Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Who has given up reloading and gone straight factory ammo?

Curious if anyone has gone solely to factory ammo, due to decreased range sessions and increased ammo quality?

If so, what round(s) and preferred ammo mfg?

jmho- if i had to start fresh and had
to buy everything i bought over the years,
i'd buy cases of ammo for everything i shoot.
some of the powders such as accurate that
i'd tried when they were first available here
now cost as much as any other powder, where as
they were $5.00+ less per pound than the older lines
of powders. (this was locally- may have been
different elsewhere)
all components and tools are much higher now
than when i started, and the few shops left around
here have to stock twice as much of a selection
of everything as they did back then.

Back when I was hunting in Alaska with rifles (from the mid-70's through the mid- 90's) I hand loaded (mostly for bear hunting) because I could not get ammunition with quality projectiles. Now, with the available ammunition that can be purchased over the counter you'd have to shoot a lot or value your time very little to reload. Folks who like to chase accuracy perfection can and should continue to reload. But for hunting-quality accuracy with quality projectiles the need to reload has greatly diminished.

Note this article by John Barsness. While it focuses mostly on accuracy John fairly and correctly points out how much factory ammo has improved over the past few decades.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/factors_in_accuracy_two.html

If anything, I went the opposite direction. Reloads are the only thing I really shoot in any of my firearms anymore. Living in remote alaska makes factory ammo cost prohibitive, if you can even find it. The local shop in town still has the same 4 boxes of 300saum ammo in stock as when I first went there 3 years ago. Priced at $99.99/box, for basic remington core lokts. No thanks!

My time to reload has been limited by work luckily I have found several great shooting loads so I have been slipping away from loading for now.

Aside from RF and Commie guns, I can't imagine NOT loading my own.

I'll shoot factory 6.5 and 6mm Creedmoor ammo. Already stockpiled 3 cases. At $25/box for good match ammo, it's hard to pass up. But I've got a lot of Amaxes in both calibers I'll reload as well. 1st time, really, that I've been impressed with factory ammo.

Still load my own.

What is this "factory ammo" you speak of?

Since I've yet to find factory ammo that outshoots my handloads, I guess I'll stick to them. When I buy a new rifle, dies and components are picked up at about the same time, if needed. Most of my rifles never see factory, unless I've got some extra laying around.

I have had excellent luck with Fiocchi .223 ammo, which can be had pretty cheaply. I'll continue to buy that, and handload special-purpose loads.

When I bought an old Sako FN .30/06, it was mainly because it was interesting and since my '06 dies had gone with my last rifle for that cartridge, I just picked up a bunch of Prvi loads. Somehow, a bag of Nosler brass made its way into the house, along with a Lee Loader and a couple hundred overrun Partitions. Previously, I used a Lee Loader to decap and neck size and then a RCBS competition seater for plugging in the bullets. This time, I used the Lee seater with equally good results. May not ever get "real" dies for this one.

When I started reloading in the 1970s it was to be able to use the bullets provided by companies making components, Hornady, Nosler, Speer and Sierra mostly. It was always time consuming, taking me the length of a football game to prepare just the cases for 60 rounds.

When the factory ammo started loading bullets from these companies, I started realizing they were worth it to me.

I cannot recommend one brand or load over another. When I get a rifle that is new to me. I bed the rifle and buy about eight to ten different loads and shoot them at 100 yard targets.

Usually, there will be two or three of these that will look good from the target practice, and I may buy a few different brands of ammo featuring the same bullets that did good.

I then do testing at 200 yards and eventually I will find something that will put five rounds inside of a 2" group @ 200 or I will keep trying. Eventually, I find a few loads that will do this or sell the rifle. I have a few rifles that I consider keepers that will shoot MOA 5 shot groups @ 300 and 400 yard targets with a factory load. I will say I've learned to include Federal Fusion along with brands featuring TSX loads in the testing phase.
Happy Hunting

Factory ammo is all I ever use...............In Rimfires!!!!!!!

I still load my own, although I do not enjoy it as I once did.. I am sure I could not do the high volume shooting with factory ammo that I enjoy so much..

I very rarely shoot a factory load in a handgun, rifle or shotgun. The exception is .410 shotgun, because I shoot it very infrequently. Currently loading for five gauges and 25 or so metallic cartridges.
I think I can produce ammo that is better than factory, because I can tweak it to the firearm.
And I really enjoy reloading.

Only factory ammo I use is the stuff I get for free or dirt cheap and then shoot it either just for the brass or when I have a need to sight in a rifle if I just mounted a new scope or some other reason. I won't hunt with factory ammo just because of the satisfaction I get out of being successful on a hunt with ammo that I made myself.

I only buy factory ammo when the sum of them is cheaper than buying the components individually. For any type of precision work whether it be prairie dogs or long-range shooting, it's going to be a reload.

