2018 loading & shooting goals?

[Guy Miner]

What are your 2018 shooting, loading goals?

I'm hoping to return to Wyoming for mule deer & antelope, so will be practicing with my 25-06 & 30-06 to that end. Though I'm very happy with my Noslers, I might try the Bergers again. They worked out real well for me a few years back on three different mule deer.

And I'd like to get involved in 600 yard match shooting again. With the three fused vertebrae in my neck, prone isn't real easy anymore, but I do miss the competition. The ol' .308 is as accurate now as ever, and there's at least a thousand .30 cal match bullets on hand.

Am also looking to conduct a lot more handgun classes this year, so I'll continue to handload a fair amount of 45 & 38 ammo.

How about you? What do you figure on for this year's loading & shooting?

Guy

 

[TackDriver284]

Since I got the new GAP 6.5 Creedmoor and barely put in 100 rounds through the tube with 140 Hybrids and shot exceptionally well. I still have two 500 round boxes of 140 Hybrid and 142 SMK. I am eyeing to try the 143 ELD-X next to see if they are suitable for my next hunting season or switch to Nosler Accubonds. Those Noslers are my favorite hunting bullets.

For the GAP .308, I am going to use up smaller the batches of Berger 168 and 175 of less than 60 bullets that I have from years ago to see if they are a winner before moving on to the 185 Jugs to experiment, or go back to the Scenar or Matchkings and need to stick with one bullet and start shooting more. The 168 Sierra and 167 Scenars performed roughly .2 - .3 MOA at 300 yards before winter season set in. I still have 5 boxes of the 178 ELD-M I am itching to fickle with from last year.

6.5 x 284 I have not shot much, last I shot it was .2 - .3 MOA at 300 hundred with 130 Berger OTM and H4831 SC. Excellent. I plan not to make any changes, still have the bulk 500 round box and 4 boxes( 100) of the 130 VLD.

300 Win. Mag and the 7 Mag loves the Accubonds and have no desire to change anything. The 160 AB performed nicely this hunting season, and the 180 AB is waiting to taste some blood for the first time. Hopefully grab a nilgai hunt with the .300 soon.

 

[DrMike]

Working up one good bragging load for a number of rifles before thinning the herd. I have a grandson who is insistent that he wants to buy several. I've told him that "Money talks."

 

[sask boy]

I too will be thinning out the flock so to speak as I have a couple of rifles that I have not shot in many years and it doesn't look like my boys are going to have the same passion as their Dad .
I also have a fairly large inventory of supplies for calibres that I no longer shoot or have never even owned :lol:.
I am going to concentrate on my 5 or 6 main rifles and I would also like to pick up a O/U shotgun as I really enjoyed this past fall upland game hunting with my Son.
I had a Browning Citori Belgium made for many years that was stolen and instead of having insurance replace it with same I took a Benelli SBE II as a settlement wrong thing to do :shock: as I do like the Benelli but it does not handle like the older Citori.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[joelkdouglas]

Kill two elk

v/r
Joel


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[Guy Miner]

Kill two elk

v/r
Joel


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I like that goal!

 

[6mm Remington]

I want to get my .280 AI out and try the 140 gr. Accubonds and see if I can find a winner with those. The 140 gr. Partitions at 3230 fps sure worked well though, I'm just saying.

Seriously considering trying to get in on a moose, grizzly bear, and wolf hunt next fall in either Alaska, NW Territories, or the Yukon. That would be a dream come true. Think I'd have to use my .280 AI for the trip!!

 

[Cleveland48]

Mainly going to be trying to get loads for the 129 ABLR and 143 ELDX for my 6.5 CM. Then a load for Lapua Mega 286 grain with Ramshot Big Game in my 9.3x62. This is John Barnes powder of choice for this caliber with 286 grain bullets. Should be able to achieve 2500-2550 with this powder hopefully. Also gonna try to pick up a new dedicated lightweight hunting rig, undecided on which gun I may get though.


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[str8meat]

1760 is my goal this year, upgrades on all rifles and the sweet sound of steel at a mile.

 

[Anonymous]

A couple of goals... work up a couple of good loads with the 6.5 in my mountain carbine. Hoping for good loads in 143 ELDX that replicate factory and a hot load with 130AB.

Hunting goals remain primarily moose and caribou, but a trip to Kodiak for deer has been on the radar for a long time.

