Go shooting with a non reloader.

bearhunter said:
You seem to have missed the point of the OP. It wasn't so much the quantity of the ammo his companion had along but how limited his practice session would be to become proficient with the rifle.
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Yupp. I'm guilty of this myself this year, I was supposed to move so I never bought a range membership, then Covid happened so the range was closed and moving had to be put on hold. On a normal year I would have fired a few hundred rounds by now, this year I've got two guns I haven't even shot yet (and I bought one in may!)
 
B said:
You make fun of him only to talk about how you don't have less than five boxes for any gun. I guess you mean crates? 5 boxes isn't even worth setting up a press unless you just don't shoot it much. I had to start storing my stuff outside years ago. Moving wasn't fun...
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Depends how big the boxes are and what you're reloading for, unless you're the type of person to keep crates of the more expensive stuff around. Some of us count on re-using brass and can't afford to keep literal crates-worth of expensive brass sitting around.
 
mactroneng said:
Depends how big the boxes are and what you're reloading for, unless you're the type of person to keep crates of the more expensive stuff around. Some of us count on re-using brass and can't afford to keep literal crates-worth of expensive brass sitting around.
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well I have 200 cases of 325WSM, and good luck with finding more. But if I get 5 reloads from each case I think that will do me for my lifetime. It not like shooting 223, you don't just take the 325 to the range and bang off a box of 50 rounds for fun. Now I have 120 cases for my 458WM another gun you don't just take out and hammer off a box or 2 for fun.

now look at what a box of factory ammo for those rifles cost, if you can find it, I cant not reload.

at least if I'm desperate I can buy factory 300WM and 338WM ammo in the stores but why not reload.
 
marshall said:
I cleaned up 50 rounds of 45 colt at the range one time, and had dies I got on trade for 303 dies, that I don't shoot
So I found a colt Anaconda in 45colt as I had 50 rounds of ammo .
Talk about not shooting much, A fellow dragged in a super nice old savage 99 in 22hp with 1 1/2 boxes of ammo from when he bought the gun new 50 yrs ago. or more
Moving into a home and did not want any more. That one went under the table. But gun hounds can smell good stuff under the tables I think.
BTW I took a new fellow shooting one day, 38sp, 9mm, and he brought his "new " SKS
He had a great time , never shot handguns before, he started to pick up his surplus steel brass, did not know you could not reload it.
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That steel brass reloads just fine, removing the primers and finding boxer primers that fit is the issue.
 
mactroneng said:
Depends how big the boxes are and what you're reloading for, unless you're the type of person to keep crates of the more expensive stuff around. Some of us count on re-using brass and can't afford to keep literal crates-worth of expensive brass sitting around.
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Don't take him wrong, he was just bragging, not dissing you or anyone.

Lots of us are or have been in your position. Nothing to be concerned about.
 
woodchopper said:
well I have 200 cases of 325WSM, and good luck with finding more. But if I get 5 reloads from each case I think that will do me for my lifetime. It not like shooting 223, you don't just take the 325 to the range and bang off a box of 50 rounds for fun. Now I have 120 cases for my 458WM another gun you don't just take out and hammer off a box or 2 for fun.

now look at what a box of factory ammo for those rifles cost, if you can find it, I cant not reload.

at least if I'm desperate I can buy factory 300WM and 338WM ammo in the stores but why not reload.
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I reload obsolete cartridges regularly, such as the 8mm Kropatschek and 42 Berdan. I've done this long before Bell or some other cases became available.

I also reload for my Stepson/Grandson that like hard to find cartridges, like the 7WSM, 458WM and 338RUM. The brass is available starting at $100/50 and around $200/box of 20 for premium bullets loads commercially.

I fully understand why you reload for the cartridges you do

I always frown when someone, such as an author of a magazine article tells their readers to try different manufacturers offerings to find the one that shoots best in their particular rifle. Yeah right at $200 or more per box for some of the obscure magnum rounds???
 
TokdpM2.jpg
 
I reloaded my very first round ever not more than half an hour ago.

I bought a Lee Classic in .308 for my savage Scout. I wanted to give it a shot and see what all the fuss is about. Havent figured out all the fuss yet, but it was fun to do, though I still need to shoot it.

I used a spent case I had (the only one as I never saved the brass before), CCI Large Rifle primer, a Sierra 150gr JSP bullet and 48gr of CFE223 powder. I was concerned about using the Lee Dipper as the CFE powder wasn't listed, but I found the conversion chart in the back of the Lee manual. The 3.1cc dipper = 48gr of CFE223.

