Just curious if I was the only one that did this?

I don't do it very much, but I have done it, mostly on 7.62x54 factory ammo.

I typically just load my own from the start.

Just something I was thinking about this morning. I pulled down some herter's 7.62x54 from cabelas and dumped the powder for my load last year.

And then I was pondering about mexican match ammo...

I buy new brass, powder, primers, and bullets and start from scratch.

But with a military cartridge like what you're using I can see the need to pull ammo apart and reload it becasue of the lack of brass availability.

I used to pull down Mil-Surp ammo all the time. 7.62x54r especially. Lots of split case necks once you got that ancient ammo unpackaged. Once you get it in decent brass with a boxer primer and even out the powder charges, the ol' Nagant got a LOT more consistent. Besides, Czech 147 grain '54r light ball bullets with the concave bases are amazing out of any Lee-Enfield .303 Brit.

For a new gun I usually buy a couple boxes of cheaper factory ammo I don't mind using and wont mind keeping the brass from. Use the factory ammo to get a couple rounds down the barrel and hunt them as long as they last then give the gun and brass a good cleaning and prep and start on handloads. Brass has gotten expensive.

exactly, new gun, if I have any factory brass that's what I use to get a few rounds down the barrel

Have done it some but not in a while.