Why do you reload?

[shooter]

I don't have the best cash flow situation right now. I have a wife, a new house and some debt I am trying to pay off, and then stay out of debt. We have not been using credit cards for quite a while now, but are working on paying off the debt we racked up before we got smart. Because of these and other factors, I reload my ammo for economical purposes. I have always shot primarily reloaded ammo. Accuracy and quality of my handloads are a secondary benefit and consideration for me.

How many of you reload primarily to save money, and how many reload primarily to have better ammo? I try to strike a balance between both, but economy is my number one consideration. I also just enjoy the hobby and reload partly because of that fact. I realize components such as brass, bullets, and especially primers have increased significantly lately, but so has the price of factory ammo. Even the cheap Wolf ammo has more than doubled over the past couple of years. I'm just now starting to see 30-30 for around $10 a box again, and I'll pick up a few at that price every now and then. I shoot cast bullets almost exclusively and that saves me a lot of money. Just curious as to why most of you reload your own.

[WinM71]

It's therapy. Plus I'd shoot a whole lot less if I had to buy factory loads.

[Swampman]

To save a little money.

[Terry Murbach]

I HANDLOAD ALL MY CENTERFIRE CARTRIDGES TO HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF MY AMMUNITION SUPPLY FAR INTO THE FUTURE. THERE HAVE BEEN TWO OF THESE AMMUNITION/COMPONENTS/PRIMERS RECESSIONS IN THE PAST TWENTY YEARS WHAT WITH THE TWO BOZO dummorats CLINTON AND OBAMA AND I DID NOT MISS A SINGLE ROUND OF SHOOTING, NOT SO MUCH AS A SINGLE CARTRIDGE, AND I WENT SHOOTING EVERY TIME I FELT LIKE IT FOR AS MANY ROUNDS AS I FELT LIKE BURNING UP AT THAT TIME. AND FROM WHAT I CAN SEE CURRENTLY I CAN DO THAT FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT TEN YEARS. OF COURSE WHEN THINGS LOSEN UP AND PRICES FALL TO THEIR CORRECT LEVELS I WILL STOCK UP AGAIN AGAINST FUTURE WA.D.C. IDIOTS.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PLAN AHEAD AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HOARD ANYTHING NOR BUY IT AT SCALPER'S PRICES WHEN THINGS GET TIGHT.
P-L-A-N A-H-E-A-D....

[jnyork]

It's therapy. Plus I'd shoot a whole lot less if I had to buy factory loads.

This, plus, it makes it possible for me to shoot regularly with guns that take cartridges that are no longer available or are VERY expensive. Makes the whole firearms scene much more enjoyable.

[shooter]

Agreed, Terry. I am just now getting in a position where I can stock up and plan for future rough times. Unfortunately I have to spend a little more on certain things than I did a few years ago, namely primers. I try to be as thrifty as possible with everything else, so the cost evens out a little. When prices come back down I will have more freedom to stock up for the future. If I had to buy factory ammo to shoot, I would seldom be able to.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I reload because I enjoy it mostly. Some other reasons are ...

Ammo tuned to my rifles.
Quality I can trust.
Economy ( I can and do shoot more reloads than factory)
No factory will load my cast bullets for me.
I don`t have to rely on some dealer having what I want.
They don`t make the ammo I want.
Etc. etc. etc.

[Bigahh]

My answer was going to be...Because I just love to do it as a Hobby, but after reading Terry's post I like his answer much better. So, what he said on top of the fact I love doing it.

[2571]

I HANDLOAD ALL MY CENTERFIRE CARTRIDGES TO HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF MY AMMUNITION SUPPLY FAR INTO THE FUTURE. THERE HAVE BEEN TWO OF THESE AMMUNITION/COMPONENTS/PRIMERS RECESSIONS IN THE PAST TWENTY YEARS WHAT WITH THE TWO BOZO dummorats CLINTON AND OBAMA AND I DID NOT MISS A SINGLE ROUND OF SHOOTING . . .

