Choosing NOT to reload certain calibers.

I've gone through 1000rds of 5.56mm in one weekend... soooo...

Generically speaking, I don't reload 5.56mm, I would rather spend my very limited reloading time reloading for cartridges I MUST reload for, or not shoot them. Having said that, I have everything I need to load for it, I learned from the last Dark Age. I don't normally load either 5.56mm or 9mm, and I don't normally load blasting ammos for 7.62mm... when ammos are available.

I have the equipment to reload all the center fire cartridges for guns I own except 16 ga and 9mm Largo. The number is something north of 30 different cartridges and includes a few wildcats and one obsolete cartridge.

I do not necessarily actively load all of them, or shoot all of them for that matter.

I enjoy reloading and I do not want to be caught unable to enjoy a particular firearm just because commercial ammunition is not available. I rarely purchase much commercial ammunition.

.380acp
I have a few carry guns chambered in it that i'll put a mag or 2 through on range trips to stay proficient, but It's not really a cartridge I shoot for fun.
I don't shoot it enough to justify the investment in dies, etc. , and the tiny cases and powder charges are too much hassle in my opinion.
It's the only centerfire cartridge I shoot that I don't reload for.

I chose to stop loading 9mm and have cut way back on 38/357. To small for my worn out hands. 45colt and 45acp are far easier to reload - big boolit and big case.

Mine is 7.62x39...in normal times, steel case is cheap, the tapered case makes it work very well in steel.

I have a milsurp that shoots it (SKS), an AR, and a Bolt Action (Ruger American). Pretty much covers all bases.

I didn't reload 9mm, but I'm set up for it now. I haven't reloaded 5.56 for my ARs, but do load .223 Remington for my bolt actions. I still don't reload .380 ACP, and I won't reload for my one remaining .40 S&W, a G23 that often sports a KKM 9mm conversion barrel. I'm still well stocked with .40. By the time I use it up, either the shortage will be over and I'll restock, or the G23 will get fed 9mm exclusively, reloads if necessary.

9mm, 380, 12ga and 10 ga. They are either too low volume or the cost differential isn't there.
In 556 my blasting ammo is bought while varmint loads are hand loads.
40 s&w is the opposite. My blasting is reloaded while CCW is bought.

The only rounds I handload are primarily 308 and 6.5 CM. I can, and occasionally do handload for 30-06. But don't shoot it much anymore.

At one time I was more into some less common cartridges such as 280, 338/06 and 35 Whelen and that is what prompted me to begin hand loading. Factory ammo simply wasn't an option for 338/06 and not common for 280 or 35 Whelen. Especially at the time, with the internet things are better in that regard. I've since let those cartridges go, but still have the equipment so I load for 308 and 6.5 CM.

I can't justify the time to load 223 or 9mm and don't shoot enough of the other cartridges to justify it. I'm also set up with enough factory ammo in 9mm and 223 to last a LOONG time. Maybe not a lifetime unless I dramatically cut down on how much I shoot.

I know ammo prices are high now, but I think I have enough to get me through until prices moderate. I don't expect prices to ever go as low as they were, but neither will the prices of loading components.

I don't reload for shotgun. I do reload for my centerfire pistol and rifle calibers.

Don't reload .223, 9mm, 380 or 45ACP (but will start that in a bit) Don't shoot enough 223 or 380 to bother, 9mm I bought cheap and stacked deep. Now, I DO reload my shotgun target loads as I reload something that isn't readily available.

George P said:

Now, I DO reload my shotgun target loads as I reload something that isn't readily available.

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Same here.

Also, shot shells are probably the largest quantity of commercial ammunition that I buy. It is my source of hulls to reload.

I reload only a few handgun rounds that are not available commercially.
I do not reload most hand gun calibers as the only thing I reload is essentially the standard load to use as practice ammunition. Rather boring.

