My reloading attitude is changing!

[Wyoredman]

In the past, I have been obsessed with learning and applying all the tricks to make the most accurate ammo for an individual rifle. Shoulder bump, partial case re-sizing, bullet seating depth, most accurate powder charge, etc. In other words, tailoring ammo to an individual rifle.

As I have collected more and more rifles of the same caliber, it has become a pain keeping the ammo separated. This box goes to this .270, this box for this .270, that box for that .243, that box for this .243. On and on!

Recently,I have started loading to SAAMI specs, full length resizing, using middle of the road charges. Simple, and one batch of ammo fits all my rifles. Simplifying!

I haven't noticed a bunch of difference out hunting or plinking. I can still hit what I shoot at, varmints, deer, elk, beer cans, you name it.

I'm not getting .5" groups on the bench anymore, but oh-well!

Anyone else come to this life realization?

[Machineguntony]

In my golf friends, we have guys who buy all the latest golf equipment, with customizable grips and shaft length, with the most forgiving sweet spots, with the biggest driver heads, and use the most high tech golf balls. Then they go out and shoot a 100 on the course and then blame the driver when their ball slices into the next fairway.

IMO, most guys who reload for accuracy to get that extra .1 inch accuracy are chasing an illusion that is not equipment related, unless they are in the top 1% of shooters.

But then again, we all reload for different reasons. I just love it because I find it relaxing. I only sort for caliber. I have a super simple set up that is designed to be ultra stress free. Heck, I even have a different reloader for each of my calibers because I hate converting. Reloading is wonderful.

[mdmtj]

I'm pretty much on the same page with you except I started out that way. When I started loading, every caliber I loaded was going to be fired from multiple guns. Between my house and my daughter's house there isn't a caliber where there is only one gun in that caliber. Most of the shooting I do is training/practice for SD/HD so I wasn't concerned with 1/2" groups at 2000 meters. As I've heard it said by others, my concern is Minute Of Man, not Minute of Angle. When trying to claim SD/HD it gets increasing difficult to justify the shot the further out the target is. "Really sheriff, I was in fear for my life when I shot that guy 1/4 mile down the street! But don't you like my grouping?" With this type of shooting I develop a load that will function reliably and give acceptable accuracy in all of the guns. My primary SD/HD weapons are rifles. I have pistols and am a pretty fair shot with them, I just don't care much for them. Make no mistake, while my main concern with the SD/HD rifles is CQB, they will reach out and touch someone at longer distances if the need was there.

I do try for some longer distance shooting with my .243 and my son-in-law also has a .243 he uses for deer. So again, I'm loading for multiple guns. I do tend to be a bit more picky in the load development for the .243 than I am with the other calibers. However, I'm concerned with killing a deer, not blinding a fly.

[madmo44mag]

Yep came to that conclusion about 25 years ago.
Now if there is a need for ultra accurate ammo I load it; otherwise I load basic all purpose ammo.

[rg1]

I've always loaded common rifle calibers such as .223 or 30-06 so they will fit and function in all my rifles and yours. Now for special calibers like 6.5 Grendel I tailor them for my rifle.

[Brian Pfleuger]

No, and I likely never will come to that conclusion because I'm one of the odd-balls who have no want/need/use for multiple guns in the same cartridge.

My only trouble with segregating ammo is when they're all headstamped 243Win and some are Win, some AI, some 7-08, etc.

[schmellba99]

I tailor most of my bolt action rifle loads to the gun, my AR loads are pretty much factory (but I loaded them, so better), and almost all of my pistol loads are factory (but better).

I get loading specific rifle rounds to gain the most accuracy you can out of your gun. I can even understand why some people may do it for pistols, but i don't have a particular need to do so and don't make such an effort in that aspect.

Even loading plinking 9mm or .45 rounds, reloading is a fun way to knock off some stress doing something that is a part of a whole series of events I love doing.

[hooligan1]

I will stop handloading and shooting rifles before I give up on "one hole"accuracy. .....its what I live for....and Im achieving this with $300 rifles and decent glass....and painstaking handloading steps.

[Jim243]

Anyone else come to this life realization?

For almost all rifles I own they each have their own load. But since each is a separate caliber and all loads have been tuned to sub-MOA for each I do not have that problem.

BUT, there is one caliber that I have multiple rifles in and that is 223 Remington. I literally load many thousands of 223 per year. It started out with a 223 that had extreme close tolerances so a X-Small Base FL reloading die and a L.E. Wilson gauge was necessary to produce usable ammo with. Well the rifle was sold off to a close friend, but I still have multiple 5.56 rifles and I still produce all 223 rounds still the same way. They can be used in any 223/5.56 rifle, mine or someone else without any problem.

