Why we do this

[KABOOM]

Having spent the day loading .223 enjoying my task,after 200 rounds I think my brain melted. I first began handloading for the economy and versatility not found in factory offerings. The knowledge I have gained along the way is priceless, now with factory ammo more affordable the question arose why do we do this. As for me I think a three reasons, lower cost, accuracy, and yes I enjoy seeing the results of my labor on target. Why do you fellows load your own? Any ladies here I welcome the input as well

 

[Trigger73]

All I can say is that I'm going down that rabbit hole once all of this settles and the reason for me personally is the 3 reasons you highlighted. 

[terryh]

Kaboom,

The economy of it all obviously features but refining ammunition that works in your rifles must be ‘up there’ in the reasons. Caveat: some factory ammunition currently available is very good, like silly good 😎 e.g. recent play with Hornady in a stock Tikka Tac gave sub 1” group at 285 yards and a measured ES of 5 3 shot group. Accuracy was consistent throughout the morning.

In some cases (no pun) it is a matter of necessity e.g. BPCR, 6mm Dasher.

But I also, call me strange, quite enjoy reloading/casting - but I do it in stages and batches to avoid the brain fry you describe - also I’m lucky in that my middle son now shoots so I can delegate some of the less critical/easy to setup tasks to him.

The end product is the prize 😍

T

[terryh]

Trigger - warning , think cocaine might be cheaper? 😂

[DaveT]

Agree with all the above Plus.....here in the UK stocks of factory ammo can be patchy even if you find one that works.

I teach reloading and all of my students seem far happier to be independent of factory offerings despite the outlay on kit.

[Trigger73]

54 minutes ago, terryh said:

Trigger - warning , think cocaine might be cheaper? 😂

Yeah but no way as much fun 😉

[Popsbengo]

I reload for accuracy first and last.  Economy is questionable when I factor in all the tools, dies, press, scales etc etc etc.

Thankfully I quite enjoy reloading and the added pleasure of good results with your own ammo is great

[miki]

Originally for cost but then it became additive, like @Popsbengo"the added pleasure of good results with your own ammo is great". As understanding grew the cost factor evaporated now it's for the enjoyment.

[brown dog]

I'm at the other end of the spectrum, I dread reloading with a passion - a necessary evil.

 When I started, it was about price and accuracy. My early stalking ammo involved rebulleting er, 'reallocated' green dot ammo with 150gr NBTs.  Later, when precision rifle became a passion, Lapua 308 match ammo was prohibitively expensive, and I focussed on duplicating it.  For calibres like 6.5x47, it became the only viable option.

People who are lucky enough to enjoy reloading are blessed, just as those who enjoy things like tying flies.  

 

[Gandy]

I also don’t like reloading but, when I started it was about cost and accuracy. Now it’s about not having to make a trip to the gun shop so often as it’s a reasonable distance away. 
 

Can’t say I enjoy it to be honest; just another job. 

[ezmobile]

Gets me out of the way of my wife when,  seemingly,  I've upset her!☺️

Seriously though, in a way I do quite enjoy it, locked away in my "man cave" and having a solo conversation!  

Message to KABOOM: I was meant to be up your way in Wyoming in a couple of weeks time.......Ah well, maybe next year?

[Andrew]

It depends on the volume of shooting. I have often said that if I was wealthy, I would not reload. There are so many excellent factory loadings out there (Hornady 140 grain Match 6.5 CM, Fiocchi 50 grain VM for223 come to mind) that I could be happy doing without it. Unfortunately, I shoot too damn much. Dusted off 80 rounds of 6.5 Grendel Sunday evening alone. That is only one rifle. I would be bankrupt in a month if i didn't' buy bulk components and handload.~Andrew

[RobinC]

I'm with Brown Dog and Gandy,  I (we, as the wife also shoots, and helps), because we shoot ISSF 300 metre prone, we shoot two 60 shot matches plus sighters, each,  over a shooting week end,  so that's pushing 300 rounds of 6 mmBR match ammo in that week end, and factory is £2 a pop! 

I'd have our years supply loaded now, but I've run out of primers! But probably going to be a thin year any way!

