Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters MD & All..Is factory ammo vs reloads now cheaper

Interesting that you would mention that. In my Barrett Fieldcraft 6.5 Creed, the factory ELD-X load is the least accurate factory load I have tried, and the factory ELD-M is tied for the most accurate load.

I don't really enjoy the process of handloading myself. I really only do it to get the performance I want, if I can't find a factory load that uses the bullet I like, etc. Perhaps I will enjoy it more when I retire and have more time on my hands. In the meantime, I would rather spend the hour+ it takes to load a couple of boxes of ammo actually hunting, or shooting, or working dogs. If I figure out the cost of a box of handloaded ammo with my time involved, at my normal hourly rate, it is way cheaper to buy factory ammo.

If all I wanted to shoot was factory equivalent jacketed bullet ammo in my motley collection of CF's ranging from .22 Hornet to '06 (and every niche in between, some niches filled multiple times), then yes I would question my need to handload. But the bulk of my shooting 50 weeks out of 52 is with cast bullets, with a bunch of jacketed stuff consumed immediately prior to hunting season in those rifles that won't actually go afield with cast loads. When the factories start offering me an infinitely varied selection of cast loads for the cost of what I pay for primers and small powder charges (my lead is free- I have a couple tons of the stuff, nearly all of which I acquired for free over the years) then I may well consider dropping the folderol of handloading. Or not. Until then I go merrily along loading my hundred rounds of .30-30's for about the cost of a 20-box at Walmart.

(And yes, being an old fart with plenty of time on my hands factors in. After all, what's time to a pig?)

I've been reloading since I picked up my first CF rifle. We all know the benefits of more accurate hand tailored loads for each individual firearm, and the entertainment value of shooting to discover that "Most Accurate Load". But all of that aside, I still enjoy my time sitting in front of my reloader, maybe listening to some favorite music, clearing my mind of all the days "Important Business", and totally relaxing into my world of guns and bullets. Money doesn't really play much of a role in my decision to reload.

Chet,

It's interesting how various factory loads can shoot so differently in individual rifles--but that's really no different than how various handloads shoot in individual rifles. In fact, for several years I've suspected the improved accuracy of today's handloads isn't so much due to our loading-room efforts, but today's very well-balanced hunting bullets, some of which match "match" bullets.

This fall I sighted-in several of my big game rifles with factory loads, in anticipation of various possible hunts (which can happen in Montana with all the tags available. All the factory stuff grouped into an inch or less (often much less) in that particular rifle. But of course, when it came down to killing the final deer that topped off the freezer, I used a handload....

I well remember the time when I had to squeeze in working up a load, testing it, and then loading up a bunch for hunting. In those days it took more than an hour to get to a range, so whatever powder charge shot the best with the bullet I'd settled on ended up in the rest of the cases I had prepped, and that was my load until I got down to something less than a box. Even with that flawed process, my stuff usually bested run-of-the-mill factory stuff from back then.

Another thing that keeps me loading is the ever-present threat of another political ammo and component drought. If it happens again, I can keep on shooting and hunting, and so can the fruit of my loins. Might not have exactly what I want, but it'll go bang and make meat.

You live in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Being on the periphery - Canada - makes handloading a necessity, if you shoot a lot. I have often said that I feel like the poor cousin. We get your cast offs, so being able to make your own is important if you want to shoot regularly.

When you guys are suffering from shortages, that means we get virtually nothing. About 20 years ago, the short supplies convinced me to make my own bullets - both jacketed and lead. I suspect, having read these boards for many years, that while shortages definitely affect you, components and loaded cartridges can be had if you look. That's not the case up here.

Not being able to get factory cartridges or components means there is no such thing as 'which is better?'

What I am saying is, count your blessings. Someone always has it worse.

I load for almost all of the stated reasons plus 1 or 2 .

I like to shoot but do not like the recoil of the 300 win, etc.

So I load lighter bullets at say 30-30 level and enjoy it.

I also like to shoot cast. I shoot it in every cal. that i shoot.

Sometimes I surprise myself how well it will shoot by just trying a new powder.

I shoot most cast at 50 yards but when I had a load shoot so well I moved it out to 100 and still shot a 2 inch group with my 1895 Win in 30-40.
Icall that a good day.

I have a life times worth of bullets, primers, and powders from an estate sale ans enough various brass to sink a small boat .All I have is time

You’re not capturing your costs correctly.

How much did your reloading equipment cost? Rifle? What cost do you put on your time? How much space in your home does your reloading equipment occupy?





P

I have been reloading since around 1970, as nearly as I can figure. I got some reloading stuff for Christmas, as I had shown interest in it. My dad was not a hunter/re-loader, so I have no idea where my interest came from. Anyway, I got a Bair press, scale and powder trickler. The scale went away, but I am still using the Bair press and powder trickler. Many years ago, I got an RCBS 10-10 scale from my father-in-law. I still use it. I also, many years ago, bought a Lyman case cleaner-which I also still use. I added an RCBS powder measure for a super deal from Walmart a year or so ago, and got rid of my old one which was also RCBS. SO, overall, I have very little invested in reloading equipment, all functions well and I buy bullets and brass, when I get good deals. I buy very little brass new.

