Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
#148139
07/31/2014 11:26 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 80
Coyote50
OP
journeyman
|
OP
journeyman
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 80 |
For you guys shooting cartridges that are commercially available do you reload, buy loaded, or do what I do and buy factory ammo then reload the brass?
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: Coyote50]
#148145
07/31/2014 11:46 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 605
longhunter
addict
|
addict
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 605 |
I only shoot factory loaded ammo. I have saved hundreds of rounds of brass and would like to start reloading but cant seem to find the components.
"The reason a dog has so many friends,He wags his tail instead of his tongue."
"I don't always listen to Black Sabbath,But when I do so do the neighbors"
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: Coyote50]
#148146
07/31/2014 11:52 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 9,608
s4s4u
Shootist
|
Shootist
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 9,608 |
I haven't bought a factory loaded round, other than 22LR, in a long, long time.
Rod, too.
Short cuts often lead to long recoveries.
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: s4s4u]
#148148
08/01/2014 1:10 AM
|
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 976
doc with a glock
old hand
|
old hand
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 976 |
I generally purchase a box of factory with the appropriate bullet wt. / style, etc.; and, then I chrono the factory rounds and target my reloads to those velocities. Obviously, that doesn't work for the wildcats, for which I derive data with QuickLoad.
Doc
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: doc with a glock]
#148150
08/01/2014 1:46 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 80
Coyote50
OP
journeyman
|
OP
journeyman
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 80 |
I like to get factory ammo if it shoots decent and has the bullet I want. The main reason I reload is to get the bullet I want with the charge I want in the brass I want. If I get close with factory ammo and the price is decent I'll go that route. Plus I'm still measuring charges one at a time by hand so weighing out 20 charges at a time is an exercise in patience for me. Maybe santa will bring me a powder meter or chargemaster for christmas. With loaded ammo you can just get to shooting then keep the brass.
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: Coyote50]
#148162
08/01/2014 4:08 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 65
Odin
journeyman
|
journeyman
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 65 |
One day a while back I took a trip to the range with my young son. Shot the big boomer (475L) till I was worn out and called it a day. On the way home we stopped off to one of my favorite little gun shops. Just for kicks I did a price check on ammo. They didn't have anything for the 475, but had some Hornady in 480 Ruger. Did the calculation in my head and realized that I had just finished shooting the equivalent of $160+ worth of factory loads. I was completely floored.
Truth be told, I'm a pretty young shooter. But outside of 22LR, I've never actually shot any factory ammo in my guns. How anyone can shoot the required volume of rounds to become (and stay) proficient with a big-bore hunting arm using only factory loads is completely beyond my understanding.
Or maybe I just haven't yet realized how, um... "underfunded" I actually am.
Odin
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: Odin]
#148164
08/01/2014 5:03 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 186
jwarren
member
|
member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 186 |
I haven't shot factory ammo, other than .22 and .380, in many years. I normally buy new brass and once fired off forums that I frequent. If you will watch the forums, you can get brass (whether new or once fired) cheaper than you can get it anywhere. As a matter of fact, I just traded with a guy tonight, to buy some new Starline brass delivered...cheaper than it can be bought (less shippimg) from Starline when they have it available.
Last edited by jwarren; 08/01/2014 5:21 AM.
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: jwarren]
#148165
08/01/2014 5:29 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 526
sw282
addict
|
addict
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 526 |
l shot two 40 round legs at our local silhouette match last weekend with my S&W 460 along with 10 sighters for a total of 90 rds.. Factory ammo woulda been nearly $200.. My reloads were but a fraction of $200.Also,there are no factory rounds like the reloads l shoot at these matches..l do have a box of Hornady FTX for reference purposes tho ..
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: sw282]
#148168
08/01/2014 12:06 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 265
sc1911cwp
enthusiast
|
enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 265 |
Everyone will tell you that to start to reload you will spend money to get set up to do so. However, over time you WILL save money that allows you to shoot more often.
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: sc1911cwp]
#148171
08/01/2014 2:22 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 80
Coyote50
OP
journeyman
|
OP
journeyman
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 80 |
If the price of the factory ammo you buy is close to what I can reload for I buy it. The only way now I can decrease my reloading cost further is to cast my own bullets.
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: Coyote50]
#148181
08/01/2014 8:08 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 186
jwarren
member
|
member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 186 |
If the price of the factory ammo you buy is close to what I can reload for I buy it. The only way now I can decrease my reloading cost further is to cast my own bullets. How is the cost of your reloads nearly equal to the cost of factory rounds? You can buy components at today's prices and still come in under .20 per round on most straight walled pistol calibers, using your brass. Unless, of course, you are using an expensive jacketed bullet. But, even buying jacketed bullets, you will come in way under the price of factory ammo. I only shoot my cast bullets in every caliber that I load for and presently my reloads cost me under .08 per round...that is using my brass, also.
