Thread: Aoraki Amunition Company

That is real pain with the 650( or any other progressive) swapping primers......
However i use small rifle for pistol and 223,.....

And those brass catchs are the best out i reackon. Easy on and off, and the bag holds up so doesnt slow/stop cases coming out ( ie the velcro on ones). Plus just buy a couple of extras mounts and you have a few rifles covered with one bag

Originally Posted by Simon

If this ammo hangs around (Is readily available) then even I will buy some just to get the case to reload. Will it continue to be available?
Its close cost wise for my first round reload cost where I have to purchase the case. Cost per round reloading using once fired cases is 15 - 20 cents per round cheaper so I wont be stopping reloading any time soon.
The best invention ever is one of these brass catchers if you reload.
Caldwell AR15 Brass Catcher Picatinny Rail - Magazines - Gun Parts - Reloaders Supplies Ltd

If you shoot +800 rounds a month buy a Dillon 650 with a Mr bullet feeder. I have one set up for 38 super and set up correctly, +1000 rounds per hour is easy. These are better left set up in a single calibre in my experience.
I use a couple of Dillon 550 for everything else (One set up for large rifle primers and one set up for small rifle primers. I am lazy). 500-600 .223 rounds per hour is easy on these and calibre changes are quick and easy.

I think the rumors might be a bit misconstrued. They got a lot of shit from NZ retailers for selling direct to the public. PMC was one of the few manufacturers that were interested in their business model, so I was told.

Ok can someone possibly please put their balls on the line and tell me why whether or not a 550 or a 650 Dillon is a better investment ? or do I have to create a debatable thread on various versions of Eugene Stoners
Mil spec ar15 to gain some interest?😉

Hahaha. It isnt that easy.

Ok, I am going to buy a 650 just for 223 reloading, OK?



However getting a "manual" 550 for 308 and 303 and an auto 550 for 223 for $200 more instead also makes sense for what I do. Either that or get an auto head and a manual head for a 550 which also makes sense.

See it isnt easy.

IMHO, if you are going to shoot 500+ per month of 223 then its worthwhile getting a dedicated 650, if shooting 500 a year well just buy it in bulk as ready made and sell the brass, you should get 10~15cents for it and go shoot.

Just got into pistol shooting so the main one I will be reloading for is 9 mm, possibly 38 super as keen to get a 1911 also. Can burn through 200 rds in 30 mins so reloading is a no brainer really. The other caliber I really need to reload for is a Tikka .260 I have. 260 is a great calibre but ammo is scarce and $75 a packet of 20 min.Probably getting either Dillon not a life changing decision

I load my 308w on a single stage purely for accuracy ie 1000yds target work. My 303brits are either used for 100yds or target work to 600yds. My Ar15 just for practice and probably WSRA at 100yds when I get the time. Looking at the price of this 223 ammo right now I have decided to spend my $s on getting as much as I can afford while it is available at this silly price and get a 550/650 press in the spring. NB Everyone I have read has said that the 650 isnt good to keep swapping calibers on so for your mix I would suggest you consider the 550 with a head for each caliber.

Ok, cool. Good answer! think will get the 550. Maybe load the 260 and 308 carefully on single stage too. Bought a packet of that $$ Federal target ammo a while back and after flattering seeing bullet holes punching over the top of each other the penny dropped why people turn to the reloading religion

I guess you can run the 550 like a single stage also and just manually drop a measured powder charge in for likes of 308 if you were trying to be precise rather than use a powder thrower?

Originally Posted by jackson21

I guess you can run the 550 like a single stage also and just manually drop a measured powder charge in for likes of 308 if you were trying to be precise rather than use a powder thrower?

I do this for my rifle reloading too, anything other than volume 223 loading that is

Originally Posted by jackson21

I guess you can run the 550 like a single stage also and just manually drop a measured powder charge in for likes of 308 if you were trying to be precise rather than use a powder thrower?

yeah When started to reload I got the Lee autoloader (big mistake) with the idea Id charge singly for 308w but autoload for the 303brit when doing 100yds bulk ammo as it would be quicker. When the Lee worked it was great, just it didnt work well for long.

The Dillon comes as a basic loader,

Gunsmithing &Reloading Tools - Dillon BL550 Basic Loader, Presses

or an auto loader,

Gunsmithing &Reloading Tools - Dillon RL550B Loader, Presses

Its probably cheaper to get the Auto headed B and then get another block with the manual powder loader (funnel) something you need to work out.

Yes you can use the 550 as a single stage press.
When I load 2506 (Used for target shooting) I size, Prime and powder the rounds then remove them from the next station.
Then I check each powder weight and correct if needed then return to station 3 and seat the bullet.

I only do this for my long range target rounds and in this case using the magnum powder bar, the powder drops can vary a little more then what I like due to the size of the charges being dropped and the powder (Ball / Stick).
Every other round (38 super, 223, 300 blackout, 243, 308) I don't bother doing this as the powder charges are normally within +- 0.1 grains or less.

Agreed. Do it properly, use SP or HP for accuracy (I use Sierra HP for competition and rabbits).

Reloading wise, Lee single stage for 223 and 303, Dillon Square Deal for 9mm pistol, can churn out a ton very quickly. Downside to the Square Deal is that it's for pistols only. Plus side for me is the Square Deal is exactly what I want out of a reloader

I heard another rumor; that Aoraki Ammunition were looking at getting ammo from Eastern Europe, e.g. very cheap 1200 round cases of milsurp 7.62x39, as well as a wider variety of rifle ammo from sources other than the Koreans. As someone who works in a sporting goods store I don't think this stuff is a bad thing, in fact I've been telling customers about it, at least people will (hopefully) still buy SP and HP ammo off us for their hunting needs. While most shotgun ammo for fowling can be gotten cheaper at Farmlands/CRT/whatever, retail shops still have the monopoly centrefire hunting ammo, right? Hell, at these prices for the Aoraki stuff I might have to get me one of them newfangled gas-guns! =)

Originally Posted by tommygun

retail shops still have the monopoly centrefire hunting ammo, right?

Not for long

Milsurp 7.62x39 would make me very happy-I'm almost out of norinco