When is enough, enough.....

[Wichasa]

Hello everyone,
Long time listener, first time caller.
Question...where does a guy stop reaching for more stuff to buy, more equipment to try etc ect. I started reloading in an effort to try to create better ammo than the factory **** on the shelves. I consider myself an intermediate reloader who shoots factory rem/win/brn rifles...nothing fancy- certainly not a target or bench guy.
Where do you draw the line for a hunter/plinker? I started out adding a digital scale, then a bullet comparitor to up my odds for improvement. Now I'm waiting on bushing dies, micrometer seater dies, shoulder comparitors and am about to dive into more stuff to measure concentricity....having not fully mastered the bench full of items I currently own!

Where's a decent stopping point for a hunter and casual shooter? I feel like a crack whore jonesing for her next hit.....I can barely find enough components to complete a cartridge let alone think about getting into serious reloading.

Thinking I should have taken the blue pill...

 

[jebel]

When I find the stopping point, I'll let you know.

 

[dfanonymous]

I feel like a crack whore jonesing for her next hit.....

This is loading for precision rifle.

 

[bsnyder]

I'm not a bench rest or f class guy but I love taking factory rifles and loading them to max potential. It's fun. I've drawn the line. We are building 4 more rifles kind of some just need prefits. But with the money we would spend on customs we can spend on hunting other states so that's we decided to do. To answer i drew the line at quality brass, bushing/micrometer dies/ good scale/powder dropper, good Bullets,

 

[codyadams]

Depends on what you want from it.

If you are addicted, the first step is to admit it, but the difference between this and AA or NA, is this is not illegal, and not near as detrimental in your life ha ha.

As far as what is necessary for a hunter? These days, a factory rifle/scope combo and factory ammo. There isn't an animal on this planet that can't be killed efficiently with factory offerings, if you know or learn how to stalk, and have the time. But long range precision is a separate challenge, and as you said, an addiction. If I was given $20,000 right now to spend on any reloading and rifle components I wanted, I would have it spent in an hour. And yet, in 6 months, I would be wanting to build a new rifle!! That is just how this sport is.

So to answer your question, you have already fulfilled, and more, the "when is enough enough" question, how much further you dive in is simply up to you!

 

[Tiny Tim]

Only you can make that determination. While the vast majority of my shots are inside a hundred yards in my home state, it's the precision that drives me. Your crack whore analogy is an accurate assertion. Lol I am happy with the best I can get out of a rifle. If the rifle is incapable of my desires, it's time for a different one. Like Cody said, he could spent 20 grand in an hour and be "jonesing" in 6 months.

 

[ButterBean]

I started with a single stage press and a beam scale, I've had all the latest and greatest and spent a small fortune and 35 years later i'm almost exactly where I started

 

[Kmccord]

I am a hunter and plinker and am always looking for ways to bring my group size down to one ragged hole, this is just what I Love to do, we all have to have a hobby. I have factory rifles and a custom rifle, but now will take those factory rifles and send them off to a barrel manufacturer to have rebarrelled, true the actions.. As for reloading you don't have to buy all at once, just think of it as you only have to buy once. When I first started out with my 44 Mag pistol, it was with hand dies, then came the used turret press, used manual powder thrower and balance beam scale. I have upgraded from that used turret press last year, I had it since 93, and the friend had it for 10+ yrs before then, so they last a lifetime. Then next was electronic powder thrower and scales, that one had to be replaced last year as well, it quit so that one lasted 20yrs. I have the Hornady bullet comparators, headspace guage, bullet puller. All the dies that I have for all of my rifles, started out with RCBS, but now that I am into precision reloading, on the new rifles I purchase the micrometer seating dies and use Redding for F/L sizing dies, concentricity guage, neck expanders, the list goes on and on. Majority of these items are buy once, the electronic ones, when the item quits working, the press when you want to upgrade. On those smaller items that do not break the bank, I usually ask for those items during Christmas, Birthday and Father day. It hasn't stopped for me and I have been full time into reloading only for my pistols and rifles since 1992. Now, I am going to start looking into building my rifles, that is another rabbit hole that you can go broke into. It is a lot easier to do that these days since a lot of barrels are made pre-fit to the custom actions on the market. As I said in the beginning, it is a hobby and I love it..

