Why & what do you handload?

[Wind Gypsy]

"Bulk reloading". That brought a question to mind. When I load target or plinking ammo or handgun ammo, I either load whatever I have handy for components or in the case of 9mm I load until I get bored.
For my hunting ammo, I'm specifically thinking deer and pigs, I will load probably 10 rounds for the rifle I'm going to use. I figure 3-4 to check the scope and the remainder for the hunt. I don't see the point in having a bunch of ammo laying around that may not be used for another year. How many hunting rounds do you guys load?

I like to shoot my hunting rifles (most of them at least) and like having ammo when I want it vs needing to load it when a time slot to go shoot comes up. Typically do batches of at least 50 (one ammo box) unless its tinkering with different loads that aren't already proven. Ideally its 100+ though. Part of that is keeping brass/powder/bullet lots consistent. Harder to keep track of # of firings and such and have ammo perform the same if all that stuff gets mixed up. Also nice to not be swapping powder in/out measures, dies and shell holders in the press, tool heads and shell plates on progressives, primers out of seaters, ect for low #'s of loaded rounds.

 

[xebadir]

I reload due to having an affinity for weird calibers where production ammo can be a little harder to come by (partly cause I shoot LH rifles which can be harder to find in some of the more common calibers), or if it is available lacks quality/is expensive. My favorite hunting ammo went out of production and that precipitated my move towards reloading more. I like being able to choose the combination of components that I use to put together a round.

Rifle:
6.5x55SE
270 Win
280 AI

Handgun:
44 Spec/Mag - Practice and Defense Rounds
38 Spec/357 Mag - Practice and Defense Rounds
9 mm - Defense Rounds only

 

[Salmonchaser]

Got my first press in 1967, I was 12. (1967) I never took up golf, so I shoot once a week instead.
.223
22. 250
243
257 Roberts
25/06
264wm
6.5 creedmore
7x57
7mm mag
308
30/06
300wm,300wb,300HH
8mm RM
338wm;338jarett
375HH
416 Rigby
458wm
45/70
577NE

 

[jedi8542]

I don't believe that handloading saves money anymore. The cost and availability outweighs " Saves Money". The only reason I handload now is to increase accuracy and it is also very therapeutic .

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

I handloaded a few times mostly because I was interested in the process and to spend time with a buddy who reloads. I found that they are more consistent rounds and I do like accuracy the most. I didn't think that it really saved us that much money given the time put in, but he thought so.

 

[dstaffk5]

I load because I like precision and repeatability. I also enjoy doing it. A lot of the calibers I own I have to reload for them. Can't find cartridges off the shelf for them.

 

[WVmike]

I load because I like precision and repeatability. I also enjoy doing it. A lot of the calibers I own I have to reload for them. Can't find cartridges off the shelf for them.

It also beats not having to pay $60 a box for 20 rounds also.

 

[buffybr]

I bought my first centerfire rifle in 1967, a Herter's .30-06 barreled action and a semi-inletted stock. As a 21 year old college student, I also bought a Herter's C press, dies, and balance scale and started reloading mainly to save money. After I got back from Vietnam in 1970, I bought my first shotgun, a Miroku O/U 12 ga, and 2 centerfire pistols, a Govt model 1911 .45 acp and a Ruger. 357 Blackhawk, so I bought RCBS dies for the pistols and a Honey Bair single stage shotshell reloader, mainly to save money.

After I graduated from college in 1973, I moved to Steamboat Spgs, Colorado, and a friend got me into shooting black powder guns. I built a .45 caliber Kentucky rifle (whick I used to shoot my best ever Mule Deer buck) and a .50 caliber Hawken rifle, along with a few BP pistols. I then began casting bullets and round balls for all of my rifles and pistols, again to save money.

Then in 1975 I moved from Colorado to Montana where my hunting intrests expanded and grew and bought a Ruger Super Blackhawk. 44 magnum. In 1977 I had my .30-06 rechambered to .30 Gibbs and bought a .257 Ackley and a .22-250. The next year I moved to the Bozeman area where I joined the local gun range and started league Trap shooting. After a few years of league trapshooting I bought a Browning BT-99 trap shotgun.

By the mid '80s I became competent enough start ATA registered Trap shooting, and in shooting 10,000 shotshells every year, I upgraded my single stage 12 ga reloader to a Pacific .366 progressive reloader. In about 1986 we put in a Skeet field at our range, and I bought a Browning Citori O/U Trap shotgun for my Trap Doubles and Skeet shooting. With all of that shotgun shooting, and the price of lead shot going over $5/25 pound bag, I bought a lead dripper and started making my own lead shot, which I still do today.

By the late '80s, I was more into Skeet than Trap shooting so I bought small guage tubes for my Citori, and bought 3 more Hornady 366 progressive reloaders for 20 and 28 ga and .410 shotshells.

