Mid-Life Reloading vs. Buying Ammo Crisis

Braunschweiger said:
So... here I am... busy as heck like the rest of the world. I've spent thousands upon thousands on all my reloading equipment and consumables. Literally have spared no expense. You know what I'm talking about... Autotrickler v3 with all Area 419 upgrades, AMP Mk II Annealer, Giraud Trimmer, Forster Co-AX, Dillon XL 650, wet and dry tumbler... about 10 calibers I reload for.

At what point in your all's experience has it dawned that maybe the TIME investment (including the monetary investment) isn't worth it over buying ammo? Seems to be ALOT of great custom ammo shops out there. Even factory loads these days are great. All of my rifles are either custom or high end factory (AI, DT, LMT).

It's a snowball effect, I barely have any time to shoot as it is, and when I do have time, I am always reminded that, "Oh... I have to reload first" (I refuse to buy ammo since I have everything I need to reload)

I buy and sell all the time and about 90% of the time I'm taking a loss. So... as invested as I am I don't really want to sell it all piece by piece (headache) and still take a loss. Help. Anyone in the same boat?
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It is great when you find a factory ammo that shoots great, but that is rarely the case so we resort to re loading to find the best load for the rifle. Some times excellence has to be earned and loading great ammo is not easy. I have gone the same way as you and have or have had almost everything known to man for reloading high quality ammo. Some of it didn't improve anything and was sold other items did show promise and I had to decide if it was worth the money. (The trouble part of it never had a bearing on it because I look for any improvement to/in the tools and in the process.

I started testing all if my processes to verify there validity and came to some conclusions and had to change some of my methods to improve the final product. I really enjoy re loading and Can do it in bad weather when every thing else is marginal. Sometimes it's just the satisfaction knowing that I did something well and it was the results of all the money and hard work paid off.

I can't help you with your dilemma But I can tell you what I do when I just want to go shoot. I have several rifles and pistols that are not for precision shooting and buy factory for them to go out and burn it up. I don't even have dies for a few of them because it is cheaper to buy factory ammo for them than to reload. But they do get it out of my system and also I can appreciate the accuracy If I load for my other weapons.

What is that saying ? If I pass away, I hope my wife doesn't sell my stuff for what I told her it cost. :):(:)

J E CUSTOM
 
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PredatorSlayer said:
When was the last time you shot some premium factory ammo in your rifle? Most people that make a comment like you did have been shooting handloads for years and aren't willing to recognize how accurate the new premium factory ammo is...

I am not saying handloads are bad - because I am also in a phase of my life where I am super busy with my profession and family I am grateful how far factory ammunition has come. I shoot factory hornady match ammo out to 1250 all the time with excellent results and consistency.
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I'm not here to argue, but the minute one decides to shoot factory ammo, a compromise is made. You compromise on bullet choice, velocity, etc..
Some lots may shoot better, but that now is the bar, not going any higher, you are done.

I recently met a guy shooting a Bergara 6 creed, factory ammo, we decided we could improve on it. Not mentioning ammo, but within 34 test rds we had shot 3 - 1 1/4" three shot groups at 500, very little vertical dispersion, all needing done is pick a charge weight. Plus the bc gain in bullet choice a no brainer.
 
milo-2 said:
I'm not here to argue, but the minute one decides to shoot factory ammo, a compromise is made. You compromise on bullet choice, velocity, etc..
Some lots may shoot better, but that now is the bar, not going any higher, you are done.

I recently met a guy shooting a Bergara 6 creed, factory ammo, we decided we could improve on it. Not mentioning ammo, but within 34 test rds we had shot 3 - 1 1/4" three shot groups at 500, very little vertical dispersion, all needing done is pick a charge weight. Plus the bc gain in bullet choice a no brainer.
Click to expand...
I hunt with bergers and eldms mostly. So I give up a little velocity sometimes by going with factory ammo - sometimes I dont. Instead of spending hours reloading, I get to go shoot. Once again, it isn't a is reloading better than factory. It is a debate about if you only have a couple hours a month to shoot because life is busy, do you spend that time reloading or shooting factory ammo. I made the decision to shoot more with factory ammo. I am telling you it was a good choice. I am 38 yrs old and spend M-Th on a plane working all over the country.

If I wanted to shoot as much as I do, then another aspect of my life would need to give. Do I skip my son's baseball game to reload or not take my wife on a date? Or maybe I skip church and family time? Its about priorities. I am comfortable giving up reloading for now so I can still take spend some time at the range doing what I enjoy.
 
PredatorSlayer said:
I hunt with bergers and eldms mostly. So I give up a little velocity sometimes by going with factory ammo - sometimes I dont. Instead of spending hours reloading, I get to go shoot. Once again, it isn't a is reloading better than factory. It is a debate about if you only have a couple hours a month to shoot because life is busy, do you spend that time reloading or shooting factory ammo. I made the decision to shoot more with factory ammo. I am telling you it was a good choice. I am 38 yrs old and spend M-Th on a plane working all over the country.

If I wanted to shoot as much as I do, then another aspect of my life would need to give. Do I skip my son's baseball game to reload or not take my wife on a date? Or maybe I skip church and family time? Its about priorities. I am comfortable giving up reloading for now so I can still take spend some time at the range doing what I enjoy.
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I understand fully, and honor the choices made, should have said that upfront. Life is a frig gin tradeoff.
I happen to have more time than money or brains, I reload.
 
I'm still using H4831 that is World War II surplus. I've been loading with it since the early 80s. I called and spoke to an engineer at Hodgdon. He told me that in their studies, that they had not determined an "expiration date" for properly stored powder. I described what it looked and shot like. He concurred that it seemed fine. There's been no change in the way it performs over the 35+ years I've been using it, and it was around 40 years old when I got it. BTW, it is all in factory 1 lb. cardboard containers. I live in the West, and it is dry here and I keep it stored in a dry, relatively even temp environment.
 
wilydawg said:
I'm still using H4831 that is World War II surplus. I've been loading with it since the early 80s. I called and spoke to an engineer at Hodgdon. He told me that in their studies, that they had not determined an "expiration date" for properly stored powder. I described what it looked and shot like. He concurred that it seemed fine. There's been no change in the way it performs over the 35+ years I've been using it, and it was around 40 years old when I got it. BTW, it is all in factory 1 lb. cardboard containers. I live in the West, and it is dry here and I keep it stored in a dry, relatively even temp environment.
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I have one 1 pd. yellow and orange cardboard can of H4831 and one black and red one pound can of H4831 unopened I've had for many years. The first one since 70's. The latter 80's. Many metal canned IMR Powders. I use different powders now but I wouldn't be afraid to use any mentioned.
 
I think a lot of professionals have been in your shoes. I know I was at one time. Heck there was a time my job took me all over the world. Huge learning experience and glad I did it for 3 years but DANG! No time except for family when home so rifles got cleaned about 1x year and that was that. But life evolves and as the old saying comes full circle. Been retired since 2012 and probably have shot more since then than all the previous years combined. Live your life as it evolves and as time goes by things change, they always do. My reloading stuff never got out of their crates for over 6 years but glad I kept it when my career started to "slow" down meaning higher level position where the traveling was done by the younger go-getters that needed that experience. It took you years to accumulate it so it has more worth to keep than to sell off .10 on a $1.00.

Enjoy the moment you are in and maximize the shooting the best way you can and life will change down the road and you will be glad you kept the reloading equipment you have. Replacing it is huge headache and pain in the wallet.
 
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