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| Most hunters will not save money by reloading, but that is not the only reason to reload. Customizing ammo to fit your firearm or hunting situation can be an important part of your hunting experience. |
The recent rise in the cost of
ammunition, and the scarcity of some calibers, led one friend to ask if I
thought he should start reloading. Since he is still using the same box of
.30-06 ammo he bought three years ago, and he only shoots 4-5 rounds a year, I
told him that I thought he’d be OK staying with factory ammo. Then I got the same question from someone
else I know. Reloading is a great hobby, but not for everyone. Let’s take a
look why.
What is Your Motivation?
Reloading can offer a number of
benefits, but if those benefits don’t apply to you, there is no reason to
reload. Forget what I do, or your neighbor, or some guy at the range. If it
doesn’t help you, it’s a waste of time and money. Remember that saving money
may not be the best reason to reload.
Penny Wise, Pound Foolish?
The “pound” in that old saying
refers to British money, and reloading can be a great way to spend dollars to
save pennies. It all depends on volume. I started reloading decades ago because
I was shooting a lot of handgun ammo and couldn’t afford to shoot as much as I
wanted (that hasn’t changed over the years). I was able to ‘pay’ for my
reloading gear with money saved on ammo in the first year. Unfortunately, I
didn’t really put that money in the bank. Overall, I’ve just shot more, and
spent more money on other guns and additional reloading gear. You will find that
you will either become overwhelmed, bored, and find reloading too much trouble,
or you will gradually get more involved, start loading more calibers, and need
more gear.
Do The Math
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| After you start reloading you will discover that there is a plethora of additional gear that is helpful, necessary, or good to add to your process. This can result in you spending more money, and reduce the amount you save on ammunition. |
If you think you will save money,
first put a pencil to paper. A very basic starter kit, plus supplies and one
set of dies, will run you $500-$700. A decent setup with some additional gear
will add $300-$500. So let’s say $1,000 to get going (and you will spend more
in the future). You can expect to save 30-70% over factory ammo (perhaps even
more right now, with the recent shortages and price increases), depending on
the cost of primers, powder, and bullets (and whether or not you have to buy
brass), but let’s say you can save 50%. Let’s assume factory ammo is $1.00 a
round. At a bare minimum you’d have to reload 2,000 rounds to make the
breakeven point. A serious shooter can do that, but I know a lot of hunters who
won’t shoot that much in a couple of decades.
Other Reasons to Reload
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| When you reload you will be able to select components to achieve specific performance objectives from your firearms. |
But don’t be discouraged, because
saving money is not the only motive for reloading. You can fine-tune your ammo
to produce the most accuracy possible from a particular rifle, produce ammo to
meet specific performance requirements (very light or very heavy loads, for
instance), produce ammo for hard-to-find calibers, or have the satisfaction of
using ammo you manufactured to take that trophy animal. You can use different
powders and different weights and styles of bullets to make your deer rifle
suitable to take anything from varmints to elk, and you will receive an extensive
education on ballistics.
Is Your Personality a Match?
A single-stage press can produce
perhaps 50 finished rounds an hour. Do you have the patience and attention to
detail to do the same thing, exactly the same way, hour after hour? You have to
be careful, precise, and methodical – there is no margin for error. If you
leave the powder out of one case, fail to properly seat one primer, or double
charge one round, the results can range from problematic to catastrophic. You
must keep careful records, compare loads, examine spent cases for signs of stress,
and fully understand what you are doing, and why you are doing it. All of this will
take a lot of time. You will also need a clean, dry, well-lit area in which to
reload, with a solid, secure bench where you can bolt the reloading press. Make
sure you can safely and securely store components when not in use. Be honest
with yourself – if this is too much for you, stick with factory ammo. If this
is a good fit for you – then get some catalogs, save some money, and start
reloading.
