Why Did You Start Reloading?

[orygun]

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

I can only imagine! Finding brass is probably hard on the wallet!

 

[Capn Jack]

No money. I started in the barracks reloading 30-06 range brass with an old 310 "Nut Cracker in '57, stepped up to an RCBS jr. in the '60's. The nut Crackers are long gone, but The RCBS jr. is still on my bench. I broke a clip on it last year and they sent me a free replacement. Money is no longer a question, but availability is, so I continue to reload.

Jack...

 

[RVTECH]

As I have said many times I got into reloading as an extension of my interest in guns and shooting and never really considered the savings because it was obvious there was not going to be any for a while, if there ever really were. I still really don't think about it but do always try to economize on certain loads around bulk bullets and low charge weight powders, typically for handguns as most of us do. The primary 'savings' for me is the independence of reloading, higher quality ammo and the ability to keep ammo stocked up as well as being able to 'knock out' a couple hundred rounds of something very quickly if necessary as opposed to having to chase around looking for it. I have been lucky in that I have been given much reloading equipment and supplies over the years and some of it has been useable and some I have traded and sold. A couple years ago I came home with a pickup load of 'stuff' that literally covered my shop floor - for several days until I separated it, figured out what I could use and what I could not. It was almost overwhelming at the time.

 

[Heavy6]

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

Above is one of the best answers.

Or.
I can take these pieces of stuff and make something that will punch a hole in 1/4 inch steel a half mile away. That's a good thing.

 

[Papercidal]

Because dad did and that was just part of shooting just like cleaning the guns was.

 

[cookie]

In a SHTF situation reloads sound good but that supply will dwindle as well.
I keep seeing powder creeping up since all the bs earlier this year. Soon it wont pay to relaod
the brass in bulk may be worth more in recycle LOL

you need to be well stocked up !

 

[Papa Jon]

I got into Cowboy Action Shooting and that uses a lot of ammo,so I started reloading to save $.
Now I am into Long Range accuracy shooting and want to load my rifles to be as accurate as I can get them.
I also enjoy reloading in general and load for most all of my guns. I have even given thought to trying to reload 22lr.

 

[Stevenav]

Because I love to experiment. Reloading is like having your very own mad scientists laboratory. And you get to play with stuff that goes bang!

Seriously though... I want to be able to create ammo that can defeat the best body armor out there. I want to create ammo with exotic cores which do exotic things. Reloading is the stepping stone to that. Then you get screw machines and lathes to craft your own out of exotic materials and try other things.

 

[Rick4070]

I started in 1976 or so, I had just bought a Ruger Blackhawk in .41 Mag., and there were only a couple of factory loads available in the store, so I bought an on-sale reloading outfit, it had a press, scale, powder measure, Speer #8 manual, etc., and a die set of my choice, so I picked out one for the .41 Mag.
After that, the "hobby" just grew.
Now, I have something like 20 sets of dies, a Mec 600 Jr. set up for 12 Ga., and a Dillon progressive, along with several different bullet moulds, and a luber/sizer or two.
Most of my stuff is older, but still works well.
I even bought .357 Mag. and .41 Mag. Lee (as has been called, "whack-a-mole") sets for when I lived in Tacoma while going to welding and later, machinist school.
I don't load as much as I used to, but still do on occasion, in fact, I need to get out to the shop and load up some .338 Win. Mags., I lucked out and picked up a couple of cans of RL19 at Bi-Mart a while back, the guy didn't even get a chance to put 'em on the shelf...

 

[cookie]

Back in 1976 a friend brought 2 boxes of RCBS reloading equipment over my house and leti it there . He never used is as he was afraid. So I bought a couple of reloading manuals and learned to reload and in 1991 bought a Dillon 550 and never looked back.

 

[Heavy6]

I've never used a Lee Loader (Whack-a-Mole) but I have used a Lyman 310(we called them Nutcrackers) and the Lee Hand Press. I still use my Lee Hand Press occasionally for living room case prep or when I travel. I could make ammo in a cave if I had to.

Then again, I drilled the bolt holes for my off grid deck with an old Bell System brace and a ship auger bit that my grandfather owned. Took a little longer, but worked just fine. I like the old stuff. Maybe I should get a Lee Loader too.

