Will reloading disapear with the new too lazy to do it generation

Tex .416 said:
Perhaps our viewpoints are formed by where we live. What I see at work, ranches, and ranges I frequent in Central and South Texas, young folks are as hard working and as motivated as ever. If anything, the ones I encounter are more grounded in reality in the wake of the events of 2020 with empty grocery store shelves and riots in which they were left to fend for themselves. They are hungry to learn how to defend and feed themselves and their families should the need arise. I see a lot more women of all ages actively involved in learning to shoot and hunt.

Instead of sitting around here grumbling, take a kid and a .22 to go shoot. Make it fun. Teach them safety, but let them have fun.

How many here have asked a young person if they would come over and help with reloading? Don't tell them you are going to teach them something, that sounds like school. Ask them to come help you. Kids typically are eager to help.

Let them weigh and pour powder and seat a bullet, the fun part.

Take them to the range and let them shoot the ammo they loaded. Then take them hunting with the ammo they loaded.

One more time, make it fun. Give them a gun that does not kick the hell out of them. A .223 bolt action with a good scope that fits them correctly and a big box of ammo sets the stage for some fun.

This is where an AR with an adjustable stock really shines although accuracy usually is not as good, so buy a pack of large "shoot'n see" targets. The reactive targets add some fun to it.

Make sure they can hit the target. Worry about pin point precision shooting down the line with a .22 at 10 or 15 yards.

Instead of complaining, give these young folks your time and interest in them and the smile in return is a priceless reward for payment. Plus, you just might teach them a skill that will blossom down life's road sometime in the future.
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Couldn't have said it better myself.
 
Since the begining of time every generation has thought the younger generation is been stupid and lazy. I'm sure our forefathers would be horrified that we don't even thatch our own roofs any more or smith our own nails or horse shoes. Yeah I think the youth of today's slang is stupid and their haircuts suck but I'm sure my grandfather thought the same of me. In fact I know he did, he told me directly while also asking what the point of fiction was.

I'm certainly not going to throw stones when I can't CAD my own 3D designs and print anything I want like some of them can, and I don't understand blockchain or AI which seemingly all of them do.

On the basis that the title should read 'is reloading dying out and if so why', I would hazard a guess that dying back is probably more appropriate. I shot out to 800m consistently on target in a 17mph crosswind yesterday with a 308 shooting 168gr PPU Matchline amunition at £25/box. Personally I work too many hours and have too many hobbies to spend time reloading when I can just work another hour and buy a hundred rounds and then spend the hour saved shooting rather than sat inside dreaming of shooting.

However, I am getting into reloading for the first time because I am the new owner of a double in 9.3x74r and it likes 186gr softpoints with 56.5 grains of N150 and Remmington large magnum primers.

I'm going to apply the wisdom frequently said by other members here "Don't buy another rifle [reloading setup and lifetime's supply of dies, heads, primers etc] when you could spend the money [and time] on another safari"
 
steve white said:
Ultimate answer: black plastic rifles (the ones younger shooters like) shoot cheap stuff for the most part. Why reload if factory ammo is cheap and you mostly "spray and pray" anyway?
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Not even close.

I'm in my 20s for another year. I have a savage 22-250 with a plastic stock for a truck rifle and an AR15 because the Government doesn't like them. Other than those, all my rifles are wood stocks and blue steel. I have more Winchester leverguns than most on here. Mauser 98's rule my gun selection. A few sporterized Enfields just for kicks. Revolvers are another favorite of mine.

I do a bit of reloading for my less common cartridges like 45-90, 375 WBY, 454 Casull, etc.

The real answer? Economics. Whenever friends ask me about getting into reloading I tell them that unless they have a specialty cartridge or shoot thousands of rounds of high power rifle ammo, they will never see a financial return on their reloading with current prices.

If primer and powder prices could drop by 50% (which they likely won't), I have a lot of acquaintances that would be taking a hard look at getting into reloading.
 
Laziness isn't the reason. The price of components is the real reason. My brother was a big time reloader. At one point he was shooting 200 rounds a week at the range. Combo of being young, unemployed, finishing college, etc. Nice life right? Anyway, at the time, he was telling me to reload a .308 round it cost him something absurdly low like $0.30 when at the time they were going for $1.25 a complete round.

There is still savings but with how hard, and expensive, the primers and powders have become...it's not worth it.

If I had a rare caliber that had hard to find ammo, I'd definitely reload.
 
I must admit I reload rarely but now Kyamco aka Kynoch has closed will get back to it .....however 7x57 7x,64 and 303 and 9.3 I use PPU moa out of my rifles and as 200m is my limit usually no drama ...So yes availability and quality has improved .....Also I am too dammed busy !
 
With regards to what youth are shooting today, I don't see the lazy angle. At $22.00 a hundred for 9mm Luger and $45.00 a hundred for 5.56 nato for target or plinking, it boils down to what one's time is worth.
 
Reloading is becoming a true niche. Very useful tool to know how to do properly and keep cartridges alive and versatile.

However, for me at the moment, I’m realizing my love for Wildcat big bore cartridges is working against me for practical use. When it comes to traveling with certain cartridges to other countries, if you don’t have properly headstamped brass for the caliber, you risk having your expensive Wildcat ammo confiscated.

I’ve been planning to use my 500 A-Square on my dry land hippo and buffalo hunt in 2027, but if I can’t find any properly headstamped brass, I’m not going to take the risk losing 40 or so rounds of hand-loaded ammo for not having the proper headstamp.

