J_Edwards Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Hi Everyone, I'm not new to shooting by any means, but I've just acquired a brand new .223, and I'm interested in getting into reloading. Naturally, I hear it's cheaper, and it's also the tinkery sort of hobby that I'd enjoy (I've made a lot of Airfix kits in my day )I'm using Federal Power-Shoks, which work out around £1.10 per round, and from a bit of research, I've ascertained that I can cut the price significantly by reloading, even more so when casings are re-used. However, from asking around local gun shops, they can provide Prvi Partizan ammo for around £55 per 100. I've never shot it, but at that price, I'm not expecting any miracles. In terms of equipment, I'd be leaning towards the Lee starter kit, which is around the £140 mark, and which just needs a set of .223 dies to be purchased on the side, so nigh-on £200 in total. I hear it's not brilliant, but I don't want to buy a more expensive kit, should I not get on with it, or lose interest. If I like the results, I'll just gradually replace the equipment with something more substancial. Do I go out, buy the reloading gear, and produce ammo for the same price I can buy Prvi Partizans, or just buy cheap, store-bought ammo? Will there be a noticable difference in quality? Will the ammo that I produce be of comparable quality to £1.10 per round store-bought ammo? I need some advice from some more experienced hands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_sti5 Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Depends on what you are going to use the rifle for really. Reloading will enable you to come up with a recipe that your rifle loves. Reloading is also fun and addictive but can turn out very expensive if you get very deep into it and buy £300 scales and £500 presses £100 calipers £350 case prep benches and so on it turns into being expensive but the results can make up for the cost I your planning on really trying to get tight groups. On the other hand it can be done very cheaply with a lee loaded at £40 for an entire setup you can't go wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaedra1106 Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 (edited) I'll assume you're shooting game if you're using soft point ammo, in which case (as suggested above) a Lee Loader will do everything you want, there's no need to jump in at the deep end. The Lee starter kit has some decent bits and some not so decent bits (scales) but realistically the loader is a better place to start. May also be an idea to show your location on your profile so one of the nice PW members could offer to help with anything you're not sure of Remember, we all start reloading with no knowledge and there's no such thing as a stupid question! Edited June 25, 2014 by phaedra1106 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Edwards Posted June 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Depends on what you are going to use the rifle for really. Reloading will enable you to come up with a recipe that your rifle loves. Reloading is also fun and addictive but can turn out very expensive if you get very deep into it and buy £300 scales and £500 presses £100 calipers £350 case prep benches and so on it turns into being expensive but the results can make up for the cost I your planning on really trying to get tight groups. On the other hand it can be done very cheaply with a lee loaded at £40 for an entire setup you can't go wrong. It will be for shooting game, but also some range use. If I enjoy it, then I'll gradually replace the equipment, it looks like stuff that lasts a lifetime. I'll assume you're shooting game if you're using soft point ammo, in which case (as suggested above) a Lee Loader will do everything you want, there's no need to jump in at the deep end. The Lee starter kit has some decent bits and some not so decent bits (scales) but realistically the loader is a better place to start. May also be an idea to show your location on your profile so one of the nice PW members could offer to help with anything you're not sure of Remember, we all start reloading with no knowledge and there's no such thing as a stupid question! Soft-point for game, but also other ammo for target / range work. The reviews of the Lee kit are generally quite good, but like you said, the scales seem to be a bit dodgy, but I'm 21, so I'm one of the digital age, and I can't imagine being able to use manual scales anyway I'm in East / South Yorkshire, so I think I'm going to have a ride up to Hannam's Reloading up in Leeds for a kit and some bits and bobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_sti5 Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Can't go wrong with a lee loader, something also very satisfying about making a round pretty much with your hands, just adds that bit more of a homemade/oldschool feel to it if you know what I mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaedra1106 Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 (edited) Hannams is a good place to shop, just make sure you don't get too carried away As for scales, a set of used RCBS 5-0-5 will last you for the rest of your life and be one of the best investments you can make for reloading. Digital scales are OK but to get repeatable accuracy good ones aren't