Load tinkering time

[Guy Miner]

With my hunting season behind me, I'm free to mess around with some new loads, work up some oddball stuff on a whim, and generally get a little creative at the loading bench. I do this most winters, as I'm kind of bored with simply churning out my long-established loads, for long proven rifles & handguns.

For instance something I'm working on right now:

220 gr FNSP Hornady "plinker" load for my .375 H&H. Using IMR 4227, and following another recipe from John Barsness. Should see 1900 - 2100 fps from it with very mild recoil. Am thinking it would be dandy for woods hunting at modest ranges too. After all if a 170 gr .30-30 is effective at that velocity, this should be a bit better. Spent a little time on the loading bench tinkering with this loading project this afternoon.

Unfortunately my fairly impressive collection of milk jugs was tossed in the name of cleaning up the garage a few weeks back... Will have to rebuild.

Anyone else tinker with loads this time of year? What are you working on?

Guy

 

[shoots_5]

I tend to do a lot of loading in the winter...it's shooting that's hard with the weather! I always get frustrated with a large quantity of loads ready to go test and not being able to get out and actually do it.

First up for me is finding a load or 2 for the 260 Rem. After that I've got some 180grain deep curls for my 300 H&H that I need to try and find a load for. And lastly if I get around to it I will give my 25-06 another go around...never have been able to get that dang thing to shoot sub MOA. If it doesn't happen this time around it'll probably become someone else's problem.

That plinker load for your 375 sounds like a good one. Although I'm not sure I'd do much "plinking" with a 375 H&H... :wink:

 

[FOTIS]

Most of the time Guy I just brass prep during to cold and WINDY winters here.

Load development can be done up to the point where you got to go to the range. Then that is a difficult and sometimes impossible task to accomplish with the winds.

that leaves you with tons of loaded stuff that you do not even remember why you attempted to load.

 

[RiverRider]

In my neck of the woods it is rarely too cold to go to the range, but the blasted daytime wind can blow for weeks on end. What really frustrates me is the weekdays that are flat out gorgeous with 3mph breezes, then on Saturday and Sunday it'll kick up to 20 or 25. We could stand to get rained out occasionally, I'd be willing to put up with that a few weekends.

 

[JD338]

Well its still hunting season here. ML opens Friday 12/7.
In the meantime, I am going to play around with the 257 Roberts with a 117 gr PT. A vintage bullet that was offered by Nosler in the past. This would make for a great woods load.

JD338

 

[russ808]

Guy,
I am playing with the 168 C.C. and a 210 Berger load for the 300 Blackcout.
Just because I guess. We can hunt Axis year round on private land so I was tinkering with a subsonic Blackout for hunting in thick stuff.
Russ

 

[Too Tall]

When you men pick a different bullet, how do you figure out the load? Do you do a ladder test, or do you just a few of each?

I like the ladder test, myself.

 

[roysclockgun]

Guy et al, Since I buy and sell US military long arms. I load a fair numbr of 30-06 cartridges for range testing. I try to hold cost down, as this is only to prove out the bore and I am not going for high MV. Not too long ago, a friend who no longer loads, gave me some components, the age of which I do not know. The Herter's primers are protected in their box by wood! They fail to give ignition at rate of about 1 out of 20 not going BOOM! He also gave me several boxes of Herter's 30 cal jacketed 150 gr. Spire Point bullets. Lastly, he gave me an un-opened 20 lb. can of Mil. Surplus IMR4350.
I loaded 49gr. of the IMR4350 into old LC cases and seated the Herter's bullet to book length. The MV is around 2300 fps, so very little recoil. On the US M1 Rifles, 1903 Rifles and 1917 Rifles, this load is printing one inch groups on the ones with very new appearing bores, so I am happy with my cheap test loads!
Steve Ashe

 

[Kodiak]

My Black Powder Cartridge Rifle matches are done for the most part, and I will began going over several hundred empty cases. All have been cleaned prior and I weigh, measure, trim and size them ready to load, later. I also have a 7-08 Magnum Research single shot pistol I'm starting to develope loads for.

Our late deer seasons are still open, so I can't use the range for testing, but that will end soon.

 

[Elkman]

Well I have lots to do. A certain marine (on here frequently) shamed me into buying two new RL- powders, which supposedly, provide stellar performance in the Whelen, STW (still at the smiths waiting for a barrel) and 308, and the 300 magnums. So after investing near $100 in powder I suppose I should give them a try. I also have the scope mounted on the 45/70 so some serious shooting will occur. Have two 300's to finish loading for.. As you all probably remember I HATE LOAD DEVELOPMENT. But at least I can blame someone else.

I am also taking yoga, once a week and will get my carry permit this winter. That and a bathroom remodel will probably keep me entertained until next fire season comes around.

I will also keep practicing on the 600 yard range as weather permits.

