Reloads verses factory..reliability?

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Brianma65

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As I'm new to reloading , I was wondering what to expect from reloade ammo. I've shot 500 rnds through my XCR-L , with no failures. Should I expect the same results from my reloads?
 
If your careful use good components and follow a stict regime they should be as good or better, plus you can tailor your loads to your style of shooting..
 
I just started last summer, shot about 400 rounds of factory and 500 rounds of reloads so far in 308. No failures. I can get better results with reloads than factory, for cheaper than factory.
That said, be prepared to take apart a fair amount of your reloads instead of shooting them. I have built up ladder tests in loads, find out the first two steps are terrible, and save the rest instead of waste the material. Other times you find a great load before you get through the higher steps and have no need for the hotter load. Other time you may see pressure signs and stop early.
I guess the point I'm trying to make, get a bullet puller. You will use it.
 
I started loading my own ammo in the early 1960's. In the first couple of months, I had a couple of "Fail to fire rounds" Primer indent was normal, powder intact when they were broken down. [I can still remember the load: 180 Kling-Kor SP, 59.0 grains of surplus H4831, Alcan LR primer]

Talked to a local gunsmith/shooter/reloader about it. He asked me if I was handling the primers....which, indeed I was. He told me to avoid that.

Never had a Failure after that. Over the years, I have caught a couple of things that would have caused problems, but saw them before I assembled the loads.

One was a case without a flash hole. Several boxer primers of various makes over the years without an anvil in them.
One primer with the anvil in upside-down.

These days, I have the utmost confidence in my own loads, and expect them to out-perform factory loads in my rifles.

How many reloaded rounds I have fired in my lifetime would be hard to guess...but the number is right up there.

Regards, Dave.
 
I was having ftf until I realized I wasn't seating the primers deep enough. Shot thousands of rounds or reloads and no problems with failing to fire or any other problems.
 
I've been reloading shotgun since the mid-1950's and rifle since 1960. I have never had a problem.

On the other hand I've had squib factory loads, misfires and once found a .44 Magnum in a box of .44-40's.
 
Other than a few primer put in backwards in a few cases, I have never had any issues. Those were just plinking rounds as well and primed on the press. Anything that matters is done with hand tools and checked over more.
 
I'm using a rbcs hand held primer, it came with the kit. Every so often a primer is hard to insert , gotta give it a little extra pressure. Also the tray slides off easily. Not the best primer, I guess.
 
the ammo will be as good as the person who makes it. seeing as you are new, there will be some mistakes. after you get the hang of it, the mistakes become few and far between.. almost non existent. but you are human, and stuff happens.
 
Well I've got about a100 rnds made , 2 different projectiles,2 different powder, all done from the hornady manual, col done to speck for each rnd. And all loads from min to under max. I think I may go to the range tommorow and put them to the test.
 
I 've been reloading from the late 50's the only FTF EWRE FROM SHELLS THA T i used a INERTIA BULLET PULLER. i assumed that possibly they were caused by the anvil being displaced by the bullet puller although i nay have gotten grease on the primers . No issues in the last 2o years. I STILL BEKIEVE it was caused by the inertia bullet pullers and have since used the collet style pullers or replaced the primers when using inertia pullers, I don't yet know the cause but eliminated the variables.

Neil M
 
I rad over my post after celebrating New Years with friends an realize that I HAD A LITTLE TOO MUCH.. The gist of the message is correct but you have to be creative in replacing upper case letters with lower case. I should quit while I am only this far behind,

Neilm
 
In 40+ years of reloading i can only recall 1 ftf. Bad primer or contamination by me it's hard to say. I haven't had many factory tft either other than rimfire.
 
Years ago my reloading systen required me to hand feed all the primers and I had a few problems but with the Lee primer that disappeared. My fingers smudge up everything badley.
 
22 years on the bench and my only FTF was bad primers. My biggest screw up was reloading 7.62 x 54R brass with .308 dia bullets.
 
Well I've had to handle the primers a few times, the rbcs primer tray keeps slipping off and I've had to pick up all the primers. Hope this don't mess up the rnds I've already rolled. That would be a lot of hours down the drain.:)
 
I'm no c-fbmi, EagleEye or Why Not? (or any of the legion of experienced reloaders - I caught grief last time I posted a list of experienced people) though Ted did flatter me by describing me as a very experienced reloader, but I've never had a failure of a reloaded rifle cartridge in my life. I only attribute this to following proper loading procedures to ensure that the primers don't get contaminated and to ensure that I don't load a defective primer. If you are diligent you likely will never have a problem. Like anything, when you try to go fast you run the risk of a giant #### up...like the gal at the BPCR shoot I was at several years ago who had several rounds in her ammo box that didn't have any powder! You won't drive a 500gr bullet out to 500m with just a primer in the case...even a magnum primer!
 
BigUglyMan said:
I'm no c-fbmi, EagleEye or Why Not? (or any of the legion of experienced reloaders - I caught grief last time I posted a list of experienced people) though Ted did flatter me by describing me as a very experienced reloader, but I've never had a failure of a reloaded rifle cartridge in my life. I only attribute this to following proper loading procedures to ensure that the primers don't get contaminated and to ensure that I don't load a defective primer. If you are diligent you likely will never have a problem. Like anything, when you try to go fast you run the risk of a giant #### up...like the gal at the BPCR shoot I was at several years ago who had several rounds in her ammo box that didn't have any powder! You won't drive a 500gr bullet out to 500m with just a primer in the case...even a magnum primer!
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I'm definetly taking my time and paying close attention to the task. I was getting a good groove going with the hand primer , then she just popped right off, so I've slowed it down and now keep a closer eye on it. When it starts working it's way off , I just snug it up again.
 
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