is reloading worth it?

[coolpete1]

i am thinking about starting to reload , mostly because i have a rifle in .35 rem and its getting harder and harder to find ammo. is it worth while ? i dont shoot alot and use a .270 most of the time . also which reloading kit would you recommend?

[xxclaro]

If you don't shoot much its unlikely you'll save any money. You may still find it worthwhile just for the satisfaction, but as a cost saving measure you'll have to shoot a fair bit to recoup your costs. If your unsure, I'd recommend one of the Lee kits, it'll get you started for a reasonable cost and makes perfectly good ammo.

[coolpete1]

i just was thinking to do it because i have a hell of a time finding ammo for that .35 rem . i love that rifle but my bullet stock pile is getting fairly low. is there any extra pieces i would need with the lee kit?

[Scottmisfits]

I don’t do it to save money. I have paid off my current equipment with what I have saved if I were to buy factory ammo with premium bullets without question. I started reloading strictly for an accuracy point of things. If you shoot a lot you will spend less money (you won’t save any money, you’ll just shoot more). If you have found factory ammo that you are happy with and don’t shoot much, stay with that route.

[propliner]

Originally Posted by coolpete1

i just was thinking to do it because i have a hell of a time finding ammo for that .35 rem . i love that rifle but my bullet stock pile is getting fairly low. is there any extra pieces i would need with the lee kit?

.35 Remington dies, .270 dies, primers, powder and bullets.

[raab]

If you like Accuracy and customizing your rounds its worth it. If you like just going hunting and shooting a couple times a year, just buy ammo.

[JD848]

Find someone who reloads and see if you like it,you may not like it at all so money is not the answer.If you enjoy it and have many years of hunting ahead go for it.It takes me 3 hours return to run into the city to buy hunting supplies and time is money,when you stock up a bit your gas bill will be less from buying,but more from shooting.I like to try and make the best ammo for my rifle so I am happy with the way it shoots and I know exactly what went into making that happen.Wiat for good sales on buy and sell or some back friday sales or around Christmas blow outs.
For two guns you won't save ,but you if you enjoy it than it worth 20 times the ammo you by,if didn't like reloading there are some good brands of factory ammo and I would just buy it .It seams to be never ending in what you learn.

[Groundhogger]

Originally Posted by raab

If you like Accuracy and customizing your rounds its worth it. If you like just going hunting and shooting a couple times a year, just buy ammo.

^thats kind of the quick answer. I think reloading is like fly tying~you SURE don't do it if saving money is the goal. If wanting THE very best tool for the job, it's 110% worth it. But that has to be the motive.

Naturally, hard-to-get calibers and the ability to roll your own? =Perfect match.

I think the only, really hard thing for me to fully appreciate when I got started was just how differently different bullets types (even bullets of the same weight @ the same powder charge) might shoot. Different primers can change accuracy, different powders being "faster/slower" burning than others...etc. Got me fully appreciating that there IS a perfect bullet type/weight, powder type/charge combo out there and the challenge to the reloader is to find it. It was super easy with my .223, a pain in the a** with my .204R, .243 I never got it where I wanted, but settled with about 3/4" @ 100 yards.

Just bought a 17 Hornet, and am rounding-up all the goodies to try loading that right now. A bit nervous that it might be a 204R-ish experience. lol Winter is long, and no varmints to shoot at for at least another 5 months...so I have a little time.

[Puma]

Originally Posted by coolpete1

i just was thinking to do it because i have a hell of a time finding ammo for that .35 rem . i love that rifle but my bullet stock pile is getting fairly low. is there any extra pieces i would need with the lee kit?

hehehehehe.... so it starts ....

[kouleerunner]

Originally Posted by coolpete1

i just was thinking to do it because i have a hell of a time finding ammo for that .35 rem . i love that rifle but my bullet stock pile is getting fairly low. is there any extra pieces i would need with the lee kit?

Micrometer, chronograph, crimper, hand primer, length trimmer, brass tumbler & media,.........Mortgage the house, it will be easier.

