.223 - What's your cost per round?

**Pete D.** · August 5th, 2009, 04:48 AM

That brings bullet cost to less than SEVEN AND A HALF CENTS PER LOAD.
(Last year, I bought Hornady 55gr FMJBT w/c bulets, $70.k at a show= .07/rd)

Thanks. I'm already at seven cents a bullet (maybe less. Don't remember what I paid. bought in bulk probably five years ago. What did 55s cost in 2004?)
As I noted, I haven't had to buy primers and won't for a while. Powder I already buy in bulk. It is the bullets that really make the difference.
In any case, 55s are just for plinking. Mostly, I shoot Sierra 77s; they change the cost per round a bit.
Pete

**max384** · August 5th, 2009, 11:01 AM

I reload 223 for $.20 a round. That is not including the price of brass, but I don't buy brass (in .223 at least). I either use range pick-ups or a few of my buddies don't reload and they don't mind me taking their spent brass (if they're not using wolf, which they usually are

).

I got my primers for $3/100 (in bulk), but my bullets (55 gn FMJ) cost me $12/100 because I haven't truly bought any in bulk. I also am going to switch to a new powder that is cheaper. I am using H4198 that currently costs $20/lb. Cheaper if I buy more, of course. I get great groups with it out of my gun, but when I shoot my AR, I have a holo sight on it and don't generally shoot great distances with it. So, accuracy isn't a big deal. I want to get something cheap. Any suggestions?

**Pete D.** · August 5th, 2009, 09:10 PM

It's hard to do cheaper in the current economic climate. In any climate.
Even bulk prices - assuming that you have brass. Look at the prices quoted here. Primers are .03 a piece, powder in bulk at $12.00 a pound still costs 0.425 a load for a 25 grain charge. Then a bullet at .07. you are just over 14 cents a round. Years ago, not too many, bulk powder could be had for $8, primers were less than .02 and bullets were .05.
Do I sound like an old guy?

**Flash** · August 6th, 2009, 02:13 AM

[QUOTE=Pete D.;846124]It's hard to do cheaper in the current economic climate. In any climate.
Even bulk prices - assuming that you have brass. Look at the prices quoted here. Primers are .03 a piece, powder in bulk at $12.00 a pound still costs 0.425 a load for a 25 grain charge. Then a bullet at .07. you are just over 14 cents a round. Years ago, not too many, bulk powder could be had for $8, primers were less than .02 and bullets were .05.
Do I sound like an old guy?[/QUOTE]

No, just a realist, young feller.

Flash

**levib** · August 6th, 2009, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Pete D.

It's hard to do cheaper in the current economic climate. In any climate.
Even bulk prices - assuming that you have brass. Look at the prices quoted here. Primers are .03 a piece, powder in bulk at $12.00 a pound still costs 0.425 a load for a 25 grain charge. Then a bullet at .07. you are just over 14 cents a round. Years ago, not too many, bulk powder could be had for $8, primers were less than .02 and bullets were .05.
Do I sound like an old guy?

Yea, but the price of factory ammo has gone up at the same time.

**Flash** · August 10th, 2009, 11:54 PM

Well, here are .224 bullets at $35/k. Pulled military to help cut costs.

http://www.rvow.com/surplus%20bullets.htm

Flash

**he11zna** · August 11th, 2009, 01:26 AM

Originally Posted by Flash

Well, here are .224 bullets at $35/k. Pulled military to help cut costs.

http://www.rvow.com/surplus%20bullets.htm

Flash

Run far, far away...

But seriously, do a quick Google search for River Valley Ordnance and formulate your own opinion.

I think the $370/5000 Widner's deal is where it's at.

Anyone near Philly want to split the 5k?