who reloads
Senior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
From: Grande Prairie, Alberta,
who reloads
Yup, I reload, using The RCBS press & dies etc, I load 3 calibers, .338 Win Mag, 7mm Rem Mag & .260 Rem. In the past I have also reloaded the .22 Hornet, .308 Win (7.62 Nato) .358 Win, .30-06 & .45-70. I reload for fun, it saves me a lot of money because I shoot alot & my hand loads are alot more accurate & hard hitting than store bought ammo. Although some of the upper grade factory stuff from Federal {Premium} & Winchester {Supreme} are fairly close in performance they are alot more money!
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,882
Likes: 0
From: Nevada
who reloads
.32 ACP, .44 Special, 9mm, .22-250, .308. Still have dies from .220 Swift, .25-06, .270, .30-06, 7mm Mag, .300 Mag and .45ACP.
I've always reloaded because every handgun or rifle has a 'sweet' load that it responds to for best accuracy. That's the reason most reloading manuals offer a range of powder measurements for each bullet weight.
Loading a cartridge up to the hottest load an action will safely handle doesn't usually achieve the best accuracy. For antelope deer and elk, loading to put three in a row in the same spot at 200 yards every time and knowing your drop rate by 100 yard increments beyond that is far more important.
I've always reloaded because every handgun or rifle has a 'sweet' load that it responds to for best accuracy. That's the reason most reloading manuals offer a range of powder measurements for each bullet weight.
Loading a cartridge up to the hottest load an action will safely handle doesn't usually achieve the best accuracy. For antelope deer and elk, loading to put three in a row in the same spot at 200 yards every time and knowing your drop rate by 100 yard increments beyond that is far more important.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
From: Dyer TN
who reloads
I reload for 357 Magnum (rifle) and 44-40 WCF in both rifle and pistol. I've got dies for 303 Brit and 30-30 but have just never used 'em.
357 Magnum for rifle, well we've got a couple of 'em around here and using a slow burning powder to better use of the longer barrels than the faster pistol powders do.
44-40: The factory ammo is.. well... anemic is the best word I can use here. It's actually got more potential with the lighter 44 bullets than the 44 Mag as the ol' 44-40 has more case capacity. It's the old revolvers and early weak Winchesters that hold it back. I'm running about 1965fps with a 210gr Winchester Silvertip JHP out of my Marlin 1894.
*****
357 Magnum for rifle, well we've got a couple of 'em around here and using a slow burning powder to better use of the longer barrels than the faster pistol powders do.
44-40: The factory ammo is.. well... anemic is the best word I can use here. It's actually got more potential with the lighter 44 bullets than the 44 Mag as the ol' 44-40 has more case capacity. It's the old revolvers and early weak Winchesters that hold it back. I'm running about 1965fps with a 210gr Winchester Silvertip JHP out of my Marlin 1894.
*****
Last edited by Willy McCoy; Jul 9, 2003 at 12:02 PM.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 7,298
Likes: 45
From: Southern California
who reloads
.357, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .243, .270, .30-06, .444 Marlin and 12 gauge. Mostly for the same reasons everyone else has listed. It's very satisfying to taylor a load specifically for your firearm and target. Whether paper, fur or feather. If you shoot clay target's competitively, you can't hardly afford not to reload.
Scott
Scott
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,323
Likes: 2
From: Montana Territory
who reloads
Hey treb check out http://www.shootersforum.com Its setup just like this site and they guys there can answer any question about guns or loads.
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New User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
who reloads
me and my dad reload, we each have a .303 British, and then i reload for my .38 Special and he relaods his own .45-70 loads too, makes for some good therapy, especially goin out and shootin' afterwards..we also reload 12 ga. shells, but we dont shoot them as much anymore which sucks, i like shootin clays...
Gone but not forgotten.
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 6,521
Likes: 2
who reloads
I used to fire around a hundred rounds of .45ACP a week so reloading was a necessity. George is right about matching the load to the weapon, I kept changing the recipe until I got the best pattern.
Dono
Dono
New User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
who reloads
I used to reload .38, .357 magnum, and .40 S&W. I haven't reloaded for a couple of years though. I am starting to feel the urge as of late however.
In my .40 S&W's I used to use a light load of Bullseye for a slower, bigger, 180 grain jacketed flat point round. Large, slow bullet for knock-down power without over-penetrating.
In my .40 S&W's I used to use a light load of Bullseye for a slower, bigger, 180 grain jacketed flat point round. Large, slow bullet for knock-down power without over-penetrating.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 11,496
Likes: 6
From: Kansas
who reloads
300 Savage, 9 mm, 12 gauge, 338 mag, 7.62X39, 223, 44 mag, 480. 30-06.
Haven't done much lately, the bench is calling. I got a load of 44's that need set up and the 480 is getting hungry.
Haven't done much lately, the bench is calling. I got a load of 44's that need set up and the 480 is getting hungry.
also a .222 .243 .264 .338 30-06 300 savage and so on