Bitter points to an article that shows only 1/4 of rifle shooters reload. I would haver thought that number was going to be much higher these days, considering the price of ammo, and the chronic shortages of reloading supplies. The only thing I don’t reload these days are shotgun shells and .22LR, which also happens to be what I shoot the most of. Everything else I’m reloading.
Speaking of reloading, they are looking to restrict reloaders in Canada. Massachusetts already restricts them in this manner.
I’m just too lazy, and honestly make enough that it’s not yet a concern. We’ll see though. I may get into it later this year
Yep its a ROYAL bitch to get componats in this state. There are a few shops that stock componants, but the variety of products and the weight and shelf-space they take up usally means the selection and price aren’t great. Many places (like Midway, Brownells and Cabellas) won’t ship ammo or componants to Mass under any circumstance.
There’s a Cabellas opening in South Portland, I’m definetly looking forward to that when I’m in Maine viseting family. Stock up then!
I don’t shoot enough centerfire to justify it, and I’m willing to wager a good portion of those rifleshooters only go through a couple boxes a year, never really enough to justify the costs. I wouldn’t go nuts practicing with a well-sighted centerfire rifle to go deer hunting if I couldn’t afford the ammo.
A decent reloading set-up costs a good 600-700 USD plus materials, and a low-cost one will still put you back 300-400 USD with materials covered. For hunters, plinkers, and new shooters, that’s a lot of ammo — more than 1,500 rounds of the el crappo Fiochi stuff I can find. I’m not a newbie gun nut, but that’s still a lot of ammo for a good portion of folk, and probably the better part of a year for me to fire off (I mostly stick to .22). And that cost is ignoring the time value; it might take 80 hours, if not more, to get that ammo together, 80 hours where not paying enough attention can get someone hurt.
If you’re doing hard core target shooting or preparing for self defense, that’s really and immediately worth it with the first sub0.5 MOA round. For the rest of us, it’s a pretty big investment that doesn’t really earn its keep for months or years.
On one hand, I’d like to reload – after learning how, of course.
On the other hand, most of my pistols are .40SW. I have “don’t believe everything you read on the Intarwebs” covered, and even taking it with a largish grain of salt, I’l still leery of reloading that caliber.
Maybe after I get a .45. ;)
I find myself saving brass like some sort of crazy man, and reload .30-06 and .223. Saves me gobs of money, as my reloading setup is all-Lee (why pay more?). Total cost for everything, excluding powder, primers, and bullets is about $120 USD. Add enough components for 1,000 rounds of .223, and I’m still under $225…far less than the cost of a thousand rounds of factory ammo.
Reloading is fun, relaxing, and saves me a lot of money. I really like it.
I also must thank the 75% of the shooters that don’t reload, as it leaves that much more brass for me. :)
I would reload if:
(1) I had time. Law school devours so much of it that I barely have time to go to the range, never mind reload.
(2) I didn’t live in an apartment. I don’t have anyplace to put a reloading press.
Lots of people are leery of the possible hazards, and- for some cartridges- a lot of people don’t shoot enough of them to feel justified in starting to handload.
One thing a lot of people overlook, besides the cost savings, is being able to put together custom loads. I’ve got a mold that throws a 150-grain gas-check bullet, actually designed for .30-30, and I use that bullet in .30-30, .308, .30-06 and- with surprisingly good results- 7.62x54r with light practice loads. Much easier on the shoulder for general practice, low noise and real good for introducing a newby to the rifles.