Not Politics!
Contributors to this thread:General Topic
From: sundowner
12-Feb-24
Just spending a rainy day in my reloading room enjoying pressing together some 250 grain 45 Colt cartridges. Using Alliant Blue Dot powder with CCI primers.
Anyone else hand load their ammo? I build bullets in about 10 different calibers for plinking and hunting. Much fun, and better ammo than factory.
From: Zbone
12-Feb-24
I hand reload all the time, been doing so since a kid with my Dad, right now am into .45 calibers, .45 Long Colt, .45 ACP and 45-70...
Also now I'm fire forming .444 Marlin bass out of .410 shotgun...
From: Dale06
12-Feb-24
I started hand loading shotguns when I was 14, in 1965. And started rifle and handgun loading in 1974. Except for non toxic waterfowl loads, I hand load 100% of my ammo, and I shoot a lot.
From: fdp
12-Feb-24
I reload 32H&R, 9mm, .357, .375H&H as well as others.
From: Altitude Sickness
12-Feb-24
A friend helps me load mine. We were loading 416 Remington 416 Taylor Saturday
From: samman
12-Feb-24
Been reloading since I was a youngster too back in the early 80's. Need to get out & shoot as I have a lot loaded up at the moment. Great way to spend an afternoon reloading for sure.
From: Zbone
12-Feb-24
sundowner - 250 grain 45 Colt cartridges, cowboy loads? How many grains Blue Dot... I'm using Hodgdon Clays...
From: fuzzy
12-Feb-24
I have a friend who loads for me. .257 Robert's,. 30-06, .280 Remington .7mm-08, .300 Savage, .35 Remington, .30-30 .45 ACP, 6.5 X 55, 7X57, .221 Fireball, .45 LC. I have the Lee kit loaders for the .45-70 and .30 Remington. As of now I don't have the stuff to load for my 6mm Remington, .357 Magnum or .38 Super. I also load all brass 12 gauge for an old side hammer cartridge shotgun, round ball and buckshot loads
From: wisconsinteacher
12-Feb-24
I have not shot a factory round in years. It is my 2nd favorite hobby behind archery. I enjoy making accurate ammo and shooting little groups.
From: sundowner
12-Feb-24
Zbone, Loading 10 grains of Blue Dot today but usually load 45 Colt with Unique. I haven't used Clay's but I bet it works well in 45 LC. I'd love to compete in Cowboy Action but haven't dont it yet.
From: bluedog
12-Feb-24
Haven't bought factory loads in at least 50 years.. Used to load 44 mag, 357, 223, 222, 30/06, 308, 280 30/30 and a couple more maybe.
Down to 358 Win. 35 Rem and 243 now ..don't shoot much in Minnesota compared to southern Arizona. The opportunity just not present.. I miss it
From: sundowner
12-Feb-24
fdp, what do you use 375 H&H for? Cape Buffalo or Lion? Or just fun?
From: sundowner
12-Feb-24
Wow I never expected this many hand loaders here! Now I know where to ask for advice!
From: fdp
12-Feb-24
I bought the rifle to take to Alaska about 30 years ago with no real intention of keeping it. But it's such a nice rifle, and so accurate I just never could part with it. It's an old Whitworth Express Rifle. Now I shoot it for fun and also deer hunt with it several times a year believe it or not.
From: Grey Ghost
12-Feb-24
I started hand-loading with my father when I was in grade school. I load 7mm mag, 30-06, .44 mag, and .40 cal. mostly. This is my modest setup. My scale is a 100 year old pharmaceutical scale that I inherited from my father.
Matt
From: sundowner
12-Feb-24
I could see deer hunting with 375....with the proper load. I've loaded that caliber for a friend who hunts Afrucan dangerous game.
From: 4nolz@work
12-Feb-24
whats worse politics or a gun forum :)
From: Catscratch
12-Feb-24
Used to load for duck hunting but didn't make the switch to steel so now just load dove loads. I like 1 and 3/8 ounce loads for 12 gauge. Would like to load rifle but not set up for it.
From: VAMtns
12-Feb-24
Yes , been saving money and increasing accuracy since my Dad and great uncles taught me in the sixties . .308 .243 .22/250 .25cal wildcat fire formed cases and shotgun
From: Builder07
12-Feb-24
That equipment looks 100yrs old. Is that a Pacific Press and trimmer?
