Handloading - How Many and How Long?

[M1A1ABRAMS]

I started with full-power .357 Mag in 2007 and almost ended my reloading career then and there. I'd inherited an old Llama .357 revolver and when I test-fired my first 6 cartridges the side of the barrel blew out! Reviewed my reloading process and recipe and found nothing wrong, then researched the Llama and found they were notorious for using weak steel during the era my gun was made. Bought a S&W 686+ and the same load worked fine in it.

Today I reload for 6 pistol and 4 rifle calibers as well as 3 shotgun gauges.

I never heard that about Llamas. Just curious but was it just the revolvers ?

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

Wow, really impressive guys! I have loaded a butt load of 9mm and .45. I have also done 45-70. I have .280 dies, bullets, primers and powder, same with 300wm and 6.5 Grendel. I need to take the dive into bottleneck! I wish I had someone local who could coach me.

I feel the same.Nothing like a little hands on training. Being new to reloading I notice I do a lot of second guessing myself.

 

[Horse1]

Does starting out with the primer-fueled plastic case/bullet Speer handgun trainers count as reloading?

 

[Calvin45]

Great thread ! I started in 1975. I just turned 66. First 7mm Rem Mag. then 22-250 then etc. Went through all the Lee Loader stage. Now reload for 15 rifle and 11 pistol cartridge's. Won another rifle in 257 Weatherby. Been testing with it the last 2 weeks. Nice round. I guess that makes 16.

Congrats! I've yet to "win" a rifle haha.

But I've had my .257 weatherby for a little over a year now. Man I love that cartridge. Such a sweet spot performance wise. Shoots flatter than my .243, kicks less than my .270, and even on inanimate targets like water jugs and stuff it "seems" to hit way harder than that little bullet should. What's not to love? Besides barrel life…

It was one of those cartridges that for whatever reason I've wanted since
I was a kid. Just fascinated me. Same with the .358 Norma magnum, for some reason. I now have rifles in both those calibers. The 300 RUM is currently on my "I want one" list, as is a good condition savage 99 in .250-300 savage or .358 Winchester.

And it's defied a lot of my expectations based on "conventional wisdom".

For example it only has a 24 inch barrel. All logic says that performance should be suboptimal and barely better than a .25-06 at that length. But I've got 100 Barnes tsx doing about 3500, 100 grain Nosler b tips doing 3700, and 75 grain hammer hunters doing 4150 fps.

And the freebore doesn't seem to make this an inaccurate round at all. AT ALL

 

[birddog 68]

I didn't realize that there was so many old… I mean experienced reloaders on here.
I'm new to the game compared to most. Been loading about 15 years now and currently only loading for 3.
And I would like to thank all the more experienced for sharing your knowledge with me. It's helped me out greatly!

 

[memtb]

Calvin, ya just ain't liv'n right!

The majority of our recent firearms acquisitions, last 15 years, have been won at The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation or The Friends of the NRA. Of course…..you can't reap any rewards from the NRA! Much like real estate…..location, location, location! memtb

 

[Turpentine21]

Right, my problem is a really have a big bore addiction and two bad shoulders. One is rebuilt with $83,000 worth of titanium, polyethylene and chrome steel. The other has been scoped enough it needs the same hardware. I wake to coffee and an extra strength shot of Advil. Big slip on pads are my friend at the range and I rarely shoot prone anymore unless I want to deal with old man arthritis's wrath for a week afterwards. When you're pulling the trigger for one shot hunting you don't notice at all. Probably need to get into the 6.5 game and stop beating myself up but I have enough bigboy components to last way past my grandkids lives. I do happen to be pumping out 9mm at the moment at the bench though, so I guess there is a few that aren't painful when you play. Every time I do this I tell myself I'm going to buy another conversion kit for my Dillion…these baby pieces of brass give me a headache!