Other than this type of issue AND being able to source your favorite bullets and their desired weights, hand-loading for your caliber(s) is the way to go!
 
HookMeUpII said:
Laziness isn't the reason. The price of components is the real reason. My brother was a big time reloader. At one point he was shooting 200 rounds a week at the range. Combo of being young, unemployed, finishing college, etc. Nice life right? Anyway, at the time, he was telling me to reload a .308 round it cost him something absurdly low like $0.30 when at the time they were going for $1.25 a complete round.

There is still savings but with how hard, and expensive, the primers and powders have become...it's not worth it.

If I had a rare caliber that had hard to find ammo, I'd definitely reload.
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Yes. IMHO, the reloading of the smaller stuff for HUNTING or PLINKING has become an exercise in negative returns. I still reload for .375 and up.
 
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RootballExpress said:
Reloading is becoming a true niche. Very useful tool to know how to do properly and keep cartridges alive and versatile.

However, for me at the moment, I’m realizing my love for Wildcat big bore cartridges is working against me for practical use. When it comes to traveling with certain cartridges to other countries, if you don’t have properly headstamped brass for the caliber, you risk having your expensive Wildcat ammo confiscated.

I’ve been planning to use my 500 A-Square on my dry land hippo and buffalo hunt in 2027, but if I can’t find any properly headstamped brass, I’m not going to take the risk losing 40 or so rounds of hand-loaded ammo for not having the proper headstamp.

Other than this type of issue AND being able to source your favorite bullets and their desired weights, hand-loading for your caliber(s) is the way to go!
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Is your barrel stamped with the cartridge?
 
Hogpatrol said:
With regards to what youth are shooting today, I don't see the lazy angle. At $22.00 a hundred for 9mm Luger and $45.00 a hundred for 5.56 nato for target or plinking, it boils down to what one's time is worth.
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And when you factor in the price for 500+ round cases per round cost for those cartridges and some others, the ever increasing costs of reloading loses its luster real quick, especially if you have a life doing other things that require time and money.
 
Wyatt Smith said:
Most people shoot the common calibers like 9mm and 5.56 nato. Reloading offers little savings over the cheaper options of the above calibers.
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You can include .308FMJs for AR10s and .45ACP, .40S&W and 10mm when buying them by the case. Years ago, many weren't available by the case except military spec 5.56 and .308.
 
No
RootballExpress said:
Absolutely. Says “500 A-Square” nice and clear on the left side of barrel just in front of the action. If I’d had known this would have created conflict later down the road I would have had my gunsmith label it “460 Weatherby Magnum” instead
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That's the ticket!
 
Paul K said:
After reading some of the posts on this thread, it got me thinking. I'm beginning to think that i'm not wrapped right. When I buy a rifle, I don't buy ammo. I buy, brass, dies, and bullets, I think I need help. :LOL::unsure:
Paul
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I know your pain, lol.
Years ago my when my wife’s great uncle passed away, I was given all of his reloaded stuff as I was the only one they knew that reloaded. He had dies and brass for a few calibers I didn’t own. 3 that come to mind were 348 Winchester, 35 Remington and 358 Remington. Well, I had to buy a Marlin 336 in 35 rem, and a Winchester 71. Still on the search for a nice Winchester 88 in 358. Too me it only made sense because I had supplies to reload them! :ROFLMAO:

Another time I was at a local “swap meet”, and came across a bunch of crazy cheap 32 acp ammo. Two weeks later I bought a 32acp pistol.
Yeah, I got issues. :sneaky:
 
RootballExpress said:
Absolutely. Says “500 A-Square” nice and clear on the left side of barrel just in front of the action. If I’d had known this would have created conflict later down the road I would have had my gunsmith label it “460 Weatherby Magnum” instead
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Or have your gunsmith scratch out “A-Square” and add 500 “multi cartridge “. LOL
 
CoElkHunter said:
And then when you decide for whatever reason to stop reloading, all that reloading “stuff” you bought over the years is difficult to sell or even give away because the vast majority of younger shooters have no interest (or the money) to get into reloading.
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The alcohol industry is down 800 billion dollars from projections due to Gen Z and younger millennials being unable to afford to drink.

As for reloading, the vast majority of people never reloaded in the past, and that’s true today. Due to the easier access and information today, I’d think that the percentage is pretty similar. But less than 10% both then and now. Most hunter’s also shoot under 1-2 boxes of ammo a year, so it wouldn’t really make sense for them to reload either.
 
steve white said:
Just don't let the "impatient/short attention span" generation do reloading in a hurry. My youngest brother and nephew both got Lee shotgun reloader set ups and decided to mount them facing each other so they could have a race. Skipping a powder charge is an inconvenience at the clays course, but in the pheasant field, that puny little Phfttt sound (think Ontario Hunter) means you have to find a cleaning rod or weight to get the wad out of the bore, since only the primer charge went off. Of course, you will not just flub the pheasant you flushed, but Murphy's law will make SURE that one or more apparently truly retarded pheasants will suddenly walk out of cover, mill around oblivious to your presence and then disappear just before you can get back in action.
No....it didn't happen to me--I take my sweet time loading.
BTW, the results of their little race could accompany a lot more serious consequences if it involved rifle, or more still, pistol reloading.
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If no powder goes in the shell, the crimp will usually invert ... badly. Then all the shot falls out. Half loads are when a fella can get fooled. Crimp is just tight enough to fool you. Keep an eye on the bottles. And keep them clean enough so you can keep an eye on them.
 
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