For a few bucks I would get a good digital scale and the rest of what you need to load and inspect used brass.
Just swaging a lot of PS-75 30-06 for vintage sniper comp as we type. Great brass. S Koreans made on out equipment we set them up with. I think its better than LC.
From: sundowner
12-Feb-24
Sorry, 4nolz we're just having fun.
From: GUTPILEPA
12-Feb-24
I love reloading I load 9mm 380 357 38 44mag 308 300 savage 30-06 270 6mm 222 223 7mm 325 short mag 30-30 32win 300 black out 327mag 32hr 243
From: Zbone
12-Feb-24
sundowner - "compete in Cowboy Action but haven't dont it yet"
Sounds fun, but I'm not into the cowboy dress-up thing.... Years ago used to compete in IPSC (action shooting) pistols and shotguns, now it's 3-gun and also shot in a trap league for awhile but it's all too expensive now days... I had a MEC shotgun reloader and was shooting so many .45 ACPs molded my own lead hard cast bullets and had a Dillon progressive press...
Right now I only have a Lee single stage hand press with die sets of .44 mag/.44 Special, .45 Long Colt/.454 Casull, .45 ACP, 45-70, .223, .22/250, and 30-06... Lent my MEC shotgun press to a buddy and never got it back so then went and bought the Lee shotgun presses in 12 and 20 gauge... Oh, and have a .410 handloader too...
From: GUTPILEPA
12-Feb-24
I love reloading I load 9mm 380 357 38 44mag 308 300 savage 30-06 270 6mm 222 223 7mm 325 short mag 30-30 32win 300 black out 327mag 32hr 243
From: sundowner
12-Feb-24
My son is all into subsonic loads with suppressors. A whole new fun area of hand loading. A 350 grain bullet at 950 fps muzzle velocity.
We've also gotten into casting lead alloy projectiles and powder coating them.
From: BowSniper
12-Feb-24
Have been reloading for years, rifle and pistol. Pistol using the Dillon 650 and during competition years would go through 10,000 rounds a season. But components are spendy these days, so I am laying off the matches and keeping my shelves stocked.
Just started working on my first 300 blackout loads for a new coyote/fox rig... both sub and super sonic.
From: sundowner
12-Feb-24
The Dillon 650 is just about the nicest progressive press I know of. I've got a Hornady LNL but dont use it much because it's a little bit troublesome. We mostly use single stage or turret presses by Hornady and Redding.
From: Grey Ghost
12-Feb-24
"Is that a Pacific Press and trimmer?"
The press is an RCBS Model A built in the 1950s. Still works perfectly. Not sure about the trimmer, but I'm sure it's from the same era. All of my reloading equipment was my Fathers. He left me a whole cabinet of everything I need.
How you been, Shawn?
From: PushCoArcher
12-Feb-24
I reload everything but rimfire.
From: Zbone
12-Feb-24
Yeah, my press was a Dillon 650 too, great press...
From: sundowner
12-Feb-24
Which powder measure do you guys use? I tried the RCBS Chargemaster and the Lyman unit, and had problems with both. Then I bought a Hornady Charge Pro and it works perfectly.
From: Murph
12-Feb-24
Reload several center fire cartridges that I shoot as well as for some buddies, 12 gauge shotgun on a pacific progressive press for summertime trap shooting, and center fire handgun in 9mm 44mag/ special 357/38 special and 45 ACP on my Dillon square deal b, don’t shoot as much the last year or 2 since components got tough to find, didn’t wanna deplete my stockpile
From: spike78
12-Feb-24
I reload 308 but have been stocking up to do my first 300 Blackout loads. I find the blackout to be one of the most versatile cartridges from varmints to bear. I even found some rare unicorn large primers last week.
From: sundowner
12-Feb-24
Yeah primers that cost less than 3 cents each a short Tim ago are now 14 to 16 cents each now. Powder was $21.00 a pound, now it's $45 to $50 per pound. Large rifle primers are very scarce now too.
From: spike78
12-Feb-24
Sundowner i was surprised I only paid 8.99 per 100 large primers. If I remember right I paid 39.99 for H110 powder.
From: sundowner
12-Feb-24
Components are still priced high around here spike. At a gun show in Greenville SC a couple of weeks ago, a pound of Alliant Unique pistol powder was $64. Availability is better, but still pretty expensive.
