Just to start a conversation on ammo used

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RunninLate wrote:
When was the last time you shot factory rounds at the range? Or when was the last time you bought factory rounds...

When I buy a new gun (not new to me, but brand new), I buy a box of factory ammunition and those are the first rounds I shoot in it, the last time was September 2016. After I have shot that one box of factory ammunition everything I shoot after that is something I have assembled. The reason for this that if something goes wrong with the gun, I don't want the manufacturer (or their attorney if it's really bad) to be able to blame my reloads.
 
So for you reloaders, when you need fresh brass, do you buy once-fired brass or unfired brass?

Decades ago, when I was young and I frequented public shooting ranges, I'd scrounge the cases that I could. I'd generate some cases by purchasing ammunition, buy some once loaded cases, and buy some new, unloaded cases.

After I began shooting at a private range (mine), I bought lots of once fired cases but was not thrilled with the quality.

Recently, I get only factory new cases. One reason was to get a consistent head stamp although that has been difficult during the previous presidential administration's tenure. I keep a supply of new cases on hand to replaced the ones that become no longer servicable.
 
I am assembling a AR-10 in 7mm-08, I bought some factory rounds to get started and then went looking for reasonably priced new or used brass. For the difference I think I may just buy a few more boxes of factory ammo. My experience with a Henry Original in .44-40 was a little better, I bough some Starline brass to supplement some .44-40 case donated by a buddy and some other I got in an estate auction.

I reload 9mm Luger and prefer to replenish my brass stock by purchasing a case of factory ammo to shoot and then save the brass to reload. I like having brass of one head stamp while reloading. I have done the range brass thing too, guessing the maker of a case by the amount of force to resize, but I'v had enough of that sort of fun.
 
I shoot factory ammo all the time, I don't bother reloading .223 or 9mm because it is just too cheap and my time is worth something. Actually about the only thing I reload any more is match ammo in .243, plinking and hunting ammo in 45-70 and 458 Winny, and when I want to shoot the Martini I put together a few rounds in .300 Sherwood. My hunting rifles don't get shot enough to warrant reloading for, every year I shoot a couple of rounds to verify zero, then shoot 2 or 3 deer. So one box of factory ammo for each cartridge might last 2-3 seasons, since I am rotating through a dozen rifles or so.
 
Haven't really purchased any factory ammo in over 25 years. That was when I acquired several rifles in 7.62x39. I remember I bought two boxes and then went to a gun show and purchased several hundred once fired. At that time, there was a lot of steel case being used but I was still able to find some good pickup brass at my local range.
When I bought my Ruger 45 Colt/45ACP Blackhawk, the dealer threw in a box of 45 colt. I looked at several lots of 45 Colt offered for sale on this forum and I was to get a great deal on it,
I load 14 different handgun and rifle calibers and have always been able to find some good deals on once fired brass.
Before the shortages that occurred after 2012, I would find a lot of brass at the range and picked up the calibers that I re-loaded for. Pre 2012 I could pick up several hundred 45ACP. and as much 9mm I could handle on almost every time I went shooting. Even regular revolver calibers could be found.
I have enough brass I will never run out.
Up until 5 years ago most shooters would just leave their brass lay! Now that the shortages are coming to an end I am seeing a lot of good brass laying on the ground again. Last time out I picked up over 300 45 ACP, and as much 9 mm as I wanted to pick up, and surprise! I even found 50 pcs .357 Mag.
Used rifle brass is a little tougher to find, especially 30/30 and 7.62x39 but I have still been able to find it online, or at shows. Occasionally still find some at the range that has been left lying on the ground.
With all range pick up, I clean it and carefully inspect every case before loading and have had great success in using range pick ups.

Personally I love reloading and reallyenjoy working up loads that are tuned to my particular firearms. As for the cost? With the falling prices on 9mm I can still load for about half the price of bargain ammo.
Just a couple weeks ago, I came back from the range after an all day shoot and had shot over 700 rounds of mixed calibers. They were all re-loaded within a few days and all done on my 30 year old Rock Chucker.
Yep you can say I love reloading as much as shooting! And I love used brass!

Keep Em In the Black and HAVE FUN
 
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wbbh wrote:
I am assembling a AR-10 in 7mm-08, I bought some factory rounds to get started and then went looking for reasonably priced new or used brass.

I wouldn't have thought about an AR-10 in 7mm-08. I'm intrigued.

This guy: http://rangebrass.us/t/rifle-brass tries to keep 7mm-08 in stock. Price seems reasonable. Check regularly. I've bought other calibers from them many times. It is what it says on the label; range pickup brass sorted by caliber. For the price, I have not been disappointed.

Of course, since the parent case is the widely-available 308, you could decide to jump down the rabbit hole and start forming your own brass.
 
