As Ammo Costs Rise, Shooters Turn To Reloading

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – With soaring ammunition costs and shortages of cartridges on store shelves making headlines in recent months, many shooters are wondering how they are going to find or afford enough rounds to keep enjoying their sport as much as they always have. For some, the answer-at least a partial one-has been found in reloading their own ammunition. A recent ShooterSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com poll found that approximately one-in-four respondents-just over 26 percent-said they reload. Of those who participate in the activity, the top reason cited was to save money, followed closely by wanting to improve accuracy. The chief motivations for reloading are: To save money 86% To improve accuracy 72% To obtain rounds difficult to find in stores 34% To reduce waste 28% Other 11% Of those who chose other, the majority wrote in that they reload for fun, relaxation and enjoyment. Respondents could check more than one reason. “Some people view reloading as a niche activity though these results show, with as many as a quarter of avid shooters assembling their own rounds, it is a popular activity,” says Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates, which designs and conducts the surveys. Among the types of ammunition reloaded, rifle leads the way with 79 percent of reloaders putting together those rounds, followed by 60 percent who assemble handgun cartridges and 28 percent loading shotshells. Some people who reload do so with multiple types of ammunition.—courtesy Southwick Associates