Why do you reload?
- Thread starter Shadow9mm
- Start date
I started reloading when I was a teenager so I could shoot my brother's guns (he would let me shoot as much ammo as I reloaded, I had to buy the bullets and primers and powder). Then I reloaded to save money (factory ammo has always been expensive). Then I discovered that handloads could be really accurate. Then I discovered that I could reload for rifles I could not find ammo for (BPCR and wildcat cartridges). Then I started experimenting with different loads and projectiles (multiple projectiles and handgun shot shells). Then I found out reloading could be relaxing (and to think I always thought it was just work!).
BillyBoy 57
New member
I started reloading for 300 weatherby mag. first . This was early in the early 80's at the time to save money . 300 was super expensive to buy factory ammo . It latter became a hobby as well !
Savagehawg
New member
I reload for a hobby, i started because at the time i wasnt happy with accuracy from factory loads. I am always trying to improve my loads until I cant get them any better. I always hear people say "oh if you get 3/4 to 1" groups from a hunting rifle your doing good" well i beg to differ, All my rifles are standard over the counter rifles and with my reloads almost all of them shoot 1/4" or less. I learned real fast if your reloading to save money its almost a waste of time until years later after you have spent time and money stocking up. I load for 243 Win, 7mm-08, 25-06 Rem, 270 WSM, 308 Win,6.5 CM, 7mm Mag, 270 Win, and 280 Rem.
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For my 16th birthday, my Dad gave me a deer rifle. Rem Model 600 .308Win, and all the ammo he had, half a box (10rnds). Also a box and a half of brass. My Grandmother gave me the princely sum of $40 to buy a reloading set up. Got a Lyman press, dies, scale, primers, powder, bullets, A MANUAL, and a couple other accessories. No internet, no mentor, other than the manuals, The American Rifleman, Guns& Ammo and Shooting Times magazines. I did ok...
It wasn't a matter of saving money, it was a matter of using what little money I had to make more ammo than buying it would give me. From there, as they say, the tale grew in the telling,....
In the half century since, I've never gotten a centerfire rifle or pistol without getting dies and reloading for it. And, it has allowed me to make ammo for guns where commercial loads do not exist, as well.
I am, or have been set up to load for (list from the top of my head, so might be missing a few)
.22 Hornet, .221 Fireball, ,222Rem, ,223 Rem, .22-250, .243 Win, 6mm Rem, .25-06, 6,5x55 Swede, 7mm Rem Mag, .30-30 Win, .308Win, .30-06, .300 Win Mag, .303 British, 7.7 Jap, 7.62x54R Russian, 8mm Mauser, .350 Rem Mag, .375 H&H Mag, .45-70 and .458 Win Mag in rifles and .32ACP, .380ACP, 9mm Luger, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .357 AMP, .44 Special, .44 Mag, .44AMP, .45 ACP, .45 Colt and .45 Win Mag pistols.
I don't compete, don't load to get one hole groups (which most of my guns won't do anyway, even on those rare times when I can...
)
I LIKE doing it.
It wasn't a matter of saving money, it was a matter of using what little money I had to make more ammo than buying it would give me. From there, as they say, the tale grew in the telling,....
In the half century since, I've never gotten a centerfire rifle or pistol without getting dies and reloading for it. And, it has allowed me to make ammo for guns where commercial loads do not exist, as well.
I am, or have been set up to load for (list from the top of my head, so might be missing a few
).22 Hornet, .221 Fireball, ,222Rem, ,223 Rem, .22-250, .243 Win, 6mm Rem, .25-06, 6,5x55 Swede, 7mm Rem Mag, .30-30 Win, .308Win, .30-06, .300 Win Mag, .303 British, 7.7 Jap, 7.62x54R Russian, 8mm Mauser, .350 Rem Mag, .375 H&H Mag, .45-70 and .458 Win Mag in rifles and .32ACP, .380ACP, 9mm Luger, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .357 AMP, .44 Special, .44 Mag, .44AMP, .45 ACP, .45 Colt and .45 Win Mag pistols.
I don't compete, don't load to get one hole groups (which most of my guns won't do anyway, even on those rare times when I can...
)I LIKE doing it.
lll Otto lll
New member
No internet, no mentor, other than the manuals, The American Rifleman, Guns& Ammo and Shooting Times magazines. I did ok...
Myself as well… I learned by the book. If I had questions, I read more.
Now days, the typical noob watches a couple of You Tube videos and the first powder he buys is Titegroup.
Me too one of my favorites is the 'ABC's of Reloading' by Dean Grennell and I find the Lyman reloading manual particularly informative at well.
I started out by reading through my manual several times, as well as the instructions that came with each tool to make sure I was doing things properly. I did have YouTube to help me it with troubleshooting, but that was only if I had problems my manual did not cover or explain well.
My first 2 powders were unique and universal. Never tried titegroup although I now stock a fair bit more powder than I used to.