Any companies sell handloads?
I don't have handloading equipment or access to it so I was wondering if there are any companies that sell handloads? I imagine if there are it isn't cheap but I thought it would be worth looking into. Thanks
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Actually, there are many! Now by handloads, I'm assuming that you mean "reloads". Not getting picky here--just trying to make certain that I answer your question "on the nose." Handload, to me, indicates cartridges reloaded by hand one at a time. Reloads are cartridges which, while they may be handloads, can also be machine reloaded. In the latter case, there are many. Almost any town large enough to be called a small city will have an enterprising fellow reloading ammuntion on his Dillon Press for the local Police Dept.'s target practice. On a larger, national scale, there are outfits like Master Cartidge Co., 3-D, Black Hills, etc., etc., that offer a wide range of duplicate loadings in both new and reloaded cases. Inquire at your local dealer. 0 -
Miller, If you find someone who will "sell you some handloads," the question will be: How much confidence will you have in them?
Remember: a round of ammo is a "controlled bomb" that will detonate a few inches in front of your nose...and right on top of your hand. A mistake in a powder charge could rearrange your face, eliminate a few fingers, ruin a $600 gun...a whole lot of unthinkable things.
Try to gather a mental picture of the garage reloading setup: high school kid hired at $6/hour dropping powder charges as he chats on the phone with his sweetie. Or the old guy with a 12-pak of empties sitting on the reloading bench, watching the ball game on TV as he seats bullets.
Get the picture?
The point is: When it comes to buying ammo, low price is not always best.
My humble 2.5-cents worth,
Rafter-S0 -
There are a lot of re-manufacturers out there which is a whole lot different from Bubba Joe Handloader. Hornady (3D brand.. can't remember whether red or blue now), Atlanta Arms and Ammo, Georgia Ammunition, Maine Cartridge, etc., etc. all make 'factory' reloads that are cheaper than 'new' ammo and I have had no problems shooting the Atl Arms, Georgia or 3D out of my guns other than the fact that some are considerably dirtier.
AN ARMED SOCIETY IS A POLITE SOCIETY0 -
I agree with you punchie. There are some good remanufacturers. But for every good one, there are 50 bubba's out there trying to make an extra buck in their spare time.
My intent with the horror post above it to get the newer guys to think before purchasing their ammo. Most don't understand the criticalness of how it should be manufactured.
Respectfully,
Rafter-S0 -
It would be a lot easier for us to help you, If you would tell us what specific type/caliber of ammo your interested in. 
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My handload horror story:
I bought myself some cheap 240 gr SWC reloads at the gun show to shoot in my newly acquired Super Blackhawk. The cases stuck badly in the cylinder. I went back to the guy, and he assured me that 11 grains of GeenDot was the correct maximum load for 44 mag. This is true for jacketed bullets and apparently this guy didn't understand the difference in pressure between JPH and SWC. He was selling ammo to the public ! ! The guy quoted me the loading data, but his information was incomplete. This is exactly the reason I don't personally reload. I would love to save the money, Lord knows I'm cheap enough, but it requires such attention to detail that I don't trust myself.
I trade my brass in for live ammo with Scroggins Reloading in Martinsville. I've never had a bad round from them.
Semper Fi
Remember Ruby Ridge.
Experience is the best teacher and usually charges accordingly.0 -
What you are looking for is called re-manufactured ammunition as mentioned By Punchie. There are numberous manufactueres out there.
Black Hills Brand remanufactures rifle ammo, 3-D brand is generally pistol. Check with some of the mail order shops such as Cabella's or Midway USA.
I am a reloader and reload only for myself. There is a reason for this, If someone happens to use some of my reloads (not there there is anything wrong with them) and say for instance they have something go wrong, I could be held liable. whether it was the gun or the ammo it makes no differance.
Re-manufactured ammunition is loaded to factory specifications.
If you ain't got a sense of humor you got no business bein here!0 -
Rafter-S,
I appreciate the input but I wasn't looking for cheaper ammo infact I was expecting to pay more. I was just curious for if for those of us who don't reload if there was a way to get lets say, Barnes bullets or something like that loaded. I had heard of a couple of companies but just wanted to see if there were others out there.
I was curious because I own a 300 wsm and there is a limited choice of ammunition out there. I usually use Hornady for everything else but they don't offer any 300 wsm ammo at this time.
