Ultramax, stay away

[Snakeman721]

I have some 45 long colt Ultramax crap that I bought before the current ammo shortage (like in 2009). It was new ammo, not reloads, but they must use the same powder because I only shot 18 or 24 rounds (can't remember) in my stainless Ruger Vaquero and like the OP said, you would have thought I was shooting black powder. My hands were black, the gun was covered in black soot, and I had a hell of a time cleaning it afterwards (using good ole Hoppe's #9). Nope, never buying that crap ammo again.

[hard h2o]

After viewing this topic, I wonder why people are so dead set against shooting reloads, but they will shoot factory reloads with all kinds of false advertising associated with their manufacturing processes, which they never follow long term as proven by O.P.

If I know the person and how he reloads, I will and have used his reloads.
I expect others to examine my practices as well, before shooting mine, as they have.
Most of us got into reloading to save money, shoot more, and make better quality ammo overall, than using re-manufactured junk.(And yes, I used to re-manufacture ammo with my Class 6 license, but on an quality potential, not a quantity potential.)

Now let the Sh!t Storm begin on how bad reloads are.............................

I have nothing against reloads if they're made to a high quality standard, from brass fired a known number of times. The facts that these were fired from 1-5+ times, and then loaded with ******* powder are my main issues. I'd reload myself, but the barriers to entry are fairly steep compared to the payoff, and thats when you can find powder, primers and bullets that work with your loads.

What are these barriers you speak of?

Basic reloading kit on Cabelas.com run as low as $114.99. You can pay more but that will get you started. Components can be had if you are patient.

Reloading in actuality is pretty simple. You need to be a bit meticulous in your process and double and triple check things but it is still very simple.

Deprime and resize cases, prep cases (length trim, clean primer pocket, chamfer and deburr case mouth), prime cases, charge cases with powder, seat a bullet, crimp if desired.

I used to reload for the .30-30 with a Lee Classic Loader that used a mallet for the power. You can buy hand held presses.

I would be wary about shooting someone else's reloads. One of the advantages to reloading is tailoring the load to a particular firearm. Kind of hard to do when you are not doing the actual reloading and you are not controlling the process.

Good Luck.

[Vashjir]

...

What are these barriers you speak of?

Basic reloading kit on Cabelas.com run as low as $114.99. You can pay more but that will get you started. Components can be had if you are patient.
...

Good Luck.

Well, $115, plus tax, plus shipping or a 45 min drive to cabelas. Then powder, reloading manual, bullets, primers, dies, a way to clean cases and you're looking at 300-350 for the cheapest starting setup possible (that I'm guessing will need replacement/repair before long). Thats at least 6-8 months of ammo thats worth reloading for me (.22 and milsurp ammo excluded).
Then that doesn't include ongoing costs like more bullets, powder and primers or the time investment of hunting down said reloading ingredients.

[FJ540]

...

What are these barriers you speak of?

Basic reloading kit on Cabelas.com run as low as $114.99. You can pay more but that will get you started. Components can be had if you are patient.
...

Good Luck.

Well, $115, plus tax, plus shipping or a 45 min drive to cabelas. Then powder, reloading manual, bullets, primers, dies, a way to clean cases and you're looking at 300-350 for the cheapest starting setup possible (that I'm guessing will need replacement/repair before long). Thats at least 6-8 months of ammo thats worth reloading for me (.22 and milsurp ammo excluded).
Then that doesn't include ongoing costs like more bullets, powder and primers or the time investment of hunting down said reloading ingredients.

Because factory ammo is free, right?

I hand load premium ammo for less than half what a box of it would cost, and it's better than the comparable factory load because I've tuned it to my gun.

You have time invested in finding ammo. You probably have money invested in finding factory ammo that shoots well in your guns. You have to make decent ammo to justify reloading, but you also have to compare what you're making with the market equivalent. WWB is junk. I load better ammo than that for less.

[Rodentman]

I think you have to consider reloading as a hobby, enjoyed on its own merits, rather than just a source for ammo. Otherwise it's gonna become a PIA and a time consuming chore and you'll be concerning with figuring out the cost/benefit. Frankly I have so much $ in reloading equipment that I doubt I'll "recover" it. But I don't care. There is great fun in working a load for a specific gun, and I even have specific loads for certain headstamps (namely CBC) but that's another story.

[andrewP]

I think you have to consider reloading as a hobby, enjoyed on its own merits, rather than just a source for ammo. Otherwise it's gonna become a PIA and a time consuming chore and you'll be concerning with figuring out the cost/benefit. Frankly I have so much $ in reloading equipment that I doubt I'll "recover" it. But I don't care. There is great fun in working a load for a specific gun, and I even have specific loads for certain headstamps (namely CBC) but that's another story.

I do consider it a hobby, and I find it somewhat relaxing to do, BUT I also am very well aware of the cost benefit analysis, and it's definitely saving me money in the long term. The initial investment seems steep, but the savings pile up pretty quickly, especially if you're any kind of medium to high volume shooter. It really only takes a few thousand rounds before you're "even" on a press, and of course once you've got that initial sunk cost gone, it's all savings. New calibers only take a few hundred rounds to pay off the dies...

[hard h2o]

The cost of the kits is very reasonable. I bought the Lee kit when I was getting back into it. It has served me well for reloading .30-06, .300 WSM, .30-03 and soon .243. THe cost of even the mid range kits are only about the price of 3 or 4 boxes of centerfire rifle ammo.

The manuals are good reading. You already buy books and magazines right?

It may be blasphemy to some but I do not have a dedicated case cleaning system. I wipe them down and inspect but other than cleaning the primer pocket I do not clean cases. Maybe my next addition to my reloading gear. Starting out I do not think it is necessary.

You have to go to Cabelas sometime anyway. If not Cabelas then some other reloading or firearms store.

Powder, bullets, primers. You already buy those. You just buy them already assembled as loaded ammunition. Picking the components you want and loading them in a precise, accurate, and meticulous manner is 1/2 the fun. The other 1/2 is shooting more and eating up the cost savings.