Who reloads.....and why?

Hogpatrol said:

Interesting reasoning and not taking anything away from, different strokes so to speak, but I think just the opposite. For DG, I'd trust myself before Hornady and a machine loaded production round.

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While the factory ammo may be very well made, few people would rate Hornady DG bullets as the best you can get. Plenty of people would rate them as questionable for use on DG.

To give credit where credit is due, if weren't for Hornady, cases for a lot of dangerous game cartridges would be a lot harder to come by and more expensive.

I will chalk it up to my inexperience, and defer to those experts here; putting aside handloading as the best option for accuracy and cost, which it is; as far as factory loads, I have been satisfied with Hornady since their recent improvements, more than other factory loads such as Barnes (DG) and Federal (deer). Since my quantity of DG is so much lower than deer rounds, and since accuracy demands over 50-60 yds. are lower than those over 100-400 yds. for deer, I have not had the pressing need to hand load 400 grains vs. 140 grain. Again, however, I defer to the experts.

Like many others I started with the Lee pound em in pound em out dies. Mine was for the 32 Winchester Special. It didn't take me long to figure out when I was shooting that 32 I could, for about the price of a box and a half of factory ammo, buy enough bullets, powder and primers to shoot 100 rounds. I was always good at math that way. The truth is I've never really saved money reloading, I just got to shoot more for the same money.

My first head of big game was to a reload and here I am 42 years later and still have never killed a head of big game with factory ammo. And darn few birds or varmints.

Nowadays reloading is my escape, my relaxation time. My job requires me to be on duty for 14 days straight and deal with a lot of radio and phone traffic as well as all the responsibilities of a supervisor. I work a two week on/two week off schedule and during my time off I spent most evening in the shop loading something.

Reloading has taken me down some very interesting roads; wildcats, obsolete rounds, cast bullets, specialty shotguns and even bullet swaging. It has all been joy to me. I've enjoyed working with the diminutive 17 Remington and a gentle little 6mmx222 wildcat, the obsolete 256 Mannlicher and 8x56 MS, curious rounds like the 222 Rimmed and 401 Herters Powermag, and even helped a young bear guide work up loads for his 460 Van Horn. Some have frustrated me to one degree or another. All have been enjoyable.

I revel in bringing old shotguns back to use in the duck blinds with bismuth and ITX. It breaks my heart to see so many wonderful old duck guns relegated to the back of the safe or closet when once they were kings and queens upon their duck blind thrones. My old Ithaca Lewis 10 gauge 2 7/8" comes to life with 1 1/4 ounce loads of bismuth and smites ducks like a hammer. My Thomas Bland 12 bore 2 1/2" rivals 20s and 28s for light weight but demands reloads. No one in Alaska, to my knowledge, carries 2 1/2" ammunition and I'd rather have the satisfaction of using reloads.

I cannot imagine not reloading for my guns. It still fascinates me after all these years.

I too started with the old Lee Loader, mine in .22 Hornet back in the early '70's. I simply couldn't afford the $13.00 a box factory ammo was selling for. I just finished up loading another 50 rounds of practice ammo for my .375 H&H for a little less than $25.00, around here if you can find factory loads the cheap stuff is over $60.00 for 20 rounds after tax is paid.

I find reloading a relaxing pastime and very rewarding. I get a lot of satisfaction when I take an animal or shoot a bragging size group on paper with ammo I've loaded myself.

I hand load for the many reason that have been mentioned above. Yes, some of it is to be cost effective especially when some of the calibers I shoot are 318 WR, 404 Jeffery, 425 WR, 416 Rigby, 450 Nitro No2, and 500 Jeffery. Cost aside, I believe all hand loaders would say the ability to select their favorite bullet and work up loads for their rifle to obtain the best accuracy and performance is the main reason we do it. What a rewarding process to develop a hunting load and reap the soils after a great hunt.

Yes, you can take plenty of game with a factory load, but the satisfaction of putting the components together, practicing with your hunting load, and finishing with a successful hunt is why I hand load. A hand loader always relishes the recovery of their bullet from the harvested animal to see how it preformed and to later to drop that bullet on their scale in order to determine overall weight retention. I do not know if the hunter who buys his ammo derives these same pleasures.

With the numerous quality bullet manufactures today, vast calibers to choice from, and vast amounts of load data, I cannot help but want to hand load. I read on this very forums 25 pages of people speaking against Hornady ammunition. Here is my response: load your own ammunition. There has never been a better period to become a hand loader, and it is never to late to start.

