Reloading
Wringing out the Ruger American Predator
I was out shooting with my new Ruger American Predator in 223 REM. Overall, I impressed with a lot of things. There are a few flaws, but they are minor. I am also very happy with the Bushnell Banner 6-24X40mm scope I mounted on it. My only beef is that this is not a rifle that single-feeds easily. Feeding on the magazine so far has been flawless, but popping a single round in, no matter what bullet or seating depth, invariably causes trouble. I’m had that trouble before with a couple of rifles. It is a minor irritant. I have … More . . .
I’ve Been Busy in the Reloading Cave
I realize y’all have not been hearing much from me lately. Frankly, until this weekend, there was not a whole lot to tell. We stayed home from Turkey Camp again this weekend. It rained yesterday and it was cold. Angus and I got down to open up Turkey Camp in mid-February. The Wheel of Death had caught half a dozen mice, and everything was in pretty good shape after the winter. However, the wheels fell off after that. The past few weekends, I’ve been trying to get my strength back. The last week in February I came down with a … More . . .
The Bug is Starting to Hit
It is still only the first week in August, but I am already getting ready for deer season. Two new treestands arrived from SportsmansGuide.com. These buddy stands cost less than $90 each and by rejoining the Buyers’ Club, I got the shipping for free. I’ll be scouting for new stand sites when I get back down to Camp, hopefully this weekend. I have also been hard at work in the Reloading Cave. I’ve got several new cast lead deer loads worked up. The finished Whelenizer load: 43 grains over H4895 over a lead bullet cast from a RCBS 35-200-FN with … More . . .
The Whelenizer Makeover
The Whelenizer is back on the rack, I had a blast trying out my new cast loads down at camp over the weekend. I went with the idea of loading as I went, 5 rounds at a time, and I got a chance to survey all the territory between 42 grains and 50 grains of H4895. Accuracy was best between 42 and 44. I was able to break 2500 with 50 grains, however both the accuracy was poor and the velocities were all over the place. My conclusions are as follows: 1) 43 grains of H4895 gave consistent velocity and … More . . .
News from the Shooting Bench
I have been working feverishly with new cast loads for my 35 cals. This past weekend, I finally got a chance to run them through the chronograph. 35 Whelen I pulled the Whelenizer out of the rotation last year in preference to my new 30-06 Ruger Hawkeye. This year, it was time to put it back in. I have been casting RCBS 35-200-FN with gas checks, and then powder coating them. My old Whelenizer load for the Rem 7600 was a 200 grain Rem CL over H4895, running at slightly reduced velocities– roughly equivalent to a 358 WIN. I started … More . . .
Now THAT was 8lbs of Powder!
I just purchased an 8 lb container of H4895. When I went looking, Brownells had the best price I could find: $210.44 delivered. Brownell’s cancelled the order right after I placed it. I guess somebody finally got around to looking on the shelf and realized they were out. Graf’s was only $10 more. It replaces an 8lb jug I purchased from Powder Valley in 2006, about this time of year. I probably won’t have to do much more in the way of loading before deer season, but I was down below a pound, and with all the shortages, I decided … More . . .
Call me a Dipper
When I got into reloading in 2000, I started with a RCBS kit that has served me remarkably well over the years. It came with a Uniflow powder measure. Up until this past fall, I really could not have complained about its function. Then I tried loading H4831SC, and all that changed. The problem was that I could not get a reliable charge. I’d set the measure for 50 grains. What I got was anywhere from 2 to 70. You just never knew what was coming out of the spout. I asked my friends on 24HourCampfire.com and got a few … More . . .
Asking about H4895
From 24HourCampfire.com leomort Campfire Ranger  Loc: Indiana    Hello shaman, I seen your post regarding H4895 on the Gunwriters section and on your website. I’m brand new to reloading. Only have two cartridges: 223rem and 308win. I’m looking to simplify my reloading by only stock one powder if possible. What can you tell me or what have you found out about H4895 that you like it over the others? I have some Varget which seems to be a 24hourcampfire favorite as well as some Blc-2. Appreciate your feedback and help that you can provide. Leo 09/27/14 10:08 AM … More . . .
