To reload or not to reload?

Reloading equipment, methods, load data, powder and projectile information.

To reload or not to reload?

Post by pete1 » 22 Sep 2018, 4:51 pm

Ok so im at point where ive debated for past 12 months about reloading and worked out ill save 50% of factory ammunition, excluding set up costs.

But what i want to know is what convinced you guys to reload?
22LR
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308
12G
12G
12G
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by Oldbloke » 22 Sep 2018, 5:33 pm

The greatest invention in the history of man is beer.
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by Rod_outbak » 22 Sep 2018, 5:42 pm

When I started reloading in the early 1980's, the greatest motivation was availability of ammo that best suited our needs.
Second greatest motivation was how much cheaper it was to reload, as new ammo was vastly more expensive.
These days; greatest motivation to reload is the ability to tweak ammo to best suit a particular firearm.

And because it is one of the few things that gives me some satisfaction in year 7 of the worst drought ever known; it's something that I can do well, with immediate beneficial results.
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by JimTom » 22 Sep 2018, 5:46 pm

Better accuracy, a financial saving, but most of all because it’s realaxing and satisfying to reload something that shoots 0.5” at 100m.
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by JimTom » 22 Sep 2018, 5:47 pm

If you do a search mate there is plenty of information on this topic available on other threads too.
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by Gaznazdiak » 22 Sep 2018, 7:00 pm

$$$
fideles usque ad mortem
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by marksman » 22 Sep 2018, 7:40 pm

to shoot better, save money and expand my knowledge
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by Stix » 22 Sep 2018, 7:59 pm

Ditto...Right there...^^^
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 22 Sep 2018, 8:02 pm

Save money...lol..... yeah I thought that too.. just spent 130 on reloading dies last week
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by Stix » 22 Sep 2018, 8:21 pm

Spending $130 on reloading dies doesnt come into it in my book...

Reloading is a hobby :thumbsup: ...well maybe not so much the bulk pistol ammo on your automatic dillon press type reloading for blowing away 300 rounds per day..., or even necessarily sitting at your lee load-all and pumping out 300 12g target loads to blow off with some mates for an afternoon with the hand thrower...,but i believe reloading for accuracy in a rifle is a hobby...

When you nail a long shot &/or shoot that personal best group...its kind of like that feeling you get when youve built something...restored that piece of timber furniture etc etc.

There is a rather large personal achievement from an emotional point of view attached to it...along with the want to improve.

Look at Rod's recent thread...viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10624
...all his beautiful hard work on display... :thumbsup: only a reloader knows what he is feeling...!! :thumbsup:

Eating your own hunted game tastes so much better than a schnitty at the pub or a lamb chop in a foam tray from the supermarket...so just imagine how good it tastes when you nailed with a cracker shot from your own hand loaded ammo...!!! :thumbsup: :drinks:
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by tom604 » 22 Sep 2018, 8:40 pm

reloading press kit--$500+ the fact that you have to buy the brass or shoot it before you can reload it again, more $, all the other stuff add more $$$ ,,you have to shoot a ****** load of ammo to make any of it back, save money by reloading don't make me laugh,it will cost you money,give you gray hair and drive you slightly mad.
i don't reload to save money i reload for frustrating fun :lol: :lol:
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by JimTom » 22 Sep 2018, 8:43 pm

Yeah probably plenty of truth in that mate.
Although the cost per round is significantly less than buying factory ammo, you’d have to shoot a fair bit to cover the initial outlay of equipment.
Probably a bit of false economy I guess.
It is good fun though.
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 22 Sep 2018, 11:19 pm

Ahh but this $130 was after I said I have all the dies, everything I need.so I got a lee decapping die... and vowed I won't buy anymore reloading stuff... and so last week I ground too much of the lee case length guage cuz it was trimming the case to 3 thousandths more than minimum length in adi manual (I swear I don't have OCD).... so I just told myself I only need 1 case length guage... went to flea bay and while I was there might as well order an extra turret for my press so the decapping die can have it's own turret.... and then got a few more things to fill up the extra turret I was ordering. And yeah that amounts to 130. I swear I am saving money.

So I have used up 100 projectiles for the creedmore just testing things and seeing what effect different things have on the spread and standard deviation for the rounds I make...ohh yeah I got a magnetospeed about a month ago. Glad I haven't run into redding or forester dies.

I won't even go into hope even though Ithink really happy with my ultrasonic cleaner I was lokking at a wet tumbler on flea bay last week as well
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by Stix » 22 Sep 2018, 11:34 pm

WHAT...
:shock:
You dont have a wet tumbler... :wtf:
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by tom604 » 22 Sep 2018, 11:57 pm

you know you need one, be like nike,,,just buy it :lol: :lol:
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by wanneroo » 23 Sep 2018, 1:34 am

I used to consider reloading as one of those things old farts did in retirement while listening to talk radio.

When the great panic of 2013 happened here in the USA, ammo was stripped from the shelves, gun racks at stores were empty and you could hardly get anything for a year. 9mm shot up to $30 a box if you could find it. I decided I would learn how to reload to make sure I could always make my own ammo when prices or supplies were a temporary issue.

