Should I reload?

If all you plan on doing with your AR-15 is 30 or 40 round mag dumps, then buy the cheapest 55 gr FMJ bulk ammo you can find. But, if you plan on shooting for accuracy, long range, or varmint hunting, then reloading is the better way to go. You can save a bunch over quality factory ammo, maximize the performance of your rifle, and stock up on components so you can still enjoy shooting in the future even if our country's politics go down the tube.

Here's the answer: You should reload if it sounds like fun. You used to reload, so you know what's involved. Did you like it?

This is what I do:
I buy and stock up on inexpensive calibers like .22, 9mm, 5.56mm, and 7.62x39.
I reload several handgun , rifle, and shotgun calibers and gauges. All of them are costly to buy otc.
I could be happy concentrating on the inexpensive calibers for the majority of my informal shooting.....as long as my BP guns are available.

You already have a press and a few other odds & ends. Buy what you need to reload, buy primers, bullets & powder and hang on to the stuff. Go out & buy cheap ammo to shoot. When the left wing radicals gain power you will be sitting sweet with things to roll your own.
Buy a little each month and sit on it.

Flintshooter said:

A little off the subject of reloading, but I have never been one to blow through a 30 round magazine in a couple of minutes. My decades of muzzleloaders have conditioned me to make every shot count.

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O come on now. 30 rounds ready to go with just a press of the trigger, light recoil and quick target acquisition. Even a old muzzy stuffer like yourself will fill the need to squeeze a few rapid fire strings off. But even making every shot count doesn't take long when all it takes is another press of the trigger.

Well if you are going to buy factory loaded ammo at least buy some of it in reloadable brass so that one day you can reload it if you want. And if nothing else you can sell it to a reloader during the next panic (about due now) and recoup some of your expense. 223 and 308 brass sold for a premium after the Sandy Hook shooting as did AR-15s and most other semi-auto guns. Along with hi-cap mags.

And a big +1 on the BP rifles. I love shooting mine.

If you have to ask yourself, or especially other people, whether you should reload, you should not.

Tim

Considering the cost of equipment to get going again I would just buy factory. Especially considering this caliber. Plinker rounds are as cheap as you can get pretty much for a center-fire rifle especially if you aren't opposed to steel cases.

If you were into long range competitions of some sort and needed heavy for caliber bullets where every inch counts, totally worth it. Factory rounds like that go for around $15-20 a box for 20 rounds of decent match stuff, you would amortize your investment quicker. You could get by with that JR single stage press you mention, i've loaded many 223's on mine, but it is definitely time consuming.

It's always good to be able to be self reliant as others have said here. If you have the funds I would maybe get basic lee dies, beam scale, hand trimmers etc and be able to load 223 if you wanted to or if there's a shortage in the future. Otherwise shooting factory seems to be the way to go here...

ATLDave said:

You should reload if it sounds like fun.

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^^^^^ This!

Because reloading does end up saving money (however small) the cost savings component of the hobby seems to be the focus of many conversations like this. (ala "Is it worth my time to reload?" or "Should I reload if I'm only going to be shooting 9mm or .223?")

Other hobbies we're involved with don't seem to get these types of conversations "Should I hunt or just go by my steak at the grocery store?" "Should I fish or just go to the store?" People hunt and fish because they're drawn to it.

I will say of all the calibers I reload I probably enjoy reloading .223 the least. I load plinking ammo for my AR. The case prep becomes a little tedious for me. And a range session can result in going through a good bit of ammo. But even if my reloads become more expensive than what I could buy commercially I'll still reload.....because I find it fun and extremely rewarding.....even if I have to do things like remove primer pocket crimps and trim cases. Spending time at the bench, having control over my overall supply as well as the makeup of my ammo, along with satisfaction from seeing how my ammo performs are all non-financial benefits I get from loading.

If it doesn't sound fun or one doesn't have much time (and as a result their reloading sessions will feel rushed) - especially for calibers where ammo right now is cheap - buying commercial ammo I'd say is the way to go.

While it might not be worth it time wise right now, it wasn't that long ago that it was had to find 9mm and 5.56mm on the shelf. It always pays to be ahead of the curve.

WB

I usually spend the cold months working on processing brass then storing it, and making some ammo. This keeps me in the shooting hobby all year long. You can load them up quick as needed if all the brass prep is done ahead. The only downside is I have to stock a lot of brass as I shoot alot in warm weather. I am also going to get more bullet molds and gas check making tools so I can make my own bullets for more of my guns as well. But as said if it is a chore to reload then --- whatever.

What started it all for me back in the early 70's was a work friend found an ad in Shotgun News for RCBS Rock Chucker combos, press, set of dies and a shell holder, for 42.00, and if you ordered two ya got free shiping. I started out with Lee powder scoops and over the next 25 years or so, upgraded my equpt, Redding scale, Uniflow measure, chronograph and so on. Today I load for a dozen or so center fire ctgs. Its been great hobby and the ability to tailor your loads is great. My only issue is getting out to shoot more. hdbiker

As you already know, reloading equipment costs ramp up the price per round significantly. As said above, if for plinking only, I wouldn't give reloading a thought. You will get minute of squirrel with factory ammo (or should). If you are shooting benchrest and all refinements that go with it, I would reload.