2018 is the year for sandhill crane...my partner and I found the spot...now we just have to work out the cranes.

 

[Dwh7271]

Hopefully it's the year for some serious tag draws....one can always hope. :grin:

 

[JD338]

Sue and I have decided to do a honeymoon moose hunt so this spring I will work up a load for her 280 AI with the 150 gr PT. I will also work with and fine tune the new 265 gr ABLR in the 338 RUM.
I also want to develop a mid range load for my S&W 629 3" 44 Rem Mag that would utilize a 240 gr hard cast bullet.

JD338

 

[Bruce Mc]

I'm going to give Reloder 26 a try in my .270 win. I have 130, 150, and 160 partitions and 130 and 140 accubonds. If that doesn't work out I have IMR 4955 and 7977 that I haven't worked on. Then I'll be ready for whatever tags we might draw next season. Mule Deer, Elk, and Black Bear are on the short list. Mule Deer draw - Elk and Black Bear over the counter. I've also let my handgun skills get a little rusty, I need to hammer out a few thousand rounds of 45 ACP and put in some range time. Any of Y'all ever shot a Texas Star. It can burn up a lot of ammo.

 

[gerry]

I am in the process of changing a few things but have these goals in mind:

260 Rem - might try the 129 gr ABLR again but will probably just keep things as they are and use the 130 gr AB and 140 gr Ballistic Tip. Going to shoot some more 130 gr Sierra HPBT's as well for practice.

6.5x55 - wife's gun - deer load is settled with the 120 gr Ballistic Tip but looking to develop a moose/bear load with the 156 gr Norma Oryx. Probably will tweak the 140 gr Partition load for spring bear.

270 Win - going to try RL 26 with several 150-170 gr bullets even though IMR 7977 works well. Wanting to try some 150 gr ABLR's in this gun. Would like to shoot it past 400 yards this year too.

35 Whelen - hope to finally put a 200 gr AccuBond into a mountain goat this year. Would like to finish developing a 225 gr AccuBond load and start working with the 250 gr Norma Oryx and 250 gr Woodleigh RN.

There will be at least one new gun this year to develop some loads, hopefully I'll have something to report in the near future.

 

[Polaris]

Don't have much for loading goals. My competition and hunting loads are pretty much nailed down with no reason to change. I feel my guns/loads are currently shooting to near the limits of my abilities, and for hunting loads, they do everything I could ask given limited ranges and game where I hunt. Any experimentation is either out of boredom or to expend some misc. components in practice.

Shooting goals. Win at least one EIC "Leg" match this season. Get my HP average firmly into the Master category with an NRA Service Rifle. Currently shooting those scores, but a few rough matches 2016 season are still weighing me down into the expert category. Win a Vintage and M1Garand match with "gold" cut scores. Continue winning Swiss matches and secure an invite to the Nationals in a couple of years. Also going to try a foray into handgun silhouette. We'll see where that takes me. Lofty goals, but within reach. I'm close enough to be dangerous.

 

[Teknys]

My focus this year will be with handguns, 44Rem Mag and 10MM.
But I will work with my 6.5CM and 338 Federal .

 

[NYDAN]

My goals this year are to become proficient in the use of the Quick Load program and then:

Finalize the seating depth and primer selection with the 150 BT in the 270 Win for deer hunting.
Develop an elk load for the 270 Win.
Finalize a load for the 450 Marlin.
Develop a good deer load for Caleb's 30-06.
Help Roland fine tune his 30-06 elk load.

 

[DrMike]

My goals this year are to become proficient in the use of the Quick Load program and then:

Finalize the seating depth and primer selection with the 150 BT in the 270 Win for deer hunting.
Develop an elk load for the 270 Win.
Finalize a load for the 450 Marlin.
Develop a good deer load for Caleb's 30-06.
Help Roland fine tune his 30-06 elk load.

All honourable and worthy goals, Dan. Good plans when we invest ourselves in others.

 

[CamoHunter]

I am going to get serious and work up good loads for my hunting rifles.
So the 243, 270, 7mm-08, 30-06 (x2) and 300 H&H will all see some work this spring/summer.

Camo

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Get my grandkids to the range more often. Checkout some new hunting areas. Take the 6.5x55 and 30-06 out this year. 2017 was the .35Rem and 7mm RM and the .243Win. Hope to spend more time shooting pistols and buying a 9mm just cause I haven't had one for awhile, Ha Ha. Dan.