Changing Loads?

WhelanLad

WhelanLad

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Hey guys, in the Moose thread a few people mention how the 30-06 is say their GO TO round for Canadian hunting, and theres no doubt everyones GO TO rifle is a different calibre,
what I was wondering, Is How often or what reasons do you change a "Go to" load?
When I tend to set up a Rifle, beit a 35 Whelen with 250grainers for Brush hunting, it tends to Stay a 250gr load for a long time.... generally til the bullets are gone.

Say with my 7mm08- proberly my Go to, have played around with a couple different Bullets, Go to Load is a Woodleigh projectile, I do tend to Change coming into Fallow season (small deer) and then GO TO for Winter..



Does anyone swap around quite often? Say you have a MOOSE hunt on, but primarily a Whietail hunter perhaps?

Perhaps you have a 270, 7rem and 3006 and a 300wm, an you don't change loads at all but Rather grab the suitable Cartridge?
perhaps you donyt have a lot of guns and need to change the bullets often.


interesting
 
I don't have a 30-06 and never will. I admit is is suitable for all round but to me it is like a minvan. Good for lots of stuff but BORING.
To get to you question. I load one bullet for each of my rifles and don't change. In 7RM its a 160 nosher part or AB. In 300Rum a 200AB etc. I will use that load for all that I hunt. I don't have to re-zero for different bullets and I know the trajectory.
Actually all the bullets are suitable for all game. I do not believe in using a lighter bullet for smaller deer sized animals. The smaller bullet does more damage. I have a couple of rifles that I have not selected the proper load for. I may spend considerable time deciding what the final load a particular rifle.
I hope that answers your question.

Neil
 
Unless I'm deliberately experimenting with bullet types, I try to settle on one load for a rifle and leave it alone. If I want a different bullet, I'll just take a different gun.

If I lived in Australia I would likely try to shoot Woodleighs of a suitable weight for everything.
 
I used 180 grn Nosler Partitions in the .300 WinMag back in the day.
Used it for everything.
From popping the heads of a Grouse to Deer to Moose to Black Bears.
Everything seemed to die just as fast as dead could be.
Or in the immortal words of kamlookies Dad 'Kill it, kill it fricken dead!!!'
But, WL thats just me and I'm still learnin and even learning a little from you and your shared experiences.
Rob
 
WhelanLad said:
Hey guys, in the Moose thread a few people mention how the 30-06 is say their GO TO round for Canadian hunting, and theres no doubt everyones GO TO rifle is a different calibre,
what I was wondering, Is How often or what reasons do you change a "Go to" load?
When I tend to set up a Rifle, beit a 35 Whelen with 250grainers for Brush hunting, it tends to Stay a 250gr load for a long time.... generally til the bullets are gone.

Say with my 7mm08- proberly my Go to, have played around with a couple different Bullets, Go to Load is a Woodleigh projectile, I do tend to Change coming into Fallow season (small deer) and then GO TO for Winter..



Does anyone swap around quite often? Say you have a MOOSE hunt on, but primarily a Whietail hunter perhaps?

Perhaps you have a 270, 7rem and 3006 and a 300wm, an you don't change loads at all but Rather grab the suitable Cartridge?
perhaps you donyt have a lot of guns and need to change the bullets often.


interesting
Click to expand...

You hit the nail on the head. I don't see any good reason to swap loads in a given rifle. You load some with Partitions for bear or moose and load some with Ballistic Tips for deer and you are guaranteed to #### it up and have the wrong box of ammo with you. I'm not against experimenting with different bullets, but once you find one with the construction you like and the performance you are looking for, why change it? If Partitions shoot well in your rifle and you can keep a good supply of them then there you are.
 
FLHTCUI said:
I used 180 grn Nosler Partitions in the .300 WinMag back in the day.
Used it for everything.
From popping the heads of a Grouse to Deer to Moose to Black Bears.
Everything seemed to die just as fast as dead could be.
Or in the immortal words of kamlookies Dad 'Kill it, kill it fricken dead!!!'
But, WL thats just me and I'm still learnin and even learning a little from you and your shared experiences.
Rob
Click to expand...

So his first language is English?
 
