What caliber do you use that you've never bought commercially?

[SLT223]

It just occurred to me, in the midst of my social distancing / Ground Hog's Day boredom, that I have never shot factory 45 Colt ammunition. I've shot thousands of rounds of it, and each one came off my 650. I thought that was kinda cool. Is there a caliber(s) you use that you've never supplied with commercially loaded ammo?

 

[Casper223]

.270 WSM & 7 mm WSM both are calibers I've never purchased store ammo for, both I've reloaded for since conception plus a couple 12 gauge shotguns. Ammo for the WSM's is ridiculous in the store, however I don't find issue with picking up any stray brass I find at the range to fit either of them.


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[Ivan the Butcher]

I have never purchased any 45-70, but have shot somewhere 2000 rounds! and 338 Lapua Mag, I bought 200 brass and loaded it several times over.

Ivan

 

[ggibson511960]

.38 Special

The most common and caliber I own. I think I have a few odd boxes acquired in trades, but have never fired them. Maybe it's just me and my favorite ammunition/gun stores, but I just don't see .38 Special target ammo, at least what I want, 148 gr HBWC popgun loads. I've shot zillions of reloads and never went looking for the unicorn factory target loads. I hear they exist.

 

[rkittine]

6PPC, 7mm Nambu, 8mm Nambu, .45 Super, 6x47 Lapua, 30BR, 44 AND 357 Auto Mag

Bob

 

[colt_saa]

There are lots of them.

Most are cartridges that are not in the mainstream

Going back to metallic silhouette days, my 30-40 Krag T/C Contender has never had a round of factory ammunition put into it

My 300 Weatherby Magnum is about 40 years old and has never seen a round of factory ammunition

My 357 B&D T/C and 357 B&D Model 27 have never seen factory ammunition

My Springfield Long Slide in 45 SUPER has never seen a round of factory ammunition

My 610 revolvers have never seen a round of factory 10MM Auto or 10MM Magnum ammunition

My 357/45 Grizzly Win Mag pistols have never seen a round of factory ammunition

There are several other cartridges that I load for even though I have some factory ammunition on hand, certain examples of those firearms have only seen my hand loads. While others in the same chambering have seen factory ammunition

 

[Sevens]

Ammo that I have loaded and enjoyed but never bought any commercial or factory ammo include:

.32 ACP
.327 Federal Magnum
.38 Super
.357-44 Bain & Davis
.357 Max
.40 S&W
.41 Magnum
.45 Colt
.460 Rowland
.460 S&W Magnum
.500 S&W Magnum

Most avid handloaders would rather load their own than use factory ammo and the longer you've been an avid handloader, the farther that scale tips.

I was 15 the very first time I dropped a hammer on a live round, fairly late compared to many. I was 16 when I discharged my first reloads (20ga) and 17 for my first metallic handloads (.38 Special) so my own lifetime ratio of handloads versus factory is absurdly high. If I take rimfire out of the discussion, 95/5 would be a low estimate.

 

[DWalt]

I can't remember everything, but for sure .400 Cor-Bon, .45 Colt, .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .30 Remington, and .303 Savage

 

[Dieseltech56]

I usually buy a box of self defense ammo for most pistol calibers I own. Also if I buy a gun in a new caliber then I'll get a box of ammo to try it out. Usually but not always.

Some calibers I have never purchased ammo for;
.223 - Only own serveral contender barrels
22-250 - A fast twist savage bolt action, needs 75-80gr bullets
30-06 - Another savage bolt I traded my brother for
45 colt and 454 casull - Not interested in any factory ammo in either caliber. Have Rossi 92s and a 454 ruger SBH.
500 Magnum - Not interested in factory ammo prices
357 Max, 375 Super mag and 445 Super mag - Have revolvers and contender barrels in these calibers. No factory ammo available.
44 special - I have one newer flat top blackhawk

 

[Buford57]

No longer shoot it but I never bought a single round of factory 7 TCU. Mainly because it didn't exist. Also shot a lot of 35 Whelen before it was factory loaded and .280 Remington before I stumbled on factory ammo on sale for the price of brass.

I did buy one box of .45 Colt. It's around here somewhere.

 

[george_lehr]

I never bought commercial .41 Special ammo. I believe that it still does not exist in the SAAMI specifications, but I load cases that Starline made a few years ago with the 41 SPL head stamp.

George

 

[Liftrat]

Like Dieseltech56, I usually buy a box or two of factory to test a new gun, and for carry. Probably the only caliber I have that I've never bought ammo for is a 357 Herrert. Do wildcats count?

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I have been rolling my own for 48 years and counting.

.218 Bee, .25-20, .32-20, .44-40, .38-40, .45-70, .45-90, .45 Sharps Express, and a few others come to mind when I think of my own personal little ammunition production facility.

Of my own creation, an ultra-lightweight bolt action rifle based on the Interarms Mini-MkX action, .223 case necked up to 6mm. I called it the 6X45mm and others have followed along some 25 years later. Another lightweight hunter was the .308 Winchester necked up to .338 which I called the 8.5X51mm (20-odd years ago), but Federal later marketed as the .338 American. Many thanks to RCBS for producing good dies for my little experiments!

I still enjoy a fun little project, usually involving a nice piece of blued steel with a good walnut stock attached.

Edit: Since my earlier reply I have remembered a few more that I never bought factory ammo for. .270 Winchester, .25-06, .257 Roberts, .250 Savage, .300 Savage, .33 Winchester, .30-40 Krag, .243 Winchester. Made them all, either from components or by resizing other cases to work. Lots of fun over the years!

 

[hammer 1]

All of them except 22lr, and 22 mag. 22hornet, 222 rem, 22-250,243, 6mm rem, 2506, 6.5x55, 6.5x57, 7x57,280 Ackley, 275 &h mag7mm rem mag,7mm weatherby mag, 7-30 waters, 3030, 3040, 308, 3006, 300 win mag, 303 british 8x57,8mm rem mag, 340 weatherby mag,358 Norma mag, 375 h&h mag, 338 Lapa, 404 jeffery, 416 rigby, 505 Gibbs. 38 spec, 357, 9mm, 5 auto, 41 mag, and 45 colt. There were a couple I forgot, 45-60, and 450-400. Shotgun shells, I buy, steel shot by the case, and rst, shells for a couple old doubles

 

[Porkie]

I have a manufacturing plant for 12 gauge in my basement. I only buy factory #00, 9 ball.

Regards, Porkie

 

[Collo Rosso]

44 mag and special for sure. Still buy factory SD rounds now and then. I own more than a few handguns that have never seen factory ammo, even 9mm.
I just ordered a S.A. RO in 10mm, new caliber for me. Ordered everything to load, but with shipping times being what they are now, I might buy a few boxes of ammo just so I can shoot the thing... and save the brass.

 

[David.Hylton]

.41 magnum - I guess I could have bought some when I bought the pistol in 1984. But no factory loads since '85 or so.

 

[SteveA]

.475 Linebaugh and .480 Ruger. Have three of them and none of them have ever even seen a factory round

 

[dwh]

I exclusively roll my own for the following.
22 hornet
22-250
30/06
30/40 krag
32 s&w long
32 h&r mag
32/20
32 special
35 whelen
35 rem
38/40
44 special
44 mag
45 colt
45/70
Reloading keeps old dogs hunting.

 

[DR505]

I haven't bought ammo in about 20 years, except for .22 LR ammo. One I am required to load for is .350 Remington magnum...not made anymore.