Reloading-- How Common?

[Dave D.]

My son and I were at Sportsman's Warehouse yesterday picking up a jug of Varget and some bullets, and got to wondering: how many regular shooters (i.e., excluding people who own a gun or guns, but shoot only once or twice a year, if at all) load their own ammo?

My son reckons that no more than 5% of shooters reload. To me, that sounds awfully low; given the amount of shelf space outfits like Sportsman's Warehouse, Cabela's and Gander Mountain devote to stocking/displaying brass, bullets, primers, powder, tools, equipment and supplies, I'd figure it's more like 20%, maybe even more. Reloading seems to be BIG business.

What do you think?

[Xringshooter]

IMHO the people that reload the most are the one's that shoot the most. The folks that go hunting several times a year probably do not reload. My dad is one, he hunts small game a few times a year and goes deer hunting. He probably goes through a box of shotgun shells every 3 years or so. He doesn't put more than 5 or 6 rounds through his deer rifle (a 30-30) per year. A couple to check the scope and one round for each deer he gets (no lie). I do the reloading for the 30-30 for him.

My guess would be well less than 20% of ALL people that own firearms reload.

[knight0334]

My estimates are low of those who reload. Of all the people I know that are active shooters/hunters or even occasional recreational shoots - only (4) reload including myself.

That may not be saying much though considering I dont know very many people and two of the persons are uncles, one is a 16yo boy at my lady friend's church.

[chalmitch]

I'd vote for 20-30% of serious shooters reload. This category includes shooters of bulls-eye, IDPA, IPSC/USPSA, NRA Action, silhouette, bench rest, etc.

The % reloading of all "gun owners" is probably closer to the 5-10% number stated in an earlier post.

Best regards,
chalmitch

[toadyoforangeville]

another option is to hold a poll on the site
PS I reload and shoot a lot

[Sebastian]

I just started doing it. It's just too damed expensive to shoot now without reusing the brass.

[ChamberedRound]

I'm not a reloader, but I've been considering it given the rising cost of ammo which seems to have ceiling so far.

With that said, I have to agree with some others here; I doubt 20% of shooters reload, and it's probably much less than that. However, those that are reloading do A LOT of it, which might explain the shelf space and amount of reloading supplies that many stores keep.

[FordDieselSteve]

I started reloading because I started to shoot alot more(at least once a week) and I found that it increased the the "fun" level.When you reload you are not only shooting your gun,you are shooting your gun and your ammo

[MOUNTAINORACLE]

I started reloading because I started to shoot alot more(at least once a week) and I found that it increased the the "fun" level.When you reload you are not only shooting your gun,you are shooting your gun and your ammo

Just about everyone I shoot with reloads--I would say 80 percent of the people I shoot with reload. But, we are trap league shooters, bullseye shooters, benchrest, and IDPA shooters.

oracle

[NoHackrLtd]

Very common - I've been the exception up to now, even though the reloader is in the basement. Just not enough time in the day....

Until ammo prices, even with 9mm, became so extremely out of sight. I reloaded a case of 9mm over the weekend after settling on a test load with moly bullets for the 9mm.


That ought to last me at least two weeks......