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Should You Reload Your Own Ammo?

Do you catalogue your reloads or keep records?
How and what? I am trying to use an Excel spreadsheet. i keep dates, powder type, primers,
bullet type and weight, powder charge and weight but i am look for a good format to do it.
I am thinking about coding ea box. Am I going overboard? I gave a friend a box of reloads but have some of it.
i was able to figure out the expected weight per round to see how many did not get powder. These were early loads.
 
cico7 said:
Do you catalogue your reloads or keep records?
How and what? I am trying to use an Excel spreadsheet. i keep dates, powder type, primers,
bullet type and weight, powder charge and weight but i am look for a good format to do it.
I am thinking about coding ea box. Am I going overboard? I gave a friend a box of reloads but have some of it.
i was able to figure out the expected weight per round to see how many did not get powder. These were early loads.
Click to expand...
Keeping/making info for all/each load is a +. You can never retain enough info, such as lot numbers per powder with volume to weight, bullet length, ogive, case weight/volume and coal that works in that gun.
 
Many years ago when I first started hand loading (circ early 1970's) I kept meticulous records of my loads. I think I used a "Lee" spreadsheet, that complimented the "Lee" gun record spreadsheet. I've not bought many new guns in the past several years so don't use the gun record much anymore. As for the loading spreadsheet, it was based on a 3 1/2" floppy disc and after I lost that capability, I scaled down my record keeping to just a small tag that got glued on to any box of ammo I loaded that included date, bullet brand, type and weight, powder type and charge, and number of times the brass had been fired. That little stick on label stayed with that box till it was used up, when obviously the box and brass would be reused.

More info might be valuable and certainly won't hurt, but it works for me now. As TforL mentioned above, more is probably better than less, so keep whatever is of value to you and your needs. A good 'Exel' or similar spreadsheet can always be modified to needs as they develop.
 
cico7 said:
Do you catalogue your reloads or keep records?
How and what? I am trying to use an Excel spreadsheet. i keep dates, powder type, primers,
bullet type and weight, powder charge and weight but i am look for a good format to do it.
I am thinking about coding ea box. Am I going overboard? I gave a friend a box of reloads but have some of it.
i was able to figure out the expected weight per round to see how many did not get powder. These were early loads.
Click to expand...
If you are into apps, there is one called Reloading Assistant (Polycompsol LLC)that I really like. Use it exclusively. Has most of the publically available load data and is searchable. Pick one, make a cop of it and start your own customization, if needed. There is a journal for logging actuals and a cost calculator to compare reload to purchased.
 
StillLearning said:
If you are into apps, there is one called Reloading Assistant (Polycompsol LLC)that I really like. Use it exclusively. Has most of the publically available load data and is searchable. Pick one, make a cop of it and start your own customization, if needed. There is a journal for logging actuals and a cost calculator to compare reload to purchased.
Click to expand...
I use a reloading app for recipes and cost calculator, I am more interested in tracking what I load.
Like when I use SPP i/o LPP on 45 ACP Blazer Brass
 
I have been reloading ammo since the late 50's. All the deer I have harvested have been shot with handloads. Still loading ammo now at 84 years old, to keep the Family with lots of ammo that has NO PAPER TRAIL should the Government clamp down.
 
The only way you can really afford to shoot much any more is to reload. Luckily I have enough material in the reloading shed and about 37 sets of dies from over 50 years that I can reload for all but two of the firearms that I have. The only reason I can not load for them is I sold the reloading supplies when I sold guns of that caliber. Live and learn. :LOL: That is what happens when you buy more guns. Daughter and wife bought me an 80 gun safe a few years ago for my birthday. I said, "Does that mean I get to buy more firearms?" ;)
 
Susquash said:
The only way you can really afford to shoot much any more is to reload. Luckily I have enough material in the reloading shed and about 37 sets of dies from over 50 years that I can reload for all but two of the firearms that I have. The only reason I can not load for them is I sold the reloading supplies when I sold guns of that caliber. Live and learn. :LOL: That is what happens when you buy more guns. Daughter and wife bought me an 80 gun safe a few years ago for my birthday. I said, "Does that mean I get to buy more firearms?" ;)
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Yes It Does!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
It's all in how you want to spend your time. Personally, I could not be bothered. I purchase ammo in quantity and replace as I expend it rotating my supply. There will be times where I see an unusually great sale and will buy as much as I can (.45ACP most recently).

I can understand how some may find it therapeutic to reload, but I'd rather be at the range or fishing, or (most importantly) sailing. But, to each their own.

Cheers

Bob
 
I just never got the bug to reload, but certainly the benefits of it are clear.

And I'd be all in on meticulous/weights logs. That would have saved my brother in law many years ago, who reloads, from a blown apart Glock Model 30 that also wrecked his hands. No way to prove it but he believes it must have been an overcharged round that he reloaded.

