Custom Ammunition Manufacturers?

Mojo0254

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Feb 8, 2014
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So I can't convince my wife to spend the money to reload all up front and though in the end it gets cheaper she is more okay with buying ammunition at like $500 a purchase. I plan on shooting 6GT so I have to go with PRIME, Clays Cartridge Company or Copper Creek Ammunition. As anyone shot the 6GT rounds from these companies and have SD and ES values for them? I feel with Clays being a smaller company they have the ability to remain more precise with each load vs the others who will be more of an assembly line "close enough" to the correct powder charge. Any input and comparison between the three companies would be greatly appreciated.
 
What exactly are you asking? Do you want someone to develop a load that works best on your rifle or are you talking about just buying ammunition? Buy a box of all three and see which one works best in your rifle.
 
Lee classic turret press $150ish
Dies $100ish
Charge master $350ish or lite at $250ish

Barely more than your $500 limit. Those are new prices, I'm sure you could find stuff used or on sale.

Components will be another $200 or so to start put with 100 rounds. After that brass is free and it's more like 30-50 cents depending on bullet choice.

I use the above and have no issues getting into SD of single digits. I don't mess with sorting or neck turning or any of that shit. Just figure out what charge and length work best and load em.
 
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What exactly are you asking? Do you want someone to develop a load that works best on your rifle or are you talking about just buying ammunition? Buy a box of all three and see which one works best in your rifle.
I'm asking more if anyone knows average SD and ES for these companies
 
I used Copper Creek 4 years ago to develop my 6.5 creed hunting load for me as I didn't have time. It was single digit SD and 10-15 ES best of my memory. I then bought 200 rounds of loaded ammo and got the load data so I could produce my own. It was the best money spent.
 
Nothing wrong with buying ammo if you don't shoot much. But what's $500 get you? Maybe 200rds? Then it may or may not be optimal for your rifle.


Hand loading is a no brainer if you shoot even just a bit. As was said, start off with some basic stuff and upgrade as needed or as money allows.


500$ would load roughly 800-1000 rounds depending on component cost. Your up front cost basically paid for itself in the same 200rds you could bought vs load.


I'd take my debit card back from my wife and order my handloading supplies. But I also don't have a wife and this is a good example of why. No offense. She doesn't know what she's talking about. Assuming you work and you're not living off of her...


Now...if I shoot a few rounds through a couple hunting rifles and once orbtwice a year shoot a little extra for fun...hand loading may not be worth the time and hassle and investment.


But. Who the hell buys a 6GT that doesn't hand load??


At least go to a Creedmoor, 223, 308 etc that you have more options. After re-reading, it doesn't sound like you even have the rifle yet? Don't paint yourself into such a corner!
 
I've been using the above-mentioned Chargemaster, a single stage press and dies for about 20yrs. Once you have the brass, you can make quality reloads in any 6mm caliber for about 75 cents each, less if you shoot non-berger (Hornady, etc) bullets.. You should be able to make 300 in an evening, more if you buy a second Chargemaster. A little planning - and you will never run out of pet loads.

If you want to switch over to 6br or dasher, it's generally just a set of dies.

You will need some incidentals, like calipers, cartridge measuring tools - nothing that expensive, however, you should buy a Magnetospeed or similar since you're measurement conscious.
 
You will probably not be happy till you make your own ammo.

A single stage or turret pres kit with a digital scale and a tumbler a few measurement tools and a book.

Read the reloading information on snipers hide watch tutorials from the manufacturer.

You can save 300$ by using the kit provided powder thrower and an electric scale with a hand trickled charge.

The more you shoot the faster you recover your initial investment.

Upgrades can come later.

Even with the inflated prices changing every day you can figure 50% cheaper ammo that is dialed in for your gun.
 
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Advice on household finances.
Take your wife shooting, get her in a woman's club with shooting better yet. You will then have cart blanc on spending for supplies.

Drawback: you will have to hide some ammo for yourself.

My wife shoots comps now, rso and md in her club. Her own stable of ccw guns in 9mm and 45 customised 22lr rifle and pistol for comps and a customized over and under in work. A customized ar as well.

I get whatever is leftover to spend on my guns.

Smart, right? Lol
 
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