Should You Reload Your Own Ammunition?

I’m in all probability being dramatic, however the conflicted emotions are actual, man. There are execs and cons to rolling your personal cartridges. Reloading fanatics will let you know you can’t be a severe hunter or sport shooter with out slaving away on the bench. On the identical time, I’ve spoken with profitable aggressive shooters, and positively a lot of hunters, who say it’s not value it.

What’s the reality? It is dependent upon what you concentrate on the professionals and cons under.

How a lot cash you save relies upon so much on the sorts of cartridges you wish to shoot–rifle or handgun, searching or plinking, match-grade or good-nuff, and many others. Let’s begin with the 300 Win. Magazine., probably the most well-liked large sport cartridges on the market. You may get good high quality searching ammunition for $2-$3 per cartridge. There are exceptions on both finish, however I believe that’s a good common.

Assuming you could have some brass saved up, right here’s what it could price you to load your personal.

For this instance, I used H1000 powder (70 grains per cartridge) and Nosler AccuBond bullets. There are cheaper powders and cheaper bullets, however even with these parts, my complete is about 17% cheaper than the most cost effective manufacturing facility searching ammunition.

However what a few well-liked handgun cartridge like 9mm?

To offer our reloader the perfect shot attainable, we’ll have a look at cartridges designed for defensive functions versus goal follow. For that, the most cost effective hollow-point choices are about $0.50 per spherical with American-made choices operating nearer to $0.80 per cartridge.

For this 9mm cartridge, I used CFE Pistol powder and Hornady XTP jacketed hollowpoint bullets. Once more, you can in all probability get these prices down even additional, however they’re already considerably inexpensive than the most cost effective defensive choices.

In fact, with each these examples, I’m making an enormous assumption about brass. 300 Win. Magazine. brass instances price about $1.00 and 9mm instances are $0.15-0.20, each of which might make these reloads dearer than shopping for low-cost manufacturing facility ammo. However your prices would nonetheless be lower than higher-end choices, and if you happen to’ve been dutifully accumulating spent instances, it can save you your self a bundle by loading your personal.

The accountants amongst us have already recognized a number of prices that aren’t mirrored within the tables above.

First, reloading requires a big preliminary funding in gear. The reloading press equipment I began with was the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme. I bought it second hand for about $200, however today a brand new one will price you north of $480. There are inexpensive choices, however I’d funds no less than $300 for a reloading press equipment.

These kits include virtually every little thing you want, however not fairly. For those who get that RCBS Rock Chucker equipment, you’ll additionally want a brass tumbler ($100), case trimmer ($130), case prep device ($30), case lube ($10), and a caliper ($30). If you wish to actually dial in your rifle cartridges, you’ll additionally want an total size gauge ($40) and a bullet comparator equipment ($30). And, in fact, don’t overlook probably the most essential parts: a die set that means that you can resize brass, seat bullets, and crimp. These can price wherever from $40 to $300, however you’ll in all probability pay one thing nearer to $75.

Add all that up and also you’re an preliminary funding of $745. I attempted to select a median value for all of those parts, so you’ll find most for barely cheaper or dearer. However assuming that $745 quantity is shut, you’d should reload 2,328 rounds of 300 Win. Magazine. ($0.32 financial savings per cartridge) or 4,966 rounds of 9mm ($0.15 per cartridge) to make up the price of gear.

For those who don’t take pleasure in reloading for its personal sake, you even have to consider alternative price. The hours you spend reloading might be spent on one thing else, whether or not it’s making a living at one other job, pursuing a pastime you do take pleasure in, or spending time with your loved ones. These prices are much less quantifiable, however they need to even be thought of.

Reloaded ammunition may be cheaper than manufacturing facility cartridges, and it may also be extra correct. There are a couple of causes for this.

First, you may be your personal high quality management supervisor. You can also make certain every case is precisely the identical size. You’ll be able to verify wall thickness, neck pressure, and total cartridge size. You can also make certain every case is spotless and is loaded with precisely the identical quantity of powder.

You may as well tailor your cartridge to your rifle. Some rifles want bullets of a sure weight or powders that burn quick or sluggish. You’ll be able to attempt completely different combos of instances, primers, powders, and bullets till you discover one which optimizes your rifle’s repeatability.

You’ll be able to even seat the bullet decrease or increased within the case to vary the “leap,” or how far the bullet has to journey earlier than it reaches the rifling. That is typically one of many best methods to extend accuracy over manufacturing facility ammunition, which should be loaded for a sure total size.

All of those tweaks can cut back group sizes and make your rifle/ammo combo extra correct for searching or aggressive taking pictures.

The issue, in fact, is that group shrink isn’t assured. I as soon as spent hours, days, years of my life attempting to load an correct .308 Win. cartridge for a Weatherby bolt gun, however I by no means actually succeeded. It shot 1-1.5-inch teams with manufacturing facility ammo, and I by no means discovered a reloaded mixture that constantly cracked that one-inch mark.

Alternatively, I not too long ago (lastly) began to work up a load for this 6.5 Creedmoor I constructed final 12 months, and I’ve seen good outcomes. The most effective teams I shot with manufacturing facility ammo averaged about .6 inches, however my reloads with 147-grain bullets have been constantly nearer to .5 inches, with some as small as .25 inches. I’ve additionally been capable of crank up the rate with these heavy, high-BC bullets to just about 2,800 fps, which can give me an edge at longer ranges. My commonplace deviations (how constant the rate is from shot to shot) nonetheless aren’t nice, however I’m planning to regulate neck pressure to hopefully make that extra repeatable as properly.

You’ll learn accounts on-line of reloaders turning an inaccurate rifle right into a tack driver by working up a bullet/powder/primer combo that the rifle shoots properly. I imagine these accounts, however I don’t suppose they all the time inform the total story. For those who examine low-cost manufacturing facility ammo to reloads, you possibly can certainly flip a 2-inch rifle right into a sub-MOA gun. However if you happen to’ve tried many sorts of high-quality manufacturing facility ammunition, I wouldn’t pin your hopes in your reloads providing significantly better accuracy. It’s attainable, however in my expertise, accuracy features are marginal over good match-grade ammunition.

I’ve concluded after about 10 years of reloading that I don’t do it simply to save cash or enhance accuracy. It is good when these issues occur, however I like reloading as a result of I like the method. I take pleasure in placing every part collectively and seeing the rows of gleaming instances ready for the following vary day. I just like the self-reliance and independence that comes from producing my very own ammunition. Although it’s irritating, I recognize the possibility to unravel the puzzle that’s load growth. I even benefit from the act of reloading itself. There’s one thing calming about operating a press for a couple of hours and seeing the fruit of your labor when you’re achieved.

The advantages of reloading are actual, particularly if you happen to’re a savvy part purchaser and have a knack for multi-variable issues. However there aren’t any ensures. I can’t say whether or not reloading is “value it” to you, however I can let you know that it helps if you happen to take pleasure in it for its personal sake slightly than simply for what it’ll offer you.