Reloading Addiction Group

[ChrisG]

Hi,

My name is Chris and I have an addiction. When I was 16, I bought my first loading press.... Fast forward 15 years and my stockpile of loading stuff would take a whole ryder truck just to move. You know you're addicted when:

1. You pick up brass at the range compulsively, most of which you don't load for but you just CAN'T. HAVE. ENOUGH!

2. You get more excited when you see an RCBS Rock Chucker for sale cheap than almost anything else.

3. You buy WAYYYY more brass and bullets than you could possibly need right now. (I have over 300 PREMIUM bullets for a .375 H&H. I shoot about 5 a year.

4. Your brass is sorted into calibers, then sorted into subcategories based on its brand, cleanliness and stage in loading. ( I have 5 different containers just for 9mm. "Dirty", "Clean", 'Clean & Resized", "Clean Primed", "Clean primed and flared".)

I could keep going.... Anywho I thought a thread to get out all your reloading enthusiam would be a helpful way to cope.

Don't worry, you're among like minded individuals.

 

[Bullthrower338]

I have no issues, really I could do without reloading. Hell I only do it occasionally, I don’t need it to have fun. I can quit anytime I want!

 

[mdwest]

Subscribed!

I was a pretty avid reloader 20+ years ago back when I was doing some competitive shooting.. I mostly reloaded for my pistols, but also briefly got into loading my own shot shells and loaded for a couple of my rifles back then too.. The motivation really wasnt to build a better/more accurate cartridge.. it was all about cost savings and keeping a large stock of loaded rounds on hand all the time...

I thought I kicked the habit by the time I hit my late 20's.. I was getting an ample supply of free ammo (a couple of thousand rounds a month) from elsewhere.. and ended up selling off all of my equipment to make space in the garage for other projects by my early 30's..

I was able to stay clean for almost 20 years..

But now the bug is back.. and I have a completely different motivation.. now I am looking to build cartridges that perform and marry well with specific rifles that I own..

Currently I reload for .243, .308, 7mm WSM, 7x57, .35 whelen, and .375 H&H.. and am building about 100 rounds a month (or as many as needed).. I also reload 9mm and 45 ACP... Ultimately I plan on getting dies and supplies for every long gun and pistol in the safe...

Definitely addicted at this point.. but not looking for an intervention or any help... I like my disease!

 

[ChrisG]

Subscribed!

I was a pretty avid reloader 20+ years ago back when I was doing some competitive shooting.. I mostly reloaded for my pistols, but also briefly got into loading my own shot shells and loaded for a couple of my rifles back then too.. The motivation really wasnt to build a better/more accurate cartridge.. it was all about cost savings and keeping a large stock of loaded rounds on hand all the time...

I thought I kicked the habit by the time I hit my late 20's.. I was getting an ample supply of free ammo (a couple of thousand rounds a month) from elsewhere.. and ended up selling off all of my equipment to make space in the garage for other projects by my early 30's..

I was able to stay clean for almost 20 years..

But now the bug is back.. and I have a completely different motivation.. now I am looking to build cartridges that perform and marry well with specific rifles that I own..

Currently I reload for .243, .308, 7mm WSM, 7x57, .35 whelen, and .375 H&H.. and am building about 100 rounds a month (or as many as needed).. I also reload 9mm and 45 ACP... Ultimately I plan on getting dies and supplies for every long gun and pistol in the safe...

Definitely addicted at this point.. but not looking for an intervention or any help... I like my disease!

I started with just a taste.... an old pacific press and a set of .30 Carbine dies.... Now I reload:

Rifles:
.416 Ruger
.375 H&H
.308 Win
6.5x55
.223
.222
.44 Mag
.338 Win Mag

Pistols:
9mm
.45 Auto & .45 Super
.40 S&W & 10mm Auto
.32 ACP
.38 Special
.357 Magnum

Plus I have all the lead, smelter, bullet molds, and bullet sizing press with lube & Dies, hardness tester, etc. to cast my own bullets. All that euphoria you get out of reloading is doubled when you start messing with alloys and different lubes and modifying molds, or creating your own designs (Mountain Molds anyone?)... This is bad.

