I use lead wire cut into slugs that are then sized to precise cores. If you use the same brand of .22 cases for a batch of bullets, weight consistency is better than factory bullets. Accuracy is as good as the care you put in making the bullets. A .22RF case can make anywhere from a 40 to 65 gr bullet. My AR like 58 gr bullets the best & 1/2" groups at 100 yds are common using Fed RF cases. Swaging adds another dimension to accuracy tuning trying to determine the ideal bullet weight your rifle likes. About 5% of the bullets will have a wrinkled or folded nose from insufficient lube or poor annealing but they are still usable for plinking. With mixed RF case brands, picked-up range brass I still get about 1-1/2" groups. The normal recommendation is not to push the bullets (i.e. jackets) over 3,500 fps but I've never had a problem pushing the bullets out of a .22-250 beyond that. I've seen no ill effects of using brass jackets down my bores.

Speer bullets started by swaging spent 22 cases.
I'll continue to reload 223 regardless of cost comparison as my guns like what I feed them.
What I won't reload any longer is shotgun shells for dove season.


Papalote

A good discussion here mreed. I don’t think there is a one size fits all answer to your question. It depends on what you do with your .223’s. On one end of the spectrum are those that just shoot and think it’s bad a$$ to make some noise. On the other end are those that find it painful when they don’t have a high level of repeatable accuracy. Where you fall on that scale along with availability of the .223 loads you want to shoot and how much satisfaction you get from being self sufficient in regard to your ammo needs is where your answer lies.
I load my own .223 ammo. I like it better than what I can buy. My reloading is a down time hobby I enjoy.
Do your own thing, whether you load ‘em or buy ‘em.

I fall somewhere in the middle, I have a 10.5” Ruger AR pistol with a 1x red dot that shoots around 2 moa with federal 55gr bulk ammo off of a rest but I think I could do better with a little magnification. I bought it as a truck gun for when I’m driving through the lease and see a pig or coyote and also for double tapping soup cans for fun. So while I do appreciate a high level of accuracy I also like the occasional mag dump and I do have other rifles for longer range accurate shooting. I think after reading everyone’s responses my time would be best spent looking for good deals on factory ammo for plinking and save the brass to reload higher end hunting rounds.

I think that’s a good idea.

I load for the same reasons. Cost savings is a factor buying components, meaning I look for deals but in the end buy what I need at any reasonable cost. . But I do and am always looking for good deals. The numbers I stated in the first post were not a formula for sub .8 cent ammo, just off the top of my head examples of very inexpensive components. Better deals than those a can be had. Free stuff comes along every now and then and trades for equipment and components of which you may not have any money in.
There’s no full proof path for ammo that cost that little to load for sure. But it is possible and does happen.
I’ve never used the cost of my equipment or my time in factoring price per bullet.
To many variables for that.

End of day its really not so much the costs. They will somewhat wash. Its about the hobby, its about the "like" of doing it, and its dang sure about the accuracy and quality of it. If you want to hit a pie plate at 100 or 200 yards with your rifle go to academy. If you want to shoot 1/2" groups at 100 and 5/8" at 200 etc you best start hand loading and have fun doing it. Its like the golfer who keeps buying the $400 drivers to get that extra 10 yards. Is it worth it, that's up to the individual. I personally love loading and the accuracy that comes with it. On a calm day my 223 loads are accurate to 600 yards. Bulk ammo no way. If shooting cans and mag dumping having some fun at the ranch, use bulk ammo. So its really more of a would I enjoy this as a hobby type thing and how accurate to you need/want to be. Pistol rounds is flavor of the day. I load my own but its because I enjoy it. Just do target/plink with those. A little cheaper (not counting the time) but not huge. I am not a TV watcher so would rather spend that time loadin em up.

I handload .223.

My .223 handloads with 55 Hornady SPs shoot approximately 50% tighter groups than bulk factory loaded FMJs and I save 40 bucks per thousand using once fired LC brass.

That is why I load. It is worth it to me.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

I reload several calibers, mainly due to what we had in the white house a few years back. Ammo was hard to find and expensive. So I started reloading because I could find powder and the components, and I found I enjoy doing it. I wonder if this conversation would be taking place if there was the same stuff was going on.

Bulk 223 - just buy the cheap stuff and be done with it. It doesn't matter what you value your time - it's not cheaper to reload.

For most precision ammo, reloading is less a choice of cost and more a choice of quality, as most factory ammo is unable to perform at levels needed for those shooters.

For other stuff, it really comes down to how much you value your time.

I think for bolt rifles you have to reload for best bullet/load/brass that suits your particular rifle. I also do hand load my 223 if I shoot past 100 yards and want to hit some metal.


You can get cheap components if you wait and shop for discounts and specials. Buying in bulk is the key.....

With the recent development of scarce availability, I'd say yes.

And it only took two or three days, the hoard has just about cleaned out the shelves again. As long as I can get powder and components I'm good. I am sticking to reloading the 223/556 for now.

Also depends on when you start. If you bought your equipment other than the dies many years ago when things were cheaper, the whole thing gets cheaper. I saw a comment on bulk jacketed bullets at $100 per 1K ... to me that's high as I got my stash at 7.5 cents each. Brass is free if you have friends that don't reload. Primers are $0.02-0.03 or less if you were prepared for the election cycle.

I reload .223 strictly for hunting,for plinkling I shoot bulk.