I have been reloading for 49 years now. I have trouble remembering the last time I purchased factory-made ammo. Modern, vintage, antique, handgun, rifle, I cater to them all.

Every time I add a new caliber the first thing I do is order a set of dies and a bullet mold.

In the handgun calibers I regularly use I have thousands of cases, usually at one stage or another in the reloading process (cleaning, decapping, resizing, case mouth expansion, priming) and I usually have enough ready to dump powder and seat bullets to replenish my ammo locker.

Economy? As others have pointed out, we tend to shoot much more when we become reloaders, so that point must be conceded. I will argue in favor of economy, especially with home-made cast bullets, because I shoot most common handgun calibers for little more than .22 LR rimfire ammo costs. I currently average about 6 cents per round for powder and primers, re-using cases as long as they continue to perform and casting my own bullets with salvaged lead.

There is also a very strong argument to be made in becoming, and remaining, independent of the vagaries of ammo supplies and periodic shortages (over which none of us has any control). The past few years have given us several chances to see what can happen in the marketplace for those who are not prepared to take care of their own needs.