Recent content by Barstooler

My RCBS dies are labeled “.243 Ack Imp 40• FL” Box also says “Group G. PN 56096” I know that RCBS has cut back on types of dies that they sell, but call and they may have that die as old stock sitting on the shelf. And it is no longer listed as a Group G die. However they also know how to make...

My 280 AI is in a Kimber Custom Classic and has a 23 inch barrel. Any powder like RL-22 or slower just blows a fireball out the end of the barrel. It is not burning in that 23 inch barrel So my go to powder for that 280 AI became IMR-4955 - temp stable and anti-copper. 56.0 grains gives good...

Been loading 6.5-06 AI for years. May I suggest: 25-06 brass is ok but don’t FL resize. Just use expander ball in resizing die to neck up to 6.5 then neck up using expander ball again to 7mm. You now have a fat neck. (The reason to not go from 25-06 to a 7mm neck is you will ruin some cases by...

I decapped live primers for 50 years using sizing die and press, never had any problems then about 5 years ago I was decapping some military brass that had crimped primers. Doing the “slow and easy” method to not jolt the primer, but on the third case it went bang. Scared the heck out of me I...

Cheyenne Mt Shooting complex limits 300 Win Mag and 338 magnums to range #3, which is 100 and 300 yards But that only applies to magnums - not all “30 caliber” Range #1, goes out to 1,100 yards, is available on weekends (reserved for police and military Monday thru Friday) and many a 308 and...

The 30-30 has a thin case. I would not reload it to 300 Savage or 308 Win levels but you should be able to safely load that case to 30-30 Ackley Improved levels with no fear. Barstooler

How many times has he reloaded the brass??? The 243 is famous for case stretching even after the first reload. Do the rounds chamber hard/tight?? If so it could be the neck is too long and he is jamming the bullet into the throat which is pinching the neck/bullet and creating extra pressure...

I will never buy another Rem 700. I had 2 that shot great (338 RUM and 22-250) so over a year ago I bought a new Rem 700 BDL in 243 Win. What a piece of crap that was. Tried bullets from 70gr to 105gr, different match primers, different cases, different powders and it would not shoot inside...

I own and shoot an original 6mm Lee Navy. But of course with that straight pull action and pressure limits it not a barn burner. If you are looking to making a 6mm-220 Swift Improved, you may think about building a 6mm Lee Navy Improved. The Lee Navy has a very long neck compared to the 220...

Slower powders are better with the 225gr and up. Concur on RL 25, 7828, and H-1000. I primarily load with Nosler 250gr Partitions in that cartridge. Accubonds also work well as do Hornady Interlocks. For punching paper, I shoot the Sierra 250gr MatchKing. Barstooler

I find Sierra bullets to be very accurate in most of my rifles. I have hunted for 40 years and find Sierras are great for punching paper if you are reluctant to buy match grad bullets. For game (and I have taken a lot of game), I never use them on anything bigger than a White Tail, and...

I have two 6.5s. An original 256 Newton that I shot for 30 years, and a 6.5-06 that I built to retire the Newton. You need a long action, whether 264 Win Mag or 6.5-284, to seat the 6.5-284 bullets out of the case to fully take advantage of that caliber. I built my 6.5-06 on a 1903...