Do you still buy factory ammo?

[USARO4]

How much factory ammo do you serious casters still buy, and what are your reasons? Probably 99% of the ammo I shoot now days is my own reloads made with the bullets I cast. I still buy rimfire of course but the only factory ammo I buy is for my family's carry guns and an occasional box of factory to test against my reloads. I have quite a stockpile of factory ammo on hand but most boxes have only a few rounds shot out of them. When friends come over to shoot they will bring factory ammo but end up shooting my reloads and leave the factory stuff with me. I just stockpile it for the future, who knows what the next administration will do, especially if Hildabeast is elected.

[AZ-Stew]

I occasionally buy factory ammo for carry, and occasionallly buy cheap center fire factory handgun ammo on sale for some cheap shooting when I'm feeling too lazy to handload and to have the brass afterward. We don't get a vote on the rimfire stuff.

I'm waiting for the white horse with Fred Thompson on top.

Regards,

Stew

P.S. Shoulda mentiond that I handload a LOT for everything else. Handgun, rifle and shotgun.

[versifier]

I just buy rimfire. Everything else I load myself. On occasion I am given some to evaluate in specific rifles or handguns, but not often. I used to buy factory for carry ammo, but I have decent HP moulds for all my carry guns now, so I no longer have any need for it.

[TedH]

22 rimfire and occasionally some turkey shotgun shells. Even with a new rifle in a new caliber I start off with new empty brass and roll my own.

[9.3X62AL]

Not a lot of factory ammo here. Carry ammo for the war toys, 3" Magnum shotshells for turkeys, and most new guns get 50-100 rounds of factory ammo for their shakedown cruise--Winchester white box brass reloads right well.

[imashooter2]

Steel cased Russian blasting fodder for the AR, 7.62X39, 8X57, 9mm and .380.

It's too much trouble to load quantity .223 just to heat the barrel on a single stage press. I load some precision stuff for the target rifle though. I bought the SKS back when steel core Chinese was dirt cheap with the express purpose of having a blaster I wouldn't reload for. Stuck to that so far, even though ammo cost is through the roof. I really don't shoot it all that much anymore. I'd rather shoot cast in my Marlins. The G33/40 gets nothing but surplus with the current pricing. I don't shoot it a lot either. My only 9 is a compact carry piece. I don't subscribe to Ayoob's liability drivel, but I still only use factory ammo for carry. .380 is pretty much in the same boat as 9.

[BruceB]

The only factory loads I buy, handgun or rifle, are those for concealed-carry use. I generally fire the rounds I've carried about every six months, and reload the
guns with freshly-purchased ammo. I carry autoloaders for in-town concealment, but my "suburban" carrying usually involves open-carry revolvers and cast-bullet handloads.

All practice with the carry guns is done with cast handloads of similar performance to the commercial stuff. At $15 or more for twenty rounds, it would cost a LOT to do extensive shooting with the top-notch commercial loads (Cor-Bon 9mm, Federal 230HP .45ACP).

In spite of considerable recent exercising of my .45s, I still have at least 4500 loaded rounds with cast 230RN on hand....better get to work!!!

[SharpsShooter]

Factory ammo only for the CCW. The rest get cast and reloads...


SS

[TaylorTN]

I am just starting casting....

I buy factory ammo in a few cases....on clearance at WalMart. (7 boxes of 3" turkey loads at $3.50, 9 boxes 22 Hornet for $10, etc) I buy 3" steel for ducks and a flat of 28 ga and .410 every other year for the hulls. I have a stockpile of ammo for my .40 to carry but buy .38s for dad and my S&W 36 I hope to buy soon

I guess I'm pretty self sufficient.

[Shepherd2]

I buy factory ammo for CCW and the "house guns". The only other time I buy factory ammo is when I acquire a new firearm in a cartridge I don't reload for, yet. When I get a new gun I like to try it out before I invest in dies and components. If it passes muster, and some don't, I order the reloading goodies and I already have some once fired cases on hand.

[Murphy]

Rarely do I buy factory ammo. Like most of the above who carry (CCW), I do keep factory ammunition for those. It should be several years before I have to buy any for my CCW's.

When I do look at the price of factory ammunition on occasions, I get STICKER SHOCK!!! It doesn't take long to figure out even with the rising prices of alloy and reloading supplies, that we are still way ahead of the rest of those who don't cast & reload their own.

