If you have been thinking about starting....

[Jcinnb]

stop thinking and start doing.

Yesterday I loaded my first 40 rounds of 25-06. Accubond, 100 bullets with four powder loads: 49,50,53 and 53 of RL 19. That in itself was a blast after assembling all the stuff over three or four months.

Today I put all 40 rounds down range. THEY ALL WORKED!!!!!!!!

Very satisfying and fun. They shot pretty well, too. Especially the 52 grain load. I am getting better but it was so humid this afternoon, it was hard to get eyes, glasses and bushnell all "unfogged" at the same time.

Here are some results:

Here is 52 grains at 50 yards, I guess I choked on #5!


Same load at 100 yards:


Here is a 100 yard with a bit more, 53 grains!


Pretty satisfied with first reloads. Anyone who has been undecided about getting a start, decide today!

 

[silicosys4]

im jealous, those are much better results than the 4" groups at 100 yards that i was getting with my first rifle reloads

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Wait till you kill a deer with one. That really feels good.

 

[CPLofMARINES]

Outstanding, still trying to get some funds together, and
Reading and learning in the meantime. Down here in
Wichita Falls, Texas, TDY. Went to the Walmart and I
Was surprised to see no ammo. Figured down here you
Could find some. Just 12 and 20 gauge trap loads, oh
And if you own a .270 you'd be good. Seems like .270
U can find pretty easy. I think I'll make that my next
Rifle. Anyways, I was also surprised to see some reloading
Components as well, u don't see that stuff for sale at our
Walmarts. Good shooting !!

SEMPER FI

 

[david bachelder]

Do not start reloading!

If you do you will soon have every cool reloading tool in the book, five or six manuals, many new bookmarks on your pc, stacks of brass, piles of bullets, pounds of powder and primers, lead, bullet molds, cast iron pots, smelting furnace, tin, antimony, at least four kinds of lube, lead ladles, shell holders, shell plates, sizing dies, reloading trays, brass trimmers, a press or two, stacks of dies, a couple sets of scales, powder throws, micrometers ..... the list goes on and on.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

 

[mljdeckard]

It really does come full circle when you do it for the first time, and they actually work.

 

[CPLofMARINES]

David bachelder , I have become a brass hoarder/junkie
But I like it. If I go to the range and score some good
Brass, I look at it as a discount on my range fee.

 

[westy39]

Be afraid, be very afraid, there is another thread in which the OP admitted he was a reloadaholic. It appears this may be a fast spreading sickness....I am truly worried you may go down the same road...... Be afraid... Just my thoughts from the Big Sky Country.

 

[vongh]

Wow, David that sounds exactly like my reloading shed.

 

[PCCUSNRET]

Do not start reloading!

If you do you will soon have every cool reloading tool in the book, five or six manuals, many new bookmarks on your pc, stacks of brass, piles of bullets, pounds of powder and primers, lead, bullet molds, cast iron pots, smelting furnace, tin, antimony, at least four kinds of lube, lead ladles, shell holders, shell plates, sizing dies, reloading trays, brass trimmers, a press or two, stacks of dies, a couple sets of scales, powder throws, micrometers ..... the list goes on and on.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

True, but had you started last year you might still be shooting while those that don't reload are searching the web or waiting for Wal-Mart to get ammo on the shelves. Now might be as good a time to start as any as over the past two weeks I've been able to find a lot of components and powders back in stock that had disappeared for several months. Only two items I've not been able to find any where are H4350 and Sierra 6mm 100 gr. Game Kings.

 

[allaroundhunter]

OP, let me just say that to develop a load you should load with smaller increments in powder charge. Instead of jumping a whole 2-3 grains of powder you should assemble 3 rounds with one powder charge and then increase the charge .3-.5 grains for the next batch of 3 rounds

 

[witchhunter]

It's kinda like catching a nice trout with a fly that you tied yourself. I have shot exactly 20 factory rifle rounds since 1970 when I got my first Lee loader. Oops, sorry, I got a deal on 4 boxes of loaded .257 Weatherby ammo last year, it was cheaper than brass. I have almost 40 sets of dies now, but I'm not hooked, I can quit anytime.....

 

[Jcinnb]

Got it, thanks.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I know what you mean witchhunter. I now own firearms that have never fired a factory round, and that's cool.

 

[frankenstein406]

The only good thing about the ammo situation is it made me take the leap into reloading

 

[Aged 1]

Almost 50 years mmmm still works

I don't even care what Wally World has .... Now that I have my dies for reloading for my 9mm. Scored on 2500 projectiles, already had powder and primers, and many friends shoot at my house and rain brass ....into discrete buckets in my reloading cave. Ya gotta love reloading.
Way back in early days I owned only dies for my 270, 22-250, ad 357. Loaded at friends house who owned all the gear. Moved to Colorado back in 1969, and friend there loaned me press, powder measure, etc... Then I took up muzzle loader...field load that...killed large Elk with charcoal burner. Then many year recess...raised family....shot little...moved to Texas...then moved out to the country. Many days I said to self..." You could shoot here". Now I do. In the last few years I've added 4 new guns, one a single shot rifle is great fun, latest the 9mm. Four friends have come to my place to practice prior to getting CC credentials. I shoot almost every day...and I could care less when Wally restock.
Drive right by Academy a few times each week, and the thought does not even cross my mind about ammo availability.
Fairly new friend laments about finding 9mm ... Gave him some samples of my reloads. Yep....a happy reloader here.

 

[Jcinnb]

OBTW, my reloading bench and my fly tying bench are about side by side in "my room." It ain't no cave, to sparse. Been tying 50 years so I have more fly tyin stuff, but the reloading side is catching up FAST!

 

[Aged 1]

Me too

Ya I tie flies as well, but nothing recently....been to busy with guns and ammo.
BUT my flies were so deadly ya have to hide behind a tree to tie them onto the leader
My reloading place is out in the workshop, the fly tying happens in the guest quarters.
Come for a visit...shoot from the porch, I'll cook something over the fire, and then we'll sit on the porch in swings and tell lies.

 

[witchhunter]

Arkansas, I have a few too. I almost broke down and bought some factory to keep from losing my mind with this new .223 Rem 700 that has been giving me fits. But persistence prevailed and it is showing one hole groups finally, after about 600 rounds sacrificed to trial and error.

 

[gspn]

I remember the first reload i made. My wife had bought me a MEC 650 jr for Christmas and I fell in love with the hobby.

On a morning deer hunt i brought my 12 gauge in addition to my deer rifle so i could check my reloads.

I put one round in the gun...shouldered it...prayed...and pulled the trigger. Boom...everything worked exactly as it was supposed to.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

after about 600 rounds sacrificed to trial and error.

Hell, that's half the fun. Although, I've got a NEF Handi Rifle in .280 that's making me question whether its fun or not.

 

[witchhunter]

I can't remember if I reload to shoot or shoot to reload....

 

[FROGO207]

For those that are having a hard time getting "stuff" to reload with there will soon be a glut of it available at distress prices. When those that purchased in panic realize that it takes EFFORT and some skill to assemble safe ammo they will ditch the gear and just purchase factory ammo again as soon as it becomes readily available . You see there are those that never learn and are doomed to repeating their same mistakes over and over. The patient and dedicated reloader will surely profit from all this panic purchase crap as soon as the sheep see the obvious and can again purchase factory ammo at will. YMMV

 

[BullfrogKen]

There are many benefits to loading your own ammo.

In times like these, one of the most attractive is the ability to continue shooting while everyone else is forced to stop.