Wow, I'm a newbie at reloading, I've only been at it for a little over 30 years!

I reload to shoot. I'm not much of an experimenter so I find a load that meets my needs and stick with it. The only commercial ammo I buy is for self defense. I load all of my hunting and target shooting rounds and several of my guns have never seen a round of "store bought" ammo.

I also like not being dependent on the supply chain. I maintain a good stock of powder and primers so I can shoot instead of wishing during panic buying times. With a few hundred pounds of lead stockpiled, I'm not likely to run out of bullets.

I have only been reloading about 10 years. I enjoy the process. It helps me relax and focus on other things (on one thing). I load for 380, 9mm, 40S&W, 45 ACP, 38spl, 357 mag, 44spl, 44 mag, 45 colt, M1 Carbine, 5.56 and 308win. It has been a learning experience, The trimming of rifle brass and rimming the primer pockets is just a important as the right powder and the right bullet. I shoot to reload. The last 4-5 years has been interesting finding primers and powders; I have found new to me powders; and I have gotten to visit a lot of gun stores in different states in my quest for powders. I live in a sort of remote area and don't have a local gun store so I travel.

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Carpriver.

Now a days, when you think about heading out to the pasture
and passing on all your reloading stuff to the family..........

98% of the youngsters only shoot ....
the bull on their hand sets.

They don't have time to look down a pistol or rifle.....
that takes too much time from important things.

Makes one wonder if the rifle range and a hunting license will be
a thing of the past, the way things are going.

I think they have an "APP" for that. No need to do it for real.

You might be right about it becoming a "thing of the past," but I sure hope not.

My kids love to shoot. Hopefully they pass that on to their kids. They will certainly inherit a few excellent guns (and reloading equipment) from me to use.

Mike

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NRA Certified Pistol Inst.

I am working on collecting a lot of nice guns for my son to have and pass on to my grand kids. I am well ahead of my quota for the Gun of the Month club. Seams like I buy one and then see another one I know won't be there next month.

Growing up in NW Iowa all we had to do was walk outside of town to shoot. We hunted before school during duck and goose season and after school during the whole hunting season. My friend and I kept our guns in the shop instructors office so they didn't get left out in the car. he was our last period class so we just grabbed our guns when the bell rang and headed out hunting. I made gun stocks in his class and had the rifle there in the shop with me. Different days different kids. Don

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USN Retired/VN VET
M&P X5

Since my kids are lazy Mama's boys I training my grandkids to load. Once day it will pay off.

You didn't happen to mention if you use a single stage press or a progressive press like a Dillon 550B. I started out using a RCBS single stage press back in the early 80s, still have it by the way. It wore me out if I wanted to get a bunch of ammo made for a match or just practice. I use it from time to time on rifle ammo runs for my .30/06 where I don't need as much ammo as say, my pistols.
I've had my latest Dillon 550B for about 5 yrs now. I can turn out 150-200 rounds in about hour or less. I know, I'm slow, I take my time and watch what I'm doing. I can understand you're getting tired, but I try to think about the ammo I'm stockpiling and how whenever I want to get some practice and skill development done, I'm ready to hit the range.
Maybe try to do reloading on a Sat. morning after a long work week. I am usually pretty tired during the week myself since I work a day and night job, hope this may help in some way.
Remember, the ammo you load today, may be the ammo that stops a bad guy, drops a trophy animal or hits a bullseye tomorrow.

I actually enjoy reloading. The ability to create ammo specifically for a given firearm that yields the best accuracy. Working up loads for a new caliber is interesting, researching the best bullet for a particular purpose, and tailoring the load to wring the best accuracy from your gun. Even cranking out practice ammo by the hundreds is no problem. Even before I retired I enjoyed it. Have you ever purchased a new gun in a different caliber because you didn't load that caliber? Just going down to my loading room and cranking out a few boxes of trap loads is a nice break in the course of a day. While cost savings is a factor, creating the best ammo is primary.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Nope. I find it therapeutic.

You know...I've been loading for a long time. A very long time. Main type in the beginning was shotshell and I had a few rifles. If not for the significant savings I really wouldn't load. Reloading to me is mind numbing...and my mind is already numb enough. Factory ammo these days is about as high quality as factory ammo can get. Are our reloads better?? in some cases yes. My 223 loaded on a Super 1050 may be better. My handgun practice ammo is good. Better than factory?? Cheaper for certain...but I haven't bought factory for that purpose in so long I can't make an honest comparison. Bet there are lots of others that can't either. Rifle ammo is more accurate. Back in the 60's....significantly so. These days not anywhere near as much. The factories have gotten better. I found a Hornady Superformance load that shoots under a half inch out of my Kimber...not a 22-250 or other varmint caliber. It is a Classic Select in 30-06. On a good calm day...a little over an inch at 300 yds. And using the same components....I can just about duplicate them. I think what I am trying to say is that if it weren't for the large cost savings and some personal satisfaction equaling or bettering SOME factory offerings...most of us would buy our ammo...especially with the time constraints we put on ourselves these days

Keep the stuff. Layoff re-loading for a while. You will be disappointed if you give it up.

Been loading for about 30 years. While I have had some slow periods, I always enjoyed loading. No end in sight....

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The American dream is alive