For just the single rifle, hunting 1 or 2 animals per year, definitely not worth it. For a rifle that is hard to find quality ammunition, start reloading your own. I reload because I enjoy it, and I save a lot of money. I have 6 rifles I reload for, but the varmint rifles get the most workout (22-250. 200-300 rounds per year at gophers and coyotes. I figure I save $250-$350 on these alone, $200-300 per year on my other rifles combined.)

I have the lee set, and its good. There are better out there, but a lot more money. I really like the Lee Collet sets. If you are not going to switch brass between guns (ie the brass is firesized to your rifle), it is much easier to reload, and quick (no case lube required), and the brass lasts longer.

I shoot a 270. Factory ammo is very abundant. However, the accuracy is so much better with my hand loads, and I can not find the bullet/powder combination in factory loads that is most accurate in my rifle. That is the difference. My son has a 7mm Rem Mag that he is setting up for long range. Factory loads just will not cut it here!

Once the initial investment is made, the rest is academic, the cost of reloads is much cheaper. And there is the satisfaction of finding a load combination that works so well with your rifle, sub MOA!

[midgetwaiter]

Originally Posted by coolpete1

i just was thinking to do it because i have a hell of a time finding ammo for that .35 rem . i love that rifle but my bullet stock pile is getting fairly low. is there any extra pieces i would need with the lee kit?

I have a friend who is an avid reloader with a .35 rem and he has had a lot of trouble finding components even now that things have been improving in the regard. I enjoy reloading and I've been able to improve my results a lot through the practice but I wouldn't say I save a lot of time. Like you I used to have trouble finding a specific factory load now I just end up spending that time looking for the bullets Speer decided to discontinue or something like that.

[50BMG]

While the initial costs are quite high, and are sunk, it can be worth it. For hand loading .50BMG, for example, it takes a number of cycles to recoup your costs and start really saving. But the alternative, factory ammo, is very expensive.

I've reduced the costs of each round down to around $3 each for the big case. This is for precision high quality target ammo. Not cheap milsurp.

[Pioneer2]

Come across bullets all the time at central AB gunshows. Brass can be more entertaining so when you find it get lots.Four to five years of scavenging and you will be set for life.

[BuckCuller]

Originally Posted by coolpete1

i am thinking about starting to reload , mostly because i have a rifle in .35 rem and its getting harder and harder to find ammo. is it worth while ? i dont shoot alot and use a .270 most of the time . also which reloading kit would you recommend?

Your best option is to find a freind that is all set up then you buy the dies and have him help you reload and in return help him reload some.

[densa44]

I am in poverty to-day thanks to reloading. I began many many years ago reloading 12 ga. shells that I had shot on the kitchen table, with a Lee "hand loader" I don't think that they make them anymore.

Fast forward to to-day, I'm re-loading .410 shotgun shells, .303 ammo for my WW1 Ross rifle, 7.62 x 39 ammo for my friend's bolt action, I have a 1/2 ton load of equipment and partial boxes of bullets, what else, more powder that I'll ever use.

POVERTY, that what you are headed for!

I should admit that I'm a pretty good shot and I wasn't when I started, I kill about 50 pheasants per year (I'm slowing down in my old age) with the .410 and I have a long range shooting range off my back porch so I guess it is a hobby.

On drug addiction is easier to quit.

Buy good stuff used, there is lots of it around, I still have my balance scale (over 50 years old now) and it works as well as ever.

Oh, and the advice you'll get on this site is peerless.

[Digger1]

Just did the math. Loading for my 6.5x55. Powder $.30 Eldx bullet $.60 Brass 6-10 cents each firing. Primer 5 cents. So say $1.05 for rounds that are substantially more accurate than Nosler Trophy at $2.60 each. But still, I do it because my mechanical brain enjoys it. In a couple hundred rounds the equipment is paid off and the addiction has set in. Wonder what we can load next? Lol

[Pioneer2]

Of developing a load and taking game with guns that haven't spoken in half a century.Or precision custom special purpose loads money can't buy.It will cost you half as much as factory and you will likely shoot twice as much......so you will break even except for the experience gained in trigger time.Priceless! Whats holding you back man ?

[Digger1]

Oh, and buy a chrony. If you can’t afford one, marry someone who has one. I wish I did a lot earlier.