Thanks for the input guys.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Miller
Rafter-S,
I appreciate the input but I wasn't looking for cheaper ammo infact I was expecting to pay more. I was just curious for if for those of us who don't reload if there was a way to get lets say, Barnes bullets or something like that loaded. I had heard of a couple of companies but just wanted to see if there were others out there.
I was curious because I own a 300 wsm and there is a limited choice of ammunition out there. I usually use Hornady for everything else but they don't offer any 300 wsm ammo at this time.
Thanks for the input guys.
The point of handloading, as I understand it, is to find the perfect combination of primer, case, powder charge, and bullet type to consistently make clover leaf groups at a specifed distance from the target. Buying someone else's handloads will not likely accomplish this goal.
Semper Fi
Remember Ruby Ridge.
Experience is the best teacher and usually charges accordingly.0 -
Everyone who has tried reloading either hated it and quit, or loved it and still works at it. I still do to make my 'sweet loads' that cut the groups in half on my pet guns, but I don't reload any for my 9mm 'cause that ammo is cheap as it is. I did load for a few friends but quit. If they shot with a plug of mud in the bore, their wife's lawyer would be coming for me. But if you want that reward of the 'sweet load', and it is really there, try it. You can always sell your gear and get most of your money back.
Unless you want to hear my po boy story, quit now, if not - read on
I started reloading in about 1970 to save money. I was in high school and liked to shoot in skeet matches at the youth club on the weekends. I did not know it then, but I also was in it for the 'sweet load'.(I could not find an equivalent off the shelf, and couldn't afford it anyway.) Ya see I had an old Stevens 12 pump with cyl bore. When I found it in the attic it would not work so I had my dad take me to a gunsmith. He laughed, then said he would look through his junk drawer. He came back with a main-spring, installed it, and said "FIVE BUCKS". The $5 stung a little, but I now had my own gun. I was loading with a hand lee loader, the max of no. 6 or 7.5 shot, with a heafty charge, about 6 boxes a week. I was up against some of those rich kids, with beautiful guns, that could shoot good too.... but with my 'in the white' old 'no choke' gun with howitzer loads I held my own. My method... When I heard the 'cling' of the thrower, I sholdered and shot ... immediately. If I waited I would not have a dense enough pattern for a good break, so it had to be quick. We went into an elimination that lasted for a month. It got down to two of us. Then it happened... I raised to shoot and CLICK. I checked the round and it had no mark. Since I had missed, the other fellow won the match. I congratulated him, but I was worried about my gun. I checked what I could, but I was over my head, so I went back to the gunsmith. He looks it over and says ' busted firing ping' , he looks through the junk box without luck. Says he can make me one for about $30. I said 'how much will you give me for the gun?' He sez " FIVE BUCKS" . I looked at dad, who shrugged his sholders, and handed over the busted gun for the junk box.
But all ends well. I got an 870 for Christmas in 1971. I still use it, and it is well worn, but not as 'white' as that old Stevens was.0 -
Miller, there are people who do custom loading for customers as opposed to cheaply reloaded ammo. I did it myself for many years, FFL, insurance, the works. My product, and that of others who do this, was largely obsolete / difficult to obtain ammunition or loads. A person producing a quality product cannot hope to compete with the operations churning out millions of rounds of cheap ammo. Even when I charged accordingly, I finally figured out I was working for minimum wage or less; people simply don't want to pay for the labor involved in case forming, the depreciation on expensive special order dies, etc.
Where you are seeking alternative or better loads for the .300 WSM or other modern caliber, my advice would be either to suffer with what is available off the shelf or start handloading yourself. If you look hard enough, you can find people who will work with you to develop a load for a particular arm. But the development process can take a long time. There is the time involved in crafting rounds with slight variations in powder, primer, projectile, seating depths, etc. Then the time of taking all this to the range and carefully shooting the ammo in the specific firearm under optimum conditions, etc. Unless it is someone close to you so that you can do the shooting, this will be a bear. I did the whole process for a few guys locally. It was a supreme PITA for me and expensive for them (although they basically received careful craftsmanship for about $3 an hour when it was done!).
"There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain)0 -
Miller, check out the winchester ammo sight, they have several rounds in 300wsm including the Fail Safe. Federal has many Nosler rounds. They also have the Barnes thriple shock X bullet and Trophy Bonded Bear Claw. 0
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