Factory vs Reloads

Tis a very good question mate! personally yes! factory loads are ok depending on make!! but if i am shooting i for sure want to know the round is going bang on where i am aiming! also depends how much you shoot, this is a 200 yd zero in home loads x bolt 243, pulled the 5th shot, all depends on what you want.

cheets stu.
243%20load.jpg
 
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Not with that box you don't, but can you rely on buying a box performing like that every time? Very unlikely.
What if you can't get the same make ammo? Re-zero & hope the group isn't too bad?
It's a good group though.
 
do you need to reload? maybe not but

the better question is:

how much money will you save if you reload? I reload SST's in 308 for about 75p each so after 100 shots I'm saving £80 compared to shop prices
 
Shoot it at 200 & 300 then ask the same question!
But at the end of the day if your happy with that group then it matters not.
You haven't said what rifle,what scope,if that was the best my custom rifle could achieve then I would be dissapointed.

As Deeangeo has mentioned you cannot rely on factory to give you consistency.

regards
Now
 
Thanks - interesting comments and all valid, particularly wih regard to the many potential benfits reload vs. accuracy/consistency/cost. I'm going to do a reloading course at our local rifle club (hopefully) soon, I feel I may get sucked in....
 
Shoot it at 200 & 300 then ask the same question!
But at the end of the day if your happy with that group then it matters not.
You haven't said what rifle,what scope,if that was the best my custom rifle could achieve then I would be dissapointed.

As Deeangeo has mentioned you cannot rely on factory to give you consistency.

regards
Now

Sako 85 Varmint stainless laminated unmodified in .243, Swarovski Z6i gen2 2,5-25x56 BT SR, Apel mounts, Atec Maxim moderator. Shooting with standard trigger pull (it has the set-trigger but didn't use it yesterday), slight cross-wind, on Harris bipod using Sako expanding 100gr factory loads.
 
Dont kid yourself that you will save money!! When you start reloading you will but the gear, then more gear (it gets you that way). You will fire tens if not hundreds of rounds developing loads, then redeveloping them, then improving them. You will then find you cant get the same bullets/powder etc so develop and alternate. Finally you will shoot more bullets as you believe they are cheaper so why not!!! I shoot in excess of 1000 rounds of CF per year and although I am sure they are cheaper each I would have only fired a few hundred prior to reloading. To me the real benefit is I get to fire all those extra rounds.

For stalking the extra accuracy at 200-300 SHOULD be largely irrelevant. Shooting deer is far more about finding them and getting the shot off than it is about sub MOA placement.

Reloading is a seperate hobby decide wether you want to on its own merits.

( bit like owning a landrover, you tell yourself its to drive it whereas really its cos you are a closet mechanic s you'll spend as much time tinkering as you ever will driving it)

:stir: :stir: :gheyfight:
 
Not with that box you don't, but can you rely on buying a box performing like that every time? Very unlikely.
What if you can't get the same make ammo? Re-zero & hope the group isn't too bad?
It's a good group though.
I agree, Initially I was put off because of time commitments but having had some inconsistent results due to the variable quality of factory ammunition I now find reloading to be a rewarding hobby . I am not entirely sure whether I have saved any money, although there are big savings to be made on component costs these must be offset against the initial outlay on equipment. The greatest benefit that I have found is that I can make up rounds specific to my own rifle and shooting activities. atb Tim
 
I've got to be honest, in terms of reloading I produce a load right in the middle of the loading data with a bullet of ideal weight that a safe bet for optimum performance in my rifles. I've never bothered with batch testing but zero a couple on paper now and again to check and I've shot a hell of a lot of stuff. Loading kits direct from lee precision in the US are great value for money.

An average reload groups within the inch on a carefully placed shot which is much better than it needs to be for deer but how well do you want to shoot paper?

If your a deer stalker a fraction of an inch performance on paper will not make a bit of difference in the real world of hunting when variable range, position, eye placement, swirling winds etc and nerves are at play.

If you are a target shooter now that's different.
 