 

[dwinmeade]

I suspect more people have quietly said "enough" like myself...in 2020 I dropped from 7 calibers down to 2.

WHAT A RELIEF NOT HAVING TO FIND/FIGHT FOR COMPONENTS!

These 2 calibers like certain powders/bullets per caliber, so that's what I stock. I have since added 1 rifle/caliber that took me 6 months to find.

From a 223 to 6.5CM, I am deadly to any PA animal there is. (Deadly even to the elk here in PA.)

One has to (or should) match his weaponry to his intented use... AND...not buy the next shiny caliber that hits the market. OMG...guys still use the 30-30 to hunt deer...how do they ever manage w/o using a 7mmMag/300 Win Mag, etc!?

Question is...how many "safe queens" are you storing/feeding for not?

 

[Deputy819]

I suspect more people have quietly said "enough" like myself.

^^^yep, guilty as charged^^^

I still go through the 'Classifieds' here every day and piece together some really cool rifles and reloading set-ups from the items for sale……and then I ask/tell/ argue, etc with myself that considering my 'average' (more like meager) shooting abilities and range limitations it won't do anything any better than what's currently sitting in the safe or sitting on the bench.
@Wichasa Welcome to the forum and Good luck, Sir………and my sincere condolences.

 

[seawolfxix]

Based on your list, I'd say you've acquired the key equipment. Bushing dies and micrometer seating dies can add up quickly if you have more than 1 or 2 cartridges.

Aside from the obvious stuff (press, dies, etc), I'd say my best two investments have been the RCBS Chargemaster and Mitutoyo 500-196-30 calipers.

I haven't ventured into concentricity measurements yet, so you're ahead of me, and I already feel like I've spent too much for the average Joe.

 

[xsn10s]

Hello everyone,
Long time listener, first time caller.
Question...where does a guy stop reaching for more stuff to buy, more equipment to try etc ect. I started reloading in an effort to try to create better ammo than the factory **** on the shelves. I consider myself an intermediate reloader who shoots factory rem/win/brn rifles...nothing fancy- certainly not a target or bench guy.
Where do you draw the line for a hunter/plinker? I started out adding a digital scale, then a bullet comparitor to up my odds for improvement. Now I'm waiting on bushing dies, micrometer seater dies, shoulder comparitors and am about to dive into more stuff to measure concentricity....having not fully mastered the bench full of items I currently own!

Where's a decent stopping point for a hunter and casual shooter? I feel like a crack whore jonesing for her next hit.....I can barely find enough components to complete a cartridge let alone think about getting into serious reloading.

Thinking I should have taken the blue pill...

For the hunter/ plinker you've pretty much got it covered. For hunting it really depends on your distances. So equipment, components, and skill level dictates what you need. But really with your given equipment list you cold stop there and save money for reloading components and shooting equipment. All this is stuff is so we can go shooting more for our dollar. So I'd just go shoot. Just my two cents worth. Have fun!!!

 

[Deleted member 119066]

everyone has their limit and I think you'll eventually find it, even if you pass it some and then notice its a pain for little wort. For me, I am not going to weigh cases, or measure bullets. Instead, Ill buy good cases and bullets. I just don't have the time. Personally, I would hold off on concentricity stuff for now, I don't even measure runout anymore, but that may also be due to having good dies so i'm not trouble shooting as much. The comparator was a good idea.

I think you have pretty much everything you need. Id wait to buy more until you identify something you're needing

 

[Rick Richard]

I thought I had everything I needed, but NO. Last week I purchased an A&D scale. Said to myself "got everything I need". This week I am now trying to talk myself out of purchasing an AMP annealer. So, not sure it ever ends. Good luck