What are the most frequently reloaded cartridges these days?

[tndrfttom]

Every year or so I used to see a list of the "most often reloaded cartridges" published by a reloading die manufacturer (like RCBS). Has anyone seen a list like this lately? I'm not finding anything recent by googling. Just curious to see what's rising on the list and what's sliding down.

 

[pasound]

If you are polling us:
.38 spl HBWC and DEWC targets, pinkers, and .38 spl standard and +p SD
.357 Mag, revolver JHP and lead SWCHP, and Ruger rifle and SA loads only
.44 spl, 250 gr SWC, close to factory loads, and Skeeter loads

 

[Racer X]

Likely 9mm and .223/5.56

 

[dante231]

I'll play:

45 ACP
9mm
38
.357

223/556
308/762
762x39 maybe

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Golphin]

For me it is whatever I own and run short of. Lately 9mm. 38 special. No rifle recently as I have ammo and have not been shooting any of it in a while.

 

[eb07]

357, 44 special, 45ACP, 38 special.

 

[scooter123]

I shoot Skeet and if you want a shell that is both easy on the shoulder and forces you to refine your precision it's the 410. It's also the least expensive shotshell to reload, so it's a winner all the way. As a result for me the 410 is my most loaded shotshell with 28 gauge coming in second.

For Handgun use it used to be the 45 ACP. Unfortunately Arthritis has reared it's ugly head and the 45 has become rather painful to shoot. As a result my current favorite is the 9mm with 38 special coming in second.

 

[AJ]

Rifle and Pistol or just one or the other?

My guesses are:
Handgun
.38 Special
9 MM
.45 ACP

Rifle
.223/5.56
.308/7.62X51
7.62X39

 

[rockquarry]

I haven't seen one of the annual RCBS lists in a while, but changes in the list used to be just short of constant and they were gradual. Bet it's not like that now.

 

[Arub01]

.357mag, .44mag, .45Colt, .45acp.

 

[tndrfttom]

Found on another forum -
This is what I'm looking for but its from 2009: (The number after the cartridge name was were it ranked in 2005).

#1 .223 Remington 3
#2 .45 ACP 7
#3 9mm Luger 17
#4 .40 S&W 21
#5 .308 Winchester 4
#6 .30-06 2
#7 .357 Magnum/.38 Special (roll crimp) 12
#8 .243 Winchester 5
#9 .270 Winchester 8
#10 .22-250 Remington 6
#11 .44 Magnum/.44 Special 10
#12 .300 Winchester Magnum 9
#13 7mm Remington Magnum 13
#14 .45 Colt 14
#15 .223 Remington (Small Base)
#16 .30-30 Winchester 20
#17 .204 Ruger 1
#18 .25-06 Remington 16
#19 .380 Auto
#20 7mm-08 Remington 22
#21 .45-70 15
#22 .300 Winchester Short Magnum 11
#23 .270 Winchester Short Magnum 19
#24 .357 Magnum/.38 Special (taper crimp)
#25 .300 Remington Ultra Magnum 23

I'd like to find a more recent list.

 

[Green Frog]

Lately i've been loading 9mm and 32s of various lengths in the handgun realm, and for long guns, I have been shooting up reloads of an obscure wildcat I use for schuetzen.

Lately however, I've been casting bullets and loading BP rounds for the N-SSA Fall Skirmish. No primers just percussion caps! ;0

Froggie

 

[Nevada Ed]

I shoot Skeet and if you want a shell that is both easy on the shoulder and forces you to refine your precision it's the 410. It's also the least expensive shotshell to reload, so it's a winner all the way. As a result for me the 410 is my most loaded shotshell with 28 gauge coming in second.

For Handgun use it used to be the 45 ACP. Unfortunately Arthritis has reared it's ugly head and the 45 has become rather painful to shoot. As a result my current favorite is the 9mm with 38 special coming in second.

Two all time great target shells if you have the makings...............
.410 & 28 Ga. are premium cases, price wise and they are also
two of the great skeet and light upland game shotguns of all time.

A O/U .410 & 28 Ga. test on the trap and skeet fields, should be on everyone's bucket list, just to feel and see what happens.