The only concern I have is the overall length. The data says max is 2.800 and I measured 2.554. The bullet looked like it was too far out at 2.800 and it doesn't specify a min. I'll check with some of the guys at the range to make sure I'm safe before I let it fly.

I'd do some more but I'd like to make sure I'm doing it correctly before I screw up 100 of them. That and I'm still waiting for some fresh brass and some Hornady ELX bullets.

I think .357 might be a good round to reload....:)

Cheers,
EZTRGT
Kyle
 
Well I guess, But he was a young guy and no reloading stuff at all, Mind you at the price I see these days, may not be a bad idea.
Any problems running it trough the dies?, All I do these days is pistol.

EZTRGT,
357m is easy , and you can load 38 special with the same dies, just have cut back on the powder and length .
Which brings up story I posted before, but will bore the old guys and Gals again.
A fellow has a nice S-W 28 model, 357M, he loaded a bunch of warm 357 mag, being that type.
Than a while later run off a bunch of 38 special, BUT he forgot it was set for 357, At the range recoil about like 44mag, He thought this is a bit warm, when the screws started to back out of the side plate. The gun survived. If it had been a K frame, or a L frame it would not have made it.
but this relates to anything you leload, check everything, than check again, and get a scale, don't have to be high end.
BTW, your handle is damn hard to remember
 
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In my experience, people only knock reloading when they've never tried it. I was the only one reloading in my shooting group, now I've convinced a few friends to join me just by letting them try my stuff out.
 
If you shoot uncommon cartridges reloading is your only choice. Even some cartridges that are available, reloading is so much cheaper. Any cf 17,22 (except 223), 25-20 to 45-70 and semi discontinued cartridges. Any you use in completion. 9mm and 223 might not be worth your time.
 
reloading is expensive i find. I buy a couple boxes of factory ammo a year so I dont have to rush to walmart or can. Tire during hunting season.
 
murph83 said:
reloading is expensive i find. I buy a couple boxes of factory ammo a year so I dont have to rush to walmart or can. Tire during hunting season.
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Then you're either doing the math wrong or buying the cheapest ammo you can find on the shelf.

In my experience, the real value comes with higher priced stuff. I can reload cheap stuff (say winchester power points in my 270win) for less than I can buy them but it's not a huge savings, however when I load premium bullets or less common cartridges the cost difference vs buying factory ammo is significant (eg 7mm08 with a premium bullet costs at least twice as much if I'm buying vs making it.)

Its even better if you can get a deal on bullets or powder - my hunting load for my 270 is currently a 130gr Interbond and the loads cost me about 75c a shot because the bullets were bought on clearance, comparable factory ammo is like $2.50 a shot.
 
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bearhunter said:
I reload obsolete cartridges regularly, such as the 8mm Kropatschek and 42 Berdan. I've done this long before Bell or some other cases became available.

I also reload for my Stepson/Grandson that like hard to find cartridges, like the 7WSM, 458WM and 338RUM. The brass is available starting at $100/50 and around $200/box of 20 for premium bullets loads commercially.

I fully understand why you reload for the cartridges you do

I always frown when someone, such as an author of a magazine article tells their readers to try different manufacturers offerings to find the one that shoots best in their particular rifle. Yeah right at $200 or more per box for some of the obscure magnum rounds???
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well I didn't include reloading 577/450 and 310 Cadet for my Martinis

and once you start reloading the cost of another set of dies is inconsequential mind you I still have a pile of surplus 7.62x39, 7.62x54, and some 9x19mm as that is still cheaper to buy in bulk then to reload.
 
murph83 said:
reloading is expensive i find. I buy a couple boxes of factory ammo a year so I dont have to rush to walmart or can. Tire during hunting season.
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So either the rifle you're shooting is a bit hard on the shoulder or you're not practicing enough.

You're not alone there. I often come across rifles from estate sales that are 50-60 years old and still have some original boxes of cartridges with them, that were purchased with the rifle.

I recently picked up a post 64, mod 94 Winchester that was built in 1967. It had 5 boxes of ammo with it. 2 1/2 full and 2 1/2 empty.

The original owner had gotten it as a 25th birthday present and taken a Deer with it every year, out of his garden patch, through the kitchen window.

He didn't need to practice.
 
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