I am less anal in charge loads since I mass reload this round, but all other steps remain the same and these loads are not tailored for each 5.56 rifle.

Jim

[skizzums]

that's how I started, I got into reloading for money/availability reasons. I usually use really light loads for pistol and middle loads for rifle plinking. the only thing I reload with accuracy in mind is long-range .223, but the more I play with it, the more I realize 90% depend on my shooting as long as the ammo is in the weight/fps rage it needs to be in. playing around with .357 rifles on a 100yd range can be fun too, but I don't take it AS seriously. I know many feel that reloading doesn't save money, but I think they must be doing something totally different than I am.

[dickttx]

I shoot only handguns (1911's). I have five 45 ACP's. A Colt Rail-gun, two Commanders, a CCO, and an Officers ACP. I have one 45 ACP load that works in all of them. I also have two Commanders in 38 Super and my 38 Super load works in both.
I keep my loaded ammo lined up with the oldest date first. No matter which guns I am taking to the range, I pick up the box of ammo on the end.

[Mule]

My tendencies to obsess over reloads took a severe beating the day I broke 25 straight from 16 yards shooting reclaimed shot.

[jrobin3360]

I started reloading last year because of the panic & shortages. Thought I'd save some money also (we all know how that goes).
Started out wanting to duplicate factory ammo. A year later, I've achieved what I wanted, for the few calibers that I shoot.
I'm not a hunter or match shooter, just like punching holes in paper. I have created some SHTF loads that I've tested & practiced with but they stay in my safe unless I have nothing else to shoot.

[Clark]

Phase I: cheaper 44 mag ammo
Phase II: Vmax bullet touching the lands makes more accurate 223 ammo.
Phase III: Hot 380 handloads puts 9mm power in the shirt pocket.
Phase IV: Make your own wildcats and make your own dies.
Phase V: After the funeral, the wife takes your equipment to the pawn shop.

[Brotherbadger]

Honestly, i reload as a cheap and fun way to build my stockpile of practice ammo and to create a cheaper option for my hunting ammo. Any inaccuracies in the way the ammo shoots are probably 95% on the shooter. I haven't noticed a difference in the way it shoots over store bought.

[NWPilgrim]

I was fortunate to have met practical shooting competitors who mainly tried for consistency and affordability, not the nth degree of accuracy. Speed of the shooter was important, not just accuracy.

With minimal case prep I can get handloads easily to .75" groups, with occasional loads in the .5" range. I doubt I could shoot any better than that with the absolute best ammo.

I full length size and trim, that is about all. I usually find accurate loads in the medium to near max range, but never push the pressure limit at all.

I love to reload but I also love to have maximum range time.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

Apples to Apples...

I guess I separate out & load for specific guns on bottle necked rifle cartridges ( like 30-06 for example ) of which I have 4 rifles... there is enough difference in "function" between my Remington 700 ( bolt action ), my FIL's old Remington woodsman carbine ( semi auto ), & my milsurp Garand that I load specific for those... I also do the same for 45-70, as the cartridge could go into a Contender handgun, an antique rifle, or my bullet proof Guide gun... I'm just not willing to put up with what ever shade of grey the 45-70 cartridge would end up at being able to work in all 5 of my 45-70's

but for 9mm, I load the cartridge to work in all my guns

... & then for my antique top break revolvers in both 32 & 38 S&W, I don't load for a specific gun, but load 3 different load levels, for specific function... a pop gun, gun test load safe in anything that is shootable, a general range load, & a hotter self defense load that has proven safe in a few guns I may want to carry for nostalgia, but that I don't put many rounds through the guns...

getting my gun room done has really simplified my system, as I have ammo stored in ammo benches under the guns, where they are displayed on the wall... my guns are grouped, so for example in my 30-06's the 700 is with the long action bolts, the FIL's carbine is with the semi auto carbines, the Garand with the milsurps, so I have 30-06 ammo in 3 separate ammo benches... in the case of the 30-06, I use a different brand of case for each rifle, so there is no corn fusion as to where an errant cartridge or case goes...

[surveyor]

When I have more than 1 rifle in a caliber, I will take the tightest chamber, and bump the shoulder back a thousandth or two..
I will check to see if the sized brass will chamber in the other rifle.
I still don't want to work the brass any more than it needs to be..