I've been at the range on the 1,000 yard line watching guys trying to shoot factory ammo. This is with "match" grade factory rounds. Factory ammo will not hold vertical dispersion down compared to hand-loaded, tuned ammo for a particular rifle.

Pistol is another story. I'm good with plinking with factory ammo.

I shoot mostly factory ammo. My job keeps me on the road a lot, so I have very little time to reload any more except for very specific high-performance hunting loads. If I had more time, I would definitely reload more.


Okie John

nobody who shoots a lot. You would go broke.

That depends on your income.


Okie John

All of my pistol,rifle and shotgun reloading equipment have been stored in tubs for 10-12 years.
I never did find reloading enjoyable. I did it to save money.
After starting my own business I do not have the time, or I should say my free time is to valuable to sit at a bench reloading shells. I don't shoot my rifles and handguns enough to warrant it. Factory ammo shoots good in my guns, I buy it on sale. I shoot sporting clays leagues and go through a lot of 12 and 20 gauge shells. I buy cases of AA or STS on sale for around $70. To reload shells of equal quality it would cost me $5.00-5.50 a box and that is if I scrounge enough good hulls for free.
My time is worth more than $1.50 a box. Plus I love watching guys with 3-4k guns trash can diving for my spent hulls.

I do buy plain shafts and build my own arrows but they last a long time.

Second happiest day of shooting was a cloverleaf with handloads. Happiest day was selling all that schit.

Just sticking to the normal stuff. 223, 270, 30-06, etc.. Plenty of good ammo around. Hornady has been good. I don't play past 500 and 223 covers all the playing around. Bulk stuff is decent in my Tikka on calm days. Elmer Fudd chambers for hunting.

Have at it. It's boring as schit.

I own 4 guns that are chambered for wildcat cartridges. So I'll just keep reloading.

Doesn't the 30-06 show back up once all the reloading equipment is gone?

Ha!

I've never shot a big game animal with a factory load and don't ever plan to. For me Reloading adds an extra dimension or layer of enjoyment.

Well since you can never find 40-40 Maynard and 275 Rigby Improved on the shelves.....

And have you priced 28GA lately.....

Not to mention 338WM and 7RM $s... and my BIL would hang-up his 338 if he couldn't have my 250grn/2400fps loads....

And OWS has never had 500grn/Paper Patch 45-70....

I do buy 45ACP cause I can't load it as cheap....

Occasionally I will buy factory if I need some brass....

Good stuff, and 257, no doubt Hornady has set a benchmark, and we could hope the trend in quality, and price/value would be replicated on a grand scale with more chamberings by all major mfg.

Good feedback folks.

I will find out tomorrow. Shooting a RPR and an American Predator in 6.5 CM with the factory 147 ELD match. I think they'll do fine.

I will never give up reloading. Heavy handgun loads are a no-brainer in cost to reload vs. factory rounds. Most rifle cartridges in heavy bullet loads, which most prefer including me, are easier to reload than find in factory loads. But the 6.5 CM and the 6mm CM are different, and I guess that's why they're so popular.

Agreed. One can get lots of cheap barrel/range time with some of the factory rifles vs a full blown custom, for general work, learning drop/drift etc.

Agree on other comments as well.

I can't imagine enjoying shooting half as much with factory ammo. I cringe every time I walk into a place and look at the price of factory ammo. Pulling the trigger at $2 a shot would suck all the enjoyment out of it for me.

I enjoy the tweaking of loads as much as anything else, no factory ammo for me.

I like reloading. Son and grandkids like it too. Little ones .like the idea of making their own ammo.

I cringed too, until I found http://ammoseek.com. Some pretty good deals come up there if you keep an eye on it. For instance, right now they have American Eagle FMJ 30-06 for $0.68 per shot. That's about the cost of components, plus you don't have to sit there pulling a lever all night to get it.

I can save a fair amount by getting components online, but shipping eats into the savings.

There are also factors beyond cost. When I travel by air to hunt, I only take rifles for which factory ammo is widely available because I expect the airlines to lose my gear. At least in 30-06, the cheap stuff is still very accurate and powerful enough for most of my needs, and I can use a 338 for everything else. Handloads might bump the performance a bit, but at the cost of the logistical edge that was a reason to choose those cartridges in the first place.

Handloading also isn't always the cheapest way to go if you're starting with a new rifle or cartridge. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy a couple of cases of factory ammo and have a bunch of new/once-fired brass from the same lot number going forward. Then you get two shots for the labor of one.

Finally, you'll never enjoy anything if you focus on the cost. Even handloaded ammo is expensive if you do that. I believe that the money I spend on factory ammo buys me extra time to spend on the millions of other things that people expect me to do and need me to do. I realize that may not work for everyone, but it's working for me for the moment.


