What calibers do you NOT reload?

Status
Not open for further replies.

TennJed

Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2010
Messages
3,454
What calibers do you own guns for (that you do shoot at least once in a while) that you do NOT reload for? I just picked up an SKS and (with the help of some good people here) I have no plans to start reloading the 7.62x39
 
22lr :rolleyes: i dont shoot much 22 anyways since 38 and 380 is cheaper for me to reload than the cheapest bulk 22.
 
7.62x54r, because i hate my shoulder blown apart and all i shoot is surplus berdan ammo.

I seen somewhere that guys make their own primer compound and revive 22lr to shoot once again. A few months ago a brick of blazer 22lr at my favorite gun shop was 13.00 last time i went in a few weeks ago same ammo was 18.49 a brick. Hmmmmm maybe it might be time to reload 22lr as well. A pound of lead will go a long way,haha.
 
I'm in the non 7.62x39 loading boat also. Although its as cheap as 223, I don't have anything in this caliber that I feel is accurate enough to benefit from reloading. I do however load 223/5.56.

All other centerfire pistol and rifle calibers that I own, I reload.

I do not load shotshells and of course 22lr. 16 gauge shotshells will be my next endeavor.
 
7.62x39, 7.62x54R, 7.62x25

I have thought about 7.62x25 lately. My stock is getting low and Starline makes boxer brass. The x39 and 54R are blasting guns anyway and I'd rather not reload for another rimmed rifle cartridge (.303 Brit is enough), or pick up brass from the SKS either. It would probably chew up brass the way it flings out. Been awhile since I searched over on SKS Boards, but it seems like I remember the SKS's and other Eastern European made x39 guns do just as well if not better with the steel cased ammo.
 
A few of my guns I haven't shot because I haven't found ammo yet. I reload for everything else except:

5.7x28mm
25 ACP
6.5x55mm
7x57mm
7.5x54mm
7.62 Nagant
7.62x39mm
7.62x45mm
38 S&W
50 BMG

Most of these I don't shoot enough to make it worth reloading for, or haven't amassed enough brass yet. 5.7x28mm seems like too much of a pain. 7.62x39mm is still really cheap for factory ammo. I would love to load 7.62x45mm but I haven't found dies and brass that would cost less than the rifle did.
 
.223 for my Remington R-15 varmint rifle.
Mostly because it shoots Hornady factory 55gr Vmax's into 1/2" all day long.
 
22lr :rolleyes: i dont shoot much 22 anyways since 38 and 380 is cheaper for me to reload than the cheapest bulk 22.

I know where you coming from, but that is a bit of stretch. I buy 22lr for .03 - .04 cents a round. My primers along eat that much up. I do love the 22lr
 
22LR and 12ga are the only ones I don't load EVERYTHING else I roll my own. 270 Win/WSM 6.5x55, 308, 30-06, 9x19, 7mm-08, and 40 S&W.
I hope to be adding 44 mag, 223, 45ACP and 300WSM to my die set very soon.
 
I know where you coming from, but that is a bit of stretch. I buy 22lr for .03 - .04 cents a round. My primers along eat that much up. I do love the 22lr
not a stretch at all! lets take 38 special- cast bullet(free), 3.4gr HP-38($.0069), and a wolf small rifle primer($.014) that works out to under 2.1 cents a round, $1.04 per 50 round box. throw on 20 cents per box for shipping and hazmat fee and you got a box for $1.25.

cheapest 22 i can find is $20.22 for a 525 of rem goldens which translates to $1.93 per 50 round box. even with cci or win primers its still cheaper than 22 for me. of course you have to factor in time, but I enjoy reloading and casting. I can cast 650 38's an hour and load 350 an hour at a leisurely pace.

if you arent casting, then yeah- it is more expensive than 22.
 
I reload for:

17 fireball (times 2)
.204 Ruger (times 2)
.223 AR15
22-250
.243
.260
7mm-08
45-70
9mm
44 Mag
.357

These guns get shot frequently: for accuracy, for hunting, for personal protection (practice), and target practice.

I DO NOT reload for:

270: This is actually my primary hunting rifle, but the cheap Federal powerpoint in the blue box shoots SO good and is SO cheap, that I cannot justify reloading for it. And it smacks down the game like no one's business. Why mess with success??

.25 ACP: my wife's grandma's gun. It really doesn't get shot, used, or carried so one box of Winchester White box has lasted for years

30 carbine: My deceased grandfather's gun. I shoot it once in a while to commemorate my grandfather's life. It's mostly plinking, and I am burning through old boxes of factory stuff I have had forever. No real reason to reload.


--Duck911
 
not a stretch at all! lets take 38 special- cast bullet(free), 3.4gr HP-38($.0069), and a wolf small rifle primer($.014) that works out to under 2.1 cents a round, $1.04 per 50 round box. throw on 20 cents per box for shipping and hazmat fee and you got a box for $1.25.

cheapest 22 i can find is $20.22 for a 525 of rem goldens which translates to $1.93 per 50 round box. even with cci or win primers its still cheaper than 22 for me. of course you have to factor in time, but I enjoy reloading and casting. I can cast 650 38's an hour and load 350 an hour at a leisurely pace.

if you arent casting, then yeah- it is more expensive than 22.


I'm with you mike, but I am able to buy .22's for $16.00 for 525 rounds, thats .03 cents a round.

In my case I use primers that I purchased on a closeout years ago for less than $50 bucks for 5,000, I can use powders I've purchased for $8.00 a lb. in 8 lb jugs, and I cast my own bullets for free. Now I realize prices have gone up bunches, but in my case I can shoot handgun calibers for approx .02 cents and rifle rounds for less than .05 cents.

