Reloaders: how many are there?

[Classic29]

I'll find a Dillon on the used market from all those people that 'planned' to reload, but didn't.

Someday......but for now my progressive is an old RCBS Piggyback 2 that I purchased when Gander Mt. was a mail order shop. It's a finicky little *** but I've loaded thousands of pistol and revolver rounds on it. It's paid for itself many times over. Especially during these ammo 'droughts'.

Oh and a few rifle rounds-223, 30 Carbine and 7.62x39.

 

[pasound]

I reload 38, 357, 44spl, can load 44mag but don't want to, about to start loading 45ACP and 223. Years ago, loaded all but 223, but did load 308. Getting back into the fun of it.

 

[Mistered]

43 + years !

Never stopped, never gave up and still enjoy it!

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Started in 1972.If I need ammo I make it.

 

[moosedog]

Started reloading in 1973 when I bought an RCBS Rock Crusher and this is what I still use. I'm old school.

 

[342ti]

Of all the guys I know that own guns, only a handful reload. Even with current/past ammo shortages, they have no intention of reloading. I'm confused as hell at this logic!

 

[Pierrejr]

Started in 1979 reload every thing I shoot. Except 22 long rifle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[white cloud]

I am 67 and have reloaded since my middle 20s so 40 some years. I enjoy casting and reloading almost as much as hunting and shooting. I also take pride when I shoot a nice group or a deer with ammo I made myself.

 

[Engineer1911]

I bought an RCBS RockChucker, Lyman 450 Bullet sizer, Lee 2 cavity 160 grain bullet mold and accessories. I was all set to reload 30-06 in 1974 after I got out of the air force. Getting started cost about $250.

According to https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/ , that is $1,307 today.

The upgrades over the years include 30+ die sets, bullet molds, Lee press, Dillon 450, and Dillon 550 presses. Because of reloading I've always had ammo to shoot, once I was out of pistol primers (2 months), and once I ran out of castable lead (3 weeks).

Competitive shooters usually reload whatever their sport is except for shotgunners. Doctors and lawyers make too much money per hour to waste time reloading. At the present time, I picked up a serious surplus of handgun brass at the ranges where I shoot, but ignore the rifle brass.

 

[sparkyvega]

Looks to me from reading on the forums that there's been an uptick in new reloaders as of late. Adds complexity to trying to factor that in to a % of reloaders statistic.

 

[gwpercle]

Hi. I'm one of them. Hope that helped

I'm number two ...sound off !
Gary

 

[1775usmarine]

I would assume the number of people who do casting is 15 to 25% the total number of reloaders?

 

[fredj338]

I would assume the number of people who do casting is 15 to 25% the total number of reloaders?

I bet less than that, maybe 10%. Unless you have cheap or free alloy, makes little sense to put the time in. I know a dozens of guys that reload. I know less than a small handful that cast.

 

[gwpercle]

In all my 50 years of reloading, casting and shooting , I can think of 8 other fellows who reloaded ... in 50 years ...that's not a lot
I've offered to teach casting and reloading to every shooter , friend or relative I have ... not one person has ever taken me up on my offer .

When I asked my son if he would like to learn how to reload for his new 9mm Beretta his reply ... " Why would I want to do that ."

Thank goodness for the internet and gun sites or I wouldn't have anyone to talk reloading with .
I honestly have no idea how many actually reload .
Gary

 

[rockquarry]

I would assume the number of people who do casting is 15 to 25% the total number of reloaders?

I'll bet it's fewer than that. I run across handloaders frequently at a private gun club, gun shows, etc. Seems very, very few actually cast bullets, even if a lot of folks buy them from commercial sources.

 

[MyDads38]

I taught myself to reload in 1980, Only instructions I had came with the Lee loader kit. In 40 years, I can count on one hand how many reloaders I've met. One of them I taught/mentored to reload. He now reloads handgun and rifle ammo. Sadly, I can only remember one person who also casts bullets. I haven't cast for several years, but do have a new melter and several new molds. Maybe one day I'll put them to use.

 

[mtgianni]

If the 5 million number is accurate, and I think it is low, then bullet casters must be 50,000 or 1/100th of the total. I would believe 12 million and 120,000 as I believe the ratio of casters to reloaders is 1 in 100. Reloaders would include the preppers with a Lee whack a load set up and many more shotgunners than riflemen.

 

[4barrel]

That is headed to how many casters drink beer and watch TV at the same. Casting can be fun.

 

[reddog81]

No way 5 to 10 million people reload... 10 million reloaders would be over be over 3% of the population. That would mean 3 out of every 100 men, women and children reload. No way! If you assume few woman or children reload, that mean close to 10% of men reload. Not even close to 10% of men are regular shooters.

I'd be surprised if 3% of the population visits a shooting range or goes shooting more than once a year. Most gun owners don't even go shooting more than once a year.

I have no idea how many active reloaders are out there but I'd be surprised if it was over one million. Maybe one to two million if you include people who own a press but never use it.

 

[df06]

No idea on total reloaders. Most of the guys I hang with do, at least 50%, but that's not a good sample of the USA.