cheap. That said I have a couple I got off eBay for about £5 each and I use those for quick checks if I adjust one of the Lee auto disk powder measures. A good single stage press will do everything you want, not the fastest way to load but certainly the safest. The Lee cast presses are very nice, I have the cast turret and breech lock single stage, I also have two progressives for "bulk" loading of 44mag and 300aac as I shoot a lot of those indoor. I'd recommend the Ultimate die set which has both the factory crimp and collet dies if you just want to neck size or if your happy to full length size each time the Pacestter dies instead. Other than that a case length trimmer, chamfer/deburr tool, powder funnel and a priming system of some sort, I use an RCBS Universal hand priming tool but the Lee will do the job or the on-press Auto Prime system. List of kit suggested above, http://www.titanreloading.com/presses/classic-lee-loader/223-rem-lee-loader- http://www.titanreloading.com/presses/lee-classic-cast-press http://www.titanreloading.com/rifle-reloading-dies/lee-ultimate-4-die-sets/lee-223-rem-ultimate-rifle-4-die-set http://www.titanreloading.com/reloading-dies/rifle-pacesetter-die-sets/223-rem-3-die-set- http://www.titanreloading.com/case-conditioning-tools/lee-case-conditioning-kit http://www.titanreloading.com/case-conditioning-tools/case-length-gauge-shellholder/223-rem-lee-case-length-gaugeshell-holder http://www.titanreloading.com/powder-handling-equipment/lee-powder-funnel Priming systems in order of price/ease of use, http://www.titanreloading.com/priming-tools-and-shell-holders/ram-prime http://www.titanreloading.com/priming-tools-and-shell-holders/lee-ergo-prime http://www.titanreloading.com/priming-tools-and-shell-holders/lee-safety-primer-feed-large-small Edited June 25, 2014 by phaedra1106 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pestcontrol1 Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 east yorks pm me where abouts you can always pop to my man cave and have a look i use a lee anniversary kit and have done for a while now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyb79 Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 I have just started reloading my 223. I had problems with the Lee Loader so bought the breech lock challenger kit, plus a tumbler. I've now also bought a loading tray and a die to use with the lee quick trim for trimming the cases. All in all, about £250 spent from Henry Krank (not including powder, primer etc) and I'm really enjoying playing about with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spandit Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 What powder do you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyb79 Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 I'm loading 50gr nosler ballistic tips in 223. I'm using 25gr of Hodgdon H335 in my loads at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert 888 Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 (edited) Try ppu at 50p a shot its halved the price of your bullets allready. I strarted out around 2 years ago. Started on ppu ,used mainly for target, I constantly got a 2" groups @ 100 saved the brass. Then switched to hornaday 55g vmax and 60g tap got touching groups at @ 100,saved the brass again. I bought the rcbs rockchucker kit and some rcbs cometion dies and never looked back. I do a lot of target work so consistent loads and sub inch groups is what I want out of reloading. If I was only hunting with it I would just buy ppu. My best loads for a cz kevlar varmint with a 23.4" barrel and 1/9 twist are 52 g amax heads ppu or hornady brass cci br primers and 24.5g of hodgedons bl-c(2)powder. Think price per shot is 26p excluding the brass. If you want to reload see If you can get someone to show you the ropes,its much better than struggling and stay safe keep within the book max and min charges. The one caliber one book is great for reload data. Edited June 26, 2014 by Albert 888 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Edwards Posted June 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 Thanks everyone, I'll be going to the range next week, and for that I'l be buying some Prvi Partizans, saving the brass, naturally I like the sound of making rounds for 26p, that's just what I want! Plus I like the sound of being able to experiment with various combinations, in order to get the best results for my gun. It's not that I can't afford the £1.10 per round Federals, I'd just much rather fire 50p pieces rather than quids I need something to keep my mind occupied over the summer, and I think reloading will do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert 888 Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 I started with the ppu and wasnt getting any better,i thought it was the rifle or me that was no good, then changed to hornandy ammo which did 5 shot touching groups. As you can guess I was over the moon. Now I reload im still getting the touching groups. Good luck and hope all goes well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 with out being funny, do both. have the best and worst of both worlds. just because you have a press, doesnt mean you have to marry it forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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