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getsmart
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| Posted: April 01 2018 at 2:17pm | IP Logged
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I like what Guy said in another post on .223, "if it keeps ya grinning, enjoy!" Well stated, Guy.
I load because I like to shoot. I think it is fun. And it makes me smile to shoot good loads with good accuracy. Eric
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"There are some things that you know, that your parents do not know...." Al Gore, Jr. to a bunch of 12-year old students: 2008.
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Old Ranger
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| Posted: April 02 2018 at 12:47pm | IP Logged
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I load for frugality's sake! I'm not made of money. 
And most of all, through careful study and testing I can
create a load as individual as myself for my weapons.
There's a certain satisfaction in building a load for
yourself that is pinpoint perfect. May not always happen,
but when it does, well, it's like when Dr Victor
Frankenstein pointed at Boris Karlof's first movement and
proclaimed "It is ALIVE!!"
Kinda a corny comparison but y'all get it. When that much
sought after load is found.... Ya just gotta grin and
know you did it. 
Beyond that, I'm a cheap 'ole SOB that likes to shoot and
won't [can't] pay for buckets of factory ammo!
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"I ain't doin' nuthin' I can't do from a horse."
Monte Walsh
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richhodg66
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| Posted: April 02 2018 at 3:32pm | IP Logged
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"The secret to happiness is freedom, and the secret to freedom is courage."
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richhodg66
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| Posted: April 02 2018 at 3:33pm | IP Logged
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Seriously, I've got a lot of money tied up in reloading stuff, but it's what I like to do. In the long run, it's cheaper than recreational drinking, chasing women, international travel, etc., the things that people are supposed to think are fun.
I don't save money, but I sure shoot more and enjoy it more.
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"The secret to happiness is freedom, and the secret to freedom is courage."
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turbo1889
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| Posted: April 02 2018 at 7:02pm | IP Logged
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Well if you load enough rounds with it the
equipment does eventually pay for itself
and from then on the cost per round does
go down. This is extra especially true
with some obscure cartridges that factory
ammo is near $100 a box for factory loads
when you can find them.
All that stated in my experience (and
probably a lot of other people's as well)
it doesn't result in less money being
spent but rather getting more shots per
the same money. And yes the "same money"
thing tends to have a certain upwards
drift factor unless one exercises proper
self control.
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What part of, "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be INFRINGED" don't you understand ?!?!?
To the most serious charge of "ARMING WOMEN" I plead guilty on multiple counts.
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turbo1889
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| Posted: April 02 2018 at 7:06pm | IP Logged
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By the way my main reason for reloading
and casting as well is primarily getting
loads to do things I can't get factory
loads to do.
Secondarily those obscure cartridges I
spoke of that between casting and loading
I can shoot much more then I could
otherwise.
And last of all on the list that whole
getting more shots per the money in the
long run.
__________________
What part of, "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be INFRINGED" don't you understand ?!?!?
To the most serious charge of "ARMING WOMEN" I plead guilty on multiple counts.
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richhodg66
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| Posted: April 02 2018 at 7:35pm | IP Logged
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Absolutely. My 1907 Winchester would be a paper weight if I didn't reload. Quite a few others would be much more difficult to shoot. Saw a box of .45-70 ammo in a shop the other day (not like you can get that at Wal Mart) and yeah, that one is cost effective to handload for, even if you use slower burning powders and jacketed bullets. With cast and fast burning ones, it's dirt cheap and brass lasts a long time.
There's a neatly sporterized Dutch Manliccher in a shop close by. It's sat there a long time and it's something you have to make ammo for, not an easy forming job to make 6.5x53R from .303 British. Gonna make a low ball offer for it sometime just because it presents a challenge.
I'm hooked. Don't really shoot anything I don't load for except rimfires and shotguns (and that's in the process of changing too). I'm gonna be as self reliant as I can be from here on out, so if I can't reload for it, I don't want it.
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"The secret to happiness is freedom, and the secret to freedom is courage."
