Reloading? worth it? dangerous?

[Koli01]

Originally Posted by PA Rifleman

I would add that making ammunition is -very- detail oriented, and a distraction can be destructive or deadly. If you have trouble focusing, you're easily distracted or impatient, I don't recommend it.

+1 on this. You must pay attention!

[crazyyankee]

Let me say this..

Safety first!!!


Now is it cost effective? Yes

When I hunted small game a friend and I reloaded about 2000 rounds of 12ga shotgun ammo. He took a 1000 and I took 1000.
Now we reloaded them in 1989 and at 1989 prices for componets. I have about one hundred left. So did it save us money, you bet. You couldn't buy the loads we are using. I guess it's about time to stock up again since I'm shooting more shotgun again....

Is it dangerous? Only if you don't pay attention to what you are doing, or if you are smoking while reloading..
Yes it is safe and as others have said, modern gun powder is highly flammable and has a rate of burn, black powder is an explosive and has no rate of burn.

The first thing you need to do is get a good reloading manual from one of the many bullet or powder manufacturers

Hornady
Speer
Sierra
Lyman
the list goes on
follow their loading data, do not overload.

Have fun and be safe

[bert304]

You will not save money, you will spend the money you save to buy more reloading supplies. It is addictive.

I started about 6 years ago and I reload for 45acp, 38 spec, 357mag, 7mm-08, and 30-30.

If you are a detailed type person aka: O.C.D. personality you will get into it and spend more time then you think reloading.

I started with a single press then went to a turret press then to the progressive press. The more you reload the more you shoot.

You have to ask yourself this one question: Do you shoot more to reload or reload more to shoot?

[rwilson452]

absolute truth.

Originally Posted by bert304

You will not save money, you will spend the money you save to buy more reloading supplies. It is addictive.

I started about 6 years ago and I reload for 45acp, 38 spec, 357mag, 7mm-08, and 30-30.

If you are a detailed type person aka: O.C.D. personality you will get into it and spend more time then you think reloading.

I started with a single press then went to a turret press then to the progressive press. The more you reload the more you shoot.

You have to ask yourself this one question: Do you shoot more to reload or reload more to shoot?

[G21.45]

Originally Posted by ca2pa

what do you think, is it worth reloading your own ammunition, for any kind of caliber?

Is it dangerous (chance of explosion due to powder)?i dunno, just figured id ask.

Can you reload with hollow point bullet?

As you can see im new to this, so excuse my not knowing...but if you know, then shout out some responses, please..thx

It's not dangerous IF you do your homework first, pay attention, and teach yourself to have very careful reloading habits. (The same way you do when handling a firearm.) You've been told correctly that you won't save any money; reloading really is an addictive hobby.

You can load any bullet that's commercially available, including JHP's.

The best way NOT to get hooked into ultimately owning thousands of dollars worth of exotic reloading equipment is to make sure to buy all of your ammunition at places like Wal-Mart or Widner's. (Preferably aluminum pistol and steel rifle cartridges!)

Powder that isn't densely packaged or, otherwise, confined won't explode; it will burn, instead. Not being a smoker, and proper storage of relatively small quantities is the answer. (I never let my wife use, 'mood candles' in the reloading room!)

I'd suggest that you start out with a few good manuals: 'ABC's of Reloading', The Speer Reloading Manual. Any of them, really. Don't do what so many new reloaders do. Don't just setup the press, go to the charts, and and start playing with: dies, powder measure adjustments, and half-assed ammunition.

When I began I had the advantage of a good teacher. He instilled safety habits and precautions in me that I've used for more than 3 decades, now. I, still, have my original Rockchucker press; RCBS rebuilt it for me a few years ago; and, it's as good as new. (Maybe better because it's a lot heavier than the new presses.)

After 10's of 1,000's of rounds, I've never had an overcharge! In the final analysis it's the slow steady acquisition of the proper knowledge, and the right safety habits that will keep you happily and addictively reloading for many many years.

I know I'm glad I started - started out right that is!

[Dave_n]

Well as I collect older rifles and pistols (with a C&R) then if I tried to buy cartridges, I would have bankrupted myself years ago, as I like to shoot them as well. As I result, I load (progressive for 9 and 0.45) or single presses for all others, the following: 0.25ACP, 7.62 x 25, 7.62 Nagant, 0.32 ACP, 0.38 S&W, 0.38 Special, 0.357 Magnum, 9 x 17, 9 x 18, 9 x 19, 0.40 S&W, 0.41 Magnum. 0.44 Special, 0.44 Magnum, 0.45 ACP and 0.455 Webley for pistols and revolvers. In rifles, 8 x 57, 30.06, 7.62 x 51, 0.303 British and 7.62 x 54R.

Even though the 0.25ACP is fiddly to load, when I compare the cost of 0.25ACP versus the $0.08 it costs me per round, it is well worth it, particularly as it is used in a 1910 Mauser and I can tailor the loads. Similarly, a 0.38 S&W shoots to point of aim when I use a load that mimics the UK 200/380 load, which you cannot buy. Dave_n

[Hawk]

Originally Posted by VeryPrivate

As a hobby, the labor is free. It does not cost me anything for my time hand-loading. Now if one was obsessed enough to skip work for a day hand-loading, then it would have a labor cost.

Your mistaken, every second you're alive costs you something regardless of what you are doing. How you "spend" it is up to you, but believe me when I say there is a labor cost for "you" to reload, hobby or not.


Hawk,

[rwilson452]

I count time spent reloading as recreation. How do I charge that to myself. Who should I bill? Can I take a tax deduction? You have two choices, loa your own or pay someone to do it for you. To have someone load ammo to your specs can be done but your going to find it rather more expensive than off the shelf stuff. On the other hand if reloading is just a chore then perhaps you shouldn't be reloading you should pay someone else to do it for you.

Originally Posted by Hawk

Your mistaken, every second you're alive costs you something regardless of what you are doing. How you "spend" it is up to you, but believe me when I say there is a labor cost for "you" to reload, hobby or not.


Hawk,

[bert304]

RWilson452 Your hobbies are tax deductable as long as you do not make a profit from it.

[mauser]

Originally Posted by Hawk

Your mistaken, every second you're alive costs you something regardless of what you are doing. How you "spend" it is up to you, but believe me when I say there is a labor cost for "you" to reload, hobby or not.


Hawk,

You are very correct Hawk.
When I consider that it's costing me as much in labor to reload as it's costing my wife to watch TV or work a sudoku puzzle for the same amount of time, I figure I'm getting the better value for the time spent.
If my time at work is worth $10.00 per hour and I can invest $10.00 in components and reload 2 $20.00 boxes of ammo in an hour, (I'm pretty meticulous, I weigh each powder charge), then my labor cost is -$20.00 per hour (read negative $20.00 per hour). I think it's well worth the labor invested.
In other words, sarcasm aside, idle time is worth something as far as rest and relaxation is concerned. I like to spend my leisure time reloading, I find it very relaxing, some people like to read, some watch TV, (watching TV is downright annoying to me), it's a matter of preference .
If I can use that hour to do something worth $20.00 as well as promote more relaxing time, (shooting the ammo I just reloaded), as opposed to relaxing in a way that shows no monetary gain, I figure I'm way ahead of the game.
Yes, time is money, spend it wisely.