Absolutely amazing how every single string can be turned into a political statment on this forum.

Wanna hear my thoughts about GW, McCain, Palin & their ilk?

Yeah, I didn't think so.

[shooter]

I HANDLOAD ALL MY CENTERFIRE CARTRIDGES TO HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF MY AMMUNITION SUPPLY FAR INTO THE FUTURE. THERE HAVE BEEN TWO OF THESE AMMUNITION/COMPONENTS/PRIMERS RECESSIONS IN THE PAST TWENTY YEARS WHAT WITH THE TWO BOZO dummorats CLINTON AND OBAMA AND I DID NOT MISS A SINGLE ROUND OF SHOOTING . . .

Absolutely amazing how every single string can be turned into a political statment on this forum.

Wanna hear my thoughts about GW, McCain, Palin & their ilk?

Yeah, I didn't think so.

Don't want to continue to carry my own thread OT, but Terry is just stating a fact. Shooting supplies, guns, and ammo have risen in price considerably when these two people have taken office, and not when others have been in office. When Clinton got in, "assault" weapons almost doubled in price, as did other things. When Bush got in everything dropped back down and leveled out, only to spike again with the swearing in of Obama. He is just stating mainly the fact that this is why he reloads, so these price changes don't affect him and he can still shoot as he sees fit. I think this is very practical and smart, and is what I wish to do now and in the future.

So, 2571, why do you reload? To get back on topic.

[BenT]

I HANDLOAD ALL MY CENTERFIRE CARTRIDGES TO HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF MY AMMUNITION SUPPLY FAR INTO THE FUTURE. THERE HAVE BEEN TWO OF THESE AMMUNITION/COMPONENTS/PRIMERS RECESSIONS IN THE PAST TWENTY YEARS WHAT WITH THE TWO BOZO dummorats CLINTON AND OBAMA AND I DID NOT MISS A SINGLE ROUND OF SHOOTING . . .

Absolutely amazing how every single string can be turned into a political statment on this forum.

Wanna hear my thoughts about GW, McCain, Palin & their ilk?

Yeah, I didn't think so.

2571 , you really didn't add anything to the topic . Terry did, in his normal fashion .

That said , I reload to save money because I shoot a lot of odd calibers that I wouldn't normaly beable to shoot. I also cast for the same reason. But lately it has been for availablity, try to find 100 gr .312 XTP's right now. Nobody has had them for months. I cast so I can keep shooting.

[stretch]

Economy, type of ammo I want, odd calibers, quality, and because I enjoy tinkering
with things. 41 Mag is a good example - if I had to rely on factory loads, I couldn't afford
to shoot the caliber. There are only a few commercial loads available anyway, and
nobody stocks much locally. So I load my own, and can work up several different loads
for plinking, target, deer, etc.

It's also a relaxing activity for me - (well most of the time, anyway ).

-Stretch

[Malamute]

I do it for the econony of it, for the independance factor of keeping my guns fed, and for being able to make loads for my guns that arent available over the counter. I load bullet ypes, and velocity levels that simply arent being commercially made, like very light loads in centerfire rifles (A week ago I shot a mouse in my yard with a 30-30 and round ball load that was raiding the bird seed I had put out) and medium level cast loads in 44 mag and 45 Colt.

[Beaker]

Ok, people reload their own ammo, some even cast their own bullets but does anyone make their own blackpowder or whitepowder?

[457121]

it started as a money saver. then it became another part of the hobby. then it progressed into shooting obsolete calibers that you couldn't buy ammo for if you wanted to. once i started bullet casting i realized a freedom from virtually any constraints. i even worked part time in the evenings for a few years at a tire shop just to get the scap wheel weights for free. now i have several lifetime supplies of alloy. the only factory ammo i bought in the last 20+ years is rimfire.

[Otto]

...A week ago I shot a mouse in my yard with a 30-30 and round ball load that was raiding the bird seed I had put out...

