Choice of 2?
- Thread starter kenbro
- Start date
Stalker62
Well-Known Member
"Pretty uncommon" v "Hard to come by"...
Ammunition v Brass...
£1.80 a unit v 80p a unit...
I'm going with...
Brass.
Get the factory and reload the cases, if that is an option.
kenbro
Well-Known Member
That's apples to oranges."Pretty uncommon" v "Hard to come by"...
Ammunition v Brass...
£1.80 a unit v 80p a unit...
I'm going with...
View attachment 304369
Brass.
You need to factor in, the powder, bullet and primer, so buying a case and loading it would add at least 50+ pence to each case.
Ken.
Brass. 60 rounds of factory would last me a couple of weeks where as I could load 1000 plus rounds with the brass
You don’t reload your empty factory cases then?
Not in batches of 60. I normally load 200-400 at a time
Strange logic, so you couldn’t combine the 50 with 150-350 more to make your big batch?
By the same logic you wouldn’t be reloading just 100 either!
I often load 600 plus in one calibre on a full auto press, I still wouldn’t say no to 60 factory loads in that calibre because it would interfere with my reloading.
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Are they the same cartridge?
Are the bullets in the factory round anything special / difficult to obtain?
Can the cases be formed from an easily available calibre?
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
My pennies worth. I run a 7x65R so ammo is not easy to come by.
I started with 60 rounds of RWS Cone point ammo 15 years ago when I got the rifle. They got me started, and I rationed the shots. I probably used 10 to confirm zero and then started to use it is a hunting rifle.
They kept me going for a couple of years.
Then I bought a set of reloading equipment and dies. @Bavarianbrit kindly got me another 40 RWS cases from Germany. I worked up a good load and those cases have kept me going for several years.
I have added a couple of boxes of fresh RWS Ammo -173gn ID Classic bullets when I was on a hunting trip in Germany (at €80 a box of 20 in 2016 - but it was only holiday money, but still eye watering).
Then about five years ago RWS importer was selling off lots of “odd” ammo that wasn’t selling. They had 180 7x65r HIT selling for well under £100. I jumped on them and still using them.
I like to keep to one type of brass per rifle.
With my 223 and 7x57 I have on occasion picked up other bits and pieces of ammo. I am too mean to throw out the odd cases. I am pretty much sticking to PPU cases for these two as I have bought factory Fox ammo and then as @Edinburgh Rifles publish their load data I just replicate this when reloading.
I started with 60 rounds of RWS Cone point ammo 15 years ago when I got the rifle. They got me started, and I rationed the shots. I probably used 10 to confirm zero and then started to use it is a hunting rifle.
They kept me going for a couple of years.
Then I bought a set of reloading equipment and dies. @Bavarianbrit kindly got me another 40 RWS cases from Germany. I worked up a good load and those cases have kept me going for several years.
I have added a couple of boxes of fresh RWS Ammo -173gn ID Classic bullets when I was on a hunting trip in Germany (at €80 a box of 20 in 2016 - but it was only holiday money, but still eye watering).
Then about five years ago RWS importer was selling off lots of “odd” ammo that wasn’t selling. They had 180 7x65r HIT selling for well under £100. I jumped on them and still using them.
I like to keep to one type of brass per rifle.
With my 223 and 7x57 I have on occasion picked up other bits and pieces of ammo. I am too mean to throw out the odd cases. I am pretty much sticking to PPU cases for these two as I have bought factory Fox ammo and then as @Edinburgh Rifles publish their load data I just replicate this when reloading.
Brass. Every time.
Simple rationale: all my reloads match or outperform all purchased cartridges.
The brass that is used in commercial ammunition has not always given me the best reloads after intitial use. [softer, thinner, neck seems to extrude more quickly than say Lapua brass, etc]
Depending on caliber, I can get 10+ reloads out of good brass which makes per-use cost way lower.
Simple rationale: all my reloads match or outperform all purchased cartridges.