I usually have about 15 lbs of powder on hand and 5000 primers of all varietys. I had to build a special shelp for all the bullets. I have about 200 lbs of bullets for everything on the list above (I don't even own guns for all of them but I keep them just the same)....

I started so I could shoot more. Now I am like a mad scientist, constantly running loads over a chronograph, sorting brass, casting bullets.... Oh my goodness... It's taking over my life!

 

[Shootist43]

So far I've only seen evidence of mild cases of addiction compared to mine. Just wait until you guys really get "hooked!"

 

[ChrisG]

So far I've only seen evidence of mild cases of addiction compared to mine. Just wait until you guys really get "hooked!"

Pictures or it didn't happen

 

[sandman0921]

Geesh! I thought I was bad.....some of you guys have a problem. But you know what they say....the first step is admitting you have a problem....

 

[Bullthrower338]

Oh @tarbe

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

My hand loading addiction is child's play compared to you guys.

 

[AZDAVE]

I only have a mild addiction.
Rifle 223, 243, 6.5 grendal, 6.5x55, 6.5 creedmore, 7-08, 7x57, 30/30, 308, 30/06, 30/06AI, 300H&H, 8x57, 338 RCM, 338WM, 358WIN, 9.3x62, 9.3x74R, 375H&H, 375Ruger, 40/65, 405WIN, 450/400, 416 Express, 416Rigby, 45/70, 45/90, 45/100, 458B&M, 458WM, 50Alaskan, 50/90, 577BPE

pistol 10MM, 44MAG, 45ACP, 480Ruger, 500 Lienbaugh

Shotgun 20ga, 16, ga, 12ga, 10ga

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I only have a mild addiction.
Rifle 223, 243, 6.5 grendal, 6.5x55, 6.5 creedmore, 7-08, 7x57, 30/30, 308, 30/06, 30/06AI, 300H&H, 8x57, 338 RCM, 338WM, 358WIN, 9.3x62, 9.3x74R, 375H&H, 375Ruger, 40/65, 405WIN, 450/400, 416 Express, 416Rigby, 45/70, 45/90, 45/100, 458B&M, 458WM, 50Alaskan, 50/90, 577BPE

pistol 10MM, 44MAG, 45ACP, 480Ruger, 500 Lienbaugh

Shotgun 20ga, 16, ga, 12ga, 10ga

That's it?

 

[Art Lambart II]

Being the most likely inheritor of @Shootist43 reloading collection I will vouch for his extreme addiction to reloading and shooting supplies. You have an extreme addiction when you believe, if one Dillon press is good three more would be better, after all changing dies on a "Quick Change" press is so inconvenient. If you or a family member buys factory ammo and it's based on case quality first and bullet quality second, you have an extreme addiction. If you spend more time at "Shooter Supply" than on the shooting line during your yearly trip to the National Matches at Camp Perry Ohio you have an extreme addiction. When you buy powder by the case because its a good price and have two unopened cases of the exact same powder on the shelve at home, you have an extreme addiction. If you visit your local gun shop and complain that you have more powder on you shelves than they do, you have an extreme addiction. When you move and it takes more time to relocate your reloading equipment and supplies than is does any other room in your house, you have an extreme addiction. If your reloading storage room (That's right his presses are in a different room, 10x30 is just not enough space) looks like an organized episode of "Hoarders Buried Alive" then you have an extreme addition. If you have trouble using "Word" and "Excel" and you buy "Quickload" to help tune your loads to match your the barrel whip, you have an extreme addiction. If the Police Chief of your metropolitan area Township says to you "Hey if need arises could we borrow a few thing" you have an extreme addiction. So @ChrisG, yes, you do have an addiction but it's not what I would call extreme.