About half and half. Carry loads are all factory, I've read Ayoob. I have lots of surplus ammo for my milsurps I have 480 rounds left of the 500 223 62 gr. SP Silver Bear my son traded me for loading him up some .223 hunting ammo. I buy @$10 of ammo every payday at work-usually it's 7.62x39 Tulammo or .223, though lately we've been able to keep .22's in stock, so it's been them. Almost all my pistol ammo is reloads, except the aforementioned carry ammo, and usually a box or two of it left over from testing it that I'll shoot some of to stay familiar with it. I think all of my .30-30 rounds are currently reloads.
 
For you reloaders out there. When was the last time you shot factory rounds at the range? Or when was the last time you bought factory rounds besides 22?

Now how about you?

Last Sunday I shot 10 rounds of PMC .223 that is over 20 years old sighting in a rifle.

Then two months ago we shot 134 rounds of 9mm that I brought back in March, 1994.

Hummm prior to that it had been a long time as I shoot my reloads almost exclusively.

However over the last few months I have been inventorying my supply of commercial ammunition so I can figure what I need to replace my old stuff. Most of my old commercial ammunition is over 20 years old so I am going to shoot it up and recycle the brass.
 
I reload for pistol calibers, but I will buy factory 9mm when it's on sale for under $10 a box. For defense and carry, I always use quality factory ammo.
 
I reload everything I shoot except .22 and 12ga. Period, I don't buy factory at all. I have been collecting brass for many years and when I pick it up, I pick it all up. What I don't load for gets traded for what I need. I did buy 1000 pieces of 1x fired 357 from northeast Reloader's for $80 shipped last year, but that's the only time I have bought brass.

Brass is so cheap in the reloading groups on Facebook, if you need to buy some that's a great place for it. If I didn't have thousands of cases already I'd buy enough there to hold me.

I load for each handgun what it likes and mark each ammo can full of rounds which pistol goes with it. Having one 45, one 38, and one 357 make it easy, but I have 6 9mm's. Two have seen factory ammo, the rest have not.
 
I have a couple of Mini 30's and a few SKS so I will buy factory steel cased ammo as it is cheaper than buying the once fired brass and correct bullets presently. I do have 1K of brass that is once fired, a few K of correctly sized FMJ/SP bullets, dies, and some loads I worked up so that I can reload that caliber if I need to in the future. Other than that I have not purchased any factory ammo in at least 25 years IIRC. I still do walk through WM or the LGS and look at prices just to see what they are though.;)
 
Wish I could tell you. Reloading was so tedious--only have single stage Lee gear-- that
I Stopped Reloading over two years ago.

But with approx. 15 lbs. of rifle powder and over 500 .311 bullets still here, it's a shame to waste it. For simply determining a safe powder load (IMR 4064, 4895 or H 380) for operating an Enfield rifle, the delicate process of using a balance scale (etc) just neutralizes any reward it gave me, other than saving money.

Maybe it there is a powder-measuring device available for about $50 (adjusted for different powders, of course), it might be worthwhile to relearn the process. No reason to spend much more only to hit a target at 50-100 yards.
 
I bought a box of 50 steel cased 45acp because I was tired of losing brass at match's. After trying them I will just sacrifice my brass. That was last year.
Bought some 45LC about 12 years ago. New gun and just started loading. Cast my own lead.
All my 223 is factory. Have all components to load it, but still cheaper to buy.
Still buy 12ga at wally world. But do custom load them for my wife. Cheaper to load feather weights then buy them.
 
Most of my centerfire rifles have never seen a round of factory ammunition. The exception would be the AR I keep in the car because I sight it in with factory ammo.

My defensive handguns are all loaded with factory ammo, and I have fired enough through them to satisfy myself that particular rounds works reliably in them. But almost all of my practice and general fun shooting is done with reloads, as is all of my hunting.
 
The only thing I don't reload is 380acp and 223 rem. Simply because I don't shoot them much. I have factory ammo stocked up for most everything.
Brass? The only thing I'd like to have more of is .40S&W. Otherwise I have a lifetime of brass. Over the years I've picked it up at our club. Any given weekend I can pick up a couple hundred cases of 9mm. Sometimes I find 50 - 100 45acp or 38spl. Once in a while I get 40 or 50 357mag.
 
I mostly hand load my ammo. Cheap factory ammo is often disappointing in accuracy and/or claimed velocity.
 
Now to add to the conversation, if you have 2000 rounds of factory ammo and 2000 rounds of reloads all the same caliber, what do you shoot? The factory was bought before you started reloading.
 
I have some (not many) boxes of factory ammo in most calibers from back in the day before I reloaded. They just sit on the shelf. I shoot the reloads.
 
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