Shoot a few-Load a few vs. ????

[GeoDudeFlorida]

We all have different habits and different working situations so I figured I’d throw this out for comment - sort of an RFC for reloading, if you will.

For me, my habits have been to keep my shooting stocks about level - if I go out and shoot a “box” of ammo, then the next time I go to reload that caliber I load up a box of what I shot. Sometimes I get bored or adventurous and break that routine but I try to keep track of what I keep on hand and not let the shelves get bare or overflowing.

This being Florida there’s no need to change up my routine for the weather - we don’t have to worry about getting snowed in and hurricanes only last a day or two. They move pretty quickly over an area.

So just thinking about comments I’ve seen over the years about how some folks load all winter and shoot all summer, I was wondering about how many loads y’all keep shelved and such.

 

[ballman6711]

For me it depends on the caliber.

38 spcl about 100 rounds
357 mag about 100 rounds
480 Ruger about 50 rounds
.223 about 1k rounds
7.62 x 39 maybe 300 rounds
45 acp about 500 rounds

45 acp is what I load and shoot most. I tend to load about 500 rounds through the winter, and then shoot it during the spring, summer, and fall. During the nicer weather if I get down to about 100 rounds I will load some more, but I load on the upper level of the house and we have no AC or insulation, so when it gets warm outside it gets warm in my loading room.

I still have factory ammo left from before I started reloading, and shoot it once in awhile when I don't have enough of my loads to make a range trip worthwhile.

22lr is basically just pick up a brick here and there as I use it up, but I can load/shoot 45acp almost as cheap as 22lr.

chris

 

[LiveLife]

For 9mm general purpose/range blasting pistol load that gets shot the most, I like to keep on hand at least 1000 rounds loaded, preferrably 2000 rounds so when unexpected guests join me to the range, I just grab an ammo box or two and not worry about running out of ammo. This is usually loaded with the cheapest 115/124 gr plated/jacketed bullets I could find (Currently using up 14,000 RMR pulled plated bullets) as utmost accuracy is not required. So I usually reload after a range trip to replenish my stock when I get a chance.

For higher precision and PCC plinking (25-50 yards with soda can targets) 9mm loads that are shot at longer distances, I like to have a few hundred on hand and reload after range trip but replenishing this load is not urgent as I could always use the "General Purpose" load in a snap (And why I load some of GP rounds with RMR jacketed bullets for PCC use).

For 75-100 yard plinking with PCC, instead of 115/124 gr bullets, 95/100 gr bullets are used for higher velocity around 1500 fps for flatter shooting trajectory and these are kept in a separate ammo box and loaded as needed. Of course, 115 gr RMR FMJ GP rounds could be used in a snap as well.

I don't shoot 40S&W/45ACP as much as 9mm but gearing up to do 45ACP carbine load testing with Just Right carbine so instead of having a few hundred loaded on hand, I will likely load up more 45ACP reference load (230 gr RN and W231/HP-38/Promo) to compare with different powder load development.

For .223, my reference load is 55 gr FMJ with H335 (Along with factory M193) and I like to have several hundred rounds on hand but currently gearing up to do RMR 69/75 gr load development with goal of approaching 77 gr MK 262 round with RMR 75 gr BTHP - http://www.black-hills.com/product-category/mk-262-mod-1-c-mil-pack/

So once I determine an accurate load for 69 gr with H335 to shoot out of 20" .223 Wylde 1:8 barrel, I will likely load up several hundred rounds. Only powder I have been able to locate for 75 gr bullet is BL-C(2) but Johnny's Reloading Bench had some success using BL-C(2) for Mk262 cloning so I will conduct my load development with BL-C(2) in limited numbers until I find Varget/AR Comp.

 

[NMexJim]

After x number of years, I have reliable favorites for my pistol calibers. I try to keep at least 1k each of those on hand. Same for 5.56.

But, it’s brass staging that saves a lot of time. I’ve collected piles of brass which are kept in 1k piece bags sorted, cleaned and sized with notes on times fired. If I end up with a rainy day, I grab a sack and load ‘em.

 

[eddiememphis]

100 or so at a time.

I am not shooting volume, I am trying to find what works best in each gun.

Once I settle on a recipe, I will start loading in bulk.

 

[lightman]

I used to load the cartridges that I shot a lot of in batches of between 3000 and 5000 at a time. About the time I had worked my way through 1/2 of them I would start casting bullets for the handgun calibers again. As I have aged I have reduced those numbers quite a bit. Mostly to 500 or 1000 at a time.

 

[dredd]

I have pretty much transitioned from bulk loading to load-as-ya-go.
In general, that would be a minimum of 100 rounds of just about anything.

