Who loads their own ammo?

Hey everyone, i've always thought about loading my own ammo. Since I am considering getting a .308 to add to my increasing collection, I figured I would pick up the hobby. I have no experience what so ever in the topic. My concerns are is it really worth it. I know that there is massive customization with loading your own ammo to get the best out of every shot. Any one have any experience?

 

its definitly worth it. you get the most out of every shot! every single load will be exactly the same, where as with factory ammo they will be off a little.
I just picked up a remington 700 .308 myself and I love it

 

Yeah, i've called around today. Tomorrow i'm gonna go look at the Model 700™ VTR. I've read nothing but postive reviews.

What type of loading equipment and dyes do you use?

 

Yea I load my own, .44mag, 30-06, .308, 7mm mag.
Cost wise, yes it is cheaper after you get everything. Powder and primers are high end items now, glad I got mine before.
You can do all kind of wonders to a round, trimming the case down to cleaning (polish) the brass. Check out www.midwayusa.com, they have some presses on sale plus other goodies.

 

For 308 I'd recommend a single-stage press like the RCBS Rockchucker. I don't know what they cost these days, mine is vintage 1975, but they last (mine's still like new and has loaded many thousands of rounds). You'll need a press, dies and shellholder, a small scale (the electric ones are nice but a balance-beam works just fine) powder measure, and a good manual (Speer is my favorite but others are as good) to get started. You'll gradually add other bits and pieces as you go along.

Economically? That's a tough call. Most handloaders shoot more than non handloaders. It definitely cuts down your cost-per-round.

 

I started reloading for economy first, then realized that I could achieve accuracy levels that were unreachable with factory ammo.

Every rifle is an individual and its full potential is can only be achieved with careful handloading. Sometimes it's a certain primer or up/down a half a grain of a particular powder and then they start goin' in the same hole.

Get a good single-stage press as stated, read and ask questions at your local GC.
Stress safety.

 

Thanks for the help. Midwayusa kinda bugs me. It seems like 75% of their items are out of stock and are either backorder or special order...

 

I've done plinking ammo in .38, .357 and .45. I call it plinking as it I loaded it for comfort and accuracy. Stuff is great to spend all morning shooting and not be worn out.

 

I have a single stage and not dies or other accessories.

I did the pricing and reloading does not pay back till you use your used brass a few times.

Too much time consupmtion for me, so I pay the extra for the conveneince of factory.

 

I do most of my ammo reloading evenings during the work-week in the winter.....and shoot in the nice weather! Of course, you guys who live in Cali or other warm climes don't have to worry about those looooooonnnnng cold dark nites like we dwellers of the great frozen north.

It's kind of fun to reload in the winter, makes you look forward to spring.....and not to say that I don't shoot in the winter, I still get out to the range now and then.

 

Just curious here, how much does a decent loader cost? And if I were shooting, say .30-30, how much would it save me? Like, 25% per round 50%, etc?

 

Dillon is the best equipment and company to deal with in my book.

http://www.dillonprecision.com/

I've got a dillon 650 machine with over 100,000 rounds I've loaded with it in 40 s&w.

 

Thanks for the link. I'm digging the posters
http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/Calendars_and_Posters-8-12.html

Like I said before, I am completely new at reloading. Can anyone in a brief summary describe what all is required to reload? I would like to start reloading both .357sig and .308Win and possibly .223 Rem. I don't know if there is a difference since one is pistol ammo and rifle. Is it just as easy as swamping out the dies? Thanks!

 

Can you explain something to me? I don't really understand that word you're using, "winter".

What does that mean?

 

Me and a couple of my relatives are in the process of buying all the stuff needed to start reloading our own.

 

It's the time of year when your tongue sticks to stuff.

 

+1 on Dillon

The guy makes Rock Solid equipment.

 

Is the automatic loader really worth the price tag?
http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/23877/catid/1/Super_1050

Or for someone like me who likes to go shooting every other weekend would a manual loader suffice? Besides price. What is the difference between these 2? RL 550 and the XL650?

 

My XL 650 has a case feeder and auto indexing.
The 550 you have to place the case on the shell plate and manually index it.
Some prefer this method for rifle rounds. I can knock out over 600 rounds of 40 S&W in less than an hour with the 650.

 

I bought the 550 about 20 years ago right after they came out, I think the 550B followed a couple years later but don't remember what the improved model was about.


Loading is a fun hobby but you have to stay focused, it isn't something you do with a couple of your buddies yakkin at you.

Just like any other hobby it gets expensive real fast