TimSr
Member
Every box of loaded ammo should have a label showing exactly what is in it. Anything otherwise could be very dangerous.
so.. i quit reloading.
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Every box of loaded ammo should have a label showing exactly what is in it. Anything otherwise could be very dangerous.
larryh1108
Member
No matter what you decide, wait until we see who gets elected before you make any decision. If the wrong person gets in I'm betting that she will attack the ammo with taxes and import restrictions. She hates us and will do whatever she can to make our lives miserable.
Tim
I did this when I was testing h335 and BM. I had 2 ammo boxes and would use a label maker and put a label for each 5 shot charge on the box along with the primers used and date. once I found my good load for say h335 I stopped and went to BM and worked it up. I don't have any live ammo that I reloaded because I shot it all. once I found "THE LOAD" I just quit reloading for some reason.
The days are getting shorter so I wont be able to do much after work so I will give it another shot and once I figure that sweet spot again I will load up some to put away. I also got color coded plastic ammo boxes for say my varmint rounds and my target stuff and put labels on them.
Toprudder
Member
I started out reloading as a means to an end (to have readily available ammo so I could shoot). Then reloading became my hobby. I shoot to make empty brass.
Now I HAVE to reload - I don't have any choice. My wife started shooting with me, and we go once a week to the nearby indoor range. One time I ran out of the 9mm loads I worked up for her, and gave her some factory ammo instead. She had a couple of misfeeds with the factory ammo. She said "go back to the bench and load some more 9mm for me. Your stuff always works".
I gotta keep momma happy. (Ok, that is almost what happened).
Seriously, though, I find a lot of enjoyment in working up news loads with different bullets and powder combinations. I've got over 30 different pistol powders in my inventory. And I'm just getting started in rifle. So, sometimes I go out into the shack to work up new loads, or I just sit down and crank out a few hundred rounds for our next date night.
It helps having a comfortable place to reload. I started out in the spare bedroom (with the wife's approval) but then got a 12x20 building installed, that I wired and insulated and is climate controlled.
I have another hobby that I have been involved with since I was a kid - model airplanes. I've gone through periods when I have not touched them for a few years, but I always come back to it. I may sell some of my more expensive stuff (I just sold a turbine powered model) but I keep the radios and small planes so I have something to fly if I get the urge again. The same will go for my reloading equipment - I will save enough so that I will always have enough to make a few rounds. And I have all my loads well documented!!
Now I HAVE to reload - I don't have any choice. My wife started shooting with me, and we go once a week to the nearby indoor range. One time I ran out of the 9mm loads I worked up for her, and gave her some factory ammo instead. She had a couple of misfeeds with the factory ammo. She said "go back to the bench and load some more 9mm for me. Your stuff always works".
I gotta keep momma happy. (Ok, that is almost what happened). Seriously, though, I find a lot of enjoyment in working up news loads with different bullets and powder combinations. I've got over 30 different pistol powders in my inventory. And I'm just getting started in rifle. So, sometimes I go out into the shack to work up new loads, or I just sit down and crank out a few hundred rounds for our next date night.
It helps having a comfortable place to reload. I started out in the spare bedroom (with the wife's approval) but then got a 12x20 building installed, that I wired and insulated and is climate controlled.
I have another hobby that I have been involved with since I was a kid - model airplanes. I've gone through periods when I have not touched them for a few years, but I always come back to it. I may sell some of my more expensive stuff (I just sold a turbine powered model) but I keep the radios and small planes so I have something to fly if I get the urge again. The same will go for my reloading equipment - I will save enough so that I will always have enough to make a few rounds. And I have all my loads well documented!!
Buzznrose
Member
Smart advice! I sold off all my reloading gear many years ago, and wish often I still had it all back. Hard to convince myself it's worth the money today to buy it all again when I've been buying up four cases of ammo for every case I shoot and now it's stacked pretty deep...
But I miss reloading...it was a fun pastime...
