I’m going to load some 95gr sst this go around. Ive also got 100gr Hornady interlocks and nosler partitions.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jbotto
JTD
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I’m going to load some 95gr sst this go around. Ive also got 100gr Hornady interlocks and nosler partitions.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jbotto
JTD
Those SST’s were very accurate for me, but in the close ranges of MN deer hunting we never got one to exit. Made a mess of the deer inside and never made anything hard to track as you watched them tip over shortly after being shot. Honestly, the SST’s were one of the main reasons we went to Barnes so they would hold up better. Not sure if the bullet has changed any, and everyone looks for something different in hunting bullets, but I bet you find a very accurate load with them! [emoji106]
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Ive heard that about the sst’s from multiple people. I have 80 of them so I figured what the hell. I’m not a huge fan of the sst in general, but I love trying new and different things.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jbotto
JTD
I got a few things done to mark off my list. 35 whelen and 338-06 brass has been sonic cleaned. 257 Roberts brass is primed. My Hornady 6.5 creedmoor brass is sized trimmed tumbled and primed. Tomorrow I will start working on my new starline 6.5 creedmoor brass.
JTD
JTD, My favorite is the 95 grain Nosler Partition, I have used the 100 grain Partition with equal success and the 85 grain with good success. In recent years I have had trouble finding the Partition and am loading the Barnes 85 grain TSX BT, though that has yet to be proven in my world as I have been unsuccessful in getting shooting for my wife and daughter as they began hunting in ernest. The Nosler Partition has put down so many whitetails for me that I wouldn't hesitate to use them and may switch back as the supply reappears. That is about 45 years of hunting PA white tails for me and almost exclusively with the Nosler. I have no doubt about it's capability in the 243.Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffreyDeGraff
Now, the blackout. The surplus powder I use is a 1680 clone and I have 8 lbs of it so I will use it. No trouble with cycling my AR but it is not as quiet and is a bit dirty. I just shot 30 rounds of the Berry 220 grain plated today and they performed flawlessly. I again hit the charge perfectly as the hottest loads were 1/2 sub and 1/2 super. The subs were nice and the accuracy off a very unpleasant rest was acceptable. Now that I have identified where the subsonic begins, I will work on the accuracy issue with a much better rest. Today was strictly a data point day with the chronograph. Again, as much success with getting my AR to cycle with IMR 4227 makes me wish I had bought 8 lbs of that instead of this surplus. I can't believe the difference in noise between the two and so far getting this AR to cycle has been easy.
The partition is pretty much a favorite of mine in most calibers. They just plain work.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyeralan
Seems you’ve got you blackout squared away.
JTD
Got the starline creedmoor brass sized and primed. I was impressed, except for a few pieces, all of the brass was +/- .001” of the book trim length, and all of it was was within .001” to the datum on the shoulder.
I started on my 243 brass and ran into a situation. My Hornady dies would not size the brass enough to where the bolt would close with minimal resistance. I remembered I had bought a set of lee dies, from jbotto here on the forum, so I dug those out and bam, it was perfect. I got 10 pieces done before bed, and hoping to get the rest finished today.
After 243 comes 338-06.
JTD
Glad those dies are working well for you JTD!
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I have been reloading 243 for nearly 5 decades and had never had this problem until last year reloading for a Howa 1500 that my wife shoots. I just couldn't get the dies to resize quite enough to close the bolt cleanly. Unfortunately mine were Redding dies of which I am a big fan, got out a set of RCBS that I had and everything is ok. Just seems weird that you ran into the same issue.Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffreyDeGraff
That is pretty interesting. Same problem, same fix. I bet another fix would be to use the Redding shell holder set that has different height shell holders.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyeralan
Ive had to sand down a couple shell holders through the years, in order to be able to size my brass. Just switching dies was much easier tho.
JTD
Well, my 243 brass is all sized trimmed tumbled and waiting to be primed. 338-06 is sized trimmed tumbled and also waiting to be primed. I’m about 1/2 way through sizing 35 whelen brass. But now it’s time for some 5th grade football.