The last store bought Ammo I bought was 9mm because it was cheap I now even reload it. I have a rifle with a chamber that is cut a little short,no way factory ammo would work, usually I would return the firearm for repair or refund but all I did was order a tool to cut the case a few thousands and problem solved and I can still use the brass in my other not so finicky 7-08

John A Flaws said:

I hand load for the many reason that have been mentioned above. Yes, some of it is to be cost effective especially when some of the calibers I shoot are 318 WR, 404 Jeffery, 425 WR, 416 Rigby, 450 Nitro No2, and 500 Jeffery. Cost aside, I believe all hand loaders would say the ability to select their favorite bullet and work up loads for their rifle to obtain the best accuracy and performance is the main reason we do it. What a rewarding process to develop a hunting load and reap the soils after a great hunt.

Yes, you can take plenty of game with a factory load, but the satisfaction of putting the components together, practicing with your hunting load, and finishing with a successful hunt is why I hand load. A hand loader always relishes the recovery of their bullet from the harvested animal to see how it preformed and to later to drop that bullet on their scale in order to determine overall weight retention. I do not know if the hunter who buys his ammo derives these same pleasures.

With the numerous quality bullet manufactures today, vast calibers to choice from, and vast amounts of load data, I cannot help but want to hand load. I read on this very forums 25 pages of people speaking against Hornady ammunition. Here is my response: load your own ammunition. There has never been a better period to become a hand loader, and it is never to late to start.

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well written and I agree 100%

I'm 58 & started in my early 20's to feed my habit. Mostly pistol at the time. Now I load mainly for rifle. I shoot a 9.3x62 & 375 H&H & wanted to tailor loads to tame the recoil. (The 9.3 is a 6.5 lb rifle, 7.75 with scope mounts & sling; it was a bit harsh for me w/factory loads) I also enjoy shooting a 30-06 & 243 w/light loads to get some trigger time & field practice in for hunting. Plus, it's fun!

It's fun, I'm able to shoot more (mainly pistol, but enjoy toying with my rifles as well), I learn a lot about the cartridge I'm reloading (history, uses etc), and I do think in the long run I save money.

John A Flaws said:

I hand load for the many reason that have been mentioned above. Yes, some of it is to be cost effective especially when some of the calibers I shoot are 318 WR, 404 Jeffery, 425 WR, 416 Rigby, 450 Nitro No2, and 500 Jeffery. Cost aside, I believe all hand loaders would say the ability to select their favorite bullet and work up loads for their rifle to obtain the best accuracy and performance is the main reason we do it. What a rewarding process to develop a hunting load and reap the soils after a great hunt.

Yes, you can take plenty of game with a factory load, but the satisfaction of putting the components together, practicing with your hunting load, and finishing with a successful hunt is why I hand load. A hand loader always relishes the recovery of their bullet from the harvested animal to see how it preformed and to later to drop that bullet on their scale in order to determine overall weight retention. I do not know if the hunter who buys his ammo derives these same pleasures.

With the numerous quality bullet manufactures today, vast calibers to choice from, and vast amounts of load data, I cannot help but want to hand load. I read on this very forums 25 pages of people speaking against Hornady ammunition. Here is my response: load your own ammunition. There has never been a better period to become a hand loader, and it is never to late to start.

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Well said. This pretty much hits the nail on the head.

JWB300 said:

Accuracy, choice of projies and the satisfaction of doing it yourself! I certainly didn't do it to save money!

Cheers,
JWB300

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I reload because I have several rifles in calibers that are no longer loaded commercially. In addition I enjoy making up special loads for specific hunting circumstances. I tend to tailor loads for specific game in specific hunting scenarios.

Cant buy factory 45 grain barnes tsx .22 hornet or any gs custom factory loads. Now its increasingly difficult to buy .375 h and h solid loads with consistent oal and velocity

brushmore said:

Can any of you recommend any books or starter kits for someone to get started with reloading?

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brushmore
Hornaday reloading manual No10 is a good place to start. I bought a,Lee anniversary press kit. Pre breach locker model. I intended to upgrade later but it does such a,good job I never did. In fact I bought their C press for loading at the range and the hand press for the bush. If I can make loads for my son's 308 that shoot half inch groups at 100 yards I don't see the need to go bigger, better or more expensive. It's still going strong after 12 years and God knows how many 1,000s of rounds.
Cheers mate Bob

vinnymbogo said:

Accuracy: .416 Rigby (CZ).....100 yds.....Norma brass....410gr Woodleigh RN.....98.2gr IMR 7828!