For those of you that think an intervention is needed you can stop those silly thoughts right now. As I said at the beginning of this post I am the most likely inheritor of his reloading collection and thanks to Dad and his extreme addiction my children and grandchildren will never have to buy reloading supplies or equipment but they will have to own a large home to store it all.

 

[Pheroze]

Can someone help me understand why I need so many different brands of 180gr 30cal bullets

Also, why do I have bullets and brass for calibers I don't own?

 

[mdwest]

Also, why do I have bullets and brass for calibers I don't own?

Thats just good personal finance.. nothing to worry about there..

you KNOW youre going to own a rifle in that caliber one day.. so when you see brass or bullets in that caliber at a good price, you go on and pick up as many as you can get your hands on in an effort to save money on a future purchase (ask me how I know this )...

 

[AZDAVE]

@Pheroze you have them just incase someone wantes to sell a rifle the brass ans bullets will work in so you have an excuse to buy a new rifle.. Don't ask me how I know that

 

[ChrisG]

@Pheroze you have them just incase someone wantes to sell a rifle the brass ans bullets will work in so you have an excuse to buy a new rifle.. Don't ask me how I know that

I am in this category, I often buy brass and bullets and even load rounds before I get a rifle or pistol because... not having a gun to fondle, the next best thing is to just load up a bunch of ammo for it. I think I had 100 rounds of .375 H&H loaded before I even bought my first rifle because I got a box with 200 pieces of brass, bullets, dies etc for like $25 at my gun shop... too good to pass up.

 

[CTDolan]

I've always said that if a person shoots but doesn't reload they're missing out on 1/2 the fun (not to mention, in many instances significant savings...and the ability to create damn near any load you want).

I've reloaded for years but my collection pales in comparison to what I see here (I basically keep on hand what I need for what I load, which is at present just a handful of calibers and only two types of powder, IMR 4350 for the 30-06 and Alliant Reloder 15 for the big stuff).

 

[CTDolan]

I do, however, buy one heck of a lot of ammo, what I find interesting and sometimes with the intention of one day having a rifle to match!

 

[ChrisG]

Being the most likely inheritor of @Shootist43 reloading collection I will vouch for his extreme addiction to reloading and shooting supplies. You have an extreme addiction when you believe, if one Dillon press is good three more would be better, after all changing dies on a "Quick Change" press is so inconvenient. If you or a family member buys factory ammo and it's based on case quality first and bullet quality second, you have an extreme addiction. If you spend more time at "Shooter Supply" than on the shooting line during your yearly trip to the National Matches at Camp Perry Ohio you have an extreme addiction. When you buy powder by the case because its a good price and have two unopened cases of the exact same powder on the shelve at home, you have an extreme addiction. If you visit your local gun shop and complain that you have more powder on you shelves than they do, you have an extreme addiction. When you move and it takes more time to relocate your reloading equipment and supplies than is does any other room in your house, you have an extreme addiction. If your reloading storage room (That's right his presses are in a different room, 10x30 is just not enough space) looks like an organized episode of "Hoarders Buried Alive" then you have an extreme addition. If you have trouble using "Word" and "Excel" and you buy "Quickload" to help tune your loads to match your the barrel whip, you have an extreme addiction. If the Police Chief of your metropolitan area Township says to you "Hey if need arises could we borrow a few thing" you have an extreme addiction. So @ChrisG, yes, you do have an addiction but it's not what I would call extreme.

For those of you that think an intervention is needed you can stop those silly thoughts right now. As I said at the beginning of this post I am the most likely inheritor of his reloading collection and thanks to Dad and his extreme addiction my children and grandchildren will never have to buy reloading supplies or equipment but they will have to own a large home to store it all.

I wasn't disputing him... I just wanted pictures... You know... something to aspire to!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Can someone help me understand why I need so many different brands of 180gr 30cal bullets

No.

Also, why do I have bullets and brass for calibers I don't own?

Because @tarbe is your role model?