Last edited by jwarren; 08/01/2014 8:19 PM.
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: jwarren]
#148229
08/03/2014 2:03 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 750
bluecow
old hand
|
old hand
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 750 |
depending on what gun im shooting. i only reload for the 44 & 47-70. thats a trapdoor 1888 so it only gets cast and real black powder. otherwise id only reload the 44.
Everything before "but" is B.S.
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: jwarren]
#148376
08/08/2014 6:51 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 80
Coyote50
OP
journeyman
|
OP
journeyman
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 80 |
If the price of the factory ammo you buy is close to what I can reload for I buy it. The only way now I can decrease my reloading cost further is to cast my own bullets. How is the cost of your reloads nearly equal to the cost of factory rounds? You can buy components at today's prices and still come in under .20 per round on most straight walled pistol calibers, using your brass. Unless, of course, you are using an expensive jacketed bullet. But, even buying jacketed bullets, you will come in way under the price of factory ammo. I only shoot my cast bullets in every caliber that I load for and presently my reloads cost me under .08 per round...that is using my brass, also. Well a recent example, I went to a gun show the other day and bought 100 rounds of 500S&W in starline brass loaded with 500gr Hornady XTPs. I paid $200 which is $2 a round. If I buy the same components from Midway I am up to about $1.50 for just the bullet and case. That is before you count powder, primers, and shipping on the various components.
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: Coyote50]
#148380
08/08/2014 2:37 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 9,608
s4s4u
Shootist
|
Shootist
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 9,608 |
Rod, too.
Short cuts often lead to long recoveries.
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: s4s4u]
#148383
08/08/2014 3:31 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 80
Coyote50
OP
journeyman
|
OP
journeyman
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 80 |
I know but I'm just getting started with the 500 so I figure If I still am paying a similar price for the components but don't have to load them myself the first time around, the extra few cents is worth it to me. Then I still end up with the brass which I can re-use. I suppose after a few loadings the average cost decreases but just starting out and having to buy all new components the price is pretty close.
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: Coyote50]
#148403
08/09/2014 3:16 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 186
jwarren
member
|
member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 186 |
You had stated in one of your posts that the only way that you could reduce the cost of your reloads would be for you to start casting your own bullets.
That will certainly work, but it is not the ONLY way as there are some commercial cast bullets available for the 500.
You should be able to buy 325gr( I am sure there are some heavier bullets available) cast bullets, powder, primer and reuse your brass to reload the 500 for about .80 per round...that equates to a 60% reduction in cost. Now, that might not be much of a savings to you...but it will work for me.
You could then load a few of your heavy, jacketed hunting rounds for practice and hunting...but the general shooting would be considerably cheaper.
Last edited by jwarren; 08/09/2014 3:44 AM.
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: jwarren]
#148406
08/09/2014 11:56 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 386
campbellkids
enthusiast
|
enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 386 |
Hardly can reload cartridges like 9mm,sometimes 223, and others cheaper. Once you have brass and the equipment, reloading is a lot cheaper. It meshes your soul with the gun. Most of the thrill of shooting my Shiloh Sharps is molding bullets, pouring the powder, wiping the finished case, and dropping into the chamber. Besides, 45-90s are hard to come by, just like if I was living in the 1890's. Which is part of the thrill.
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: campbellkids]
#148411
08/09/2014 2:36 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 80
Coyote50
OP
journeyman
|
OP
journeyman
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 80 |
I think we were thinking of two different ideas. I meant for the same components all brand new. You appear to mean reloading in general. The comment I made about casting my own bullets was somewhat of an afterthought. I have seen many types of commercially cast bullets available for relatively inexpensive as you mentioned. Especially compared to jacketed bullets. I already have 350gr XTPs, 500gr XTPs and 300gr FTXs ready to load up. I was looking at the 440 grain LFN cast as another possibility. Eventually I do want to get some molds and cast my own. When I was a kid we cast all our own muzzle loader projectiles as well as many pistol bullets that would be loaded slow enough to not need a gas check.
|
|
|
Re: Factory Ammo, Reloads, or Both?
[Re: Coyote50]
#149052
08/26/2014 9:01 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 162
JBWhitehead
member
|
member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 162 |
I have a Rockchucker but no dies. Powder but no primers, brass but no bullets. I feel so ashamed....
Getting started reloading while having 2 teenage daughters is a challenge. I'm shooting factory stuff right now out of my .460S&W and find it difficult to get the bullet I want for under $3/round. So I'm making brass.
Lead, push or get the heck out of the way!
|
|
|
|
0 registered members (),
39
guests, and 3
spiders. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|