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Vinnymbogo
That thar is sum mighty fancy shoot'n mate.
Cheers mate Bob

Cornelius 1 said:

Hi guys.Would it work me out cheaper to buy a hornedy kit for my 308 or just get the dies etc for the lee kit that i have inherited from my dad?

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Cornelius
Just buy a set of LEE RGB dies and a No2 shell holder and go for it. I use that for my son's 08 and it groups half inch at 100 yards using Hogdon CFE223 and 150 grain accubonds.
Cheers mate Bob

Four main reasons for me.

First is accuracy. For hunting, relaoding is a 'nice to have', giving a bit more accuracy over factory, but not so much that it really matters. My main hunting rifle gives around 1.5" 5 round groups with factory, or around 1" with reloads. For competition though, it's an essential. No factory offering meets the required 0.5MOA standard I need in my precision rifle, so I need to reload to be competitive.

Second is reliability of supply. In the UK, the ammo market is small, so the chances of reliably and consistently sourcing a single factory load is chancy at best, especially in the bigger calibres where sourcing ammo at all is difficult. Reloading allows me to buy components in larger quantities and from online buyers (buying ammo online is a faff legally), so I can always shoot what my rifles like.

Third is cost. I shoot maybe a thousand rounds a year. I save around 50 pence/ round in 270, so my reloading kit paid for itself in a few months. For .375H&H, I can load for around 1.50/round versus £5/round for factory. I shoot approx 20 rounds a month, so a non-trivial amount of saving there too.

Fourth is versatility. Reloading allows me to work up stuff that simply isn't available in factory offerings. The big one for me here is mild cast loads in .44 Rem Mag. I am required by range regulations to use cast bullets for one discipline, and no one supplies this in factory that I've seen. It also gives me options for reduced power mild loads in .270 and .375 for practice, and also significantly hotter loads than factory in .270 and 6.5CM for long range or hunting work.

I purchased my first tool in 1944/45 and it is a Lyman tong tool. Also called a nut cracker. It was for a 25-20 and I was able to buy the rifle at the same time. A Marlin lever action. Local farm sale.
Since then I have used a Lyman True Line Jr., a Herters #3, a Mec and then to a RCBS Rockchucker (orginal throat) and then a Rockchucker #4. Still have both Rockchuckers on the bench, use the #4 for any cartridge over 2 1/5 case length. The older RC has loaded 100,000s of rounds of handgun and PD rounds over the past and also kept the 7mm Rem, 300 Wby 340 Wby and a 375 . The RC #4 is an improvement in leverage and wider throat.
Why do I load——well for me it is a way of life and enjoyment but back in the day when shooters were trying to achieve minute of angle reloading was an aid to achieve that goal. Bullet selection is another reason and the satisfaction of hunting/shooting with your own reloaded ammo.
A great hobby and pastime.

I know I've replied to this thread already, but it got brought back to the top and I realized I have another prime reason for handloading on the way...a Model 53 in 32-20.

The factory ammo available for the 32-20 is very limited (ie very low pressure) and quite expensive. I have 500 Starline cases and 1,000 cast bullets just waiting for the rifle to arrive.

I can make everything from cat-sneeze loads to 115gr flat points at 2,000+ fps. And do it all at about 1/3 the cost of the offerings from Winchester and Remington.

The 32-20 will be my 46th different cartridge to load...and I am in my 46th year of handloading.

I hope to make it to at least 70 cartridges and 70 years of loading!

I live on a small island in the North sea, we do have a gunshop but as you can imagine the stock is limited, so I find reloading the easiest option. I can order everything except powder and primers but the gunshop can order that in when the order is big enough.
I think I would still reload no matter where I was because I think it's a fantastic addition to the sport, for me, the reloading is a huge part of shooting/hunting.
I do think I sometimes shoot to reload. I love the anticipation of reloading, putting in the hours in the gunroom then waiting for a nice day (sometimes I have a long wait) to see the results. Is the results going to give huge satisfaction or that WTH is going on here feeling.
My wife thinks I have problems, I think she might be right

Relaxing hobby when I get the time to do it. I reload my cartridges slow and check powder weights by hand for each cartridge. Most of the reloading stuff I have is from the mid 70s when I started reloading. And, kind of a satisfaction when the cartridge goes BANG with no issues!