It's not like it was in the Good Old Days when I could use up all of my H110 loading 30 Carbine and then run out and get more for my .357 any time I pleased.

This new'ish approach should keep my stash of supplies readily available for various cartridges that use the same powders etc.

I haven't touched my progressive presses in a long time. I'm happy just chugging away at my old rock chucker.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I load 1200-1500 at a time, each, for the three recipes I use for my 9mms.
I load about 500 .357 mag at a time, and the rest I play by ear.
How much we load and keep is usually reflects how much we shoot.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

My reloading room is climate controlled but I still prefer to load in the summer when I can open the door and let some humidity in. My powder measures work so much better at around 45% humidity. Winter around here is like a desert, 15% humidity and lot's of static problems. Prefer loading in the summer.

 

[barnfrog]

100 or so at a time.

I am not shooting volume, I am trying to find what works best in each gun.

Once I settle on a recipe, I will start loading in bulk.

That's pretty much where I'm at.

 

[CQB45ACP]

As an indoor shooter I’m not constrained by weather either.

Currently I shoot no more than 200 rounds each week, many weeks half that. And for a while now I’ve loaded just enough to stay ahead of my shooting volume.

I really cannot devote large chunks of time doing the required tasks so I break it up. I don’t really enjoy more than a hour at a time anyway.

I also enjoy reasonable levels of precision—hand dipping and measuring every load, careful seating with my micrometer die, prepping cases meticulously, and shiny sparkling brass

Seems to all synchronize for my Monday morning shoots.

 

[frogfurr]

As far as volume I shoot mostly 9mm and 45acp. My outdoor range weather permitting. I keep a minimum of (500) each on hand and when that minimum level is reached I will reload until I have (1000) each on hand. The pistol is reloaded on a 550C. I buy good reloading components for pistol but not premium components. Rifle is different. I like to experiment with rifle loads so I do it in small batches on a T7 turret the old fashioned way with a beam scale and powder trickler. Also I use premium components for rifle and that makes rifle a little more expensive. Really enjoy my rifle reloading. I keep about (200) rifle on hand.

 

[tominboise]

For long time, when I was working full time and raising a family, I couldn't shoot that often but I could sneak in and reload, so I ended up with a lot of ammo loaded and on the shelf. I like reloading, but I am trying really hard to shoot up what I have stored before I start reloading again. My typical mode today, especially for handguns, is to load up a few rounds and verify accuracy and function, before I commit to loading up a bunch. When I do load a bunch, it's usually 500 for semi auto pistols and 200 for revolvers. Usually a box of 20 for hunting rifle.

 

[eddiememphis]

I do keep a supply of prepped and primed brass around so when it comes time to load I am not starting from dirty cases.

I have the Lee Six Pack set up for 9mm. The Lyman turret has .357 on one side and .45 Colt on the other so I can put together some finished rounds somewhat quickly.

 

[CoalTrain49]

I keep about 300 rounds loaded for everything I shoot. If I shoot 100 I top it it off.

Basically I load what I shoot with a small reserve.

I'm always screwing around with different cartridges, some pretty old, and I've been know to sell a firearm or two. It wouldn't work for me to have 1000 rds loaded and then sell the only firearm I have that uses that cartridge, That's happened.

I just know me and what works for me.

 

[270OKIE]

We all have different habits and different working situations so I figured I’d throw this out for comment - sort of an RFC for reloading, if you will.

For me, my habits have been to keep my shooting stocks about level - if I go out and shoot a “box” of ammo, then the next time I go to reload that caliber I load up a box of what I shot. Sometimes I get bored or adventurous and break that routine but I try to keep track of what I keep on hand and not let the shelves get bare or overflowing.

This being Florida there’s no need to change up my routine for the weather - we don’t have to worry about getting snowed in and hurricanes only last a day or two. They move pretty quickly over an area.

So just thinking about comments I’ve seen over the years about how some folks load all winter and shoot all summer, I was wondering about how many loads y’all keep shelved and such.

So since my 308 debacle, I'm going to only load a small amount, like a few mags maybe at most of each test till I find "the" load. Of course that in of itself doesn't always work out... sigh...

 

[9mmepiphany]

I try to keep 1000 9mm and 1000 .38Spl loaded and at hand for casual plinking and practice. I try to keep a couple on matches worth of each of "Match Ammo"...so I don't stress before matches. My casual ammo is often comprised of RMR "Seconds"...which I'm more than happy to shoot at local matches. I just recently worked up a .45ACP load with coated bullets, so only have about 500 loaded on hand.

