Would you pay someone to develop/reload for you

[BASS]

If I blow myself up I want it to be because I am a dumb a$$, not someone else.

 

Huge plus one! Accidents happen all too easily, reset springs fail and double charge, or in my case a pin breaks and you end up loading sixty rounds of 45 with no powder in a square deal press. Id feel horrible if I charged someone something and it failed them, even if nothing bad happened other than them missing a shot on a game animal. Heck a buddy borrowed my rifle, shot one of my reloads and gave himself scope eye and I felt bad because it was such a hot round compared to factory ( and heavier bullet) and it konked him pretty good. I love taking eight or nine different rounds out and shooting ten of each to see how the componets effect the range. If you just want higher end ammo, there is a niche for that, but you have lots of competition from real handloaders who don't have to make a one size fits all round when it comes to the matches.

[sjvcon]

If I blow myself up I want it to be because I am a dumb a$$, not someone else.

LMAO!

 

That is a good one. Yeah, there is that for sure.

[Couesdeer]

A lot of people do pay to have loads developed for their specific rifles. I guess I have more time than most or make the time as I certainly enjoy all stages of load development and, more importantly, trigger time with the load/rifle combo.

[CouseforLife]

I would not pay someone. I agree with the ones that say if anyone is going to blow up my rifle its gonna be me.

 

This is the way I look at it. I don't have all the time in the world to go shoot. But I make time and do it. I enjoy developing loads, researching my books, and then shooting the the loads.

 

I feel very confident shooting out to 500 yards because of all the shooting I have done. Trigger time is just as improtant as developing the load. If you pay someone to develop the load what good is it if you haven't shot and practiced out to the ranges specified.

 

I can also tell you everyone shoot different. A perfect example. I developed some 180 grain accubond loads from this 300SAUM. I took it out and shot it and got about 1/2 inch group at 100 yards. They were about 1 inch high. When he shot the load I developed it was 3 inches left and 1.5 group. Why. It took alot of head scratching and playing around but it came down to the way he holds the rifle and the "harmonics" of the gun when he shoots it. He does not hold it tight in his shoulder like I do, he grips the forearm different, and he slight cocks the gun to the side, or twists it. So now he has to shoot all the loads I develop for him.

 

I also reload and develop loads for a few friends. I always double check all my powder charges in the rounds and usually accompany them when they shoot the load to check for pressure signs. I would not want the liability of loading for people I don't know.

 

I think all the time behind the trigger developing loads is the best practice in the world and without sounding conceited I am alot better shot now then I was 10 years ago because of reloading everything myself.

 

 

 

 

 

[sxwatson]

I would not pay someone. I agree with the ones that say if anyone is going to blow up my rifle its gonna be me.

 

This is the way I look at it. I don't have all the time in the world to go shoot. But I make time and do it. I enjoy developing loads, researching my books, and then shooting the the loads.

 

I feel very confident shooting out to 500 yards because of all the shooting I have done. Trigger time is just as improtant as developing the load. If you pay someone to develop the load what good is it if you haven't shot and practiced out to the ranges specified.

 

I can also tell you everyone shoot different. A perfect example. I developed some 180 grain accubond loads from this 300SAUM. I took it out and shot it and got about 1/2 inch group at 100 yards. They were about 1 inch high. When he shot the load I developed it was 3 inches left and 1.5 group. Why. It took alot of head scratching and playing around but it came down to the way he holds the rifle and the "harmonics" of the gun when he shoots it. He does not hold it tight in his shoulder like I do, he grips the forearm different, and he slight cocks the gun to the side, or twists it. So now he has to shoot all the loads I develop for him.

 

I also reload and develop loads for a few friends. I always double check all my powder charges in the rounds and usually accompany them when they shoot the load to check for pressure signs. I would not want the liability of loading for people I don't know.

 

I think all the time behind the trigger developing loads is the best practice in the world and without sounding conceited I am alot better shot now then I was 10 years ago because of reloading everything myself.

 

 

Well said. I think for the extra money one would pay to have the work done for them, they could get setup with a rock chucker press, powder dispenser, etc... and load their own ammo. I had a father-in-law and uncle-in-law who got me started and I am very thankful for it. Nothing can help you get to know your rifle better than working up your own hand loads for it.

 

Scott

[Kilimanjaro]

Would I pay someone to develop and reload for me? If I knew the person doing the work was reliable and dependable with his work, then yes, I would have no problem paying for that service.

 

Although I want to learn to reload, at the moment, I just do not have the time to at this point in my life.

[TAM]

No way I'd let someone else do it for me. First off, as already mentioned for about the same money a person could get their own reloading set up. Second, the experience of reloading makes me a better shot. Everything from tweaking the load to the field work. I'm just not willing to give that up. Perhaps a third reason is that I can smile just a little bit bigger after I shoot a nice animal because I know that on top of making the shot I loaded the cartridge as well.

 

I think there are a lot of hunters that are just looking for that "magic bullet" that will make them a better shot. Having someone else load your ammo may make you a better shot for the short term, but in the long run you'll become much better if you load your own.

 

Now with that said I'm sure there are many guys out there that would gladly pay for that kind of service. I'm just not one of them.

[The Claw]

You will get varying answers on this because it is a very subjective question (ie not a clear cut right/wrong question). Remember this is a RECREATIONAL sport. It is meant to be fun where positive memories enhance your life, not make it more stressful or worrisome.

 

Are there advantages, like TAM mentioned, to establishing your own loads and reloading. Most certainly! Am I a control freak and like to be in control of my own success and failures.....Most certainly! I have been handloading exclusively for some time now because of that. Having said that, I enjoy reloading and the time that it takes to establish my loads for a rifle and the results it brings are very rewarding to me. Thus it is a time expense I am not just willing to make but WANT to make.

 

However, I do not typically fletch my own arrows or tie my own flies. Are there advantages to doing this yourself? Yes. Do I enjoy doing it? NO. So I pay someone else, WHO IS CAPABLE AND UP TO MY STANDARDS, to do it. I have much more respect for someone who does not want to reload, due to many reasons not the least of which may be time priorities, but feels it important to get the benefits of a custom hand load and is willing to pay the extra money for it. The hunter will be more successful and there will be less animals wounded. If the alternative is over the counter ammo then by all means....feel very GOOD about paying someone else to load your bullets AS LONG AS THEY ARE QUALIFIED AND YOU TRUST THEM.

 

 

[TEAM JESUS]

Funny, I am in the process of working up loads right now with a gentlemnan out of AJ. Knowledgabe, yes. He is also a free lance writer and all of the gun manufactueres send him there guns and such to try. He also works up loads for them. His name is Bob Shell. Shells reloading. Look up anyones credentials before giving them your buisness.