# Who Reloads their own ammo?



## Evacdad (Feb 27, 2012)

Why do you do it if so? Better quality, cheaper, for the fun of it?


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## AnvilIron (Mar 1, 2012)

It used to be way cheaper, but isn’t so much anymore. I started loading for long-range (600 yd) rifle years ago and bought dies for other calibers when they’d come on sale. I trade loaded rounds for my pick of good used brass (5 or 6 to 1). That keeps my cost down and my stock up. I enjoy sitting down and doing a run of cartridges. It’s a nice pastime and home loads might be all there is some day.

If you were out of ammo and couldn't get it anywhere, what would you trade me for 20 rounds of custom loads?


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## acidlittle (Jan 24, 2012)

I'd trade you my wife....

PS I'm not married or seeing anybody so this is a hypothetical answer to your hypothetical question


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## AnvilIron (Mar 1, 2012)

I appreciate the hypothetical offer, but I stopped taking wives in trade. The shelf life on the first one I had expired and it took me a year to clean the mess up. The new model has much better packaging and content, but it takes up all of the space I have available. 

There’s also a safety issue. It’s been my experience that wives can sometimes be unstable and more explosive than gun powder. A guy could really get hurt if he doesn’t handle them right. With a trade-in I could just end up dealing with someone else's problems.


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

AnvilIron said:


> I appreciate the hypothetical offer, but I stopped taking wives in trade. The shelf life on the first one I had expired and it took me a year to clean the mess up. The new model has much better packaging and content, but it takes up all of the space I have available.
> 
> There's also a safety issue. It's been my experience that wives can sometimes be unstable and more explosive than gun powder. A guy could really get hurt if he doesn't handle them right. With a trade-in I could just end up dealing with someone else's problems.


HAHA!! I just pee'd myself laughing to this. Well played.


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## acidlittle (Jan 24, 2012)

You just made my night! Well said my friend.


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## sharps_74 (Mar 25, 2012)

I reload just about everything I shoot. I reload for all the reason stated. I started back in the 70s loading .44 mag. and have built up from there.


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## bigdogbuc (Mar 23, 2012)

I do. For the most part, because it's cheaper, but a lot of that depends on how many re-loads you can get out of your brass. Though it seems expensive, once you price out a "per unit" cost, then go look at a commercial ammo, it's way cheaper. I was loading 45 Colt for about 23 Cents a round. Commercially, it averaged around a dollar or more. The bullet itself is the most costly, recurring part of the whole thing. My 22-250 is about $.40 a round, again, over a dollar commercially. 

I also get more accurate ammo. I control every aspect. I weigh each component using digital and triple beam scales, and use digital calipers for measurements. I can produce a complete cartridge that weighs within 1/2 of a grain total of the others. That means consistency. I've disassembled high dollar factory ammo and found huge discrepancies in everything from bullet weight, to powder charges and wound up loading them with my own stuff. Plus, I can speed them up or slow them down, depending on what that particular gun likes. I can change bullet weights/types etc. Again, I control every aspect. I have loads that group under a 1/2" at 100 yards, a 1/2" at 200. With a proper scope of course.  

And I find it to be very relaxing.


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## sierrawhiskey (Apr 22, 2012)

could not have said it better Bigdogbuc !!! hit it all spot on i even have the wife reloading with me she thinks it is fun


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## readygirl (Sep 8, 2012)

AnvilIron said:


> I appreciate the hypothetical offer, but I stopped taking wives in trade. The shelf life on the first one I had expired and it took me a year to clean the mess up. The new model has much better packaging and content, but it takes up all of the space I have available.
> 
> There's also a safety issue. It's been my experience that wives can sometimes be unstable and more explosive than gun powder. A guy could really get hurt if he doesn't handle them right. With a trade-in I could just end up dealing with someone else's problems.


Just do what you are told, and dont ask too many questions, and you will be ok. Its not that complicated.....LOL


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## SSGT (Jul 29, 2012)

I do...only rifle shells though .308 - 30/06.....300 Weatherby Mag- 338 Lapua.

I can take a box of store bought shells and let you fire a few and get a 3 inch group at x amount of yards and then hand you handloads and you get a inch or less group at x amount of yards...its pretty drastic....

It's like....Shoot someone somewhere in the head OR decide which eye you want to shoot em through.

Takes some loading practice though finding the sweetest loads for each and every gun....exact bullet seat lengths....perfect case length and a dozen or so other factors.
I also weigh each brass....every single powder charge is exactly weighed....and weigh each bullet to be exact.

It's truly an art!...not like shoving primers, powder and bullets in empty brass through a super fast machine like storebought shells.


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## 1895gunner (Sep 23, 2012)

Evacdad said:


> Why do you do it if so? Better quality, cheaper, for the fun of it?