The brass that is used in commercial ammunition has not always given me the best reloads after intitial use. [softer, thinner, neck seems to extrude more quickly than say Lapua brass, etc]
Depending on caliber, I can get 10+ reloads out of good brass which makes per-use cost way lower.
LeftHandGuy
Well-Known Member
Not really sure what the comparison is here.
Assuming that the brass and the loaded rounds are the same ammunition type, and assuming that the the factory rounds are boxer primed, then probably the factory rounds.
Why?
The brass will be reloadable and, you will be able to shoot some, confirm functionality in your rifle, and when you come to reload you will know whether or not your loads compare to factory, or improve on it.
You can pull a couple of the bullets and experiment with different powder and primer combinations (especially given that "uncommon" is likely to mean that the OE powder and primers are no longer available).
You can dismantle a round and reassemble it without powder or primer. IDK if anyone else does this, but I always set my dies up by assembling an inert round. It gives me something I can use to confirm that my loaded ammo will feed, chamber and extract correctly. Since this round is "uncommon" the availability of a snapcap is likely dubious anyway.
You will be able to use the rifle immediately.
60 cases is more than enough to develop a load and assemble enough ammunition for a couple or three stalking outings.
So come on @kenbro I think we deserve some more detail here! What rounds/cases are we talking about? Or is it purely hypothetical?
And since you've posed the question, what's your answer?
Assuming that the brass and the loaded rounds are the same ammunition type, and assuming that the the factory rounds are boxer primed, then probably the factory rounds.
Why?
The brass will be reloadable and, you will be able to shoot some, confirm functionality in your rifle, and when you come to reload you will know whether or not your loads compare to factory, or improve on it.
You can pull a couple of the bullets and experiment with different powder and primer combinations (especially given that "uncommon" is likely to mean that the OE powder and primers are no longer available).
You can dismantle a round and reassemble it without powder or primer. IDK if anyone else does this, but I always set my dies up by assembling an inert round. It gives me something I can use to confirm that my loaded ammo will feed, chamber and extract correctly. Since this round is "uncommon" the availability of a snapcap is likely dubious anyway.
You will be able to use the rifle immediately.
60 cases is more than enough to develop a load and assemble enough ammunition for a couple or three stalking outings.
So come on @kenbro I think we deserve some more detail here! What rounds/cases are we talking about? Or is it purely hypothetical?
And since you've posed the question, what's your answer?
kenbro
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Thanks for all replies.
The calibre is .221 Fireball.
Probably not uncommon until you want to buy some ammo or cases, then it seems quite rare.
I have a few hundred (Well) used cases but most are losing interest in keeping primers in place. (Can put them in without tools.)
I recently bought 20 rounds of factory ammo and it shoots quite good, (Pic of 3 shots @ 90 yards.) though it doesn't meet the small deer requirements according to factory data.
I do like to have some factory ammo on hand for any calibres I shoot.
A company offering new cases seem a pain to buy from...unless you use PP which I don't you have to phone them (Funny this bit) and IF the decide to sell to you they will then tell you how to pay. Too many hoops for me and I'd have used that days patience up before the made a decision on whether to sell to me, or not.
I've formed about 6 different calibres (All Fireballs) from Rem. 223 brass over the years so I know it's not hard to do even without specialist tools, apart from neck turner.
Tried some a couple of days ago and after wasting a few I got it right.
I tried Hornady's One Shot lube and
also Imperial Wax.... success came with Dr. Strangelove's home brewed lube, highly recommend that stuff.
So, that's two reasons I won't be buying cases.
The guy selling the 60 factory rounds has found another box so I've bought 80 rounds.
Someone suggested ammo makers might used inferior brass for their factory loads and use a better grade material to sell to reloaders, I can't see this being the case, can you?
I know some manufacturers use better brass than others but wouldn't think it worth their while having two set ups making cases.
Thanks again for replies.
Ken.
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