Now to those new composite casings the military is experimenting with; will it be possible to process them in any way for reloading? Will the new empty cases be made available to the public for loading by the manufacturer? Just wondering.
 
SATRP said:
Hand loading and reloading are excellent hobbies.

I load all of my big game hunting ammo. I've yet to fire factory ammo that has come close to accuracy of my big game loads.

I used to load for handguns, and still do for .38 Special rounds. I don't have to load 9MM, .40 S&W, or .45 ACP because my former employer gives me free factory ammo to shoot at its range.
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I reload every caliber I own - rifles, shotguns or handguns. This isn't just a "hobby", I consider reloading a way to keep myself in practice without the scarcity and cost in ammo to keep me proficient in case of the need to protect myself from felons or dirty politicians. I still use 12 gauge paper hulls, reloaded to my specs. After a visit to my range, I collect castoff brass from others to add to my stash. Nothing goes to waste. Calibers I do not own go for recycling after being melted down, or converted to calibers I do own. Rimmed cartridges are the easiest to convert by trimming and fireforming. I have over 45 dies for reloading, most being three die sets. I have been reloading for over 40 years, so reloading everything but .22 is a regular exercise for me with no incidents, no blown up guns due to "mistakes".
Nothing better on a cold Winter's night than to be at my reloading bench, making more ammo at easily 1/3 the price of factory ammo. When the rush to buy new firearms by newbies caused the ammo supply to dry up, I had bought primers, powder, and bullets by the thousands to keep my supply up. I could reload .22 rimfire, but that supply didn't dry up or become too expensive, but I kept the ability to reload .22 lr anyway. I also have my .22 springer and PCP airguns, too. No loss of practice there.
 
Longshorts said:
I reload every caliber I own - rifles, shotguns or handguns. This isn't just a "hobby", I consider reloading a way to keep myself in practice without the scarcity and cost in ammo to keep me proficient in case of the need to protect myself from felons or dirty politicians. I still use 12 gauge paper hulls, reloaded to my specs. After a visit to my range, I collect castoff brass from others to add to my stash. Nothing goes to waste. Calibers I do not own go for recycling after being melted down, or converted to calibers I do own. Rimmed cartridges are the easiest to convert by trimming and fireforming. I have over 45 dies for reloading, most being three die sets. I have been reloading for over 40 years, so reloading everything but .22 is a regular exercise for me with no incidents, no blown up guns due to "mistakes".
Nothing better on a cold Winter's night than to be at my reloading bench, making more ammo at easily 1/3 the price of factory ammo. When the rush to buy new firearms by newbies caused the ammo supply to dry up, I had bought primers, powder, and bullets by the thousands to keep my supply up. I could reload .22 rimfire, but that supply didn't dry up or become too expensive, but I kept the ability to reload .22 lr anyway. I also have my .22 springer and PCP airguns, too. No loss of practice there.
Click to expand...
Hi Longshorts, welcome to the forum!
Reloading can be fun and interesting. Are many reasons to do it when supplies are available.
 
C. Sumpin said:
I just never got the bug to reload, but certainly the benefits of it are clear.

And I'd be all in on meticulous/weights logs. That would have saved my brother in law many years ago, who reloads, from a blown apart Glock Model 30 that also wrecked his hands. No way to prove it but he believes it must have been an overcharged round that he reloaded.

Now to those new composite casings the military is experimenting with; will it be possible to process them in any way for reloading? Will the new empty cases be made available to the public for loading by the manufacturer? Just wondering.
Click to expand...
i have not heard of those new composite casings,

i'd have to just "surmise"...not assume, that they'd be a once and done
 
Longshorts said:
I reload every caliber I own - rifles, shotguns or handguns. This isn't just a "hobby", I consider reloading a way to keep myself in practice without the scarcity and cost in ammo to keep me proficient in case of the need to protect myself from felons or dirty politicians. I still use 12 gauge paper hulls, reloaded to my specs. After a visit to my range, I collect castoff brass from others to add to my stash. Nothing goes to waste. Calibers I do not own go for recycling after being melted down, or converted to calibers I do own. Rimmed cartridges are the easiest to convert by trimming and fireforming. I have over 45 dies for reloading, most being three die sets. I have been reloading for over 40 years, so reloading everything but .22 is a regular exercise for me with no incidents, no blown up guns due to "mistakes".
Nothing better on a cold Winter's night than to be at my reloading bench, making more ammo at easily 1/3 the price of factory ammo. When the rush to buy new firearms by newbies caused the ammo supply to dry up, I had bought primers, powder, and bullets by the thousands to keep my supply up. I could reload .22 rimfire, but that supply didn't dry up or become too expensive, but I kept the ability to reload .22 lr anyway. I also have my .22 springer and PCP airguns, too. No loss of practice there.
Click to expand...
Who makes the dies for loading .22lr? I've often wondered if there was such a die set. Thanks.
 
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