Opinions on my Load Development

Its threads like this that should be used as an example when someone new to reloading asks that magic question "will I save money by reloading? "

LOL I have recently learned how fun reloading is, as is load developing, but if you calculate how much it cost you to develop a load, you quickly realize its less expensive to shoot commercial ammo.......... but hardly as fun:D
 
heavyBullet said:
... but if you calculate how much it cost you to develop a load, you quickly realize its less expensive to shoot commercial ammo.......... but hardly as fun:D
Click to expand...
Maybe for common/cheap calibers... the .221 FireBall is $32 for 20 factory rounds.

250, 36 grain Barnes Varmint Grenades are $70,
+ 1 lb of Li'l Gun is $30, (enough to load about 400 rounds)
+ 1000 Federal Small Rifle Match primers are about $45.

So the first 250 reloads (let's just say I burn all 250 looking for a good load) cost me the equivalent of about 4.5 boxes of factory ammo, plus I still have enough powder to load another 150 rounds and enough primers for another 750 rounds, all already paid for, so the next 150 rounds (7.5 boxes of ammo) of the load that I so painstakingly developed cost me all of $60 (the price of 200 more bullets).

Nope.. for all but the least expensive ammo, reloading lets you shoot more for the same money.
 
I look for the least amount of vertical dispersion, as opposed to the tightest group. To my eye, all those loads gave about the same amount of vertical, so I'm not sure where you go with this. However, I'd suggest you do your testing at a minimum of 200yds, and preferably 300. What your load does at 100 isn't necessarily what it'll do further downrange. Maybe testing at greater distances will show you the best load.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom