Who needs factory ammo?

[jfp357]

Reloading ammo......tying flies........building your own fly rod....it is fun. Saving cash is just an added benefit. AND you can make the ammo as pretty as you want!

 

[blujax01]

Reloading ammo......tying flies........building your own fly rod....it is fun. Saving cash is just an added benefit. AND you can make the ammo as pretty as you want!

While I agree, to some it's worth it to pay a professional to do it for them. I completely understand, too. Kind of like home improvement, or working on the car, or getting fresh produce.

I have a buddy whose eyes lit up when I told him how much my ammo costs. He was all hot to learn how to reload so I began with the basics - "Here, read this. Then when you come back we'll go over die settings."

"Oh - can't we just skip all that, and get to the part where I pull the handle and save money?"

 

[Rodentman]

I haven't bought factory ammo in many years. I reload 22 calibers, mostly pistol except for .223. Reloading is a fun hobby and, as a BK amputee, I can sit for hours and enjoy myself.

Savings are quite dramatic when reloading 50AE, 50GI, 500 mag and 460 mag. And I get to tailor the loads from pansy Trail Boss stuff to full house H110 rounds.

 

[gregintenn]

I reload, but sometimes factory ammo makes sense. A while back, I found some 303 Savage ammo cheaper than I could buy brass. Also, I've not yet been able to load 44 Magnum ammo that matches the accuracy of factory Magtech ammunition of all things!

I haven't been able so far to figure out how to reload rimfire ammunition.

 

[snowman]

Not to be a smart alack, but if you can swing it, buy yourself a reloading outfit. Even buying components at the LGS, it is possible to produce ammunition at less than half the price of commercial stuff. And, at least with the .38's that I've been making, on target results are superior to what I've been able to obtain using the 130 gr. FMJ commercial loads.

Hi, Bruce. I trust that you had a blessed Thanksgiving Day.

I may have misled you with my initial reply to your post. I have reloaded all my ammo since I re-entered the shooting world in 2003. I knew back then that I wouldn't be able to afford to practice with factory stuff.

The only reason I bought some .38s for my friends(the new shooters) was that I don't own a .38 and so have no components for that caliber. They wanted, and bought, a model 64; so I had to run to the store for ammo so I could train them. Hope that clarifies things.

Blessings,
Andy

 

[Arik]

While I agree, to some it's worth it to pay a professional to do it for them. I completely understand, too. Kind of like home improvement, or working on the car, or getting fresh produce.

I have a buddy whose eyes lit up when I told him how much my ammo costs. He was all hot to learn how to reload so I began with the basics - "Here, read this. Then when you come back we'll go over die settings."

"Oh - can't we just skip all that, and get to the part where I pull the handle and save money?"

See, that's me. I don't want to read stuff. I don't care for the background stuff or what so and so did or invented or whatever. I have seen it done and I get how it works all I want to know is what not to use. Like Powder X is not for pistols. OK great, the rest I can read from reloading manuals

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[SgtLumpy]

I don't save any money reloading over buying factory ammo. I just shoot three or more times as much with reloads than with factories.

A lot of stuff I do for my home/cars is the same way. Either better quality or more of it if I pay for my own labor instead of someone else's. For the price of an oil change at a garage, I can do it twice, and use better components. To install a door, I can pay the same price and do it myself, get a much better door, or I can pay a contractor and get a lower grade door. Plus I end up with a couple of tools that I'll use for something else later..

Not everyone wants to reload. That's understandable. I think you have to shoot a significant amount to even begin to realize a savings. That $thousand+ that you spend on getting started reloading could buy you 3 or 4 years worth of factory ammo if you only shoot a box full now and then.

I'm currently shooting about 1000 rounds per week. Even if I could afford to buy that much factory ammo, I'm not sure if that much is routinely available without spending a lot of time every day checking the online sources or heck forbid, driving from Wally to Wally to LGS buying one or two boxes at a time.

It's Black Friday. I'm gonna go put some holes in the BLACK part of the paper downrange..


Sgt Lumpy

 

[blujax01]

See, that's me. I don't want to read stuff. I don't care for the background stuff or what so and so did or invented or whatever. I have seen it done and I get how it works all I want to know is what not to use. Like Powder X is not for pistols. OK great, the rest I can read from reloading manuals

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Ah but then you don't receive the benefit of the "alchemy" us basement wizards cherish and love to pass down from generation to generation.

Seriously though, there are too many "things not to do" that you do have to pay your learning dues in order to get it right. There are no shortcuts. And it's good that you recognize that.

If I were you, I'd keep that cheap ammo source under my hat. The way things are out there, you could get stampeded!

Oh and a belated Happy Thanksgiving, Amigo. I hope you had a good one.

 

[JeepinSoldier]

A lot of posts about saving money.

Another reason to reload is for when the ammo is not available. For months after Sandy Hook there was no handgun or .223 ammo available anywhere around here.

I spent some time exercising the Dillon 550B and my friends and I kept shooting.

Also, there is the satisfaction of shooting ammo that you loaded yourself. For me, shooting ammo I loaded myself out of a classic Model 19 is about like driving the 68 Camaro I restored myself.

 

[SweetMK]

A lot of posts about saving money.

Another reason to reload is for when the ammo is not available. For months after Sandy Hook there was no handgun or .223 ammo available anywhere around here.

I spent some time exercising the Dillon 550B and my friends and I kept shooting.

Also, there is the satisfaction of shooting ammo that you loaded yourself. For me, shooting ammo I loaded myself out of a classic Model 19 is about like driving the 68 Camaro I restored myself.

That about sums it up for me, I chunk down the money sometimes for ammo, but, have carefully stored reloading supplies.

I reload enough to stay comfortable with the skill, then I shoot a lot of rimfires, for fun.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

To me, reloading or handloading if I am starting from scratch is a lifetime hobby. I enjoy the science, enjoy the results and continue to work on my understanding and skills. The costs is not that bad when you compare it to say a round of Golf here in Houston, or an day on the gulf deep sea fishing. It is actually a cheap hobby when you look at the time consumed vs. the dollars spent per hour.