Why Load Common Rounds?

Muleskinner · Nov 2, 2018

1) self satisfaction. The same reason I build my own firearms from 80%
2) It's a hobby...I could go to a restaurant every night but I like to cook...same idea
3) quality control
4) I generally still can beat the price of commercial rounds by a penny or 2...it adds up over time, especially if you load in bulk like I do
5) It easier to explain to "she who must be obeyed" $35 for 1000 primers $25 for a pound of powder than $250 for a box of commercial stuff..

730dc · Nov 2, 2018

im not sure how you figure your cost per round but if you shoot a fair bit it is substantial discount reloading the common calipers . of course this is provided that you pickup your brass or get brass for free from friends or the range. if you buy new or used brass every time i can understand your point. you can reload 9mm with poly coated lead bullets for about $10 per hundred, or precision delta jhp or fmj for like $13 per hundred provided you have the brass already. with a dillon 650 case feeder that about 6-8 min of time to save $7-$10 (5,000rd a year save you $350-$500) . if it was me i wouldn't worry about equipment cost as dillon alway does well with resale as the warranty is life time regardless of owner .

Bolts Rock · Nov 2, 2018

DaemonAssassin said:
I just want to know where you are finding Wolf primers...

Last time up there was 3-1/2 years ago at Chantilly. Down here a couple years ago in Anniston. Down here I snagged 10K of the CCI No. 41 at the LGS for under $30/brick.

Bolts Rock · Nov 2, 2018

teratos said:
You mean .45 Long Colt?

Any Colt is long compared to you Doc.

lawrencewendall · Nov 2, 2018

I started because I was frustrated with the inconsistency of factory loads for my 30-30. I knew I wasn’t that bad of a shot at 100 yds. Reloading brought the grouping down to an acceptable level. 9mm brass still just sits on the shelf.

K-43 · Nov 2, 2018

teratos said:
You mean .45 Long Colt?

Misters. Smith, Wesson, and Schofield do not appreciate being called ".45 Short".

sxs · Nov 2, 2018

squaregrouper said:
I started reloading, single stage, about 5 years ago for my obsolete and hard to locate rifle calibers. I have since added .300AAC subs ($$$) and 6.5CM (repeatable precision for distance cartridges).
Getting a progressive press is now a serious consideration, and I had a session with DA's Dillon 550 for .223 a few weeks back. My component cost- powder, projectiles and primers came to 25cpr. Commercial loads can be had for 30cpr.
Herein lies my problem... I have been running the numbers, and I cannot, for the life of me, figure out the benefit of reloading common caliber plinking rounds. Increased accuracy is trivial with pistol rounds, as virtually none of us are a good enough shot to appreciate an improvement of .25" @ 25yds.
My math shows .40cpr to load my own .357 Sig, and that is an expensive round to buy. Why does anyone load 9mm, when factory loads can be bought for $9/box of 50.
I understand the accuracy thing for rifles and (obviously) understand the benefits of reloading pricey or hard to find cartridges. However, I would have to load 10's of thousands of rounds to break even financially, let alone the time for case prep and actual reloading.

Thoughts?

.

I don't....at least not nearly as much....any more. I do reload my hunting rounds and 357 Mag ammo. The 38 and 357 I load is mainly because I have so many reloading components for it.

You really have to spend some time on the reloading and shooting benches these days to get ammo better than some that is commercially available. That wasn't as true 30+ years ago when I was reloading most of my ammo. Then there is the fact that I don't shoot the volume of ammo I used to.

sxs · Nov 2, 2018

squaregrouper said:
OP here- You typed what I was thinking. If I want precision or cost savings, I hand load.
The reason I started this thread was, yesterday I ran the numbers for my most used pistol rounds and .38 Special was the only one that made sense to me to reload.

.

As I mentioned, I load 38 primarily because I have so many components for it. What just occurred to me is that prelubed hard cast quality Wadcutters and SWC are increasingly hard to find, significantly more expensive in years gone by, and they made for pretty good (both cheap and accurate) loads back in the day.

sxs · Nov 2, 2018

gemihur said:
I load because I shoot outside my platform's thresholds.
My contender won't tolerate commercial ammo in 250/3000 and I don't think it's available anyhow.
I keep my loads within moderate pressures.

I haven't been shooting my Contenders regularly, except the .223 barrel. But when I shoot my favorite TC hunting calibers, they are simply not available commercially (30 Herrett and 7mm TCU). Also, 6mm Remington is not available many places. A few years back, I picked up a Mannlicher Schoenauer Carbine in .244 Rem (previous name for the 6mm Rem) and since it has a different rate of twist than the 6mm Ruger Varmint I have, if I decide to shoot it more, I will be reloading. That thing LOVES the Sierra 85 gr BTHP with a mid-size load of 4831. The Ruger 77 V does better with a hot loaded (IMR 4831) Sierra 85 BTHP or even a mid-loaded 100 gr (I use Nosler PArtition) using IMR 4350.

