This is a question I have on hunting with reloads

[Nemo288]

Some of that shot costs a bit more than 20 dollars a pound!! 20 dollars a pound!!?? And people actually buy that stuff?? . Even loading an ounce of shot per shell it will cost more than a dollar and a quarter per shell. Just for the shot. Wow..and I though premium bullets like Accubonds were expensive!

Loaded tungsten rounds aren't any cheaper.
Kent Tungsten Waterfowl 12ga 2-3/4 1-3/8oz bx/10-Ballistic Products
$4.10 per shell plus shipping!
Much cheaper to "shoot a duck at the store" as my wife tells me to do upon occasion.

I have played with Swift A-Frames as a reliable jacketed bullet for high speed applications, but at a dollar a bullet that didn't last long.
Woodleigh makes a 280 grain Weldcore bullet for the 444 but I have not really looked at it hard because I know the price is going to be prohibitive.
Cast bullets do the job anyway so why mess around?

 

[Skeet 028]

Luckily I can buy waterfowl ammo cheaper than those prices. A lot cheaper. But I have plenty right now anyway. As a follow up on all that. When I was using pyrodex and got into pellet loads holy cow..it turned up real expensive to shoot muzzleloaders especially with some of the sabot bullets. some of 'em got up to 2 dollars each just for the bullet plus 2(or 3) pellets it ended up over 4 dollars a shot. Holy cow. Went to a Savage smokeless powder muzzy. I use 25 cent bullets(or cast) with 40 gr of powder and a 12 cent sabot for a 50 cent or less shot. I have never missed a shot at a deer and have never had to shoot one twice. All this stuff these days has gotten ridiculously priced. One of the best and cheapest game bullets of all time is the Remington PSP Core Lokt..the first bonded bullet. With a little bit of common sense a lot of the bullets of old were and are all that is needed even today. Personally 400 yds is a very long shot for me on any big game animal. And I am certain the average shot on game animals is under 200 yds. Do we really NEED all this very expensive high end types of ammunition and bullets? Not saying they aren't good..just asking if we NEED 'em for all our hunting. After all, most of the most accurate bullets for long range shooting are really not good game bullets

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I have never in my life hunted with factory ammo. Many of my guns have fired handloads exclusively, and many of them have never fired anything but home-cast bullets. To me, that is all part of the enjoyment I get from shooting.

Roger this.

 

[Drm50]

All reloads in rifles & handguns, except for a short stint with a
new 742 Rem back in late 60s. Rifle was such a piece of junk
it wasn't worth loading for. My old man was a trap shooter, he
had me loading 12g trap loads before I was big enough to mow
grass. That turned me against loading for shotgun. The only ones
I have loaded were specialty shells, in small quantities. I have his
loading outfit for shotgun.

 

[df06]

I shoot 100% reloads in my hunting rifles, and handguns. That includes varmints, predators and big game of all kinds.
In shotguns, its 100% also except for the occasional non toxic factory load for waterfowl.
In my view there is no down side to shooting reloads for hunting. They can be customized to maximize effectiveness.

 

[Leonard]

Everything with hand loads including dangerous game I trust my hand loaded ammo over any factory loading, and I can tailor the accuracy to the firearm.

 

[Jboutfishn]

The only ammunition I purchase is for my carry gun and 3 1/2" 12 gauge waterfowl loads.

 

[susieqz]

if you guys trust your home made ammo for hunting more than store bot, why do i keep hearing that SD ammo must be factory?

 

[Nemo288]

if you guys trust your home made ammo for hunting more than store bot, why do i keep hearing that SD ammo must be factory?

Fear of loony lying liberal licentious lawyers.
The theory is that an overzealous prosecutor could blame you for killing someone with overly deadly ammo .. or some such twaddle.
There doesn't seem to be much evidence that this has been succesful but it has been tried a few times (if you will pardon the puns).
There is coverage of this issue in the carry forum, Massad Ayoob being one of the presiding experts.
Our fairly new carry and self defense laws make absolutely no mention of the ammo used so I would have to think
that would be a non-starter at least in this state as it stands.
The situations where lethal force is justified are spelled out pretty deliberately and thoroughly and everyone is expected
to know them in order to pass the exam and get the license.
Our "castle doctrine" that came in about the same time is (slightly) more lenient when it come to defending one's self on your own property.
You had still better be damn sure you know what you are doing if you draw in anger.

