Well finally did it...sold all my reloading stuff !! Anyone else shooting factory ?

[J E Custom]

14 Jan 2020 Military.com
"The U.S. Army recently selected Sig Sauer, maker of the new Modular Handgun System, to make .300 Win Mag ammunition for the service's bolt-action sniper rifle.

In a $10 million deal, Sig will manufacture the MK 248 MOD 1 and MOD 0 .300 Win Mag ammunition, which will be used in the Army's M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle."

If any of the U.S. Military uses handloads I am unaware of it and they make some pretty fair shots (and, again, talking about animal size targets, whether two or four legged, not F class).

For most soldiers factory ammo is fine, the Snipers that I know load there own using equipment furnished by their unit. The match shooters that I competed against, also loaded there own if only to pull the bullet and replace it with the bullet of their choice. This was common practice with the 173 grain white box match. these bullets were remove and replaced with a 168 grain Match king.

Federal now sells this loaded ammo. But many want to load it themselves for their confidence that it will all be the same.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Kimber7man]

I really enjoy handloading for my 6.5 SAUM and the 7mm08, same for 7SAUM. Kind of hard to find factory ammo with the 139 and 150 Scenar bullets.

However, when Berger factory ammo with 135 classic hunter shoots 0.5" groups out of my rifle, I'm glad I got 2 cases of it. Lapua brass to reload when it's shot up..
Same for the Berger 6 creed ammo with 105 hybrids.

 

[L.Sherm]

For comparison, I can buy either 6.5 PRC Hornady Precision Hunter or the Hornady Match ammo online for $30/box. They both shoot around 1/2 moa. The match is better for me. the 30 boxes would give me 600 rounds. Total cost is $900. That is a $1.50 a round.

My varmint loads I get 50 rounds for $25 - my gun shoots these 1/2moa. So my cost for 600 varmint loads is $300 or $0.50 a round.

Even without taking into consideration your time, its pretty dang close to your reloading numbers.

Add the value of time to reload - let's say it takes 10 hours to knock out 600 rounds. I am valuing my time at $75/hour - that's what my job tells me I am worth. Even if you value yours much lower, let's say 30/hour. It adds up quickly.

You buy your factory ammo and be happy with it I'll roll my own always and be alot happier. ARGUEMENT OVER!!

 

[HuntnPack]

Well finally did it...sold all my reloading stuff !!

Anyone else shooting factory ?

Yup..........wait...........Nope............ Uhh...... Maybe ?


Mayhem

 

[UplandFreak]

You buy your factory ammo and be happy with it I'll roll my own always and be alot happier. ARGUEMENT OVER!!

 

[bullgator]

Our range is still open but no matches are being held. Everyone stays apart. Only a very few folks ther today. I'll be glad when this virus gives us a break.

That's exactly what we got from covid19, a break from normal living.

 

[Coyote_Hunter]

I just did a little calculating and tried to do it on the high end using about 600 rounds to 8lbs of powder for bigger cartridges.
8lbs powder. 250.00
600 bullets. 300.00
100 cases. 200.00
1,000 primers. 30.00 = 750.00
It comes out to 1.25 a round

600 rounds out of 8 pounds powder equates to 93.3 grains or $0.41 per round. That's RUM, Lapua Magnum and Nosler round territory. More typical would be something like this for 8 pounds:

2500 = .223
1500 = .22-250
1250 = .243 Win
1350 = 6.5 Creedmoor
950 = 7mm Rem Mag
1200 = .308 Win
950 = .30-06
800 = .300 Win Mag
800 = .338 Win Mag
750 = .375 H&H
2300 = ,44 Rem Mag
2800 = .357 Rem Mag
7000 = .327 Fed Mag
7500 = 9mm Luger
8000 = .38 Special
8000 = .40 S&W
8000 = .45 ACP

Also, the cost of 8 pounds Hodgdon powder at midwayusa.com as I write this is $143 to $225. Most of the powders I use are under $200.

Adjust for more reasonable powder charges (50g), the cost per loaded round drops from around $1.25 to 1.04 per round.

