MAIL CALL

[Stone]

.17 a round with free shipping from PSA. Picked up 2K. I'm tired of the soft shooting rounds from Freedom munitions, it doesn't simulate carry ammo very well. Hope these Nato rounds are a little snappier...

[FortTom]

Wow...looks like you got a deal! Also agree on practicing with "soft" or "practice" ammo. You're correct, it doesn't simulate real shooting situations at all. Obviously, most folks can't afford to shoot thousands of rounds of heavy self defense rounds, what you're doing is a smart work around for that.

FT

[Stone]

Yeah I picked up four cases from FM back when it looked like Killery might be our next POTUS...

[Stone]

Just snagged a 5000 round case of CCI .22 LR Mini Mag 36 Grain Copper Plated Hollow Point for $279 with free shipping! Five cents a round is almost the good old days prices... I just went back so I could copy the link for you guys and its vaporware??? WTF?

[Joelski]

You haven't shot it yet??? Get out and burn some gunpowder!

Yeah I picked up four cases from FM back when it looked like Killery might be our next POTUS...

[Stone]

You haven't shot it yet??? Get out and burn some gunpowder!

Oh I did! I actually just finished off the last case a few weeks ago. Took me almost 2 years to shoot 4K rounds, I'm a slacker. I didn't want to buy more until I blew through it all...

[Joelski]

I've burnt through a lot this year. 7k is a lot for me. Only one each of carbine and pistol classes. My resolution is to get more new training in next year.

I need to start reloading!

[mustangfreek]

I need to start reloading!

You do.

You will break even quickly if your burning up that much a year

As average is 28-30 cents a round for new ammo, quick math from my notes is I built , Better ammo at a fraction of that

Factory ammo. .30 x 7k = $2,100 roughly
My reloads .15 cents x 7k = half that , and honestly buy in better, bigger bulk then I did you could make it cheaper.

So in that quick math you could have a good reloading start with that extra $1k

Ok...I’m done, carry on.

[Slippers]

I've burnt through a lot this year. 7k is a lot for me. Only one each of carbine and pistol classes. My resolution is to get more new training in next year.

I need to start reloading!

If you have the time for it, reloading can be worthwhile. It really makes sense if you're doing match ammo, as opposed to bulk, though. I was loading nosler 77s for about 32 cents a round, all in. 55gr range fodder was about 10 cents less. Between all the case prep and actual loading, though, it takes a lot of time. And this was with a dillon 650 and all the support equipment to streamline the process as much as possible. I got to the point where the time sink wasn't worth it; for what little free time I have in my life, I'd rather go to the range and shoot factory ammo, even if it costs more per round.

The precision rifle blog has a great post about this exact conundrum: http://precisionrifleblog.com/2015/0...vs-match-ammo/

Like I said, though, if you have the time to do it, you can definitely save money and have better ammo. Some people simply like the process of reloading, too. There's nothing wrong with that. And reloading pistol ammo is quite a bit easier since you don't have all the case prep for bottle neck cartridges.

[Joelski]

The biggest thing holding me back is getting time to do it. I'm finally seeing where a single stage press might allow me to do some nicer loads in small batches, and maybe some slightly larger quantities of pistol ammo as well.

[Slippers]

The biggest thing holding me back is getting time to do it. I'm finally seeing where a single stage press might allow me to do some nicer loads in small batches, and maybe some slightly larger quantities of pistol ammo as well.

If you don't already have free time, I recommend you skip reloading. Using a single stage is really slow. Pistol ammo makes no sense at all on a single stage. The cost benefit is slim, since it's already cheap to begin with.

[Joelski]

That's the other wall I bounce off of. :)

Much of my free time is dictated by the amount of head-exploding shitstorms going on at a given time. Right now, business is good.

[mustangfreek]

If you don't already have free time, I recommend you skip reloading. Using a single stage is really slow. Pistol ammo makes no sense at all on a single stage. The cost benefit is slim, since it's already cheap to begin with.

Can still build better than factory ammo for half the price.. Some see it some don’t, it’s whatever your in to. I see it as more ammo for less, more $$ for other things and just strait like building shit so it makes sense..slow rainy winter months are the time to geek out and crank em out.

I don’t shoot allot but I haven’t bought factory ammo in years even though I have many cans full of factory ammo..

[BoilerUp]

Time for some upgrades on the Ruger

[alamo5000]

Time for some upgrades on the Ruger

Which barrel did you get? If it's the same as mine it's one heck of a shooter with good match ammo. One hole groups at 50 yards.

FWIW I think Federal discontinued the Federal Ultra Match 22 LR line... that sucks because my rifle loves that stuff.