Murphy

[lurch]

I, like a lot of others apparently, keep factory rounds in my pistols that might get called upon in dire times. For everything else it's reloads. I do have a large stock of bulk J bullets that I acquired some years ago that I load, but mostly now it's all cast. Seems to be a bit of a theme developing....

[mooman76]

I do occationally. Usually when I get a new caliber because I want to try my gun out soon and don't want to wait for the dies and everything plus I need the brass to load.
Sometimes also because it is more cost effective or because I don't have the time I need to reload before I want to go shoot. 8mm and that Russian 7.62 x 54 is still cheaper to buy surplus that to load and I haven't gotten the reload stuff for the Russian yet. And I do like to have factory for home protections and carry guns.

[Obsolete]

The only factory stuff I buy is rimfire and shotgun ammo.I'm just now getting started into casting but have been reloading since circa 1966 or so..... But have never reloaded any shotgun ammo.... Other than that everything else is reloaded.

[J Miller]

Occasionally. I buy factory for my home defence guns, and occasionally to try a new brand. I also keep a couple boxes of factory sitting around in the various calibers I shoot.
But, even though I'm not casting my own bullets right now, I still shoot 99.5% cast out of my handguns. My rifle caliber long guns still get jacketed bullets.

Joe

[Jim]

I've seen quite a few mention that they buy factory for their concealeds. I carry a 4.5" Ruger Vaquero and feed it 255 gr. round nose flap points. I figger if I can't stop or at least slow down an assailant with that, he must be armor plated. Neither do I believe I need a handful of rounds to do it. Either I'm gonna get off the first shot or I ain't. If I do get off the first round, 255 grains of hard cast at a little over a K of M/V oughta' get some kinda' results.
TO ANSWER THE ORIGINAL QUESTION, it's been years since I bought any factory.

[Glen]

Other than 22 ammo, only very rarely. Most everything I shoot are my cast bullet reloads. I will occassionally buy factory ammo if that's the only way I can get brass for a given cartridge.

[IcerUSA]

Bout the same as the others, jword for the 7mm Rem Mag and the 22-250, did buy a box for the Marlin when I got it, all 3 of the peestols get cast now, but do have some jword bullits for them, Home Defence is handled by a 12ga that I reload with no. 6 shot, still working on getting a reload press for the 410 for hunting . Other than that I have to buy all the rounds for the 17HMR. So most on my stuff is reloaded by me WOOT

[river-rider]

The only factory loads I buy, handgun are those for concealed-carry use. Also rimfire ammo for the grandkids.

[corvette8n]

I probably shoot 100 reloads to 20 factory except .223 havent started
to re-load for that yet but have about 300 pieces of brass accumulated.

[nighthunter]

I can not recall the last factory loaded ammo I have purchased other than rim fire. I do reload jacketed bullets for quite a few calibers. The majority of my shooting is cast bullets. To be a serious caster does not mean that one needs to totaly shun jacketed bullets. Some folks act like jacketed bullets are an instant no-no if they want to be considered as a caster. But factory loaded ammo is not often purchased by me.

[MT Gianni]

22 rimfire and I bought 3 boxes of ww 22-250 this fall. Local price for brass was $33.50 @100 and white box ww was $19.95 for 40 at wally world so I bought some for the brass. Gianni.

[DLCTEX]

I buy 22 rimfire and upland loads for shotgun. I cast and load buckshot and slugs. I did buy some factory 222 when I bought a rifle a couple years ago as I didn't have dies or brass at the time, but I now reload all my ammo for all my rifles and pistols and cast for most of them. I reload for my concealed carry but all carry rounds are checked for function. I have never had one of my carry rounds fail to feed or fire, I have had both problems with factory rounds. I don't understand why most are willing to trust factory rounds that are loaded by machines in great numbers rather than carefully assembled, tested and proven handloads. There is no way factory rounds are loaded, inspected, tested,and proven with the care I give my carry rounds. Dale

[Char-Gar]

I buy 22 rimfires when they are on sale and stock up. I also keep a few boxes of shotgun shells around and I will buy a box of factory ammo for my social pistols every years or two. Other than that, it is all handloads.

[NVcurmudgeon]

I buy lots of .22 LR, a very few shotgun shells, and pistol ammo "for social purposes" as Col. Charles Askins, Jr. once wrote. Carry pistol practice ammo is handloads with cast boolits. All centerfire rifle cartridges, jacketed or cast, are handloaded.