Our sport is shooting, not reloading, and in an average season that's £4K if we bought factory, which as retired folks on fixed pensions we simply could not afford to do.  By reloading and developing our load, we have got it as good as the factory ammo, which is world record level, at about 70p a pop.

OK its satisfying knowing our ammo is capable of world level scores, but I'd rather not have the hassle, we also shoot TR 7.62 and I really can't be bothered to reload that, to work, to try and equal, what is first class match ammo (GGG, when they got it right!, not 2019!) at a reasonable price, and I've also dabbled with .223, and at short range (300 mt) the factory GGG 77gn is in the same class, so I won't be reloading either of those! 

Take care every one, and have fun.

Robin

 

[MarinePMI]

I started out as many, doing it save a bit of money and tailoring the ammunition to my rifle (singular) at the time.  Oh how the addiction that started 30+ years ago has led me down a path that became a bottomless pit (no thanks to some, like Andrew, who encouraged me along the way).

 

At first it was at least kept in the garage, but one press begat another press, and another...dies too.

 

Then the stuff migrated partially to my office to avoid the summer heat...

 

 

 

[MarinePMI]

And finally the office got so full, that the formal dining room table (which we never use) was taken over.

 

In my quest for speed and and convenience, as reloading became a burden, more tools were acquired.  Given a choice, I wouldn't reload, but like many here, my requirements are driven by differing cartridges and the volume needed to pursue various disciplines of the shooting world.  And so it continues...

 

I really needed a dedicated room, just for reloading...

[miki]

1 hour ago, MarinePMI said:

I really needed a dedicated room, just for reloading...

 

Yes you do  

What is that machine next to the AMP annealer ?

[MarinePMI]

A Giraud case trimmer.  One of the better time saving pieces of reloading equipment out there IMHO.

Those trim dies are spring loaded, so you just drop the case in the die, slowly press down (while it cuts) and then twist 180* to get and even, repeatable trim.  Can do about 100 cases in 5 mins (or less).

 

ETA:  And it trims and chamfers (inside and out) all in one cut.

[No i deer]

Looks like you have everything you need 🤣.

You could of bought alot of factory ammo from what you've spent on kit 😉.

[MarinePMI]

LOL, no doubt.  But this stuff has been acquired over the years, so it wasn't a big hit to the wallet all at once.

[geek]

10 hours ago, Popsbengo said:

I reload for accuracy first and last.  Economy is questionable when I factor in all the tools, dies, press, scales etc etc etc.

Thankfully I quite enjoy reloading and the added pleasure of good results with your own ammo is great

Agreed, same reasons for me.

[KABOOM]

11 hours ago, ezmobile said:

Gets me out of the way of my wife when,  seemingly,  I've upset her!☺️

Seriously though, in a way I do quite enjoy it, locked away in my "man cave" and having a solo conversation!  

Message to KABOOM: I was meant to be up your way in Wyoming in a couple of weeks time.......Ah well, maybe next year?

The sign at the state line says like no place else on earth, quite correct too, when you can do come here its the best place I have lived, after having spent years around the world while in the USMC and driving freight in this country all over im home and glad of it.

[KABOOM]

15 hours ago, terryh said:

Kaboom,

The economy of it all obviously features but refining ammunition that works in your rifles must be ‘up there’ in the reasons. Caveat: some factory ammunition currently available is very good, like silly good 😎 e.g. recent play with Hornady in a stock Tikka Tac gave sub 1” group at 285 yards and a measured ES of 5 3 shot group. Accuracy was consistent throughout the morning.

In some cases (no pun) it is a matter of necessity e.g. BPCR, 6mm Dasher.

But I also, call me strange, quite enjoy reloading/casting - but I do it in stages and batches to avoid the brain fry you describe - also I’m lucky in that my middle son now shoots so I can delegate some of the less critical/easy to setup tasks to him.

The end product is the prize 😍

T

Well said! My goal was 1k of .223 this week if im lucky I will do half that! My greatest pleasure in hunting is game taken with a single shot rifle and ammo I load, can it get better? I rather doubt that.