I normally use unique in my revolvers, but I had 2/3 of a can of red dot that I don’t use for anything. So in my quest to use up odds and ends I’ve got taking up space, I decided to give the red dot a try, and I’m very impressed with its performance in 357 for mild plinking loads.Originally Posted by Jbotto
JTD
Seems like I’ve heard either of the 4350’s being good powder for this round! Haven’t tried much with this cartridge as I had good luck from the start with IMR 4064 and I’m not out chasing benchrest records. Am happy to have a good accurate and dependable load for this rifle!
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Good enough reason to try and use it up then! Glad you found something you worked all the while cleaning up the loose components that always assume to accumulate.
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I have so many partial cans of powder that I don’t use. Either from using whatever I could during the last couple shortages or from caliber/bullet combos I’ve moved away from. I thought about just combining it all and tossing it in a fire or dumping it on the garden, but I might find another use for it down the road.
I had a great range trip yesterday with some test loads. Now I have some projects to work on. I took my 30-06, 8x57, 6.5-284, 45-70 (bolt action Lee Enfield), 308 (AR10), and 223 ( Rem 700 1-12” twist).
30-06: was testing seating depths with Sierra 180gr pro hunters and RL22. Ive got it shooting sub MOA now.
8x57: this rifle has always liked heavier bullets better, but I was testing 150gr Hornady spire points and IMR4064. Best group was 1.2”, so I’m going to work on it a little more.
6.5-284: I haven’t messed with this rifle in years. I’m trying to breathe new life into it with 140gr Speer Gold Dots. I haven’t had much luck we these bullets in this rifle, but have successfully found a good starting point with either RL19 or RL22.
45-70 SMLE: best group out of this rifle with the 300gr Nosler ballistic tips has been 2.5” with IMR3031. The same held true yesterday. I’m going to start messing with seating depths and see if that helps any.
308 (AR10): I’ve got a good load with 165gr SST’s and RL15, but now am trying to work up a load with 168gr Speer Gold Dots and TAC powder. This was the second time out with this combination and still no progress. I’m going to try no crimp and different seating depths next time.
223: 55gr Speer Gold Dots and RL12. Last time out I had some good 3 shot groups, so I took the best 3 and loaded up 5 of each. Best group was .7”, I’m happy with that. Not as accurate as my bulk 55gr Hornady BTSP load with AA2200, but plenty accurate enough for killing critters.
That was my exciting range trip, now I need to get back to the bench. My reloading time is dwindling away with the kids back in school and football season in full swing, but I’ll make it happen.
JTD
Glad you had a productive day out wat the range JTD! My wife and I went out yesterday to get her some more time behind the .243 before we get too serious into this hunting season. This is one rifle I felt like I had squared away but it seems I made some mistakes on this last batch of loading. Some of the primer pockets were getting loose in this brass. It was the first time I had experienced it with this batch I thought they’d be fine. I had two or three from the 40 we shot leak spot from around the primers, and one backed out completely. I’m torn. I have 50 rounds of this batch left. These loads are on the warm side but this is their 5th loading. I should have scrapped the loose ones as I primed them but thought I’d be ok. Well the one that backed the primer out gummed up the ejector and the bolt is now soaking to hope it’ll loosen up. Planning to take it apart tonight after work. What would you guys do about this?
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I made it to the range yesterday too. I ran a few hundred rounds through the new AR and was decently impressed with it for how cheaply I was able to piece it together. A <$800 rifle, including optics, that can repeatedly pull 2” groups at 100 is good for me.
I sighted in the iron sights on my shorty, it’s close enough for government work at 50.
I partially melted a suppressor cover in the process of trying to see how much it can handle. Turns out 80 rounds in 30 seconds is the limit
After gettting home and sorting through all of the brass, I realized that I’m shorter than I like being on small rifle primers, and overstocked on small pistol. A call to a local FFL buddy and I had someone within a mile of me that was willing to trade straight up. It’s always good to have connections.
All of the brass from yesterday is now in the dryer after tumbling. Hopefully tonight at work will just be a normal 8 hour day so I can size it all tonight and have it ready to finish tumble tomorrow.
You’ve got 50 loaded rounds with the brass in question? Ive shot brass with loose pockets before, without any issues. If the primers are very loose, you could tap the brass on the edge of your bench, if any of the primers come out or start to come out, you can cull those out of the bunch. Ive used that method before. It’s not fool proof, but can help you identify the worst ones.
JTD
Sounds like you had a good day! I’d probably lose my membership at the club if I shot 80 rounds in 30 seconds. Ha! I shot 88 rounds in 2.5 hours yesterday. I’m not low on any primers yet, all my brass is primed and I’ve probably got enough primers to prime it all again twice.I made it to the range yesterday too. I ran a few hundred rounds through the new AR and was decently impressed with it for how cheaply I was able to piece it together. A <$800 rifle, including optics, that can repeatedly pull 2” groups at 100 is good for me.
I sighted in the iron sights on my shorty, it’s close enough for government work at 50.
I partially melted a suppressor cover in the process of trying to see how much it can handle. Turns out 80 rounds in 30 seconds is the limit
After gettting home and sorting through all of the brass, I realized that I’m shorter than I like being on small rifle primers, and overstocked on small pistol. A call to a local FFL buddy and I had someone within a mile of me that was willing to trade straight up. It’s always good to have connections.
All of the brass from yesterday is now in the dryer after tumbling. Hopefully tonight at work will just be a normal 8 hour day so I can size it all tonight and have it ready to finish tumble tomorrow.
JTD
It was only a friend and I at the range at the time, otherwise I wouldn't have done it.
I still have an amazing can to fill with 223, so the primers were much needed.
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