A more ethical hunter would have used at least a 300 magnum, to ensure a clean kill.

I started reloading for cheaper ammo, but now I just think it's fun. I would like to get into casting someday. There is something very Tim Allen about working with molten metal.

[O.S.O.K.]

1) to customize the rounds to my guns
2) to save some money
3) satisfaction of shooting rounds that I made myself
4) I enjoy it
5) to get loads that are not available comercially
6) to anger liberals

[Doc Hudson]

wHEN YOU SHOOT A .358 wINCHESTER, YOU DON'T HAE MUCH CHOICE BUT TO HANDLOAD. uSED TO BE THE SAME FOR .44 s&w sPECIAL.

sO YEAH, I RELOAD FOR ECONOMIC REASONS.

Sorry about the Terry Murbach imitation, I just didn't notice the caplock and didn't want to retype.

[shooter]

Ok, people reload their own ammo, some even cast their own bullets but does anyone make their own blackpowder or whitepowder?

I've been wanting to try my hand at black powder. I've got a buddy that manufactures fireworks, and makes his own. I think the recipes for firework bp and firearm bp are a tad bit different, but very similar. He said he'd help me out any time, I just haven't taken him up on it.

[2ndovc]

I started when I got my first .32-20 Model '92 because even then it was
expensive to buy a box of factory loads not to mention at that
time nobody had hardly even heard of a 7.62x54!
Didn't hurt that I'd inherited a bunch of reloading tools and components
from my Grandfather.

I do it now more as "Me" time and time to relax.
Not to mention there's several rifles that would
put me in the poor house if I had to buy custom ammo for.

jb

[Don McDowell]

I reload because I enjoy it mostly. Some other reasons are ...

Ammo tuned to my rifles.
Quality I can trust.
Economy ( I can and do shoot more reloads than factory)
No factory will load my cast bullets for me.
I don`t have to rely on some dealer having what I want.
They don`t make the ammo I want.
Etc. etc. etc.

And a loud and rauckus AMEN brother errupted from the crowd.

[Malamute]

...A week ago I shot a mouse in my yard with a 30-30 and round ball load that was raiding the bird seed I had put out...

A more ethical hunter would have used at least a 300 magnum, to ensure a clean kill......

You have a point there, clean is not a word I would have chosen to describe the mouse hunt, tho the certainty of the kill was not in question. On grouse and bunnies, the round ball loads at very low velocity don't tear up much meat, but some threshold must be crossed below them in size. The round ball loads completely remove the smallish rattlesnake's heads that we have here, and the mouse seemed to not be able to decide which way to go at the shot.

I like the round ball loads because they make about as much noise as a standard velocity (not High vel) 22 load in a rifle.

[madman4570]

Accuracy/Reliability/---------Knowing every single round is as close as the last round and the next round.
Consistency!

[L_Kilkenny]

#1 reason, far and away is cost. 2nd and 3rd would be quality and versatility. To tell the truth, if factory ammo was up to 20% higher I wouldn't reload. I don't enjoy it, it's just a necessity to feed my guns. Actually, I enjoy tinkering and working up loads. After that bulk loading bores the heck outta me.

LK

[SJPrice]

I reload because I noticed that they only go bang once unless I replace some of the parts each time.

[3t-]

I'm a control freak!

That's what some like to say when they get p'od at me. But actually I do like to control my cost of ammo, my accuracy (consistency) of ammo, my availability of ammo, my velocity (power/speed) of ammo, and so on and so on. So I guess I am sort of a "control freak".

I also just enjoy the sport of shooting when I am "hands on" with most aspects. Reloading, minor gun mods, make my own holsters, etc. I also like to can some of my own food, we have all of our meat butchered to our specs, garden, leather work, remodel our own home, have a small wood/metal shop in the garage...wow the list just goes on and on.

