Do you still buy factory ammo?

[ZWCoffindaffer]

Does anyone else still buy factory ammo even though they reload? I still buy .45 ACP when I catch it on a good sale. Usually its just the cheap Winchester white box, or Remington UMC. If I can buy loaded ammo for just a little more than the price of new brass, I just assume buy it, shoot it, reload it.

Anyone else do this?

 

[buck460XVR]

Yeah....I do. Many times it's just to have something factory along when folks other than family are shooting my guns.

 

[ZWCoffindaffer]

Thats a very good point.. I've never thought of that. I also keep one box of factory ammo laying around for my CC. I have yet to have a handload failure, but my luck would be it would happen the one time it was truly life or death, so I continue to carry factory stuff.

 

[snuffy]

For a new gun I don't already load for--

--to get brass for the dies I buy with said firearm.

Only other factory shells I buy would be highly specialized new ammo like this;

http://oathammo.com/

Seriously nasty stuff, no way to reload something like that.

 

[Reloadron]

Yes, when I see a good deal on factory ammunition I buy it mainly for the brass. While the ammunition itself in bulk is seldom great (Winchester White Box, Remington UMC. or Federal equivalent) I come away with decent brass for loading. So yes, when I see a good sale I grab factory stuff but only when it yields good brass.

Ron

 

[GBExpat]

Does anyone else still buy factory ammo even though they reload? ...

Sure, if I happen across a really good deal.

 

[tcj]

Only 22lr or if I buy a new firearm the first 50-100 rounds will be factory so if there is an out-of-the-box problem with it they can't blame the reloads.

 

[Walkalong]

I bought some factory 9MM recently for carry, as I have done with .32 ACP, .380, .45 ACP etc...

I reload everything else.

 

[walnut1704]

Yes. I like to have some factory around to compare to my reloads.

 

[Devilfrog]

Yep...
1) For SD ammo
2) For testing new firearms and builds
3) Its cheaper to buy factory ammo for the brass on some calibers especially mil-surps

I use my reloads for the range, factory stuff for anything else

 

[clearcut]

Just .22lr, short and .22wmr.

CC

 

[Ranger Roberts]

I still buy factory ammo, especially when the price is right.
I also happen to come by surplus ammo fairly often, so I always scoop that up.
All of my SD/HD loads are factory loaded.
Shot shell.
I also have a few odd ball calibers that I don't shoot often enough to justify buying dies for.
I'm not brave enough to reload 5.7x28.
Oh yeah, plus I shoot a TON of rimfire each year.

 

[X-Ring]

I have not bought factory ammunition in over 7 years. I had my 9mm at the range and forgot the ammo at home. I have a lifetime supply of brass for all the calibers I reload.

 

[CraigC]

I don't handload anything that throws brass, so I still buy .380, 9mm, .45ACP and .223. It's just not worth it to me to chase brass and those aren't the guns I shoot the most. 9mm and .223 are too cheap NOT to buy anyway.

Other than that, I'll sometimes buy a box or two for a new gun just so I can shoot it. Or because brass is difficult to come by. When I first got my Ruger .250Savage, I had to buy some old collectible ammo just to be able to shoot it and then finally found some new factory ammo months later. Which is only run by one manufacturer, once a year. Brass was much more difficult to come by.

 

[BSA1]

Does anyone else still buy factory ammo even though they reload? I still buy .45 ACP when I catch it on a good sale. Usually its just the cheap Winchester white box, or Remington UMC.

Since I reload they fill my need for plinking and target ammunition so I focus my purchases on higher quality self-defense commercial ammo. I subscribe to the school of thought that use of factory ammunition is better than use of handloads in a self-defense shooting.

We happen to have a Cabelas store nearby and I get a lot of discount coupons in the mail from them. By watching for when they have sales on ammo I combine the coupons to get some really good prices on premium stuff.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

Last summer, when Cabelas had XM-193 for $6.50/box + 10% off of that and free shipping.....I bought 60 boxes. 1200 rounds came out to $360. I'll never do better than that on factory ammo.

Its really nice brass for reloading too.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Yes but like many others above, only SD ammo or if the price is very right for the brass.

 

[Don McDowell]

New gun, yes a couple of boxes of factory , just for a reference point.
Stuff that's been around here for awhile, not to likely except in some examples, like the 223 it's not worth my time to try and reload varmint ammo for it, when you find the bulk sales on the stuff, same with 9mm and 45 acp blasting ammo.

 

[Jlr2267]

Yes, 9mm and 40 are too cheap right now to spend my limited reloading time on. I also keep some factory ammo in all calibers for friends/family to shoot...and of course, rimfire as well

 

[cfullgraf]

When I get a firearm with a new to me cartridge, i usually buy a little factory ammunition to shoot over a chronograph and "calibrate" the gun. It gives me an indication if the gun shoots fast or slow.

I bought a bunch of CMP Greek 30-06 a few years ago for the cases. It was priced about the same as factory new empty cases and I'd get to "unload" it in the process.

 

[GRIZ22]

I use factory ammo in my carry gun. It's also hard to beat the price of 9mm ammo today by reloading.

 

[Reefinmike]

I bought a 20rd box of 45 federal hydrashoks a few years back. Shot 7 and put the other 13 in the glock as my bump in the night gun. Went to go fire em all off last month. First round in the mag had a dud primer with no priming compound or paper seal. So much for premium $1 a round ammo. Ive never had a reload fail to go off. I inspect the primers on my xtp loads.

 

[ljnowell]

20 weeks of the year I buy 30 rounds of 38 special at the Olin/Winchester Handgun Facility. The league is free to shoot but you must use their ammo. As I use the match wadcutters it cost me 15.50 per week.

I also buy factory 9mm hollow point ammunition for my carry guns. I load my own 45 and 38 carry ammo.

 

[ljnowell]

I use factory ammo in my carry gun. It's also hard to beat the price of 9mm ammo today by reloading.

Not really, I load it for half price.

 

[kcofohio]

Only 22lr or if I buy a new firearm the first 50-100 rounds will be factory so if there is an out-of-the-box problem with it they can't blame the reloads.

Yes, for this reason mainly.

And for 380, because I never am able to find all my brass at the range.