Reloading question

[WormCan]

What can I look to spend bare minimum to get started reloading 223 ammo ? Let say for example to load around 500 to 1000 rounds. Im sure there are several options to determine the cost. My main goal is to be able to use heavy bullets and get better accuracy. Im not looking to make high volume.

 

[Tarvis]

$300 for a starter kit, .20-.30 per round in general. Buy your primers and your powder of choice, find some once fired brass or buy a bag of new Winchester brass then decide what bullets you want to shoot.

 

[gvnwst]

Any starter kit will do, if you want something a lot more fancy, it usually costs about $600 plus or minus.

Look in the 'Handloading and Reloading' section, below rifle country, there is a sticky for beginnner reloaders.

 

[rcmodel]

My main goal is to be able to use heavy bullets and get better accuracy.

Care to expand on that?

What range?
What rifle?
What barrel twist?

Heavier bullets do not necessarly equate to better accuracy, except at very long range.

rcmodel

 

[Tarvis]

The best place to start is to read a reloading manual, such as hornady or sierra (my favorite bullet companies). Not only do they have data for their proprietary bullets, but they also have a ton of information that is useful to the everyday hand loader. Not that I'm trying to put you down and I mean no offense, but it's funny that you mention using heavier bullets for better accuracy. When I got started I knew next to nothing about shooting or reloading, but this forum, the manuals and a good friend have all taught me a lot these past years, and I remember having the same sort of thoughts on shooting, only to find myself corrected.

Good luck, and keep reading; there is a lot of information out there.

 

[Wedge]

Lee single stage starter kit (Anniversary kit)
Reloading Dies
Bullets
Primers
Powder
(assuming you have been saving brass)
Calipers (nice to have)
Micrometer (nice to have)
Brass tumbler and media separator kit (nice to have)

The Anniversary kit from Lee came with their manual
NRA Guide to Reloading
Lyman Manual
Hodgdon Annual

That's how I started. Total cost was around $300. Paid for itself loading up some .45 Colt rounds for my Blackhawk. I think everything came from MidwayUSA except the NRA Guide to Reloading I bought straight from the NRA.

Good luck!

 

[97guns]

i too just got started reloading and picked up a lee hand press. im into everything to load .308 including components for around $190. ill be close to breaking even once i make my first 200 if you figure on factory ammo @ $20 a box times 10.

lee hand press $26
lee collet dies $25
lee dippers $8
3 lbs powder $63
CCI primers $30
200 bullets $43

 

[WormCan]

Thanks for all the help. Im not sure if this is something I really want to try or not. I want some heavy (70+grain) bullets to shoot from a 223 1-9 twist. I want a heavy core bond or nosler partition type that wont separate. Is re-loading "dummy proof" for beginners and can it be consistent ? Can I pay someone to make the bullets for me ?

 

[SASS#23149]

it's not at all dummy proof,but can be very consistan when you find the 'right' powder load for your bullet/brass combo.
by 'make the bullets'? do you mean reload for you?
and on whose reccomendation are you deciding that heavier bullets will do the trick?

 

[WormCan]

Well I know that my Savage 223 really likes the heavier bullets like the Hornady 75 grain. It sounds like it might be something I need to stay away from. Is there people I can pay to make the heavier hunting loads ?

 

[rfwobbly]

Look on your local "Craig's List". Someone is always selling all their reloading equipment. Buy the whole garage full for $250. Then sell off all the dies and stuff you can't use.

My deal came with 10,000 primers and new powder. The primers were marked $16 / 1000. I didn't have the heart to tell the seller that primers had risen somewhat!

 

[WormCan]

At this stage of the game in my life I have decided not to pursue the reloading for now. I might when my kids are grown and left the nest.
Thanks again.