.223 Ammunition for Target Shooting

View · by **LePetomane** on Sun Dec 30, 2012 5:37 pm

What do you folks use for target shooting? I'm not an AR guy who rattles off a lot of rounds at a time. I have a Kimber bolt action. At the most I shoot 60 rounds per trip to the range. The Tula is cheap for a reason. Dirty and doesn't cycle smoothly. What do you guys use?

WJLP

View · by **wildfan1** on Sun Dec 30, 2012 5:40 pm

I use the cheap WPA from fleet farm. Works good in my ar

Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2

View · by **TTS** on Sun Dec 30, 2012 6:04 pm

LePetomane wrote:What do you folks use for target shooting? I'm not an AR guy who rattles off a lot of rounds at a time. I have a Kimber bolt action. At the most I shoot 60 rounds per trip to the range. The Tula is cheap for a reason. Dirty and doesn't cycle smoothly. What do you guys use?

WJLP

I reload, but if you are looking for affordable brass cased ammo, I have had good luck with this.

View · by **wildfan1** on Sun Dec 30, 2012 6:08 pm

Really thinking I need to get back into reloading...just no dang time

Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2

View · by **TTS** on Sun Dec 30, 2012 6:16 pm

wildfan1 wrote:Really thinking I need to get back into reloading...just no dang time

Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2

It is my decompression time. I take an hour or two a week and get all Zen.

View · by **wildfan1** on Sun Dec 30, 2012 6:19 pm

TTS wrote:
wildfan1 wrote:Really thinking I need to get back into reloading...just no dang time

Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2

It is my decompression time. I take an hour or two a week and get all Zen.

Definitely envy you brah. Lol. My downtime is sleeping

Sent from my HTC VLE_U using Tapatalk 2

View · by **LePetomane** on Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:04 pm

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I'm new to rifles after shooting handguns for quite a while. I like the .223 and am looking at bigger calibers to hunt with when we move to Wyoming in a few years.

View · by **Rip Van Winkle** on Sun Dec 30, 2012 9:47 pm

I reload 75/77gr bullets over 23.5gr of RL15 with a Rem 7 1/2 primer in LC or WCC cases. Good to go out to 600 yards.

If I didn't reload I'd be shooting Black Hills ammo, if I could find it.

View · by **gunforhire** on Sun Dec 30, 2012 9:54 pm

23.5 gr of RL 15 behind a 55 gr FMJBT seated to cannelure and crimp and you are good to go! just like factory ammo, but cheaper

View · by **FJ540** on Sun Dec 30, 2012 10:05 pm

I had good luck with the Federal American Eagle's in 55gr back when I had my Colt accurized.

Hand loading is the only way to get really good ammo at a reasonable price. The initial investment will kill any perceived savings, but over time you'll start to make up ground and recoup those funds.

View · by **LePetomane** on Mon Dec 31, 2012 5:24 am

Thanks for the replies. I like the American Eagle for my revolvers so I'll keep my eyes out for some. Ahlman's had Black Hills but the price was pretty steep, $40 for a box of 50. Is it a better round or are they taking advantage of the frenzy?

View · by **FJ540** on Mon Dec 31, 2012 6:56 am

My 77gr sierra match kings work out to around $.45/ea with $.12 brass - $1 a bullet sounds about right for retail on the same load.

View · by **user293** on Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:11 am

LePetomane wrote:Thanks for the replies. I like the American Eagle for my revolvers so I'll keep my eyes out for some. Ahlman's had Black Hills but the price was pretty steep, $40 for a box of 50. Is it a better round or are they taking advantage of the frenzy?

if you want target/match ammo, youll have to pay the price. i think you can get the black hills with some match kings on top. thats what id get if i wanted to do some target shooting. 40 bucks per 50 rounds is actually not bad for the match stuff (if it was in fact the good stuff)

View · by **Northland 7.62** on Tue Jan 01, 2013 10:02 am

gunforhire wrote:23.5 gr of RL 15 behind a 55 gr FMJBT seated to cannelure and crimp and you are good to go! just like factory ammo, but cheaper

If you can reload it is waaaay cheaper (some say you just shoot more for what you spend.....)

To give you an idea I get brass for free (range pick ups), 1,000 small rifle primers= $35.00, 3 pounds of IMR 4895= $75.00, 1,000 .223 bullets= $89.00. All told it comes out to $199.00 per 1,000 rounds. That is .19 cents per round and $3.80 per 20 round box...... even better than Tula

View · by **yuppiejr** on Tue Jan 01, 2013 10:14 am

As long as your time is free... Brass needs to be cleaned, inspected and then lubed & FL sized before you run it through a progressive press... Figure at least 4 hours for 1000 .223 all in plus the cost of your reloading gear... which is going to set you back a minimum of $600 to hit 300-400 rounds per hour outside of brass prep time (real numbers including supply refills/movement and QA checks throughout a run).