Why do you reload?

[FrankenMauser]

Because I am dumb and keep buying things that have no commercial ammo available, require case forming, and often require bullet casting.
Also because I am dumb and turn stupid ideas for wildcats into reality, in turn requiring loading said wildcats.
Also because I am dumb and keep buying old shotguns that need 2" to 2.5" shells and low pressure, but I can't bring myself to order RST shells at $25-65 / box.


But I am also just not going to pay $2 per trigger pull for common ammo, let alone the $3-4 that some popular rifle cartridges are going for now.

[Rockrivr1]

I'm probably one of the few people here that hated reloading. I started it to save money and be able to roll my own in a SHTF scenario if one ever came about. Learned pretty quick that my mentality just wasn't set for long boring times behind the press pulling the handle. Because of that my mind would drift, which isn't good when doing something that needs that much precision in order to be safe. After a while I would hate doing it so I sold the whole setup and never looked back.

[Crankylove]

Ammo for everything I own is commercially available, even the semi-odd balls I have. But, reloading lets me shoot them (and my common stuff) much cheaper.

[wachtelhund1]

Started reloading back in the 60's at 12 years old, in the back of a gun shop. I was reloading 38 Special practice loads for the police department. My payment was a monthly trip to the range where I could shoot as much as I wanted, WWII surplus guns. Colt 1911 .45 acp, SW MP10? .38 Special, 1903 Springfield, M1 Carbine, M1 Grand, Thomson Sub-Machine gun (full auto) .45 acp and M2 Carbine (full auto). Since then I would rather reload than buy factory ammo. Buy a gun with a different caliber, just buy dies and brass and start reloading.

[lll Otto lll]

Most people abandon reloading with in a year.
Others that continue do so mostly as a hobby.
I've been at this for 27 years but I look at it as drudgery. The fun of it is long gone.
The reason I reload is because I have to. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to shoot at the volumes I'm accustom to.
Truth is, I should be at the bench instead of posting here.

[jetinteriorguy]

It’s fun, and challenging.

[Rob96]

I started out because had a rifle that wouldn't shoot factory ammo worth a damn. Secondary was to save money. Now it is more for the enjoyment, relaxation about it and the extra special feeling I get knowing that the deer I take had more put into it than the usual. Just like archers who build their own hunting arrows.

[FITASC]

Most people abandon reloading with in a year.
Others that continue do so mostly as a hobby.
I've been at this for 27 years but I look at it as drudgery. The fun of it is long gone.
The reason I reload is because I have to. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to shoot at the volumes I'm accustom to.
Truth is, I should be at the bench instead of posting here.

Same for me; I love shooting my revolvers but finding 38Spl, let alone using 158gr bullets is impossible and whatever is available costs more than 45ACP

[Airborne Falcon]

I chose "other" because there was no "All of the Above" option.

I literally reload for all of the above reasons plus more.

In addition to all of the above I reload for ...

1 - Enjoyment, Hobby
2 - Self sufficiency in times of need
3 - Emergency Preparedness (maintaining stock and the ability to do so.)
4 - Maximizing brass usage
5 - Employing mine own cast boolits
6 - Achieving superior results compared to factory loads and the satisfaction that allows.
7 - It's peaceful and somewhat cathartic and it affords-me my me-time away from the wifey and day-to-day chatter. People leave me alone in my man cave.
8 - And finally, in addition to the OP's options plus mine own added above ... I handload/reload to exercise my old brain. I am constantly reading on the subject, constantly taking notes, constantly adding to my caliber journals, constantly adding to my library, constantly referencing online sources and forums for input and learning new things from others ... constantly striving for perfection.

There are times when I'll finish matchmaking a batch for one of my precision rifles or my competition pistols and I'll examine each round, while wearing nitrite gloves so as not to leave even a smudge on them, and I'll look on them like a jeweler might a precision stone or a hand crafted diamond ring ... with much pride at my work. And then, once those rounds do what I built them to-do on the range ... there is a real feeling of accomplishment. I take hreat pride in all of that. It gives me purpose.

So many things as a young man led me to a fascination with reloading.

1 - watching and learning from my Grandfather in the 50s and 60s. Doing it with a wooden dowel, a 20 penny nail and an icepick and Lee Loader set.

2 - seeing that ammo maker in Man With the Golden Gun (James Bond).

3 - much later, many years later ... the guy who reloaded for Tom Selleck's rifle in Quigley Down Under. (I was already a 45-70 guy but that took me over the top.)

... and so on and so forth.

Edited: Grammar and Spelling caused by big thumbs.

[stan5677]

Considering i'm thinking about a 7saum or a 7wsm I have no choice.

[Ed4032]

Originally Posted by ballardw

I pretty much started reloading with my dad before I really knew you could buy ammo.

Yep maybe we just like reloading because we can.

[Geezerbiker]

I started out with a rifle in an oddball caliber and the ammo has always been very expensive. So I start reloading to save money but kept with it because my reloads were always more accurate. Now I reload for about 20 different rounds...

Tony

[ms6852]

At first you may not save money with initial set-up, but my main reason was to fine tune ammo for specific firearms. Secondly was to acquire a skill set like our forefathers did in case something I did not see happening happened. It's like working on your car you change spark plugs yourself because you can.

