Should I start reloading?

[Ike85123]

Reloading is something to "ease" into at the present time. Take your time, make a list - gear and components- maybe for just one rifle, (or pistol) round you like for practice. Accumulate quality gear as you can find it.

Hopefully you have saved a lot of brass.

Ya. I have probably 5k or more of once fired 300wm. Ive always saved it. Not sure why. Lol

 

[Rimshot]

For presses you'll probably end up with several. However, I think you'll need something like the Redding UltraMag (over 4" of ram stroke) for stuff like your 500 NE because of it's length. I got one to do my 9.3x74R more easily and I can't believe I didn't get it sooner. That press also has a lot of leverage so things like case forming and resizing jacketed bullets are very easy.

 

[Inline6]

As other have said it's a bad time to start reloading.

Primers that you should be able to by for 35.00 per 1k are now going for 300.00 on GB. I know do buy them right? Good luck trying to find some. And if you do, it will still be much higher than normal times. Powder is the same way. Now would be a good time to read and learn as much as you can. I pray that in two years things are back to normal. I'm not holding my breath.

As far as time goes, you get out of it what you put into it. I guess the real question is what kind of accuracy do you expect? I have very good equipment, I paid a lot of money for. I spent the money because I am able to buy my time back with it's use. I can throw 200 powder charges in a hour with seating the bullet all charges are within .02 gr from one another (not a typo one kernel of powder). I would venture to say I average 50-75 rds an hour all in. That's cleaning, full length resizing, trimming/chamfer, cleaning, annealing, priming, powder, seating bullet. I expect single digit SDs and my groups sub .25moa. Those are my expectations does not mean they are most people's.

Side note, if you have 5k of ounce fired 300wm start selling that off and offset the cost of equipment to start reloading. My .02

 

[Ike85123]

As other have said it's a bad time to start reloading.

Primers that you should be able to by for 35.00 per 1k are now going for 300.00 on GB. I know do buy them right? Good luck trying to find some. And if you do, it will still be much higher than normal times. Powder is the same way. Now would be a good time to read and learn as much as you can. I pray that in two years things are back to normal. I'm not holding my breath.

As far as time goes, you get out of it what you put into it. I guess the real question is what kind of accuracy do you expect? I have very good equipment, I paid a lot of money for. I spent the money because I am able to buy my time back with it's use. I can throw 200 powder charges in a hour with seating the bullet all charges are within .02 gr from one another (not a typo one kernel of powder). I would venture to say I average 50-75 rds an hour all in. That's cleaning, full length resizing, trimming/chamfer, cleaning, annealing, priming, powder, seating bullet. I expect single digit SDs and my groups sub .25moa. Those are my expectations does not mean they are most people's.

Side note, if you have 5k of ounce fired 300wm start selling that off and offset the cost of equipment to start reloading. My .02

Thats why i kept it before. We had a gunshop that would buy it. I would use yhe credit for ammo. He retired, closed the shop about 5yrs ago. Just been bagging it since.
I can wait, im not in a hurry to start.
Ive been cleaning out my shed. Throwing stuff away and putting the xmas stuff in thr attic.
Might make a good reloading room. I would rather not do it in the house. Lol

 

[gbflyer]

That’s quite a bit of shooting. Probably makes sense to reload, that is if there is any sense to be made of any of it[emoji1]

 

[Ike85123]

That’s quite a bit of shooting. Probably makes sense to reload, that is if there is any sense to be made of any of it[emoji1]

It never seemed like that much compared to some of friends. They use hundreds of rounds a month keeping the critters out of their fields.

 

[fourfive8]

Have thought about this question a lot lately. Right now, given the scarcity/expense of components, there is no way to recoup cost in the short term. You will have to approach it with a different mindset. I continue to reload because I know I can produce superior ammo for my firearms. I have “skin in the game” and have had for the last 53 years — be it loading for shooting targets or hunting. It forces full engagement in the whole shooting sports/hunting activity. Properly done, guaranteed more educational than all the videos or books out there that can only offer hands off, vicarious experience or entertainment. Use those resources as references and guidelines for your assistance but not as a substitute for using your own brain.