[jhrosier]

I handload for accuracy - and economy, mostly.
I also have a number of older guns that you seldom see commercial ammo for sale.
To further economize and to get bullets in a couple of odd calibers, I have also returned to bullet casting.
By handloading with cast bullets, I can shoot about 500 rounds of .375 H&H for the cost of a single twenty round box of factory ammo.
A futher consideration these days is availability of certain calibers.
As long as I can scrounge a few rounds of fired brass, there are no ammo shortages around my place.
Forming hard to find brass from easy to find brass is another of my activities.
I make .358 Win from 7.62x51mm, 8x58RD from 8x56 Hungarian, 6.5x55 from 30-06, 32-40 and 30 Herret from 30-30, 10.4x38Rmm from 348 Win, and 300 Whisper from 5.56x45.

I would probably sell most of my guns and take up (,perish the thought,) golf if I couldn't handload.

Jack

[shooter]

I'm about to get real serious about reloading again now that I have room to set up all my equipment like I want. When you're in a one bedroom apartment it's a pain to get everything out, reload, and pack everything away again. My wife didn't like reloading equipment as decor I love reloading as a hobby. I've noticed lately that my work gets in the way of my hobbies way more than I think it should.

[geobru]

I initially got started because I couldn't buy ammo for my 40-82 with the right diameter bullets, thanks to an oversize bore. Besides that, the commercially available ammo is way too expensive for my pocket book!

Then, I started to realize that just because a cartridge fits into the chamber, goes boom when you pull the trigger and sends a bullet down range, it doesn't mean that the results are the best that you can get out of that particular gun. If I didn't reload, I wouldn't even know that each of my guns has a personality, with preferences for certain combinations of components.

If I didn't reload, I would be short changing myself out of a whole aspect of shooting that is a lot of fun. It is relaxing and allows me to shoot a lot more than I would if I relied only on factory ammo.

The next step is to gear up for casting bullets to fully take advantage of the economies of rolling your own.

[pokey]

I reload because I enjoy it mostly. Some other reasons are ...

Ammo tuned to my rifles.
Quality I can trust.
Economy ( I can and do shoot more reloads than factory)
No factory will load my cast bullets for me.
I don`t have to rely on some dealer having what I want.
They don`t make the ammo I want.
Etc. etc. etc.

And a loud and rauckus AMEN brother errupted from the crowd.

me too.

[BenT]

Ok, people reload their own ammo, some even cast their own bullets but does anyone make their own blackpowder or whitepowder?

Not since high school when I play around with a cap and ball pistol. Couldn't purchase it anywhere close by but could get everything to make your own at the drugstore and hardware store.

[win38-55]

I reload to save money, Make very accurate ammo, And to keep my rifles from becoming
expensive clubs in the face of the commiecrats running the country.

[flatnose]

348 Winchester @ $60.00 to 70.00 per 20, is reason enough in itself to reload.

[adirondakjack]

When ya touch off a round in a rifle you had a lot to do with being modified the way it is, to handle a round you created, shooting a bullet you designed and cast yourself, and load data you developed, the question becomes ridiculous because it's one of those things you can't explain to somebody who's never experienced it, and don't need to talk about with those who have.

Maybe like living in a house you designed and built yerself, or riding a custom chopper ya did yerself????

[txpete]

because I shoot alot of odd ball stuff .the only thing I don't reload for is 22 lr.I also cast my own bullets thats another big savings.everytime I walk into a gun shop and look at prices for 45 colt,44 mag,357 mag and the list goes on the people NOT reloading must be rich or they don't shoot much.a box of 375 H&H @$59.00 a box is crazy I can load up a box of my cast loads for about $4.00 and kill anything in texas.

pete

[mikld]

Most reasons have already been given, but, I reload because it's fun. I started out of curiosity using a Lee Loader, and cost is way down on the list of reasons for me. Another fact is the versatility of handloading. I can make ammo that is'nt available commercially. I can load my .44s all the way from gallery loads w/round balls to 325 gr heavy duty dinosaur killin' loads. Even if I could afford an unlimited supply of ammo I'd probably reload anyway.

