The part about bringing 500 rounds for a range trip and seeing diminishing returns is so true. I used to think blowing through 500 rounds free shooting was beneficial, when in reality I didn’t really improve doing that. It felt like I just wasted half a case.
Listen I'm 59 I have shot everything as an army veteran and retired sheriff, no need to practice anymore. Just buy 1 box everytime your at the store it adds up quickly, I need no range ammo at all! I'm an expert. It's like riding a bicycle.
use a .22lr conversion unit in your 223 AR and a 22lr understudy for your pocket 9mm. Use .177 lead pellet guns for precision practice and airsoft for fast draw, snapshooting, rapidfire. inside 75 m with the AR. set up to cast lead 9mm bullets (160 gr lrn .38 bullets, sized to ..356" in diameter. 6 cavity Lee molds, from Midway USA. Lee single station press and hand sizer luber kit. 500 finished bullets per hour. Lee 1000 progressive Reloading press, 500 rounds loaded per hour. Saves you about 13c each, but you have to calculate your time and also time of retrieving fired brass casings. $40 an hour, for casting bullets., $60 per hour for the reloading. If you can' clear that much working overtime, than casting bullets is not for you.