Im New and looking for advice
- Thread starter Skeeter4890
- Start date
TackDriver284
Handloader
- Feb 13, 2016
- 2,531
- 2,051
Triple Yes,,,when I purchased it, I had to learn it, once I got the hang of it, it got easier.
- Thread starter
- #63
Skeeter4890
Beginner
- Nov 13, 2024
- 24
- 32
I've seen a lot of your other posts and seen how much you use it on other forums that's what initially made me think about it
gerry
Ammo Smith
- Mar 1, 2007
- 6,865
- 1,663
I have never been able to get the speed that Magnum should get in the 270 Win, 264 Win Mag or 6.5x55. Maybe the 280 AI might do better but based on that I would look at something else before Magnum.
- Thread starter
- #65
Skeeter4890
Beginner
- Nov 13, 2024
- 24
- 32
Well that doesn't sound good, I still might try it but I definitely won't be thinking I'm going to get the performance it was saying I guess thanks!
gerry
Ammo Smith
- Mar 1, 2007
- 6,865
- 1,663
It had good accuracy but slow speed. In the 264 WM especially it should have excelled. Little Crow Gunworks on YouTube has done a lot of work with the 280AI you might wish to check out.
300WSM
Handloader
- Dec 24, 2011
- 875
- 515
it is...but IMO I wouldn't purchase that in lieu of reloading manuals.
Hornady, Nosler, Lyman...
I would get those in their latest publications and then you're set for a long time.
Ramshot, Accurate, Hodgdon, Alliant ( reloader), Vhita Vhouri all can be had online for free. Including Nosler.
The books an the inTRAnet will keep you busy for awhile with the tips and warning signs in those books, plus they have a great deal of data published for many cartridges and in the case of Lyman they use many different bullets.
Hornady and Nosler use their own and only their own but I must tell ya...
I love Nosler but it's indisputable that during the covid era and perhaps still ongoing to some degree availability is rather poor.
Hornady was far and away the best company during that covid time when the speer, sierra, Nosler and Barnes shelves were pretty damn bare...the Hornady section still had a sea of red on the shelves and it wasn't because people weren't buying them. They hired more bodies and added a shift to get product on the shelf.
There are two reasons I would advise against getting quickload at this time. At a later date it's a great tool...but
Too much of this info can get your head spinning and have you chasing product from store to store in not time.
Worst of all you could be chasing your tail. Trying all these different loads without really experimenting with a couple before moving on.
We've all been there. See some exciting data, try a few loads, then come across another exciting load data..try that one and so on.
The other reason I would say wait on Quickload...
The manuals list load data with a range of a starting load and a maximum load. The max load they list is at an acceptable pressure. While you should never go straight into a max load as a starting point they do publish that load with a safe pressure.
Quickload can show loads over acceptable pressure limits and given that you are new to reloading at this point in time IMO just sticking with book published data showing max loads but with safe pressure would be a good idea.
When you get more experience in this hobby and get to know your weapon, high pressure signs if you experience them, all of that type of thing...
At that point I would say you're ready for QL. Until then keep it simple and safe.
Just know I'm excited for you and rooting for you. We need shooters in this industry and every time a new shooter starts to reload we all win. I'm looking forward to following your new to you hobby and adventure.
Aussie Wanderer
Beginner
- May 5, 2022
- 151
- 273
300wsm that is a great post and solid advice. I have a friend who is new to shooting and reloading and was instantly attracted to chasing velocity and almost appeared to take it as a challenge to beat book max speeds. It scared the hell out of me for him. Reloading is a very serious business and should always be treated as such.
If I could add one thing to the above post, learn ballistics. When you understand ballistics and bullet performance you begin to realise whilst velocity is important, it is far from the only thing.
If I could add one thing to the above post, learn ballistics. When you understand ballistics and bullet performance you begin to realise whilst velocity is important, it is far from the only thing.
- Thread starter
- #69
Skeeter4890
Beginner
- Nov 13, 2024
- 24
- 32
Yeah I have actually learned quite a bit about ballistics before even considering reloading, I was a firearm salesman at a local store and we had a guy who at the time did a lot of long range shooting and I learned a ton from him as well as from my own research!
300WSM
Handloader
- Dec 24, 2011
- 875
- 515
That's good to hear but hope you try and be very selective with things you hear. Bad habits even from the most experienced of loaders are still bad habits and often times dangerous.
Yes the velocity....
It's very easy to get over zealous with velocity.
Many times published velocity is never realized from "your platform"
Sometimes spot on but other times not so much.
Their lab environment is much more controlled than ours.
We are at the mercy of what the weather is outside, time of year and our specific platform which may or may not like a load combination printed from in a book or online.
- Thread starter
- #71
Skeeter4890
Beginner
- Nov 13, 2024
- 24
- 32
Annealing or no annealing why and why not? Let me know
300WSM
Handloader
- Dec 24, 2011
- 875
- 515
Have you been able to load anything yet?
If not,
have you done any steps in the process like resizing? Measuring?
At this point IMO you need to just start loading some ammo.
You have enough info now to resize a once fired case, measure the case to be sure its within spec,
clean the primer pockets,
tumble or not
(sinply a personal preference)
prime the cases,
Drop a safe powder charge
Seat bullets
Go shooting.
Annealing? Nothing to worry about yet.
Get some loading experience first.
