Reloaders .. questions for ya (.500 magnum getting to be a lil expensive)

[dhill]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you get into reloading you really don't save any money and most times you spend more. But you also get to spend alot more time on the range compaired to store bought. :-laf

This is very true. Also if you shoot alot, you'll notice that after several thou. rounds that the favorite load doesn't work quite like it used to, and when you check the chronograph and see that the speed is down some, well it's time for a new tube. Too many rounds too fast and the throat starts to go away.



The progressive is the way to go after you find the load you want to use but you need a single stage for working up to the load you want. That's where the real fun is in reloading. You might use 3 or 4 ( or more ) different powders, and try 5 different loads for each and then the bullets, you might use 4 different weights from 3 or 4 different makers. Oh yeah I forgot primers, lots of them too.



I have two guns that I use duplex loads in. When I'm working on them, no radio, tv, cell phone, or visitors.



What ever you decide remember to keep records ( very important ) and have fun.

 

[rubberneck]

Good point that dhill brought up. I keep a separate 3 ring binder for each weapon in which I store load info and targets. I made up some small labels that i write all the load info on. Powder, charge weight, bullet brand, type, weight and seating depth, and primer. I then affix the label to the target after i shoot and evaluate them all at the end of the day. I keep all the good ones and bad ones in the binder to prevent me from repeating loads that didn't work as well (especially important if you are tinkering with more than one weapon at a time) Started out with a few binders, and ended up with a friggin library. LOL



Oh yeah, and the good thing about wearing out a barrel is that it is a good excuse to get a better one.

 

[WDixon27]

i herd from a good gunsmith the rule of thumb for barrel life in a varly hot caliber is 10 pounds of powder down the barrel and it's probably pretty worn

 

[daveshoe]

The cool thing about reloading is that you can customize the round to your purpose of shooting. Do you want to shoot long range? A heavier bullet will carry better past 200 yards than the light factory stuff you bought at the store. Do you want spectacular kill shots on prairie dogs that will lift them off the ground and carry the little beastie ten yards downrange? There are bullets that will do just that. Do you want your pistols to last longer? Load them a little milder and get your practice done,and save the high power stuff for hunting or defense.

Do you want to experiment with accuracy reloads? You can weigh the cases into batch lots,index them for out-of round,lathe-turn the case neck,experiment with different powder,primer,and bullets,set the bullet to just touch the lands,[then back it off. 005 at a time] and I have just scratched the surface. It is really what you want to make of it.

Reloading has given me three rifles that will shoot under an inch at 200 yards. That could never be approached without messing around a little with the reloading process.

 

[WDixon27]

sorta like this?! http://www.dogbegone.com/video.htm :-laf

Do you want spectacular kill shots on prairie dogs that will lift them off the ground and carry the little beastie ten yards downrange?