Poll:do you handload or reload ammo?

[Mauser lover]

Well... I would guess that your hypothesis is correct. I don't think that all THAT many folks handload. But here on THR... Let's face it. We are all nerds.

Humanity in general (perhaps by nature) is lazy. If people can get what they want, they will do so with the minimal amount of energy expended. For some of us, handloading by itself is what we want. For others, they want to shoot.

I handload rifle and handgun ammo. Because I like to.

 

[CraigC]

I agree with most of what has been said. That handloaders are a small minority among gun owners but are going to be more prevalent among enthusiast forums. In Facebook groups, where there are lot more people with little more than a passing interest, the overwhelming majority shoot factory ammo.

I handload nearly all my rifle and handgun ammo, 27 different cartridges at last count. I still buy cheap .223, .380, 9mm, .40S&W, .45ACP and all shotshells. Because I don't like chasing brass in the grass and I don't shoot those cartridges quite as much as the rest. Even if I used a lot more shotshells, I probably still wouldn't reload them.

 

[.308 Norma]

For some of us, handloading by itself is what we want. For others, they want to shoot.

+1
I've heard it said that the difference between a "reloader" and a "handloader" is that a "reloader" reloads so they can shoot more, but a "handloader" shoots so they can reload more. I'm a "handloader" myself, and have been known to buy guns just so that I could build ammunition for them.
It's all good. I know there are a lot of people who take the cost and availability of factory ammo into consideration before they buy a particular gun. Probably most people do that. I don't. But I do consider the fact that if the "particular" gun I'm looking at is a semi-auto, I'm going to be chasing brass every time I shoot it.

 

[P5 Guy]

Load for my revolvers, 38, 357, 44SPL. I have loaded 9x19 but it seems more economical to buy a case than chase brass clean an &c.
When I had k98Ks an M48 I loaded 8mmMauser after the good surplus dried up. The rifles, brass and tools are all gone to other shooter/collector guys
Same with he #4mk1. 303BRIT is a mess to load especially with a top of the spec allowance chamber. I felt lucky getting three reloads before the brass was scrap. They are long gone too.
So, for now .30'06 and I'm collecting supplies for 5.56

 

[rpenmanparker]

Load for my revolvers, 38, 357, 44SPL. I have loaded 9x19 but it seems more economical to buy a case than chase brass clean an &c.
When I had k98Ks an M48 I loaded 8mmMauser after the good surplus dried up. The rifles, brass and tools are all gone to other shooter/collector guys
Same with he #4mk1. 303BRIT is a mess to load especially with a top of the spec allowance chamber. I felt lucky getting three reloads before the brass was scrap. They are long gone too.
So, for now .30'06 and I'm collecting supplies for 5.56

Considering the time value of money it is doubtful pre-buying will save you anything. Relatively speaking the $0.01 tax is a bargain.

 

[dagger dog]

Just getting started in shotshell so I did not choose that option, but started loading hand gun in 1978 or there about then picked up rifle in 1992.
I have firearms that have only been shot with handloads and several have only shot with my cast boolits.

 

[1MoreFord]

While I am now an lazy ole slacker and don't reload much off anything I've reloaded .38/.357, 9mm, a Whole Bunch of .38 Super and .45ACP while competing in IPSC. My two Dillon presses are still set up in .45(an old 450) and .38 Super(early model 1050).

That's in addition to a bit of .308 on a Rockchucker and 12Ga skeet loads on a Hornady 366.

 

[JTHunter]

Over the last 30 years, I haven't done a lot of reloading as I don't get to shoot much. That changed 5 years ago as I got a GP-100 in .38/.357 the year before. When I started reloading 3 decades ago, it was to get a good rifle round for my .243 as factory ammo was all over the paper@ 200 yds. I also loaded for my .380, having started with a Lee box kit a few years before. When I started loading for the .243, I got a Lee Progressive press. With the addition of the .38/.357, I got additional die plates and just keep the dies on their own dedicated plates. The only change I have to make is for the difference in the COL between the .38 Specials and the .357 Magnum.
As I don't get to shoot much, the main reason for reloading has been both accuracy and reserve supply.

 

[Legionnaire]

Some of the posts above got me thinking. Sure, my wildcat rifles get a steady diet of hand loads, but they also got some factory loads; that's how I fire-formed my first brass. I now build fire forming loads, but I can't say the rifles only ever fired hand loads.

My .44 Special revolvers, however, have never seen a factory load. Strictly hand loads from day one.

 

[DM~]

Nearly every rifle and handgun that I own, hasn't had any factory rounds through them...

Although I reload 12, 16, and 20 ga., as of late, factory shotshell ammo is so cheap, I've just been buying them on sale...

DM

 

[armarsh]

I have several wildcats and obsolete black powder cartridge rifles. Reloading is the only option if you want to shoot these guns.

