[TEXAS SOLFTAIL]

Doing the math " reloads"

A couple of months ago I bought 1,000 rounds of Federal XM193 from 'Outdoor Marksman' for $400.00 This month I reloaded 1,000 rounds of ammo. Here is the break down. Rem. 55 Gr. FMJ - $54.00 @ 1,000 once-fired L.C. brass $65.00 @ 1,000 2 lb. IMR powder $50.00 @ 1,000 CCI primers $26.00 @ 1,000 _______________________________________ TOTAL $195.00 @ 1,000
$3.90 A BOX OF 20 BULLETS

 

[TEXAS SOLFTAIL]

Re: Doing the math " reloads"

SORRY THIS POST IS HARD TO READ. I'M COMPUTER STUPID. IT LOOKED ALRIGHT BEFORE I SENT IT.

 

[Sloan441]

Re: Doing the math " reloads"

Second to whatever reloads are where you really start to save the cash. As you amortize the cost of your brass, your costs really begin to drop. If bullet costs continue to increase, I may have to take up swaging as well.

I refuse to pay more than $200 a case for .223. It's ridiculous. It used to be .223 surplus was so cheap it almost didn't pay to handload. Obviously, that's not longer the case. Have to reload if you want to shoot to any significant degree. Or find someone to buy the ammo for you...

 

[TEXAS SOLFTAIL]

Re: Doing the math " reloads"

Yes, recycling that brass,5 to 10 times saves $65.00 a thousand off that $195.00. Check this out http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=408

 

[Sloan441]

Re: Doing the math " reloads"

Yeah, I've seen that sticky on arfcom. I've always liked the idea of swaging. I first ran across it in an article on--of all things--.25ACP reloading. Essentially, it was just about the only way back then of getting .25ACP hollowpoints. Interesting stuff.

I've always wanted to try my hand at it, but never really got around to it. $400/M lots of .223 may be the incentive needed. Sadly, my local range has been on a "pick up your brass" crusade, so scads of expended .22 aren't as common as they used to be--and I don't like .22s so I don't own any to contribute to bullet jackets.

Bullet casting is another subset of the hobby that looks kinda interesting, too...

 

[Jack A Sol]

Re: Doing the math " reloads"

How many hours does it take to reload 1000 rounds?

 

[Sloan441]

Re: Doing the math " reloads"

Depends on the press and how much case prep you have to do.

If it's military cases from step one, it can take a while. Prep usually means, tumbling, checking OAL, primer pocket swaging/cleaning, then lube for sizing. I'm not very picky about .223 cases, so I skip things like case weight and neck turning. If these are cases that have already been swaged, then it's just tumble and relube. Figure about two hours if they're new once-fired (how's that for an oxymoron?), or about a half hour if they've been prepped before. This could be cut down substantially if I had a second swage for .308. I don't, however, and setting that particular gadget up takes quite a bit of time. Same thing with trimming. It doesn't have to be done that often, but if it does, it takes time. Tumbling always takes about an hour.

Actual loading goes pretty quickly. I use a Dillon 550 for .223 and a thousand rounds can be done in about two hours with a fair amount of screwing around. I could probably cut that down some, but checking charges, loaded OAL, and charging primer tubes and powder measure all take time. And getting distracted by the phone, outdoors, basic boredom, etc., also adds time to things. Figure a couple or three hours generally. Having the toolhead setup with a dedicated powder measure cuts things down quite a bit. Last time I reloaded bulk .223 I only had one measure; now I have three, so that takes a good fifteen minutes or more out of the equation.

Cases also get tumbled or hand-cleaned again after loading (the lube...), and that takes another half-hour to hour depending.

 

[TEXAS SOLFTAIL]

Re: Doing the math " reloads"

You can get your once-fired brass in different stage of prep. From stright off the ground (cheapest,more prep.) To polished,deprimed,& full length sized, & trimed ( hightest cost, no prep). I usely buy brass that has been polished & deprimed. As for triming I have a Giraud Case Trimmer, works & looks like a big pencil sharpner. Triming is as fast as you can put the case in the trimmer & pull it out. 1HR. @ 1,000. I also use a Dillon 550 getting me the same results as Sloan441 2HR. @ 1,000.