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Ranch 13
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| Posted: April 02 2018 at 7:42pm | IP Logged
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I have dies for every centerfire cartridge that lives here, and a couple that I
don't have yet...
I load for all of them except the .223, which the amount of rounds we go thru
in the months of prairie dog shooting, loading just takes to much time that can
be put to other projects.
I also go thru several hundred pounds of alloy a year casting bullets for the
various guns we shoot a lot.
Primers come in by the case.
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The most expensive bullet there is isn't worth a plug nickel if it doesn't go where its supposed to.
GUSA #6
http://historicshooting.com/mybb/index.php
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turbo1889
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| Posted: April 02 2018 at 8:56pm | IP Logged
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Most obscure/difficult cartridge I load
for is 5.45x18. No, that is not a type, I
did not mean the 5.45x39 rifle cartridge,
I am talking about the tiny little bottle
neck pistol cartridge. Factory loads
State side in that are bare minimum $10
per cartridge solt by the individual
cartridge when you can even find anyone
who has even a few cartridges and is
willing to sell them. No one is importing
any ammo commercially for it and most ammo
for it cannot be imported because they are
steel tipped and violate ATF rules against
armor piercing loads for handguns.
Through a multi-step process you first
have to make your own cartridge cases
starting from untrimmed long length 25-acp
cases fresh from the drawing die (standard
25-acp cases are only 0.615" long where as
a 5.45x18 case is 0.710" long). Then you
gave to open up the body of the case to
the full rim diamter without splitting it
and then finally neck down and form the
shoulder. Trimming is rarely necessary
because usually your neck won't be quite
as long as it should be. Then comes the
bullet, which you can use cast for or if
you want jacketed then unless your lucky
enough to have a gun with a throat that
will accept oversize .224" diameter
bullets then you have to make jackets from
spent 22-lr (cut shorter of course) and
swag your own bullets to fit it's slightly
tighter bore and chamber neck dimensions
for the Soviet version oof 22 center-fire
compared to everyone else. As to just
bumping down 22-hornet bullets that works
for cast or if you can find them copper
solids but if you try it with jacketed the
core squeezes down but the jacket springs
back and all you end up doing is just
loosening the core inside the jacket.
Once you form your own brass as outlined
and make your own bullets then you can
actually start loading, and of course
there is no published load data so you
have to completely figure that out
yourself.
No, I'm not complaining, just explaining
what is sometimes necessary and only
possible through advanced reloading
techniques to shoot some guns that
otherwise would be as richhodg66 already
mentioned would just be paperweights or
wall hangers. And in the particular case
I used as an example actually wouldn't be
much of a paperweight due to it's so small
size and light weight.
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What part of, "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be INFRINGED" don't you understand ?!?!?
To the most serious charge of "ARMING WOMEN" I plead guilty on multiple counts.
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Old Ranger
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| Posted: April 03 2018 at 6:54am | IP Logged
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A few might laugh at my saying one reason I reload is to
save money. Ok, but when store bought 45Colt "Cowboy"
ammo goes for $46 per box and I load customized loads for
$5.50 that shoot better, who's laughing now?
I have now only 2 bench mounted presses. Gave the third
to my grandkids along with enough gear to load 4
different calibers. The number of dies exceed the
calibers I use today, but they weren't that expensive.
And the old Ideal/Lyman 310 tong tools and their dies
didn't break the bank either. I load everything I shoot
with the exception of .22 rimfire and 12ga [which I will
soon start loading] My loading gear began paying for
itself just before LBJ was sworn into office.
So if some think using a few vintage Lyman presses and
loading tools is archaic and out of fashion, well that's
just fine by me. I guess my cost of fun is a whole lot
less. Must be a Lakota thing
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"I ain't doin' nuthin' I can't do from a horse."
