Ammo Reloading

With the current climate of the shooting industry, ammunition has become scarce. It is getting tougher and tougher to find cheap ammunition for a day at the range. With the demand being so high and the supply being so low, it can be easily ascertained that the price of what little ammunition is left would be extremely high. With that thought, I came to the conclusion that self-reliance and self-sufficiency is the route that I need to take.

So what does it take to make my own ammunition? After a little research, I was surprised to find that it doesn’t take much at all. Let’s look at an average 9mm pistol round. It consists of a bullet, a brass casing, powder and primer. That’s it! What! You think I’m kidding, but I’m not. Any manufactured bullet consists of only four components, a bullet, a case, primer and powder, regardless of whether or not it is pistol or rifle. So why aren’t we all reloading? Ah!

Some misconceptions that I’ve been told over and over again not to purchase reloaded ammunition because it has a potential to explode in my face or that the quality is not as good as factory ammunition. Both of these assumptions are not correct in its entirety.

Purchasing reloaded ammunition from an unlicensed reloader will pose more of a risk than one from a Federal Firearms Licensed (FFL) ammunition manufacturer. A certified ammunition manufacturer must follow strict guidelines in their  303 British ammo manufacturing process, testing, as well as carrying insurance. Do I need an FFL to make my own ammo? No. As an individual, you do not need an FFL to manufacture your own ammunition, so long as you do not intend to sell it.

Making your own ammunition is often times more accurate than ammunition bought behind the counter. By manufacturing your own, you can fine-tune your ammunition to your firearm for accuracy. Another benefit for manufacturing your own ammunition is cost. You can tailor the cost of your components to your budget. Often times, reloaded ammo is half the cost of ammunition bought at your local store.

So now that you’ve decided to reload your own ammunition, what does it take to reload? You would need a reloading press, reloading dies specific to the caliber that you are loading, and a good reloading book. A good reloading book will walk you through the process of reloading, as well as the maximums and minimums in the amount of powder to use and seating depth.