Bullet numbers

[Gunforall]

Hello all, Let me start by saying its great reading all this knowledge on reloading, i myself have not started yet but will. Yes i am new to this art but still crave a little more info. This question is more about you than me...not yet anyway.

What are your average rounds you make in 1 sitting. Im curious in all calibers. And do you reload everyday until you have no more supplies? What is your motive for the amount when reloading ie. Going to the range, stocking up for the next natural disaster etc.

I really would like to know about this because everybody i assume goes about it differently. I guess in a way it is for me just for the idea that pro's do this much so i should.....well i think you catch my drift

 

[jack404]

G'day

I'm a smoker so do 50 or 100 then head out for a smoke ( leave my smokes outside the load room)

and can do 300-500 in a short day , i dont reload for hours on end like some but do spend a few days in a row reloading

i do primers on one day and loading another so dunno exactly how fast i am and dont worry either

it suits me to do it this way

cheers

jack

 

[Shoney]

I load enough pistol cartridges and gas gun ammo at each sitting to fill a 50 cal ammo can. At least one can per weapon.

I usually load a minimum of 100 rifle cartridges for the 06 and up, and 1000 cartridges in my 4 legged varmint rifle cartridges.

Depending on the wheel gun, anywhere from 100 to 1000, and a 50 call ammo can for some wheel gun cartridges.

I feel absolutely naked not having enough ammo, and usually like to have components for around twice the number I have loaded.

Goiong to the range??? I step out the front door to the picknick table under the maple and ash trees, to my 1000 yard range with targets with bullet traps from 15 yards on out.

 

[Gunforall]

Thanks Jack, so you do this everyday or whenever the feeling gets ya. Wondering on space issues and stuff like that. Hypothetically if you had gobs o cash how much then? Is it money that keeps one from reloading or just something as simple as time. Thanks

 

[Gunforall]

Shoney, OMG where do you reload? You must have a dedicated place not located in the house And you do all this in one day? And if so what do you store all that ammo in. I have seen the small red boxes a person can purchase, is that what you use?

 

[Qtiphky]

Not as much time

I don't seem to have as much time as some of the other posters. I will usually go in streaks. I'll do 50-200 pistol rounds one day then 20-50 rifle rounds the next day and so forth for a period of time. My attention span isn't long enough to do much more than that. It is very dangerous and stupid to be reloading when you can't focus any longer so I don't push it. I only get to shoot about every other month so I have lots loaded and waiting.

 

[Gunforall]

Qtiphky, do you also store ammo in ammo boxes or those plastic ones. Curious on what everyone puts all there ammo in. Im in the army and can get alot of those ammo boxes but seems bulky unless one does tons o reloading.

 

[mongoose33]

I haven't reloaded for a few weeks. I have about 800 rounds of .45, maybe 1000 rounds of 9mm, and about 650 rounds of .223 left.

When I get down to a level I don't like, I reload more until I get back above a level I do like. I don't store rounds loose in an ammo can or similar, I use labeled boxes. Usually that means I reload until I fill all those boxes, though I have filled properly-labeled primer boxes as "loose fill" as well. Usually that means up to about 1200 total rounds of the handgun calibers. The boxes are these:

Since it takes a certain amount of time to set up the press for a particular caliber and to get the powder drop, expander, and powder-check die all correctly calibrated, I'll want to reduce the "overhead" per round by doing enough to make it worth doing.

I'll do something like 500 at a time for the handgun calibers. Naturally, if I run out of a specific component, that'll be the end of that caliber.

Unlike others who do not reload and who may store more ammo against a time in which they cannot find more, I can make more at any time. So I don't feel compelled to make up a huge batch just to have them.

 

[Gunforall]

Mongoose33, do you make those labels? That is a noob question but i really like the labels. I apologize and wish i was able to have asked all this at the begining but all these post bring up new ideas and questions. Im deployed and want to be involved and contribute but really cant so i want to be smart when starting when i return. Thanks so much

 

[Sevens]

First tip for a newbie: Don't call 'em bullets! Loaded rounds, ammo, cartridges. This matters simply because when you are hanging out in a reloading forum with reloaders, you say "bullets" and we think "projectiles", the boxes of component (all lead or jacketed) slugs.

How much do I make in a sitting? Well, I load single stage. That means I don't have a press that does 4 or 5 operations with each handle pull. Rather, a pull of the handle on my setup does only one thing, so it's a MUCH slower process. MUCH much slower. I don't mind it, but it is what it is. As for production rates, it's not even a close race.