[Kram]

I've spent way more money on reloading stuff compared to the same amount I would have spent on factory ammo.

My thing was 45 LC. I always wanted a SA in 45 but ammo was hard to find or it was cowboy action. I retired in 16 and needed another hobby (like another hole in my head)

I haven't bought the SA 45 yet but I did get a model 92 in 45.

I did luck out and buy a lot of components before this newer shortage so I'm set for awhile.

RifleTom and another fellow shooter got me started and helped along the way.

[ammo.crafter]

I find reloading extremely relaxing and peaceful.
Keeping detailed records and performance is very interesting and gratifying.

Pairing a particular load to a particular weapon is my ultimate goal.

For example my Remington 600 .222 Remington routinely hits thumbtacks at 100 yards.

[kmw1954]

I do it because I am a DIYer and I find it relaxing. Being retired it also keeps me, my hands and my mind busy. Also a load more to shoot more person. Besides all the general reasons.

[Big_Eight]

I reload because I really enjoy the process. I reload for a 7mm-08, 7mm-mag, 30-06, 338-06 and 308.

I really enjoy playing sound with the 338-06 it's fun to shoot. My favorite by far is my 7mm-mag with Retumbo.

[Scorch]

I started reloading when I was a teenager so I could shoot my brother's guns (he would let me shoot as much ammo as I reloaded, I had to buy the bullets and primers and powder). Then I reloaded to save money (factory ammo has always been expensive). Then I discovered that handloads could be really accurate. Then I discovered that I could reload for rifles I could not find ammo for (BPCR and wildcat cartridges). Then I started experimenting with different loads and projectiles (multiple projectiles and handgun shot shells). Then I found out reloading could be relaxing (and to think I always thought it was just work!).

[BillyBoy 57]

I started reloading for 300 weatherby mag. first . This was early in the early 80's at the time to save money . 300 was super expensive to buy factory ammo . It latter became a hobby as well !

[Savagehawg]

I reload for a hobby, i started because at the time i wasnt happy with accuracy from factory loads. I am always trying to improve my loads until I cant get them any better. I always hear people say "oh if you get 3/4 to 1" groups from a hunting rifle your doing good" well i beg to differ, All my rifles are standard over the counter rifles and with my reloads almost all of them shoot 1/4" or less. I learned real fast if your reloading to save money its almost a waste of time until years later after you have spent time and money stocking up. I load for 243 Win, 7mm-08, 25-06 Rem, 270 WSM, 308 Win,6.5 CM, 7mm Mag, 270 Win, and 280 Rem.

[44 AMP]

For my 16th birthday, my Dad gave me a deer rifle. Rem Model 600 .308Win, and all the ammo he had, half a box (10rnds). Also a box and a half of brass. My Grandmother gave me the princely sum of $40 to buy a reloading set up. Got a Lyman press, dies, scale, primers, powder, bullets, A MANUAL, and a couple other accessories. No internet, no mentor, other than the manuals, The American Rifleman, Guns& Ammo and Shooting Times magazines. I did ok...

It wasn't a matter of saving money, it was a matter of using what little money I had to make more ammo than buying it would give me. From there, as they say, the tale grew in the telling,....

In the half century since, I've never gotten a centerfire rifle or pistol without getting dies and reloading for it. And, it has allowed me to make ammo for guns where commercial loads do not exist, as well.

I am, or have been set up to load for (list from the top of my head, so might be missing a few )
.22 Hornet, .221 Fireball, ,222Rem, ,223 Rem, .22-250, .243 Win, 6mm Rem, .25-06, 6,5x55 Swede, 7mm Rem Mag, .30-30 Win, .308Win, .30-06, .300 Win Mag, .303 British, 7.7 Jap, 7.62x54R Russian, 8mm Mauser, .350 Rem Mag, .375 H&H Mag, .45-70 and .458 Win Mag in rifles and .32ACP, .380ACP, 9mm Luger, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .357 AMP, .44 Special, .44 Mag, .44AMP, .45 ACP, .45 Colt and .45 Win Mag pistols.

I don't compete, don't load to get one hole groups (which most of my guns won't do anyway, even on those rare times when I can...)

I LIKE doing it.

[hdbiker]

I started reloading in 1972 to save money and be able to shoot more, as the years went on and I acquired more guns it turned into a hobby

[USCS]

I reload so I have ammo when times are lean, to give me something to do when it’s to hot to shoot, and because I have odd caliber guns to feed.

[lll Otto lll]

Originally Posted by 44 AMP

No internet, no mentor, other than the manuals, The American Rifleman, Guns& Ammo and Shooting Times magazines. I did ok...

Myself as well… I learned by the book. If I had questions, I read more.
Now days, the typical noob watches a couple of You Tube videos and the first powder he buys is Titegroup.

[Big_Eight]

Originally Posted by lll Otto lll

Myself as well… I learned by the book. If I had questions, I read more.

Now days, the typical noob watches a couple of You Tube videos and the first powder he buys is Titegroup.

Me too one of my favorites is the 'ABC's of Reloading' by Dean Grennell and I find the Lyman reloading manual particularly informative at well.