Is reloading a dying hobby?

[loadnplenty]

It seems fewer stores carry components and powders. Most of the people that reload are my age or older. Seems very few younger people are getting into the hobby.

When I started it was for developing accurate loads for my hunting rifles with the added benefit of saving money.

 

[Cadcom]

I'd love to reload more. But it makes no sense with the cost of components these days. I've taught my sons to load 12 ga and 20 ga but it's not something they can afford to do often. (I only reload shotshells).

 

[Woodcarver]

I enjoy reloading for target practice. Not sure there's any savings benefits. I guess I like knowing what I'm shooting and knowing I put it together. It is worth my time right now.

 

[Rambler]

With most powders $50.00 a pound of more, there's no point. At the Cumming gun show powder was $70.00 per pound, that's equal to $0.01 per grain of powder. When you need a nickels worth of powder for 9mm there's not any point in reloading.

 

[LARGO9]

When I first started reloading shotshells (410-28-20 ga) on Mec elect, auto-mates supplies were cheap and readily available. Just before the lock down for Covid I got with my brother and we stocked up supplies that would last for years based on how we were shooting at that time.
At present time from covid, my shooting has slowed down to a quarter of time we used to shoot.
I still have a enough to last several year. If it wasn't for ordering so much supplies back then there is now way I would be reloading now. You can't find nothing at a good price and availability of supplies are hit and miss to nothing.

 

[loadnplenty]

I know when I had my 300 ultra mag and once fired brass I could load 100 rifle rounds with premium bullet for right around $100.

That was compared to $65-80 for a premium bullet factory loaded 20 count box.

Handguns have always been borderline in savings unless you shoot less than common calibers and have brass on hand

 

[87KJH]

I reload 28 ga and 410 shotshell for hunting and clay targets and a few specialty 12 and 20 ga.

Reloading 12 ga. and 20 ga. are rarely cost effective for target loads and many hunting loads. If you purchase by the flat, you can often find them on sale at some of the big box or online retailers for less than the cost of reloading.

 

[ReservoirDawg10]

The market is driving it out of relativity due to lack of supply for us civi's, which drives up cost. Components are too expensive to put out the expenditure of money and time for basic plinking ammo if you don't shoot thousands and thousands of rounds a month, and even then, you would need expensive set-ups to offset the time cost to a degree.

I load for long range guns because I want to push em harder and with more consistency while being tuned to my rifle. I also load some very niche needs. But for plinking/range ammo, it's more cost/time effective to just buy bulk ammo.

I don't have time to burn just to burn or to save a few cents. Time equals money. I have more money than I have time.

Also, as with any hobby or profession, if the older people don't pass down the knowledge and excitement for something, the younger generations will undoubtedly not carry the torch. Every one of us needs to be aware of this and be a steward for younger generations and not take the easy way out and blame the media. You boomers raised the millennials and passed on your values, or lack there of, which are now getting passed down to the Gen Alpha and Betas. Truly bling and ignorant not to take some ownership.

 

[Shey]

No

 

[Bypass]

It seems fewer stores carry components and powders. Most of the people that reload are my age or older. Seems very few younger people are getting into the hobby.

When I started it was for developing accurate loads for my hunting rifles with the added benefit of saving money.

I started shooting and reloading for 44 magnum in the 80s. I have just lost interest in it nowadays especially with components being so high and hard to get.

Back in the day you could experiment with a bunch of different powders and loads now you're lucky if you can even get what you need to craft a single load.