LESSON # 1
WHY SHOULD I RELOAD ?
To name a few reasons:
- Accuracy
- Savings
- Enjoyment
- Learning
- Family
ACCURACY
When you purchase a box of ammunition, you are buying a high tech product. Years of testing and research have gone into producing safe, accurate ammunition designed to perform well in a broad spectrum of firearms. It is tested and re-tested with the most advanced equipment available.
The problem arises from the simple fact that NO 2 GUNS ARE ALIKE. Each firearm will have a preference and perform better with a certain combination of components.
For example, your 30-30 may shoot Winchester ammunition very well; mine, however, may perform best with Remington ammunition. Actually, there would be differences in performance by changing only bullet style within a given brand.
What is acceptable performance ?
We all have different standards for what is acceptable performance. From a 30-30 for example, I expect to be able to shoot a group under 3 inches at 100 yards. You, on the other hand, maybe happy to shoot a group of say, 5 inches. After all, a deer has a target area of 8 to 10 inches so maybe 5 inches seems adequate to you.
Let me ask this, can you always be certain you will have that full 10 inch area available in your scope? I can't tell you the number of times that I have squeezed a bullet between trees to tag out a deer.
This kind of shooting work demands better than a 5 inch group.
Think these numbers are extreme? Go to your local gun range before deer season and just watch what people take as acceptable performance, you might be surprised. These same individuals may then blame the gun or conditions for a missed shot.
You don't have to look at today's firearms very hard to see that there are some mighty fine quality production guns out there. In fact, most guns are capable of shooting better than the shooter.
So where does factory ammunition put you? There are numerous loadings available in production ammo for any given caliber. Which one works best in your rifle? Of course you have not tried them all; it would prove too costly and time consuming.
You purchase a box of 20 rounds and by the time you have fired 5 of them, the results may already be obvious, but you still have 15 rounds left.
Loading your own ammunition, you have an unlimited number of combinations of components but you need only to load 3-5 rounds to see where performance is headed.
I might load 20 rounds of a new combination to try at the range, however, if I don't like the first 5 rounds, I can pull the remaining 15 rounds apart and reuse the components.
As I said earlier, NO 2 GUNS ARE ALIKE, this also refers to the chamber dimensions of the gun. The less movement in the brass during firing, the better a load will perform.
With reloading, you have more control over the brass and therefore are able to produce some great ammunition.
SAVINGS
There are many variables that effect how much you will actually save, in fact it is easily possible to actually spend more.
-Some realistic numbers
1 pound of powder contains 7000 grains
-How many loads in a can of powder?
Anywhere from 100 to 1700 or more, depending on the powder charge per round.
Let's look at the 30-30 again.
My favorite load calls for 32.5 grains of powder.
Simply divide 7000 by 32.5 and you see that you get 215 loads from a can of powder.
| per round |
| Pound of Powder | $18.00 | .0837 |
| Box of 100 Bullets | $16.00 | .16 |
| Box of Primers | $2.00 | .02 |
| -------- | -------- |
| $36.00 | .26 |
This represents a 43% savings when compared to a "discount store price" of $9.00/20 or .45 cents per round.
The more volume you purchase, the more you save.
| per round |
| 8 Pounds of Powder | $128.00 | .0744 |
| Box of 500 Bullets | $65.00 | .13 |
| Box of Primers | $15.00 | .015 |
| -------- | -------- |
| $208.00 | .22 |
This represents a 52% savings on discount store prices.
Using the first group of numbers and switching only the bullets to a more expensive brand, take a look at the results.
| per round |
| Pound of Powder | $18.00 | .0837 |
| Box of 50 Bullets | $18.00 | .36 |
| Box of Primers | $2.00 | .02 |
| -------- | -------- |
| $38.00 | .46 |
Actually works out to about 3% more on a box of 20.
Personally, I do not want 8 pounds each of my favorite powders sitting around, plus if I only buy 1 or 2 pounds at a time, I have more flexibility to try other combinations.
You can play with the numbers and "what ifs" all day long.
At the end of the year, don't be surprised if you have spent more. However, you will have shot more, and become a better shot, not to mention enjoyed the fresh air and experience.
ENJOYMENT
If you are not meticulous and do not enjoy tedious work, reloading may not be for you. It is not always tedious, but parts of it are and you must always be meticulous with your work for the sake of safety.
I thoroughly enjoy working with ammunition and guns. I find it relaxing and a break from the grind of everyday life. It is both challenging and rewarding.
LEARNING
Reloading, like so many other subjects in this universe, is a never ending learning experience.
There are so many aspects to reloading and shooting, that you will continually find yourself learning something new, or coming to a better understanding of the process.
When you feel you have stopped learning, simply purchase a new caliber firearm. The learning starts over as there are tricks and intricacies to each and every caliber and firearm.
FAMILY
You may be afraid that reloading will take away from your time with your family, and while it is true that you will spend some time at the range, there is nothing in the rulebook that says they can't be part of the experience.
My son (14), reloads his own shells now and tinkers around the loading bench from time to time. He usually goes to the range with me.
My wife goes to the range with me occasionally and enjoys shooting whatever caliber I am working with until I start messing with the 30-06.
My daughter (16), what more can I say.
A fine example of family involvement was related to me by a gun shop owner. It went like this: A couple came in to purchase a pistol for home protection. They purchased one and were on their merry way. Within a couple of weeks they were back to purchase another pistol. Seemed they got tired of waiting on each other at the range. Ever see two boys with one BB gun?
This concludes Lesson 1
Lesson # 2 Lesson # 3
Copyright CenterFire Central, LLC 1999