Things you wished you knew when you started?

[Patton243]

Could have saved thousands of dollars from what I know now. Life is a learning experience. Enough said.

 

[sturner]

Just like the man said John do what you want to do ,why be rude
Reloading Is reloading

 

[JMW67]

Apples and oranges people please!!! There's a huge difference between what hunters like us use, and what champion target shooters use. Do you buy three barrels at a time, all chambered at the same time, and have your dies cut with the same reamer? If so of course you full length size, because that custom die will only bump the case back to your chamber size. I have watched a champion shooter measuring before and after sizing and dimensional changes where minuscule. I.E. The discharge energy all goes into the barrel, NOT into rearranging the dimensions of the brass. Most of us hunters have realised a long time ago that a Collet neck die and a Body die [when necessary] after fire forming is vastly more accurate and produces extraordinary case life. Neck sizing is way more accurate in all eleven of my rifles, and all seven of the other rifles I reload for. We also never have to trim our brass after the original unifying and never get doughnut swelling. The stupidity of asking one specialised branch of shooters for a general rule for all is astonishingly stupid. God spare us from u tube idiots like this!
P.S. If you are in Australia, I dare you to come and prove me wrong. I have a place to shoot all hours any day and a place for you to stay free of charge. If you're not game to try, just shut your ignorant mouth.

I understand what you believe but there was no need for your last statement was anyone this rude to you I think not

 

[manitou]

Apples and oranges people please!!! There's a huge difference between what hunters like us use, and what champion target shooters use. Do you buy three barrels at a time, all chambered at the same time, and have your dies cut with the same reamer? If so of course you full length size, because that custom die will only bump the case back to your chamber size. I have watched a champion shooter measuring before and after sizing and dimensional changes where minuscule. I.E. The discharge energy all goes into the barrel, NOT into rearranging the dimensions of the brass. Most of us hunters have realised a long time ago that a Collet neck die and a Body die [when necessary] after fire forming is vastly more accurate and produces extraordinary case life. Neck sizing is way more accurate in all eleven of my rifles, and all seven of the other rifles I reload for. We also never have to trim our brass after the original unifying and never get doughnut swelling. The stupidity of asking one specialised branch of shooters for a general rule for all is astonishingly stupid. God spare us from u tube idiots like this!
P.S. If you are in Australia, I dare you to come and prove me wrong. I have a place to shoot all hours any day and a place for you to stay free of charge. If you're not game to try, just shut your ignorant mouth.

Well... I guess we know who neck sizes now.

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

Well just when I was going to add one last thing I wish I had known earlier, this thread dividing link pops up. We all do what works the best for us......no need to fight over it. Good points made by both sides so do what works the best for you.

Now I was just going to add I wish I had known about this site a lot sooner. Instead I lurked at several flamer sites that made you feel if you weren't in the clique you needed to be ran off or put in your place. This site don't have much of that and it makes for a site with a lot better exchange of idea's and techniques without anger or hostility. Its what drew me here and has taught me a lot in a short time. Just listen, try it yourself and learn...... that easy.

Thanks Len, don't say that to make brownie points, been around the track way too many laps for that......don't care, just like the knowledge available and helpful crowd in general. Dave

 

[Mram10us]

Apples and oranges people please!!! There's a huge difference between what hunters like us use, and what champion target shooters use. Do you buy three barrels at a time, all chambered at the same time, and have your dies cut with the same reamer? If so of course you full length size, because that custom die will only bump the case back to your chamber size. I have watched a champion shooter measuring before and after sizing and dimensional changes where minuscule. I.E. The discharge energy all goes into the barrel, NOT into rearranging the dimensions of the brass. Most of us hunters have realised a long time ago that a Collet neck die and a Body die [when necessary] after fire forming is vastly more accurate and produces extraordinary case life. Neck sizing is way more accurate in all eleven of my rifles, and all seven of the other rifles I reload for. We also never have to trim our brass after the original unifying and never get doughnut swelling. The stupidity of asking one specialised branch of shooters for a general rule for all is astonishingly stupid. God spare us from u tube idiots like this!
P.S. If you are in Australia, I dare you to come and prove me wrong. I have a place to shoot all hours any day and a place for you to stay free of charge. If you're not game to try, just shut your ignorant mouth.

I don't believe you,SO the wife and I will catch a flight to Australia and stay with you for spring break week, free of charge

 

[Lenny Foffa]

My best reloading lessons when I stared searching for the best combination of accuracy and energy in my hunting loads, before I got into to bench rest shooting. 55 years ago , it was just IMR and H 4831 and 4350 for my .270 Win, and .270 Weath. Mag , 30-06 and 300 Weath. mag. Rifles. Separate all cases by weight 3/10th of a grain or Less; using the components like primers and bullets that produced the best accuracy no matter the cost ; Trickle powder to the exact 10th of a grain, and check every round for correct COAL and OGIVE length. De Burr and Camphor necks , and Primer Pocket holes , and really , really clean inside the necks . A Bunch of steps, Keep careful notes in a note book for each rifle. Fun for me to do, and the result was lots of one shot kills on white tails. It gives an amateur like me a sense of comfort and confidence when opening day comes, or going to the range to shoot small groups. Wish I knew to do all that when I was 19 staring out. I'm 71 now , and still having fun, and still learning from guys like all of you. Thank You all, Lenny

 

[WYO300RUM]

My story is just the opposite relative to someone else's reloads. Long ago as a virgin Second Lt and non hunter I was assigned to Alaska from the Maryland/DC area. Knowing less then nothing about ammo and hunting I trusted a civilian friend that hunted when he gave me "hunting" loads to take with me to AK. Long story short, they were for East coast white tails. Well when you try to shoot a moose with them through the shoulder blade they kinda flatten out. The moose goes down, I walk. up, the moose stands back up, I am out of ammo, I wet myself, my buddy drops the moose with 6 44mags. There is more to the story concerning me and the now unloaded 44 mag and a bear. But that is for another day.

I want to hear bear story !

 

[tt35]

I also started loading at the age of 16. That was about 100 years ago or so. The most important lesson I learned is that you can't reload yourself into an accurate rifle. Though it taught me a lot about reloading technique what I needed was an accurate rifle...or several.

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

The most important lesson I learned is that you can't reload yourself into an accurate rifle. Though it taught me a lot about reloading technique what I needed was an accurate rifle...or several.

Thats always what I need, another accurate rifle or even a couple : ) The load work-ups and hitting that place where you start to get tight groups. Then the match brass prep and chamber formed brass, weight sorting and total hand built zero runout ammo to shoot on a calm day with complete concentration.....

Then you hit the rabbit hole bottom or the top of the hill (however you see it). Now you need another rifle to start another load work-up....its what keeps me from getting old : ) and worse yet feeling old. If I would have known this when I was first starting out I would have a lot more accurate rifles at this point. So many cartridges....so little time. Dave

 

[sturner]

^^^^
aint that they truth get one squared away got to have another one

 

[Yeager]

^^^^
aint that they truth get one squared away got to have another one

Yes, and as a good friend often says to me, oh shucks, another rifle to sight in!

 

[JMW67]

Yes, and as a good friend often says to me, oh shucks, another rifle to sight in!

**** the good luck

 

[J E Custom]

It would have been nice to have a web site like this when I started to learn from instead of learning everything the hard way.

J E CUSTOM