Post-Shabbat Reloading

This evening was spent doing some tedious .223 ammunition reloading (click here for a great Wikipedia summary). Why reload ammunition? From Wikipedia:

Economy, increased accuracy, and performance are common motivations for handloading cartridges. Reloading fired cases can save the shooter money, or provides the shooter with more, and higher quality, ammunition for a given budget. Reloading may not be cost effective for occasional shooters, as it takes time to recoup the cost of the required equipment, but those who shoot on a regular basis will see benefit. Besides economy, the ability to customize the performance of the ammunition is a common goal. ... Target shooters seek the best achievable accuracy, as well as the best shot-to-shot consistency. Many handloaders customize their cartridges to their specific firearms, usually in pursuit of accuracy: they can assemble precision ammunition using cartridge cases that have been fire formed in the chamber of a specific firearm.

The Jewish Marksman uses almost exclusively Lee brand reloading equipment because they are a great value! Reloading is not particularly difficult if you have the capacity to follow instructions, take your time, pay attention to detail, and observe common sense safety precautions.

If you shoot a rimfire cartridge, such as .22LR, those cases are not reloadable. However, the brass does have value...nowadays anywhere from $0.50 to $1.50 a pound depending where you go. Take it home, throw it in a bucket, but don't leave it at the range! At some clubs, it is customary to leave the rimfire brass at the the club as a 'donation', but it is perfectly acceptable to take home all of your centerfire brass! Someday you may want to reload it, sell it, or give it to a shooter who reloads. If you leave it at a commercial range, they will simply sell it as scrap metal.