Okie John

Pretty much for my old Ruger tang safety .30-06. It is picky about what it likes but has a general preference for for lighter bullets. Hornady Superformance 150 GMX is consistently sub-MOA and over 3k MV. I'm not sure I can improve on that with handloads.

Expat

I'm 48 and just now getting set up to start reloading. In the beginning of my hunting days,I used Sako rifles that would shoot most any factory ammo into 1.5" or less at 100 yards.I killed every deer I ever shot at.

Then a few years later when I started reading internet forums,I realized that I needed different ,lighter rifles and better premium bullets. That went fairly well until it began to get hard to find some of those newly preferred premium loads. I decided to start reloading. For a while I couldn't even find components,so I only picked up some equipment and stored it away because my life was just too busy to devote time to a new hobby.

I am just now picking it back up and my main reason is that with my new rifles that I really do prefer to hunt with factory premium ammo is very expensive. I can order ammo and pay extreme shipping charges,or I can drive 45 minuets one way and get it at my local pusher. The factory ammo my rifles like best averages $55-$65 for 20 rounds.

I think I will enjoy reloading because I am a meticulous person by nature and chasing every bit of accuracy possible,and knowing my efforts were successful is something I get great satisfaction from.

A couple of years ago, I bought reloading gear - good press, scale, etc.

Never got the time to get it set up.

I've found I can buy very accurate match ammo from Prime, federal, etc. that works great in my target rifles. Could I get tighter with handloads, maybe, but I can get sub inch by buying the right rifles...

Discovered Barnes Vor-tx and have found it to be great hunting ammo with my preferred bullet.

For DG and a .404 I can use Superior, Safari Arms, etc. More by the box, but great loads, great bullets and I don't shoot that many rounds.

On cost, check out ammoseek.com!

Barnes Vortex 150gr ammo shoots so well in both my 308's I'm not sure if I will work on loads for them. Though it's hard not to take advantage of the added mag length of the Forbes 20b action.

Yes here's the factory they come from

I enjoy handloading. It's cheaper than any other form of therapy.

When I got started as a kid of 10 or so, I could not afford factory, or very much of it.

My folks were not really gun people, so I was by myself in learning to reload....couldn't just shoot up dad's stuff.

Still reloading 24 years on, dont see ANY reason to change.

Probably out of stubbornness and frugality.

Lightweight.........

FMJ for .68 per, hey? Helluva bargain?

Shootin' cheap but higher quality loads is what hand loading is about in my book. Start casting your own bullets and spell cheap in upper case letters.

Old Marlin .25-20 shoots for about 6 cents per pop with current primer prices representing half that. Went nutz awhile back and bought a bunch at around half that so it is quite a bit less...for me.

Warmed up with it awhile back and did this at 50 yards:



Got a little cocky and did this with 2 shots at 100:



Good luck doing that with factory ammo and a 100 year old lever gun.

Any place is within walking distance if you have the time....

But I enjoy pulling that lever, it's my hobby. It has nothing to do with cost, handloading has cost me a lot more than it's ever saved, I just shoot 20X what I would if I had to buy factory ammo. You seem to have other things you'd rather do than shoot and load, that's fine. To me those are relaxing, I work away and that's what I do for fun when I come home.

I'm glad you enjoy shooting the FMJ stuff but that has no interest to me, I'm not interested in shooting junk ammo just to hear it go bang. What I get a kick out of is consistently ringing my 1000 yd gong on the pipeline behind my house or hitting a prairie dog at 880 yds (my personal best). It takes good ammo tuned to good rifles to do that and you're not likely to find it out of a box of american eagle FMJ's. You're not likely to find it out of any ammo at any price unless you just get lucky and find something your rifle really likes.

I wish that were the case.

I used to spend a lot more time shooting and reloading, but my work schedule picked up considerably in the last couple of years and I've had to step away from loading for a while in order to get to the range 2-3x per week as I do now. I'd happily spend far more hours every week reloading and shooting if my work schedule allowed it. I think I'm getting close to being able to go back to that, but I'm not quite there yet. Until then, I'll keep reading these posts and scheming...


Okie John

Switched to premium factory in the mid-90s never looked back.
I don't build my own rifles , so why bother with building my ammunition.

Those who are money rich-time poor such as people who can afford Echols Legends
have done the same.

I still handload for nearly everything I shoot for centerfire rifles, and for my .454 Casull handgun.

Factory ammo for the Casull is crazy expensive- I can reload and shoot my hunting loads for a fraction of the cost of factory ammo, most of which is loaded hotter than I care to shoot anyway.

I also handload for my .257 and .300 Weatherby rifles, same deal- my handloads are way cheaper than factory stuff, and I get to use the bullets I want, not what the factories choose.

The only rifle I shoot factory ammo in is my .30-06- I use it so infrequently that buying dies and components doesn't make a lot of sense.

Good posts by all. No doubt situations vary and are specific to each individual.

Good shooting and hunting!