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

Am looking at purchasing an RPR. I know that ballistically the 6.5CM has the edge over .308 but am concerned about the availability of factory ammo in the UK, particularly as I don't intend to reload.

So can any existing 6.5CM users based in the UK shed some light on whether it is easy or not to get the factory ammo, plus what sort of prices are you paying for it?

Thanks.

Graham

Not really a problem to get hold of but works out about £1.80 a round for the Hornady 140gr

Thanks. So do RFDs typically have it in stock then?

£1.80/each is roughly what I was expecting.

Some may, mine just added it to his next order but still only took a week.

Grant

Do the right thing and learn to reload

£180/100 is over 4 times what it costs me to reload, and that's using good quality components, Viht powder, Nosler or Lapua bullets etc.

phaedra1106 wrote:Do the right thing and learn to reload

£180/100 is over 4 times what it costs me to reload, and that's using good quality components, Viht powder, Nosler or Lapua bullets etc.

And what does the price change to when you factor in the cost of all the equipment needed for reloading?

£400-£500 will easily get you set up for handloading with good kit, do a search as this has been discussed a lot on here, start with the sticky at the top of this forum about what you need to hand load.

At the extortionate price for ammunition for that calibre your kit cost will easily be recouped in a few hundred rounds.

However handloading as an exercise in economy totally misses the point of it.

You never save money by handloading but you do shoot a lot more for the £. This can also translate into becoming a better shot, depending on how you use the range time it gives.

Handloading can usually deliver greater accuracy from your rifle than factory ammunition and a better selection of components than factory rounds.

It is an enjoyable and absorbing pastime in itself that allows you to indulge your interest in guns and shooting other than on the range.

It helps you understand and appreciate your firearm and its ammunition far more, adding to the satisfaction and enjoyment of the gun owning and shooting experience.

It has its challenges and as such can give great rewards in meeting these challenges.

It is another skill to master.

G_C wrote:And what does the price change to when you factor in the cost of all the equipment needed for reloading?

For a basic 1 calibre setup very little.

A single stage press, a set of dies, case length trimmer, chamfer/de-burr tool and powder scale will do what you need, all of these will usually last several years if not a life time so the cost per loaded round becomes negligible.

Rough guide to prices,

Lee Breechlock Challenger Press 90588 - £84.50
Lee 6.5C Ultimate die set 90939 - £55.50
Lee Case Length gauge 90814 - £5.60
Lee Cutter with ball grip 90275 - £8.60
Lee case chamfer/de-burr 90109 - £3.40
Lyman/Hornady/Redding scales - £80

Rough total £238

Divide that by your first 1,000 rounds and it's £23.80 per 100. Add that to the components cost (roughly £40-£50) and it's still way over £100 per 100 cheaper to reload than £180/100 for factory

Reloading is the way to go, when I first bought a hundred rounds last year they where about £170 per hundred now there asking £190 ???? ( 140gr A-Max ) bought the Lee kit and some Foster dies, never looked back, I'm now reloading my .303 and .308 , it really is very therapeutic and a LOT cheaper, with the benefit my groups have tightened up and I have learned a heap about , well everything really , ( firearms related ).

I guess I should have anticipated some of the above responses given I posted in the reloading topic :-)

Are there any recommended books to read up on the topic, or even UK based training courses? I've zero knowledge on reloading and given it is potentially safety critical it isn't something I would want to just "have a go" at.