I used to run a couple of different loads in a few rifles, but some were always just one load. My 300 Ultra for years only saw 168 TSX's, but one of my 7wsm's would be stuffed with 120 TSX's in the mag, with 162 Amax's tucked in my pack or in my pocket. 120's for the up close and personal, but the 162's to reach out and touch something. After having used the 162's enough on game to not worry about an up close shot, that's all it gets now.

My 280AI hasn't shown a preference yet for 162 Amax or ELD X's, or 150 TTSX, so I'm still experimenting. My 243 AI only gets 105 Amax's, and with enough of those stock piled to cook 3 barrels that is probably all it will ever get.

My 264 Mag accounted for a lot of game with the original 140 X, but also took a few things with the 130 tsx after I couldn't get anymore 140's.

I guess I've been lucky though, where any of the rifles where I had a pair of loads ready to go, they always shoot to the same POA for the intended purpose. The 120/162 loading for instances, were both well inside a MPBR hold. The 120's were 2" high at 100 yards, and good out to 370 or so with a hold on hair approach. The 162's were a bit higher, at 3" at 100, but they were good for a somewhat longer range purpose, and that is what my dope chart was printed for.

That said though, I generally choose a rifle specific to an application. Deer hunting around my place is generally a 223 AI with a 75 Amax for me, or a 223 with a 55gr TTSX or GMX for the kids.
The GF likes her 7/08 for everything with a 140 TTSX now.
Deer hunting where shots could be up close or way out, gets the 243AI with 105 Amax's. A grizzly hunt gets the 300 Ultra and 180 TTSX. Elk is generally the 300 WM with 180gr Winchester factory soft points (that's due to nostalgia, nothing more), moose its a toss up... Depends on what I want to carry.
A sheep/goat hunt is the 280AI... For me, variety is the spice of life. (To a point. There are several cartridges in the same couple of platforms mostly there.)
Black bears, that's 90% of the time going to be archery tackle....

With some stuff though, depending on what I'm carrying, I'm always prepared to pass on a shot that isn't going to be feasible with any implement that I have. I'm not going to take a 70 yard shot on a big whitetail in the fall with a Montec 100, but I'm not going to worry about shooting that buck with a 180gr TTSX at 20 yards.

Just have to decide what floats your boat, and how much hassle you want to put up with while you are hunting. Some folks can't fathom passing up a shot because they don't have enough gun, so they carry a 340 Bee for 90 lb whitetails. Others know that there will always be another animal come along, so they can pass up a poor angle or a long poke at something. Only you can decide for you, on how you want to spend your time and resources.
 
I have never, nor would I ever fool around with two loads for the same rifle. If a load is worked up for heavier game like elk or moose it will surely work for deer.
 
Rembo said:
I have never, nor would I ever fool around with two loads for the same rifle. If a load is worked up for heavier game like elk or moose it will surely work for deer.
Click to expand...

While I agree with the sentiment, in my case, that wasn't the reasoning behind it. Some places I hunt have some opportunities a bit different than others potentially. I personally am not comfortable with using a mono at the lower end of its velocity window, nor am I particularly thrilled with the lower bc's that can be associated with them...

Having a slicker bullet that can be stretched out there can be a real benefit. And having a tough bullet that can be driven fast and not create a lot of excess bloodshot meat can be beneficial at times.

But like I said, just depends on what you want to do with a rifle, and how much you are willing to compromise to get there.
 
medvedqc said:
on gunnutz: two loads for the same caliber two rifles ... BUM mentionned the disaster it can be with the wrong box of ammo ... with the wrong scope ...
Click to expand...

Before the hunt you decide to load some low velocity cast bullet loads for grouse/ptarmigan/small game to supplement your food supply on your upcoming adventure. You fly into a remote area, make camp and set up your tent. You decide to go through your pack and get everything ready for the next morning, only to find a single MTM box filled with, you guessed it, cast bullet loads, which would be okay, except that you're on a coastal grizzly hunt. Well, you're paying for the thrills, and that's a sure way to get them.
 
FLHTCUI said:
I used 180 grn Nosler Partitions in the .300 WinMag back in the day.
Used it for everything.
From popping the heads of a Grouse to Deer to Moose to Black Bears.
Everything seemed to die just as fast as dead could be.
Or in the immortal words of kamlookies Dad 'Kill it, kill it fricken dead!!!'
But, WL thats just me and I'm still learnin and even learning a little from you and your shared experiences.
Rob
Click to expand...


