Reloading for 223

[Hendrix's rifle]

Hello, I was wondering how much it costs roughly to reload for a 223. And what is actually needed to start reloading? I'm looking at selling my 22wmr and putting in for a 223 so would be starting from scratch with not a lot of money. And lastly, what twist for different bullet weights? It will be within 200 yards however I would like to stretch it out to maybe 500 every know and then. Thanks

[Albert 888]

Bullets per 100 ppu 55g fmjbt£15

Ppu 55g sp. £11

Sierra blitz king £20

 

Primers cci per 1000 £35

 

Brass per 100 ppu £24

 

Powder vitavori 1kg £75 use about 25grains per load.

 

That's consumables

 

Lee loader,£25 second hand its the sizing and decapping, bullet seating die,you hit it with a hammer.

Inside outside neck chamfer tool £5

Beam scale & trickler?

 

 

You can spend as much or as little as you like.

 

My 223 is 1:9 twist shoots 40g-60g well.

 

You can shoot fast or slow,both have there pros and cons.

Edited January 14, 2017 by Albert 888

[Albert 888]

617 loads per kilo at 25g a load roughly

[Fisheruk]

My Tikka T3 loves PPU factory amo 55 gr sp and at just over 50p per round it is hardly worth re-loading IMHO.

[Vince Green]

There

 

My Tikka T3 loves PPU factory amo 55 gr sp and at just over 50p per round it is hardly worth re-loading IMHO.

 

 

+1 the savings are not substancial

[Savhmr]

I reload not to save money but to tailor rounds to specific purposes and to maximise accuracy that most factory Imho can't compete with.

 

Re-loading costs: Based on buying PPU brass and re-using it 15 times (with annealing): £29/100 new = 29p/case divided by 15 = 2p per shot

 

Bullets: I use 69TMKs which are about 27p each but you can buy a lot of 45-55gr varmint bullets closer to 20p/100

 

CCI primers @ 4p each

 

Propellant (I use Vhit) at 12p/shot in .223 based on a load of about 24 grains (1kg=£75. 1Kg = 2.2lbs. 2,2 x 7000 in grains = 15400 grains/kg)

 

Total cost per round = 45p.

 

I don't shoot PPU ammo as I found it just didn't shoot well in my rifle.

 

I can shoot .25moa at 200yds with my own ammo and ensure that buy buying my target rounds in bulk (they're not classed as ammo until loaded unless S5 bullets), this means that I have security of ammo without having to wait for new supplies or re-zero for new batches etc.

 

 

 

Now to re-loading gear.

 

Lee Loader for cheap as chips start to reloading = £27 and will do everything needed for consistent, accurate ammo.

 

You will still need to trim brass and can spend as little as £15 or as much as £300 depending on what you want. Lets stick with the £15 option.

 

You will also need to chamfer and de-burr your case necks, so allow another tenner for a tool = £10

 

Brass cleaning: Ultrasonic cleaner for around £30

 

You may elect to use a flash hole de-burring tool (which cleans out the flash hole too) and will need an inexpensive primer pocket cleaning tool. Both come to about £20

 

 

That's it. You can probably get away with re-using brass a dozen time or more using this inexpensive kit for around £100. If you shoot often, and usually buy something that shoots a little more accurately than PPU factory ammo for say target as well as vermin control, you'll be paying more like 75p to £1 per round, and not 50p/round, so you'll re-coup your £100 investment in no time at all.

 

 

If you shoot a lot more, then perhaps a more comprehensive kit which allows more control and consistency in reloading is worth while. You can buy a Lee Anniversary kit for under £150, and add to that something like a Lyman Turbo tumbler for £70 odd. The first thing you'll want to change is the scales as the Lee ones are ****. The Lee quick trim is **** too imho. Everything else is fine. Budget £70 to £120 for a decent set of beam scales and use the Lee gauge trimmer or invest in a Wilson Sinclair trimmer of you want to push the boat out! In addition you'll need a micrometer, and a headspace and bullet ogive (seating depth) comparitor tools and a set of dies. For dies, I'd recommend the Lee Pace-setter dies plus Lee collet die set. That's everything you need for super accurate ammo. One essential not yet mentioned is a reloading manual. you WILL need one of those.