From: fuzzy
12-Feb-24
Timex that 6.5x284 sounds like a great one. I've got a 6.5 x55 Swede and a friend hunts a 6.5x57 both are killers
From: Glunt@work
12-Feb-24
I handloaded for a living once upon a time. Now just for a few finicky or custom-chambered rifles.
From: spike78
12-Feb-24
Sundowner check out Midway USA although you pay a hazmat shipping fee for powder.
From: DanaC
12-Feb-24
7-08 and 45-70 currently. May add a 357 Henry to the stable depending on tax refund ;-) They had a fair mix of powder available at the nearest Cabela's last week but I'm pretty well stocked up for a while. Unfortunately, a lot of companies will not ship components to Massachusetts. Sucks.
From: spike78
12-Feb-24
Dana that’s your people’s doing.
From: fuzzy
14-Feb-24
At the risk of being accused of furthering life a blatantly non political thread, do any of you fellas have any experience with the 6mm Remington BR cartridge?
From: Ricky The Cabel Guy
14-Feb-24
"whats worse politics or a gun forum :)"
lol...
From: fuzzy
14-Feb-24
"Woof!"
From: fuzzy
14-Feb-24
Timex the 6 Remington br intrigues me. I'm not a target shooter but I see potential for a single shot dedicated groundhog rifle
From: BowSniper
14-Feb-24
So many cool new cartridges.... but I worry which ones will fade away. I really loved my Tikka in 300WSM and would like to purchase another one day.
From: fuzzy
14-Feb-24
Biwsniper there sure are. I am not much interested in the new ones. Too old and nostalgic I guess.
From: fuzzy
14-Feb-24
BTW Anyone here who reloads for 6mm Creedmoor (not 6.5) or wants free dies PM me
From: Wildan2
16-Feb-24
Have hand-load for almost 50 years,most rifle calibers,recently the 350 Legend.Going to be reloading a .338/06 this spring for a friend.
From: Ziek
16-Feb-24
Used to hand-load for my .30/06 about 40 years ago before I started bowhunting. Since then just revolver loads; .44 mag., .357 mag., and .38 including fire-lapping them. Haven't even done that in about 10 years. Also have PW 20 ga. press, and a MEC for 12 ga. Haven't used them in quite a while either. Still have many components, but finally threw out the old powders.
From: fuzzy
16-Feb-24
Is anyone else doing a rifle build/rebuild?
From: fuzzy
16-Feb-24
Right now I'm doing a rebuild on an old Sporterized US Enfield/Eddystone, it was probably originally Sporterized in the 1930s or 40s. The stock is a nice old school dark walnut in good condition for its age. I'm refinishing it with a gloss spar varnish keeping the steel buttplate and nice handmade sling studs. I took the action to Douglas Barrels in Cross Lanes WV and had them remove the old barrel of unknown caliber and make up a 7x57 with 1/10 twist. Chrome moly steel, button rifled and hunter contour and crown, polished and air gauged premium. I'm getting the barreled action hot blued and the bolt tried and jeweled. I've got a vintage 4x Kollmorgen Bear Cub scope for it. When finished it'll look like it did 70 years ago. When I got it the action had been modified to cock on opening and it has a nice smoth aftermarket trigger that breaks at about 3.5 pounds
From: drycreek
16-Feb-24
A little clutterted at the time ! ;-))
A little clutterted at the time ! ;-))
Yep, for many years. The .45 Colt is probably my favorite of all time followed closely by the .44 magnum. I load for .280 Rem and .25-06 also but just for hunting. If I shoot for fun, it’s a revolver usually. Ruger single actions are my favorites.
From: drycreek
16-Feb-24
However, I do have a love affair with 10mm semi-autos. A Glock 20, an M&P, and a Tisas 1911 are in my safe. I don’t load for them, it’s hell to find the cases ! ;-))
From: sundowner
16-Feb-24
dry creek, The 45 Colt is one of my favorites too. Nothing fancy like yours, but I shoot a Ruger New Vaquero in that caliber, mostly loaded with powder coated hard-cast lead.
Also love the 10mm. I load 200 grain XTPs over 10.5 grains of Blue Dot for my Colt Delta Elite.
From: fuzzy
17-Feb-24
Love my 1911s
From: drycreek
17-Feb-24
Fuzzy, that Enfield project sounds like a great one. All you ever hear about are Springfields in relation to military rifles, but many knowledgeable people think that the Enfield was the superior gun.
