16ga.com ~ View topic - How many of you hunt with your reloads, vs. buying factory?

Joined: 17 Mar 2007 Posts: 249

I was thinking about it today, and I realized that I have only very rarely used factory ammunition for skeet, trap, sporting clays, or 5-stand. Because I’ve always found powder, shot, and primers on sale (or always used to), I always loaded ammunition more cheaply than I could buy it, generally. I also use smaller amounts of shot and have less recoil.

On the other hand, even though my shooting scores on trap, skeet, etc., are “respectable,” and I don’t remember the last defective load or squib that I loaded myself, I guess I have just never completely trusted my reloads for hunting. For hunting, I’ve always dipped into my stash of factory rounds, which have lasted for a very long time because I don’t shoot many of them hunting, as compared to shooting clay birds. Even though I can’t remember a defective load, I guess I just always ceded the ulitmate reliability factor to factory rounds. Maybe unfairly, to myself.

Now, it’s mixed with my rifles and handguns. With my rifles, I ONLY trust my reloads for deer hunting, target shooting, anything. With my pistols, I only practice with reloads, but when I’m carrying I only carry with factory ammunition. Wonder why I’m different with shotgun shells?

How many of you hunt with your reloads?

8mmFan

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3313 Location: NCWa

When hunting with a shotgun on private ground I'll use reloads. On public where Non-Tox is required I use factory just so that I don't get a lead mixed in and get in trouble with the game warden. For rifle hunting I'll use handloads because i want to use after-market bullets such as North Fork or Woodleigh, or if I'm nostalgic, Bitterroots.

Member Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 2564 Location: West MI

100% reloaded/handloaded shotshell & metalic for target and hunting. The little factory stuff I have just gathers dust on the shelf, probably should sell it.

I'm 180* off your concern, I trust my reloads over factory. More often than not the factory stuff doesn't live up to spec regarding FPS, shot size or load weight.

I'm with putz, I have a dwindling supply of useful factory hunting loads, and a burgeoning supply of non-useful (to me) loads because people keep giving me their old 16 ga loads.

I also trust my reloads over factory. I tend to take more time making sure drops are consistent and crimps are "perfect" (which means as good as I know how to do at the time, always finding little tips that help). Once in a while I'll reach for a factory box that I like, usually Boss for ducks, or Fiocchi Golden Pheasant for grouse. If I have to breakout the 12 for long range geese, that will be factory as I only load for the 16.

For rifle and slugs I use factory. I'm not reloading for big game. I usually buy as much as my budget can afford of whatever works best in whatever gun. I like Hornady SST for my .308, and for some reason the 935 likes the Remington copper slugs, which don't seem to be made right now.

Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 1072 Location: Minnesota

I shoot about 99% reloads for shotguns, rifles and handguns. Really the only factory I shoot is 410 and non toxic waterfowl. I don’t shoot either of those enough to justify getting a loader.
I have quite a few guns and most have never fired a factory load.

Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 1072 Location: Minnesota

I shoot about 99% reloads for shotguns, rifles and handguns. Really the only factory I shoot is 410 and non toxic waterfowl. I don’t shoot either of those enough to justify getting a loader.
I have quite a few guns and most have never fired a factory load.

Joined: 17 Mar 2007 Posts: 249

I think I detect the common thread above, and the difference on this end:

I think I accept a degree of “slop” for lack of a better term, in my shotgun reloading. My crimps vary a lot, no matter what press I use. Mainly that’s probably because I don’t segregate my hulls. I tend to use AA’s, but I also will throw in STS’s, Gun Clubs, etc., brass and steel, all in the same run. So the presses are generally initially set up for the AA’s, but everything goes through when it gets pulled from the hull bucket. The shotgun reloads are, for me, just practice fodder at the clays ranges, and I’m not so concerned about my scores.

But this approach doesn’t work for hunting shells. For that, I want uniformity and reliability, and so I buy factory.

Completely different approach for metallic. With rifle rounds, I’m meticulous across all steps.

Pistol is more like shotgun, above. Practice rounds are generally my own cast lead bullets. Cheap and fairly reliable. But for carry ammunition, it’s factory all the way for the same reasons.

Thanks for the input, all.

8mmFan

Joined: 21 Mar 2019 Posts: 69

Not sure I ever killed any game that wasn't a reload with metallic except .22 RF. This goes all the way back to the 70's. I've only been reloading the 16 for about 15 years or so but since then have not used much factory stuff on game except what I have had just laying around. I do not load for the 12 but only use it on turkey.

John

100% reloads.

Regards Nick

Joined: 09 Feb 2015 Posts: 961

I haven't bought factory shells for years to hunt with. All home made.

Joined: 07 Jun 2020 Posts: 266

16 ga factory most of the time, i have several thousand plus stockpiled

12 ga 2.5 in reload 100%

24 ga reload 100%

Joined: 07 Mar 2010 Posts: 525 Location: South Eastern PA

Factory most of the time.

I save my reloads for trap.

Maybe 10 -15% factory loads (mostly heavy and steel). The rest in all three gauges I reload. That includes some steel.

Maybe 10 -15% factory loads (mostly heavy and steel). The rest in all three gauges I reload. That includes some steel.

Maybe 10 -15% factory loads (mostly heavy and steel). The rest in all three gauges I reload. That includes some steel.