I shoot factory ammo when it makes sense to do so. For example 12 and 20 ga. promo loads cost about the same as the components. Same with 9mm pistol range ammo. I still pick up factory centerfire rifle ammo, both to shoot and to obtain the cases to load.
When I began handloading 60 years (!!!) ago, I could easily beat the quality of available factory ammo. As another poster in this thread said, factory ammo 30-06 groups were maybe 3.5" but I could get groups to an inch or so by neck sizing with a Lee Loader, carefully metering/weighing powder charges and seating bullets with the in-line seater (again with the Lee Loader, using the same principles as an arbor press) to insure straight bullet seating. Premium bullets, such as Nosler Partitions, were only available as components. Back then, pretty much all factory rifle ammo had swaged cup and core bullets.
Factory ammo is much better today with cup/core bullets and also a wide variety of premium bullets are available in factory loads. Handloading is a separate, but related, hobby to shooting. Sometimes it comes down to how I want to spend my time. Beautiful weather? Let's go somewhere! Miserable outside? Maybe I'd rather spend time at the loading bench.
Last edited by bearbacker; 04/16/24.