 

[DrMike]

I continue to load throughout the winter, but shooting is more sporatic as I won't shoot when it is below -15. The solvents all freeze at the lower temperatures, making it difficult to keep the bores clean.

 

[atmoshpere]

With only one rifle and one handgun to load for (probably need to jump on the RADD bandwagon) I use winters to play with bullets I've never tried before. And I switch from my big game load to coyote load.

Right now I have some 140 BTs that I'm playing with seating depth on, some 154 Hornady Interbonds that I have about 200 of that I'm powder testing with, and some 175 PTs that I just ordered as BLEMs from SPS for $17! With any luck I'll be taking 175 PTs on a moose hunt next year :mrgreen: I've got some 168 SMKs on my midway wishlist that I'd like to play with for long range steel during the off season. I was just looking at some 110 varmint grenades that might make a nice big hole in a coyote too! All of these are for the 284.

I've been cranking out the 40s&w ammo lately as well. I can shoot my XDm even when it's windy!
Montana Gold 180 FMJ over Hogdon TiteGroup for steel and 180 Hornady XTP to keep in the "always loaded" mags.

So many bullets, only 3 months of winter

 

[DrMike]

So many bullets, only 3 months of winter

Up here, we have two seasons--winter and three weeks of rough sledding.

 

[Kodiak]

Mike,

Years back I had an old friend (Loyd Knuffy) up in Yellowknife NWT that owned a leather goods store. He said it was 50 weeks of winter and 2 weeks of "muddy sleddin'". !

 

[SJB358]

I plan to do some serious load work for my 338 Win Mag this Winter, as the loads I used this Fall were for my old 338. they shot good enough, but I wanna focus on the 225's and 250's.

I also plan on braking out my old 7mm Rem Mag and doing some work with it. It has been way too long since I have fired it and have a bunch of 175 PT's for it, so I wanna see what it'll do.

I am sure there are some others that need some load work, but overall, I did alot of load work the past couple of years, so it should be easy enough to work with the 7mm and 338.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

I do the most reloading and shooting during the winter. Winter's are cold here but not unreasonable. I will bed my M70 FWT 257Bob this winter as it still disappoints. Probably re-stock the Rem Model 78. Maybe prep the BDL 30-06's , soon to be something else, stock for bedding and/or pillars. Send the BLR out for a trigger job for certain.

Reloading wise I have a friend's 30-06 I will work-up some loads for. Finalize the 25-06 and look for a stout bullet load for the 22-250.

 

[350JR]

I still have 12 days of "bonus anterless season" to go through yet, starting the day after Xmas and I can use my 350JR too. ML season is in but....uh....problems physically that make walking accross 300 yards or more of MUD (been warm and raining here) just dont seem like fun at all, let alone getting one out.

So.....waiting for Dec 26 but working on the 375 wildcat of a few of my posts.
Guy, I might need to pick your brain on short fat .375 round powder options but got a few in mind for the spring (est) build.

For now......looking at brass for parent round options.
God Bless to all for the holidays!
Steve

 

[JD338]

With only one rifle and one handgun to load for (probably need to jump on the RADD bandwagon) I use winters to play with bullets I've never tried before. And I switch from my big game load to coyote load.

Right now I have some 140 BTs that I'm playing with seating depth on, some 154 Hornady Interbonds that I have about 200 of that I'm powder testing with, and some 175 PTs that I just ordered as BLEMs from SPS for $17! With any luck I'll be taking 175 PTs on a moose hunt next year :mrgreen: I've got some 168 SMKs on my midway wishlist that I'd like to play with for long range steel during the off season. I was just looking at some 110 varmint grenades that might make a nice big hole in a coyote too! All of these are for the 284.

I've been cranking out the 40s&w ammo lately as well. I can shoot my XDm even when it's windy!
Montana Gold 180 FMJ over Hogdon TiteGroup for steel and 180 Hornady XTP to keep in the "always loaded" mags.

So many bullets, only 3 months of winter

You defiantly need a few more rifles! Here is a suggested starting list for ya to go along with that ultra cool 284 Win. :mrgreen:

Target
308

Varmint
223 and/or 22-250

Predator
243 and/ or 25-06

Back up Deer
280 or 30-06

Long range Deer
264 Win Mag

Long Range Elk
300 Win Mag, 300 RUM, 338 Win Mag, or 338 RUM

Black Timber Elk
358 Win, 35 Whelen, or 45-70

Don't worry about RADD, we are here to help you through it. We will also assist you buddy with all the load data you could dream of. That is why we are here. :grin:


JD338

 

[onesonek]

By nature, I think a lot of reloading shooters/hunters are tinkerer's. I tend to find a load that I want to use in that particular rig and stick with it once found. However, there a few that I tinker with ,which definately adds to the fun imo.

 

[Oldtrader3]

My dad used to refer to the weather in northern Quebec as being two seasons, winter and Victoria Day!