Is shotshell reloading becoming the preserve of die-hard traditionalists (read old farts) and eccentrics?
Of the many shooters I know personally I can think of a handful (including me) that reload on a regular basis. Most of the younger shooters I know have never reloaded.
One of the standard acquisitions for a serious clay shooter 20 years ago was a reloader because there were real savings to be had. Today low cost 12 gauge loads like Federal Top Gun, Remington Gun Club and Winchester Super Target make reloading less attractive. Even the premium factory shells haven’t increased much in price. A box of Winchester AA doesn’t cost much more than 15 years ago.
In my own case I returned to reloading 12 gauge after a lay off of a few years because I couldn’t consistently find the target load that I wanted and because I like to make light 7/8 loads for my sxs. However, given the price of factory shells both premium and promo I’d be very reluctant to starting loading 12 gauge if I didn’t already have the equipment. It would take me many hundreds of boxes just to recoup my initial investment.
There are still genuine savings to be had loading .410 and 28 gauge but despite the delightful qualities of the 28 gauge there aren’t many people shooting it compared to the 12. In my own case I wasn’t shooting the 28 in a volume significant to justify reloading and only started when a deal on a loader came up that I couldn’t refuse.
Years ago it was common to have conversations (sometimes spirited) about the merits of various shotgun powders or hulls. Today these discussions are rare. In the old days a shooter who dropped AA hulls on the ground was either new to the sport or wealthy. Today it’s not unusual to find AA hulls scattered around the sporting clays station where I shoot and it’s not a rich man’s club by any definition.
I like reloading because it allows me to shoot what I want and not depend on what the factory wants to provide. It’s a pleasant activity and time far better spent than glued to the TV. It also provides me with a more personal connection to shotgunning and it just feels that extra touch better to shoot well with your own reloads than with factory.
It saddens me somewhat that reloading is not as popular as it once was. I’d hate to think that the new generation of shotgunners might think that American Select was a new reality show or that 700X was a porno flick.
Are you noticing the same trends? Is shotshell reloading on the decline where you shoot?
Of the many shooters I know personally I can think of a handful (including me) that reload on a regular basis. Most of the younger shooters I know have never reloaded.
One of the standard acquisitions for a serious clay shooter 20 years ago was a reloader because there were real savings to be had. Today low cost 12 gauge loads like Federal Top Gun, Remington Gun Club and Winchester Super Target make reloading less attractive. Even the premium factory shells haven’t increased much in price. A box of Winchester AA doesn’t cost much more than 15 years ago.
In my own case I returned to reloading 12 gauge after a lay off of a few years because I couldn’t consistently find the target load that I wanted and because I like to make light 7/8 loads for my sxs. However, given the price of factory shells both premium and promo I’d be very reluctant to starting loading 12 gauge if I didn’t already have the equipment. It would take me many hundreds of boxes just to recoup my initial investment.
There are still genuine savings to be had loading .410 and 28 gauge but despite the delightful qualities of the 28 gauge there aren’t many people shooting it compared to the 12. In my own case I wasn’t shooting the 28 in a volume significant to justify reloading and only started when a deal on a loader came up that I couldn’t refuse.
Years ago it was common to have conversations (sometimes spirited) about the merits of various shotgun powders or hulls. Today these discussions are rare. In the old days a shooter who dropped AA hulls on the ground was either new to the sport or wealthy. Today it’s not unusual to find AA hulls scattered around the sporting clays station where I shoot and it’s not a rich man’s club by any definition.
I like reloading because it allows me to shoot what I want and not depend on what the factory wants to provide. It’s a pleasant activity and time far better spent than glued to the TV. It also provides me with a more personal connection to shotgunning and it just feels that extra touch better to shoot well with your own reloads than with factory.
It saddens me somewhat that reloading is not as popular as it once was. I’d hate to think that the new generation of shotgunners might think that American Select was a new reality show or that 700X was a porno flick.
Are you noticing the same trends? Is shotshell reloading on the decline where you shoot?