Hunting rounds
- Thread starter Ruger30-06
- Start date
handloads. You get match ammo with premium bullets for the price of no-name white box factory crap (in the common calibers).
So lets tackle the common myths about handloading one at a time:
1: "I don't have the time"
Bull####. You can learn the basics of handloading in an hour or so. It's not complicated. Once you have the skill, you can load a box of ammo in the amount of time it would take to drive across town to the store and pick up some factory crap
2: "I don't have the money"
Bull####. If you can afford guns and more than a small handful of boxes of factory ammo a year, you can afford to handload. If you're strictly into handloading for economic reasons, you can easily get started for under $200. Heck, you *could* get a workable, portable handloading setup from Lee with a hand operated press for under a hundred bucks, or the 'lee loader' for ~$25 (though I'd recommend spending a bit more than just the absolute minimum)
3: "I don't have the space"
Bull####. You don't need to dedicate any permanent space at all. The kit and components will fit into a couple of shoeboxes. When you're ready to load - you have a corner of a desk, right? Or a kitchen table, right?
So lets tackle the common myths about handloading one at a time:
1: "I don't have the time"
Bull####. You can learn the basics of handloading in an hour or so. It's not complicated. Once you have the skill, you can load a box of ammo in the amount of time it would take to drive across town to the store and pick up some factory crap
2: "I don't have the money"
Bull####. If you can afford guns and more than a small handful of boxes of factory ammo a year, you can afford to handload. If you're strictly into handloading for economic reasons, you can easily get started for under $200. Heck, you *could* get a workable, portable handloading setup from Lee with a hand operated press for under a hundred bucks, or the 'lee loader' for ~$25 (though I'd recommend spending a bit more than just the absolute minimum)
3: "I don't have the space"
Bull####. You don't need to dedicate any permanent space at all. The kit and components will fit into a couple of shoeboxes. When you're ready to load - you have a corner of a desk, right? Or a kitchen table, right?
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
I've known dozens of excellent hunters over the years who used all of the factory stuff, and you would not get any of them to agree on anything, same as us when it comes to a brand of rifle.
My father was a hand loader and a real ballistics expert, not like most of use here ( it was his career for more than 30 years).
I asked him once what the best all around hunting caliber was and he said flatly
"30 caliber with a 180 grain bullet".
That is about as general as you can get.
As I said he was a hand loader and an incredible competition shooter, but whenever he went hunting as a guest at a camp or with friends, he used factory ammo - 180 grain in either .303 Brit or '06
All his exhibition shooting was done with factory stuff as well
Cat
My father was a hand loader and a real ballistics expert, not like most of use here ( it was his career for more than 30 years).
I asked him once what the best all around hunting caliber was and he said flatly
"30 caliber with a 180 grain bullet".
That is about as general as you can get.
As I said he was a hand loader and an incredible competition shooter, but whenever he went hunting as a guest at a camp or with friends, he used factory ammo - 180 grain in either .303 Brit or '06
All his exhibition shooting was done with factory stuff as well
Cat
Actually the 180gr .308" ballistic tip was redesigned with a much heavier jacket about five years ago.They are nothing like the older version that fragmented so easily.I killed nine elk and two moose with the new version with impressive results.Most exited,but I have recovered some that passed through both shoulders of a mature elk yet retained over 60% of their weight.I have actually sectioned these new versions as well as the 180gr accubond,and the only difference is that the accubond has a bonded core.The jacket thicknesses were identical.However be aware that the 165gr and 150gr versions were not redesigned at the same time and still have a much thinner jacket.Oddly enough Nosler has thickened the jackets on some particular ballistic points of different calibers and bullet weights up to four times over the years,yet others remain very soft.Unfortunately,without testing them or sectioning them,you can't tell which are which.
Republic of Alberta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- ,location, location
The very best deer load I have ever used is the winchester 130g power point from the 270 . Has put the smack down on deer every time (at least a dozen) for me with this load. One of the best 270 loads for deer.
I only shoot 180 grains outta my 30-06. To me it seems like the perfict wieght, not to low and not to high. I will have to look for some Nosler Accubonds (white tips). I know Marba on here uses the Balistic tips in his 30-06, but that hand loaded and I dont handload right now....
I've used core lokt, federal #### in the grey box, winchester power point, speer grand slam, in 06, 243, 7.62X39, 7mm. I've even seen deer shot with solids(in the head). Every single animal died without a hitch. Don't get too technical. use what shoots best in the rifle, stick the lead in the right spot and it'll do the rest. when you shoot critters somwhere vital with a rifle they go down. i'm cool with the cheap federal stuff. i'm more careful of where(on the animal) i shoot than what (kinda bullet) i shoot.