I don't shoot competitively at all, except against myself. That doesn't detract at all from my efforts to squeeze out all the accuracy I can from my loads/weapons. Most of my handloads don't cost much less than factory fodder, but most all do outshoot the cheap bulk crap I could buy.
If you get satisfaction from seeing the results of your own efforts being superior to what you buy off the shelf, by all means, get an affordable system like the LCT and go for it.

I like to shoot for accuracy.

I hate shooting cheap ammo unless it's cheap because I assembled it. My groups are much better than factory. Even 9mm that all hail as to cheap to reload. I load them on average for 11-12 cents vs 17.5 for cheap ammo.

I reload 2000 rounds a month plus or minus 500 depending. It's great!

Money savings, on paper yes, reality not so noticable. Buy really big on supplies and slowly use then up feeling like your shooting for free, then buying deep on the next sale.

I'm a memorial day, labor day black Friday supplies shopper. Hope to get enough and then some to keep shouting all my calibers.

Took me years to fully outfit myself. Horded brass. Never stopped picking up all I could get.

If you're not sure just start collecting brass for the day you do

Flintshooter said:

Back in 1999 I suffered a devastating burglary that resulted in me selling just about everything gun related that wasn’t stolen. Included in the things sold was almost all my reloading stuff. Since then almost all my shooting has been with muzzleloaders.
Today I found a Colt AR-15 very close to the one I had that was stolen. I’ll probably buy it tomorrow. Having been out of the centerfire game for so long I’m torn between getting what I need to reload and just buying .223 in bulk. I don’t see shooting more than informal competition so special loaded for accuracy rounds aren’t a concern. What’s the concenus here? Reload or buy in bulk? About all I have left from the old days is an RCBS JR and a few odds and ends. I would be basically starting from scratch.
At the moment I don’t know how much I will be shooting. The first time around it was quite a bit and among the things stolen were over 1200 rounds of .223 in stripper clips.

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Should you reload ? As a reloader I say YES !. Really though it sounds like you are asking if it would be worth it monetarily to reload for just .223 ? I'd say no probably not. The wildcard is if you are looking for a hobby or want more precise ammo. Maybe some different weights, etc ? If you ant to experiment or are looking to spend some time then yes reload. A Lee Cast Turret would be good enough for around $100. Bottom line is you'll never save money reloading anyhow you have to want to do it for other reasons.

-Jeff

If all you're going to reload is .223, Russian steel ammo is too cheap to waste your time. Same for 9mm.

I only reload for the expensive stuff, .38-40 and .357.

Speedo66 said:

If all you're going to reload is .223, Russian steel ammo is too cheap to waste your time. Same for 9mm.

I only reload for the expensive stuff, .38-40 and .357.

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I couldn't disagree more! You can't compare the high quality accurate rounds I produce to Russian steel garbage rounds.
My rounds are only a few pennies cheaper per round than that Russian stuff, but you can't compare apples to oranges. I also enjoy the quality time I spend reloading .223 and 9mm!

If you want to do it because you enjoy it: Yes.
If it's to save $ on common ammo: Yes if time is free and you shoot a lot, No otherwise.
If it's to save $ on expensive ammo: Yes if you shoot enough of it.
If you want to make something special: Yes.

I load 300BLK both supers and subs for an AR and a bolt action. Savings are significant and the ammo is tuned to the guns. There are currently 5 target and 2 hunting loads. 9mm and .223 came along for the ride. I did start with 9mm as I felt it best to learn on a pistol round before tackling the more exacting requirements of rifle rounds.

When I started reloading( not that long ago,2015-2016) my goal was to reload for everything I shot. I kept buying different calibers and more presses. I've been retired for 13 years and this is keeps me busy. I really like doing it. I joined a shooting range and I get brass for free.I don't save any money but I never run out of ammo!!!!The way I look at it, I've already got the equipment, I might as well use it.

Okay, I will play. Short answer: Yup.

I have been at it for two or three years, can't remember. One of the cartridges I reload is 357 mag. I think a 100 rounds would cost $50 or $60 at the store. I do it for about $14. I have reloaded at least 4000 rounds of 357. That there paid for all my equipment and then some.

As for time. I bet those of you who do not reload kill an hour easy going to the store poking around and going back home. I see you at the register. You usually buy 100 rounds or so of ammo at a time. In that hour or so I have loaded 450 rounds of ammo. We can call time a wash. But I bet reloaders come out ahead.

It is a ton of fun and I consider it part of the shooting experience. It's like hunting. I cannot imagine taking my deer to a butcher. Butchering an animal is part of the experience. You scout, you practice, you hunt, you kill, you butcher. I would feel like I am missing out now if I were to start purchasing ammo.

Load development. I am just getting into this with my new 308. I purchased a chrono, but have not used it yet. Right now I am playing around with bullet COAL and powder charges. I can't wait to really get into it, but right now any free time is spent 25 feet up in a tree with a bow.

I can't wait to chrono my handguns loads as well. I always loaded 357mag for full power. But my other loads, 9mm and 38sp were always comfortable loads. I have no idea if they are getting any decent velocity, or if they are very accurate. I will soon though.

Do you save money? No possible way. You will produce too many cartridges to save money. You will shoot ten times more than if you purchased ammo. You will be on this site in the reloading section to see who found the latest discounted powder or bullets. Then you buy in bulk. You will have 100,000 pieces of brass that you will just have to load. It goes on and on and on. Oh, then you will buy more guns because you will not be worried about ammo cost.

Then there are the ammo shortages that can pop up over time. Reloaders just laugh at shortages.

Pete