From: fdp
17-Feb-24
Yeah....that Enfield is going to be sweet.
From: Catscratch
17-Feb-24
Man drycreek, that Tisas looks nice! Kind of wish I had one...
From: spike78
17-Feb-24
Nice rifle Timex but it almost seems like accurization is unnecessary these days. Hell a cheap Ruger American is capable of 1/2” groups. A nice trigger is a must though.
From: fdp
17-Feb-24
There is a whole bunch of difference between shooting at 200 yards and shooting at 4 and 500 yards and beyond.
From: drycreek
17-Feb-24
^^^^^ Yep, I admit to being a short range shooter. Almost all of my western trips were with a bow, extremely short range ! ;-))
I still like to hunt with a handgun, though not nearly as much as I used to. Here in East Texas, short ranges are common. I killed more deer with a Model 94 in .375 Winchester than just about any other single rifle. I was straight wall when straight wall wasn’t cool. ;-)) Just about anywhere I hunt now 125 yards is my longest shot. When I had the deer lease in Central Texas, about 300 yards is the longest I ever shot, with a couple hundred being pretty common. I don’t think I would take a shot over 350 for big game, but I have definitely taken a couple of Hail Mary’s at coyotes. Missed them too !
From: fuzzy
17-Feb-24
Drycreek I grew up carrying an old Remington Model of 1917 "lightly " Sporterized. It was daddy's deer rifle. I still have it, was my first Enfield "build" . That one i Douglas barreled back in .30-06. I've got another one in .257 Roberts that was built in '49 by FR Butler of Poultney VT. It was a "rescue" I bought it as a rusty barreled action with no stock. I cleaned it up, added a Redfield peep and bought a rough inletted walnut stock and carved it to suit me. I can pop groundhogs at 200 yards when I'm having a good trigger day. I recently got one in 6mm Remington that was built by a gunsmith named John H Gilligan of Michigan. It is pristine as purchased. Beautiful stock, timney trigger, color cased receiver, jeweled bolt. Mirror finish bluing.
From: fuzzy
18-Feb-24
I've never been a big fan of 6mm having grown up using '06 and .35 Rem but I've killed maybe a dozen with .243 and 6mm and never had one take more than a couple steps. Honestly I've killed several with .222 Rem and .223 Rem same thing
From: drycreek
18-Feb-24
This is my one and only custom rifle. It’s a .280 Remington on a 700 action, Bartlein barrel, Timney trigger, HS Precision stock, built by Alamo Precision out of Hurst, TX, a suburb of Dallas. I’m old school I guess, hardly any gun company even chambers the .280 anymore, but it’s my favorite round for deer sized game. It will kill anything I want to in East Texas.
From: fuzzy
18-Feb-24
Drycreek I've got a 700 Stainless Mountain Rifle in .280 Remington . It's a killer! Ive taken everything from groundhog to moose with it.
From: btnbuck
18-Feb-24
Most of my firearms have never seen a factory round. I reload mostly 9mm and 45acp but also .44 mag and many rifle calibers from .17 Rem/ 204 Ruger on up to 308 and 20ga/12ga.
I love those ""little" calibers for varmints around here.
I cast 9mm and 45ACP bullets from wheel weights mostly (I've saved a lot of them in 30 plus years as an auto mechanic). But I'm not opposed to buying some bullets also, mostly for the rifles.
The Cabelas and other stores around here have plenty of primers in stock last I looked, but they want about $90 a brick for them. Not sure on the supply of LR primers though. I did hear they were tougher to get. I was fortunate enough to "stock up" before the major shortages when you could get 5000 cci for about $130.
From: spike78
18-Feb-24
280 is a great round but now the 280AI rules the roost.
From: PushCoArcher
18-Feb-24
Working on a reduced recoil load in 243. with 100gr Partitions for my boy. Hoping he'll kill his first deer this year with it.
From: btnbuck
18-Feb-24
William, The 243 is a great deer cartridge. Put it in the rib cage and it’s not going far. In the shoulder and it’s not going anywhere. I’ve used one in WV many times and never had to look far for one. (I always aimed a bit back to save the shoulder meat).
From: PushCoArcher
20-Feb-24
Timex definitely something I'll keep in mind I've used them with a lot of success but my load is over 3300fps. We shot yesterday and I used the chrono just under 2700fps. Fortunately we have plenty of hogs to test on before season plus I'll be limiting him to 100 yard max.