I do load several rifle calibers for my own hunting use. No one loads a serious round in 7x57mm, for instance. I want a 170-175 grain round nosed bullet, around 2300 fps.
I like 6.5x53.5Rmm (Dutch) as I have a delightful rifle in that caliber. No one - including European companies - seem to make loaded ammunition. No one makes the cases, they must be formed from .303 British cases or such.

But .45 ACP and 9x19mm? No point.

Palladan44 said:

I do not reload 5.56/223. I have enough ammunition to last the rest of my life, based on how much I shoot it.
AND I have plenty of it on hand. All military M193 or M855. I really only fire a few hundred at most every year, but thats mostly because im busy firing and training with other calibers.
Rifle practice tends to produce a very positive result, very quickly and thus my desire to fire more than 30 or 60 rounds per range trip tends to provide diminishing returns. In other words, once the bullseye is shot out of the target, to continue sending rounds through the empty hole makes no sense to me. The only reason I could see reloading 5.56 or 223 would be out of a match weapon, and to tailor make the rounds for the long range match weapon--- something that I dont do.
I still consider 5.56/.223 one of my primary calibers, but its one that I dont handload.

What are yours, and reasons you do NOT reload them?

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Some people walk down and put a new target out......

.22LR The reasons should be obvious. Everything else I shoot, I reload for.

When I get the 16 ga. 2 1/2" chambered Sauer SxS I should have in a month or so, I might not reload for that, at least until I can find an old MEC press in 16 ga. and put the adapter on it.

Standard procedure for me is to buy a new caliber, and have reloading dies ordered before I get home. I may never use them but I want that option.

WestKentucky said:

Standard procedure for me is to buy a new caliber, and have reloading dies ordered before I get home. I may never use them but I want that option.

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Yup, dies are usually the next thing ordered when I get a new to me cartridge gun.

entropy said:

Some people walk down and put a new target out......

.22LR The reasons should be obvious. Everything else I shoot, I reload for.

When I get the 16 ga. 2 1/2" chambered Sauer SxS I should have in a month or so, I might not reload for that, at least until I can find an old MEC press in 16 ga. and put the adapter on it.

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Phooey on MEC. Ponsness Warren is where it’s at. And yeah I’m looking for a 16 conversion for it too. If I stumble across a load-all I might jump on it though.

George P said:

Now, I DO reload my shotgun target loads as I reload something that isn't readily available.

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the question is begging to be asked. What might you be loading that’s not readily available? I’m planning to load some 48 shot. That’s #4s with as much #8 mixed inas possible to fill the voids.

@ $250.00+ in normal times for a complete caliber change on a 550B, I won't be taking on any new pistol cals from now on.

Bill

BCR#1 said:

@ $250.00+ in normal times for a complete caliber change on a 550B, I won't be taking on any new pistol cals from now on.

Bill

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And that is a big plus for Lee and why many choose them. For the cost of a changeover, I can get a whole new press and dies. Nothing against Dillon, just out of the budget for many of us. I can change calibers on my Loadmaster for around $60, but I understand it’s limitations and the fact that it’s not a Dillon.
I reload everything but .22 & 20 gauge. Just sold off my 12 and all the rounds for it due to shoulder problems.

I don't reload .380 but I have the dies, a bullet mold, and I keep my brass.
I don't shoot a box per year, but I want to be able to if needed.

I'm not set up to load 25,32 or 380 acp because fat fingers and I don't shoot them all that much, also 7.62x25 just don't shoot them enough.
9mm and 223/5.56 depends on market, haven't loaded either for a while, but I'm fixin' to load some soon.

If I can buy inexpensive finished ammo that shoots as good as what I make then I'll buy it. But anything I have centerfire the dies, components, and previously worked up load data are here if I need it. FWIW some of my firearms have never seen a round of factory ammo and probably never will as long as I can reload.

I stopped due to arthritis pain.
That said I'm in good shape. After the AWB scare of of 94 I started to pile it high deep.
I have at least 1000 at the low end and probably more than 5000 rounds per caliber per gun.