Sporting Firearms/Reloading/Hunting

[SidecarFlip]

I've been wanting to start a thread about my ever consuming hobby and pastime.

Firearms and match target are a great way to relieve the stress of everyday living plus hunting provides a supply of natural foodstuffs and a trip to the woods provides solitude and being in tune with Mother Nature.

Being a machinist, I like to modify my firearms, trigger jobs, chambering and improving overall performance plus building kit guns is not only fun, it improves your perception about how the mechanisms work to propel the projectile down range and hopefully bag that 10 point.

I try to reload all my current calibers and when I acquire a new caliber, I head out and secure the dies, powder and projectiles to give me that 'edge'.

I'm currently loading
.223/5.56 NATO (for 100 yard match target, varmit and hunting)
.45ACP (for concealed carry and centerfire match handgun)
12 gage for Trap

I also shoot rimfire (,22) and (.17HMR). I like Eley primed Wolf Match Extra in .22 and Hornady .17 HMR.

[Blacksmith]

First of all, forget the myth about reloading to save money. I find reloading a hobby onto itself and probably shoot more, consuming any savings. It is very nice to be able to make a load you want and can't find. I have limited range access where I am so primarily I shoot shotgun and "pistol" calibers. Currently loading light .38 special for my Grandfather's Colt Official Police; it could probably take more, but frames aren't available, why take a chance, .357 for the Marlin lever action, and 28 gauge with #8 shot for skeet and 5-stand; most store bought 28 is # 7/12 (too few pellets) or #9 (too light for 5-stand).

[SidecarFlip]

I agree that 'saving money' is a partial myth. You shoot more when you hand load, however, more factory ammo equals more money and ammo is going up, but then so are components.

Straight wall pistol brass is a natural reload and can be reloaded countless times (until the primer pocket or case base gives out) whereas taper neck brass don't run as long.

When I buy bulk once fired cases (for my .223 target hobby), I full length competition resize and trim to Sammi specs and check the case mouth concentricity one time. After I discharge the cases, I return them to the cartridge box they cam from, marking the box with the respective firearm. Those cases are pressure formed to the chamber so I just neck size them (and check case length) on subsequent reloads. Staright wall cases are never a problem.

I got into handloading primarily because I wanted controlled balistics for match, something that factor ammo can't attain but I too have vintage firearms that parts aren't available for that I want to shoot, so reduced loads are a natural.

My large frame .44 mag never sees a factory load, one, because my wrists don't want the shock and two, because 5.5 grains of Tite-Group goes a long way, the report is lessened and they punch paper just fine (lead semi wadcutters).

I shoot a pile of rimfire so I keep the ammo manufacturers supplied with money. You can't reload rimfire (wish you could). Problem is, there are so many rimfore cartridges on the market that are poor performers or duds, it's difficult to settle on a good cartridge. I try to stick to Eley primed match rounds like Wolf Match Extra or Agulia Hyper-Velocity.

[Blacksmith]

Although I don't currently have a bottleneck rifle, I too would fire form and then just neck size. Better accuracy and longer case life. My .38 load is 3.8 grains of Accurate #2 behind a 158 grain SWC or flatnose (for safety if I use them in the lever action rifle), so I'm still on my first pound of powder. I have used Unique in both the 28 gauge and the .357. but I tried the new Alliant 20/28 for the shotgun and it is sweet.

[SidecarFlip]

Wc's or SWC's give a better impression/hole in paper targets and it's pretty easy to ascertain if you have the proper load/muzzle velocity by the way the projectile cuts the paper. A ragged edge is to low a charge/muzzle velocity and a clean cut is right. Pistol reloading is really inexpensive, a pound of powder goes a long way and 8 pounds lasts forever. If you can retrieve your lead (I can) and know someone who has bullet molds, it gets really inexpensive. I was using CCI primers but I've switched to Wolf with no problems. I heard that Lapua actually owns Wolf and I have to utmost respect for Lapua components and factory rounds.



I bought a Kimber Ultra Carry Crimson (full size 1911 ACP) a few months back and then bought the .22 rimfire conversion slide. It makes range shooting much cheaper but it requires a 40 grain HV cartridge to actuate the slide/eject action.

