Reloading

      Reloading is pretty simple, right? It's just putting a bullet together, isn't it? Well, the last step in making your own ammunition is; the actual process of assembling the primer, brass, powder, and bullet is just as easy as a few strokes of the press and pouring a powder charge as you will see in this page on the process of assembling bullets. It’s the precision part of this process that is much more difficult. The real work in making your own bullets is in figuring out what components to use, along with how much powder to use in the bullet. On top of that you should know why you use certain specifications and components so you can tune the bullet, and you have to be able to do everything consistently. As with all things gun related; consistency is accuracy, and accuracy is consistency. All of this sounds a bit intimidating at first but it’s really not that bad, the Carolina Marksman will help you along the way.

      We have all been through that trial and error process of finding good ammo before, right? We buy a box of these $50 bullets, but they don’t shoot worth a hill of beans. So we go back to the store, buy another box of that $35 brand, they shoot better but still not well. Go back to the store yet again, buy a $40 box of brand X bullets and finally they shoot pretty well, but by now you are so frustrated that you have lost interest in the gun. Just to add to this frustration you are now stuck with that one brand of ammunition that works best in the rifle. You either have to hope that a store has it on the shelf when you go looking for it, or you have to stock up on that ammo in order to have enough for hunting season or competitions or whatever. At $40 a box that gets very pricey very quickly.

      Reloading allows you to make all of your bullets the same, yet at the same time allows you greater control because you can adjust or replace one part at a time until you find the very best loads for your gun. The process of finding one or a few very good loads is known as load development, and it is by far the most time consuming part of making ammunition. This process took me several months with my Remington 700, however, I was seeking that absolutely perfect load. Many, if not most, of the loads I tried would work just perfectly for hunting.

      In order to begin making bullets you will need several things, one of which is space. The first requirement for all reloaders is some sort of bench to work on. This is where you will mount the press and spread out your other equipment. Making top quality ammunition is very equipment dependant (which is a good thing for those of us that like toys), but that does mean it requires an initial investment.

      Along with your bench and equipment you will need a very good manual with complete load data in it. Although it is not required, you can gain a lot from reading other books on the subject as well. You can find an abundance of good reloading data online, but it is still very advisable to get a manual to check everything by. Be very careful when trying someone’s load that is over a max load listed in a manual. ALWAYS start your load development at least 10% lower than a max load listed in a manual and watch very carefully for pressure signs as you work up to that load. If you see any pressure signs at all, back off of the load as it is unsafe to use in your gun.

      None of the other benefits of making your own bullets top the fact that (once you have purchased the equipment) reloading is much cheaper than buying factory ammunition. My estimates put making my bullets at about 1/2 of what factory match ammo costs, plus I get all the other benefits as well. Just about the only possible downside to making bullets is the time involved, it does take a serious investment in time in order to make the best ammo. Shooting is my number one passion though, so I personally do not mind the time involved. I enjoy it really, it connects me better with my hobby. Besides that, it gives me something shooting related to do when I'm not at the firing range.

      If you have the time to make your own bullets, and the passion to devote yourself to it, I encourage you to pick up reloading. It is very enjoyable and rewarding, you will see the results at the target range.