With the above said, I also have stockpiled .22 ammo that I'm sure will last most of the rest of my lifetime. Most of the plinking ammo cost $8.00 to $10.00 a brick.
 
Last edited:
I don't reload for autoloaders because A) I don't shoot them as much as I do other types and B) I shoot on my own property and would never waste time sifting through the grass for my cases. So no .223, .380ACP or .45ACP. I also do not reload .270Winchester because I simply do not shoot it enough to justify the effort. Although I will be handloading for the 8x57 I have on the way.


i dont shoot much 22 anyways since 38 and 380 is cheaper for me to reload than the cheapest bulk 22.
That's pretty funny.

That might be fine IF (big IF) you get free lead and are retired and have nothing better to do. I may go through a 550rd bulk pack in a couple hours, several times a month. There is no way in hell that I would do that much shooting with centerfires if it meant hours at the bench and casting bullets. These days few people can get free lead anyway. All I have to do is click a few buttons and .22LR ammo shows up at the door in a couple days.

I love it when you guys make posts like that with components you bought 20yrs ago and free lead. Your numbers are entirely unrealistic for most people, using what's currently available. These days you're looking at $30 per 1000 primers, $15-$18 per pound of powder and I called every tire shop within a 50mile radius and couldn't find free lead. So the reality at my hacienda is commercial cast bullets and $7-$8/50rds of loaded ammunition.
 
Last edited:
22lr i dont shoot much 22 anyways since 38 and 380 is cheaper for me to reload than the cheapest bulk 22.

That's pretty funny.

How so? I do it all the time! Cost for handgun ammo per round .02 to .03 cents.

Helps if you are one of those who help clean up the backstop of the indoor range. Lasts month cleanup netted me over 500 lbs of lead and by shooting friend got over a ton. We clean the range 3 times a year. As far as time spent I can cast over 500 rounds in 2 hours. Further more casting to me is a relaxing past time. Love being retired, life is good.
 
Last edited:
wolf srp's are still 14/k and hp38 is $114/8lb jug... these arent primers i bought 20 years ago nor pulldown powders bought 10 years ago. free ww lead is pretty easy to come by if you are nice to the guys reloading your oil in your car! the place i get my weights from gets me a good 3/4 bucket each month. roughly 70 pounds once its cleaned up and sorted.

I remember the days not too long ago that 22 was $9 a brick and 7.62x39 was $100 a case... those were the days
 
Last edited:
That might be fine IF (big IF) you get free lead and are retired and have nothing better to do.

How so? I do it all the time!



... one of those who help clean up the backstop of the indoor range.
Free lead? Check.
Love being retired
Retired? Check.
casting to me is a relaxing past time
Nothing better to do? Check.

Sounds like you guys are in complete agreement. :evil:
 
And all those things should be stipulated in the posts so that anyone reading it understands the conditions under which those costs are figured. Not everyone figures their time the same way and like I said, I shoot 2000-3000rds of .22LR a month. I work 365 days a year and time is limited. I'd rather be shooting than casting, scrounging for lead and processing scrap. I would burn up that 70lbs of lead in less than two months easily. So it would be a hell of a lot of effort to do the same amount of shooting. I'd rather save my time and spend $100-$120 on .22LR ammo. If I have a few extra hours here and there, I'd rather spend it leatherworking.


I can cast over 500 rounds in 2 hours.
And I'm sure that includes sizing and lubing??? How many hours do you spend loading that same 2000-3000rds??? 2000rds would take me 4hrs just for the loading process and that's on a Dillon 650. Even if you can cast 500 bullets, ready for loading in 2hrs, that's 8hrs just for the casting process. Which does not include gathering and processing scrap lead. We're already at 12hrs, just to save $25. If we're talking .38Spl I usually use a 158gr SWC and for 2000rds, that's 45lbs of processed lead. How long does it take to gather and process scrap to end up with 45lbs of lead? When you really break it down, that "free" lead ain't really so free after all.

I pay $237 for 6300rds shipped to my door. That works out to $1.89 per 50rds. If I burn up 2000rds in a month, that's $75.45. Taking the cost above of $1.25/50rds, for 2000rds of loaded ammo that's $50. So you're spending at least 12hrs to save $25. I think you might be better off getting a part time job as a Walmart greeter and using your employee discount to buy .22LR ammo. :rolleyes:

My "real" costs, which means buying primers and powder from the gun show, which is about the best I can do. Powder - $22.86/2000rds. Primers $52/2000rds. So even if I did get free lead and placed zero value on my time, I'd still spend the same amount on my shooting, only have a hell of a lot less time to shoot.


A Proud American Buys American
Does that include Wolf primers?
 
.38/.357 and 9mm

(I don't own those guns any more)

that's why I started that "Bullet Box" thread.. stuff is just sitting here..
 
I reload everything but rimfire and shotshell.
I don't shoot enough shotgun to fool with it. I honestly don't know if I fired a single round from a shotty in the 2012 year.
When I buy a new gun though, I order the dies and things at the same time. Loading is most of the fun IMO. I realize to some it's a means to an end, but for me it's therapy.
 
22 rimfire (can't)
.32 long (don't shoot it much)
30-30 win (don't shoot it much)
7.62 rimmed (don't really like it)
7.5 swiss (don't shoot it much)
.45 colt (need to start, that stuff is $$$)
Probably something else...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top