 

You can later add things like annealers or make one, if you get serious about neck tension consistency, which most shooting target are.

 

Truth is, you can spend as little or as much as you want, depending on what you want out of reloading, but even if you decide on the cheap lee Loader route, I would strongly advise buying a few extra tools like a case length and head-space gauges.

Edited January 16, 2017 by Savhmr

[Hendrix's rifle]

Thanks for the replys especially in detail. I've got a few bits, ultra sonic cleaner, snap on caliper gauges and what not. I've been offered a lee loader and an inside outside chamfer tool for £30 off turbo on here. Win win:)

[activeviii]

The thing is with reloading is it becomes a hobby all by its self. Now matter what you buy now, you will change things as you go.

I started with a Lee reloader. You have to use new brass or cases that have been fired in you rifle. Then you take a hammer and smack a primer out and then with hammer you smack a new primer in, drop powder in and the take the ammer and smack a bullet in. Can't get much simpler that that. I use to shoot 1/2 moa in a .222 so showed me you don't need to spend loads to dot the eyes

 

I have spent a lot on reloading kit as the 'need' gremlins kick in.

 

Simple Lee O press. Good scales. Lee champer tool is fine as it the Lee case lenght trimer and primer pocket cleaner. Lee Powder thrower and a cheap tricker. Lee dies are also fine, in fact I prefer them for my needs.

[Cambsman]

If you want to shoot cheaply then buy factory. Reloading becomes a hobby in its own right!

[Redgum]

You will save money eventually if you load for several calibres and will recover the cost of setting up. I have never got on with ppu in 243 or 308, consistent accuracy has only come with better quality ammo, never tried ppu in 223. Yes its a hobby in its own right but one of the major factors I find with reloading is that you can conveniently hold the ingredients for a large quantity of your accurate load, especially powder. Finding your favourite ammo supply has suddenly dried up happens all to often, then you have to re zero with another brand that may not suit your rifle, then that dries up etc. I effectively have 400 rnds of each of my three calibres in stock though in component form, nearly double that in powder so will not be worrying to much about supply.

[nagantino]

I think the Lee Pro 1000 can handle .223 so you can grind out loads of rounds with a degree of accuracy, but it will make a lot of stuff. It's a progressive press. Our American cousins do it that way but that's for the like of 3Gun. If you want accuracy, single stage is the only way. And, as others have said, it's a hobby in its own right. Pistol and revolver ammunition made at home saves money, especially .40, .45 cap and cowboy calibres, but rifle not so much......but a great pastime.

[snow white]

I reload my 223 for 41 pence a round agains £1.20 a factory round.so i am saving quite a bit but i dont do it to save money its nice to shoot a long range rabbit or a fox and say i made that round.same as loading shotgun cartriges nothing like dropping a nice high bird with a cartrige you have made.

[Hendrix's rifle]

Thanks all, I do shoot a fair bit so it will be cost of a longer period of time to cut down on and like stated the fact if I shoot something I've reloaded will make it that much better. What about scales? Should I reply on the dipper or get a cheap set of scales? If scales is the answer, I'm working to a budget so what should I look for? Thanks again

[activeviii]

Scales every time. I know a few use the Lee scales. I use to. But soon found out that I could have use a dipper as it was just as accurate (inaccurate)

I tried a few sets of electronic scales. They worked, just never held zero and I was forever resetting them

 

Ended up going back k to what I know and that the rcbs 10-10 scales. You can also look for ohaus as they are the makers of rcbs scales, just cheaper

[Savhmr]

Scales every time. I know a few use the Lee scales. I use to. But soon found out that I could have use a dipper as it was just as accurate (inaccurate)

I tried a few sets of electronic scales. They worked, just never held zero and I was forever resetting them

 

Ended up going back k to what I know and that the rcbs 10-10 scales. You can also look for ohaus as they are the makers of rcbs scales, just cheaper

 

+1 for this