Reloading BS thread

I started with the .223Win and .270Win, then acquired tools for 38 special/.357 mag and 9mm. After learning the ropes I developed high-end loads for the 7mm RM for my Tikka T3x SuperLite. That suckers like the Nosler AccuBond 160g bullets loaded to 2950FPS. For the longest time I couldn't get those to shoot well in the .270 despite hunting elk and deer for a decade with it. By "well", I mean .50" MOA as opposed to 1-1.5" which is okay for hunting. But I added the Leupold VX5HD 2-15x44 CDS scope on both rifles, so I'd like to be as accurate out to 1000 yards as possible. I found that the .270 Winchester Model 70 LOVES the Hornady ELD-x 145g bullets. I don't agree that they're "hunting bullets" because of the cup-and-core design, but I'm an advocate of accuracy and ethics believing that if you hit the animal where it counts, you'll be a more successful hunter. So the 7 Mag has the AB's and the .270 the ELDx.

As for the handguns, I load a ton of the plinking rounds. The 9mm and 38 special eat up the Berry's bullets like candy, so I just roll with the cheapest and available powders. Nothing like a good flash bang out of the cowboy-style wheel gun 686 S&W revolver! For the full-bore 357 rounds I use the hard cast 180 grains. However, if I'm carrying that for hunting/bear protection I always use the Buffalo Bore 180g hard cast factory rounds, going out with intent to protect myself in grizzly country while hunting. That same round harvested an elk at 150 yards, so it made me a believer! As for the 9mm, I just still to plinking for my reloads. It's the Sig 365 EDC and there's legalities about handloading for self-protection. Something on the lines of "if you load your own bullets, the courts see it as intent to murder." Therefore, a person should never handload their EDC bullets; go with Spear Gold 125g or any of the Hornady self defense rounds.

A few years back I acquired a shotshell loader - the Lee Load-All reloader. But I haven't dove into loading for shotgun yet. What I'd really like to do is learn how to do that for slug guns!! Where I live in Wyoming, we have the National Elk Refuge where we're able to get a permit to hunt a short-range weapon only section, which includes slugs/handgun/archery equipment. That's a fun hunt! I'd like to be able to load slugs for that. Right now I'm lobbing the 300g Trophy Copper 12g slugs at 2000 FPS out of my Savage 212. It's a gun round but I think if I did it again I'd choose the 20g. They make a 300g round 20g, which means its sleaker and longer, which means a higher BC! My max right now is 200 yards with that, but conditions have to be perfect. I think the 20g would allow for more forgiveness and cheaper for a box of 5. Right now they're around $20, so it's crazy to just go out target practicing with the slugs.

 

The parallels heree....I almost felt like I was reading about myself!

I started about 10 years ago with the Hornady kit as well. Add the dies for .40/10mm and 300AAC, and this is me....almost to a T.

Except I don't have access to a long range anymore, so my testing hunting rounds pretty much stopped when I moved to GA. Last I recall, they were stuck in the 1-1.5" moa range. Oh, and my Tikka is the .270. I have a Ruger in 7mm RM.

Due to availability and cost, I have a Sig self defense round that I carry in both 40 and 9mm for the same reason you stated above. Not that the courts see hand loading as intent to murder, but it could be argued that you loaded it incorrectly...either under or over pressure. Might as well stick with factory self defense ammo so that the big company lawyers can argue about load pressures if they feel like that is an issue.

 

358 JDJ.
223 for reference

 

That’s a very cool cartridge. I was researching it a little after I saw your posting.

I should be more adventurous. I’ve been reloading most of my life, but I stick to the basics and tailor my collection accordingly. My Dad reloads for EVERYTHING! Even in his 80s he’s figuring how to reload for his new .577 Snider. lol!

 

This appears to be a popular option for a T/C contender pistol. Are you shooting it outta a pistol?

 

Indeed. SSK still does the conversion. This one is a 14" 35rem reamed to 444marlin case length which is just necked down slightly to 358. Muzzle is also magna ported. 309JDJ and 375 JDJ are also popular.

 

I have a pair of Contender frames. I wish the barrels were cheaper. They’re a lot of fun.

Great product! I’ve never seen it before.

 

For the longest time- we couldn't use rifles to hunt in my area so it was pistol or shotgun only. Got a T/C in 7-30 waters mag ported, big bipod on it and a 2-7x pistol scope. Have taken game at over 300yrds with it. Great little gun before they allowed rifle hunting- it was a goto

 

I don't reload and I have a box of spent brass in my garage.
Anyone in driving distance to Memphis TN area can have it.
I can look for it and see what exactly is there or get a pic of condition for anyone interested. Forget if it was a lot or little. Just saw this thread and thought of it.
I expect should have some .223, 5.56, 45-70, and .308. Possibly 9mm. Bag of variety of recently fired plastic 12ga shells too.

 

If nothing else, offer it for sale locally. I always tell my friends to pick up their brass after shooting. Even if you dont reload it, once-fired sells decently well. Especially rifle caliber stuff.

Its like leaving dimes all over the ground or sweeping it up and putting a pan full of dimes in the trash/bucket

 

Trying to get a load dialed in for transonic long range. Finicky stuff. Loaded 127.3grs and 127.5grs of retumbo. Everything else being equal. This is the biggest difference I've ever seen on such a small change.
It'll shoot half moa with 375gr lasers all day but they don't fly well past a mile due to gyroscopic stability being mehh .
Maybe I'll wait till i can find the 410gr berger hybrids to continue development.

127.3 top group.
127.5 bottom group.
Approximately 5 kernels of powder difference.

 

Possibly adjust your seating depth between the 2 loads?

Have you loaded 127.2, .4 and .6? Curious what those would do.

 

Certainly worth a shot. There isn't much load data available for this round and 127.5 is the hottest I've tried so far. No signs of pressure on the brass but bolt lift is starting to get stiff. Groups were .8moa at 126.0 and 126.5
I might play more in that range charge wise and play more with seating depth too.
These are also mag primers. Im gonna try a couple with standard lrp just for the hell of it.

 

There's lot of black magic that happens with seating depth...

 

Did you chono them?

Shooting a mile, I'd want ES to be as close to zero as possible.

 

Of course i chrono. I would like ES to be single digits but it's just over right now at 10 to 11fps with the 352gr mtac. The 375gr lasers had an es of 4 which was great. But again the gsf isn't high enough on them to do well past transonic flight.

 

Here's the verdict. Only 3 rounds per charge weight. Shooting 18 of those was enough.

 

Anyone interested in some 30-06 brass?

 

What you asking for it?

 

Always interested. If Velillen passes let me know.