Reloaders: your biggest regret?
- Thread starter iamcanadian783
- Start date
20 years
357 magnum has always delivered in regards to case life, accuracy, cost and experimentation in rifle and revolver. I reload and cast for lots of other cartridges, but this one always has some recipe where I can find some a powder and bullet that will work. I haven't fired a 22lr in years once I got serious with it.
2 regrets
1: chasing velocity, it rarely pays off and just increases the cost per shot and often degrades accuracy. Ive basically settled on hunting loads with acceptable accuracy, and target loads for long shooting sessions.
2: paying money on gear that can be made easily. Custom sizes, expander, powder bushings can all be made from bar stock, micrometer adjustable seaters can be easily replaced with a cheap dial indicater. Ive repaired a few lube sizers with O rings at canadian tire and made any missing parts for pennies on the dollar.
357 magnum has always delivered in regards to case life, accuracy, cost and experimentation in rifle and revolver. I reload and cast for lots of other cartridges, but this one always has some recipe where I can find some a powder and bullet that will work. I haven't fired a 22lr in years once I got serious with it.
2 regrets
1: chasing velocity, it rarely pays off and just increases the cost per shot and often degrades accuracy. Ive basically settled on hunting loads with acceptable accuracy, and target loads for long shooting sessions.
2: paying money on gear that can be made easily. Custom sizes, expander, powder bushings can all be made from bar stock, micrometer adjustable seaters can be easily replaced with a cheap dial indicater. Ive repaired a few lube sizers with O rings at canadian tire and made any missing parts for pennies on the dollar.
Had a lot of favorite cartridges to reload but I always seem to come back to .308 palma. For me it's just the right amount of recoil to let you know it's there but you can sit behind it all day. Biggest regret not writing down everything overtime that my friends and family members taught me in reloading back when I started and yes this is way before the internet back when you looked forward to that year]s reloading manual.
Yup VARGET is hard to beat in the 6 ### Tiger
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mactroneng
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
My biggest regret is taking so long to try Alliant 2400 for my revolvers then having very little of it when it stopped coming into the country.
I have been reloading for the last 15 years, start reloading with pistol caliber then move up to rifle caliber and so on. My most satisfied ever are 45-70 and 308 win.
My biggest regret is impulse purchase on newest and latest technology. I should have go back to basic with just a hammer and Classic Lee loader.
Lately, I rather purchase factory rounds than reloading, time is quite important nowadays.
My biggest regret is impulse purchase on newest and latest technology. I should have go back to basic with just a hammer and Classic Lee loader.
Lately, I rather purchase factory rounds than reloading, time is quite important nowadays.
Buying a hornady lock n load ap progressive and then over a few years getting it to the ammo plant stage with case and bullet feeder, instead of just getting a Dillon 650 18 or so years ago.
The hornady requires a lot of tinkering when doing bulk loads. Shell plate coming loose, casings not pushed forward consistently onto the shell plate, and a few other stupid design flaws they could improve from the factory that would make it a great press as opposed to an ok so so press.
After about 3 years with the Dillon it just works. Has a few quirks I don’t like but never have to tinker once I am set up and ready to do a large run.
The hornady requires a lot of tinkering when doing bulk loads. Shell plate coming loose, casings not pushed forward consistently onto the shell plate, and a few other stupid design flaws they could improve from the factory that would make it a great press as opposed to an ok so so press.
After about 3 years with the Dillon it just works. Has a few quirks I don’t like but never have to tinker once I am set up and ready to do a large run.
Funny enough, one of those appeared in my mailbox earlier this weekLike one of these
If my hands hadn't started cramping up bad while using my my Lyman Xpress w/L3i cutter heads the RCBS/Henderson wouldn't have hit my radar. But it appears that past rock-climbing injuries have finally caught up with me...
Since 1970, started out with a Parker Hale sporterized Lee Enfield purchased at Woodwards department store, (no Pal or Fac required) and a basic Lee Loader. Primers were fifty cents per hundred and powder was around three dollars. No favorites to load, basically the same process for them all.
Regrets none, it's been a fascinating learning experience and still enjoy it to this day.
- Location
- Delta B.C.
Rolling my own since 2008. Still using the same press. Rock chucker Supreme.. Many changes to the processes and equipment but that press is the same as the day it arrived with the kit.
Every cartridge is rewarding to reload so it would have to be the newest one to me. 6.8 western.
The only regret is not buying more supplies while they were available and cheaper. I have learned my lesson there. So now I purchase what I can whenever it's available even powders that I don't currently use but may use get bought now if there's a deal to be had. I can see this stuff turning into gold in a SHTF moment.
I will add one more item to your list..
#4. What is your favorite additional tool that you've added to your process?
For me it has to be my RCBS Matchmaster powder dispenser. Though a case could be made for the Garmin based on it's use in load dev.
Cheers folks..