 

[exbrit49]

I shoot a heck of a lot and reload for every caliber I own. Started reloading in the early 1970s and. every time I acquired a new caliber firearm I ordered a set of dies immediately and I buy one box of factory ammo just to try out the new firearm. I look at the performance of the factory ammo, both accuracy and velocity and then try to improve over the factory load. I haven't found a caliber yet that I have not been able to improve on! Basically, reloading lets you work up the ultimate load for every firearm you own.
Shooting as much as I do, I couldn't afford to shoot any where near as much if I had to purchase factory ammo. Brass for the standard calibers is free as my range has always lets me pick up as much as I want,
I load for 12 pistol and rifle cartridges and shoot well over 1000 rounds a month, dont think I could do that if I had to purchase factory ammo.
As so many have already stated, the more occasional shooters just buy factory ammo and (Big Smile) I get the pick of the brass they leave on the ground. My guess is only about 5% of shooters, Reload/handload..
PS My mail carrier hates when I get new supplies of bullets in! A 1000 Pc box of 250 grain 45 Colt are HEAVY!!!

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Fired reloadable brass has all be disappeared from our range. Before the famines started you could pick up brass by the buckets full. It would be interesting to see if there was a regional interest with a higher percentage of handloaders in certain parts of this country. Some of the cartridges I reload store bought cartridges run $100.00 a box of twenty.

 

[If1HitU]

I buy all my ammo at my LGS or Walmart.mostly Walmart.

 

[rpenmanparker]

I buy all my ammo online. Very cheap especially if you are willing to buy it in bulk and rebox it yourself.

 

[gbw]

I reload all my rifle and pistol, several thousand per year. Back when I started it was possible to get close to rimfire costs using scrap lead to load ..45 acp, .38 spl/.357 mag, and 9mm. All using home cast bullets of course.

But, I'm not sure if I was starting out today that I would.

9mm factory ammo, for example, has become so inexpensive, and components and equipment have risen in cost so much, especially primers, that it probably doesn't make sense to reload. Also scrap lead for bullet casting is become very hard to get. If ones time has any value I'm not sure it's worth it especially for handguns.

 

[montanaoffroader]

I reload mainly revolver and hunting rifle rounds, along with a few oddball semi auto pistol cartridges. Common inexpensive cartridges like 9mm and .223/5.56 I generally buy on sale and stack up for later use. When the panic hit, I never ran dry on ammo because I had a decent amount on hand.

My centerfire rifles make range trips throughout the year, they don't sit in a closet waiting for hunting season. Some of them are expensive to feed, 32 Special, 45/70, etc.and reloading saves me quite a bit.

Got started reloading because my Dad was into reloading. He wanted loads that were consistent in quality and optimized for his guns. Back in the 50's and 60's factory ammo could be hit and miss as far as quality was concerned.

 

[rodregier]

I think it would be a fair characterization that reloaders are more heavily represented in the higher volume shooters. Lots of firearm owners who shoot low volume, so it's not worth their while to invest in reloading equipment. OTOH, just about anyone involved in one of the competitive shooting sports or practicing a lot is probably reloading

 

[rodregier]

BTW, the membership of THR extends beyond the United States, so you're capturing stats from beyond that domain...

 

[Mauser lover]

BTW, the membership of THR extends beyond the United States, so you're capturing stats from beyond that domain...

On that note, what do you shooters in Canada do? Do you guys reload? Is it even a "thing" other places than the USA (and places where improvised weapons are common)? What are the laws like up there for handloading?

 

[DM~]

From what I have seen in Canada, LOT'S of reloading goes on there...

DM

 

[loose noose]

I reload all of my rifles, shotguns, and handguns, as far as shotguns go I reload .410, 20ga as well as 12ga. for trap and skeet. BTW I reload for just about everything from .32ACP-45ACP in pistols as well as revolvers. and everything from .223-45-70 in rifles, in other words you name it, I probably reload for it.

 

[orionengnr]

I handload at home.
I reload at the range.

Only factory ammo I buy is .22LR and 7.62x39, and if I could find x39 brass at a reasonable price, I'd handload that too. I have the dies.

 

[JR24]

I handload all my range ammo for pistols and have started in the rifle loading game.

I like that I can load 147 and 230 grain cheap ammo to shoot the same as my carry ammo.

 

[rodregier]

On that note, what do you shooters in Canada do? Do you guys reload? Is it even a "thing" other places than the USA (and places where improvised weapons are common)? What are the laws like up there for handloading?

I can only comment on the view from my location, but there seems to be a lot of reloading activity in Canada.

Laws/regulations are similar to US regs for acquiring and storing reloading components.
Fairly good retail channels for components and it's improving. Online and physical stores are both common channels. Because of int't hazmat regs and US ITAR
export constraints, no lawful individual importations of reloading components from the US.
(Big commercial importers who can spread the paperwork charge over big shipments is how
components come from the US. Because of US ITAR export controls that include bullets, brass, propellant and primers).

There is a powder production plant in Canada, but it ships it all to the US where it is retail packaged and
some of it is shipped back to Canada thru importers into the distribution chain.

There are importers who also access European-sourced components (Lapua, Vituvori etc).

IPSC, F-class, 3-gun are all big Canadian venues for reloaders. I've seen postings by Canadian hunters who reload too, but they are probably small numbers because of low round counts except for varminters.

Hope that answers some of your questions