It doesn't matter to me, though. I hunt premium handloads and save a LOT of money over factory loads. In general, I can build those premium loads for less than the cost of cheap cup-and-core factory ammo. Often much less.

 

[Coyote_Hunter]

Just updated my Reload Cost spreadsheet to include some of my 6.5CM load costs. Here are the cost-per-box results with midway.com prices for factory ammo with the same bullets. All my load calculations use Federal match primers, which are more expensive than standard primers.

Brass costs are not included, but assuming 5 reloads per case (which is probably low), brass would add no more than $2.00 per box. If you purchase once-fired brass the cost can be down around $1.40 per box of 20. A friend gave me 186 pieces of once-fired brass so my cost for them is $0.00. That said, I also have new Starline brass at a cost of about $2.00 per box.

Hornady 140g ELD-M
$8.02 = reload
$26.39 = Hornady Match

Hornady 143g ELD-X
$11.65 = reload
$28.99 = Hornady Precision Hunter

Nosler 129g AB Long Range
$13.69 = reload w/ H100V
$14.20 = reload w/ StaBall
$58.99 = Nosler Trophy Grade 129g AB Long Range
$43.99 = Nosler Trophy Grade 142g AB Long Range
$46.99 = Federal Premium 130g Terminal Ascent (Out of stock)

Swift 130g Scirocco II
$16.25 = reload
$41.99 = Norma 130g Swift Scirocco II
$41.99 = Federal Premium 130g Scirocco II (Coming soon)

Barnes 127g LRX
$19.40 = reload
$36.99 = Barnes VOR-TX 127g LRX

Kind of puts the lie to you have to shoot big boomers to recoup the cost of reloading equipment. Especially since you can get a single stage press for under $100. New 6.5 Creedmoor dies can be had for under $30, a functional micrometer for $20 and powder scales for under $30. Add another $10 for a powder funnel and shell holder for a total cost of $190. Less if you purchase used.

You don't need a multistage press with all the bells and whistles to get started. I started with a RCBS single-stage Rock Chucker in 1982 and turned out many thousands of rounds on it. When I gave it to Big Brother it was still working like new. I replaced it with a newer model Rock Chucker maybe 10 years ago and have turned out thousands of rounds on that one, too.

Do I save on ammo costs by reloading? Big time.
Does my total shooting cost go down? Don't know - but I shoot a LOT more than if I was shooting factory ammo.

 

[Tangent]

Just updated my Reload Cost spreadsheet to include some of my 6.5CM load costs. Here are the cost-per-box results with midway.com prices for factory ammo with the same bullets. All my load calculations use Federal match primers, which are more expensive than standard primers.

Brass costs are not included, but assuming 5 reloads per case (which is probably low), brass would add no more than $2.00 per box. If you purchase once-fired brass the cost can be down around $1.40 per box of 20. A friend gave me 186 pieces of once-fired brass so my cost for them is $0.00. That said, I also have new Starline brass at a cost of about $2.00 per box.

Hornady 140g ELD-M
$8.02 = reload
$26.39 = Hornady Match

Hornady 143g ELD-X
$11.65 = reload
$28.99 = Hornady Precision Hunter

Nosler 129g AB Long Range
$13.69 = reload w/ H100V
$14.20 = reload w/ StaBall
$58.99 = Nosler Trophy Grade 129g AB Long Range
$43.99 = Nosler Trophy Grade 142g AB Long Range
$46.99 = Federal Premium 130g Terminal Ascent (Out of stock)

Swift 130g Scirocco II
$16.25 = reload
$41.99 = Norma 130g Swift Scirocco II
$41.99 = Federal Premium 130g Scirocco II (Coming soon)

Barnes 127g LRX
$19.40 = reload
$36.99 = Barnes VOR-TX 127g LRX

Kind of puts the lie to you have to shoot big boomers to recoup the cost of reloading equipment. Especially since you can get a single stage press for under $100. New 6.5 Creedmoor dies can be had for under $30, a functional micrometer for $20 and powder scales for under $30. Add another $10 for a powder funnel and shell holder for a total cost of $190. Less if you purchase used.

