Metallic cartridge and shotshell reloading are the natural progression of avid shooters. All it takes to reload is the right equipment, cases, primers, gunpowder, bullets—and your time. If you do not know how to reload metallic cartridges or shotshells, no problem! Look for an NRA Metallic Cartridge or NRA Shotshell Instructor in your area, and register for a class. It is never too late to learn a new skill.
There are many reasons to reload ammunition. If you like to shoot, reloading can enhance your shooting experience. There are four benefits to reloading your own ammunition: saving money, putting yourself in total control, improving marksmanship and giving you a sense of accomplishment.
Saving Money
Reloading saves money in the long run. If you are starting from scratch, the initial setup could be as much as $1,000. Fortunately for those thinking about getting started in reloading, there is plenty of pre-owned equipment available. You could probably get your initial setup down to under $500. Through the years, I have had two complete setups given to me. The idea is to slowly replace older and slower components with modern and more efficient pieces. The cheaper you can get your reloading set up, the quicker you can start saving money.
There is an ongoing debate about how much money you can save by reloading. Brass, or cartridge cases, is the one component that reloaders can collect to help defray the costs. Reloaders usually retain the brass that is ejected from their firearm when at the range. It is also not uncommon to see reloaders collecting brass off the ground from previous shooters. Brass makes up approximately 40 percent of the cost of pistol cartridges and up to 55 percent of big-bore magnum revolver cartridges. Brass for big-bore magnum large and dangerous game makes up approximately 60 percent of the costs.
Costs can be reduced by producing specific practice rounds. There are published books and charts available that show the safe minimum and maximum powder loads for each caliber and bullet weights for that round. By reducing the powder load, reloaders can get more rounds out of every pound of smokeless powder. This equates to lower costs per round. By reducing the powder load, muzzle velocity is reduced but it does not take much energy to punch holes in paper when target shooting at the range.
Total Control
Reloading your own ammunition allows you to have total control over the cartridges you produce. There are numerous ballistic charts and books published for reloaders. These reference materials list multiple powder brands and bullets for every caliber on the market, and even hard-to-find obsolete cartridges. Reloading allows you to try different combinations of powders, bullets, and loads to find the one that works the best for your firearm. Many competition shooters reload their own cartridges to achieve the best performance during their matches.
By reducing the powder load per cartridge, you get more cartridges per pound of ammunition. There are reference books and charts that will give you a minimum and maximum safe load range for your cartridge of choice. By loading cartridges with the lowest powder charge, you can get more cartridges per pound of smokeless powder. Remember never to exceed or go below the save limits listed for each powder load.
Having total control over your cartridges is a big benefit as we mature. As we age, different cartridge loads may work better than the ones you used when you were younger. Many shooters lose strength in their hands as they grow older. The loss of strength in the hands might make you become less forgiving of recoil. Reloading allows you to try loads on the minimum pressure range because they won’t “kick” as much as the higher pressures do.
Improving Marksmanship
Reloading makes you a better marksman because it helps you understand the relationship between the rifle or pistol and ammunition. It also aids in the understanding of how ballistics relates to accuracy.
There is a lot of information in the gun community regarding finding the right cartridge for your firearm. Even when you find the right ammunition for your firearm, there is still room for improvement. By adjusting your powder loads, you can find the perfect ammunition match for your firearm. This is where reloading comes in. Improved accuracy can be achieved just by adding or subtracting a few grains of powder to your load. As long as you stay within the minimum and maximum safe powder range, you are free to experiment.
Another advantage to reloading and improving your accuracy is that individuals who reload tend to shoot more. The No. 1 reason is because it becomes less expensive to go shooting. After all, the more you shoot, the better the shooter you become! The second reason is that it is exciting to see how your custom loads perform in the live fire test. By keeping detailed notes on your custom loads, you can see how your cartridges perform in different weather conditions and other environmental factors.
Sense of Accomplishment
A sense of accomplishment increases the enjoyment of whatever activity you are engaged in. The more you shoot, the more you understand the relationship between your firearm and the ammunition for which it is chambered. This leads to the understanding of ballistics, internal factors, and external factors that affect the accuracy of your shot placement. In other words, the more you understand, the more sense of accomplishment you get as you master being a top shot!
Satisfaction is when you find the perfect formula that gives you the perfect cartridge combination. When you find that combination it can make the difference between coming in second place and winning a competition. Many competitive shooters reload their own ammunition as opposed to using name-brand ammunition. Winning with something that you created gives a sense of accomplishment that cannot be measured.
If you really want to feel a sense of accomplishment, teach someone else how to reload ammunition. This is especially true if you teach your kids or grandkids. Teaching your kids or grandkids to reload can be very rewarding and a great way to bond with them. The sense of accomplishment from your young students can really be seen when they go from the reloading table to the range and shoot what they built.
/uf you are an avid shooter, reloading has many advantages. It does not matter if you are looking for the perfect combination for competition or just producing cheap practice loads. Those who reload will shoot more, which stands to reason that the more you shoot, the more proficient you will become. Remember the adage—Practice does not make perfect, but perfect practice makes perfect. Reloading ammunition allows you to perfect practice more and for less money!