I do cheat a bit by having a progressive press set up for each caliber, so it's easy to run out and load 100 when taking a break from whatever I'm doing..so it's easy to load 500-800 in a day without really thinking about it.

My current goal is to load all my military 9mm with 124gr RN bullets which i don't normally load. My new machine has a swage feature and I want to try it out. Should be less than 3k and that will finish off my first box of Ginex SPP. I thought about loading up all my Bosnian primers, but then I'd have to figure out where to stack them

 

[vaalpens]

I have a 50cal ammo can per cartridge, with 38spl and 357mag sharing an ammo can. So I basically have an amount for each ammo can per cartridge's, and keep track of my inventory. When I see one of them is getting low on percentage of full, then I'll try and stock up.

Caliber	Ammo Can	Inventory	Percentage
9mm	1000​	610​	61.00%​
357sig	700​	657​	93.86%​
38spl + 357mag	700​	357​	51.00%​
40SW	700​	629​	89.86%​
45acp	600​	386​	64.33%​
	3700​	2639​	71.32%​

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I keep about 300 rounds loaded for everything I shoot. If I shoot 100 I top it it off.

Basically I load what I shoot with a small reserve.

I'm always screwing around with different cartridges, some pretty old, and I've been know to sell a firearm or two. It wouldn't work for me to have 1000 rds loaded and then sell the only firearm I have that uses that cartridge, That's happened.

I just know me and what works for me.

Sounds like me. I sold my only .40 cal, realized I had a few hundred rounds loaded and the supply to load a couple thousand more. So now I have two .40’s.

 

[lordpaxman]

I just realized I feel like a squirrel who’s buried a lot of nuts, but can’t quite remember how many or where. Thanks.

 

[41 Mag]

For me, I guess I'm in the load as I go group for the most part.

When I set up my progressive to load a particular caliber I'm usually loading for the semi aouts and will run several hundred of a particular load, then maybe switch to a different load while it's set up for that caliber. That might be 2-300 124gr 9mm, or anything from a 155-230gr 45acp. Most of these are simply RN or SWC, but I do throw in a lot of my own cast HPs as well.

For rifles, I usually do a run of 50-100 and call that good until I'm down to around a dozen or less rounds. These are usually know loads we use for hunting and verifying drops prior to hunting season opening.

Similarly for revolvers, I usually load in 100-200 round batches and mainly hunting ammo. These are usually sized and trimmed, then the charges are weighed out. I know that many never trim revolver cases, but I find that the crimps are more consistent as is the accuracy. Besides it's usually more of a squaring job than trimming as in bottle necked cases.

 

[Skgreen]

I load in the summer/shoot (by far) the most in the Houston 'winter'.
I don't keep track of exactly how may reloads I have and don't tell folks about the size of my stash. About all I can say is I buy in bulk and have bought / reloaded repeatedly this summer.
Hoping to get out to the Range today a 'reduce my inventory' a bit. (Still in the Mid 90's and humid here)

 

[snowman357]

I reload and target shoot all year except during hunting season ( November & December). I keep lots of loaded ammo and will prep cases as they get fired, I will resize, trim, flare then store them ready for primer and powder. Reloading when a certain calibers inventory is around 50% takes very little time if the cases are ready to be loaded. November and december is the time of year I clean up the reloading bench and tools.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

The only things I keep any great supply on hand is .223, .30 Carbine, and 9mm. Of those, only the 30 carbine is mainly reloads. For everything else, I keep about 50 rounds or less, and load as I go. As a matter of fact, a great number of times I’ll load and shoot during the same session. If I want to shoot .357 magnum after work, I’ll grab a bag of brass and a box of bullets and load up a small batch, usually 24 or 25, depending on whether the gun holds 5 or 6 rounds. I load them, and then go in the back yard and shoot them, and call it a day. I rarely shoot more than that many at a time.

 

[AJC1]

The only things I keep any great supply on hand is .223, .30 Carbine, and 9mm. Of those, only the 30 carbine is mainly reloads. For everything else, I keep about 50 rounds or less, and load as I go. As a matter of fact, a great number of times I’ll load and shoot during the same session. If I want to shoot .357 magnum after work, I’ll grab a bag of brass and a box of bullets and load up a small batch, usually 24 or 25, depending on whether the gun holds 5 or 6 rounds. I load them, and then go in the back yard and shoot them, and call it a day. I rarely shoot more than that many at a time.

Travel has a lot to do with how people function. Load and shoot at home, going to be more often with less volume. The range is an hour each way, the amount on hand will go up as the number of rounds shot will also. I have more tests loaded than some posters total volume listed let alone determined good loads...