Over the years, my rifle and pistol batteries grew, so now I am casting bullets for most and reloading for:

.36, .44, .45, and .54 caliber black powder
.38/.357, 9mm, .44, and .45 cal pistols
.223, .257Ackley, .270 Win, 7mm RM, .30 carbine, .308, .300 Wby, .375 RUM rifles

I no longer formally compete in any shooting activies, but just about every week throughout the year I'll go to the range and shoot between 100 to 200 pistol, rifle, and shotshells.

I started reloading to save money, and today my cost per shell is far cheaper that retail fatory loads, and the cost of my reloading equipment has been amortized down to virtually nothing, but my stock of reloading materials way exceeds the number of shells that I will load and shoot for the rest of my life.

And through my reloading, I have developed moa loads for most of my rifles, but at least for me, shooting a Cape Buffalo, a Dall and Bighorn rams, or a B&C Muskox and Caribou bulls or any other animal that I have hunted, with a rifle that I built and with bullets that I have loaded greatly enhances those experiences.

 

[Redmt]

I have hunted, with a rifle that I built and with bullets that I have loaded greatly enhances those experiences.

Like you there's a huge amount of satisfaction hunting with a rifle you built or modified for yourself. I really only hunt one but I shoot many. The only factory ammo I shoot is .22's and 17hmr. I probably go through a few hundred rim fire a month.

 

[3006Sprng]

novice hand loader,

30-06
308
243

Started about 2 years ago as a hobby. I like the idea of hunting with your own made hand loads. I also enjoy the reloading process, it’s fun putting something together that works.

I’ve found I’ve been able to exceed factory ammo performance pretty easily.

Now I’m just an addict, I’ll just keep buying more dies as I buy more rifles.

 

[Redmt]

If you buy the dies first then buying the rifle becomes a necessity.

 

[Jbotto]

If you buy the dies first then buying the rifle becomes a necessity.

This how I fell in love with the .338-06.

 

[Dan O]

In a time long long ago when I turned twelve and got my hunters safety certificate my Dad and I started duck hunting. It wasn't long before I talked Dad into buying a shotgun shell reloading press. I loaded thousands of rounds of 12 gauge over the years. Then steel shot was required and that we then stopped waterfowl hunting for awhile. I then got into reloading for my 357 and it expanded over the years. So now I currently reload for the following.

Handgun
7mm br.
38 spec.
357 mag.
40 S&W
10mm
41 mag.
44 mag.
45 acp.
45 lc.
454

Rifle
223
22-250
243
270
7-08
300 H&H
300 wby.
338 wm.
40-65
45-70 aka 45 2.1
45-100 aka 45 2.6

I think that's all but I may have missed something.

 

[Redmt]

If you buy the dies first then buying the rifle becomes a necessity.

I'll explain why it's necessary to have a rifle to shoot the dies and ammo you already have.
I picked up a Ruger #1 in 22-250 1-14 twist. It won't stabilize the heavier copper bullet, mandatory under the laws of the peoples Republic. I want to use the 22-250 caliber for larger piggies. Now I have the dies and all components for heavier copper reloads. It makes perfect sense that a Ruger Predator in 22-250 1-10 twist is needed. Simple really.

 

[noharleyyet]

Collaborated loading and shot regularly with a good friend who developed prohibitive health issues. He was most of the intel and the sweat of our relationship's equity. I have enough loaded for the worker bee firearms in my safe. The new 7PRC will shoots factory very well.

 

[3006Sprng]

If you buy the dies first then buying the rifle becomes a necessity.

I’ll ask my wife for some dies for Christmas lol

 

[Shedking]

I started reloading when I got a 338 lapua. Lucky I stocked up on powder and primers before covid.
Now I load for most of my rifles. Except my 223/556
For me I started reloading because I thought it would be cheaper but I found out I like nice reloading tools. Now it’s about getting accurate ammo and know exact what I am shooting and being able to choose any bullet that interest me.

 

[JV842]

I started by watching my pops when I was a little kid. Kind of fell away from it when I was in the USMC due to no equipment and then was kind of lazy n just used what my pops gave me or dabble in it until recently. I go a beautiful 7X57 Mauser that finding ammo was a pain in the a**. So I kind of went down the rabbit hole, got all new equipment, watched tons of YouTube, etc.
Too much fun tailoring the load to the rifle!!!
Just knocked out a few for the 7X57 last night; ran out of bullets or would’ve done more.

 

[brymoore]

I have a handful of rifles but only load for two calibers - 280ai and 257 Roberts. I happened to be in Scheels yesterday looking at ammo for my 270 win. I can still load premium ammo much cheaper than I can buy.

 

[Burn Pile]

Reloading looked like a relaxing hobby to get into that I can do at home no matter the time of day or the weather and it is. Now its also so I can load custom ammo for my guns plus loads I can't buy & wildcats. Lower cost per round for fancy stuff and more participation per round for the basics and plinkers.

With shotgun (20ga) again I can load things I can't buy. I use different wads for birds as the season progresses in addition to different chokes.