Author Topic: Where to buy 223 brass for a total NOOB!?! (Read 1318 times)

jason burns · « **on:** February 10, 2007, 01:47:32 PM »

Hey guys . . . I am thinking of getting started in reloading . . . starting with 223 but I have a couple of questions.
1) Where do you buy brass by the 1000??
2) How cheaply can you produce a "decent" SP or HP load?

Thanks a MILLION!

SM Bob · « **Reply #1 on:** February 10, 2007, 02:53:26 PM »

Midway or Cabela's have bulk brass. A lot of people like Winchester brass.

Robert

Val · « **Reply #2 on:** February 10, 2007, 04:15:12 PM »

Another good source of reloading components is Graf and Sons. Between Midwau and USA things are pretty well covered. You need to shop around on the internet. Someplaces are cheaper on some things and you can also find good deals on clearances and sales.

bigjeepman · « **Reply #3 on:** February 10, 2007, 05:19:57 PM »

I reload .223's for three of my rifles and my brother's AR. I like Winchester brass but I am sure other brass will work fine too. 1000 psc of Winchester brass will cost $154.99 plus S&H from MidwayUSA http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/browse . I like Midway's service and they have occasional sales on items I use that saves extra dollars.

What kind of rifle are you reloading for? What are you going to use the rifle for?

beemanbeme · « **Reply #4 on:** February 11, 2007, 05:44:45 AM »

Let's not forget 1x milsup brass. Removing the primer crimp is a simple task and you can buy the stuff for little or nothing. Ebay is a good source.

Randy_che · « **Reply #5 on:** February 11, 2007, 09:38:13 AM »

eBay....cheap brass, but watch the shipping. You can get a lot of brass in a flat rate box. The shipping cost on those is $8.10, but expect folks to tack on another $1 or $2 for their time.

Expect to make loads for approximately 40-60% of retail cost of factory ammo. Depends on what you are loading, components, prices, etc. Buying components in bulk seems to help spread the shipping costs out.

fastbike · « **Reply #6 on:** February 11, 2007, 09:46:15 AM »

Besides the other sources, I have also had good luck with Wideners (Wideners.com).

Quote from: jason burns on February 10, 2007, 01:47:32 PM

Hey guys . . . I am thinking of getting started in reloading . . . starting with 223 but I have a couple of questions.
1) Where do you buy brass by the 1000??
2) How cheaply can you produce a "decent" SP or HP load?

Thanks a MILLION!

jason burns · « **Reply #7 on:** February 11, 2007, 01:44:41 PM »

Quote from: bigjeepman on February 10, 2007, 05:19:57 PM

What kind of rifle are you reloading for? What are you going to use the rifle for?

For now, I am shooting a Stevens m200 in 223. I am getting right at 1" groups with Wolf 55gr HP rounds . . . I am sure I can cut that in half given how this thing shoots out of the box but I am wanting to make sure it is good bang for the buck to get that half inch.
I really appreciate your advice.
I guess I need to look into how to remove the primer crimp if I am going to get any where near the cost of Wolf for first loading. (I know it will come down when the brass is loaded subsequent times.)
THANKS!

Wingman26 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 11, 2007, 02:04:18 PM »

There are several sources for military brass, make sure you get it processed, that way it's already cleaned and the primer pockets are already taken care of, crimps are a pain in the butt!

http://www.gibrass.com/brass.html

http://www.cheyennebrass.com/_brass_shop/enter.html?target=dept_2.html

http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm

jason burns · « **Reply #9 on:** February 11, 2007, 02:27:27 PM »

Awesome info!
That should be a great start! I am just looking to have a good plinking round with good accuracy. The Wolf HP is about $165 a 1000 . . . it'd be great to not have to drop that everytime I need more ammo.

OR-E-Gun Bill · « **Reply #10 on:** February 11, 2007, 06:09:49 PM »

This GBO sponsor shouldn't be left out...

www.midsouthshooterssupply.com

Bill

Ranger J · « **Reply #11 on:** February 12, 2007, 03:46:37 AM »

I'm glad to hear the 22 is shooting well as I have one on order. You have to buy 223 brass?

At the two ranges where I shoot the stuff goes begging, just laying on the ground, especially after the local police dept. has a qualifying day. All kidding aside if you do shoot at a public range there is usually a lot of 223 stuff lying around. If you are a reloader you will soon become a brass scrounger like the rest of us.
RJ

fastbike · « **Reply #12 on:** February 12, 2007, 06:43:08 AM »

I wouldn't recommend just picking up range brass to someone new to the subject. You want to be real careful with inspection if you don't know the origin of the brass. That's the trouble with a lot of EBay brass. Often "appears to be shot once" or picked up at the range, etc".

Quote from: Ranger J on February 12, 2007, 03:46:37 AM

I'm glad to hear the 22 is shooting well as I have one on order. You have to buy 223 brass? At the two ranges where I shoot the stuff goes begging, just laying on the ground, especially after the local police dept. has a qualifying day. All kidding aside if you do shoot at a public range there is usually a lot of 223 stuff lying around. If you are a reloader you will soon become a brass scrounger like the rest of us.
RJ

Wingman26 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 12, 2007, 08:46:32 AM »

I'm a brass scrounger like most of us, guys at our gun club leave a lot of 9mm brass behind, some 40 and some 45 acp, I rarely find any 223/5.56 brass though! I think the majority of the rifle shooters at my club are reloaders. I went through the trash cans after sight in day in the fall, I did find 20-30 223 cases and some 308 cases then, but that's not many when you consider how many people cycled through the rifle range on that weekend!

jason burns · « **Reply #14 on:** February 12, 2007, 12:08:28 PM »

I have not seen ANY 223 left lying at our range!

Jay HHI6818 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 12, 2007, 01:14:51 PM »

For once fired brass try The Brass Man http://www.brassmanbrass.com/inventory-001.html

454Puma · « **Reply #16 on:** February 12, 2007, 04:59:50 PM »

fastbike
Brass is brass-once fired or many times fired -find it, clean it, inspect it, load it! I've got brass that's been loaded 100 times or more! Still shoots the same as new! If you inspect it and find no cracks or head stamp smeared off it most likely will load and shoot as good a brand new brass for along time!

jason burns · « **Reply #17 on:** February 12, 2007, 11:35:43 PM »

Quote from: Ranger J on February 12, 2007, 03:46:37 AM

I'm glad to hear the 22 is shooting well as I have one on order.

I almost missed that line . . . yes, that little Stevens will shoot to be such a cheap gun!! I was at the range saturday hitting golf balls at 120 yards with no problems! (Unfortunately, that is where the berm is at our range.) Trigger is pretty decent too . . . NO creep!

fastbike · « **Reply #18 on:** February 13, 2007, 02:05:44 AM »

I understand but if you're new to this (i.e. the OP) some of the signs of incipient failure are hard to spot. " Most likely will load and shoot" is small consolation if the weapon blows up in your face.

Quote from: 454Puma on February 12, 2007, 04:59:50 PM

fastbike
Brass is brass-once fired or many times fired -find it, clean it, inspect it, load it! I've got brass that's been loaded 100 times or more! Still shoots the same as new! If you inspect it and find no cracks or head stamp smeared off it most likely will load and shoot as good a brand new brass for along time!

Sir Charles deMoutonBlack · « **Reply #19 on:** February 13, 2007, 04:12:18 AM »

At my range in Central British California, Canada. I find LOTSA fired .223. I can't give it away, as .223 shooters seem to get off on shootin, not reloadin'!