Is it economical to reload .223/5.56?

[lightman]

I'm reloading a good varmint bullet cheaper than that American Eagle, and it shoots better. Much better! Watch for sales and stock up. Buy powder in bulk and save by getting friends together on larger orders.

Like others have said, reloading is more than saving money.

 

[ku4hx]

The cheapest anything is seldom the best value. My initial foray into hand loading was to save money, but way back then a 30-06 factory round was 25 cents and I could do it for about 8 cents. And, at that time, factory ammunition was not the quality stuff it is today ... not even close

There are few hobbies that are cost effective. I don't know a single golfer who measures his cost on a per ball or per swing basis, and my bass fishing buddy won't even talk about what his cost per pound of fish is.

If lowest cost is your only concern, then nobody can argue with your math. But there are intangibles associated with hand loading that I've always considered extremely important: a sense of accomplishment, a sense of mastering a craft not everybody can do successfully, a sense of being at least partially self sufficient and since I cast my own boolits, I feel a certain link to shooting history I find most satisfying.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

I will also say the Federal 5.56 brass is really good stuff, annealed case necks, heavy duty. I should get quite a few loads out of this stuff.

I don't normally buy factory ammo, since I'm reloading. However, a couple month's ago, Cabelas had 10% off and free shipping on the Federal 5.56 ammo. I couldn't pass it up for $6/box and I bought a case.

It gave me a great brass supply as well.

 

[mongoose33]

For me the key (and the fun) has been surfing various local stores (some big box and some not) and just watching and seeing prices. After a while you will recognize what a good deal is so you can snatch it up when you see it. I stumbled on a local shop that sells a certain bullet I like (for 9mm) for LESS than what Powder Valley sells them for - and in addition I don't have to pay shipping. By really getting to know the local retailers one might find some really good deals.

I think this is key to saving money--you have to know what normal prices are, what a good deal is, and what an exceptional deal is, so if one appears, you can pounce.

For me (and I suspect for you) it's not work to keep up on prices--I'm always looking at what people have on sale, clearance, whatever, and know that if I can find .224 FMJ bullets for 6.5 cents apiece, that's a deal.

Same with powder. Recobs has a powder sale now--you buy 2 8# kegs of selected powder (of which 748 is one), and you get 10 percent off. Guess what? 10 percent of two kegs is equal to...Hazmat and then some!

So it's about paying attention. Not everyone wants to do that but I get a little bit of a thrill when I find an exceptional deal.

 

[kerreckt]

I can shoot ammo that gives optimal performance in that particular rifle or pistol. It will cost range fodder prices not premium prices that its quality dictates. This is only true because I reload. Oh yes, there never/is was an ammo shortage around my place.

 

[TimSr]

Is it economical to reload .223/5.56?

Not really. .223 and 9mm probably offer the least amount of savings when looking strictly at monetary aspects. With other, less common rounds, savings can be huge.

 

[mongoose33]

Not really. .223 and 9mm probably offer the least amount of savings when looking strictly at monetary aspects. With other, less common rounds, savings can be huge.

I think it depends on what people are looking for.

Let's look at 9mm Missouri Bullets which, when bought in bulk and w/ the discount, run about 6.7 cents apiece. Add a primer for roughly 3.2 cents, powder at about 1.4 cents apiece, and you're looking at 11.3 cents per round.

It's darned hard to find decent factory ammo for less than $22/100, or 22 cents apiece.

I can load 400 rounds per hour on my progressive at a comfortable rate; I can go faster but it's not a race. Since I'm saving 10.7 cents per round, I'm saving...in excess of $40/hour for my time.

Anybody here have a part-time job that pays them $40/hour?

The savings are even greater with .45 ACP. And in addition, there's this: how much is it worth to be able to produce one's own ammo if the gun grabbers find a way to limit primers, powder, or projectiles?

***************

When it comes to .223 and 5.56, the savings are less. The cheapest I've seen good 5.56 ammo is about 31 cents apiece. I can load it myself for about 18 cents a round, a savings of 13 cents a round. However, prep time is significant unless you use the RCBS X-Die (which I do), and I'd be lucky to do much more than 150/hour (I use a single-stage for this).

So my "return per hour worked" is less. Whether that's enough return depends on several things:

• How much of an hourly return one wants
• What else one would have to do with one's time--would it be replaced with watching the boob tube?
• Whether there is any inherent satisfaction with rolling one's own
• Whether the independence of being able to load one's own ammo instead of relying on factory ammo which may dry up is important
• Whether an individual finds the reloading exercise to be relaxing
• Whether saving money, for real, is important

There is no right or wrong answer, as it depends on each person's values, needs, and desires.

 

[X-Rap]

Keeping supplies stocked up and buying them when they are cheapest means I never deal with the highs and lows of a crisis/panic market. That alone makes it worth it.

 

[spitballer]

Reloading my own ammo is the only way I can get proper performance out of a 30" barrel. Factory .223 ammo just isn't designed for long guns IMO.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

Monetary savings isn't my top priority when I'm loading. I enjoy the activity and the satisfaction of "rolling my own".

 

[GLOOB]

Where can I buy Varget for $20 a pound? I'd love to stock up at that level.

You buy it 4 years ago. I've finally figured out how we can all save massive amounts of money by reloading!

