If you are an avid rifle, pistol, shotgun shooter, then you are very likely a reloader. Reloading your own ammo can be such great fun too. The value in reloading under today’s here today, gone tomorrow boxes of ready to shoot ammo is quite obvious. Retail shelves are dry from a wide range of ammunition leaving you to look at your beautiful rifle or pistol just sitting there. Today, your local gun shop or sporting store can’t get your ammo when you want it, with custom bullets or in some cases, for an acceptable price. Reloading your own ammo really comes of age as a form of survival.
Over the many years I have always been a do-it-yourself kind of guy. It has paid off handsomely in reloading many ways. See my other articles on reloading too. Pictured above is my single stage press from RCBS that crunches out all of my loads. Perhaps I will get a progressive multistage press at some point in the near future.(Note: I am not fond of the word “progressive” for other reasons) I like the high quality I get from my single stage albeit a bit slower. I’m in “reloader heaven” because I was always saving brass and heads etc., prepared for the days of scarce ammo. I learned that lesson from my father who saved many things for the day that he needed it. A lesson he learned from the days of the Depression Era. Pictured above is my press when I loaded for African Safari with my son Jason (Jason has at least 2 presses for his reloading).
in the mid 1970’s, I began reloading for the .270 Winchester and 45 ACP and 45 Long Colt Today I can clean and reload brass from my hard to find .375 Ruger by reusing the shot brass several times maybe even 10 times but I never kept count. I just kept inspecting my brass closely before loading and trimming the case to the correct length and always has good luck.
But if you are not a hands on person, stick to buying your ammo. You must pay attention when reloading.
After years of shooting the .375 Hornady brass I have decides to use the 50 cases I started with, for reduced loads only. In my brass pantry, I have several cartridges and calibers of brass from which to choose, and powders well sealed and cared for, so that when it comes time to go shoot I can reload what I need. Bullet choice is critical when deciding what you want the bullet to do when it arrives at the target or the game you are hunting. Keep a stock supply of key bullets and powders on hand in a safe dry Child proof location (under lock) as well as primers and you are good-to-go. Hornady, Nosler, Sierra, Speer, Barnes and all sell reloading manuals that teach you the basics. There are many on-line free sites that can teach you to reload as well. Good Shooting! You can go to my “LINKS” page and see the companies that offer reloading supplies. Today my 6.5 Creedmoor brass just arrived from Hornady. The case neck has been annealed or softened so my brass case looks a bit funny but it is normal. With some polish it will clean up fine but it is not needed to polish it away. So get out there and do your homework. You can anneal your existing brass for other cartridge brass but that is an article for another day. Good Shooting! © 2015