Good Cheap bullet

[CK_32]

I've been looking to reload some .233 for my AR.

1:7 twist 16".

I've been skimming through midway for some brass and bullets.. I just want a inside 100 yard pinking bullets. Nothing match grade or amazing and expensive. this is mostly just for cost savings..

But the thing is the bullets and brass for the .233 is listed almost as expensive as my 175 SMK .308 match loads.. And I think factory loads are cheaper than anything I can reload with the prices I saw.. Whats up with that?

Unless you guys know or some cheap decent pinking combo for CQB.

[Deadon]

Ive seen steel case for 189.00 for 1000 rounds. Seems that would be hard to beat. Plus Ive had decent groups with them.

[CK_32]

But I plan on reloading after so steel case is out of the question.

[GeoffLinder]

Don't buy new brass. Once-fired process is just fine and a much better price point that buying new brass or factory ammo to get brass.

Scharch (Top Brass) has processed .223 for $67/1000

http://www.scharch.com/products.php?cat=9

Brassman has 1x unprocessed for $45/1000 but it is military crimped primer and unless you have the right tools de-capping and swaging the crimp ring are a pain in the butt job.

http://store.brassmanbrass.com/

As far as a good bullet tip goes, the Hornady 55gr FMJBT are a very good choice

Midway is where I get them. They are going for $89/1000 right now (used to be $40/1000 a few years ago).

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=1165165907

Load these bullets in good 1x brass at about 2.225" OAL over 26-27 grains WW748 or AA2230 and you have ammo that should shoot MOA if your rifle and load-tuning skills are up to it (just to need to play with charge weight until you find a velocity node for that barrel).

Primers are not that important in the mix as long as you stick with one brand. WW SR are my choice but Wolff and CCI are good choices nowadays too.

Component cost per round for 1st loading will be as follows.

Primer: .025
Powder: .07
Bullet: .089
Brass: .067

Total per round = 25.1 cents

2nd loading cost per round will be as follows.

Primer: .025
Powder: .07
Bullet: .089

Total per round = 18.4 cents


You can get 4-6 loading safely out of good quality 1x brass. Ammo made with these components is better than the Wolff steel case.

Yes, the Wolff steel case can be had for $190-210/1000, but it's really only plinking or club match short range ammo IMHO. The 55gr you load yourself using these or similar component choices will be equal or better than $400/1000 commercial brass case 55gr ammo is.

There ya' go :-)

[mstlaurent]

For cheap plinking bullets, hard to beat Widener's MilSpecs: $380 for 5,000, with free shipping.

http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=7235&dir=278|281|727

Brass, try TJ Conevera's, deprimed and reamed, $69 per 1,000:

http://www.tjconevera.com/onfi223comip.html

Buy your powder and primers at Powder Valley, they're about the best price going:

http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/

If you buy in bulk for a couple thousand rounds at a time, you should be able to get your price down to about $0.23 a round including brass, about $0.16 a round if you use your own brass.

[GeoffLinder]

Those 55gr FMJBT at Wideners look pretty much exactly like the Hornady bulk 55's I linked to at Midway.

If you buy the Hornady at Midway in 6000 piece lot for $401 they go down to 7.3 cents a round.

The Wideners 55gr FMJBT at $380/5000 are 7.6 cents a round in comparison

If you buy everything by the 5000-10,000 or more lot size you should be able to get 1st loading cost (brass included) down to like 22-23 cents and subsequent loading cost down to the 12-13 cents range

[stphnman20]

Buy yourself 1 or 2 packs of WWB. Save the brass, then start loading with that. The stuff that GeoffLinder posted is good stuff. go with that too..

[uscbigdawg]

Scharch, Brassman Brass & Brassman Sales for your brass. Golden West Brass for your bullets. H335, W748 or TAC for your powder. Tula/Wolf for your primers. You're shooting A LOT!

Rich

[mstlaurent]

Those 55gr FMJBT at Wideners look pretty much exactly like the Hornady bulk 55's I linked to at Midway.

If you buy the Hornady at Midway in 6000 piece lot for $401 they go down to 7.3 cents a round.

The Wideners 55gr FMJBT at $380/5000 are 7.6 cents a round in comparison

If you buy everything by the 5000-10,000 or more lot size you should be able to get 1st loading cost (brass included) down to like 22-23 cents and subsequent loading cost down to the 12-13 cents range

The Hornady bullets at Midway are $440.99 for 6,000:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=1165165907

And Midway charges shipping, the Widener's bullets ship free. When you add in $20 to cover shipping, the Midway bullets come up to about 7.7 cents a round.

If you want Hornady, Widener's has the 6,000 pack for $449, shipping included:

http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=8444&dir=278|281|293|324|696

Which comes up to about 7.5 cents per bullet. And they have them in stock.

These are all good deals, we're really just splitting hairs.

[GeoffLinder]

Looks like I will be buying my Hornady's from Wideners from now on, thanks! And yes, we are splitting hairs, we are pretty much on the same page price-wise and quality-wise

Also gotta' fix that typo thing when I am transferring data from my eyes to the keyboard LOL

[Deadon]

Good info in here thanks guys.

[mstlaurent]

One other thing: If you're shooting out of a 1:7 twist, the 62gr MilSpec from Widener's are actually cheaper than the 55gr:

http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=7440&dir=278|281|727

And they're non-magnetic, so you can shoot them when the M855/SS109 is not allowed. They don't have a cannelure, but you can still give them a light crimp with a Lee FCD, should you so desire.

[GeoffLinder]

1:7 twist may or may, or may not over-stabilize a 55gr. Flat base bullets I might be concerned but my 1:7 heavy barreled AR does like the Hornady 55's and others I know have successfully used 55gr boat tails in 1:7 twist.

My revised recommendation would be to buy a few of each and run a test at 200 yards (if possible) to see the difference in group size. But, unless you push a lot over 3100fps I doubt this will be an issue.

Over-stabilization will result in very poor groups downrange.

I have actually seen 45 and 52gr stuff not make it to the target face out of a 1:7 twist bbl

[Sheldon]

1:7 twist may or may, or may not over-stabilize a 55gr.
Over-stabilization will result in very poor groups downrange.

I have actually seen 45 and 52gr stuff not make it to the target face out of a 1:7 twist bbl

I have read that isn't overstabilization that is an issue. The jackets may come apart though due to the rotational forces on the bullets that have thin jackets like the varmint bullets made to fragment easily.

[GeoffLinder]

The bullets in question did not make it to the target because they came apart from spin rate. Not all the bullets did not make it, just one here and there and yes, they were JHP