TimSr
Member
What happened to the labels on the boxes?
when I would go to the next charge I would make a new label. some started looking a little hot and I don't remember if it was what I loaded last which is labeled on the box or if its what I loaded before that.
badkarmamib
Member
So, you should be able to load 3-5 rounds by that label, shoot one at a time. If they look hot, stop and load down. If they all look fine, that should be your load, correct?
4evernbljns
Member
those who can,do. Those who have grandsons,teach.
well as some of you said I might have written the loads down on here. I was going through my phone the other day deleting old pictures and noticed some pictures and video of targets and realized I was smart enough to take a picture of the groups with the powder charge written down and also some video. now that the days are getting shorter and I really cant do anything productive after work I said to myself last night go load some ammo and hit the range after work.
I've got about 1.3lbs of h335 and half pound benchmark still and a whole pound of h332. looks like im going to be having a little fun in the next few weeks. 500pc 223 to load up. 1k 9mm to load up.
thanks for all your guys help its much appreciated!
I've got about 1.3lbs of h335 and half pound benchmark still and a whole pound of h332. looks like im going to be having a little fun in the next few weeks. 500pc 223 to load up. 1k 9mm to load up.
thanks for all your guys help its much appreciated!
badkarmamib
Member
Glad to hear you have some hope, and get to have some fun. Sincerely, good luck to you, and I hope you rediscover your enjoyment for the hobby.
Sunray
Member
"...I found loads that worked..." Now it's about not having to track down the best price for ammo. None of the stuff you bought will go bad. You don't have to reload all the time just because you have the kit. You can reload when you need to or feel like it.
SSN Vet
Member
In the final analysis, the decision to reload (or not to reload) is largely driven by how much you shoot.
People who shoot a lot and are not sponsored or independently wealthy, pretty much have to reload.
Often, guys get into reloading with an anticipation about how much money they are going to save, and find that they spend about the same amount as before, only now they shoot much more.
I personally go in spurts. I'll reload and/or cast a lot for a month or two, but then I wont pull the cover off the presses for a year. I keep my progressive press set up for .45, and can load one years worth of ammo in just a couple nights. But I enjoy doing it. One thing that helps is that I keep a pretty good log of my activities so I can always pick up where I left off.
I wouldn't consider selling my kit, because I'd take a huge loss and would never be able to justify the expense of getting back into it again.
I guess I have too many hobbies and interests for my own good, but that's how I keep the gray matter stimulated and keep myself out of trouble
People who shoot a lot and are not sponsored or independently wealthy, pretty much have to reload.
Often, guys get into reloading with an anticipation about how much money they are going to save, and find that they spend about the same amount as before, only now they shoot much more.
I personally go in spurts. I'll reload and/or cast a lot for a month or two, but then I wont pull the cover off the presses for a year. I keep my progressive press set up for .45, and can load one years worth of ammo in just a couple nights. But I enjoy doing it. One thing that helps is that I keep a pretty good log of my activities so I can always pick up where I left off.
I wouldn't consider selling my kit, because I'd take a huge loss and would never be able to justify the expense of getting back into it again.
I guess I have too many hobbies and interests for my own good, but that's how I keep the gray matter stimulated and keep myself out of trouble
buck460XVR
Member
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One thing I discovered many years ago, if I didn't write something down....I forgot it. Now I have some pet loads for .44Mag and have loaded them so many times I couldn't forget if I wanted, but I still log 'em in a ledger just like they were first time loads. When I find those first time or newly developed loads are one's I want to keep, I highlite them in that same ledger. I also highlite/write pet loads down in the margin of reloading manuals. That way after I'm gone, the boys will know what we liked.
SwaneeSR
Member
I agree buck. The spreadsheet method works well, however I record everything in a notebook. Also, I label ever container of ammunition. I also label my powder measure for my Dillon 550b so I know the current setup. These are my loads from last night. I do rifle on the single stage Rockchucker.
If I travel for work and return, it is amazing how quickly you can forget.
