Best Rifle Caliber for Beginner?

[bennadatto]

Hey all! I am getting ready to start reloading, and am wondering what is the best/easiest rifle caliber for a beginner.

Of the following: 7.62x39, 7.62x54R, .30-06 (for M1), or 8mm Mauser?

Thanks!

 

[SPW1]

I would say the 30-06 out of the ones you listed, but only because brass is easy to find. Other than that there is no real difference in reloading difficulty.

 

[rcmodel]

Pretty much all the same thing as far as the reloading process goes.

I'd pick the one you shoot the most.

The M1 Garand & 7.62x39 loads will require knowledge of the proper powders to use, more so then the other two which in theory at least, are a little more forgiving on powder selection.

rc

 

[loadedround]

Forty some years ago I was taught to reload for my first deer rifle a Remington 700 in 30-06 and that's been my favorite caliber every since. It's easy to reload, brass is plentiful and there is a multitude of powders and bullets for that round. As the others have said, go with the 30-06.

 

[bennadatto]

Thanks for the responses all even though I mis-spelled RIFLE!! :banghead:

I looked at the most recent posts and saw the title and thought "what idiot is asking the same question that I am and what the heck is a fifle!?" Doh!

 

[rcmodel]

Rifles? Oh SHoot!

Disregard everything I said in post #3 then.

I was talking only about Fifles.

rc

 

[The Bushmaster]

 

[Clarence]

Of the cartridges you listed I would choose the 30.06.


Otherwise I would pick the .223 in a bolt action rifle as the cartridge to start with.

 

[ranger335v]

"Thanks for the responses all even though I mis-spelled RIFLE!! "

Forget it. Most of us have klumzy fingers and it doesn't get any better as we age!

As to ease of loading, it really doesn't make much difference, if any at all. None of them are difficult. Start with the one you want to shoot the most.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Title fixed.

Carry on.

 

[ants]

'06 will give you so many sources for brass, bullets, powder and load data that you are likely to learn more. Once you perfect your craft, then you carry the lessons over to the others. You can make wiser choices for scarce components.

And I sorta suspect that the one you start reloading will become the one you shoot most, regardless of how much you shot before.

 

[jjohnson]

Not Much Difference

Of what you listed, they're all pretty much the same in terms of ease or difficulty to reload. Nothing tricky about any of them with one exception - military surplus bores often run a broad range of bore diameters. This isn't much of a problem with .30-06, and the components are most readily available and inexpensive (okay, that's a RELATIVE term) so I'd go there first.

Of course, if your 30-06 isn't the one you shoot a lot with..... just go with the one that you use the most, so you can get more experience with loading.

Welcome! Advice here is free and worth what you paid for it

 

[rdhood]

Of the following: 7.62x39, 7.62x54R, .30-06 (for M1), or 8mm Mauser?

There are not a lot of bullet choices or brass for 7.62x39, not a lot of brass for 7.62x54R (not worth reloading except for accuracy because milsurp is still cheaper than reloading), and I know nothing bout an 8mm Mauser. So I would say 30-06. It is common here in the states, brass is plentiful (I don't reload that caliber, and I have about 100, so it must be plentiful).

 

[jpwilly]

As for Caliber I'd go with the .224" or .308" As for Cartridges most any rifle Cartridges are simple enough to load. The issue is loading them for the rifle you are using and finding what it likes and doesn't like. Some rifles are finicky with Reloaded ammo. For expample the K31 Swiss. Careful resizing of the brass is required. Semi autos generally have free floating firing pins and you should use primers with harder cups. CCI military primers should be used with the M1 Garand, AR-15's etc. Powders are going to offer different burn rates and the picking the correct one involves doing some research. There's usually good load data out there but don't trust just anything you find. Be careful work your way up to max loads every firearm is different.

Probably the best advice I can give you is pick what you like and if you have a question come back here and ask...lot's of great people here willing to help.