I've all but stopped loading for shotshells. I'll should probably dig out my MEC 650 loaders in 20 and 12 ga and sell 'em. If I do any future shotshell reloading, the MEC Jrs I have will suffice. I highly doubt I'll ever shoot 4-6k rounds a year ever again given I haven't shot that volume of trap since the early 90s. Lat few years I probably only shoot 200 to 300 rounds per year....plus 50 to 100 rounds miscellaneous hunting some of which may involve steel shot which I have never reloaded

PowPow · Nov 2, 2018

Muleskinner said:
5) It easier to explain to "she who must be obeyed" $35 for 1000 primers $25 for a pound of powder than $250 for a box of commercial stuff..

Great point!!

PowPow · Nov 2, 2018

sxs said:
As I mentioned, I load 38 primarily because I have so many components for it. What just occurred to me is that prelubed hard cast quality Wadcutters and SWC are increasingly hard to find, significantly more expensive in years gone by, and they made for pretty good (both cheap and accurate) loads back in the day.

Yep, same here. The only stuff that seems readily available is usually in a jacketed format. I remember when you could walk in and find a shelf full of wadcutter loads at the LGS (our town's hardware store). I used to go with my Dad on those trips decades ago. Now, the shelf is all jacketed. It's still easy to find fairly decent commercial cast boolits for reloading (Missouri Bullet Co & Matt's), but I think they are merely a stepping stone to the answer that will keep the desired bullet source supplied: casting one's own. The problem then translates into developing a consistent lead source. That's where I'm at. :innocent0

Bolts Rock · Nov 2, 2018

PowPow said:
Yep, same here. The only stuff that seems readily available is usually in a jacketed format. I remember when you could walk in and find a shelf full of wadcutter loads at the LGS (our town's hardware store). I used to go with my Dad on those trips decades ago. Now, the shelf is all jacketed. It's still easy to find fairly decent commercial cast boolits for reloading (Missouri Bullet Co & Matt's), but I think they are merely a stepping stone to the answer that will keep the desired bullet source supplied: casting one's own. The problem then translates into developing a consistent lead source. That's where I'm at.

Rotometals.com

PowPow · Nov 2, 2018

Bolts Rock said:
Rotometals.com

In a pinch, yes. That's where I got started. Missouri Bullet sells their BHN 16-18 alloy, which is pretty good, cheaper than I could buy components to make the same, and it is cheaper by far than the equivalent from rotometals. I can adjust it to suit my needs. However, what I'm talking about is developing a source that is cheaper than this type of commercial seller.

Pinecone · Nov 3, 2018

ToolAA said:
I know members who compete in IDPA/USPSA who develop loads to slightly exceed the minimal power factor requirements in order to create consistent loads with the lightest recoil possible.

I do it because it saves a little money and enjoy it.

That is why I got my Dillon 650.

My loads were just above min power factor. And cheap, using cast bullets.

As for time, I can load 800 - 1000 pistol rounds in a hour. So not a huge time factor.

IronEye · Nov 3, 2018

I reload 38 Special +P and 44 Special on the warm side. Looking to get about 1000FPS with hard cast lead bullets. Reloads are cheap compared to Buffalo Bore/Underwood/Double Tap ammo at that performance level. Commercial ammo is at or above $1 per round.

DarrellA · Nov 3, 2018

I reload 7mm-08, .308 and .223. Because I enjoy the tinkering.

Rockzilla · Nov 3, 2018

Cause I have dies from years ago...when some of those
rounds were not cheap to buy back then.. Anyway cast for
9mm, 45ACP, 44Mag, 38/357, 45LC, some others, thanks
to MiHec and his molds, get the lead from another guy.
Got back into 12 ga, yeah I know you can buy it cheaper,
when you got components from years ago it helps. I don't
3 gun or anything that will burn up 1,000's of rounds unless I
take out some of the "toys" basically load 17Rem, 22Hornet
out to 50BMG, anda lot in the betweens... TC Contender and
the various wilcats.. It' enjoyment and not work (yet)
Got a bit of common brass, TW, WRA,WCC, FA, LC....

-Rock

KRC · Nov 4, 2018

Beach Jumper · Nov 4, 2018

I have been reloading for 25 years, from a Lee Anniversary, to a Loadmaster progessive (yuck) and currently a Dillon 650. Consistently load very accurate 45's for .16/round, shoot every week, and don't break the bank. You wont be buying too much top quality .45 acp ammo for 8 bucks a box. I load 44 special and Mags, .38/357, and 45's. I don't load 9mm because the small case spills too much powder in a progressive, it is comparatively cheap to buy, and I don't shoot that much 9mm.

Granted there was a learning curve......but the satisfaction, enjoyment of the science of reloading, and cost savings make reloading an enjoyable part of firearms ownership.

Besides....it's good alone time in the gun room !

Pinecone · Nov 5, 2018

I reload and buy common rounds.

When cheap, I buy bulk. To stock.

And I still reload most calibers I shoot.

Why Load Common Rounds?

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Living in Free America!

Living in Free America!

Been There, Done That

West of Morning Side

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Where's the beef?

Where's the beef?

Living in Free America!

Where's the beef?

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Jacksonian Independent

Ultimate Member

Active Member

Member

Ultimate Member

Users who are viewing this thread

Log in

Forum statistics