When the topic of “Why handload?” comes up, the most common answer is, “To save money.” And this is true. Let’s ask ourselves, on a basic level, how does that occur?
There are two basic types of cartridge ignition systems in use today: rimfire and centerfire. The two terms differentiate the method by which the cartridges fire.
“Rimfire” refers to the fact that, in such cartridges, the priming compound (a pressure-sensitive, flammable material, in other words, you hit it and it burns) is contained inside the outer rim of the cartridge base, and to cause it to ignite, which ignites the gunpowder in turn, the rim is mashed between the firing pin and the back of the barrel, right next to one side of the chamber. To make the cartridge fire, the firing pin hits the rim. Thus “rimfire.”
“Centerfire” means the priming compound is contained in a “primer,” a little aluminum cup that fits into the center of the cartridge casing’s base. To make the cartridge fire, the firing pin hits the primer located in the center of the base of the cartridge. Thus “centerfire.”
For purposes of this discussion, we can ignore rimfire. While it’s a common statement that rimfire cartridges are not reloadable, that’s not actually true. There does exist equipment that can reload rimfire cartridge casings. What IS true is that such equipment is almost never found outside an ammunition factory. For our (handloading) purposes, that leaves centerfire cartridges.
Centerfire ammunition has four components: the cartridge case, the primer, gunpowder, and the bullet. While it’s commonplace among the unknowledgeable to refer to ammunition as “bullets,” that’s technically incorrect. The only part of the cartridge that’s a bullet is the projectile, the slug, what comes out of the barrel when you fire the gun. The entire unit, all four components put together, is called a cartridge.
Sometimes you’ll hear cartridges called “rounds.” Rounds of ammunition. From whence came this term is a matter of some debate. Some folks opine it’s a holdover from black powder days when rifle and pistol projectiles actually were round balls. Others will also say it comes from black powder days, but in the sense that it referred to a sequence of events necessary to complete a particular action, for instance the long, multi-step process required, in the days before self-contained cartridges, to put all the necessary components together, to fire one shot. (The most common way this definition is used today refers to a “round” in music.) I tend to believe the former, though admittedly I wasn’t around centuries ago, so I don’t know for sure.
In any event, of all the four components to a centerfire cartridge, the casing is the single most expensive. Thus, if we can reuse the cartridge cases, we can decrease how much money a particular amount of ammunition costs.
A progressive reloading machine is, in essence, a mini-ammunition factory allowing us to (1) resize down the cartridge case, necessary since it swelled under pressure when being fired inside a gun’s chamber, (2) remove the spent, dead primer then install a new, live one, (3) add a carefully measured amount of gunpowder, (4) slightly flare the casing’s mouth to accept a new bullet, (4) seat the bullet to a particular depth thus wind up with a cartridge of a predetermined overall length, (5) crimp down the cartridge casing mouth to get rid of the flare. At that point, we have created a round of live ammunition, suitable for firing.
The fact you can recycle cartridge cases, which are, remember, the most expensive of the four components of a centerfire cartridge, allows you to shoot the same amount for less money. Or, if you’re a serious shooter, it allows you to shoot more for the same amount of money.”
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