Pistols it needs to work in anything..so standard sizing there.

[BumbleBug]

Originally Posted by Wyoredman

Recently,I have started loading to SAMMI specs, full length resizing, using middle of the road charges. Simple, and one batch of ammo fits all my rifles. Simplifying!

A few years back, there was an article in Rifle magazine that compliments this type of thinking. IIRC, the article was by Barness & it had to do with so called "standard loads". He related the story about a fellow career gun industry expert, who in his line of work, allowed him easy access to acquire many guns over the years. Whenever this guy got a new firearm he would take it to the range & fire it using the "standard-load" from his notebook. If it didn't shoot descent with that load, he'd get rid of the gun. While he was an avid reloader he didn't have the time or energy to drill down into the details.

Reloading has the attraction of really making a difference in how a gun shoots. There's the gratification, but it is not a cure all. Uniforming the flash holes & weighing every charge won't make dad's old 94 shoot 1/2" groups!

...bug

[Tom68]

My approach varies by cartridge. I've not become such a proficient handgun shooter at distance to warrant painstaking load prep... so my handgun loads are pretty much set to a comfortable average for everything I own in that particular caliber.

Pretty much the same for my milsurps as well, although one day when I get bored I may perhaps try to wring some better accuracy by tweaking them to particular rifles.

but my hunting rifles are a different story, and I do so for two different reasons... number one, I simply enjoy chasing the one-hole group, especially in rifles that came with an accuracy guarantee (TC Venture, Weatherby Vanguard S2). I figure if they can make such a claim, then pursuing that objective is worthwhile until I tire of it. More importantly though, I like the confidence that the rifle/load combination is as accurate as can be, which all other things being equal, should give me greater confidence in taking a shot at game. If nothing else, when the load is set, it eliminates the opportunity of me blaming my equipment... any failure is on the shooter!

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Anyone else come to this life realization?

Yup. Chasing that elusive perfect recipe & cartridge around for years just plain got boring. Got realistic about my need. That need was harvesting game and not stationary targets (at 3-400-rds) Developed a {hunting bullet} recipe for each rifle I use showing excellent accuracy out too 200 yards. That's it. Done!!
No more record keeping. No more shooting disappointments. No more traveling. Made a few friends who share the same outlook even. " shooting, socializing, enjoying their Day Off too. While in retirement._

[603Country]

I'm like Brian, in that I have only one rifle for each caliber. I work up the absolute best load I can for the rifle, with fireformed cases, and that becomes the standard for that rifle. But for two calibers (260 and 223) I have several accurate loads with different bullets and powers. I shoot them the most and want multiple options if a certain powder or bullet gets hard to find.

[WESHOOT2]

Anyone else come to this realization?

Many rifle-match shooters produce their match ammo on Dillon progressive reloaders.

[FrankenMauser]

For some rifles and cartridges, I still chase the dream.

For others, I don't even bother testing on paper. For new loads, I pressure test up to (or slightly over) max. If everything looks good, and I can hit every improvised target that I pick out (often "head sized rocks" as a family friend likes to say ), then I'll just pick a load in the rough ballpark of the velocity I want.
Many of my .30 WCF, 7.62x54R, and .30-40 Krag loads are/were in that category.

My only trouble with segregating ammo is when they're all headstamped 243Win and some are Win, some AI, some 7-08, etc.

I have several ARs with radically different headspace and different twist rates. As such, pretty much all of them require their own ammo. Some of it is suitable for use in the others, but it's mostly a one firearm per load deal.

To solve the segregation/sorting problem, I designated certain brands for each AR. (Off the top of my head - I might have a couple mixed up: )
The pistol gets R-P cases.
The middy gets LC and FC cases.
The 6x45mm gets PPU and Hornady cases.
The carbine gets Winchester and WCC cases.
And anything left over (that's worth keeping) gets sized for the smallest 5.56 chamber and loaded to a fairly tame pressure level with Winchester 55 gr Power Points that I'm trying to get rid of.

The carbine and middy will be sold or rebuilt. I'm not currently satisfied with them. When that happens, the assigned head stamps will get shuffled. I currently have no loaded ammo for either of them. So, the transition will be easy.

And, since I sort everything by headstamp, anyway, there isn't any added labor required by assigned different headstamps to different firearms (or wildcats).

[F. Guffey]

I do not have an attitude, I have a philosophy, I do not assume a rifle is accurate and after loading for it I do not assume my great and outstanding skill in reloading is the reason the rifle is accurate.

F. Guffey