Loose Ends
Dang. Here it is almost Christmas, and I have not written a jot since November. You will be wondering what has happened to me. No, I did not fall into the alligator pit in front of the gun locker. No, Scooter the Intern, did not go berserk on Oxy’s and shoot up the Black Hole Institute. Thanks for the email, but no. There is no truth to any of the rumors. It was cold. I’ve been busy at the day job with a big project, and all the bad weather has kept me kind of low-energy. However, I have not … More . . .
The Shamanic Reloading Cave
I’ve mentioned the Shamanic Reloading Cave over the years. You may or may not have this idea of it. Occasionally I’ve even taken a picture or two inside of it. However, y’all probably have never really seen it. In reality it never fully existed, at least not as a single entity. The reloading bench was down next to the freezer. The gun vault was in the back of a closet. I had another bench for gunsmithing elsewhere in the basement, near the computer bench. Stuff was stored hither and thither. All that is changing. If you’ve been wondering where I’ve … More . . .
Additions to the Deer Battery
I have two new additions to the official shamanic deer battery. Both are customized Mausers from friends. One is a 8X57 K98 that I picked up from SuperCore, who was downsizing his inventory over the summer. Mauser 25-06 The other is O.T’s deer gun. My buddy O.T. is call it quits this year– just too old and tired to go schlepping through the hollows any more. O.T. had an early-model 2X Aimpoint on the 25-06. Even though O.T. is in his eighties, his eyes are are considerably better than mine for distance work. I am also a good head-or-so … More . . .
Labor Day Reloading Projects
What is left of Hurricane Isaac is moving through Cincinnati this morning. We had originally thought about staying at the farm all weekend, but the forecast seemed rather dire. We all opted to stay home. A wide-eyed Obama supporter showed up at our door the other night, asking our opinions on President Obama and Sherrod Brown.  I don’t think she liked my responses. However, it reminded me that I was way behind on reloading projects. I was out of work 2.5 years and then underemployed another 1.5 years. I just accepted an offer that puts me back closer to where … More . . .
Stuck in The Burbs
So here it is, the second week in July. I should be down at camp, but it is too darn hot. It is too hot to mow, because it is too hot for the grass to be growing. Walking out the door to go the mailbox has become a planned event. We have a fan running in the center of the house, moving air around to help the air conditioning. It is loud enough to disturb thinking. You have to go to one end of the house to have a conversation. My apologies for not writing. I usually take a … More . . .
Reality sets in
I’m not sure what I was expecting. This was not a project to make a 30-30 into a 30-06. It wasn’t even going to get the Marlin to perform like a 300 Savage. It was meant to get a 30 WCF to do as well as it could. It did. I guess I should be happy. Saturday was my first chance to get the Marlin 336 out and see how my new Lever Evolution load would work. I meant to do this thing the way they do it in the magazines. I got up at the crack of dawn and … More . . .
Reduced Recoil Loads
From the D&DH Forum Postby MSHunter » Sun Jul 03, 2011 6:26 pm Here is a question for you more experienced reloaders. On Hodgdon’s website they have a sheet of youth/reduced recoil loads. In the paragraph before the load data they state that a medium burning powder be used and that the amount of powder to use be 60% of the maximum load. They recommend this for any load that uses H4198 powder. So my question(s) is/are as follows: Does one select the maximum load within each bullet range and use the 60% rule? For instance a 100 grn bullet … More . . .
Should I Reload? PT II
Assuming you really are thinking of taking the leap, I wanted to share what you what comes next. From here on out, a lot of this is going to depend on your personal style of reloading. What is your personal style? That is hard to say, but nearly every guy I know has his own quirks. We all pretty much get there, but we get there in different ways. The bottom line is that there is more to the color of paint on the press. Each press is a little different, but whether one is better than the other is in the eye of the beholder. The same goes for all the other pieces.
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Should I Reload? PT I
Let me begin by asking some questions:
* Are you satisfied with your selection of ammunition? Can you go to the store and buy what you want?
* Are you plagued by excessive recoil with your deer rifle?
* Are you satisfied with the accuracy of your deer rifle?
* Are you appalled at the price of ammunition?
