new to reloading
01-21-2008, 08:50 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: IN
Posts: 23
new to reloading
i am thinking about getting a 223 and my uncle says he knows how to realod and has the brass and the reloader and the dyes but i want to know is if i wanted to reload fmj's would it be more expensive or cheaper to buy them compared to reloading them
01-21-2008, 11:07 AM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 425
RE: new to reloading
Reloading is always cheaper once you get by the initial cost of your equipment and often you can by 55 gr SPs for about the same cost as FMJs. If you Uncle has a lot of once fired military brass, you'll likely have to swage out the primer pocket before loading.
01-21-2008, 12:10 PM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location:
Posts: 229
RE: new to reloading
It would be much cheaper to reload, but if you intend to hunt coyotes with it as you suggest in the small game forum don't load FMJ's. You will need something that expands or fragments on impact. I load Hornaday 40gr V-Max in my 204 Ruger, and my buddy loads 50gr Sierra Blitz Kings in his 223. We have taken several coyotes this year with a few around 350 yards, and not a one has gone more than 10 steps from where it was hit.
01-21-2008, 12:16 PM
#4
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Towanda,pa
Posts: 772
RE: new to reloading
In answer to your question-Cheaper,,,You already have the equip.
to do the loading..So it no doubt will be cheaper to reload them..
Now if you had to go out and get all the items you would need to load.
Then no it aint no cheaper..Hope this helps you out.
to do the loading..So it no doubt will be cheaper to reload them..
Now if you had to go out and get all the items you would need to load.
Then no it aint no cheaper..Hope this helps you out.
01-21-2008, 01:10 PM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 425
RE: new to reloading
It would be cheaper even if he has to buy his own equipment........assuming he will shoot and use it enough to recoup the cost of tooling up for reloading. Once he has recovered his investment costs, it's all gravy.
01-22-2008, 06:51 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: S.W. Pa.-- Heart in North Central Pa. mountains-
Posts: 2,600
RE: new to reloading
I would HIGHLY recommend he buys a good reloading manual before anything else. He needs to understand what is being done and why. Although the uncle may be very knowledgeable, he still should have a reference manual to refer to.
01-22-2008, 07:48 PM
#7
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 321
RE: new to reloading
Just my opinion
But with the rising price of bullets and power and primers there is no way that a person starting out could justify reloading their own ammo.
My advice would be the rule of thumb that my dad taught me when I was a boy.
Dad gave me three 20 gauge shotgun shells to go hunting rabbits.
Everytime I came home with a rabbit, he gave me another shell.
Pretty soon, I didn't have anymore shotgun shells and when I had to buy my own, I took all my shots seriously. If I knew that it was a bad shot, I didn't shoot.
So instead of going out and shooting hundreds of shells in a weekend. Only shoot what you intend on shooting.
With this rule of thumb, a box of shells should last you a pretty long time.
Buying components and reloading your own will not produce a cheaper round.
By the time you clean the brass and clean out the primer pockets and buy all the components - you could have bought 2 boxes of factory loads to your one box of reloads.
Since the 223 is a modern firearm, it is already loaded from the factory to maximum specifications and there is not much improvement that you can make with a hand load over a factory load in that configuration.
But with the rising price of bullets and power and primers there is no way that a person starting out could justify reloading their own ammo.
My advice would be the rule of thumb that my dad taught me when I was a boy.
Dad gave me three 20 gauge shotgun shells to go hunting rabbits.
Everytime I came home with a rabbit, he gave me another shell.
Pretty soon, I didn't have anymore shotgun shells and when I had to buy my own, I took all my shots seriously. If I knew that it was a bad shot, I didn't shoot.
So instead of going out and shooting hundreds of shells in a weekend. Only shoot what you intend on shooting.
With this rule of thumb, a box of shells should last you a pretty long time.
Buying components and reloading your own will not produce a cheaper round.
By the time you clean the brass and clean out the primer pockets and buy all the components - you could have bought 2 boxes of factory loads to your one box of reloads.
Since the 223 is a modern firearm, it is already loaded from the factory to maximum specifications and there is not much improvement that you can make with a hand load over a factory load in that configuration.
01-22-2008, 10:28 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Spokane Washington
Posts: 1,042
RE: new to reloading
ORIGINAL: The Rifleman
Just my opinion
But with the rising price of bullets and power and primers there is no way that a person starting out could justify reloading their own ammo.
My advice would be the rule of thumb that my dad taught me when I was a boy.
Dad gave me three 20 gauge shotgun shells to go hunting rabbits.
Everytime I came home with a rabbit, he gave me another shell.
Pretty soon, I didn't have anymore shotgun shells and when I had to buy my own, I took all my shots seriously. If I knew that it was a bad shot, I didn't shoot.
So instead of going out and shooting hundreds of shells in a weekend. Only shoot what you intend on shooting.
With this rule of thumb, a box of shells should last you a pretty long time.
Buying components and reloading your own will not produce a cheaper round.
By the time you clean the brass and clean out the primer pockets and buy all the components - you could have bought 2 boxes of factory loads to your one box of reloads.
Since the 223 is a modern firearm, it is already loaded from the factory to maximum specifications and there is not much improvement that you can make with a hand load over a factory load in that configuration.
Just my opinion
But with the rising price of bullets and power and primers there is no way that a person starting out could justify reloading their own ammo.
My advice would be the rule of thumb that my dad taught me when I was a boy.
Dad gave me three 20 gauge shotgun shells to go hunting rabbits.
Everytime I came home with a rabbit, he gave me another shell.
Pretty soon, I didn't have anymore shotgun shells and when I had to buy my own, I took all my shots seriously. If I knew that it was a bad shot, I didn't shoot.
So instead of going out and shooting hundreds of shells in a weekend. Only shoot what you intend on shooting.
With this rule of thumb, a box of shells should last you a pretty long time.
Buying components and reloading your own will not produce a cheaper round.
By the time you clean the brass and clean out the primer pockets and buy all the components - you could have bought 2 boxes of factory loads to your one box of reloads.
Since the 223 is a modern firearm, it is already loaded from the factory to maximum specifications and there is not much improvement that you can make with a hand load over a factory load in that configuration.
01-22-2008, 10:52 PM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 425
RE: new to reloading
When I first started reloading...for a 30/06 with Lyman 310 tool...I loaded cast bullets at about the same cost as shooting WW 22 Long Rifle. Prices have gone up enormously since then but the fact remains, reloading is certainly cheaper. People who tell others it isn't have never reloaded and don't know what they are talking about. I doubt there is a real reloader on this website that will tell you otherwise.
01-23-2008, 02:56 PM
#10
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Montrose, MI
Posts: 713
RE: new to reloading
Since the 223 is a modern firearm, it is already loaded from the factory to maximum specifications and there is not much improvement that you can make with a hand load over a factory load in that configuration.