yards with factory? Probably. Will you be able to disintegrate its heart at 200 with had loads? Possibly.
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Old December 30, 2016, 03:46 PM   #35
oldengineer
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I'm not a big experimenter and shoot only 55 grain FMJBT bullets but I can see and feel a significant performance difference with my 16" carbine AR when shooting my reloads compared to inexpensive factory ammo like PMC Bronze.

The factory stuff shoots OK but costs upwards of $.35 a round.

My reloads, 55 gr Hornaday FMJBT on top of 25.8 grains of Varget costs $.23 a round and shoots noticeably better. The hotter rounds also eject differently, forward of the muzzle at 1 o'clock or so while the cheaper stuff ends up at 3 o'clock.
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Old January 1, 2017, 01:28 AM   #36
Jbotto
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Brass prep alone isn't worth it for me for ammo through an AR. I buy brass ammo by the case for the AR and reload it for my bolt-action. Sell off the excess brass if there is some. Works for me.
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Old January 1, 2017, 09:20 AM   #37
disseminator
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Short answer: Yes!

Long answer:

The only real hassle with 556 is the brass prep so if you set up right for brass prep, loading 556/300blk is as easy as any other round and will absolutely save you money and get you much better ammo for the price.

I went with a set of Worlds Finest Trimmers (556 and 300blk), a Dillon Super Swage, and a chop saw kit for 300 blk brass making.

With these tools I can prep a few thousand cases in a few hours and I have several thousand ready to load all the time.

I shoot a lot of 9mm as well and load it on my 550b in batches of 500 or 1000 rounds. In addition to being 100% better ammo than the factories are putting out, it's about 40% cheaper as well.

My friend and I went to the range the other day and I haven't shot factory ammo since I got set up to load my own. He had several boxes of factory stuff he wanted to burn up and I can't believe how dirty it was.

It reminded me of yet another benefit of reloading your own: better powder quality makes it not just more accurate, but far cleaner and less smoky as well.

I won't be buying any of the factory stuff any time soon that is for sure....
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Old January 2, 2017, 03:56 AM   #38
Gregory Gauvin
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The answer depends on how often you go on shooting.

Then how much volume of ammunition you expend.

Reloading is a hobby in of itself. Saving money on ammo is only one aspect of it, another is tailoring ammunition for accuracy.

Learn to shoot, first.
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Old January 2, 2017, 07:41 PM   #39
sbwaters
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Reload .223 to fit your gun

I reload .223 to find what my gun likes best, not to save money.

The individual harmonics of each barrel demand finding a complimentary load/bullet.
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Old January 3, 2017, 07:55 PM   #40
TheGuyOfSouthamerica
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My reasoning is this:

In Southamerica realoding any caliber ALLWAYS saves you at least 50% of the factory ammo cost.
But not all of you guys are so bad lucky-incredible lucky (pick one of your choice ) being located in Southamerica (as I do).

Regards the 223/5.56 caliber let me recall what I read about it and mingle my own experience with handgun reloading and casting.
I was wanting an rifle in that caliber as well but threw away that idea as I started reloading.
First: It is fairly difficult to find an mold for lead casting for that caliber. Not very much forms to choose if any.
Second: Lead casting own bullets for that caliber may not be the best idea since 223 Rem depends all on VELOCITY ONLY. Pretty much for lead cast bullets you may stay below 1800 fps and that velocity gives you at most an glorified 22 Magnum round or 22 Hornet.
Third: Rifle bullets Need to be cast very precisely without wrinkles and the like to have decent accuracy. Not so for handgun bullets.

Handguns you may reload from 380 acp (or as low as 32 acp) to big calibers. It is allways feasable since velocities are low and bullets are heavy.

If you want to cast for rifles cast for at least 30 caliber rifles. 30-30, 308, 30-06 or any Black Powder calibers. The heavier the bullet the better and better success you will have with casting (and reloading).

For example Lee mold .356" 124 grain TC mold for 9mm Luger casts with more difficulty than Lee molds Wadcutter 148 grain. The bigger wide open the mold is the better you pour your lead into the mold and it is more foregiving.
I find it extremely difficult to use the Lee #4 Buckshot mold since it has very tiny cavities for the small cal .24 round balls. Without difficulty I manage to cast the Lee .575" and .562" round ball.
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Old January 4, 2017, 05:02 PM   #41
ShootistPRS
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If you like loads that use the powder you like, the bullet you prefer and have the best accuracy tuned to your rifle and you don't mind the work it takes to do all that then yes it is both financially and emotionally worth it to reload the 223/556.
If, on the other hand, you find factory ammo accurate and repeatable enough to suit you then you are better off not reloading.
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Old January 5, 2017, 12:36 AM   #42
AUFlyer99
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I started reloading 9mm and 223 shortly after buying my press which was during an ammo panic. My M1 and 44Mag habits necessitated the press and ammo shortages steered me to reloading everything I shoot. Now I'm just in the mode of buying components and haven't thought of whether I'm spending extra money. What is 9mm and 223 going for these days? I'm reloading 223 for 18 cents/rd (Wolf bullets, H-335 and Wolf primers) and 9mm for 11 cents/rd (Xtreme bullets, HP-38, and Wolf primers). Time costs don't factor in. I work 7 days on/7 off and reloading is my relaxation time after the family goes to bed.
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Old January 5, 2017, 10:09 AM   #43
droptrd
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I enjoy it. But I'll add, I cost $$$ to invest in equipment to make loading high volume AR fodder worth it. While my super swager 600 rocks I really want to get a "swage it" for my 550. Should be able to rock out decap and swage real quick.
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Old January 6, 2017, 08:55 PM   #44
Mike1
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As noted above, the time consuming part of setting up for loading on the 550 is changing the primer size. If your press is already set up for small primers, you can swap to .223 in about 5 minutes (assuming your dies are set up on a dedicated tool head).

I may have missed the comment, but you Do Not need to use a small base sizer. Standard dies work just fine. You do need to lube the cases and there are several methods. I normally use a lube pad with RCBS lube. I can load about 300 per hour without sweat.

If you buy bulk brass, powder, primers and bullets (particularly if everything except primers are surplus), you'll save money, but whether the time is worth it is up to you. My blasting ammo accuracy varies from 1 to 2 MOA depending on gun. I also load for accurate varmint guns using my 550 and quality components.
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Old January 10, 2017, 07:58 PM   #45
ScottC
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I just started reloading .223. The dies have been sitting unused on the shelf for over 3 years. I bought them with the press which is mainly used for 9mm and 300BLK.

Why did I start now? Because I want to make crappy ammo. Yes, that's right. By normal standards I'm making crappy ammo. I'm running a suppressed SBR and am only interested in targets out to about 70yards. I want to run heavier bullets slow at minimum load with a fast powder. The quieter I can get it and still cycle the action, the better. High accuracy is not a concern as long as I can hit the A zone up close or a 10" plate at 70 yards. (BTW, 3" groups at 50 with a 1x red dot and bad eyes.)

I can't buy the ammo I want and even if I could making it is far less expensive. My cost to make is under $.20/round.

Last edited by ScottC; January 10, 2017 at 08:08 PM.
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