While reading @dh1633pm 's thread about his fathers notebook ( https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/found-gold-today.923503/#post-12727668 ), it got me to think about a box of handloads that came into my possession recently.
A coworker of one of my sons gave him 2 boxes of high-brass 16 ga. shells that I assume were from a relatives estate, and asked him if he wanted any 30-06 ammo and casings. He said yes knowing that I shoot a fair amount of -06.
Looking at my haul, there was a plastic shell case with 20 empty R-P casings, and this box of reloads. They were loaded about a week before the start of the 1966 PA buck season. The box contained 16 150 gr. Remington bronze pt. cartridges and 4 empties. At least that's what the Sierra sticker claims. I had heard of "bronze points" years ago, but had never actually seen one in person. I guess that they were Big Greens answer to the Silver Tip.
I had no experience with IMR 4320 so I checked my Lyman 44th, and 53 grs. is pretty hot, about .5 gr. over max.
I started thinking that maybe I had somebodies last box of ammo that they ever loaded, to be used in the upcoming deer season. I assume that at least a couple of the fired shells were sighters. I hope that one or 2 might have killed a nice buck. But those last 16 were the end of the line.
I think that I'm going to pull them down, burn the powder for kicks, and save the bullets. I can neck size the brass and use them for something.
But back to the notebook, the Sierra sticker was all that I had to work with. It wasn't much, but could be deciphered. We'll all have some unused ammo and components being pondered over some day. I hope that my heirs will be able to decipher my notebooks and put my residue to good use. When ever my kids use my equipment to reload, I make them fill out their data in my notebook so they should know what it all means. I'm trying to pass the handloading culture along as best as I can.
A coworker of one of my sons gave him 2 boxes of high-brass 16 ga. shells that I assume were from a relatives estate, and asked him if he wanted any 30-06 ammo and casings. He said yes knowing that I shoot a fair amount of -06.
Looking at my haul, there was a plastic shell case with 20 empty R-P casings, and this box of reloads. They were loaded about a week before the start of the 1966 PA buck season. The box contained 16 150 gr. Remington bronze pt. cartridges and 4 empties. At least that's what the Sierra sticker claims. I had heard of "bronze points" years ago, but had never actually seen one in person. I guess that they were Big Greens answer to the Silver Tip.
I had no experience with IMR 4320 so I checked my Lyman 44th, and 53 grs. is pretty hot, about .5 gr. over max.
I started thinking that maybe I had somebodies last box of ammo that they ever loaded, to be used in the upcoming deer season. I assume that at least a couple of the fired shells were sighters. I hope that one or 2 might have killed a nice buck. But those last 16 were the end of the line.
I think that I'm going to pull them down, burn the powder for kicks, and save the bullets. I can neck size the brass and use them for something.
But back to the notebook, the Sierra sticker was all that I had to work with. It wasn't much, but could be deciphered. We'll all have some unused ammo and components being pondered over some day. I hope that my heirs will be able to decipher my notebooks and put my residue to good use. When ever my kids use my equipment to reload, I make them fill out their data in my notebook so they should know what it all means. I'm trying to pass the handloading culture along as best as I can.