Completely understand! In 2005 I had a treestand accident that left me with two compression fractured vertebra and two burst fractured vertebrae. 9 surgeries later I can walk again but I have a tacklebox full of hardware and rods and 11 fused vertebrae Including two with discs, plates, and screws in my neck. No more treestands for me. In a word, recoil "hurts". If I were to try to shoot prone, I would need a crane to help me up.
My father and father in law both have shoulder issues. Both are very tough guys and evidently shoulder injuries are very painful as they have both slowed way down. You can tell that they hurt.
The back injury is one reason I reload shotshells as it lets me build light 7/8 oz loads. I run my mec 9000e with a sewing machine peddle.
For shotguns, rifles, and pistols I reload because I very much prefer to shoot my tailored loads instead of factory ammo. I don't like muzzle brakes or suppressors so 30/06 is about my physical limit in a hunting rifle. Even so I gravitate toward my 6.5-06 for longer range stuff. It weighs about 13 pounds. I built it that heavy for a reason. It is a creampuff to shoot. I also use My 6.5 Grendel and 308 ARs mostly anymore. I only hunt deer and hogs so those calibers do the job nicely. I have been batting around the idea of building myself a heavy 300win mag or 7mm x 300. Those would have to have a brake. I don't need a big rifle. But I've always wanted one.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Congrats! I've yet to "win" a rifle haha.

But I've had my .257 weatherby for a little over a year now. Man I love that cartridge. Such a sweet spot performance wise. Shoots flatter than my .243, kicks less than my .270, and even on inanimate targets like water jugs and stuff it "seems" to hit way harder than that little bullet should. What's not to love? Besides barrel life…

It was one of those cartridges that for whatever reason I've wanted since
I was a kid. Just fascinated me. Same with the .358 Norma magnum, for some reason. I now have rifles in both those calibers. The 300 RUM is currently on my "I want one" list, as is a good condition savage 99 in .250-300 savage or .358 Winchester.

And it's defied a lot of my expectations based on "conventional wisdom".

For example it only has a 24 inch barrel. All logic says that performance should be suboptimal and barely better than a .25-06 at that length. But I've got 100 Barnes tsx doing about 3500, 100 grain Nosler b tips doing 3700, and 75 grain hammer hunters doing 4150 fps.

And the freebore doesn't seem to make this an inaccurate round at all. AT ALL

Hey Calvin.
I've won 6 rifles and 9 pistols and a lot of great stuff of AESRaffles.com. Arizona Elk Society. 3 Weatherby Vanguards in 300 win mag. 6.5 Needmore and the last one a 257 Weatherby. Tried last raffle for 6.5 x300 Weatherby. I went shooting on BLM this morning with some once fired brass. Did way better than first loads. Went to leave and my right rear tire was flat. A whole nother story. Here's a few loads I tried today. I'm sure it will shoot a little tighter after I get the brake I have installed after barrel threaded.
The the shot to right on both RL26 loads with TTSX and LRX were with magneto speed on. Only did one Chrono shot each. If I knew they would be that close with out it I wouldn't of cared. With Muzzle Brake on 300 win mag no way.

 

[memtb]

Those are pretty respectable groups and "marching along" pretty nicely also!

And……you must be liv'n right to be that lucky! memtb

 

[ATH]

I started with 12ga circa 1995, I started with centerfire (300WM) when I bought my first rifle in 2003. It's expanded quickly from there, I count 28 different chamberings now:

9mm, 40SW, 45ACP, 380ACP, 10mm, 38Sp, 41Mag, 44Mag, 45 Colt, 223Rem, 20 Practical, 223AI, 243AI, 6X45, 6.5-06AI, 25Rem, 6.5 Grendel, 284Win, 300 BLK, 30-06, 300WM, 338 Edge, 358 WSM 1.8", 35 Rem, 45-70, 458 SOCOM

I have not lived somewhere with significant shotgun hunting in many years so I no longer find it economical to reload 12ga, that's the only one I've quit.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Those are pretty respectable groups and "marching along" pretty nicely also!

And……you must be liv'n right to be that lucky! memtb

I don't know about living right but I try.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Edited my mistakes in post #92

 

[memtb]

Edited my mistakes in post #92

I'd like to edit my targets…..by putting the holes closer together! memtb

 

[WYO300RUM]

I'd like to edit my targets…..by putting the holes closer together! memtb

I don't know how to do that