Old Guy Tip: Reload!

I got interested in reloading when I sat and watched one of my shop NCOs doing it. He explained to this young guy what it was all about. How he could customize ammo for his guns. One thing we would do is load pointy tips in 30-30 ammo as the first round in the mag in his lever, and IIRC he had a TC pistol with the 30-30 barrel as well. I was intrigued by it all.

A few years later I find myself shooting almost every week with some buddies, so I got a press, dies, components and got started. I was only loading 9MM at the time, but got dies for 40 and 45 ACP and started saving my brass. This was in 1988-89.
Hurricane Andrew came, I moved, but with life, etc., the press stayed put away until 2005. I brought it out, started loading. Life -- again -- got deployed, got back, got married, moved again, then I got it all going again after seeing the Banic in 09. Oh, yeah deployed again!
By 2011 I was zooming along, and then I got the LNL AP and I haven't looked back. Of course the Banic hit in 2012 and by then I can say I was glad to have everything set up and components to boot!

Since October 2012 I can say that except for 22 LR, of course, and some odd balls or smoking deals, I have barely bought or shot very much of any factory ammo. And I shoot almost every week.
I've gotten several folks interested in reloading and have mentored a few, both young and old. When someone expresses interest I always ask them about what volume they shoot, or how much they would like to shoot. And, I ask them about how good they are at following directions and paying attention to details. When asked, I provide guidance on getting started, gear, components, etc. I also point them to THR's reloading section as it is easily one of the most comprehensive resource for the hobby. I've also lent out my Lyman's 49th edition a few times. I ask them to read the applicable chapters and then come back with questions. If they don't read the material, then I know their interest is not quite there and I move on, and get my book back.

So, yeah, listen to us "old folk" and learn to reload.

That would have described me when I was married with kids ... in graduate school!

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Ouch.

You my sympathy - and respect.

Theohazard said:

At this point in my life the time I save by not reloading is worth more to me than the money I’d save if I reloaded. I’m busy enough that I’d much rather spend the money on factory ammo than spend the time to reload it myself. With two young kids, two energetic dogs, a job, and a wife who works 70 to 80 hour weeks, I barely have any time to shoot, let alone reload. And if I somehow did manage to have enough time to reload, there’s still other things I’d rather be doing.

Maybe if I were into precision shooting or obscure calibers I’d change my mind.

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It sounds like you're really busy. I hope you're still able to spend time with the kids, wife and the 2 dogs

In response to the OP. I do reload and started in the early 70s, That was when I purchased my first .357 and factorry ammo was expensive. I started off with the press I still use, a single stage Rock Chucker! As time went by I started loading all of my ammunition. I found it was a lot cheaper and enabled me to shoot a lot more than I would have with store ammo. As soon as I started I was thrilled that I could tailor specific loads to a given firearm and improve accuracy.
I found that I loved tinkering and working up new loads for each of my guns and even now, 40 years later I still enjoy it. Today I re-loaded 100 45 ACP, 150 38 SP, 100 9mm and 20 7.62x39. It was a great day and really relaxed me after driving 300 miles yesterday.
As I said, I really enjoy reloading and it adds to the pleasure of my hobby. The great thing, I don't have to worry about how many rounds I shoot on each range trip. I shoot till I am tired! Usually about 300 to 500 rounds.
I load 10 calibers, rifle and pistol and its wonderful to know that the loads I use are for a specific firearm and I get the best accuracy and performance from each.
Yep Reloading is fun and an extension of the shooting hobby! I usually load up to 3000 rounds a year, sometimes more~

Almost 40 years ago I started reloading to save money and learned every way to scrounge, use factory second gear (It's only cosmetics), etc. It helped to have in-laws who lived twenty minutes from the Lee Precision company. Then I found out I enjoyed the process for it's own sake and usefulness. Black powder cartridges for 45-70 and 45 Colt, mild cast bullet loads for mil-surp bolt rifles, you name it. The act of reloading is relaxing, calls for a degree of mechanical skill which is nice when your job is paper pushing, and provides a sense of satisfaction and self-reliance. It has added a lot to my shooting hobby.

But if someone lacks the interest, time (something I know about), or even the space for tools and components, they are no less shooters. The idea is to have fun.

Jeff

As others have mentioned I have other things I'd rather be doing. Its the one aspect of the gun hobby that I just cant get into.

For what I can get the store bought ammo that I use for, the savings argument is minimal.

I can appreciate developing loads and those that get into that sort of thing.

For me factory loads give me everything I need.

I started out loading for savings, then I got better at it. I started with just pistol ammo, as all I had were pistols. Then I picked up an ar-15 and started loading 5.56 ammo, this lead to dramatic improvements to the accuracy of the rifle. There is absolutely no comparison between the performance of factory ammo vs the loads I have made for my specific rifle. This lead me to build an ar-10 rifle chambered in .308 and that was even more accurate.

So my opinion on reloading has changed from saving money to making the most accurate ammo you can get. Accuracy really does matter.

