The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Hi guys

Just wondering how you lot load your ammo.

I've worked up a nice load that I'm happy with for next year.

My plan is to use the colder wetter months to sit at the bench and load close to 1000 rounds, so I can spend the nice days shooting and not have to worry about bullet.

Is there any problems doing this or am I better to load them in batches of 50 as I go.

Some advise would be great

So long as you have 1000 to hold on your FAC...

First point- hopefully you have permission on your FAC to store the amount of ammunition you plan to load.

Second- are you totally sure you have a load which cannot be bettered? Many times in my reloading career, stretching back 20 years, I have bulk-loaded based on a good load, only to discover a better one later on; one is then faced with the task of shooting up all the suddenly "2nd-class" stuff.

But I understand where you are coming from--it is nice to open a well-stocked ammo cabinet, and know one has plenty in there to shoot, without having to worry about scrabbling for components, or finding time to reload the day before an important shoot.

David.

I load in batches of up to 500 at a time. Loading 1000 in a day is very hard to do. I have access to three RCBS chargemasters on the one bench and it still takes 12-14 hours to load 1000 rounds, that is just weighing powder and seating bullets. I spend about a week to prep 1000 cases (sizing,trimming, tumbling and seating primers) ready to load powder and seat bullets.

Do what ever you feel right is for you.

paxtond wrote:My plan is to use the colder wetter months to sit at the bench and load close to 1000 rounds, so I can spend the nice days shooting and not have to worry about bullet.

I've invested heavily in kit to bulk prepare, process and load, since I no longer have time to spend one or two days a week loading. I can size & trim at about 700/hour, (taking it fairly easy), and load with *very* precisely weighed charges at about 200/hour (250 peak). I still limit batch sizes to about 250 at the moment, mainly because I don't want to be stuck with something I've subsequently improved on, or later found a problem with or cast doubt on (like the '2nd rate' mentioned previously). Perversely, having the capability to make large amounts of ammo quickly means I don't have to. The other big drawback of making large batches is…you then won't have any loading to do! When I get home for the weekend my reloading room is where I want to spend some time doing therapeutic stuff (when I'm not on the range). Also, sustaining the very high concentration required to assemble & perform QA for longer than a couple of hours is hard. Apparently, though, my techniques are not suitable to produce high quality accurate ammo, so I have to make do with results like 14mm groups at 300m, but hey, I'm a sling shooter – 1/6 MOA is kind of good enough.

..

If you are loading for precision/target, don't initially seat all of the bullets to your required seating depth-leave them long and seat to your preferred OAL just before you need them. Bullets that have been loaded for a while tend to stick to the neck a bit.

I am happy with my load although I might play with seating depth a little more.

I prep all my brass as I shoot it, so will only need to add power and seat a bullet.

I have the ability to hold the 1000 rounds, so no problems there.

Rifle or pistol ammunition?
I am curious that you have 1000 once fired cases through your rifle?
How many rounds are you expecting to get from your barrel?
I started something similar using 600 cases, then realised that it was going to take me a year to fire all my new cases and get them fire formed (I know some fire form without using projectiles).
I have halfed that number now and work with 300 cases at most. That gives me enough for a practice session and a competition.

With the cost of components always rising, you could save doing it your way,

DM

I've got 700 once fired lapua .308 cases, will buy some more.

I shoot at bisley on a fairly regular basis and just want to be able to stock up on ammo to avoid last min dash to load some ammo

We rotate our cases with maybe 200-300 cases for a rifle so in theory there will never be more than 300 loaded rounds for one rifle and it is often significantly less than this apart from 7,62x51/.308 where I feel quite comfortable when I know there are a few thousand sitting in the safe.