I'm not real rich, so my .410 is a Winchester pump.

 

[LostintheOzone]

According to what I used to find in the brass bucket at the range.

9x19, .223/5.56, steel case 7.62x39, 45 ACP, .357 in that order.

Never saw any 44 special. Must be a thing with cowboy action shooters.

 

[gmiller0737]

Likely 9mm and .223/5.56

I agree Judging by the spent brass on the ground @ a National Forest Range .223/5.56 & 9x19 are far & away the most Common then .308/7.62x51 & 7.62x39

 

[Buford57]

In line with the original post, the die manufacturers list is based on sales of new dies. In the past five years I have purchased dies in .32 S&W Long, .38 Super, .40 S&W and 7.65 Argentine Mauser. All were used, so I had no impact on the list. I have yet to wear out a set of dies, some of which I've been using for 50 years. So my impact on sales of .44 Spl/Mag, .38/357, 9mm, .45 Colt (&ACP), .30-30 occurred during the Reagan administration.

The lists show what cartridges are becoming (or have remained) popular since the last list. Wanna bet the .40 and the .270 WSM aren't anywhere on the next list?

 

[Benchrest1]

I mostly load 38 and 44 spec. for shooting steel.

 

[Cdog]

For me,

Handgun: .45 ACP & .38 Special

Rifle: .308 Win .223


As for new dies sold, my best guess would be 6.5 Needmoor, 350 Legend and 9X19.

 

[petepeterson]

I agree Judging by the spent brass on the ground @ a National Forest Range .223/5.56 & 9x19 are far & away the most Common then .308/7.62x51 & 7.62x39

That doesn't equate to the "most reloaded", though, just the "most fired."
It's unlikely you'll see a ton of .38 or .357 brass on the ground.

 

[Godly70]

38, .357, 9mm

 

[max503]

Likely 9mm and .223/5.56

What a difference a year makes. Before the pandemic hardly anyone loaded 9mm. I did because of all the free brass.

 

[AlHunt]

What a difference a year makes. Before the pandemic hardly anyone loaded 9mm. I did because of all the free brass.

I never stopped reloading 9mm, even when it was dirt cheap. I prefer to make my own ammo anyway and with my cast bullets it was cheaper than dirt cheap. Even buying primers today, it's about 14 bucks a hundred for 9mm, 38, 45acp, etc.

 

[Green Frog]

That doesn't equate to the "most reloaded", though, just the "most fired."
It's unlikely you'll see a ton of .38 or .357 brass on the ground.

My sentiments exactly... a "ground survey" of discarded brass is an indicator of what calibers are being shot and not retrieved the most, not of the calibers being reloaded. If anything there is a negative correlation here.

Froggie

 

[AJ]

My sentiments exactly... a "ground survey" of discarded brass is an indicator of what calibers are being shot and not retrieved the most, not of the calibers being reloaded. If anything there is a negative correlation here.

Froggie

Probably 90% or better of the shooters at our county run range do not reload. They usually have two to three 55 gallon drums of brass to be sold to the scrappers sitting around.

 

[mtgianni]

I remember reading that the list was made from which new dies were the most sold.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Small arms ammo of late is mostly............ 38/357 & 9mm.
90% of my ammo is for target work.

Rifle ammo loaded the most is my ........... 22-250 & 30-06,
both rifles have four (4) different weight & speeds for my use & yardage.

 

[SupportTheSecond]

I did see in an article of The American Rifleman that RCBS is considering completely dropping their shotgun re-loaders. It seems that and the decline of the Cowboy calibers was high on their list.

 

[Old&Retired]

9x19
.45 ACP
.45 Colt
.223/5.56

 

[rockquarry]

I remember reading that the list was made from which new dies were the most sold.

That's the way the RCBS list has always been compiled. It's hard to imagine a better way of finding out what's popular with handloaders. I doubt anyone knows or could accurately guess what the ratio of handloaders to non-handloaders is.

 

[CH4]

Based on what has been absent from shelves the longest and most difficult to find in my area, I'd guess:

.38 spl
.357
.380
9mm
.223/5.56
.44 spl
.44 mag\.45 Colt
.45 acp
10mm
.40 S&W
.300 AAC