Why do you reload cartridges?

[CogburnR]

I like it and it is a justification for spending money on reloading gadgets, and spending time in my gun room.

I enjoy making custom loads especially for one rifle that shoot good. I like killing animals with them and seeing how they perform knowing I can alter the performance to do about anything I want.

Factory ammunition simply isn't available to do some of the things I do with reloaded or custom loaded new ammunition. I buy all new components and build my own ammo. I buy a rifle in a new caliber and buy dies, cases, bullets, etc. and load from scratch.

I haven't bought any new factory ammunition for as long as I can remember except for shotgun ammo and rimfire 22's. I've reloaded for over 30 years.

I also enjoy giving my friends ammo and them shooting their big trophies with it.

 

[comfisherman]

Shot the first factory ammo in my 300 wsm last week, it was given to me from a well meaning relative.... The experience summed up the reasons why I reload.

The bullet was not seated to where my rifle likes them, the load had the bullet I love but didn't perform on the fps that my hand loads did nor did they come even close to the accuracy that is demanded of hand loads.

A quick search brought up the cost of 20 rounds (I load 50 with virgin brass for the same price maybe less).

I am a fanatic with consistency and detail, so loading is the only way I can control the level of performance that is in my mind needed. Not to mention I've never seen a factory loaded 223wssm with partitions, or 75 a max's. Nor have a seen a 300 wsm with a 208 a max. Never mind accubonds in the 375 ruger, or the odd but accurate 7 rum and 120 ballistic tips.

Honestly if it weren't for hand loading I'd own a 30-06 and spend all my time shooting rim-fires. If one is to be banished to the constraints of factory options might as well shoot on the cheap.

 

[tomt]

The quest to make a better round than before, seeking out prefection.

It's kinda nice to be able to go to my reloading bench and make rounds far superior than factor loads.

I was bored one night and decided to measure a box of Federal Premium 168 Sierra Match Kings. The twenty rounds varied by .015" from longest to shortest. My handloads don't vary by more than .001".

There is a great feeling when YOU produce a round that is sub MOA at 300 yards.

 

[winmag]

Accuracy.
So I get the best possible performance for the bullet I want to use on the game I wanna shoot.
Speed.
Why drive a geo when you can drive a Hemi!?!
Controlling my own destiny.
Controlling how well your rifle/ammo will perform. Sub MOA rocks, but I want better than that. I want to know each & every time I squeeze the trigger, I know exactly where I'm gonna hit. Absolute consistancy is something I've never seen in factory ammo.
Satisfaction.
What could be more rewarding than whackin critters with your own loads? I absolutely LOVE that feeling.
Cost.
Shooting, & Hunting & all that goes with it is my Hobby, & Passion. I shoot a lot, & I'm pretty sure I wouldn't make my mortguage if I had to buy ammo. I don't count my time at the bench. Its a treat to custom tailor a specific load to a specific firearm. It takes time at the bench.(both benches) some trial & error, some tinkering, some tweaking, & its fun too! It's like my own lil getaway everytime I get to sit at my bench & wonder if that last round I loaded will be the one that feeds my family, or if its the next one. Eventho they're all alike, each time I pull the lever I have a new favorite cartrige that might be the one...... Makes ya feel like a kid who could save the day with his BB gun again. Your imagination just runs wild with the endless possibilitys of your superior abilitys..... Who wouldn't love that?

 

[jmden]

Accuracy, cost and much better selection of bullets (esp. LR bullets-which, as a rule, factory loads do not come with), use less temp sensitive powders, carefully prepped brass, etc....basically for the ability to produce precision, consistent, custom crafted ammunition designed specifically my rifle for an intentional purpose, LR hunting. Factory ammunition won't come close, not to mention many of us here shoot wildcats and have to make our own.

 

[cfvickers]

First and foremost, like a lot of others, Accuracy. However, I like doing anything that requires skill, practice, and attention to detail. Also I shoot a 6.5-284 and I cannot afford 65-75.00 for 20 rounds of ammo. Back to accuracy, most factory loads that I find shooting well from any rifle will change on the next lot. I cannot afford to go buy a thousand rounds in one swoop so I load my own, because I can afford to buy 5-8 lbs of powder from time to time. I have not had a huge problem with bullets from one lot to the next, just powder. Further, when you shoot factory rifles, the rifle may not be custom, but if you can find a good load for it, it can often shoot like a custom rifle.

 

[Apex Custom Rifles]

Half of my rifles are wildcats and I need to! I originally started for the cost effeciency followed by accuracy after I learned a thing or two.

 

[Bob J]

Has already been said but just to add my 2 cents....

1. Ability to customize the round. When reloading you have full control over how your gun shoots those loads...
2. Ability to shoot hard to find calibers. Reloading allows me to shoot a number of guns that factory ammo is pretty much unobtanium....
3. Cost. A couple of my heavier caliber guns are more for fun at the range.... Nice to be able to shoot as much as I like and not have worry about breaking the bank....

 

[justinp61]

I can't say that I'm saving money reloading, for what it cost to get started a person could buy a lot of ammo. I've loaded shot shells for 35 years and have loaded pistol ammo off and on for 15 years. This is my first excurson into rifle shooting/loading. The only cf rifle I had for years was my model 70 in 30-06 that I bought when I was a teenager.
Loading for the new rifle seemed to be the natural thing to do, I know exactly what I'm shooting, I can see the results of changes in the groups and I'm learning something new.
Reloading gets me out of the house and in the shop and it's something I can do while I'm recovering from shoulder surgery.

 

[BradArnett]

I load as a means to an end. Most of what I shoot isn't available off the shelf. I also shoot way to much to buy factory ammo. If money wasn't an option at all, I'd have one of the custom loaders load all my ammo and ship it to me by the pallet. I don't reload as a hobby, I shoot as a hobby and the loading just allows me to do that.

 

[D.ID]

Like so many others...........Started as cost savings, evolved into the most accurate and repeatable option, enabled wildcat cartridges. With the exception of 7.62x39 and 223 I am long done with factory ammo but my wife still uses some...... I don't "reload" anymore so much as I hand load with perfectly formed in my chamber brass.

 

[T3-OleMan]

Accuracy.
...... Makes ya feel like a kid who could save the day with his BB gun again. Your imagination just runs wild with the endless possibilitys of your superior abilitys..... Who wouldn't love that?

10x winmag....10x!

Ah.... dem good ole DAYS when I was young!

I like knowing that IF I DO MY PART........."I already know the results of each shot, OR current OOPS"!!!!!

NOTE TO SELF: Remember the OOPS increase with Geometric Progression & OleTimers........LOL

 

[boomtube]

Why? I do things for one of two reasons; I need to or I want to. I don't need to reload. WHY I want to reload has shifted a couple of steps since I started in '65.

 

[Mike6158]

Accuracy. I have a .338 Edge so I have to (but I enjoy it). It's relaxing. If I actually loaded every bullet and every powder that I have I might be saving money but the cost of my primer/powder/bullet/brass stash far outweighs any savings I may have from reloading. I'm good with that.