Once I shoot ammunition, I move the label from the container to my notebook. I know a little OCD. I do that for rifle and pistol. Normally not for shotgun trap loads. I load those by the coffee can.
Swanee
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If I travel for work and return, it is amazing how quickly you can forget.
Once I shoot ammunition, I move the label from the container to my notebook. I know a little OCD. I do that for rifle and pistol. Normally not for shotgun trap loads. I load those by the coffee can.
Swanee
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thomas15
Member
oli I got started handloading pistol ammo at a time when powder was in very short supply. So I ended up making my loads using powders that were not optimum. I still have a bunch of ammo that shoots ok but not as good in my guns as I would like.
This puts me in a quandary, what do I do with the literally 5000 9mm rounds that I rather not shoot? Well I'm not going to take them apart, too many of them. So I'm going to shoot them and learn from the lesson. They are not bad just not exactly the best for me. But this is not a reason to dislike handloading and as others have said being self-sufficient and not having to go on a panic buying trip makes it worth the effort. But for me I consume between 5-8k pistol rounds per year. I keep a notebook with me on range trips and record my thoughts and the performance of my work for future reference. I shoot steel and IDPA an USPSA and I'm always getting ideas from other shooters on new loads. I write them down as I cannot remember that kind of detail.
BTW I find that loading for center fire rifle to be much more of a challenge.
This puts me in a quandary, what do I do with the literally 5000 9mm rounds that I rather not shoot? Well I'm not going to take them apart, too many of them. So I'm going to shoot them and learn from the lesson. They are not bad just not exactly the best for me. But this is not a reason to dislike handloading and as others have said being self-sufficient and not having to go on a panic buying trip makes it worth the effort. But for me I consume between 5-8k pistol rounds per year. I keep a notebook with me on range trips and record my thoughts and the performance of my work for future reference. I shoot steel and IDPA an USPSA and I'm always getting ideas from other shooters on new loads. I write them down as I cannot remember that kind of detail.
BTW I find that loading for center fire rifle to be much more of a challenge.
Bama Drifter
Member
As Dr. Jones said in Last Crusade, "Junior, I wrote it down so I don't HAVE to remember it!!!"
Couldn't resist.
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Couldn't resist. Sent from my HUAWEI G620-A2 using Tapatalk
I just decided to load up some 44mag and found a note I jotted down of 24gr imr 4227. I started at 23gr and worked up in .3 increments to 24 and will test them in a few days. I have to say I don't know why I quit for as long as I did because I actually enjoyed doing it tonight.
after I shoot these I found pictures I took of my groups for 223rem with the load and primer but no seat depth written on the target and its waayyyy off from the book so I will have to start that over again. I had a few dummy rounds laying on the bench of different sizes but pulled them to start over cause I don't know why I made them the way I made them. after I get that load tweaked I'm loading up what powder and bullets I have and stashing it and off to buy more. the elections coming up and I foresee stuff disappearing so have to get cracking.
after I shoot these I found pictures I took of my groups for 223rem with the load and primer but no seat depth written on the target and its waayyyy off from the book so I will have to start that over again. I had a few dummy rounds laying on the bench of different sizes but pulled them to start over cause I don't know why I made them the way I made them. after I get that load tweaked I'm loading up what powder and bullets I have and stashing it and off to buy more. the elections coming up and I foresee stuff disappearing so have to get cracking.
GBExpat
Member
I just checked my Reloading Log ... I haven't done any reloading or shooting in almost 2 months.
Heck, I haven't yet gotten around to testing the new G42 that I bought in late August ... and my range is in my backyard, so "opportunity" isn't the problem.
Many folks do this stuff pretty steadily while most, I think, operate with, sometimes sizeable, ups & downs.
Not to worry.
Enjoy!
thomas15
Member
About the same for me and I will probably do very little handloading until the spring. I look forward to getting back into the swing but I need to shoot some ammo first and buy some components second. In the by and by I'm making improvements to my bench and trying to create a comprehensive inventory and shopping list. I also have some experimental loads that haven't been tested and now would be a good time.
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