@45-70guy
@BryceM
Im one of the "kids" you mention. Not from AK. I grew up with a couple of reloaders in my church and was always intrigued. But mother didn't like guns. Fast fwd to now: I have a Lee auto turret and a single stage. Have thrown 10k+ of various straight wall cartridges. This summer I will start to dable in necked cartridges, just never got around to learning the additional steps. Because, well...lazy. But I have a couple buckets of mixed rifle from 5.56 to 416rigby and everything in between.
Enjoy the learning process.
That sounds similar to the process I use to obtain .22/30-30 Ackley Improved. Suitable for a Hi-Wall to obtain 22/250+ performance.
Bob, that's about the exact load we worked up. Love H-4350 and the TTSX really brings that round into the 21st century. I killed most of my critters as a kid with that rifle.
I’ve always dreamed of someday doing that with something substantial, but then I find another caliber run with it. That’s what happened with the 35 whelen!
That’s what I’m running in my 25-06 just a plain TSX 100g and I’m using IMR 4831
@Ray B
I just came here to call you on your bs. I have no interest in reloading . For my needs factory ammo supplies my needs . I do work a more than full time job as does my wife . We grow raise or hunt much of our own food while raising our children. Sometimes you choose what matters. It’s not about being lazy. But comments like yours really help to ok boomer stereotypes
The gun stores in Alaska were the ones that told me they didnt sell reloading stuff because they thought people under 35 were too lazy to reload .I tried to get a ton of kids to reload none wanted any part of it .I have bought a tons of reloading stuff from estates because the kids wanted no part of it .I have seen bullet making from molds just about disapear but tons of them at estate sales .
I said I had no interest but that was probably a lie. As I get into larger or different calibers it may become something I do. Right now is not that time
That’s sometimes true… but not always… even with the inflated current cost of components…
For example I can buy a box of Barnes .308 168gr ttsx for right at $40 with my veterans discount at cabelas (not the cheapest source)… so $0.80 per bullet…
I just bought 1000 federal 210 primers today at cabelas for about $59 with my discount.. so right at $0.06 per primer..
The brass is already paid for..
I can get right at 150 charges out of a pound of IMR 4064.. that’s $0.37 a charge paying $56 a pound… so I can build a very accurate, devastating, premium cartridge for about $1.23 for my 308… so $24.60 a box of 20… the load replicates the factory Barnes Vor-tx 168 gr ammo.. which sells for $59 a box at midway… I’m saving $35 a box…
Granted I’ve got the sunk cost of a press and some other tools.. but that gets spread over a dozen different cartridges… I’ve also got the cost of the dies… but after 2 boxes of ammo the savings pay for the dies…
Assume I shoot 8-10 boxes of ammo a year (hardly a high volume shooter)… it only takes a few years to recover the cost of the equipment… every year after that I’m saving a reasonably decent amount of money…
And I get to enjoy the process of hand loading along the way..,
Pre-covid the savings were much more significant..
Since I’ve been hand loading off and on since the 80’s… my gear has long since been paid for.. and I only hunt with premium bullets… It doesn’t make a lot of sense to buy factory ammo…
When you start calculating cost of reloading it takes all the fun out of it.That’s sometimes true… but not always… even with the inflated current cost of components…
For example I can buy a box of Barnes .308 168gr ttsx for right at $40 with my veterans discount at cabelas (not the cheapest source)… so $0.80 per bullet…
I just bought 1000 federal 210 primers today at cabelas for about $59 with my discount.. so right at $0.06 per primer..
The brass is already paid for..
I can get right at 150 charges out of a pound of IMR 4064.. that’s $0.37 a charge paying $56 a pound… so I can build a very accurate, devastating, premium cartridge for about $1.23 for my 308… so $24.60 a box of 20… the load replicates the factory Barnes Vor-tx 168 gr ammo.. which sells for $59 a box at midway… I’m saving $35 a box…
Granted I’ve got the sunk cost of a press and some other tools.. but that gets spread over a dozen different cartridges… I’ve also got the cost of the dies… but after 2 boxes of ammo the savings pay for the dies…
Assume I shoot 8-10 boxes of ammo a year (hardly a high volume shooter)… it only takes a few years to recover the cost of the equipment… every year after that I’m saving a reasonably decent amount of money…
And I get to enjoy the process of hand loading along the way..,
Pre-covid the savings were much more significant..
Since I’ve been hand loading off and on since the 80’s… my gear has long since been paid for.. and I only hunt with premium bullets… It doesn’t make a lot of sense to buy factory ammo…
Hard disagree. That's the fun part
OTOH, I just took delivery of three Lyman 55 powder measures of various vintages, two RCBS beam scales from the 1970's, and C-H and Redding beam scales from somewhere in the late 50's to early 60's. Why? I don't remember now; I think I was looking for a 55 to compare to the new Brass Smith measure I just bought and went on a nostalgia trip. eBay is not