You don't need a multistage press with all the bells and whistles to get started. I started with a RCBS single-stage Rock Chucker in 1982 and turned out many thousands of rounds on it. When I gave it to Big Brother it was still working like new. I replaced it with a newer model Rock Chucker maybe 10 years ago and have turned out thousands of rounds on that one, too.

Do I save on ammo costs by reloading? Big time.
Does my total shooting cost go down? Don't know - but I shoot a LOT more than if I was shooting factory ammo.

Those factory ammo prices are crazy, you didn't amortize the cost of your equipment, you excluded cost of brass, and you've valued your time at $0.00 per hour. It's not a cost evaluation by any stretch, and you're comparing apples to trampolines.

That said, if you're justification gets you out shooting more, that's what really matters.

 

[J E Custom]

In addition to the known benefits of re loading it also doesn't make sense to have a $3,000.00+ custom rifle built, and then use factory ammo in it. you will never see the real potential of the custom. If you buy a factory rifle and are happy with it's accuracy with factory ammo, then it certainly makes sense. factory rifles generally shoot just good enough to do the job and factory ammo wont effect this much.

With a well made custom rifle, almost every time you make a quality change to your ammo, they get better. Most of the time a well made rifle, fed top quality loads will out shoot the owner. This is the state of accuracy that many want so they are not handicapped by there rifle or ammo, only their ability, (Which can be improved with practice)

What's the saying-- Trash in trash out

J E CUSTOM

 

[Tangent]

In addition to the known benefits of re loading it also doesn't make sense to have a $3,000.00+ custom rifle built, and then use factory ammo in it. you will never see the real potential of the custom. If you buy a factory rifle and are happy with it's accuracy with factory ammo, then it certainly makes sense. factory rifles generally shoot just good enough to do the job and factory ammo wont effect this much.

With a well made custom rifle, almost every time you make a quality change to your ammo, they get better. Most of the time a well made rifle, fed top quality loads will out shoot the owner. This is the state of accuracy that many want so they are not handicapped by there rifle or ammo, only their ability, (Which can be improved with practice)

What's the saying-- Trash in trash out

J E CUSTOM

Agree to disagree. My custom rifles shoot 1/2 MOA 5 & 10 shot groups with factory ammo. I've had factory guns that are 1 1/2 MOA with the same ammo. Aside from getting a stock that fits, a trigger I like, a better action, and the barrel length, twist & contour I want, I know the chamber & barrel will be better on a custom that I have built compared to a factory rifle.

 

[Holycity73]

I shoot factory. I also have a collection of custom guns that all shoot sub .25" consistently with it.
ive posted many groups here. All one ragged hole or better.
factory offerings aren't what it used to be, but you pay to play.

3 at 100 with 6.5Creedmoor ELDM

same rifle, 3 at 100 with American Gunner.
note the poi shift.

Granted, this is a match rifle built by Brad Stair, but it's all factory ammo.

 

[J E Custom]

Agree to disagree. My custom rifles shoot 1/2 MOA 5 & 10 shot groups with factory ammo. I've had factory guns that are 1 1/2 MOA with the same ammo. Aside from getting a stock that fits, a trigger I like, a better action, and the barrel length, twist & contour I want, I know the chamber & barrel will be better on a custom that I have built compared to a factory rifle.

Would you agree or disagree that if you worked up loads for your rifles that you could improve on a 1/2 MOA accuracy ?

Just asking

J E CUSTOM

 

[excaliber]

On top of the improved accuracy without a doubt there's more speed to find also. Who wouldn't want a more accurate load that is 100+ fps faster. In my case it's better than 150 fps loading the 200 gr ELD-X over the Hornady factory load. Those two facts can't be argued.

Would you agree or disagree that if you worked up loads for your rifles that you could improve on a 1/2 MOA accuracy ?

Just asking

J E CUSTOM