Every cartridge is rewarding to reload so it would have to be the newest one to me. 6.8 western.
The only regret is not buying more supplies while they were available and cheaper. I have learned my lesson there. So now I purchase what I can whenever it's available even powders that I don't currently use but may use get bought now if there's a deal to be had. I can see this stuff turning into gold in a SHTF moment.
I will add one more item to your list..
#4. What is your favorite additional tool that you've added to your process?
For me it has to be my RCBS Matchmaster powder dispenser. Though a case could be made for the Garmin based on it's use in load dev.
Cheers folks..
hunters home
CGN Regular
1) appx 46 yrs
2) 270/7mm Weatherby mag, 6mm BR Norma and 6 mm PPC
3) No real regrets. Never sold anything that I would want back. Maybe should have purchased primers and powder when the prices were more sane.
60 years !
308 Win - No the 22-250 ! Hold on the 6 MM Rem but may be the 7 Rem mag or the 280 AI or the 300 Savage - Ah the 416 Taylor - Fuk ALL of them
Not a single Thing !
1980 for me. No real regrets, everything I've bought was the right thing for the time, only "regret" was some Hornady products that were junk, some I recovered loot on, others I didn't. I laid in plenty of the supplies I wanted for retirement, all the tools I needed. Had a pile of fun shooting different disciplines with guns I likely would not have bought if I didn't reload.
What's your story? Do you reload? How long?
Any special reason why you're harvesting personal information, or do you just do it for kicks?
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Reloading since 2010, so 16 years.
I have written down EVERYTHING, and just checked... I'm at 73,778 reloads (pistol, rifle, shotgun).
I have reloaded: 223 Rem, 220 Swift, 22 Hi-Power, 243 Win, 250 Savage, 6.5x52, 6.5x55, 270 Win, 7mm WM, 7mm Mauser, 7.5x55, 30 Carbine, 30.06, 300 Savage, 308 Win, 7.62x39, 7.62x45, 7.62,54R, 303 British, 8mm Mauser, 8x56R, 405 Win, 450 Bushmaster, 43 Mauser, 45-70, 577 Snider, 7.62x25, 38 S&W, 38 Special, 357 Mag, 9mm Lugar, 9mm Largo, 10mm, 44 Rem Mag, 45 acp, 45 Colt, 454 Casull, 410 bore shotgun, 12 gauge, 20 gauge. And just ordered dies for 338 Lapua Mag and 7.5x54 French!
Regrets? Like others said stocking up on sales. I started reloading only pistol so when the Dominion powders were "hot" I didn't get any (plus too cheap to pay for shipping). I did get on the primer bandwagon - I believe it was SFRC that had boxes of Remington Primers for $20 or so - I should have bought MORE.
I guess a minor "community" regret is the bad-mouthing of "other" brands. I have dies from Lee, Redding, Lyman, Hornady, CH (and maybe more? i forget) and they all produce ammo good enough for me. Currently own 6 Lee presses but I'm sure other brands would work fine. Most of my reloading is on a Lee 4-hole turret press, with a Lee single stage to resize rifle brass as needed. For 9mm Luger and 38 Special I use a Lee 4-hole progressive (4000?) and have been pleased with it.
YMMV
I have written down EVERYTHING, and just checked... I'm at 73,778 reloads (pistol, rifle, shotgun).
I have reloaded: 223 Rem, 220 Swift, 22 Hi-Power, 243 Win, 250 Savage, 6.5x52, 6.5x55, 270 Win, 7mm WM, 7mm Mauser, 7.5x55, 30 Carbine, 30.06, 300 Savage, 308 Win, 7.62x39, 7.62x45, 7.62,54R, 303 British, 8mm Mauser, 8x56R, 405 Win, 450 Bushmaster, 43 Mauser, 45-70, 577 Snider, 7.62x25, 38 S&W, 38 Special, 357 Mag, 9mm Lugar, 9mm Largo, 10mm, 44 Rem Mag, 45 acp, 45 Colt, 454 Casull, 410 bore shotgun, 12 gauge, 20 gauge. And just ordered dies for 338 Lapua Mag and 7.5x54 French!
Regrets? Like others said stocking up on sales. I started reloading only pistol so when the Dominion powders were "hot" I didn't get any (plus too cheap to pay for shipping). I did get on the primer bandwagon - I believe it was SFRC that had boxes of Remington Primers for $20 or so - I should have bought MORE.
I guess a minor "community" regret is the bad-mouthing of "other" brands. I have dies from Lee, Redding, Lyman, Hornady, CH (and maybe more? i forget) and they all produce ammo good enough for me. Currently own 6 Lee presses but I'm sure other brands would work fine. Most of my reloading is on a Lee 4-hole turret press, with a Lee single stage to resize rifle brass as needed. For 9mm Luger and 38 Special I use a Lee 4-hole progressive (4000?) and have been pleased with it.
YMMV