[RIHMFIRE]

PRETTY MUCH FOR THE SAME REASONS EVERYBODY ELSE SAID
ITS A FUN HOBBY! BUT YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL....VERY
CAREFUL...

[kid_couteau]

I reload mostly to save money. But also so I will have ammo if something bad happens in this world.

I too bought a lot of supplies when a certain person attained a certain position in this country.

Never went without.

Kid

[86er]

For me it is having ammo when I want it. I load and store some but if I run out I have components that can have me shooting in a 1/2 hour or so.

[C. Cash]

For me, I had a rifle that I loved....a 356 Win. which was muy expensivo to shoot. But it wasn't cost really. I could almost afford to shoot it occasionally so it wasn't so much that. It was more about using the bullets/loads I wanted and increasing accuracy. I was very interested in shooting cast bullets in the 356 Win. Folks like Slim Iorg, Lobo and Paco gave me some good help with that. With my 44's...same thing. I had a desire to shoot the Keith bullet(the real version) and that is not available over the counter. So, overall the financial was a boon, but really it was just to shoot the bullets/loads that I wanted.

[jdad]

I hate reloading, but it saves money. That's why 90% of what I shoot is rimfire. I only shoot handguns about 3-4 times a year, so I do reload 357 and 44mag. I reload just enough 32-20's and 30-30's (40-50ea), for my monthly silhouette matches.

[Terry Murbach]

I hate reloading, but it saves money. That's why 90% of what I shoot is rimfire. I only shoot handguns about 3-4 times a year, so I do reload 357 and 44mag. I reload just enough 32-20's and 30-30's (40-50ea), for my monthly silhouette matches.

I NEVER CEASE BUT TO BE AMAZED WHEN I READ A FELLOW SHOOTER HATES TO HANDLOAD HIS OWN AMMUNITION. IT FLABBERGASTS ME DANG NEAR SPEECHLESS. I CANNOT IMAGINE SUCH A FEELING FOR SOMETHING THAT IS AT LEAST AN INCH THICK LAYER OF FROSTING ON THE CAKE CALLED SHOOTING.
WOW !!!
TO ME THE HANDLOADING OF MY CENTERFIRE CARTRIDGES IS AT LEAST AS MUCH FUN AS SHOOTING THEM. AT LEAST !!! SOMETIMES MORE WHEN IT ALL COMES TOGETHER AND CAREFULLY CRAFTED CARTRIDGES MATCHED TO A FIREARM'S LIKES AND DISLIKES PUTS 'EM ALL IN ONE HOLE. BEST OF ALL IS WHEN IT NEVER CEASES DOING THAT AS YOU HAVE FOUND THE HOLY GRAIL OF SHOOTING AND HANDLOADING FOR THAT GUN.

[two bit okie]

try to find cast bullet 30-30's from the factory, try to find cast 318 gr cast in 44 mag, and finally try to find 44 mag for $6.00 for 50.

[COSteve]

I started 'reloading to shoot more' but now I'm 'shooting to reload more'!!




What started out as a way to save money has become a great hobby that happens to have saved me almost $21,000 in 7 years of shooting my reloads.

[.45colt]

I really had no choice. I bought "Sixguns" by Elmer Keith fourty years ago. after getting my first Blackhawk .45 I just had to shoot the "Keith" load. it is still my favorite load. And the book is worn and dog-eared. I could never afford the ammo I have been able to make Myself if I had to buy it. Thanks Elmer.

[Ray Newman]

Better and more accurate ammunition.

Not being at the mercy of the dealers' inventory.

Savings -- 45 Auto Rim, 41 Magnum, 44 Specl. are not exactly inexpensive rounds to shoot.

Availability -- I shoot the 45.2.1" .45-2.4", .45-2 7/8", 11mm Mauser, .43 Spanish, and hopefully this year, the .50-70 Gov't and 577/.450 Martini-Henry. Black powder ammunition with lead or paper patched bullets for these rounds is just about impossible to find and is cost-prohibitive if marketed.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I can not improve on Terry`s thinking on this subject.
I wish I had said that!!

