reloading vs handloading

[jjj/jjj]

is there a difference between the results of loading your own ammo using brand new bullets and shells and reloading your spent shells using new bullets? are reloaded rounds fundamentally less accurate or can you keep making match grade cartridges out of the same spent shells over and over again?

[mif_slim]

Samething. Goodthing about handloading/reloading is that you can tune it to your rifle getting better results then factory bought ammo. I had a AR shooting 1.75" MOA with factory ammo after mild tuning it was doing .73" and I got lazy and kept that load.

[killshot44]

Depends. The difference is in the components used and the tools used to assemble. Some brass is better (more consistent size from case to case, better quality of brass lasts longer etc) than others.

[joelogic]

I read someone shot a sub moa group at 1000 yards annealing and reloading just 1 piece of brass.

Even new brass needs tuning.

[XDRoX]

It's not economical to buy new brass and then load it yourself.
So we re-use our brass. Until it cracks it shoots just as good as the day it was made.

Straight walled pistol rounds can last 20 plus times being reloaded. Most guys loose them before the crack.

High powered rifle rounds can last significantly less. Depends on the reloader's equipment, brass, caliber, etc...

My 223 brass usually lasts between 5 and 10 times reloaded. I don't anneal.

[Savion]

My reload usually more accurate using used brass that are fire formed to my rifle chamber. I usually neck sized my brass only until they become too tight to chamber than I full length size them. You need to anneal the brass (rifle brass) every 4-5 cycles or they may not last too long. When you work up a load, make sure you keep all your brass in the same brand.

[Flouncer]

What Savion said. In a bolt action, you can get fireformed cases that will be tighter and can (may, or have the potential) be more accurate than new, all other things considered.

There is a wide variance in new case quality among manufacturers. So, when you re-use, hopefully you cull out the bad or poorly shooting cases.

Your question frings on the abyss and insanity of rifle or cartridge accuracy and it is an endless quest with nothing but turmoil and money and crying ahead.

[starsnuffer]

If you clean ream and polish the primer seats, and fire form the cases, there's really no difference. Many people skip the prep steps for the primer seats which is where you'll see inconsistencies in reloads. I'm sure the match shooters are doing it properly.

-W

[Savion]

May be I should clarify a bit more on different brand of brass. Let say if you worked up a load to max load before you see pressure sign using Federal brass with xx amount of powder which is not the same pressure as if you use the same amount of powder in a Lake City brass. Lake City brass are thicker wall and smaller volume which will give you more pressure and hotter load. If you want an accurate load keep every thing the same and consistence.

[zfields]

I have to buy brass for 45/70.....no one seems to sell once fired, it makes me sad.

[CSACANNONEER]

Most precision shooters prefer shooting brass that's been fireformed (already shot once) to a specific chamber. So, there is a very strong case for used brass is better than new brass.

[chuckshoots]

i think people refer to reloading as a less detailed version while handloading is getting all sorts of detailed and specific, or atleast im pretty sure. i just started doing it after all