I'd like a Wilson but I can't justify the asking price. S&W does all the lower forgings (aluminum and steel for Kimber, Wilson and now Ruger with their new 1911 offering), which is fairly inexpensive at around 700 list and everyday discounted to 550. I just can't warm up to a steel lower and upper for a carry gun. Too heavy. My Aluminum lower steel upper Kimber comes in at just under 3 pounds with a full magazine of Winchester white box ball ammo and 1 pound 6 ounces with the .22 conversion with 10, 40 grain Hyper Velocity hollow points in the magazine.

if you appreciate high quality American made firearms and especially top shelf machining, a Kimber is worth a close look. The lower as well as the upper is a work of art. Price of admission is around 1600 list but a little negotiating will get you one for less than a grand. It's like a Rolex at a Timex price.

My only problem with the Kimber is beacuse of it's light weight, it kicks hard with 45's and it even kicks fairly hard with the .22 conversion.

Been eyeing a Savage/Stevens tactical model (synthetic stock) in 308 Winchester with the bedded action/barrel and accu-trigger. The .338 Lapua is out of my reach financially. The .308 is a 300 yard rifle and the .338 is a 500 yard. I'll trade 200 yards for 2 grand.

I have a chance ocassionally to play with a Barrett 50, full military with the Zeiss sighting system. Way beyond my reach but fun to shoot if someone else owns it. It's like knowing someone with a boat. You never own one, just go for a 'ride' ocassionally. It's quite capable of a one shot kill at a mile and a quarter.

[Blacksmith]

I bought the GMG 1911 .22 this year. It's a riot to shoot, rarely shoot less than 250-300 rounds at a time. Federal Champions seem to be a good cross of price and performance for that and my tuned up Remington 597. Was looking at a Kimber for next year but now Colt has brought out the Wiley Clapp Commander, basically a 21st century Lightweight Colt Commander in the same price point. (see this month's American Rifleman for details.)

[SidecarFlip]

.22 plinking on a 1911 lower is always a hoot especially when the guy next to you is shooting 45 auto's at 30 bucks a box....and of course when he leaves you gather his brass for reloading.......

I have a US Stamped Colt full size in the case that's never been racked and won't be.

Kimber and Wilson took the Colt design and improved it and made it more user friendly, can't say that for Ruger.

I'll check out the new Colt but It has to go a long way to beat the Kimber.

[Blacksmith]

I've always been somewhere between not impressed and turned off by any Ruger. In part, I got my Remington 597 because everybody think you should have the Ruger 10-22. It has a fully floated sporter weight barrel with a Boyd's laminated stock, polished action and a 3-9 x 32 scope. I have about $200 plus my time in it and think it'll shoot as well as the more expensive 10-22.

[deerhuntre]

I reload .375 Winchester and hunt with that load in my T/C Encore Handgun using a 15" barrel.

Here in Illinois they are pretty specific about the legal centerfire handgun cartridges and the .375 WIN is the best compromise I can find between diameter (caliber), weight and velocity, while still remaining with the legal requirements.

And, its REALLY FUN! Good out to 200 yards using a good rest.

[taylorkh]

If you are a reloader and a welder you NEED to get one of these http://www.bench-source.com/id81.html. It is the best toy I have purchased since my Hypertherm Powermax 30

Ken

p.s. Just to pass along a good deal... wideners.com has .357 125 grain jacketed softpoint bullets for $75/1000 DELIVERED. I ordered some and they came in yesterday. They are really copper color, not the brass color in the web photo.

[Tritium]

I bet that machine is not cheap! I'll stick to the way my grandfather taught me 45 years ago. Stand the cases up to the shoulder in water. Heat the necks to cherry red with a torch and tip the cases over in the water. It has been working for me for all these years. I am still on my original norma 220 swift brass.

Thurmond

[drujinin]

That there are other "normal" people out there that feel the 1911 style in 45 caliber is a good choice for defense! I am impressed by some of the super chargers out there but still for the comfort zone knowing a big old 45 slug will put them down is a secure feeling.

[usmcpop]

The only "big-bore" pistol I have is a pristine, original Remington-Rand 1911A-1 that sort of fell into the family in the late 60's and wasn't fired by us for 30 years. The young one knows the year of manufacture. At one point I had the (original?) cardboard box for it. I'll have to see if I can find it.

I rather like my 6" barrel S&W 686 .357. It's pretty tame, though a bit noisy. The snubby Colt Lawman MK III .357 is a flame thrower. Not my style but is pretty and was too cheap to pass up.

[ts2]

so what are you loading in 223 for 100 yds ?

bullet /powder ??

ive reloaded for over 25 yrs myself .

have several LR rifles and a few black rifles in the mix

TS2

[mikecwik]

sidecarflip has been too busy for the forum for a while now. the last i heard he was busy putting in $20,000 cnc plasma system.