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Forum Index > Rifles general discussion > learning curve of reloading

learning curve of reloading

04 Sep 2015
@ 02:26 am (GMT)

Brendon Greig

I'm new to reloading and being guided and helped through it by someone with many years of experience I had always wanted to learn but were reluctant without help as I'm not great at remembering things I have read without putting it into practice I made a walnut stock (and bedded it with match grade bedding)for my Remington model 700 .243 so the next step was to work up some loads, my mate said he would help me so he showed me how to make up a round for reference (I have since watched a you tube video of a guy who removed the firing pin on the 700 to do this, which means you can feel the bullet without the pressure from the firing pin spring this made it a lot easier) my mate has a lot of data for using ADI2213SC powder and Sierra 85 grain projectiles in the 243 which he said one of his mates worked up years ago we started at 45 grain and worked up to 46.5 which he said was well within safe limits for my gun (checking all the time for signs of pressure) I were getting reasonable groups at 100 yards with 45 grains so he decided to chronograph them average speeds over 10 shots were as follows 45g 2926fps with a variance of 177,45.5g 2975fps variance 120,46g 3028fps variance 45,46.5g 3083fps variance67 all shots were taken at a target at 200 yards zeroing the scope for this range at the same time killing two birds with one stone my groups with the 45 & 45.5g were about 3 inches 46g was about 1 inch and 46.5 was back out to 3 inches so my sweet spot is obviously 46g which is also giving me .5 inch groups at 100 yards.we also tried 46.3g it grouped about 3inchs as well, it has been a very interesting exercise with so much learnt and a lot more to go i cant wait to try it on some animals in the field

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04 Sep 2015
@ 04:25 am (GMT)

Nathan Foster

Re: learning curve of reloading
I had a guy phone last week:

"Do you make custom ammo?".

"No, don't have a license for this sorry. Have you thought about learning to reload?".

"Nah, I know a guy who had a bad accident from reloading. I just want somebody else to do it".

"Can't help sorry".

What I should have said:

"So your idea of safety is having a complete stranger make your ammo?".

Yes, reloading is a joy. It is just a matter of taking the appropriate steps in a safe manner.
04 Sep 2015
@ 05:45 am (GMT)

jason

Re: learning curve of reloading
Yes Nathan. Iv heard of a guy in rotorua who made loads for two different guys I know. I asked did you give him the rifle so he could measure distance to lands. They both said no. He didn't ask for it.
They didn't know any better.
So buggered if I know how he got them a custom load.
04 Sep 2015
@ 06:23 am (GMT)

Mike Davis

Re: learning curve of reloading
if they had lever action 30/30s and loads were crimped....overall length irrelevant..LMAO
Seriously though rolling your own ammo is just the ducks nuts
even if you are just making a mild recoiling accurate enough load and not trying to get gnats nuts serious it is worth while.
I had bad experiences from reloads done by two different sport shops before I got my own gear.
anyone can pick a middle of the road load and make them up.
it takes time and patience (something Im always short of) to make good reloads ...something better than off the shelf loads.
have fun with your EBRG go shoot some rabbits or hares or goats and learn what its all about,good trigger time is priceless and having reloads that dont break the bank make it easier to justify that time/expense.
04 Sep 2015
@ 08:48 am (GMT)

Brendon Greig

Re: learning curve of reloading
the main thing I found was with the guidance of somebody knowledgeable and willing to teach as much as I could learn at my pace was how such a small change in load IE:45.5 to 46 and then 46.3 grains the small difference of load in some rifles can cause big changes in POI and just because you can make the bullet travel faster doesn't mean its better my mate said we should be in his experience with the 243 be looking at the low 3000 fps which is exactly where my best loads sit and its giving around 1730 foot pounds of energy and repeatable accuracy I went back to the range today just to for my own confidence and fired a couple of fouling rounds then 6 shots at paper getting about 1 inch group @ 200 yards and then 3 @ 100 giving me a 1/2 inch group this also helps me with the right bullet drop for the ballistic calculator for my scope it has been very satisfying project with the effort I have put into this rifle and it actually working
04 Sep 2015
@ 09:05 am (GMT)

Thomas Kitchen

Re: learning curve of reloading
hi brendon,
good to hear your getting into reloading its a lot of fun but very addictive.
if you want to expand your knowledge i highly recommend Nathans reloading book very simple to follow, i didn't have anyone to learn off but thankfully Nathan helped me out and the book really covers everything you need to know. the cartridge book is also good its kinder like cartridge book is the what to load and the reloading book is how to reload it.
best of luck be sure to do some updates about how you getting on and any animal shot with your loads
04 Sep 2015
@ 01:57 pm (GMT)

Joshua Mayfield

Re: learning curve of reloading
I started several years ago cobbling together some reloads for my 1917 Enfield with a $25 Lee Loader. It was an interesting starting point. I thought I would be doing something nice for a friend and gave him a batch of my reloads that had been fired through the Enfield. They would not chamber in his Remington 700. That's really the moment when it dawned on me that I needed more instruction than what was included in the Lee Loader kit.

Deciding to take the plunge, void that warranty, and do some work on my rifle that I bought in 2011 was the point when I decided that if I was going to really know how good (or bad) my rifle was I had to also know my ammo. I started picking up reloading gear as I was able, asking for reloading equipment around Christmas and birthday times, and reading, reading, reading. This was what brought me to Nathan's site and books which have been a significant chunk of me learning since.

2 seasons ago I was finally able to "cut the chord" and move completely away from factory ammo. That feeling of making the first clean kill with my own handloads was worth the investment by itself.
04 Sep 2015
@ 04:43 pm (GMT)

Ricardo Laborin

Re: learning curve of reloading
"I want it now" syndrome, it does not matter who made it or how....
04 Sep 2015
@ 06:44 pm (GMT)

Brendon Greig

Re: learning curve of reloading
I've got to have an operation in a few weeks and will be out of action for a while so I already have plan to get the rest of Nathan's books I already have the accusing 1 and will also get the one he is doing on optics
05 Sep 2015
@ 08:22 pm (GMT)

Martin Taylor

Re: learning curve of reloading
Good move Brendon, you will be amazed at how much you will learn and it will stop the "stupid" mistakes if you follow the book. Also saving you a lot of time & money with wasted loads etc, great investment!
And as the guys have said very rewarding!

This was a conversation l had with a fella not that long ago,

"loaded up 200, 30-06's during the week"
What did you load them to mate?
"Well a hundred for my friend and a hundred for me, together we had heaps of brass, all sorts!"
Ok, what pill, charge setting depth?"
"Neck sized em all that's the most accurate hey, Nosler 180 pill with max powder"
Oh……., did you do any load checks, etc?
"Nah, but some of mine won't chamber."
You mixed the brass didn't you!
"Yeah mate said it would be ok they are both 06’s!”

I just shook my head, told him why he was an idiot and back away from his rifle, hahahaaaa.


05 Sep 2015
@ 10:43 pm (GMT)

Mike Davis

Re: learning curve of reloading
thats "refilling" not reloading.........I reload a very few loads for our shotguns using an very primative stack n whack type hand loader.... rounds wont chamber in everyone of the shotties but they are made for the break open guns with a light charge of steel shot so the fit for the purpose they are made for (low recoil legal killing loads)...... now give me new unfired cases and I can turn out rounds better than factory, that will chamber in anything.

as thread title says..its a learning curve alright.
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