 

[Rick4070]

The Lee Loader works pretty well, slow, but if you have some time, pretty respectable cartridges can be turned out.
Plus, the sets are pretty compact.
One thing that has happened to me a couple of times is when seating a primer, one would somehow end up trying to go in sideways.
It is pretty amazing how loud a primer going off can be, in a small apartment living room like I lived in while going to school...
No damage or injuries, just somewhat of a shock...

 

[P7M13]

1985, couldn't afford 270 Win ammo at $6/box
Restarted in 2000 when I was shooting 1K rounds each of 40S&W and 45ACP
Now do it because it is more cost effective and really enjoyable.
If I had a choice between watching porn or reloading, you'd see me at my bench.

 

[rick benjamin]

Lee (wack a mole) 8mm mauser (Gewher 88) about 1976
added 30.06, .45, 308
Then bought a RCBS Rock Chucker, added progressive attachments
30.06, .45, 308, 5.56, 270 Win, 7mm Rem, 38-357, 40SW, 9mm

Lee Shotgun 12, 20

 

[Certaindeaf]

I'd really like to buy a Lee 12 gauge whacker set.. they stopped making them long ago though. I watched a utoob on a guy loading slugs, shot and buck with one and it was pretty impressive and would suit my needs/wants well.

 

[deadshot2]

I started reloading because that's just the way I'm put together.
I like to build just about everything I use wherever possible or practical. It all started when I was a teenager and bought my first non-running car for $40. An engine here and a transmission from there, I had a ride.

Built several other cars after that, all at increasing costs as well as increasing satisfaction.

I like to make my own tools for odd applications. That came from working in a research and development facility for a large aircraft manufacturer.

When I started shooting it was just a natural to reload. Both to make it affordable (I shoot 10 cent 9mm rounds while others are shooting the 40 cent kind. My .308 cartridges, match grade, cost me no more than 50 cents per while the local dealer is charging $40 for a box of 20 Fed GMM's in 175 gr.

The only time I buy factory ammo now is when I use up the box I bought of Hornady TAP 168 gr. I use one round each time I set up my chronograph as a quick accuracy check. If the chrono reads close to 2700 fps then I know that it's not giving me crap for readings.

I have, at last estimate, close to $7500 invested in reloading equipment and tools. In just .223 "AR Food" alone I have paid this off with the savings. It's amazing how hungry 3 of them can be. Add a couple 9mm's, a couple of Bolt Actions, and the savings keep piling up.

When I started reloading I'd buy a tray of primers, box of bullets, and pound of powder.

Now, when the UPS man comes it's a "hazmat package" weighing close to 60# and the USPS "mail lady" knocking on my door asking for help unloading several 50# boxes of bullets.

FWIW, Shooting and reloading is cheaper than building your own cars now days. My friend just finished one that set him back over $50k. So much for the "Old days of hot-rodding".

 

[k7grc]

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 .

usually two Ruger Vaqueros, and a 1873 Winchester clone(uberti). Cowboy action shooting.

 

[elsie]

It seemed like a good idea at the time...


elsie

 

[SinisterSouthpaw]

I started because--at the time and place where I grew up most people who shot seriously or often loaded their own so it was hard to find loaded ammo in stock at the Western Auto. The only exception was .22 ammo.There was a trap and skeet club out by the lake where the rich people and politicians lived and they probably sold shot shells to some of those folks, but the serious shooters out there who competed loaded their own.

My home town was mostly populated with people like our family on both sides --hard headed penny pinching german folks, the lakefront crowd notwithstanding, a great many of whom were farmers and there is/was no skinflint like a Lutheran german famer, except a Methodist one............

 

[zeppelin]

I have been doing it for about 30 years. When I started it was mainly to produce less expensive ammunition for shooting and hunting. But the more I did it the more I learned that if you want to get the best and most consistent accuracy from your guns (especially rifles) you need to handload and tailor the cartridge to what your firearm likes. I have seen amazing difference in accuracy in the same rifle by changing up the bullet, brass, and powder. Bought a Cz 527 varmint .223 a few years back and tried shooting it with some old handloads using 55 gr fmj bullets and military once fired brass. Accuracy was pretty crummy--1-2 inch groups. Swithched to Berger 52 grain bullets, H335 powder and Lapua brass and it puts them all into the same hole.