JTD
I just got my M&P40 slide back from optic milling. I think it's pretty much done, now I have to get a good reliable load worked up for it.
But tonight, I hand out candy before going to a party. This is one of my favorite holidays.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...6f29a027db.jpg
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That looks sharp!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mbaker78
JTD
Thanks, I just have to try to carve out some time to go to the range and try it out.
I know that feeling. Ive got so much range work to do, but so precious little time. Was going to go today but my 10 year old is feeling punyQuote:
Originally Posted by Mbaker78
JTD
I also have another test set for the 308, since it turns out that threading the muzzle and putting the brake on it changed the harmonics enough that it no longer likes the load I had developed for it, with or without the suppressor.
I know it’s not a crown issue, because a totally different load still groups beautifully, maybe even better than before. But I can’t find those bullets anymore (150gr Remington accu-tip), so I don’t want to shoot them all up.
I haven’t seen the accutips in years.
Hope you get that load to shoot.
JTD
Ive got most of my brass prep done now. 243 is all done, primed and put away. 338-06 is fully prepped and primed. 35 whelen is ready to load. 7x57 needs primed, then its ready. I sized a mess of 30-06 up to 338 and it just needs to be primed. And I’ve got a bunch of 35 whelen I just necked up to 375, but it needs trimmed tumbled and primed.
Almost time to make up some test loads. Then to find some ever elusive range time.
JTD
Sounds like you have accomplished lots! The only thing I did for reloading so far this week is get in on the MidwayUSA free shipping deal. Included in my purchase was a Christmas gift for my wife and then a couple boxes of Barnes 85gr TSX that were in stock. Hoping for cooler weather to make deer hunting a bit less stressful.Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffreyDeGraff
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Finally done with all my brass prep projects.
Next on my list is loading 200, 300blackout, with 125gr SST’s and W296 for my brother. He lives in New York, and is being gouged on ammo when he can find it. I just finished priming the brass for those, and should be able to load them up this week.
Then it’s time to make up some test loads. Right now I’m thinking 243 with 95gr SST and W760, 6.5creedmoor with 140gr SST and W760. 35 Remington with 200gr RN and TAC. And 35 Whelen with 250gr RN and TAC.
JTD
I finally got the 200 blackout rounds loaded for my brother, and I’ve put together some test loads for 7.62x54R and 7x57.
7.62x54R is with Speer 150gr SP at 2.900”, and IMR3031, H4895, IMR4895, IMR4064, and IMR4320.
7x57 is with Hornady 139gr SP at 3.000”, and IMR3031. And some old Nosler 120gr FP at 2.800” with IMR3031, IMR4064, and H4895.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...d4c2ec4d0e.jpg
JTD
I love those flat point bullets!Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffreyDeGraff
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So do I! I hope somewhere along the way I can find some more, maybe at a gun show or something.Quote:
Originally Posted by muforester
JTD
My bench has been boring lately. Not much going on. I deprimed a mess of 32 Winchester special, 35 Remington, 30-40 krag, and nickel 6.5 creedmoor tonight.
I’m hoping to get to the range several times this week, since I will be familyless starting tomorrow. This aught to give me some projects.
I realized something tonight. I am a brass prep junkie. I don’t get to go shoot near as much as I’d like, so I keep buying more brass from Wes, so I’ll have something to do. I used to think that I disliked brass prep.
JTD
You think your bench has been boring, mines been used for storage of odds and ends. Haha! The most I did lately was pull one empty .338-06 case from my pocket after hunting last night and put it in the ammo box for that cartridge. Too many other things going on. One more week of deer hunting and then maybe I’ll start back into some projects.Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffreyDeGraff
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My eldest son is home on leave, so I haven't done much of anything at all on the bench. I did cast a bunch of bullets for 40s&w and subsonic 300aac, but haven't gotten around to powder coating them yet.
