MighteyWhiteHunter
Active Member
What is the reason to reload ammo when the cost of setup is so high? Why is factory ammo not "good enough" for you guys?
Is there a good quality factory ammo?
Is there a good quality factory ammo?
Reloading vs. Factory Ammo
- Thread starter MighteyWhiteHunter
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Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
Actually, a basic set-up isn't all that expensive and can make some very accurate ammo if you know what you're doing. Your post would suggest that factory ammo is reasonably priced, which most volume shooters would probably not agree with.
I'd add that many handloaders, myself included, enjoy handloading and find that making accurate ammo has its own rewards.
Lots of different reasons to reload. It doesn't have to be to save money, and unless you shoot a LOT of ammo, you wont save. The biggest thing to me is I get to put it together to suit my personal gun, and load it for max performance in both accuracy and velocity. Factory ammo is a "one size fits all" deal, and I don't like that for me. There's some good ammo out there, and with some cartridges like the new WSMs, you won't beat factory performance for velocity by much if at all. But you can adjust seating depth, and have bullet/bullet wt options completly open, where as you must take what the factory offers.
Quarter Round
Well-Known Member
Something we like to do would be my first answer. Handloaders have a wider variety of bullets and components available to assemble ammo customized to their rifles or pistols and the various uses and should gain increased accuracy and performance. I don't save money handloading. Factory rifle ammo is not good enough for me, but the overall quality of factor ammo suits most hunters and casual shooters.
devildoc
Well-Known Member
Well first off, getting setup for reloading doesn't have to be very expensive you can get everything you need to start reloading good high quality ammo for less than $200. I don't know what cartridge you're shooting but chances are you could recoup that investment in 300 rounds or less. For most of the people on this board, 300 rounds goes by pretty fast. However, there are alot of hunters out there that are still shooting out of the same box of ammo that they bought 5yrs ago and for them reloading, as well as long range hunting is probably not a good idea. Secondly, there isn't factory match grade ammo that sports a bullet designed for hunting available, and if there is its probably real pricey. And for what we're doing that's what we need. Lastly, no matter how high of quality factory ammo you get, it's still loaded to minimum SAAMI specs, and your chamber is probably not reamed to minimum specs, and to get the best accuracy out of your rifle it is important to have ammo that closely fits the chamber and is tuned to the rifle.
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The Hornady SST's I load cost about $45 a box for factory ammo, costs me less then 1/4 that price to load them myself. The best I could get with Hornady factory ammo was around 1moa @ 100yards, my loads average less then 1/2moa and 1/4moa isn't too uncommon. I HAVE TO load my EDGE rounds or it would just sit there collecting dust...wildcats are like that.
Longshot38
Well-Known Member
This is always a fun one to explain. First off everyone has there own reasons for reloading. I reload for numerous reasons including cost and quality. As for the cost, it really doesn't cost that much to get into it. You can still pickup a package from Lee to get started for under $100.
On the price issue. I save on account of quantity of ammo I reload. When you go through hundreds to thousands of round in a year and reloading cuts my cost by approx 2/3's. And the equipment doesn't have to cost a fortune. You can get your initial setup for under 100 bucks but over the years you will add more equipment that cost a bit more
As for quality. Handloads give you the ablity to load ammunition custom tailored to your rifle. Where as factory rounds are loaded to SAMMI specs. Which is fine if every rifle were exactly the same but they are not.
All this adds up to quality handloads will always be better then factory rounds. However handloading is not for everyone.
On the price issue. I save on account of quantity of ammo I reload. When you go through hundreds to thousands of round in a year and reloading cuts my cost by approx 2/3's. And the equipment doesn't have to cost a fortune. You can get your initial setup for under 100 bucks but over the years you will add more equipment that cost a bit more
As for quality. Handloads give you the ablity to load ammunition custom tailored to your rifle. Where as factory rounds are loaded to SAMMI specs. Which is fine if every rifle were exactly the same but they are not.
All this adds up to quality handloads will always be better then factory rounds. However handloading is not for everyone.
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
MWH
If you could find a factory load that shot sub 1/2 MOA and only hunted
with one rifle you probably dont need to hand load.
Each rifle is unique and normaly requires a certain load in order to perform
at it's best some times if your lucky it may like a factory load (Allthough
very rare).
There is something very satisfying about takeing a load that you developed
placing it in your rifle/pistol and having it shoot better than any other load
including the factory ones.
Factory loads are loaded to shoot in all type and brands of firearms so they
work better in some than others.
The best compairson I can make is tying your on fly and catching a nice
trout with it when nothing else would work.
Just my 2 cents
J E CUSTOM
If you could find a factory load that shot sub 1/2 MOA and only hunted
with one rifle you probably dont need to hand load.
Each rifle is unique and normaly requires a certain load in order to perform
at it's best some times if your lucky it may like a factory load (Allthough
very rare).
There is something very satisfying about takeing a load that you developed
placing it in your rifle/pistol and having it shoot better than any other load
including the factory ones.
Factory loads are loaded to shoot in all type and brands of firearms so they
work better in some than others.
The best compairson I can make is tying your on fly and catching a nice
trout with it when nothing else would work.
Just my 2 cents
J E CUSTOM