I started out telling my wife that it would save a ton of money. And it did until I turned that saved money into more supplies and then more supplies. Now I shoot almost every weekend (except during hunting season).

I reload for:

44 Magnum
45 Colt
45 ACP
444
45-70
450 Marlin

I really do like the big bores.... 

1895gunner


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## UnknownCertainty (Nov 9, 2012)

I'd love to learn how to reload my own ammo, but it actually makes me very nervous. :| Haha. Despite how many times I _could_ watch videos on how to do it until I THINK I can...something tells me it would probably be best to see it done in person. I don't know, but that's how I feel. I always think the worst so I'm probably over-thinking things. What would be the best way to learn for people new to reloading?


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## dsdmmat (Nov 9, 2012)

Reloading is making sure you never have an ammo shortage.


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## Xplorer (May 8, 2012)

I have relaoded, with a friends help with his equipment. I have all the equipment, but no true knowledge on how to use it. It did make very accurate 7 mm mag shells though.


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## SSGT (Jul 29, 2012)

Down to .625 group....5 shots each at 200 yards here in the .308 Rem 700 Varmint!...Not only can I shoot you in the eye at 300 yards I may be able to choose which side of said eye I shoot you on or pop you in the nose between!

Before you know it I'll be able to do 300 yard dental work! Wipe the smile right off your face! LOL

SSGT


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## LunaticFringeInc (Nov 20, 2012)

I reload my ammo for the following chamberings...

224 TTH
223/5.56
6mm/223
7mm Remington Mag
300 Whisper
308
30-06
300 Win Mag
7.62X39
338 Win Mag
32 S&W
9mm
44 Mag
45 ACP
12 ga

Why do I do it? Well most of the time I can reload most stuff cheaper than I can buy it. I really dont save a whole lot since I shoot more. A couple of the things I reload for are for Wildcat cartridges for which there is no commercial ammunition for them or its very tough and expensive when you do find it. I mean whens the last time you walked into the gun store and found a 20 round box of 224 Texas Trophy Hunter with a 80 gr Berger loaded to 3600 fps? How many here have even herd of that chambering? I can generally get better accuracy as well. Most commercial ammunition is loaded to fit in all guns and give decent performance. I have found that just playing with the seating depth can have a very profound effect on accuracy. I also like the fact that I can vary the powder charge for a milder load or I can usually bump it up a bit and roll one a bit hotter. I can load for the situation at hand is the bottom line. I like all of the powder options and bullet options that are available. The store sells what they can move in volume not neccessarily whats available. I reload too cause I really enjoy it. I know that sounds crazy to many as most find it to be work. But I take a sense of pride in it when I can shoot a clover leaf group at the range or drop that Buck I have been stalking for the last couple of years with ammunition I made. There are some things in life that you just cant put a price on and these are just some of them.


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## Lattice (Nov 19, 2012)

readygirl said:


> Just do what you are told, and dont ask too many questions, and you will be ok. Its not that complicated.....LOL


What she said.

My late husband figured it out early on. Actually listen.

Anyway. I started reloading for the same reason many of you did. It was cheaper. And still is to a point. Ya just have to know how to shop around.

I haven't bought components from a store in years. And by shopping around Ive been able to keep my costs down to about what they were when I started. Its also nice and relaxing.


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## joec (Nov 12, 2012)

I have been reloading now since the ammo shortage of 2008. I load 9mm, 45 ACP, 45 Colt, 45-70, 20 ga shotshells and 12 ga shotshells. I started due to the shortages, then later because it was cheaper as I added 45 Colt and 45-70. Later because I found my ammo could be tuned to fire from specific guns and needs from target to hunting both being more accurate ammo and better over all. Shotgun I load strictly for cowboy action shooting with black powder as ammo is cheap and very easy to find for me locally however if needed I could do that also on a larger scale than now.


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## ColoradoChris (Nov 12, 2012)

It's about 50% less when you reload and save your brass. But there is the up front expense of all the equipment.


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## Lattice (Nov 19, 2012)

Lets make this simple. 

Assume that you are buying your projectiles (copper jacketed, not plated or HC lead), using win 231 and running wolf primers and are able to pick up once fired brass for three cents per. At current price you will pay for the equipment if you pick up a single stage RCBS special five after 836 rounds of .45 ACP if you are thrifty. 

Fifty percent cheaper? No, not so much unless you really really shop around. 

When my late husband first got into reloading his friend explained it really simple. Reloading will never save you money. It will just let you shoot more for the same price.


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## LunaticFringeInc (Nov 20, 2012)

> When my late husband first got into reloading his friend explained it really simple. Reloading will never save you money. It will just let you shoot more for the same price.


Thats a pretty accurate "Reality Check"!


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