So, I say do it! Get as many load manuals and data sources as you can afford. Study internal ballistics and how things really work once that primer fires. Start with good equipment. Take time to invest slowly and start slowly if required due to cost or availability. Don’t listen to slick sales pitches from those behind the counter, on the net or who have limited experience. Approach like it is an integral part of shooting/hunting. Forget the notion it will pay for itself in the short term- it won’t. But the rewards can be priceless

 

[WAB]

My decision to reload is driven by accuracy not economics. I reload for all my rifles other than my .458 Lott and 6.5 Grendel. Every rifle I own will shoot moa or better, most much better. For example, my 9.3x62 shoots just under 1” with factory ammo. It shoots sub 1/2” with a tuned load.

 

[Muskox]

Reloading is an incredible time suck.

I shoot a lot of factory ammo in the old 6.5 CM, and 300 Win. But I also reload a lot.

Shooting things like the 416 Rem, my rifle has never been soiled by a factory round. If I was shooting a 500 NE I doubt I would ever fire a factory round.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Another 2¢, If factory ammo meets your accuracy requirements, I wouldn't bother with the time, effort and expense of reloading. Why? Because some rifles may shoot only marginally or not any better with reloads.

 

[leslie hetrick]

the very first shell i reloaded was a .244 remington(aka 6mm) in 1958 and i killed a doe with a standing neck shot useing that same shell. 85gr bullet at 3000 fps, over the years i don,t know how many thousands shells(pistol-rifle-shotgun) i have loaded, but its alot.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

the very first shell i reloaded was a .244 remington(aka 6mm) in 1958 and i killed a doe with a standing neck shot useing that same shell. 85gr bullet at 3000 fps, over the years i don,t know how many thousands shells(pistol-rifle-shotgun) i have loaded, but its alot.

@leslie hetrick
When I started reloading back in 1976 I used a hydraulic decapper for the old berdan primer, a cut off cartridge with a handle soldered on to it as a powder ripper and a old inline seater like the Lee.
O how times have changed. Presses, powder throwers and electronic scope scales and all the other gear.
Bob

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

@leslie hetrick
When I started reloading back in 1976 I used a hydraulic decapper for the old berdan primer, a cut off cartridge with a handle soldered on to it as a powder ripper and a old inline seater like the Lee.
O how times have changed. Presses, powder throwers and electronic scope scales and all the other gear.
Bob

You mean one of these dippers?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

You mean one of these dippers? View attachment 397418

@Skinnersblade
No that's to flash mine was just a bit of heavy brass wire. We would no have wasted another case.
Bob

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

@Skinnersblade
No that's to flash mine was just a bit of heavy brass wire. We would no have wasted another case.
Bob

Yeah I ruined a perfectly good once fired .375h&h to make a handle for a trail boss dipper. In my defence I had already sold my .375 and had a bunch of brass laying around.

 

[Tanks]

It pays for itself if you shoot enough. Here is my pistol reloading set up for .40 S&W,

 

[Justbryan]

No, don't buy bullets, power, or primers. Everybody should quite reloading and hording components. We don't need another reloader. By the way, my grandfather nick name is grumpy.

Seriously, I would wait for the craziness to pass.

 

[Ike85123]

It pays for itself if you shoot enough. Here is my pistol reloading set up for .40 S&W,

That is pretty amazing!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Yeah I ruined a perfectly good once fired .375h&h to make a handle for a trail boss dipper. In my defence I had already sold my .375 and had a bunch of brass laying around.

@Skinnersblade
375 brass is gold in the U.S. at the moment
Bob

 

[Pheroze]

I know I have saved a lot reloading for my 375 H&H. There is no comparison. I also know I have to reload to feed my 308 Norma Mag, and it is cheaper than buying factory when you can find them. I am not so sure there is any financial advantage to my 3006 or a 270 I load for. But, it gives me a project and I like to tinker. It also makes going to the range a lot more fun.

There are a number of nice folks who make great bullets, and it's a joy chatting with them.

I suppose if you already have hobbies, and shoot popular cartridges, then there is no point. But, once you shoot anything larger than 0.308 I think it makes sense.