Has anyone here quit reloading? Why?

[SuperSet]

I had the complete 650 package and extras including the Swager and Giraud automated trimmer to reload both 9mm and .223.
I only made it a couple of years before it drove me crazy and I sold it all.
Now, I'd rather save the time and just buy manufactured reloads.

[beerman]

I got into reloading about 20 years ago when I picked up an old Pacific single stage press, RCBS 10-10 scale and Redding powder measure (with a ton of RCBs dies) in an estate sale. I went on a tear and loaded every piece of brass I owned. Now I reload batches after I go shooting. I do it like some of the guys above, over the course of a few nights. It is like therapy and I enjoy it. Where it did cost me more is in guns...I don't care what caliber a gun is..if I like it ,I buy it. I don't load rifle much, as most mine are surplus calibers and I stocked up on milsurp ammo back when it was cheap. I don't think I'll ever completely stop reloading.

[Full Clip]

On hiatus as well after selling my house. No garage now. Price of ammo got me into it after buying a couple .303 Brit. Enfields. Still collecting brass though... I'll have my rig back up at some point. I reloads 1000s of rounds of all my calibers before packing everything away.

[highpower]

I quit for a while, due to kind of losing my interest in shooting. Add to that, I changed jobs a couple of times, got divorced and moved a few times. It was a busy few years. Once I got back into shooting, I rekindled my interest in reloading.

Up here in the high desert, it is just too cold most days to shoot during the winter. Instead I reload the ammo I shot up during the summer. I also harvest all the brass I can while at various shooting sites (thanks non reloaders). I couldn't afford to shoot my Browning 1919 if I didn't roll my own ammo.

The initial buy-in is kind of expensive, but once you have all the equipment you need you will probably never wear it out. I have had my Dillon 550 since the mid nineties. I still have the Rock Chucker that I bought before that and I use it to load for calibers that I don't shoot in volume and I don't want to shell out for the Dillon caliber change parts. I also use it for my collet bullet puller when I need to break down ammo.

If you set it up right, they really don't take up a lot of room.

[DesertDave100]

I reloaded 12 Gauge in junior high school and high school, back when I used to shoot trap 2X a week and then again on weekends and regularly shot a case a week. In the early 70's it was very inexpensive. Sold the gear when I left home to go to college. I counted empty shot bags once and realized I had reloaded over 10,000 rounds.

Never got back into it. Today I mostly shoot rifled firearms with cheapo russian or chinese steel case ammo, and don't find a financial or technical reason to get back into it.

There have been other hobbies that I was very into and since lost interest in. I still retain much of the knowledge, I just don't have the interest in doing it. If

[dwtt]

I quit temporarily because it's illegal to possess guns or ammunition where I live. I didn't want my reloading equipment to be stolen by a storage company so I shipped it when I went overseas, but if anyone asks what it's for, I'll just tell them it's a press for the bearings in my motorcycle.

[trigger945]

OP - Thanks for asking this question. I am in a similar boat as you as far as time constraints. I have been thinking about reloading and the answers here are great.

I would like to start with just one caliber - .38 Spl - first. I heard it is easy enough to reload and is more forgiving to newbies. I can also see reloading as a relaxing hobby.

[Jimi Jah]

Hiatus as ammo is very cheap right now. The press is ready for the next panic.

[tanks]

...
Or can you give someone like me who doesn't reload some type of baseline? What does a basic setup cost and what type of production rate can be achieved with that?

And then what's it cost for a decent progressive press and how much/fast can you load with that?

Here is the link to the sticky in the reloading forum that answers your questions.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=229221

[EatsEverything]

Is this not the sort of thing to get into if you live in an apartment?

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

[Rob5r]

People do it everywhere. There are small pedestal benches and floding card tables to go next to them. A garage and a solid bench make things A LOT easier, but you can do it in an apartment. I've seen people use the Black and Decker fold up tables/work station. And you might have to run your tumbler at a time that you don't offend your neighbors(hopefully, you have a balcony).

[Inkman]

Nope. Still way cheaper than factory ammo.

Shoot any sort of competition where PF is measured and you'll often see factory ammo fail to make PF too.

Al

[Epaphroditus]

I still load for 'specialty' stuff like 7 mm Wby for best accy and cost, 450 bushmaster 45LC and 45ACP share some components so still save across several guns here as well as loads that are impossible to find in factory offerings.

I used to do ~ 1000 rounds a month in 45LC & 45 ACP but don't shoot those calibers that much lately.

Never could do quality loads in 9mm. Damned bullets never seated 'square' so I gave up since factory loadings are not expensive.

Almost made the leap into swaging my own bullets but never pulled that trigger. Still might one day. With lead becoming more and more widely banned swaging non-lead is a new twist that I have not begun investigating.

[OpenSightsOnly]

I am looking to start reloading. My primary motivation is that match ammo is so expensive. But the more videos I watch, and the more articles I read, I realize and see the time and care that goes into reloading.

I'm starting to think, shoot, I don't want to do all that. I already hold down a full time job and I have a home business as well. I may not have time and energy to reload.

Has anyone started reloading and quit? Why? I have no doubt its fun and saves money.

I made "the" time and the commitment to make time so that I can shoot and reload. Hence, I'm still reloading and have never looked back!

If you are already maxed-out on commitments or you have other bucket-list items that compete with your free time then just buy the match ammo.

Instead of relying on YouTube, sign up for a reloading class. I did that and that helped me make up my mind about the reloading hobby as that gave me the opportunity to ask questions about the process and the needed time commitment as well as ask questions about the tools/press/dies that I need to use.

I went with a single stage process but ended up with a Giraud Trimmer and Chargemaster, after a year, to speed things up. Based on the space I have, the current process works for me but a Dillon 650 or two (one for brass processing and the other for priming, charging, and seating) may be next for me.

[mikeyr]

I quit for 30 years and I recently re-started, I find I enjoy the time spent, I really look forward to spending the time in the garage reloading. I also find that i shoot more, I didn't shoot a single round for the 30 years I didn't reload. I went from 200 rounds a week to 0 for 30 years and I am back to 200 a week on average.

I stopped shooting because I didn't have time to reload and I got the wife pregnant, now that the kids are grown and gone, I have to reload again and I really like the time spent.