Worth reloading for gas guns?

Do you reload for casual use gas guns? I'm on the fence if it is worth it, brass seems to take a bit of a beating, plus not sure I want to dip into my primer stash for my "fun" guns vs dedicated hunting or LR rigs.

What do you guys think? I'm running 308 as well, not 556
I shoot Hi-power across the course matches and reload short line on a progressive press. The 600 yard stuff is on a single stage. Just my🙂
 
I do, but I like to try to hit small targets are further distances than maybe most people will traditionally. Also, I have so much in consumables from cheap pricing years back. I guess my savings [based on current pricing] will some day go to buying expensive consumables. Maybe I'll at least break even but have had great ammo all along.

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I load on a single stage.
 
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I was one of the last in our club XTC matches to switch to the mouse gun. The Regional Match course is 80 rounds plus 8 sighters 2 per stage. The M14 is hard on brass, I'd usually do 4-5 reloads on virgin brass. I had a 650 Dillon dedicated to turning out 7.52x51mm/.308win for short line ammo. The Long Line ammo was done on a single stage.

Once fired milsurp brass was often not worth the effort if it was run through a Pig (M60 MG). It was a lot of extra work to swage primer pockets. Not to mention the higher probability of case head separations, bad for your chamber, and not fun when it happens during a match.

When unfired milsurp ammo was plentiful and cheap "Mexican Match" (swap Ball projo with a Match projo) was used by many. Berdan primed cases were, one and done, boxer were put into rotation for 4 more reloadings.

I have that 650 turning out 5.56/.233 ammo now, it's still far cheaper to reload, The typical range fodder it's hard to be competitive, although I'll see the occasional shooter with 62 Green tip at the 200yd Walk & Paste matches. People who don't reload, the 77gr. IMI ammo seems to be popular.

I still have a gaggle if M14's and one Rat gun (AR10) that need to be fed. Along with the M1 Garands (yeah remember those are gas guns too) all that is done on a Turret or Single stage presses. I don't shoot near the volume but enough to make it cost effective, for those matches I still shoot with the old guns.
 
For run-n-gun range time factory ammo is fine, but wanting more precision I'll reload! I only have 8 bolt guns and 4 levers that don't come close to the amount of AR's I have (4x as many).

bolts in 264wm, 300wm & 338lm
levers in 44mag, 270win & 45-70
AR's in 5.56, 243win, 6.5gren, 6.5creed, 260rem, 6.5prc, 6.8spc, 7-08rem, 7saum, 300bo & 308win

More will be coming & some in other cartridges (300wsm, 270wsm or 6.8west & maybe 458wsm, 338wsm or 50wsm)
Take 2 cases of ammo and call me in the morning lol
 
I mostly just reload for my AR's for hunting rounds or for accuracy if I'm stretching them out to longer ranges you can save a decent amount comparatively to 77 gr blackhills or similar loads over factory. Not sure plinking ammo is worth it in the long run unless you had a lot of old stock of components
 
I reload for all my ARs. I use seconds and once fired brass. My SRP, brass and bullet stock is healthy. I use a Dillon 1100 for 9's and 5.56.

Factory ammo isn't an option after sinking K's into my "operation".

It will take many rounds to break even on my shooting. That just means I need to shoot more. 🙂
 
I used to buy surplus 5.56 & 7.62 FMJ bullets for use in plinking gas gun ammo, but that was 30+yrs ago when I didn't know any better. With primer shortages and insane powder prices today, if I'm going to load ammo for a gas gun, it's going to be with good bullets - and with any of my large-frame gas guns in 6XC, 6.5x47, 6.5 CM, or 7-08 Improved 30*, I have no choice anyway. Even when I was still shooting a lot of 223 during practice for XTC Hi Power & Leg matches, if I wasn't loading first quality match bullets, if I could find a good lot of factory 2nds that shot good enough to be worthwhile, I'd load them for 200yd offhand & RF practice ammo.

It's getting close to time where the club I shoot at will start running precision rifle matches, which I typically shoot with 6 Dasher or 6XC. As much as I'm looking forward to getting together with old buds to shoot, I'm not that crazy about dipping into my small stash of Berger 6mm 105 Hybrids - I need them for the occasional 600yd prone match that I get to shoot with the Dasher. OTOH, I'm looking forward very much to shooting some of the PRS-style 22RF rifle matches with my Vudoo V22 repeaters, especially since I've managed to put aside a fair supply of SK & Lapua 22RF ammo that shoots good enough to take advantage of the accuracy potential of these Krieger bbl'd precision RF rifles.
 
Reloading has gotten too expensive to waste my time reloading for my AR. I don't have a precision AR, so the standard cheap 223 or 556 ammo I find is PLENTY good enough for me to save hours of my time that's best spent with my family.

I don't buy factory ammo from my bolt guns, but you can guarantee I do for my gas gun.
 
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I think it's worth doing, particularly for shooting at smaller targets out past 400 yards. I've been able to get a .5 to .6 MOA improvement over factory stuff with my gas guns. Nothing to write home about but what the heck? It keeps your skills up and it's fun.

IMG_8843.jpeg
 
I mostly just reload for my AR's for hunting rounds or for accuracy if I'm stretching them out to longer ranges you can save a decent amount comparatively to 77 gr blackhills or similar loads over factory. Not sure plinking ammo is worth it in the long run unless you had a lot of old stock of components
I think it's worth doing, particularly for shooting at smaller targets out past 400 yards. I've been able to get a .5 to .6 MOA improvement over factory stuff with my gas guns. Nothing to write home about but what the heck? It keeps your skills up and it's fun.

View attachment 557882
That's kinda how I am, little cheaper to keep getting reps in so I try to maximize accuracy in that aspect. I've ran 55gr ball to 900 yards but it's easier to do with a better load haha
 

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