Why Did You Start Reloading?

[Heavy6]

For one, I lived in southern kalifornia. Even in 1993, the writing was on the wall that California was well on the way to becoming kalifornia. A third world hole. Although I escaped, I could see the need in the future to have the ability to produce my own quality ammo. Seems I was proven correct. Being able to make ammo sure beats the alternative when the next anti-firearms push starts. If you can't buy completed rounds, maybe you can buy components. If you can't buy components, maybe you can buy completed rounds. Reloading provides a very valuable alternative, regardless of conditions. What happened in kalifornia could easily happen in Oregon and Washington.

Another, was flexibility and control. Surplus ammo was a fine deal while it lasted, but just about any decent rifle can just about halve group size with tailor made rounds vs most surplus. I have 6 bullet weights with 12 powder loadings that can produce very accurate rounds any time I feel the need. And that's just my .308 rifles. That's a lot of flexibility. I was able to personally test these because I reload.

I just bought more back-up reloading equipment too, because the monsters now running things want Americans disarmed in the worst way.

My reasons, what's yours?

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[Certaindeaf]

Independence. I bought a Lee Loader (whacka mole), and a Lee 105gr SWC mold to feed my new Hi-Power.. this was about 35 years ago. I've got more stuff now.

 

[decay]

I thought it was going to be less expensive . Turns out that I just shoot A LOT more !!

 

[rrojohnso]

Perhaps I am a little OCD... My reason was because I have a desire for accuracy, and premium ammo is cost prohibitive for as much as I like to shoot. I also wanted to find ammo more accurate for my .308, as a family 30-06 can pound tacks... turns out so too can my .308 with ammo I create. I also find it relaxing & stress relieving believe it or not.

 

[Certaindeaf]

And like those "hard-cast" Buffalo Bore loads that cost.. I don't know.. you can make them yourself for a pittance. Like 5-15 cents each (I haven't done the numbers for a while). They are essentially just old fashioned lead hunting loads.

 

[bellarum]

Because it's awesome to be able make my own ammo

 

[k7grc]

When you go thru 5000+ rounds of 45 colt a summer, it pays to reload.

 

[2ndtimer]

I originally started because it was such a cost savings compared to factory ammo. Shooting handguns, and factory ammo ran from $5.99 to $9.99 for a box of 50 Speer Lawman jacketed hollowpoints. We handloaded speer swaged lead bullets which were like $15.95 for 500, primers were $10 per brick, and powder was $8.99 to $10 a pound. Of course these were vintage White Elephant Spokane prices as my best friend lived in Cheney and had a Rockchucker press. I would go for a weekend visit and we would load up 500 rounds or so, which would last quite a while. When I got my first centerfire rifle, a .243 win., factory ammo again was a little spendy. $10 or so for 20 rounds, and the lightest cheap ammo available was the Remington 80 gr loads. A bit too much bullet for ground squirrels, so I picked up dies for it, too. Nosler 70 gr solid base HP seemed to work better on the tiny rodents, and the loads with IMR-4064 were more accurate to boot! Fast forward 35 years later, and I have my own rockchucker, part ownership in a Dillon RL-550B, and load for a bunch of cartridges, and have taught my oldest son to handload and am in the process of teaching some of his friends. My own mentor (and the best man at my wedding) passed away a little over a year ago, but I am still handloading away and spreading the good news. It is fun, economical, and in most cases more satisfying than shooting factory stuff. My son cringes when I suggest he just hunt with Federal Fusion ammo in his .338 Federal. He wants to use something WE made!

 

[decay]

When you go thru 5000+ rounds of 45 colt a summer, it pays to reload.

Not to hijack the thread , but what are you shooting it in ? That's a lot of .45 colt . I shoot it in a 625 mountain . Missouri cast Keiths over 10 grains of 231 . 1000 fps and really accurate .

 

[decay]

This is what happens.......

 

[xlsbob]

I started because when I was a kid I couldnt afford to buy ammunition

 

[Mica]

The real real truth is. I was out to prove my friends wrong Who said and I quote. " becareful its addictive " well I was wrong and here I am. loading for guns I dont even own. Casting bullets and buying molds. Always looking for my next fix. Its a tough thing to do. I am doing my best to man up and be responsible.
Well got to go. Just rememberd I Need some partions and need to hit my supply guy before he leaves.

 

[gunfreak]

I started back when barack got elected for the first time and I wanted to be able to self reliant. It is also a good hobby.

 

[Certaindeaf]

It's pretty neat to have shot perhaps 100-1000 times more centerfire rounds than most people have shot .22lr.
I've hardly ever shot .22lr.

 

[HotRod61]

I started because I got tired getting my a$$ handed to me shooting surplus ammo. When everyone one else was shooting their reloads at the M1 Garand matches.

 

[Phrank]

I'm in the "Started to save money, ended up shooting more" camp.

 

[WasrNwarpaint]

obama, & to shoot 1oz slugs from my saiga 12

 

[AMProducts]

I started back when: "$3 box for .223" was simply too much money. Then again, I was 12 back then. Here I am, 20+ years later, if you saw my shop, you would probably say "be careful not to go full retard".

 

[orygun]

When I started, all I wanted to do was load the 41 Mag for a reasonable cost. Even back then (mid 80's) that was an expensive gun to shoot. As time progressed, I found that I liked doing it and once the equipment cost had been factored in, I still saved money. A couple of years ago I was shooting 375 Ruger and 500 S&W Mag. Let's see, either one was over $50 for a box of 20! I could load premium, factory level ammo that cost less than a buck a round instead of over $2.50. Except for the 30-06 and 45 ACP, I seem to latch onto unique cartridges and not only is the ammo hard to find, it's expensive. Plus, doing things with a 45-70 (in a very strong action) that the ammo factories will not do.
Still, I handload nearly everything my wife and I shoot, except for the .380. For guys like me, harvesting a deer or elk with ammo I loaded just adds to the level or personal satisfaction. My 30-06 ammo is as accurate as any and the velocity will beat any ammo I can buy.

So, why not?

 

[billdeserthills]

The last time I started reloading again it was cause I had purchased a Wildey 475 Magnum,
supposedly still the most powerful semi-auto handgun in the world & will blow your head clean off

Unfortunately paying to shoot it was hard on my wallet