I agree, Initially I was put off because of time commitments but having had some inconsistent results due to the variable quality of factory ammunition I now find reloading to be a rewarding hobby . I am not entirely sure whether I have saved any money, although there are big savings to be made on component costs these must be offset against the initial outlay on equipment. The greatest benefit that I have found is that I can make up rounds specific to my own rifle and shooting activities. atb Tim

It largely depends upon your individual circumstances, both need and financial.
You have an excellent tool capable of one-hole grouping with the right bullets.
If you only intend to shoot the odd Deer now and again re-loading may not be the path for you to follow and it would probably better to buy in a lot of the batch which shoots well with your rifle. Your grouping is very good with that ammo and a few clicks on the scope would move the group into the centre.
I have re-loaded for over 60 years now and grassed vast numbers of Deer and Vermin species.
My equipment has been upgraded over the years and I re-load for a few friends too.
Different batches of powder and primers also vary from one batch to another but minor tweaking of the load compensates for this.
If you intend to shoot lots of bullets in the future then follow the re-loading path as it will save you money, also it is nice to win competitions with your own product and cleanly kill your victims at sensible sporting distances.
HWH.
[One of my better groups below ! Sako HB .243 Varminter.]
68grBerger002.jpg
 
Nothing wrong with that. Reloading would give you better groups. And more important more consistent groups.

Trouble with factory ammo is different batches of the same brand change poi a fair bit.

I found that out with some cheap privi ammo. Where norma ammo tho dear is fairly consistent for factory ammo. As you would expect for the price of it.

When you 1st get into reloading you get hung up on groups. I did but in the end settled on a load when I found it accurate and consistent enough. After all how accurate has it got to be for normal deer and foxing ranges?

Its all very well putting 5 shots into a little hole but out in the field its the 1st one that counts;)
If your into long-range targets and vermin shooting then of course the tighter the groups the better to get consistent accuracy at range

My motto is if the rifle and you are doing the biz out in the field why change anything?
 
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Who are we if we do not want to improve our skills!
Shooting one hole groups @100yds as has already been pointed out does not matter when it comes to stalking in field conditions at close range, but what it does do, is give you confidence in your equipment, and that confidence will improve your shooting.
 
Virbius

Excellent choices on rifle, mod & scope.

For field shooting and most target work - ie odd session at local club you are well 'within the zone'. For 99.9% of sensible stalking needs double or triple that group isn't ever going to present an issue. It is arguable that groups below circa 1" for a hunting rifle only realistically have one ( albeit important ) benefit - CONFIDENCE.

The C word is a huge part of the shooting system. It comes across that you have it in that rifle - sleep soundly!

The reloading v factory debate is as valid and as 'essential' part of the talking stalking side of things as anything else. But in that sentence, emphasis should be placed on the talking bit. :D

For most stalkers, the economics of the debate do not really come into it to any great extent. By the time you get set up, test loads etc you have the investment that would have purchased a good few years worth of ammo.

Consistency and supply? Being a tiny market in a big world means you can hit just as many issues trying to source primers etc as you would factory ammo at times. With ammo like Sako, the chances of a batch change affecting performance to a noticeable extent are pretty low. If its a real worry then talk to your supplier - we are RFDs and will happily do a quote for same batch ammo in quantity, holding it for you and releasing onto your ticket as needs and permissible quantities require. Most good RFDs will do the same.

So ditch reloading? By no means. It is a great way to tailor a load to your needs/ rifle. As has been said there is a great feeling in taking quarry with a set up that you made. And most importantly it is a great hobby in its own right.

But for me the best reason for reloading is - just 'cos I want to.
 
I'm fortunate to have an excellent local rifle club with access to full-bore ranges out to 600m, so I can practice and also check zero against different ammunition makes or batches depending on availability. One of the reasons for opting for the heavy barrel .243 - excellent for stalking (even if a bit heavier) but also won't heat the barrel up as much at the range as my lighter Sako Hunter in .308.
Being relatively new to rifle shooting, my rifle/scope/ammunition set-ups are all much more accurate than me at the moment - as we all know technique is just as important and practice makes perfect!
I'm a hunting Rifle more than a target shooter, but am certainly still tempted by reloading - for pretty much all the reasons stated above!
David
 
How much do you shoot?
If it's only 20 rounds a year then reloading probably isn't for you.
Reloading is not cheaper unless you shoot an awful lot; by the time you've got the kit, books, consumables and developed working loads you'll have spent enough to cover a few hundred factory rounds.
 
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