Do you reload for your plinking rifles?

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levsmith

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Just wondering how many of you reload for your plinking rifles that use bottleneck cartridges. I've been debating on whether or not to reload .223. Right now I am using silver bear since it is cheap but I would like to shoot something a little cleaner and less smelly. I dont shoot it a whole lot, maybe a couple hundred rounds a month.

I've got a reloader and everything I need except the dies. I have never reloaded for rifles, so I'm not sure how tedious you have to be with neck length. Right now the things that are holding me back are picking up brass, cleaning, trimming to length. just seems like too much work if you have to trim and check length for every cartridge when I really dont use it for precision shooting, just a plinker.

Granted, I do the same with 9mm but trimming is generally taken out of the equation with straight wall cartridges. So, what are your thoughts. Maybe this is more of a "give me a reason to add another caliber to my reloading collection" thread. :D
 
levsmith said:
Just wondering how many of you reload for your plinking rifles that use bottleneck cartridges. I've been debating on whether or not to reload .223. Right now I am using silver bear since it is cheap but I would like to shoot something a little cleaner and less smelly. I dont shoot it a whole lot, maybe a couple hundred rounds a month.

I've got a reloader and everything I need except the dies. I have never reloaded for rifles, so I'm not sure how tedious you have to be with neck length. Right now the things that are holding me back are picking up brass, cleaning, trimming to length. just seems like too much work if you have to trim and check length for every cartridge when I really dont use it for precision shooting, just a plinker.

Granted, I do the same with 9mm but trimming is generally taken out of the equation with straight wall cartridges. So, what are your thoughts. Maybe this is more of a "give me a reason to add another caliber to my reloading collection" thread. :D
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I say, go for it.

As I understand it, you don't have to trim EVERY time. You can set up a backstop to deflect your brass into a small area. Cleaning would be about the same issues as cleaning your 9mm brass.

I am guessing that yours is a semi-auto rifle. I load for handguns only, but have been looking at 223 (super cheap ammo, and reloadable) so I could get into some long-range work. The price of a good quality telescopic sight of has me stopped at the moment.

Who knows? You might be encouraged to pick up a bolt action or (my favorite) falling block in .223.

Lost Sheep
 
Thanks sheep, I will have to do something to keep the brass close. My AR throws it pretty good! I know what you mean about the scope. Thats the main reason its still a plinking gun, rather than long range. I have wanted to get a nice 308 bolt action. I'll have to check out this falling block you speak of, I must be too young :neener:
 
Yes, I reload .223 for plinking. Granted, I can buy Wolf ammo for only about $30/k more than my reloads. I enjoy reloading.
 
I picked up a used Lee Pro 1000 set-up for .223 for $60 before I even fired round 1 from the carbine I just built. Once I have enough brass collected to make it worth my while, I plan to start reloading for it.
 
The first processing is a pain in the behind but after that its pretty easy especially if they're plinkers. My el cheapo plinking rounds are more accurate than most factory match stuff because it has been tailored to my rifle. On a good day I can get MOA accuracy with irons
 
It really isn't as cumbersome as it seems. It takes all of about 1-2 seconds to check the length of each brass with a dial caliper. Resize and start checking lengths, and if it measures under the maximum drop it into the good to go pile, and if not drop it into the other pile. When your all finished trimming, reaming & chamfering the one's needing such you can go right to priming, charging, and seating the bullets. It's not critical to tumble, just make sure you have all the lube cleaned off the outside of cases before you fire them. Lube, even a small residue can interfere with the case seizing against the chamber wall causing potential problems with your action.
So I vote reload. Shooting factory .223 can be quite expensive. And considering how popular .223 is, you can get brass and bullets for much less than most bottle neck cartridges. Dies are only going to run you $20-$25.
Regarding the reloading process, I would like to offer one small tip to help you avoid bullet seating issues, don't try to put a crimp on your bullets. First off, it isn't necessary to crimp a .223 round, or for that matter almost any bottle neck cartridge, with few exceptions, .223 not being one of those exceptions.
 
If you want to reload .223, I would trim the first time and you should then be able to load probably 5 times before needing to trim again. In an autoloader, you need to FL resize every time, and check the length after 3 firings.

Otherwise it's easy, and you will make far better ammo than the stuff you can buy. If you're just shooting at tin cans at 30 feet, buy Wolf steel case. If you want 1 moa at 100 yards or longer, definitely reload.
 
I was in the same boat as you. I just recently purchased my first AR type rifle in .223. First off, Wolf ammo is horrible. I can reload a thousand .223 for only just a little bit less than Wolf. But to buy .223 ammo comprable to my reloads, would cost a bunch more. My loaded ammo is so much cleaner, accurate and reliable. .223 brass is always laying around at ranges. I have collected a few thousand cases.

