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

[Tangent]

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

I respect some that enjoys reloading, has the time, and is good at it - so none of this is meant confrontational at all.

I believe that my time behind the gun will yield far greater accuracy & precision than my time at a bench. Practicing positional shooting and spending time reading the wind will get a hit. In the context of long range hunting, going from 1/2 MOA to 1/4 MOA of mechanical accuracy means nothing.

Like I said, if you enjoy reloading as a separate hobby, are on a fixed income, or are looking to be a top level competitor, reloading makes sense. But for 99.9% of guys/gals, you're either going to get great at reloading or great at shooting, almost nobody has enough time for both. Time at the bench directly takes away from time at the range.

 

[L.Sherm]

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.View attachment 187046
3 at 100 with 6.5Creedmoor ELDMView attachment 187047
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.

Now shoot the same factory ammo and rifle at 500 or farther and see if the ammo holds up. I've seen same groups more than once at 100 fall apart 500 and beyond.

 

[excaliber]

I do all my reloading in the evenings after work. It's too late to shoot so reloading has nothing to do with losing time at the range. People who reload prefer a more accurate load and a much faster load too.
When we do get to the range we have a more accurate load that's allot faster which helps us shoot better.
The real time killer that takes time away from shooting is my job.
Don't see why that's so hard to understand?

I respect some that enjoys reloading, has the time, and is good at it - so none of this is meant confrontational at all.

I believe that my time behind the gun will yield far greater accuracy & precision than my time at a bench. Practicing positional shooting and spending time reading the wind will get a hit. In the context of long range hunting, going from 1/2 MOA to 1/4 MOA of mechanical accuracy means nothing.

Like I said, if you enjoy reloading as a separate hobby, are on a fixed income, or are looking to be a top level competitor, reloading makes sense. But for 99.9% of guys/gals, you're either going to get great at reloading or great at shooting, almost nobody has enough time for both. Time at the bench directly takes away from time at the range.

 

[Coyote_Hunter]

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.

Those factory prices are TODAY'S prices at midwayusa.com. Some are SALE prices with considerably reduced prices. The ones I checked were LESS than Cabela's prices.

Crazy? That's one reason I reload. Just checked Sportsman's Warehouse for their prices are similar:
$29.99 for Hornady 140g ELD-X ($3 higher)
$34.99 for Hornady 143g ELD-X ($6 higher)
$49.99 for Nosler 129g ABLR ($9 lower)
$34.99 for Bqrnes 127g LRX ($2 lower)

Didn't amortize the cost of my equipment? I've been reloading for 38 years. Let's say I have $1,000 in my reloading equipment, which I've built up over the 38 years and includes dies to reload 26 different cartridges. Amortized over the years, that comes to $26.31 per year. Amortized over the 20,000-25,000 bullets I've reloaded over that time (based on primers consumed) it comes to $0.04 to $0.05 per round - so add $1 to my estimated reloading costs. A person setting up to reload on the cheap, can recover the equipment costs pretty quickly depending on what is being reloaded and how often that person shoots. At $18 per box savings with the Hornady 140g ELD-M, $200 in equipment costs are fully recovered with the first 12 boxes reloaded. A person can get started reloading for under $125 if they choose to. That would take only 7 boxes to fully recover the equipment costs.

Didn't factor in my time? Why should I? For all intents and purposes, I'm retired and have nothing but time. Even when I was working I considered reloading a hobby - like fishing, skiing, hiking, hunting, reading or playing games or going to the movies or taking my wife out too dinner. It was ***MY*** time, to do with as I pleased. Unlike most (and maybe all) of my other hobbies, reloading saves me money as as I enjoy it.

 

[Tangent]

I do all my reloading in the evenings after work. It's too late to shoot so reloading has nothing to do with losing time at the range. People who reload prefer a more accurate load and a much faster load too.
When we do get to the range we have a more accurate load that's allot faster which helps us shoot better.
The real time killer that takes time away from shooting is my job.
Don't see why that's so hard to understand?

It's more important for me to spend evenings with my wife and kids....don't know why that's so hard to understand

 

[L.Sherm]

If we all put a value on our time and equipment in this sport we might as well sell everything and play cards!

 

[Coyote_Hunter]

I do all my reloading in the evenings after work. It's too late to shoot so reloading has nothing to do with losing time at the range. People who reload prefer a more accurate load and a much faster load too.
When we do get to the range we have a more accurate load that's allot faster which helps us shoot better.
The real time killer that takes time away from shooting is my job.
Don't see why that's so hard to understand?

It is a concept foreign to some.

Today is cold and snowy and even if I wasn't retired I rarely worked on Sundays. Much better to head to the reloading room and enjoy myself.

 

[Tangent]

If we all put a value on our time and equipment in this sport we might as well sell everything and play cards!

If it's an independent hobby that you enjoy, cost is a non-issue. But guys love to claim that they are saving money. Fact is we all have finite time. But almost everyone has the ability to make money. Time spent reloading is time you could be working, with your family, shooting, etc.

If you are truly trying to evaluate costs, you have to include the cost of tools, materials, and time. Otherwise your just making up numbers.

 

[Coyote_Hunter]

Fishing, camping and hunting are hobbies of mine.
$17,000 Boat and fishing gear
$13,000 Camper
$29,000 4x4 truck
$20,000 Rifles, handguns, shotguns, muzzleloaders
$ 1,300 Gun safes
$12,000 Fuel costs (very conservative estimate)
$46,000 Barn to house truck, 2 boats, camper
==============================
$138,000

That does not include $$$Thousands$$$ in maintenance costs, food, licenses, meat processing, etc.


And it doesn't include the value of my time. [laughing]

 

[Coyote_Hunter]

If it's an independent hobby that you enjoy, cost is a non-issue. But guys love to claim that they are saving money. Fact is we all have finite time. But almost everyone has the ability to make money. Time spent reloading is time you could be working, with your family, shooting, etc.

If you are truly trying to evaluate costs, you have to include the cost of tools, materials, and time. Otherwise your just making up numbers.

Time spent reloading is often time spent with friends and family and never takes time away from my shooting. Most reloading is done in the evenings, weekends or inclement weather when I wouldn't be working anyway.

Money isn't everything but, when it was tight, I was able to shoot more for the same dollar amount. I considered shooting more a good thing. Still do.

A guy can easily spend $125 for a functional reloading setup and break even after less just 7 boxes, as I showed in a previous post. After that it is pure savings.

Take time to smell the roses.

 

[excaliber]

Your moving the goal posts now. Some people's kids.

It's more important for me to spend evenings with my wife and kids....don't know why that's so hard to understand

 

[Tangent]

Fishing, camping and hunting are hobbies of mine.
$17,000 Boat and fishing gear
$13,000 Camper
$29,000 4x4 truck
$20,000 Rifles, handguns, shotguns, muzzleloaders
$ 1,300 Gun safes
$12,000 Fuel costs (very conservative estimate)
$46,000 Barn to house truck, 2 boats, camper
==============================
$138,000

That does not include $$$Thousands$$$ in maintenance costs, food, licenses, meat processing, etc.


And it doesn't include the value of my time. [laughing]

You group reloading in with your other hobbies - got it. Ignoring costs of labor, tools, and materials is fine for your own justification, but it is far from a cost evaluation. I'm sure your $17,000 boat & fishing equipment have saved you a fortune compared to buying fillets at the store, LOL.

 

[Tangent]

Your moving the goal posts now. Some people's kids.

Not at all man. Time is finite and has a value. My time might be valued higher than yours. That's not right or wrong, we're just different.

 

[Coyote_Hunter]

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.

You hope they will be. Not always the case.