And I batch load ( http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3612431&postcount=2 ) so while I only make about 50-200 rounds at any one sitting, I'm typically getting all kinds of other things done and "banking" a lot of work for future withdrawal.

As for the why, and what motivates me to keep a supply, there's a couple different things. First is the perception I get when I look at my ammo shelf. When it has a half dozen boxes in each caliber, I'm typically good to go. When I get a range day and 8 boxes (across different calibers) get used up, then it just "feels" like time to replenish. I look at the ammo chest and when I see that 10mm is sitting lower than 9 and .45, then it feels like time to make some 10.

When I come in to some new bullets or new powder, then it's time to experiment with a new load. That means a short run of ammo that needs to get range tested before I "put it in to production." So I'll make 20 or 30 of them in each powder charge level and test them to find the one that works best. When I find a load I'm happy with, then it gets the green light for production. So I won't go and roll 200 of them until it is stamped with that green light.

In discussions like this, you might get a little insight in to the hobby side of reloading. There's always the economic side, there's the performance facet, but for many of us, there's a huge hobby side to it. Sometimes, you just feel like making some .45's. You may not specifically need them for an upcoming shoot, you may already have a decent supply. But maybe you have a large stock of component bullets and plenty of brass and you just feel like man-caving... the result ends up being another hundred rounds of .45 ammo!

 

[armsmaster270]

The most I ever did in one sitting was 2000 Rounds of pistol 38/357 ammo when wy wife left to visit relatives and I stayed home and got bored.

 

[Uncle Buck]

How much do I reload: As much as I can in one setting. Like someone else pointed out, If I find my attention wandering I stop.

Why do I reload: I like to shoot and at .83 cents a round, it was getting expensive to shoot (Not to mention harder to find the ammo I needed). Now I reload because I really enjoy it. In just a few months I have gone from trying to save some money by reloading to trying to find just the right load.

I shoot, and only reload, the .45 long colt, although I think I am going to start with the 30-30 shortly. I enjoy it. The biggest problem D) I have is that I find myself having to shoot more often, so that I will have more to reload.

One thing I really like about this forum is when I have a question, someone has a really good answer. Seems like they are willing to help with no problems.

 

[Doodlebugger45]

I use a single stage press. For revolver cartridges, I will typically load between 50 and 200 rounds in an evening. At least 50 because it takes some time to get things set up and adjusted to get started. Not more than 200 though because I start to lose my concentration. For rifles I might do as few as 20 in a sitting if I'm just working on different loads. I don't want to load up more than 5 of each combination until I see how they perform.

I started reloading because last winter I couldn't find a single 45 Colt cartridge for any price. As I expanded to more calibers I like the reloading just for its own sake. I don't shoot that many in a given month, mostly just target shooting. But it's nice to be able to make a low-recoil round for my 44 mag or 480 Ruger if I want to go plinking but also make something real hot if I'm going hunting. It's just entertaining to try different powders and bullets and see which one gives the best accuracy.

 

[mongoose33]

Mongoose33, do you make those labels? That is a noob question but i really like the labels. I apologize and wish i was able to have asked all this at the begining but all these post bring up new ideas and questions. Im deployed and want to be involved and contribute but really cant so i want to be smart when starting when i return. Thanks so much

The little plastic stick-on sleeves are what are used on the back of 3-ring binders.

http://www.c-lineproducts.com/product_detail.php?product_id=290 stock number 70013 (the ones for 1 to 1-1/2 inch binders.)

They come with cardstock tabs to write on and insert into the sleeves, but after a while I realized that I wanted a more systematic way of labeling my ammo, so I made up labels in WORD using the Tables option and then printed them out and cut them up. They save me screwing around w/ writing stuff I need anyway, like caliber, date line, etc.

 

[Farmland]

I had to think a little about this and I was amazed at what I do reload. For my handguns I load twice a week and at each sitting I load 500 rounds on a Dillon 650 progressive. I load 500 40 S&W and 500 45 ACP.

Now about about once a month I will load around 500 rounds of 9mm and 380 each. I reload the 38 special and 357 less often, so I probably only load those calibers twice a year at around 500 round each.

With the progressive it is a fast process though I tend to go slower than the videos you see. My comfortable rate is around 250 an hour. Since I don't need to do any additional steps after cleaning it flows pretty smooth and fast.

