handloading

[42769vette]

my question is is it worth it. i would be loading mainly 300 weatherby and some 243 and 7mm rem mag. im really more interested in accracy than cheaper shells. i know basically nothing about reloading and dont know what it would take to reload a extreamly accrate round. also is there a kit of reloading stuff that i could get everything i need. also mabye someone could recomend a beginners reloading book. with my reloading knowlege (or lask there of) is it feasable that i would make a round that is ballistically superor to the weatherby rounds i shoot today

 

[Old Syko]

Most all manuals offer a fair guide to handloading but Lyman 48 or 49 (whichever they are up to now) probably offers the most comprehensive and easy to follow directions for the beginner. Don't limit yourself to one manual though as they all have their purpose. Pick up as many as you can find and use them to compare one against the other when building loads.

If accuracy is your goal handloading is the ONLY road to that goal. I'm yet to see a factory load that I couldn't better by handloading. Handloading is the only way to customize each round to your own specific firearm. , so yes it is worth it.

You may save money in the beginning by buying one of the kits that offers most all the items you'll need to load in one box but as your skills grow you'll determine different manufacturers offer certain items that may better suit your specific needs. I feel you are better off not limiting yourself to one color cool-aid.

 

[Seancass]

As said, if accuracy is the goal, go hand loads. If you're doing it just to save money, crunch some numbers first. By my math, i have to load about 2000 38 special loads to pay for the set up to load them. Not unlikely that i'd shoot that much, just isn't a huge reason to run out and buy a reloader. I'm sure you would save a lot more doing rifle rounds. I think getting deeper into the hobby is the best reason to get started.

 

[42769vette]

ok on my 300 wby. weatherby makes a round that travels 36xx fps with a 150 grain bullet with a 200 yd zero it drops roughly 23 inchs do you folks think i can beet that

 

[34oSc]

I don't believe you'll save any money by reloading-any $/round savings will be spent on more components...in short, most reloaders just get to shoot more...

The best way to learn about reloading is to go watch somebody reload. I don't reload any of the calibers you mention,so I can't help you, perhaps someone here can.

The calibers you mention would be just fine in a single stage press- I believe Lee sells a whole begining reloading set for 125-150 bucks- Indy 1500 price as I recall.

 

[Old Syko]

ok on my 300 wby. weatherby makes a round that travels 36xx fps with a 150 grain bullet with a 200 yd zero it drops roughly 23 inchs do you folks think i can beet that

I thought you wanted to achieve optimum accuracy? Nothing you mention here has anything to do with accuracy. From what you're telling us in this statement I would suggest you purchase a good chronograph first.

 

[7mmRM]

You will save some $$$ by reloading, but the real reason is to have taliored ammo for your rifle.

 

[42769vette]

ok i decided to try some handloading im starting with my 300 wby mag its a mark v i ordered a lyman book and am hoping it will give me some info on what kind press i want. the ammo will be to kill paper and the ocasional coyote any info or advise would be greatly appriciated as ive never even seen anyone reload rifle and dont know anyone who has. thanks for the advise from everyone so far and i hope more advise to come.

also do you guys who do this think people get to hung up on velocity i want to be able to kill a coyote at 5-600 yds so i would think i need lots of volocity so im not amming 50 inch high.

after doing lots of searches im leaning toward trying a 110 gr hornady round first but i may change my mind when i get my book i figure 110 gr should buck the wind pretty well and be fast enough that it only drops 18 inch or so at 500 from a 200 yd zero someone please correct me if im wrong as i really know nothing about reloading

 

[Old Syko]

after doing lots of searches im leaning toward trying a 110 gr hornady round first but i may change my mind when i get my book i figure 110 gr should buck the wind pretty well and be fast enough that it only drops 18 inch or so at 500 from a 200 yd zero someone please correct me if im wrong as i really know nothing about reloading

A 110 gr. Sierra HP will realistically achieve around 3750 fps from a 26" 300 Weatherby. With a 200 yd. zero said bullet will drop about 43" at 500 yds. and around 80"+ at 600. A 180 gr. matchking with a muzzle velocity of 3000 fps with a 200 yd. zero will drop about 36" at 500 yds and about 62" at 600. If you are going to shoot 500 yds. you don't do it with a 200 yd. zero, you do it with a 500 yd. zero achieved by sight adjustment or a properly dialed in mil-dot or other multiple task sight.

None of the above have a thing to do with accuracy! Maximum accuracy is hardly ever achieved with maximum velocities. Over all the years and all the guns I've owned and the hundreds of thousands of rounds I've sent down range I've had one barrel that was high speed accurate.

BTW nothing I've stated above has anything to do with reloading either. It's just basic ballistics. Accuracy is tiny multiple round groups at any specific distance.