35Cal.com is Back
35cal.com is back. It had been down for quite a while, and I’m glad to see Whelen back in operation. This is a really great site for 35 caliber fans– 35 Rem, 35 Whelen, .358 Win, etc. I found it extremely helpful when I was developing loads for The Whelenizer, a Rem 7600 in 35 Whelen.
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The Case for Cheap Bullets
Well, not really cheap bullets. “The Case for the Standard Hunting Bullet for Whitetail Deer,” is probably more accurate, but it sounds like a master thesis. This is just a rant. “The Case Against Premium Bullets” sounds mean spirited and negative. I am going to speak heresy here. I am not enamored with premium bullets, not in the least and certainly not when it comes to deer hunting. I guess I’m just an old fud, but I can still remember a time when Remington Core-Lokt WAS a premium bullet. Normally I just sit in the back and stay quiet, but … More . . .
In the shamanic Reloading Cave
The shaman was busy at his reloading bench when he heard little Scooter come into his cave. “Mister Shaman?” “In here, Scooter.” said the shaman. “Jeepers, Mister Shaman.” said the boy. “What are you up to?” “I’ve been reading too many deer threads,” said the shaman, and I thought I would come here to chill out and get some reloading done. “It’s all so complicated.” said Scooter. “I wouldn’t know where to start. All these bullets. All this data. It makes my head spin.” “It doesn’t make my head spin.” said the shaman. “It was going to, and then I … More . . .
Rifles — Less Recoil?
From Deer & Deer Hunting Forums jyeomans New Member Posts: 1 Joined: 10/27/2008 I HAVE BEEN USING A 7400 REM 30-06 FOR YEARS, LATELY I HAVE FOUND THE RECOIL TO MUCH. (GETTING OLD) SO I AM LOOKING FOR SOMETHING WITH LESS RECOIL. I HAVE BEEN THINKING OF A 308 OR 7MM- 08. WILL THEY GIVE LESS RECOIL.WILL THEY HANDLE BLACK BEARS OR ELK. WHAT WILL BE A GOOD CHOICE AS FAR AS MAKER IS CONCERNED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JOHN Any excuse will do me for buying a new deer rifle. However, if you still like the 7400, try some … More . . .
More on Rifles– Less Recoil
From Deer & Deer Hunting Forum jyeomans Hi thankyou for the info, actually I have the rem 7400& 7600 pump both with 18/12″ barrels with that OK out west for elk or are the barrels to short. I shoot 180gr core locs, if I change to 150gr bullets would I get a reduction in recoil. Thankyou. JOHN Yes. 150 grainers will probably give a reduction in recoil over 180’s, as long as bunch of other things are kept equal. It’s the basic Force= Mass X Acceleration equation going both directions–towards your shoulder and out the barrel. If you lower the … More . . .
Making the Switch to H4895
With gas prices, inflation, etc. kicking me in the wallet, I decided that I would try a new reloading project. Before I got started in reloading, I had foresworn that I would refrain from trying to push the velocity/pressure envelope too far I have previously embarked on projects that optimized for accuracy and recoil. That usually left me using H4895 for a rifle powder. I reload in the following rifle calibers: 30-06, 308 Win, 35 Whelen, 30 WCF, 7.62X54R and .223 Rem. Over the past five years, I’ve used a bunch of powders: IMR3031, Varget, IMR4895, BL-C(2), to name a … More . . .
Marking Time
It’s funny how we mark time in our lives. There are the periodic things– the length of time it takes to go through a tube of toothpaste, the time between a change in eyeglass prescription and so on. There are also the one-off milestones. Your first car means something. So does your first deer, and your first trip to the Moon with a girl. Reloaders have all sorts of measures like that. There is how fast you go through a pound of powder. There is how many times your brass can be reloaded. How many loads does it take to … More . . .
What kind of bullet do I use on deer?
I’ve spent most of my life living with cheap bullets and cheap ammo on deer and not had much of a problem. Most of my time has been spent with Remington 12 Ga sluggers and Walmart special 180 grain 30-06. I hunt dense cedars and Eastern hardwoods, and I hunt at very close range. I started out life as a bowhunter, and most of my deer hunting sensibilities lie in that sort of hunting. If I do not get within 80 yards of the deer, I am doing something wrong. Since I took up handloading a few years ago, I’ve … More . . .
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