Step 1. Buy a regular amount of components, as defined by the average reloader. I.e. hoard.

Step 2. Squirrel away your stuff and lose/forget half of it.

Step 3. Find it years later and profit.

 

[cougar1717]

I can buy get American Eagle 5.56 55 gr cheaper than that.

Reloading is just not worth it if you shoot the most available and basic loads like 223/5.56 w/55gr FMJBT; 9mm w/115gr FMJ; or 308/7.62 w/147gr FMJ. However, if you want to shoot better quality bullets, like Hornady's 55gr Vmax in 223, JHP bullets in 9mm, or spire point, tipped, or bonded bullets in 308 - the groups get smaller with a load workup and the cost basis for comparable factory ammo gets bigger.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

Factory stuff like XM-193 and PMC X-Tac run about 40 cents/round, bonafied 5.56 rounds.

I can load the same bullet to the same velocity out of my AR for 20 cents/round. That's a pretty good savings.

Granted, PMC bronze FMJ is about 30 cents/round, but my handloads will be far more accurate than that stuff as well. That alone makes it worth it to me.

 

[Kaldor]

Some quick math with some rough estimates:

25gr of H335 powder at $20 per lbs = 7 cents
1 primer - 1000 primers for $30 - 3 cents
1 bullet - 1000 55gr FMJBTs for $80 - 8 cents

Cost: 15 cents

And this ammo will shoot better than any crap you pull of a shelf or buy from the internet for half to a third of the cost.

 

[Jimfern]

If you are just trying to save money, don't bother. The cost of your time will probably make it a more expensive endeavor than just buying ammo.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Kind of sums it well.

I have to disagree.
It really doesn't sum it up.

The OP didn't ask if it was worth it. He asked if it were more economical. Big difference.

Whether or not something is worth it is subjective. Something that is worth it to you may not be to me, and vice versa.

Whether or not something is more economical is a matter of fact, not opinion. It is either cheaper or it isn't.

 

[rondog]

You just shoot the store bought ammo, and just leave the brass right there on the ground....I'll pick it up for you!

 

[mongoose33]

If you are just trying to save money, don't bother. The cost of your time will probably make it a more expensive endeavor than just buying ammo.

It depends on how you value your time, if the equation is purely economics in nature or if other advantages of rolling your own are accounted for.

I ran across this video years ago when I was working w/ the X-die and .223/5.56 cases. An X-die eliminates trimming, and when coupled with an RCBS lube-die, you can load almost like you were doing handgun rounds.

This guy did 100 rounds in something like 8 minutes; I can't find that specific video but you can tell in this short 1 minute 37 second video that it's pretty fast.

How much could you save loading 300-400 an hour?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqPJJinDr8Q

 

[cfullgraf]

I have to disagree.
It really doesn't sum it up.

The OP didn't ask if it was worth it. He asked if it were more economical. Big difference.

Whether or not something is worth it is subjective. Something that is worth it to you may not be to me, and vice versa.

Whether or not something is more economical is a matter of fact, not opinion. It is either cheaper or it isn't.

I will stand by my original statement.

The OP is comparing the cost of components with the cost of factory ammunition and asking if reloading 223 is economical when compared with factory.

The "worth it" is implied in this case.

I will agree with the rest of the comments on the value of worth to each individual.

 

[Don-T]

If you just shoot occasionally like most hunters, reloading is not cost effective. If you're a prairie dog hunter like me, it's a different story. I usually take about 1500 rounds when I go so the savings add up.
It still is more expensive because one NEEDS better more expensive bullets, several different powders, a case prep center, competition dies, electric powder measures, etc....

 

[otisrush]

I usually hear the summary as:
Will it cost less per round? Definitely.
Will I spend less? Most likely not.

My volume shot approximately doubled when I started reloading. In one way I'm saving money. But total $ out laid is probably the same if not a little more.

 

[Bula]

For me the ability to make ammo with on hand inventory, whenever I want, is the key driver. Sure you can stockpile thousands of .223 rounds, but I'd rather have the ability to make them. Availability, or lack of, is what makes reloading an absolute must.

 

[tcoz]

Saving money is at the bottom of my list of reasons to reload. At the top is being able to continue pursuing my passion in times of ammo shortages.

 

[Kaldor]

Saving money is at the bottom of my list of reasons to reload. At the top is being able to continue pursuing my passion in times of ammo shortages.

Exactly the same for me. Reload if you want to shoot more, and shoot higher quality ammo, for less money, when you want to.

Did I start shooting more when I started reloading a couple years ago? Marginally. Do I save money? Yup. Will it pay for my press? Yes, calculated it out for my wife, and showed her on paper that break even for my 3 presses was right around 9k rounds. Ive hit that mark. Was I happy I could load blaster ammo that shoots 1" at 100 yards from my rifles. Definitely. This is what hooks me.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

I'm just breaking even because even though I save money per round, I'm shooting twice as many rounds. Factory ammo would cost me about $14/40 rounds, my reloads cost me $8/40 rounds. Saving 6 bucks every range trip, not too shabby.

I'm on track to do 2500-3000 rounds of the AR between now and next August, which will be the one year anniversary. No way could I afford to do that with factory ammo.