For many, reloading ammunition is perceived as a dark art. Some home-loading shooters tend to make it far more complicated than necessary. Unfortunately, the internet abounds with experts dishing out advice and load data and we have seen first hand some truly worrying results from this well-meant information.
For a long time, we have been proponents of high-quality factory ammunition, but with the transition to lead-free ammunition, (LFA), looming ever closer, never has reloading and custom load development been more in focus. Many will be only too aware of the changes coming to the industry; changes that many shooters will find problematical. While the majority of ammunition manufacturers offer a lead-free option, the peculiarities of the projectiles, the nature of the materials, and even the design of firearms all have a significant bearing on the effectiveness of the round. Many shooters are reporting issues with accuracy, consistency and the ability of the round to provide a swift, ethical and humane result. Added to this is the usual media-hype, recommending whichever brand pays most.
In some circumstances, the use of lead has already been prohibited, with many more to follow, in line with directives from the Food Standards Agency. For those stalkers who shoot for their own consumption or for the destruction of vermin, a lead ban will have little or no effect. However, for anyone shooting animals destined for the wider food chain, whether directly or indirectly, many approved game handling establishments, (game dealers), government land owners and privately-owned estates are now insisting that only lead-free ammunition is used.
Borne from our own experiences in reloading and using LFA over the last 15 years or so, we have taken the decision to install a reloading facility to help shooters better understand the problems with, and get the most from LFA. Ranging from assistance with your existing load development to a fully customised round designed from scratch; we can cover every scenario.
With the help of our field-testers, we have been able to identify and select the most appropriate projectiles and components and, along with the data and statistics we have amassed, we can solve the most common issues associated with lead-free and make the transition as easy as possible.
Our facility allows a shooter to either bring their own ammunition and hardware, such as dies, powders and projectiles, to develop and fine tune a load in situ without having to travel to and from a range to test numerous batches. Alternatively, we can develop a custom load “while-you-wait”, starting with the selection of the most appropriate projectile and components, loading and testing small batches whilst explaining the process in detail to help you gain a better understanding of the mechanics to ensure the finished product performs as expected.
If the process of metallic ammunition reloading is something you would like to start to undertake for yourself, or if you require some guidance on an already undertaken project, we can provide both half and full day reloading courses to suit.