[jerrold]

Found this to be a interesting thread. Rim fire excepted , I can't remember when I bought the last "factory' loaded. Probably in the 1960's. :drinks: I cast for a 45 Sharps only and shoot jacketed in several rifles.:drinks:
life is short
jerrold

[pumpguy]

Bought a box of factory 30-30s for a couple of bucks when I bought my last gu n at the pawn shop. Bought some 38 specials for 3 bucks a box on a Wal Mart close out about a year ago. Other than that, it is all my reloads. I do not buy factory rounds, but, I do buy Hornady j words for the 22-250.

[Sundogg1911]

I have factory in all of my Carry guns. I read an article of a Guy that had to use His handgun to defend Himself. He ended up in court and was sued by the carjacker that stabbed Him. He lost the case and ended up in jail because He carried handloads, and the attorney wanted to know why factory ammo wasnt good enough and why He need this "Special" hand made ammo to harm the poor innocent car jacker. Now it's good +P "factory" hollowpoints! other than that 90% of my ammo is hand load hand cast. I will buy bulk ammo if I get a great price. It Gives me some nice once fired brass 8-)
also all of my Rimmies are factory (17 HMR, 22 LR, and 22 Shorts)
:castmine:

[Driller640]

When ever I get a new toy/cal I always pick up a couple of boxs of factory cause I may not have brass/ dies/ moulds/ etc. Also spare time is short for reloading/ casting about 10 months of the year for me, eh. Work seems to get in the way all to often, eh!

[USARO4]

There's definately a trend going on here. The majority of use factory in our carry/ home defense guns. I guess Ayoob has had his influence on us. If I had to shoot some human cockroach in self defense I would want to keep the legal issues to a minimum. If you shoot anything other than the calibers de jour(9mm, 40sw, 45acp, 30-30, 30.06, etc) you're going pay through the nose. May the silver stream eternally flow.

[threett1]

Rimfires and shotshells only. Have some factory somebody gave me, now I have to buy a gun to shoot them in.

[Bob B]

I purchased two boxes of 30-40 krag cartridges in 1976 for my new Ruger # 3 as I bought it cheaper than new un primed brass,about this time I purchased 5 cartridgesto use in my 218 Bee.I have shot both between 30 and 35 thouand times.I never purchased a cartridge for my 308 or 243 the rifles I use the most. I do buy a lot of 22 rimfire amnmo.Bob B

[nighthunter]

Sundogg ... maybe that guys aim needed to be a little better. The bad guy can't sue if he ain't around anymore.
Nighthunter

[C A Plater]

I'll buy some if I have to or if I'm to lazy to reload. 7-30 Waters brass is scarce to non-existent and while not hard to form, I do want some head stamped for the round. The last rifle ammo I bought was 7.5 Swiss because Wolf(Privi) loaded was cheaper than Norma empty brass and no other was available at the time. I don't bother to reload 9mm as it is cheaper than .22 magnum so I use the time to load something else.

[tom barthel]

It's been years since I bought ammo. I do buy powder, primers, and lube. Does that count?

[DLCTEX]

That prosecutor would have a short political career in my area of Texas, and probably anywhere in Texas. The jury would want to know why I didn't use more gun or reload and shoot him again. We encourage this kind of unjust prosecution when we don't rise up in mass and protest, vote the idiots out, and fight for right. When we keep quiet and do nothing, then wrong becomes right. We should Zumbo every wrong headed charge. It would not be hard to prove my reloads are less potent than some factory loads available. Just my dos centavos DALE

[osage]

Other then 22rf the last factory ammo was 45acp required for a CCW class. Generally I only buy factory in order to obtain non berdan brass for military surplus or other new to me weapons.

[RANGER RICK]

It has been years since I bought loaded rounds although I did buy about 500 338 bullets to reload .
That is the only firearm I have that I do not cast for .

RR

[leftiye]

Sounds like "do you still beat your wife"

[Ricochet]

I bought some Prvi Partizan 7.5x55 Swiss 174 grain SP a while back, because it cost about the same as what I could buy Graf's cases and load it for with cast boolits at a minimum, and Graf's didn't have cases in stock. That's mighty good ammo, BTW.

[Old Ironsights]

As per Legal Begals: Factory for Social.

The rest: I never buy bare brass. When I need brass, I buy Factory Loads to plink with.

Then I clean 'em & load 'em.