I think if you are going to shoot on a regular basis it's wise to learn how to reload. Once you pay the gear off, you save money and have quality control over your own ammo.
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by bladeracer » 23 Sep 2018, 1:35 am

pete1 wrote:Ok so im at point where ive debated for past 12 months about reloading and worked out ill save 50% of factory ammunition, excluding set up costs.

But what i want to know is what convinced you guys to reload?


I really don't remember.
I bought my first centrefire when I was seventeen, a box of twenty cases, a can of IMR4198, a variety of bullets, a Lee Loader, a Redding scale, and an RCBS case trimmer. My rifle never fired any factory ammo ever while I owned it.
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by Rod_outbak » 23 Sep 2018, 4:50 am

Reloading doesnt have to be overly expensive; a Lee hand-Loader is pretty cheap.

But as you fall into reloading, there is always another addition to the gear that will speed things up, make the end product more uniform, or just give you a warm inner glow.
After a while, like any other drug, you realise you've moved the reloading bench into the living room, and have sold the television...

On the up-side, unlike any other drug, the results of your labours can give you great satisfaction and even joy..

In my case, I simply cant afford to buy factory ammo for the amount we use in a year.
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by bigrich » 23 Sep 2018, 2:50 pm

For me, I reload for the increased accuracy. Smaller more consistent groups. That, and the ability to “tailor “ loads for the job at hand. It’ll take me years to recover the setup cost of press, trimmer, tumbler, etc. but the benefits outweigh the costs in my opinion
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 23 Sep 2018, 4:21 pm

Lol, thanks guys I'll obey you'r suggestion of a wet tumbler... but what else after that....lol

J/k I'll try and hold off for a bit
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by Stix » 23 Sep 2018, 4:37 pm

Nope...dont hold off ziad...!

Another rifle...
More brass...
More dies...

Sell a rifle to make room in the safe...???...HELL NO...!!
Another safe...
The cycle continues...!!
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by Cooper » 23 Sep 2018, 5:19 pm

I never really planned to start reloading. I bought my first centre fire (223) in the early 2000s and didn't start reloading until 10 years after. I saved my 223 brass from start. So I guess reloading was in the back of my mind somewhere.

The thing that forced me to start considering reloading was that I couldn't buy my 223 ammo anymore. Then I decided to go 7mm08 instead of just going a standard 308.

I now reload for 6 calibres 204,223,6.5 Grendel,6.5 creedmoor, 7mm 08 and 303 British.

My 6.5 Grendel has never had a factory round through it. And my 6.5 Creedmoor would be the same except I did buy a couple boxes of factories just to try.

I don't see myself ever not reloading now.
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by Bills Shed » 23 Sep 2018, 5:25 pm

I can not remember my reasoning back when I was 16 but it was worth it. Most likely $$$. As an apprentice I bought everything I needed second Hand from a bloke to reload my Mini 14, in 223 Rem...remember them? Still got most of that gear. That auto loader chewed through some pretty ugly ammo. These days the reloading has got really out of hand and my reloading has grown into making the jacketed projectiles as well. I always seem to be building another tray, pneumatic ram set up, auto ejection or some thing. I get just as much satisfaction out of building the gear/ machine to make a process easier and faster as I do from shooting my own ammo. These days, to me it is all about the process and build and not so much the hunting.

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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by bigrich » 24 Sep 2018, 8:12 pm

Bills Shed wrote:I can not remember my reasoning back when I was 16 but it was worth it. Most likely $$$. As an apprentice I bought everything I needed second Hand from a bloke to reload my Mini 14, in 223 Rem...remember them? Still got most of that gear. That auto loader chewed through some pretty ugly ammo. These days the reloading has got really out of hand and my reloading has grown into making the jacketed projectiles as well. I always seem to be building another tray, pneumatic ram set up, auto ejection or some thing. I get just as much satisfaction out of building the gear/ machine to make a process easier and faster as I do from shooting my own ammo. These days, to me it is all about the process and build and not so much the hunting.

Bill


it's a hobby bill, it's a hobby. :lol: :thumbsup: :drinks: yeh , ruger mini 14 = fun ! also m1 carbines were like a stirling 22 on steroids and fun as well :thumbsup:
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by zobster » 29 Sep 2018, 12:10 am

Reloading for me is firstly costs. I'm saving about 30%+ when I roll my own. The ability to customize etc is secondary.
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by AZZA'S HJ47 » 29 Sep 2018, 8:46 pm

So many reasons if your not doing it for the money savings do it for the tailored rounds. I lt may take a little tinkering but well worth it.
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Re: To reload or not to reload?

Post by TheDude » 29 Sep 2018, 9:25 pm

BC84F9F4-1583-424B-A116-33100F55D9D1.jpeg
BC84F9F4-1583-424B-A116-33100F55D9D1.jpeg (1.77 MiB) Viewed 4489 times


This is one of the reasons I reload. 20c 300 blackout plinking rounds
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