Reloading

Nothing new to add to the gun today, but I thought I would add something that I've been thinking over about and have come to a decision on.  Everywhere I read (especially on ARFCOM), its always talked about that the AR15 has quite an appetite.  A few weeks ago, my father-in-law and I went out to the local range back in my home town and ran through about 150 rounds in around 20 minutes or so.

So, I've got two problems:  One, I don't have a whole lot of money just laying around to buy up thousands of rounds per year to sate my AR thirst.  Two, I'm a slight perfectionist when it comes to things I've built, so I don't want to just put any round in my gun.  I want something that will be precise, accurate, and dependable.

After considering my dilemma, I've decided that I should just reload my own ammo.

I have to admit, when I first considered doing this, it seemed to me that reloading ammo was only for those hardcore gun enthusiasts that had spent their childhood sitting on daddy's lap while he field stripped his rifle.  After doing some research, I realized even green guys like me could easily reload their own ammo!

Here's what I've found.

Going to Midway USA's website (http://www.midwayusa.com/), I found a Lee Pro 1000 Progressive Press Kit, 1 pound of Accurate 2520 Smokeless Powder, 500 count of Lapua Brass, 1200 count of Hornady AMax 75 Grain Boat Tail bullets, 1000 count of CCI Small Rifle Primers, along with a Lyman Case Length Gauge.  All for around $705 including shipping/tax.

Ok, so first the reasoning behind my choices.

Lee Pro 1000 Progressive Press Kit: For the press kit, it was nice that it came with basically everything I needed to get started.  Also, I really like the "supply line" style of the kit and it seems easy enough to opperate.  The price is nice too... for my first go-round with this reloading business, I didn't want to break the bank only to figure out it wasn't for me.  Price: $159.99 at Midway USA.

Lapua Brass: Everything I've read on this brass says it is top notch.  The strict quality control on the brass makes it hard to beat even though it is more expensive.  The nice aspect of the brass that helps offset the price is the ability to continually reload the brass with minimum trimming.  Price: $279.99 at Midway USA.

Accurate 2520 Smokelss Power: Honestly, there is no real reason for picking this brand/type other than it was one of the more expensive per pound so I can get an idea on price.  This will most likely change to another brand/type as I'm doing my research.  Price: $18.99 at Midway USA.

Hornady AMax 75 Grain Bullets: I like the Hornady brand and wanted the heavier bullet since I'm planning on putting together a barrel with a 1 in 7 inch or a 1 in 8 inch twist.  Price: $201.98 (for two boxes) at Midway USA.

CCI Small Rifle Primers: Read that these are the most stable in this press and of better quality than most.  Other than that, nothing else to this one.  Price: $31.99 at Midway USA.

So, after everything is said and done, I will be spending around $705 to get me started.  I'm assuming the brass won't need to be trimmed (as I've heard of Lapua) and can be reloaded at least one time (this is obviously conservative).

For 1000 rounds, I'm spending around $0.70 per round including all of my one-time costs (Lee Pro Press).  If I go onto Midway's website and buy a box of Hornady Varmint Express 55 Grain V-max (one of their CHEAPER boxes), it's still around $0.87 cents per round.  Now, I know that I can go to places like Cheaper Than Dirt and buy ammo for around $0.40 per round, but like I said before, I want good, quality ammo that is dependable.

By reloading my own ammo, I have control over the quality.  I can make each round nearly identical, which is extremely important when you are going for accuracy.

Below are some good sites for more information on reloading!

Step-By-Step Reloading Instructions (including lessons learned)

Good guide on reloading 223

Arguably the best resource on handloading