 

[42769vette]

i understand that you sightin for 500 yds if shooting 500 yds but in realistic hunting you have to know where to aim if you dont have a ballistic recticle or mil dot. also you said that the heavier slower bullet will drop less than the lighter faster bullet. did i read that right? this is probably showing my ingnorance to reloading but i am stumped on that one

 

[jsn_mooney]

When I started handloading, a friend told me that I'd be loading for about a third of store-bought, but I'd shoot 3 times as much- truer words have never been spoken. Handloading is the only way to go if you have a little spot to set your stuff up, and have a little free time.

 

[bobn911]

Ok, here is my .02 worth. Except for a defensive round, Handloading is the only way to go. Bullet drop will happen with all bullets at any given distance. Accuracy is being able to place one round as close to as possible to the last one. Some actions matched with some barrels are more accurate than others. Now, Weatherby makes a very fine rifle. Out of the box they will shoot a nice three shot group. I have found that shooting more than three shots in succession, the group will open up some and I think it is caused by the 'thin tapered barrel' heating up. Take your time and read and study the manuals as much as you can. Put together what you think is a good, but safe load and try it. Trust the books, but also compare them against each other. That being said, I hope you enjoy what could be your new addition to the world of shooting. Working up a new 'recipe' can be very satisfying. Later, Bob

 

[kludge]

I started with a Lee Anninversary kit about 15 years ago. It's a good inexpensive setup and easy to learn. And the Lee dies keep their adjustment when you remove them from the press.

All the powder manufacturers put data on the website. None of the bullet manufacturers do. I can't quite figure that out... but if you have a bullet preference like Sierra or Hornady, then get their load book too.

The real benefit of the bullet books is that they have exterior ballistic data for every bullet at every velocity... and if you don't have access to a 250 yard shooting range you'll never know where to sight your scope for your particular load and gun when you sight in a 100 yards, but you want a 250 yard point blank range. You might be able to get this information with the right software if you know the ballistic coefficient, but software costs more than the book.

I loaded for many years without a chronograph, but unless you are just plinking, you're driving blind without a choronograph. I have a Chrony; it works just fine, and is reasonably priced.

 

[Old Syko]

Ok, here is my .02 worth. Except for a defensive round, Handloading is the only way to go.

Why would you not want to handload your defensive round? My handloads are better suited to My guns than any factory round. A defensive situation is not the time to settle for second best.

BTW, don't believe the old wives tales about lawyers making it tougher on you because you used a handload. There has never been a case that can be sited of this being the case.

For handloading 300 Weatherby settle for nothing less than a cast O press regardless of what brand you get. The smaller presses will not get the job done very well or for very long.

 

[MilitaryArms]

I have found in my experience that for rounds like the .308, unless you go full bore into reloading in terms of commitment of finances and time, you'll be hard pressed to make ammo that out performs high quality match ammo like Federal Gold or some of the Black Hills offerings. Their QC and strict component quality standards are tough to beat.

I find it hard to beat 300 yard performance like this:

That's a group fired from my Accuracy International AE using Federal Gold at 300 yards.

That's not to say factory match ammo can't be beat. But those people I've found that could get superior performance out of their handloads spent a lot of time and money getting there. Constant tinkering, buying different components and equipment, making hundreds of different loads and measuring their accuracy and ballistic performance, etc... it's quite time consuming and becomes a hobby in and of itself. Mostly all for a fraction of an inch improvement... something most shooters will never realize.

I reload for rifle and handguns. I long ago gave up trying to top the performance of Federal Gold ammo in my .308 rifle with my home rolled reloads. I've thought about buying an annealing machine, Giraud case trimmer, concentricity gages, etc... but realized I wouldn't get much enjoyment out of it. I'm not a hardcore reloader in that I enjoy working up loads.

So, I primarily stick to handgun rounds as that's what I shot the most. I'll knock out some .223 from time to time, but nothing I would call match ammo.

I reload to keep the cost of my excessive shooting to a minimum. I can reload 100 .45 ACP's for about $8. Since I shoot several hundred rounds a week, it's nice not paying $30 for a box of 100 from Wally World or other sources (sometimes even more expensive).

 

[42769vette]

thanks for all the advise keep it comming

 

[bobn911]

quote=Old Syko;179654]Why would you not want to handload your defensive round? My handloads are better suited to My guns than any factory round. A defensive situation is not the time to settle for second best.[

BTW, don't believe the old wives tales about lawyers making it tougher on you because you used a handload. There has never been a case that can be sited of this being the case.

For handloading 300 Weatherby settle for nothing less than a cast O press regardless of what brand you get. The smaller presses will not get the job done very well or for very long.[/quote]


" There has never been a case that can be sited of this being the case."

And that is why I don't want to be the first case. Later, Bob