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Been pretty busy at my bench lately since our governor "locked" us all down. In the past week I've inventoried all of my components and reloaded 204 Ruger, 22 Nosler, 223, 300 BO, 7mm-08 and 7x57. Prepped up a bunch of 338 and 22 Hornet and getting ready to do another batch of 204. Probably gonna "unlock" myself this weekend and go shoot some of it.
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That’s a good selection. What do you shoot out of your 204?Quote:
Originally Posted by akpls
JTD
I had been going with 40 gr. VMax, but just lately got a good deal on Speer 39 gr. TNT's so been loading those with various powders... CFE 223, BLC2, etc. to see what works best. Somehow I accumulated 5 204's along the way so could conceivably work up a different load for each.
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I have some of the 39gr TNTs I am planning on trying. Anxious to hear how yours shootQuote:
Originally Posted by akpls
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Wow! 5 204’s. That’s outstanding. What are they? Ive just got one, Rem700 VLS, it’s a great shooter with 32gr vmax and IMR4198.Quote:
Originally Posted by akpls
JTD
I got the 32 special, 35 rem, and 30-40 deprimed and squeaky clean. The nickel 6.5 creedmoor is cleaned sized and primed.
I made it to the range today and shot 7x57 with 139 Hornady sp and 120gr nosler fp. 257 Roberts Ackley Improved with 117gr sst. And my k31 7.5x55 with 178gr eldx. I had good results from all three, the 7x57 is shooting MOA with the 139gr sp, the 257 Ackley shot the 117gr sst the best that it ever has today, just want to tinker around with it now and see if I can shrink the groups a little, and the best group out of the K31 was 1.7”, not the best group ever but gives me a good starting point to start messing around with it.
After the range I cleaned sized and trimmed my 7x57 brass, it is in the tumbler now. Will prime it when it comes out and am going to load them up.
JTD
Not a great photo, but left to right.... AR I built with a Wilson barrel, AR I built with a side-charging upper and ER Shaw barrel, a Ruger 77 Compact (my first 204), a Savage 11, and far right is a Mossberg MVP. The side-charger and Mossberg have not yet been fully sighted in and that's what I'm loading up for now. The Ruger and the Wilson barrel AR both like the 40 gr V-Max factory loads.... the AR especially. In fact it shoots those factory loads so well I haven't even tried to work up anything else for it.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...9540c3be6b.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by JeffreyDeGraff
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That is a bad ass set of 204’s!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by akpls
JTD
I had a chance to add the Remington 700 (consignment at the LGS) to the set, but I waited too long to grab it and someone beat me to it.
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That is an awesome group of 204's. I feel like such a rookie, I've only got 2 of them, lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by akpls
Hope you all are doing well! Just checking in! Hunting season ended for me this weekend with a Covid scare and one last hunt Sunday night in the unit I still had a tag for. Oh well. We ended up with three does total for the year, between my wife and I and we had been given a beef for the freezer in September. We are not hurting in any way and truly are blessed this year. Hoping to clean the bench off here in the next few weeks and get some reloading done with what components I do have, but not looking good for awhile. Waiting for my favorite bullets to come back in-stock for the .338-06 and have a feeling that might take awhile. It’ll give me time to work on some tinkering with my .30-06 load for now.
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Working on breaking down some old reloads that didn't shoot well so I can salvage bullets, brass, and primers. Also, I took apart some old 6.5x55 surplus rounds. Has anyone ever seen powder like this?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...091099c380.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...79727021fb.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...4d7296d856.jpg
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Ive never seen a powder that looked like that before.Quote:
Originally Posted by muforester
I definitely need to get one of those bullet pullers after the holidays. Ive been putting off pulling bullets for months because I don’t want to pull the hammer out.
JTD
I had to pull about 400 pistol rounds because the bullets were undersized. I quickly realized the hammer wasn’t the way to go, so I rigged up a spacer and used some lineman’s pliers and pulled them in a similar fashion.