My first reloads

  • corey_waller
    hastings mn
    Posts: 1525
    March 12, 2012 at 10:59 pm #210235

    Cranked out my first reloads for the 25.06 this weekend and had a bunch of fun doing it. started with 53 grains of R19 and worked up in .5 grain increments up to 55 grains (max load). Setteled at 55 grains 3250 fps with a 100gr Barnes Tipped TSX. Can cover 3 shots with a dime no problem.
    Now I cant wait to play with my 30.06 and the .243

    deertracker
    Posts: 9237
    March 13, 2012 at 12:59 am #119338

    I could help you test some .243 rounds. I’m looking for a new round for my sons gun.
    DT

    clicker
    Posts: 78
    March 13, 2012 at 12:23 pm #119346

    make sure you inspect all your brass! I was just at my local gun shop and someone was in their with their gun. They were looking for new grips as a bullet shot the grips out of his pistol. After taking it apart and doing some work on the gun, we discovered that one of the casings he reloaded had a crack in them!

    johnee
    Posts: 731
    March 14, 2012 at 2:46 pm #119388

    Glad you had some success both at the bench and then at the range.

    IME, it’s rare for the max load to work out to be the most accurate, but as you’ve found out, it can happen. I don’t know how hard the .25-06 is on brass as far as stretching the cases, but you’ll want to measure your spent brass to make sure the overall case length doesn’t go beyond the max.

    As others have said, work slowly, be careful, and inspect every round at every stage in the process. If you reload long enough, you WILL have those “Wow, glad I didn’t fire THAT round,” moments. Just this winter I was getting my .243 brass cleaned and resized and in 100 rounds I found not just one, but two cases with cracked necks. It does happen.

    Also, when charging the cases with powder, visually inspect EVERY case before you seat bullets. I charge all my cases with powder at once and place each one in a block, then use a flashlight and look down into each case to make sure powder is in each case. Whatever your system is, check each one to make absolutely sure it has powder in it before you seat a bullet.

    The danger is having a case get by you with little or now powder in it. Then shooting that case and having the bullet lodge in the barrel. Firing another cartridge without checking the barrel would obviously be a very bad situation.

    Handloading is a terrific way to get more out of your rifles. I have yet to meet the rifle whose accuracy could not be improved by feeding it gourmet fodder from my own handloading kitchen.

    Grouse

    corey_waller
    hastings mn
    Posts: 1525
    March 14, 2012 at 3:20 pm #119389

    Grouse,
    your information is why I love this place!! thanks a ton and keep it coming if you have something else pop into your head! all great insite
    thanks everyone

    johnee
    Posts: 731
    March 14, 2012 at 5:29 pm #119394

    Overall, just go slowly, watch what you’re doing, don’t have any distractions, and develop your own system. Once you have that system down, don’t change it unless for a very good reason.

    Just to show you what happens when I don’t take my own advice, I went down to the shop 3 weeks ago because my father called and said that he’s out of .223 ammo and he’d like to pick some up when he comes through the Twin Cities on his way home from his winter place.

    So, of course, I got in a hurry as we were going on vacation the next week, I had to get it done. Mistake! Mistake! Haste makes waste!

    I went to resize a bunch of cases and I got too damn mechanical about it and grabbed an un-lubricated case out of the block instead of one of the lubed cases off the case lube pad. Doh! I stuck that un-lubricated case in the resizing die just as solid as if it were welded in there.

    But wait, there’s more.

    Then on the downstroke, I ripped the bottom right off the case! Yes, yes, that RCBS Rock Chucker has a lot of leverage. Oh, bugger. . . What a cluster . . .

    So take my advice and don’t be that guy.

    Anyhoo, if anybody in St. Paul has a spare .223 RCBS resizing die . . .

    Grouse

    jeff_heeg
    Marshfield WI.
    Posts: 479
    March 15, 2012 at 1:24 am #119412

    Congrats on your new reloads Corey

    Jeff

    clicker
    Posts: 78
    March 15, 2012 at 4:33 pm #119418

    Quote:

    Anyhoo, if anybody in St. Paul has a spare .223 RCBS resizing die . . .

    Grouse

    Give Ron a call at http://www.gobblerspecialties.com he has a lot of reloading stuff or can order you what you need.

    fish_any_time
    Champlin, MN
    Posts: 2097
    March 18, 2012 at 6:03 pm #119448

    Not to hijack this post, but is there a reloader website/forum with good info like IDO?

    jeff_heeg
    Marshfield WI.
    Posts: 479
    March 22, 2012 at 11:56 pm #119512

    Hope the info helps

    Jeff

    Randy Wieland
    Lebanon. WI
    Posts: 13473
    April 1, 2012 at 11:37 pm #119653

    Quote:

    Not to hijack this post, but is there a reloader website/forum with good info like IDO?

    There’s a number of websites out there with very large user base. I go on Predator Masters a lot, BUT – when it comes to reloading, I only take advise from a handfull of people I know I can trust. The best advise I ever got when I started reloading was ” Assume everyone is wrong and side with caution. Start low, use a check list, and ONLY work your way up.” I see a lot of load data that guys will toss out here on the net that really concerns me.

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