high country
Member
It is spring, and I am thinking that it is time to add one to the safe. I will try not to be too long winded in my thoughts, and get to the point
One option is a .308 bolt action, but honestly, I don't hunt big game and other than bird hunting, most of my shooting is "plinking" with steel plates/clay pigeons/gallon milk jugs/etc. So I am sort of thinking that, although I would like to add a .308 bolt action to the collection at some point if I run across the right deal, my shooting enjoyment might be maximized elsehwere.
So, I started thinking about other options. I have wanted to get a basic reloading setup and start doing some reloading. I have also enjoyed shooting a few black powder muzzle loaders. So, I am thinking that I could combine the two, and get something chambered for a cartridge that is on the easier side to reload, and can be loaded as a black powder cartridge. I don't want to be limited to black powder, and although I like shooting friends' muzzle loaders from time to time, I definitely want a cartridge gun.
A little reading around suggests that generally rimmed straight wall cartidges are good for a beginning reloader, and that among those, .45-70 seems to be the most popular. But, there is also .45 long colt, and it seems that both .357 and .44 were loaded in blackpowder at least for handguns. And (I think) that .30-30 was originally a black powder cartridge?
So, I would like to see what everyones thoughts are concerning:
1. An H&R single shot in .45-70. I have a 12 gauge single from them that I like, although it isn't all that inspiring to shoot. But it seems like that would be a good platform for playing with the .45-70 from light blackpowder loads to heavier more modern loads, getting experience with reloading, and can always be fitted with a different barrel if I decide to later.
2. A lever action in .357 or .44 mag. I think it would be fun to have a lever action, and either those cartridges see like they should be a good intro to reloading. I could use .38 special for plinking if I wanted. But, is black powder loading for .357 and .44 doable in a rifle? These are harder to find, and more expensive, and if I bought one I would have to factor in the cost of the inevitable revolver in the same cartridge...
3. A lever action in .30-30. It is a lever, so more fun to shoot than a single, and I could find one pretty inexpensively. But I am not sure that it lends itself quite as well to experimentation with reloading as the other too, and I am not sure if I should stick with a straight wall cartridge for my intro to reloading?
Keeping in mind that the goals here are essentially a plinking rifle chambered in a cartridge that will be a good intro into reloading, I would really appreciate your thoughts on those options, as well as suggestions on other cartridges or rifles, or just general advice
Thanks!
One option is a .308 bolt action, but honestly, I don't hunt big game and other than bird hunting, most of my shooting is "plinking" with steel plates/clay pigeons/gallon milk jugs/etc. So I am sort of thinking that, although I would like to add a .308 bolt action to the collection at some point if I run across the right deal, my shooting enjoyment might be maximized elsehwere.
So, I started thinking about other options. I have wanted to get a basic reloading setup and start doing some reloading. I have also enjoyed shooting a few black powder muzzle loaders. So, I am thinking that I could combine the two, and get something chambered for a cartridge that is on the easier side to reload, and can be loaded as a black powder cartridge. I don't want to be limited to black powder, and although I like shooting friends' muzzle loaders from time to time, I definitely want a cartridge gun.
A little reading around suggests that generally rimmed straight wall cartidges are good for a beginning reloader, and that among those, .45-70 seems to be the most popular. But, there is also .45 long colt, and it seems that both .357 and .44 were loaded in blackpowder at least for handguns. And (I think) that .30-30 was originally a black powder cartridge?
So, I would like to see what everyones thoughts are concerning:
1. An H&R single shot in .45-70. I have a 12 gauge single from them that I like, although it isn't all that inspiring to shoot. But it seems like that would be a good platform for playing with the .45-70 from light blackpowder loads to heavier more modern loads, getting experience with reloading, and can always be fitted with a different barrel if I decide to later.
2. A lever action in .357 or .44 mag. I think it would be fun to have a lever action, and either those cartridges see like they should be a good intro to reloading. I could use .38 special for plinking if I wanted. But, is black powder loading for .357 and .44 doable in a rifle? These are harder to find, and more expensive, and if I bought one I would have to factor in the cost of the inevitable revolver in the same cartridge...
3. A lever action in .30-30. It is a lever, so more fun to shoot than a single, and I could find one pretty inexpensively. But I am not sure that it lends itself quite as well to experimentation with reloading as the other too, and I am not sure if I should stick with a straight wall cartridge for my intro to reloading?
Keeping in mind that the goals here are essentially a plinking rifle chambered in a cartridge that will be a good intro into reloading, I would really appreciate your thoughts on those options, as well as suggestions on other cartridges or rifles, or just general advice
Thanks!