Quote Originally Posted by aatheiss View Post
UWone77,

Like Dstrbdmedic167 said, initial buy-in costs of equipment is high. Even if you already have reloading equipment, the dies can be pricey, depending on what brand you go with, but I don't factor these in, since they'll pay for themselves over time. Even though I got a press for free, it still cost a couple hundred to get everything I needed to start. As for the cost of cartridge components, I think Medic has a better source than I do, or around where I am, components cost more. I have a box of Hornady 150gr SSTs that I got for around $35, if I remember correctly. I get CCI #400 primers at $5/100, and the only powder I've been able to find is IMR 4227 (not the best, but still should work), and I'll have to double check on this one too, but I think the price I got it for was around $30. So my cost per bullet is around 43-45 cents. I'm searching for other powder sources, but I'll probably end up paying a little more for the bullets I want.

Factory ammo is hard to come by; locally the cheapest I can find is the higher end stuff, like Barnes and Nosler, for $35+ for 20 rounds. Online I've found Fiocchi super sonics for $30 plus shipping. Gunbot.net is a great resource for finding ammo.


tcoz,

I hadn't heard that about the Lee dies, I'll have to take some measurements and see if the cases are to spec. I don't mind them being mid-range, so long as they're not outside SAAMI spec, and fit my chamber. I have a DD 300 BLK barrel, so if that tells you anything... Thanks for the heads up! The cases seem to be forming ok. Obviously takes a little more effort to force the brass through, but they don't appear any different than the few pieces of "original" 300 brass that I have.

I had read something somewhere, and it may very well be from 300BlkTalk.com, about the different brass qualities. The brass that I had stockpiled was a mix of my once-fired, from various brands, to range pickups, of unknown brands, so I went through and sorted them. Turns out, the vast majority were stamped "LC", which I was pleasantly surprised with. I think I read that federal brass was good to go, also, so any marked "FC" I added to my "good" pile. All others, including Wolf, Hornady, a veritable mix of others, but especially PPU, were put in my ".223/5.56 ONLY" pile.

Again, thanks! I was hoping others would chime in and possibly remind or inform me of something I had missed. I'm glad you did!
Look online at Powder Valley, MidSouth or Midway. You can get Hornsdy 150gr FMJBT bullets for just over $20+shipping/100. I think they're more than adequate for plinking and/or range use. You're also paying too much for primers. On those same websites, you can get them for $25-30/1000 and they're often on sale at Midway, MidSouth and Wideners for around $25/1000. Order 2000 at a time and even with the $28.50 hazmat fee and shipping, you'll still pay less than the $100/2000 that you're paying now.

IMR 4227 is fine. That's what I'm using since I can't find H110 and I'm happy with it plus my LGS has had a decent supply of it lately.

Without a great deal of effort, you should be able to bring your cost down to around 0.30/rd

Use your chamber as a case gauge for your initial batch of reformed cases. You might be one of the fortunate Lee die users who can use their sizing die to reform without having to buy a more expensive small base sizing die. A big suggestion I have is to invest in a slotted Sheridan Case Gauge. Unlike the other gauges, it will check your finished round for diameter since it's completely sized to minimum SAAMI specs. If it fits in the Sheridan it WILL chamber in your rifle. If any of your rounds have neck diameter issues from too thick neck walls, it'll tell you, whereas other gauges won't. Saves a lot of headaches and makes it easy to diagnose problems. A little pricey but well worth it.

Let me know if you have other questions. I'm definitely not an expert as there are a lot of people on the forums with a lot more knowledge than I have, but I'll be happy to help if I can. Good luck.