I deprime em all, tumble, size, check length, trim if necessary, retumble and then store them. I have over a thousand prepped cases ready to load at any one time. When I know I have a range day coming up and my loaded .223 bin is low, I just load up a few hundred and I'm good to go. It does not take that long to load once the brass is prepped.
 
Thanks for the replies! Sounds like I'll be trying out 223. Just curious, about how many times can you reload with good brass? And is there a certain brand of brass I should be looking for, or are they all pretty much the same as far a quality?
 
If it is reloadable, I reload it. I have never been pleased with the cheap ammo available on the market. I have purchased a bunch of HXP 30-06 surplus as a brass source. Getting to "unload" is a bonus.

For my case length measuring, I have cut a go-no-go gauges at the max case length for measuring. Then, I trim only cases that do not fit the gauge. It is faster then measuring with a caliper. A caliper could be locked in place to achieve the same effect but I would rather limit handling the caliper in case I drop it--which I have.

Actually, my gauges are cut a few thousandths less than max length.

My gauges were cut on a mill but they could be made by careful hand work. Rocket science they are not. Mine are made with 1/4" aluminum plate but 16 or 14 gauge sheet metal would work and could be easily worked with a hack saw and file.

I usually only have to trim about one quarter of the cases at each resizing and prep session. I do not like case trimming.
 
FWIW - I just bought a Giraud Powered Case Trimmer setup for .223, and it's the shizz! I can buzz through a Folger's 2lb. coffee can full of .223 brass in about an hour now. Expensive bugger though, but a very high quality product.
 
Not only can you save money over the steel case crap, but you will get MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH better ammo. Yep, thats 5 muches -and they are capitalized. It's that gooder.
 
I reload for everything I shoot. I rarely shoot .22LR. and when I do It costs more to shoot than my pistols with cast bullet ammo.
 
you must shoot the premium .22LR. What i shoot is about 3 cents per round. ;)

EMC45 said:
I reload for everything I shoot. I rarely shoot .22LR. and when I do It costs more to shoot than my pistols with cast bullet ammo.
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Most 223 brass is pretty good. Most guys would say to segregate by brand. The range by my house has more Lake City laying around than anything else. I may have picked up one or two myself :)
 
Until recently I swore I wouldn't bother reloading .223 as you can buy PMC for about $7.00 for 20 rounds. However, a couple of months ago a buddy of mine gave me a recipe for a round that he had shot and asked me if I could duplicate the load. Well I didn't have the exact bullets, so I made up a handful using the same powder (Win 748) with some Remington 55 gr. PLHP's. In both our guns these bullets shot under an inch. So needless to say I won't be buying any more commercial .223. I have since found that H335 and H322 are excellent powders for .223 in both my Remington 700 and Savage 110. Last weekend managed 3 5-shot groups with my Remington 700 that fit under a dime using 24.2 grs of H335 under 55gr Nosler BT's. So even though it is a bit more time consuming, my vote has to be for reloading your own.
 
Right now the things that are holding me back are picking up brass, cleaning, trimming to length. just seems like too much work if you have to trim and check length for every cartridge when I really dont use it for precision shooting, just a plinker.
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I process all my brass throughout the Winter when the weather is too bad to shoot. Then I prime, add powder and seat the bullet during shooting season when needed. Loading like that takes no time at all and it give me something to do over the Winter when times are boring.
 
I think it's Lyman that has a max lenght guage that is really handy. It has a bunch of "cut outs" in it for various case lenghts. It's way faster than a caliper and won't change. Either the case slides in or it doesn't, fast, easy and accurate, well accurate enough for what I do. I guess for bench rest shooting, a precise caliper may be necessary.
 
My AR is about 2-2.50 moa with commerical with my reloads it will shoot 1.0 yeah, I reload and enjoy the accuracy. I've been using reloader 7 and sierra 52gr match for accuracy shooting it's an excellent combination.
 
I reload some & buy some for my AR.
Depends on if it's on sale or not.

I've tried Tulammo, but when the barrel warms up the lacquer makes it stick & it jams.
I never see this with brass cased ammo.

According to my calculations, I can reload for just south of $5 for a 20 round box.
So when the Fed (or other ammo) comes out to less than $6 a box (for brass) I'll buy some.
Other wise it's my reloads which are more accurate than factory.

Besides, it keeps my brass supply plentiful.
 
i reload for everything except rimfires, and if i could, i would do that as well. i download on a regular basis as well. it saves money, as well as allowing the throat of some of the rifles to survive a little longer also. i have downloaded my 300 mag all the way down to 30 carbine levels with no problems. now, if i could only figure out a practical way of making my own primers, i would be all set.
 
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