I read a post from another forum that the < !--color-->"majority" < !--color--> of american hunters don't reload, but simply buy a box of ammo from the nearest outlet and head off into the wilds?
Australia and other overseas countries are big markets for reloading gear and ammo components for the big manufacturer's.
I shoot 3500-5000 rounds a year and none are store bought
Any thoughts from others?

When I purchase a new chambering, I'll buy a couple of boxes of factory ammo, other than that all I use is homerolled.
Yes there are a lot of guys that only use factory ammo, 1 box a year for sighting and hunting. These are the same guy's that sight there 7Mags in at 25yd and think that 100yd is "long range hunting" (and requires a Ultra mangleum cartridge).
For the record, the only guns I own that have "Magnum" in the name start with 357 and 44.

Most hunters in usa don't reload or buy very much factory ammo, one box of ammo lasts them a long time. They will take there 30-30 win to the range, put up a paper plate at 50 yard. They fire one shot, if it hits the plate they are good to go.

At last count I load for or have loaded for 17 different calibers many of which you could never buy in a sporting goods store. That being said I have a hunting buddy that I go hunting with every year.......he left a half box of his 06's in my things after hunting this year. He got a little upset when I couldn't find them right away cause he had had them for "a few years" and they shot well. To my knowledge he has never ever shot at paper and probably at best shot a rock or two at some unknown distance to sight his gun in. His hunting success is about what one would expect relative to his shooting.
By reloading I believe I am a much better shooter than the average hunter....but I could always be a better hunter.

The first deer that I shot,in 1952,was killed with a factory round,as well as was the second deer,the following year.
All the rest were killed with handloaded ammo.
Two years,ago,I bought a Winchester 30/30,and a box of factory ammo to sight it in,before I made any hunting loads for it.
This year,I bought a Savage '99,in 300 Sav,but waited until some brass arrived before I even shot it.
I much prefer my own brand of ammo.
Frank

I will shoot 3000 plus rounds per year through many rifles, mine and those of hunting buddies who either don't have the time or don't take the time to shoot before hunting. I reload everything I shoot for myself, my son and grandson. My son is 34 years old and has never shot a factory round in his life, killing much game up to Elk along the way. -----I was on a Moose hunt in Alaska once and while I was weathered in waiting to get out of camp, another hunter and I talked over the campfire relating tales. He had a new rifle he had shot only 12 times and was shooting a cartridge on this hunt that he had never shot in the rifle. He took the advice of a "behind the counter expert" and thought he had the best bullet money could buy, but couldn't tell you what it was. ----- This is typical of 90% of the hunters in the US. The other 10% are idiots like us.----- I shoot instead of Golf, after blowing out both knees playing tennis. I enjoy shooting three days a week on my own private range, cronograph all shots, play and tweak to my hearts content. When I step in the field I do know where the best bullet for the job is going. I am in charge of a group of 12 that hunt Colorado each year, each hunter shooting at my range to show his shooting skills and knowledge, if he doesn't cut the mustard he doesn't go, no if's ands and buts. Maybe this is the other extreme, but it is the way it works. This year we came back with 15 Elk, last year 17, with 3 to 4 hunters bagging nothing because they passed up lessor Bulls waiting for the big one. Good shooting.

Well........ I don't shoot nearly as many rounds as some of you guys do, but I do shoot a lot more than just when I hunt!
I've been reloading since 1974 and I have not fired a factory round at an animal since then, with the exception of 22LR!
I've taken everything from Prairie Dogs, to White Tails, to Pronghorn, to Caribou, to Moose, and a lot of things in-between!
All this with reloads!

[quote
There are just tons more hunters than "shooters" who reload! Most hunters in this country buy a box of ammo and go hunting with it.

---

Or less -- in Maine in Nov. '02 I was in a gun store that sold centerfire rifle ammo in 5-round baggies. I thought this was a joke, until a guy came in and asked if he could buy 3 rounds for his .308. The clerk happily obliged.

John