[Blue1]

How many rounds does it take to pay off reloading equipment for 5.56/.223?

Blue1

[towboater]

Depends on how much ya spent on the reloading equipment.

[cfraga1978]

Originally Posted by Blue1

How many rounds does it take to pay off reloading equipment for 5.56/.223?

Blue1

Imho reloading .223 doesn't save you anything if you are reloading plinking ammo. I added my cost of powder,primers, and bullets. I came up with about $.25 I can get tulammo for around $.23 so its only worth it if you are already buying the high end stuff like hornady or something. Then you could save a little. I only bother reloading my longer range target stuff. My AR ammo I just buy.

[robocop10mm]

If you are loading instead of buying the "cheap" stuff, you will not be able to get ahead. You can, however, load superior quality, better accuracy and become self sufficient. To me handloading/reloading is just a natural extension of shooting. It is educational and informative. I can control what is in the ammo, hence what leaves the muzzle. I am not dependant on Wally World or the LGS to feed my guns. Uncle Barry cannot stop me from loading, yet.

[MidnightExpress]

Originally Posted by robocop10mm

I am not dependant on Wally World or the LGS to feed my guns. Uncle Barry cannot stop me from loading, yet.

Who do you depend on for your powder, primer and bullets? (Or lead if you cast your own)

[Catfish]

I still load my 223 hunting ammo cheaper than I can buy it, but I bought 48 lbs. of the powder I use in it at one time. I buy the bullets I hunt with 2,000 at a time. When I find primers cheap I may buy 5,000 of them at a time. The problem is I going broke saveing all of this money. Accuracy is really the biggest benfit to loading for the 223.

[Blue1]

Originally Posted by Catfish

I still load my 223 hunting ammo cheaper than I can buy it, but I bought 48 lbs. of the powder I use in it at one time. I buy the bullets I hunt with 2,000 at a time. When I find primers cheap I may buy 5,000 of them at a time. The problem is I going broke saveing all of this money. Accuracy is really the biggest benfit to loading for the 223.

Accuracy is what I'm looking for...can I get match grade accuracy for $.30/round?

How much to spend on the equipment required? A range from low end to midrange quality/convenience...

Thanks,
Blue1

[tiberius10721]

Originally Posted by Blue1

Accuracy is what I'm looking for...can I get match grade accuracy for $.30/round?

How much to spend on the equipment required? A range from low end to midrange quality/convenience...

Thanks,
Blue1

Having nice expensive equipment is nice and makes things easier but not required to make really accurate ammunition. One thing I do when I'm going to start a new project or reload for a new caliber is go to Midway USA and read a lot of the product reviews. There is a lot of useful information in their reviews.

[JonM]

I havent ever bought brass for my 556 loading its all stuff i have been given at the range. So for me loading is cheaper even for plinking.

When i make accuracy loads im not making a lot ata time so i tend to use my rcbs single stage. Ive got a dillon xl650 that i can do it on as well. But sometimes i just like doing it the old way.

Single stage presses are cheap and easy to use. No loader setup is complete without one. The best single stages are the ones that are supported front and back. The C types only are supported in the rear by one column. The two column types are very durable and pretty much the best type for repeatable loads.

Just my opinion others may vary

[Bigdog57]

My opinion is to NEVER try to ammortise the cost of the gear into your ammo costs. Once you add another caliber or three, it gets skewed off. Just call it an upfront equipment cost and leave it at that. This is a hobby, not a business anyways.
I am constantly finding new bits & peices to add to my gear - I'd go crazy trying to factor it into the 'savings' on ammo costs. And with component prices climbing greatly since the 2008 Immaculate Deception, the difference in factory ammo and handloaded ammo costs isn't that great.
The big advantage is, I can try different types of bullets and powder to find the best load for my needs, when the ammo available locally is of very limited choice.