I load about 100 rounds at a time on a Lee Single Stage press for my 25-06. This would be every month to month and a half during ground hog hunting. Load for the 25-06 is not a record breaker time wise. I clean the brass and then resize and deprime at one sitting. Then the next time I will trim the brass, debur etc. The yet at another time I will prime all the brass. Then when I am in the mood I will finish them by throwing the powder then seat and crimp. I would bet at my pace it takes me about four hours to load 100 rounds of the 25-06. However as you noticed I do them in steps and I take my time.

This brings me to the 44 mag which I load on the same Lee press. I just started to reload for my 44 so at the present I just loaded 100 at one setting. I suspect I will only load 100 every other month. So far the routine follows the 25-06.

I have ample supplies of load rounds for all handgun ammunition. I would say well over 1,500 per caliber. I don't keep that much 25-06 loaded. I will reload when i get down to around 20 rounds.

All of my other calibers I currently do not reload, 35-06, 35 Rem, 223, 45-70 and of course the 22. I do not reload for the 12 gauge and 16 gauge shot guns either. I have about 1,00 rounds for the 223 and only about 100 for the other larger calibers. I have a ton of 22 rounds and a few boxes of different loads for the shotguns.

All of my handguns I target shoot and of course competition. The 223 is one of those just wanted AR type semi's. The hunting rifle have less rounds on hand because they are used for hunting and limited practice. The 25-06 gets a work out all summer long.

I keep well over 10,000 handgun primers in stock with ample powder and bullets. I try to keep around 1,000 large rifle primers in stock but it may fall as low as a couple of hundred at times.

If I didn't target shoot I doubt I would have gotten into reloading. I know if I didn't ground hog hunt I would never reload any of the long guns. However at $50 a box for 85gr Nosler rounds it pays to reload for this gun. I go through 300 round a year.

So as you can see I reload different amounts in different ways that fit my personal needs. I will note that all rounds used for personal protection are factory loads.

 

[Scorch]

I have a progressive press, so I can sit down and easily load 200 rounds per hour, typically about 250 per hour. Given that I am essentially lazy, I usually load as many rounds as I will need for my range trip. That usually means about 60-100 rifle rounds, or 100-150 pistol rounds. So for an easy number, let's just say I load 100 rounds at a time, and that it takes about 1/2 hour.

 

[ZeSpectre]

I have found that I enjoy tinkering in my workshop for about 30 minutes after I come home from work. It gives me a chance to "switch" from whatever was going on at work to my home life.

"tinkering" often involves some stage of reloading be it sorting brass or prep work or actual loading. Since I have a single stage press I'm pretty slow but I probably crank out 200-400 rounds in a week when I get rolling. Sometimes I do a lot more than that on a weekend.

My goal is to try and keep 1k of loaded ammo on hand for each pistol caliber I own, and 500 rounds of each rifle caliber I own. I usually stay well within that.

 

[Shoney]

No I do not do that all in a day. I load for 1 or 2 cartridges maybe 3 times per week in the winter and 1-2 times per week in the summer, depending on need.

A progressive press makes a lot of difference, and although I could turn out 500 per hour, not including time to fill primer tubes, and lay out bullets and cases, I go at a leisure pace of 200-250/hr.

 

[NWPilgrim]

I reload when I get below a set stocking level. I generally like to have about 1,000 loaded rounds, minimum per cartridge. That means I have plenty on hand for a few range sessions or the unexpected zombie attack.

I will reload a batch to replenish stocks after a large shooting session (family shootfest) or a couple of shorter sessions (200-400 cases per cartridge). Just last month I reloaded about 250 9mm, 500 .40, 500 .223, and a few test cases for .44 and .30-06.

With a turret press I can load 100 cases, take a break or come back the next day and do another 50, then a while later do another 100 or so. With a single stage I would want to settle in for a long session to load 100-200 in a complete batch. With the turret I get a completed cartridge each cycle so I can quit and come back at any point.

The batch size is mainly driven by doing enough to make it worthwhile to run through all my loading checks to verify the setup hasn't changed. OAL, powder weight, crimp, and final case outside diameter. For me that is at least 50 cases per batch minimum.

 

[Gunforall]

Thanks to all

Thank you all for giving so mush info. So what i gather is do what suits me best. And if my mind wanders its time to stop. The labels that Mongoose does is very inventive and i like the idea alot. And also Seven correcting my lingo on bullets and reloads.

All said i do have one question left for anyone that will answer. I noticed that most do certain things like sizing and priming, then coming back at a later time to do the rest. When you come back to your press to finish do you have to re adjust your dies? Or a better question how long can you leave it before you must re-adjust the dies. Being a former machinist i know tolerances change due to temp and things like that. So is a press the Same