This topic is better covered and has been almost to death (again with the puns) in the carry forum.
Head on over there.
Here's a typical thread:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/concealed-carry-self-defense/211059-factory-vs-reloads.html

 

[Skeet 028]

Well my carry ammo IS bought'n ammo. And to be honest If I am carrying an auto(most of the time) I run the ammo through the gun manually. Revolvers?? If'n it fits it is ready. I do carry reloaded ammo up in bear country in my old 57...250 gr WFNGC bullets loaded to a bit over 1050 FPS. And I really don't shoot many of them either. As far as rifle ammo I have used both factory and handloaded ammo when hunting BG. I have a factory duplication load in my 06. The load duplicates the Hornady Superformance 165 gr STS load. Powder primer bullet and case. A friend who is numb from the neck up can shoot it well..under a half inch..I am able to keep it around 3/4-7/8 inch...about as good as I can do with a hunting caliber. The most accurate 30-06 I have ever had, It is a kinda pretty Kimber Classic Select. Pretty even when you mss..but I haven't done that with it yet! Consider I loaded a whole box of those bullets...100 rounds...have 75 rounds left. How many do we shoot at eating critters??

 

[Mad_Charlie]

You mean you can buy ammo already assembled??? What will they think of next.

Seriously, I never shoot factory ammo except for rimfire, and I cast all of my pistol, revolver and big bore rifle (.45-70) bullets.

I do have some j-word bullets for my 7.62 and 5.56 rifles.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

The majority of my big game hunting over the past 40-plus years has been done with 3 rifles. Two of those rifles were purchased new-in-the-box, and neither of those has ever been fired with factory ammunition.

I have also hunted with other rifles manufactured from the 1870's through the 1940's. Those were probably used with factory ammunition, but not since I have owned them.

About the only factory ammunition I have any need for are the .22 rimfire and carry ammo for my handguns.

 

[montana500]

I don't care. What ever shoots.

 

[BigBill]

100% reloads for my 1972 mossberg 30-06 shoots nickle sized groups to this day. Very inaccurate with factory ammo.

My 338wm will put two rounds through the same hole at 100yds using Winchester super X 225gr ammo why reload?

I use what ever is the most accurate in each gun. Some guns are accurate with factory ammo while some are more accurate with reloads. I believe in one bullet, one shot, one kill. I been looking for a 18pt buck. No chance in error, it's a once in a lifetime shot.

 

[Skeet 028]

The reason I asked this(well...one reason anyway)is I sell some reloading supplies..ie..powder primes and some ammo. I of course sell some hunting ammo and sell more big game ammo than varmint stuff...and few comparatively of large rifle primers than small rifle and both pistol primers Thinking about it...if a person buys a thousand large rifle primers, by the time they are used up a third of the bore life has been used approximately. My self defense ammo is commercially made just for safety's sake. In fact I bought 2 handguns the other day...One was a like new in the box Star 380...a neat little baby 1911 clone and a S&W 637 also like new in the box. The seller had some 38 Hornady Critical Defense ammo for the 38 and I got a couple boxes of the 38s in the deal. He also had 2 boxes of some PMC ElDorado SD ammo for the 380. I had to buy a couple of them cause the price on the Star was so low but I got them for 10 bucks a box. The Star was 150 bucks and momma(the mean one) glommed right on to it. I actually bought the 637 for her and the Star to sell...But no..she liked the Star. We're gonna try the Star out today to see how reliable it is. I am certain the S&W is gonna shoot well. I paid 400 for it with the 2 boxes of CD ammo. The only problem with the Smith is it has a lock. But it is like new and the price was right. I bought another S&W for a friend from the same estate. It was an as new Model 13...only the 2nd I have ever seen that I remember. He wanted as he said... a nice light 38 for his wife.

 

[mikld]

I shoot 99% handloads for everything (SD included). The only recommendation I've heard of for using factory ammo is for dangerous game on safari. Some guides will only allow factory ammo...

 

[Skeet 028]

Surprisingly... for backup grizz loads I carry my 57 with handloads..250 gr wide flat nose gascheck bullets at about 1050 out of my 4 inch gun

 

[rays44]

We were handgun hunters and when I used to hunt, my dad and I reloaded everything. Some needed to be loaded (the JDJ calibers and a .50 Special from Hamilton Bowen). Everything else from .454 on down we loaded by choice. Today, except for the 9mm, I still reload everything.

 

[LAWMAN662]

hunting with handloads

Other than shotgun & .22 rimfire, I've hunted 100% with my handloads since 1968. Therefore, all my big game & varmints have been taken with them

 

[7P's]

Only factory ammunition purchased for taking game is the 22rf - everything else is reloaded ammunition made by me on a progressive press. Shotgun is reloaded by a grandson.