Gun collectors and hunters everywhere are constantly looking for new ways to improve their shooting accuracy, customize their weapons, and hone their skills without letting their checking accounts run dry. Fortunately, ammunition reloading is a hobby that has been sweeping the nation. By picking up a few gun reloading supplies and attending a class or two, you might be able to learn how to make your own bullets and reuse old materials. Here are two reasons you should think about getting into ammo reloading.
1: Ammunition Can Be Hard to Find
On your way to the shooting range, you might decide to stop by the store to pick up a few boxes of normal, run-of-the-mill ammunition. Unfortunately, if you haven't shopped for ammo in awhile, the empty shelves you may encounter at your local sporting goods store might surprise you. Believe it or not, there is a nationwide ammunition shortage that could make it more difficult to find common bullets that were once available by the truckload.
Although many people speculate regarding the cause of this shortage, the fact of the matter is that in recent years there has been a massive upswing in ammunition sales. In fact, ammunition sales have increased 129% from 2000 to 2012. Ammunition manufacturers and retailers simply can't keep up with the rising demand of people who want to buy weapons and practice their shot. Also, with the popularity of emergency preparedness television shows, people these days tend to be more concerned about being able to protect themselves, defend their property during emergency situations, and remain independent.
Fortunately, you don't need your local gun shop to provide you with the bullets that you need to hunt your own game during the apocalypse. Many sporting goods shops offer classes on ammunition reloading, where you will learn how to stuff new and used ammunition shells with gunpowder and primer. By picking up a reloading press and some bulk supplies, you might be able to start creating your own ammunition in no time.
2: You Might Be Able to Save A Lot of Money
Nothing is more relaxing than getting out into the open air, setting up your targets, and practicing your shot. Unfortunately, if you love to go shooting or hunting, then you know how expensive it can be to pay for ammunition. Because prices tend to increase when products are in higher demand, the recent ammunition shortage might mean that you pay top-dollar for bullets that were once completely affordable.
However, one of the best things about reloading your own ammunition is that it can save you a boatload on bullets. Although savings estimates vary depending on the caliber of bullet you are working on, you might be able to save between 51-80% over traditional stock retail ammunition. To put those numbers into perspective, if you would have normally spent $40 for a box of 50 bullets, you might be able to make that same ammo for between $8.00 and $19.60.
Sometimes people shy away from making their own ammo because they worry about the costs involved with buying all of their own reloading supplies. However, if you use ammunition frequently, the money that you save on bullets will cover the cost of your reloading supplies before you know it. If you get lucky, you might even be able to track down used reloading presses sold by hobbyists who have decided to upgrade their equipment, or buy gunpowder and primer in bulk.
Not only does ammunition reloading offer you the opportunity to hone your craft, but it also is a fun way to improve your independence and learn a new skill.
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