While reloading is a fun, relatively easy and safe hobby, like riding motorcycle, it is not for everybody. Some folks are just better off buying factory ammo........kinda the whole reason you see most folks advising against shooting other folk's reloads. Some of the questions and responses I see here on the reloading forum makes me question why some people mess with flammables. Being in the construction business for 40 some odd years, I was witness to the fact that just cause someone can operate a hammer and saw.....does not mean they should.


Just sayin'.......

Frankly, there just aren't any satisfactory factory rounds for my Lee Metford cavalry carbines, '73 Trapdoor, '16 Spanish Mauser in 7.62 CETME, or any of the other fun old oddballs that I like to shoot.
If I don't reload for them then I don't shoot them.

buck460XVR said:

While reloading is a fun, relatively easy and safe hobby, like riding motorcycle, it is not for everybody. Some folks are just better off buying factory ammo........kinda the whole reason you see most folks advising against shooting other folk's reloads. Some of the questions and responses I see here on the reloading forum makes me question why some people mess with flammables. Being in the construction business for 40 some odd years, I was witness to the fact that just cause someone can operate a hammer and saw.....does not mean they should.


Just sayin'.......

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Those same factors are readily visible when I visit public ranges. There are plenty of people who not only shouldn't reload ammo, they should really go back to square one and be properly educated on the proper and safe operation of firearms. I am not saying this to be rude or mean to them, and certainly not insulting them. The fact is they are a danger to themselves and those around them.

I'll say too, when you live alone, it's winter time on a Saturday morning, and it's 20 below out and snowy, time in the reloading room is a fun activity when you just refuse to go outside.

Reloading is relaxing for me. I started in 73. Don't know why, just got into it. Later in 82 I started casting lead bullets. It was in the 80s then reloading became more to me. It was in the 80 when i and my wife started shooting nra silhouette matches, rifle and pistol. I need lots of ammo weekly. ammo that could group and knock down heavy steel targets. Also the ammo was made so it did not beat you up with recoil. These day factory ammo can be gotten cheap, but you don't know how long it will last.

I got started by having to reload for my Enfield Mk VI in .455 Webley.

Well, I'm not an old guy (34) and I've been reloading for close to 20 years already myself.

I'll never suggest somebody start reloading purely for saving money. If I added up the cost of equipment sitting in my closet, it would probably equal some nice upgrades to my girlfriend's Jeep. If I've saved a single penny since starting down this rabbit hole I'd be very surprised.

What has happened though is I'm a much better shot than I ever would've been without reloading. And I've been able to spend a lot of time shooting guns and cartridges that don't lend themselves to high volume use with factory ammo.

Even though my choices these days run toward more commonly available cartridges than I used to gravitate toward, reloading is still part of the shooting experience for me. Can you imagine shooting lots of factory semi-wadcutter .45 ACP ammo? How about .38 Super anything? Match hollowpoints in .223 Remington? With a progressive press and a portable bench, I can shoot all of those and more until I get tired of shooting!

I can't imagine shooting my 44 magnums, 44 specials, 357 mags, and all the revolvers, as much as I do, and paying for stock ammo. I didn't start out, reloading for the money end of it, but for certain calibers, it's the only way to go, if you want to shoot at all.

Tailored loads and cheaper prices are what I use to convince my wife I need more powder/primers/bullets/new dies etc.

The truth is I enjoy reloading almost as much as shooting. I find a half hour here and there and it, and range time, are about the only "me" time I get with two young kids.

I do save my brass and will reload, some day. Have to complete the basement setup first. It's good advice to save brass, though. Also, if some dude is getting out of reloading, buy his swag.

I enjoy handloading for its own sake, as well as making accurate ammo. I recently got into benchrest shooting, and EVERYBODY handloads in that sport. It seems so anyway.
6mmBR Norma ammo isn't easy to find on the shelf, I think only Norma and Lapua make factory ammo for that cartridge.

Others shoot 30 BR, 22 BR, and 6 PPC in their rifles and that ammo isn't found at the LGS either.

It does take attention to detail, and it's not for everyone. If you're easily distracted, buy factory ammo.

If you have zero mechanical ability, if you won't follow directions then you shouldn't handload. But if you do and you will, it's the only way to fly.

And don't forget casting your own bullets!

It can all add up to independence too. During the Obama years I was completely unaffected as I had stocked up. When Bush turned out to be so worthless I knew our next President would be a Democrat so I got busy, spent money.

Plus I do enjoy it.


Cat

I only started hand loading to assure myself a source of 16 gauge ammo. But I have to admit, breaking a clay with a round you’ve loaded yourself is very satisfying.

The availability of 16 gauge ammo has improved, but I’ve added pre-war 16’s to the collection. Those take 2 9/16” shells and cost about $16 a box. Now I load short shells exclusively.

Rudolph31 said:

But I have to admit, breaking a clay with a round you’ve loaded yourself is very satisfying.

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Exactly! I used to role my own cigarettes and man did they taste good.

Loading ammo is far more satisfying though, so I gave up smoking like 10 years ago.

460Shooter said:

Loading ammo is far more satisfying though, so I gave up smoking like 10 years ago.

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I'm guessing you never did load ammo and smoke at the same time.

.308 Norma said:

I'm guessing you never did load ammo and smoke at the same time.

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Is that a dare?

Call for Phillip Morrrriiiissss........

Maybe some here don't remember that...