Monte Walsh
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Desert Eagle41
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| Posted: April 03 2018 at 8:45am | IP Logged
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I think I started to load to save money but I think I just enjoyed it from the get go. Now I seem to only shoot to test loads and at times to sharpen my skill such as it is. I will say I am a better shot now than ever before and not sure why except never had any reason to be a good shot I think was a big part of it. Passing my NRA pistol instructors shooting test I had to shoot good and I did. I just like to reload and obscure stuff like 41AE interests me to this day. Craig
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Wall Street reports today on brisk trading 380 brass finished higher for the last 14 straight months against the euro, dollar and yen.
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M700
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| Posted: April 03 2018 at 9:07am | IP Logged
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Handloading is just a part of my interest in firearms. I think it adds to my knowledge of my firearms, and to my pleasure in using them.
Dad and Grandpa had me seating bullets for their rifle ammo when I was 5 or so. That's 55+ years ago! I've been handloading almost all my life.
Have been guilty of buying dies and components while I hadn't yet purchased the firearm...
I'll have different goals with my different firearms and loads.
For some, like for my target rifle and varmint rifle, I want the very best accuracy I can get.
For some, good accuracy and good velocity, with an excellent game-taking bullet is the goal. That too can change depending on the firearm and how I'll hunt with it. I have different standards for my 30-30 than I do for my 25-06, one is for deer out to 150 yards or so, the other is for deer out to 400 yards or a bit farther.
Some cartridges I load very mellow, mild. The 45 Colt comes to mind, 'cause I don't want to be the fellow who destroys Grandpa's revolver!
Others get loaded pretty stout, 'cause it's fun to use all that power, or 'cause I figure I might need some serious suds.
I just flat enjoy shooting and loading and fussin' with the firearms. It's been real interesting reading about different cartridges, loads, bullets, etc. So glad I've got the time and place to enjoy handloading.
Regards, Guy
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John Van Gelder
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| Posted: April 05 2018 at 6:27am | IP Logged
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once you get over the initial expense, you can save money reloading. I bought my equipment 0over a 60 year span, not to mention the stuff I was given.
I started loading for the ,44 magnum, with a lee loader, that paid for itself with one box of ammunition.
My loading gear for the .357, was a used tong tool with dies I got out of a junk box in a gun shop for $5.00.
Most of my bullet molds, still have "Ideal" stamped on them.
Why do I reload..? My father did, he taught me how and he would not have done it if there was not a way to save money. The other reason is that you can tailor make your loads to your needs.
Like Wade's thread about one rifle..you can pretty much make that work with reloads.
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doghawg
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| Posted: April 06 2018 at 2:47pm | IP Logged
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Another benefit is that an evening spent loading or casting sure beats sitting in front of a television set going brain dead.
Randy
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John Van Gelder
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| Posted: April 08 2018 at 6:18am | IP Logged
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Randy
I have a Lee hand press so I can sit in front of the TV go brain dead and reload at the same time.
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Ham Gunner
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| Posted: April 08 2018 at 11:29am | IP Logged
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1) Originally to save money so I could shoot more.
2) To produce more accurate loads than factory available.
3) To reload chamberings that are not produced commercially
4) It soon became fun and an enjoyable hobby.
5) Always in the back of my mind that ammo could get scarce
6) Finally, after seeing several shortages of ammo and components, I have become almost completely independent of the market availability of most of the components. I cast all my own bullets and punch out my own gas checks and I could if necessary, renew and reuse the primers and make passable propellants in a pinch.
But mostly, I just enjoy the hobby.
Edited by Ham Gunner on April 08 2018 at 11:31am
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John Van Gelder
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| Posted: April 08 2018 at 1:21pm | IP Logged
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Bottom line..we do it because it is fun..!
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Paul B.
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| Posted: April 08 2018 at 3:09pm | IP Logged
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I got into it to save money. Back in 1954 about the only money I got
aside from an allowance was the few bucks I could get doing odd jobs
around the neighborhood. To this day I hate doing yard work. I shot
mostly cast in my firearms saving full power jacketed loads for the hunt.
In the long run, I may not have saved a hell of a lot but I sure have had a
hell of a lot of fun.
Paul B.
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Handloads.Com Forum : General Discussion
Topic: Why I load
