Reloading, why?

[golfish]

I did it because I thought I would be able to make better ammo for my pistol caliber lever guns, so far so good. It also allowed me to get ammo for calibers like 45colt and 44mag that was hard to find and or really expensive.

[kelvin232]

Started in my 20s to save money and couldn't find a good precision ammo for my 8mm Mauser bench gun. Lots of Lee equipment that served me well for low volume. Getting back into it (with a better budget now) and all this RCBS, Dillon stuff is killing my wallet. But I'll save money in the long run.

Also therapeutic activity assuming things are going well and you're not breaking parts..... It's been a rough ramp-up

[kelvin232]

Forgot to add, the new laws inspired me to get back into it. Like when they raised cigarette taxes years ago so I started loading my own on a machine with untaxed 'pipe-cut tobacco'. Because cigarette tobacco was taxed.

[bigbossman]

Not to nitpick, but I believe it was the Brian Keith character that chastised McQueen.

[mikeyr]

I started reloading back in the late 1970s because I could not afford to buy a box of ammo to go shooting every time I wanted to go shooting, but I could afford the components and that kit you hammer the bullets together with. I very quickly moved to a RockChucker

I continue to reload because I find it therapeutic, I enjoy my time out there in the garage with some music and alone. My friends joke I only go shooting now, so I can spend more time reloading. The not letting the state know what I am doing, is only a side benefit for me.

[donnrcp]

Not to nitpick, but I believe it was the Brian Keith character that chastised McQueen.

Thanks. Karl was a bad guy.


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[Cowboy T]

Everyone who shoots should learn to reload, especially given the ammo restrictions that some states like California are trying to pull.

For me, it's about three things, in this order.

1.) ammo availability
2.) save money per round
3.) load customization

The first one is the big one. Even if it cost the same per round, I'd still learn to reload, because then I know that I always have ammo.

The second one is also very helpful. You don't "save money". Rather, you save money "per round". That allows you to practice more at the range. I shoot both .44 Special and .45 Colt, and neither of them is cheap per round. Reloading allows me to practice with those chamberings, affordably. In states that haven't gone anti-lead ammo like CA has, casting your own bullets also helps with this.

The ammo customization proved helpful to the then-girlfriend, now-wife. In addition to .44 Spl and .45 Colt, we also shoot a lot of .38/357. To encourage her to practice, I came up with a "powder-puff" .38 Spl load using a 105-grain cast bullet. Muzzle speed chronos at 850 ft/sec, similar to standard .38 Spl store-bought loadings, but with less kick. This load actually makes practicing with a S&W Airweight or Ruger LCR an enjoyable experience.

That handguns. For rifles, I can ensure that I have not just ammo, but match ammo, specifically tailored to my rifle for the best precision, for considerably less money. And I can make it at will.

Those are the benefits of reloading.

[bigbossman]

Thanks. Karl was a bad guy.

Didn't mean to come across as pendantic.... Similar to your story, that movie (aside from being one of my favorites) piqued my interest in reloading as well. Since I've seen it so many times, it was easy for me to recall the whole Brian Keith bit where he teaches him how to handle a gun and shoot.

Back on topic - I started reloading to fuel my obsession with IPSC, and later trap and skeet. At first it was to "save money", but it quickly turned into a having as much ammo as I want when I wanted it thing.

I like having good ammo on-hand in the amount I want, the way I want it when I want it. Very convenient - much more so that running off the day before a match/hunting trip to find what I need.

[Full Clip]

Do many here reload for the same reasons I do? My reasons had to be explained to a relative not long ago. I had to tell her that my state now wanted to charge me, and monitor my ammunition purchases each time I needed to buy ammo. She still has trouble understanding my reasons why I would like to buy/ and load shot shells and rifle rounds without the government knowing or taxing me for doing so. WTF is wrong with our youth?

Is this relative over the age of 10?

[Bastard]

the 3 reasons that people reload;

#1 - to save money - this isn't actually true as you don't save anything rather you just shoot more to even things out

#2 - to make better/more accurate ammo - I'm mean you spent all that money on a match grade barrel so it is a bit of a waste if you don't dial it in with some custom ammo

#3 - because we enjoy it, it is relaxing.... and cheaper than a therapist

[Epaphroditus]

Actually can save money. Shooting expensive or rare (hard to find) saves a lot. 7mm WBY, 450 Bushmaster and 45 LC full power loads are generally both hard to find and expensive. Just the savings from reloading those chamberings paid for all my reloading gear several times over.

Being able to get 0.5 MOA groups in my 7mm WBY is a bonus. It's a hunting rifle so just knowing it's capable of such accuracy boosts confidence while shooting in the field even if such accuracy is not needed.

Still need to buy components smartly. Always keeping an eye our for deals. Being friendly with the regular old timers at the local ranges pays dividends - some of those guys have veritable warehouses of stuff the never touched in decades and they like it having a new home where it will be appreciated.

I got a huge score for free (just had to pack and haul it away) when one of the wife's clients hoarder passed away - so much stuff they where overwhelmed. Would have cost them hundreds of $ to dump so they were happy to have me take away. It's almost embarrassing to tally up the value I got out of that haul. And it's not the only one!

[the_tunaman]

I have dies(not sure why) but the 5.7x28 (FN57) is the only one I will not load for. It is very tricky and brass is good for only 1-2 reloads. I just bought several cases of it when we did not have the ammo crap laws and I was able to get it for $18 per box of 50

[The War Wagon]

To recap, your relative can go pound sand.

I don't do black powder arms. NOT my cup of tea, but I'm a gun guy, and I "GET" why gun people enjoy WHAT they do.

If you're NOT a gun person, you'll never "get" ANYTHING about any ASPECT of guns. So yeah - my answer would be, "Because I can," and leave it at that.

[RandyD]

I had a neighbor who reloaded, and as a kid as young as 7, he had me reloading his shotgun shells. I bought my first press in 1975, I thought it would save me money, but I ended up upgrading everything and buying all the tools and accessories. I have a small fortune invested in reloading equipment. When California went fascist, I was glad that reloading was a hobby. I can not produce accurate, quality and cost effective ammo. Reloading has never had a downside for me.

[Rizzo]

It gives me a feeling of independence.