Loadin 223

[ScottG1911]

I am new to reloading and need to come up with a low cost load. This will be used more or less as plinking ammo. I plan on making it in 1000 round portions. I need to know what kind of brass to use and price. also what kind and how much powder I'll need to make 1000 rounds. I can pretty much firgure out my bullet I'll use and I've got primers. So just the brass and powder will help me out a lot.

Thanks
Scott

 

[eliphalet]

MIlitary brass is probably cheapest, it's shot under MOA for me. I started with IMR 4198 it has worked good but plenty of others are too. Heard good things about H335 in .223

 

[Blackfork]

River Valley Ordnance

I'd buy presized and primed brass from RVO, put 24 grains of Varget under anything and shoot it.

I shoot 26 grains Varget under a bare Sierra 69 in matches. Not sensitive to temperature, cold or hot.

 

[Blackfork]

River Valley Ordnance

I'd buy presized and primed brass from RVO, put 24 grains of Varget under anything and shoot it.

I shoot 26 grains Varget under a bare Sierra 69 in matches. Not sensitive to temperature, cold or hot. It's shot pretty well for me. 489X18 last Saturday at Panola.

 

[JonB]

I use 55gr FMJ bullets, 24gr H335, CCI primers, mostly LC brass. The trick is finding cheap bullets as that is the most expensive component.

 

[RustyFN]

I like W748 and H335 powders the best. It will take close to 3.5 pounds to load 1,000 rounds.
Rusty

 

[rg1]

I know that new brass today is quite expensive but I still recommend a new reloader start with commercial brass such as Remington or Winchester. Just less brass prep and fewer tasks involved. No crimped primer pockets, no brass fired in military guns or several different guns. Just think to get one's feet wet starting with new or your OWN once fired brass is the easiest for a brand new reloader. Not a requirement though. If you want once fired military surplus brass then WCC or LC brass I recommend. An 8 lb jug of powder will load approx. 2250 rounds. Double check all once fired brass inside and out. I like H335 powder especially for 55 grain bullets and for primers I highly recommend RP 7 1/2.

 

[lamazza]

I agree with rg1 about the brass-military brass is pretty rough to work with for beginners-my favorite is winchester.
As for powder you will save alot of money using Accurate 2230, which IMHO is comparable to H335 in appearance and performance.

 

[ScottG1911]

thanks guys

 

[04JRB]

Using H335 bought in 1 lb cans. 25 gr per cartrige give 280 per pound.
CCI 400 primes bought by the thousand
wichester brass re-used and buying 55gr v-max by the 250



1/2 to 3/4 groups at 100 yds

costs me 20 cents per round for a quality shot. find cheeper bullets and it can be cheaper yet.

 

[jmorris]

For our plinker/3-gun loads we use berry's 55gr fmj and Ramshot TAC (midway had it on sale for $10/#), cheap and accurate. As above crimped primer pockets add another step, without a 1050.

 

[James41]

You might want to check out Powder Valleys prices on the powder and bullets. I just put in an order for 4lbs of IMR3031 powder for $116 ($14.50 lb) and one thousand Hornady 55gr SP for $64.72. Using this combo at about 23.5gr per load you have something that isn't to out of line and is easy on the weapon.

As for brass, you might try Cheyene Brass once fired, they have some nice stuff for about $65 per thousand.

 

[aka108]

Pound of powder is 7,000 grains if my memory is correct. A little division and you know how many rounds of whatever you can get out of the pound.

 

[jmorris]

I’m not sure what kind of reloading equipment you have, however, if it uses a Dillon powder measure you need to avoid extruded powders (I found out after getting a 20# keg of IMR3031).

 

[sublimaze41]

I love AA 2230 in .223. Not only is it $15 per 8# cheaper than most powders, it meters like butter through a progressive. Get you some once fired brass (I like Lake City crimped) on the cheap and some 55 gr FMJ w/ cann. Now that cheap.

BTW I get the best prices for bulk powder and bullets from Powder Valley.

 

[ma96782]

The idea of loading in bulk is good........but, you also have to buy in bulk to make it work. Bulk is NOT buying: 1 lb of powder or 1000 primers and certainly not 100 bullets at a time.

IMHO.......one of the best places for on-line components (brass, bullets, powder, and primers) in bulk is........

http://www.wideners.com/itemview.cfm?dir=278|281|727

As for powder......IF you 're gonna do this w/ price as the driving factor......think, military surplus powder.......besides Widener's try here.......

http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm

Then think "production." You may have to ramp up your operation and that doesn't always mean that you need a progressive press.

And........to figure out your cost per round use this calculator.........

http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp

Aloha, Mark

 

[sublimaze41]

As I said, Powder Valley has the best prices on the components (except 1x brass) to bulk load, say 1,000 rounds of .223.

AA2230 is 14.25 per pound. At 22.5 grains per round you need $ 45.75 worth
Win primers 1000 for $21.50
Hornady 55gr FMJ w/can $58.74 per 1,000

I have run these number again and again as I am bulk loading >5,000 for the summer shoots. Even with the shipping and haz mat fee it doesn't get any cheaper unless..... You buy powder in 8#, primers in 5,000 and bullets in 2,000. BTW customer service is excellent and they almost always have stuff in stock.