I agree.

I used to make handloads with 180 gr. NP bullets for my 300 WM with a buddy and his loading equipment, but he got sick and lost interest, so when I was running out of those I tried a box of plain Jane silver box Winchester 180 grain cartridges and I'll be damned! Great groups at 200 metres. So I use those now.

That said, I have a 7x57 I've been shooting 139 grain Hornady bullets out of that but when they are exhausted, I'll try a swap to 175 grain bullets. I have too many rifles that all shoot 130, 139, 140 and 150 grain bullets. Need to switch a few things around.
 
Great topic here! I for one use one load and stick with it. That being said, I myself am a whimsical individual and when I read of a new load or new bullet I try it out. If my rifle tends to like it better than I swap over to that load and be done with it. For instance I've grabbed some Barnes bullets for my 2 main rifles and am going to try a little playing around. Normally I shoot 195 interlocks out of my 325 wsm, but I stumbled across a good deal on some 200 grain TSX. My 358 Norma shoots 250 grain interlocks quite well, but in the same deal I acquired some 225 tsx so why not!

In summary, yes I try different loads but whichever my rifle likes the best I stick with until such a time as the components become unavailable or something better comes along.
 
I have several rifles in the same chambering. I have a specific load developed for each rifle, and do not mess with different loads in the same rifle.

Generally, when I have developed something that works well, I stay with it. D.
 
1 load, which ever is the most accurate. I am not a speed freak, just want most accurate and then I take the appropriate rifle/what I want to hunt with. All my bug guns kill little game just as dead. And most of my little ones are capable of going larger as I tend to shoot premium bullets. My goto loads in my older rifles are nearing thirty years of age and still shoot and kill just fine
 
1 load, 1 rifle. Easier. Most of the time I rely on the load that is suited to the largest game to be hunted with that rifle.

The 45-70 has a full time home because I hunt on a water locked island. There are no shots over 100 yards except on one specific watch, and that is maxing out at 200 yards anymore. I'm young guy(40), so I push the bush. 430gr Hard cast for moose running away shots. Works fine on deer except they damage less meat that my .308, unless you the onside shoulder. So that is what I shoot for everything. Takes the heads off of logging road rabbits just fine as well.

7 mag? 139 gr GMX. I am still not sold on these or Barnes tsx yet. Seems I get reliable expansion and penetration, but the "drop" time on deer and even moose, and moose seem to drop on the spot most any of the time, seems to be longer. Could be a bit of tracking extra. I may go back to SSTs, that seem to be extremely effective, but I avoid shoulders on account I don't like wasting meat.

.223? 60 grain sierra hpfb. Push it out at 3000 fps even, and it is the most accurate load I have ever shot in any rifle. Doesn't have violent expansion, more like a corlokt or Hornady Interlok. Exit wounds on fox and coyotes, but a ton of penetration on wolf, which is the more common animal in my woods. Kills on Groundhogs and hares are not as impressive as a vmax or the like, but one never ran off. I would use it on calm, smallish deer under 100 yards with full confidence.

The 308 uses a standard cup and core 150 or 165 gr bullets on sale for that run of 200. The quickest three deer kills I ever seen on a non cns hit was the 308 with standard 180 gr corlokts. All three dropped like a steel Ram with broadside shoulder and just lung hits both. It goes for moose and bear too.

Different hunt, different gun. No loads to mix up and miss point of aim. Keeps things simple, it gets easier all the time to forget "stuff".
 
Where you end up with a real goat rodeo is when you have multiple rifles that shoot the same ammo. I have three 45-70s, One is strictly a black powder rifle, the second can go both way (bi-feedual?) and the other is good for hot smokeless. Have to have your #### together in that situation to keep from picking pieces of rifle out of your face.
 
BigUglyMan said:
Where you end up with a real goat rodeo is when you have multiple rifles that shoot the same ammo. I have three 45-70s, One is strictly a black powder rifle, the second can go both way (bi-feedual?) and the other is good for hot smokeless. Have to have your #### together in that situation to keep from picking pieces of rifle out of your face.
Click to expand...

That's where things like coloured bullet tips or nickel plated brass, etc come in.

When I had a 7x57 Rolling Block it alone got Norma brass. For old 8x57's (think M88) I use red tipped bullets.
 
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