I’ve often wondered if it’s worth the time and trouble to reload your own ammunition, not to mention the initial expense of getting started. So I sat down and did some figuring.

I’ve been reloading my own 30.06 ammo for a few years , using a 150 grain Nosler Ballistic tip, being pushed by 51.5 grains of Hodgdon’s Varget, with a CCI large rifle primer. This load was maximum at the time and Hodgdon has since reduced this load by ½ percent to 51.0 even. If you use this load start at 3% less and work you way up watching for signs of excessive pressure. This load is safe in my rifle and as far as I know, my rifle only.

With an overall cartridge length of 3.81 inches, this round chambers nicely in my rifle and has a muzzle velocity of just under 3,000 FPS. This load consistently groups about a ½ inch at 100 yards, depending on how steady my hold is for that particular day. Although I did put four shots into one ragged hole on a cool fall morning. I even have the target framed and hanging on my gun room wall.

Now, am I saving any money?

Looking through a reloading catalog, most premier or supreme or light magnum ammunition starts at $19.99 a box of 20. There are a few loadings at what I’ll call ‘standard loadings’ at around $13.00. Keep in mind my load mentioned here is moving out at close to 3,000 FPS and using what I consider a first class bullet and primer. A pound of powder sells for $16.95, a 50 count of ballistic tip 150 grain bullets was $13.95 times two, plus 19 loose ones for $5.30 ($13.95 / 50), primers $1.59 times two, plus 19 loose ones at 28.5 cents. Total $53.61 / 119 = 45 cents per round, or $9.00 a box of 20. There is probably faster loadings available from some manufacturer with maybe even better bullets, but at 45 cents per round or $9.00 per box, hand loading looks tough to beat.

Arizona Outdoorsman Shooting Editor Gary McCraw worked up a load for both our AR-15s of 26.4 grains of Varget with a Rem. 7 ½ bench rest primer, 60 grain Hornady V-MAX bullet and overall cartridge length of 2.29 inches. This load was from a 1998 Hodgdon reloading pamphlet producing a muzzle velocity of approximately 3,000 FPS out a 20 inch barrel. Gary put three rounds into one ragged hole and two more beside them, close enough that center to center the group was less than ¼ inch at 100 yards. Again, this load may not work with your rifle. Use caution with this load. Start with recommended lows and work your way up.

As for cost?

I used 300 rounds Hornady V-MAX, $15.95 times three, one pound Varget $16.95, 300 primers $1.59 times 3. Total $69.57 / 300, that’s 23.1 cents per round or $4.62 per 20. The premier 223 hunting or varminting round in my gun catalog starts at $12.50 and goes up to as much as $24.99. This same catalog has bulk .223 for 26.9 cents per and 22.4 cents per round and a FMJ for 19.9 cents per round. Looks like they beat me on a couple of loadings, but I still like Gary’s load over all of them. We’ve used this load with great success for sometime now.

If you think reloading is the way to go, I encourage you to give it a try. I’m not knocking factory ammo as there is an ample supply of quality ammo, with all kinds of premier bullets from all the ammunition manufacturers. I have used factory ammo with great success and recommend it to anyone. My choice though is to tinker around and have a good time loading my own! If you go a factory load remember to try several different loads from different manufacturers, as you rifle may prefer one load over another.

Richard K. Weltsch
Guest Writer