I have almost never shot any factory ammo. I just cannot justify buying it and hoping it shoots well in my rifles, when I can just spin up a load, step outside and test it on my own shooting range. I have absolutely nothing against factory ammo, as I have seen some (American Whitetail among it) that shoots just as good as my hand loads. Unless the demoturds manage to ban the sale of components, I will continue to roll my own.

As to shotgun, I got interested in it, in the early 80's, when I lived in Arizona and hunted quail with my father-in-law. There had been many wet years and there were millions of quail. My father-in-law bought me a Mec setup, after I had mixed results with my Lee loader that I bought from a friend. We loaded and shot hundreds of rounds every year on quail. My fil had a neighbor that had a friend in California (back when it was still part of the United States). He could get us reclaimed shot for $25/100 pounds. We shot gobs of that stuff over the years that I lived there. Now, I hardly every shoot shotgun, except an occasional goose hunt, or turkey. I almost gave away my Mec re-loader and components, as I had zero use for them. For the shotgunning that I do now, factory is plenty fine-even just to shoot a few clay pigeons.

Whether rifle, or shotgun, if anyone asks me if it is worth getting into reloading at this point, I generally say "no". By the time you invest a lot of money buying the equipment-just the basic stuff-plus all of the components, it just does pencil out to the average guy that makes an occasional trip to the range, or hunting trips. If it is your hobby, passion, or whatever you want to call it, then it is a different story and the expense does not mean much. It is written off as "entertainment", just like a vacation or anything else. The choices in bullets, that are in factory ammo is really good now, too.

As far as comparing hunting to buying meat, it depends. I kill A LOT of deer very near my house every year. It easily pencils out as cheaper, for the most part. An elk hunt, not so much, USUALLY. For several years, I hunted with a buddy over in Colorado, for cow elk. At that time, the permit was fairly inexpensive and we split the gas and food. We camped out. I actually figured out the cost of those hunts and it was at, or below the cost of beef in the store. It is difficult to do that now, but I have pretty nearly broken even on a couple cow hunts in Wyoming-close enough to have made the trip worth it, even without all the fun.

Reload if you want the fun of doing it, but it is real hard to justify the expense now, for the most part.

Interesting. I have never thought of Canada as the poor cousin, but more like the favorite (or favourite) kid that doesn't move out until they are 30.

I usually handload but found that Shooters Pro Shop marked down the 7mm08 ammo with their 140 grain E-tip, and with 10% off it came to $22.50 a box. So I bought some and decided to use it this fall. Worked fine on a mule deer at 310 yards and a cow elk at 370 yards. Pretty accurate stuff. So I’ll just shoot up my remaining handloads and then hunt with the factory ammo ping pong balls...

THANKS John!

Very good article! This just about says it all. I have never killed any game with factory ammo. I've always reloaded since age 10(57 years ago) because all of my buddies dads reloaded
and were military vets just like my dad. As I grow older I grow weary of reloading and have decided to just sometimes buy one box of ammo for a hunt and forget it(maybe). I purchased my first RCBS Jr. Press in 1966 two years after I came home from the U.S. Army. It has served me well for 43 years. I also own a Foresters Press and a Pacific Press which is now made by Hornady. I have never killed any game with my two 30-06 rifles. I have decided to lay down the .270 Win. calibers I have used for 57 years and be a patriot and use the 30-06
for some of my hunting. All of my childhood friends have used the 30-06 for a lifetime just as I have used the .270 for a lifetime.

Thanks for the good info!

roanmtn

I never consider the cost between the two, as HANDLOADING is just too much fun!

I do it cause I enjoy it, not to save money. Using factory ammo feels kind of creepy to me, like I'm too lazy to work up a good load. Most of my rifles are customs or semi customs and while they may shoot factory ammo OK, I've never seen an instance where I couldn't improve upon the accuracy with tailored handloads. As a bonus I shoot a lot more.

One thing I've noticed is that guys who handload miss a lot less than guys that shoot factory ammo.

humm, really ?

Wonder why ?


Jerry

I remember back when I was a young-un, watching a fellow interviewing Joe Namath as he was wrapping/taping what was left of his knees for a game in his twilight of his remarkable career. The interviewer ask Broad Way Joe, "Why" do you do this. You have nothing to prove. You will always be remembered as one the greats. Joe looked up and said with out missing a beat, and responded "Love of the Game".

Thats why I hand load. Love of the game. I don't look at it from a financial or accuracy stand point as much as a rewarding enjoyable hobby. I am not so arrogant to think factory stuff will always be inferior to my loads, but its increasingly difficult or impossible to find certain cartridges on store shelves, like 257 Bob...303 Savage.

3 MOA is for the shooter who is shooting against the clock. It's not for the rifle and ammo. A shooter who can consistently deliver 3 MOA out to 200 yards in a hurry is a pretty rare bird, and will get the job done far more often than not.


Okie John

Okie John

Good point--which is why I shoot a LOT of rimfire ammo--which can be handloaded, but requires even more time than centerfire ammo.

I like to handload, but like to shoot even more. And I can shoot a lot, because of living in a part of the country where shooting doesn't require a 2-3 hour round trip.

The original question wasn't about whether we prefer to handload, but whether there's any economic advantage. That depends on whether we consider time in the loading room, vehicle fuel and wear, and our own time.

But even if we disregard those factors, these days often shooting factory centerfire ammo is just as cheap as handloading, especially if we sell the fired brass to those who prefer to reload.

They do now......sent you a PM.