Working up a load cost $$$

[tcbnick]

Ok Guys I've been reloading for years but it has just been for normal hunting and paper punching nothing special. So in the past I would get 1 lbs of powder that I could use in as many different cal. as i could ( 270 7-30 30-30), and 1 lbs for all my pistols, get any brand of primers that were in the store, and whatever size, type, and weight bullet that I needed not caring about brands. But now that I'm older I've got interested in some longer range super accaruate sub MOA groups. Now I have read here what it takes to work up a load but my ? is how do I afford to buy 1 lbs each of 6 different brands and burn rates of power, 100 of all brands of primers and who knows how many different types and weights of bullets at 50 in a box, just to get THE BEST LOAD for one rifle, and then what do I do with the all the leftover stuff, throw it away?

Oh and I would like to say Thanks to GB and all Moderators for this, the best website on the net.

[necchi]

Well there's this place for bullets,,you can buy 1 or 20,,mix an match.

http://www.bulletsamples.com/Home_Page.html

primers are cheap.

[skb2706]

The least expensive way I have found was to

call Sierra and ask for a tech, they can tell you what powders, for them in their guns were consistently the most accurate for your choice of chambering.

decide what exactly you want to use the load for and that will help you decide what bullets you should be working with.

ask members here what has worked well for them as generally accurate bullets are mentioned often. For pure accuracy I have the best luck with Sierra bullets but there are many really good ones.

primers probably has the least effect on accuracy but try BR primers.

[charles p]

What you are trying to avoid is the most rewarding part of reloading.  The reason I've never saved a dime reloading is because I have accumulated so much "stuff", and cabinets full of loaded ammo that I may never use.

I'd rather load than shoot.

[Sweetwater]

All good responses and leaving precious little to add. I have several friends who are handloaders and when we embark on an adventure, as you are, we share our resources and invest only in what one of us doesn't have, and then share what is left over.
Like primers. I'm sorry, but I have found that over time, primers go bang pretty well and I've never lost an animal or a match trophy because of a primer. Let's say you do invest in 5 different brands of primers to go with the other brands that you an/or your buddies already have, and you find one brand that does make a difference in your group. All is well. SAVE the one brand for your teeny tiny groups, and use the rest for hunting, plinking popcans, teaching youngsters, etc, or use them to swap with others for whatever. No need to throw anything away. Likewise with powder and bullets. It all goes bang and it all goes downrange. Next year you may have a different adventure to embark upon and it may be "just what you need". One of us may be in your area and willing to swap stuff with you to get started.
I'm in North Idaho if that helps at all.

Regards,
Sweetwater

[Graybeard]

Don't waste your money on primer testing unless and until you've finally worked up the best load you can and find it to not quite be what you're looking for.

I stick with CCI primers when I can get them or Winchester if I can't get CCI and can get Winchester. Lately most of what I find are Federal which are OK but not what I prefer.

I select a few powders based on looking thru manuals to see what each says is most accurate if they list such info and if not by chosing those that consistently show best velocity performance. I'll chose from one to three bullets I know from the past are best for whatever kinda load I'm working up and then work with at most three powders at a time with each of the two or three bullets I'm testing. I'd vary setting depth as a test long before worrying about switching primers.

[victorcharlie]

Currently I load by price and availability.

I shoot the cheap bullets, lots of Remington Corelots and Missouri Bullet company lead bullets.  Blems, overstocks, etc. and buy some off the internet.

Primers, in this day.........what ever I can find, but I've walked away from the price gougers.

I don't need a premium bullet for anything that walks, flys or crawls around these parts.

The trick is to make what you've got shoot the way you want it to.  It's not easy.

I have a dozen or so different powders, but buy what I shoot a lot of in 8 pound kegs.

[skb2706]

What you are trying to avoid is the most rewarding part of reloading.  The reason I've never saved a dime reloading is because I have accumulated so much "stuff", and cabinets full of loaded ammo that I may never use.

I'd rather load than shoot.

Unlike charlesp here I prefer to shoot and have long ago quit chasing accuracy beyond what I need to accomodate my shooting. I have records of handloads back to the mid 70s and established loads for everything I have. I do experiment alittle with some of them but with 27 some odd sets of dies and guns to go with I could never afford to constantly experiment with all of them.

[tcbnick]

Thanks Guys, All really good suggestions, the one from Sweetwater hit home the most because I do have a addictive personallity and more than likely once I get one shooting sweet I'll end up going to the next cal just for the fun of it. And then I thought, I do load for some other shooters and just maybe they would be interestd in some work-ups and let them buy some supplies that I don't have and just swap back and forth for the work-ups

[demented]

Its not just the cost factor, finding components ain't so easy either.  I did a lot of question asking on several forums, compiled a list of what powder was recommended most often for my particular cartridge and started there.  I got dog lucky, first accuracy load I tried after checking for pressure signs first did 5/8" for three shots.  Not too bad considering my barrel is a factory sporter weight.  I've now fired this load quite a bit, every group was under one inch, good enough for shootin' deer.