[COSteve]

I hate reloading, but it saves money. That's why 90% of what I shoot is rimfire. I only shoot handguns about 3-4 times a year, so I do reload 357 and 44mag. I reload just enough 32-20's and 30-30's (40-50ea), for my monthly silhouette matches.

I NEVER CEASE BUT TO BE AMAZED WHEN I READ A FELLOW SHOOTER HATES TO HANDLOAD HIS OWN AMMUNITION. IT FLABBERGASTS ME DANG NEAR SPEECHLESS. I CANNOT IMAGINE SUCH A FEELING FOR SOMETHING THAT IS AT LEAST AN INCH THICK LAYER OF FROSTING ON THE CAKE CALLED SHOOTING.
WOW !!!
TO ME THE HANDLOADING OF MY CENTERFIRE CARTRIDGES IS AT LEAST AS MUCH FUN AS SHOOTING THEM. AT LEAST !!! SOMETIMES MORE WHEN IT ALL COMES TOGETHER AND CAREFULLY CRAFTED CARTRIDGES MATCHED TO A FIREARM'S LIKES AND DISLIKES PUTS 'EM ALL IN ONE HOLE. BEST OF ALL IS WHEN IT NEVER CEASES DOING THAT AS YOU HAVE FOUND THE HOLY GRAIL OF SHOOTING AND HANDLOADING FOR THAT GUN.

While I agree with Terry's love of reloading, I find it easy to understand why many don't try it. Take for example the people who drive nice sporty cars. Some only know, "The long skinny one makes it go and the short fat one makes it stop" while others are well versed in it's operation. Then there are a few who actually understand how it works and can service and/or repair it, and finally there are those smallest couple who know how to tune it and set it up to race.

The same thing is true with us gun nuts. Some are happy with just the knowledge needed to load and fire theirs, others are interested enough to be able to do lite work on theirs and will try different brands/bullet weights of commercial ammo to see which ones work best in their particular gun, then there are those that reload reluctantly just to save the money, and finally those of us who think of reloading as an enjoyable hobby in and of itself.

Its really about 'different strokes for different folks.'

[Borregos]

Reloading is a BIG part of my hobby called shooting. I LOVE IT

[jdad]

I hate reloading, but it saves money. That's why 90% of what I shoot is rimfire. I only shoot handguns about 3-4 times a year, so I do reload 357 and 44mag. I reload just enough 32-20's and 30-30's (40-50ea), for my monthly silhouette matches.

I NEVER CEASE BUT TO BE AMAZED WHEN I READ A FELLOW SHOOTER HATES TO HANDLOAD HIS OWN AMMUNITION. IT FLABBERGASTS ME DANG NEAR SPEECHLESS. I CANNOT IMAGINE SUCH A FEELING FOR SOMETHING THAT IS AT LEAST AN INCH THICK LAYER OF FROSTING ON THE CAKE CALLED SHOOTING.
WOW !!!
TO ME THE HANDLOADING OF MY CENTERFIRE CARTRIDGES IS AT LEAST AS MUCH FUN AS SHOOTING THEM. AT LEAST !!! SOMETIMES MORE WHEN IT ALL COMES TOGETHER AND CAREFULLY CRAFTED CARTRIDGES MATCHED TO A FIREARM'S LIKES AND DISLIKES PUTS 'EM ALL IN ONE HOLE. BEST OF ALL IS WHEN IT NEVER CEASES DOING THAT AS YOU HAVE FOUND THE HOLY GRAIL OF SHOOTING AND HANDLOADING FOR THAT GUN.

Of course I never cease to amaze you. My idea of reloading is opening a box of 22 ammo, filling the magazine, then reloading when it's empty. ............but I haven't bought or shot a factory centerfire load in about 7 years. I don't have to like reloading, I just have to do it.