How to make better reloads
- Thread starter Kevin Stenberg
- Start date
LOL! "sloppy reloads!"
There is a whole art (POSSIBLY a science, which I haven't bothered to identify) to this particular line of thought though. It's more akin to the philosophy behind "Reloading Out of Frank's Ditty Bag,"* or "Partizan Reloading,"** wherein I strive more to see how little I can do and still come up with reasonable accuracy and power for what game I seek at iron-sight/low-power-scope ranges. I've never been much of a gear-junkie anyway, so not a lot of stuff to get rid of, but I've packed away a lot of dies and moulds. I still use a press on a bench, still have an electric casting pot, but the idea is similar.
It's actually been a lot of fun finding ways to do more with less, which in a way is the same as expending effort to make better reloads, but the objective is more about "more with less" than smaller groups. Ironically, I've gotten some impressively small groups using really effective bullets, so the biggest success has been in how "cheap" it has become to keep shooting - WELL - without paying tribute to the Romans (Mongols, Greeks, Huns,...). Untying lines to the supply chain has been rewarding beyond fiscal considerations as well.
SOME DAY, instead of shooting all one-hole groups, I'll be shooting with very little cash or effort outlay, and be able to do it wherever - should I have to relocate to a smaller and more manageable habitat. Right now, its pretty darned cheap for me to shoot, and I can cast and load what I need very efficiently, but I am still sort chasing the same dream as "better reloads," which is as much or more fun.
This would be a neat "challenge," which wouldn't be much of a challenge to most people posting here, even the self-proclaimed "neophytes," given the quality of mentorship on-hand; to pick a gun/cartridge combination and put together a system/product, wherein you could stuff all your actual gear in a sack and scoot, yet be able to continue to shoot effectively, when you hit your geographical objective. Mine started with the obvious (and easiest) 38/357 revolver/carbine combo. I have yet to scare up a set of 310 tools or LEE "hand-press," and settle on ONE cheap, 2C LEE mould (which is very portable). My current concept centers on "staying put" or "bugging in." I hope to make this my last domicile and my current setup is geared toward having a "base camp," so to speak. Not planning for an "apocalypse" - planning for RETIREMENT.
* https://www.hensleygibbs.com/edharris/articles/Reloading Out of Franks Ditty Bag.htm (posted here by our friend, @Elric in 2020)
** I've not been able to find this reference online again, since PRVI PARTIZAN has become so popular. Sometime in the nineties, some online author made reference to bare-bones reloading with this term. Now, all the search results lead to the Serbian ammo-maker.
There is a whole art (POSSIBLY a science, which I haven't bothered to identify) to this particular line of thought though. It's more akin to the philosophy behind "Reloading Out of Frank's Ditty Bag,"* or "Partizan Reloading,"** wherein I strive more to see how little I can do and still come up with reasonable accuracy and power for what game I seek at iron-sight/low-power-scope ranges. I've never been much of a gear-junkie anyway, so not a lot of stuff to get rid of, but I've packed away a lot of dies and moulds. I still use a press on a bench, still have an electric casting pot, but the idea is similar.
It's actually been a lot of fun finding ways to do more with less, which in a way is the same as expending effort to make better reloads, but the objective is more about "more with less" than smaller groups. Ironically, I've gotten some impressively small groups using really effective bullets, so the biggest success has been in how "cheap" it has become to keep shooting - WELL - without paying tribute to the Romans (Mongols, Greeks, Huns,...). Untying lines to the supply chain has been rewarding beyond fiscal considerations as well.
SOME DAY, instead of shooting all one-hole groups, I'll be shooting with very little cash or effort outlay, and be able to do it wherever - should I have to relocate to a smaller and more manageable habitat. Right now, its pretty darned cheap for me to shoot, and I can cast and load what I need very efficiently, but I am still sort chasing the same dream as "better reloads," which is as much or more fun.
This would be a neat "challenge," which wouldn't be much of a challenge to most people posting here, even the self-proclaimed "neophytes," given the quality of mentorship on-hand; to pick a gun/cartridge combination and put together a system/product, wherein you could stuff all your actual gear in a sack and scoot, yet be able to continue to shoot effectively, when you hit your geographical objective. Mine started with the obvious (and easiest) 38/357 revolver/carbine combo. I have yet to scare up a set of 310 tools or LEE "hand-press," and settle on ONE cheap, 2C LEE mould (which is very portable). My current concept centers on "staying put" or "bugging in." I hope to make this my last domicile and my current setup is geared toward having a "base camp," so to speak. Not planning for an "apocalypse" - planning for RETIREMENT.
* https://www.hensleygibbs.com/edharris/articles/Reloading Out of Franks Ditty Bag.htm (posted here by our friend, @Elric in 2020)
** I've not been able to find this reference online again, since PRVI PARTIZAN has become so popular. Sometime in the nineties, some online author made reference to bare-bones reloading with this term. Now, all the search results lead to the Serbian ammo-maker.
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pcmacd
Member
Low ES is always good but not the end-all. With rifle length barrels what is really important is transit time in the barrel so that the bullet exits at any extreme of the barrel's vibration in a consistent manner. The extreme vibration deviation has no vibration velocity and a long dwell time. If you understand what a sine wave looks like, the tops and bottoms are the extremes... where the waveform is changing the least. Vibration is similar.
Yup, the comment that they shot with 3/16" 'slack' between butt and shoulder - exit before recoil on the shoulder causes barrel to move. Hard sandbags and rabbit ear bag covered in talc. I do carry a soft rag to put between bag and fore end - as bags are typically damp - outdoor range. Helps when I use the Caldwell front stand too.
Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
I think I mentioned this here, but will restate in response to ES. Last week, I spotted for a friend who was testing new reduced loads with PB. He found a 10 lb keg in his powder locker. The bullet and rifle are both proven. At 200 yds, he had as much as 8 feet between shots. We put 5 rounds over the chono and got an SD of 10 fps. If you looked at the chono numbers and this was the first time with this rifle or bullet, you'd think one or both had problems. We suspect it was a velocity issue and I'm looking forward to him changing the load and trying again.
Sorry if I am repeating myself here. Hard to keep track of what one says in which thread.
Sorry if I am repeating myself here. Hard to keep track of what one says in which thread.
Ian
Notorious member
Bingo. This is one way that some loads in some rifles can tolerate a relatively wide variance in powder charge mass....and how some others have to be dialed in to 1/10 grain and only shoot straight at 78 degrees.
JWFilips
Well-Known Member
I use two pieces of sheep skin ( Fleece on) on my bag and rest! Got that advice from Quicksilver!
Wool UP, or wool DOWN? UP makes sense, but I want to be sure.
I've recently thought begun to wonder about just how much my plastic, pebbly-surfaced Contender stock sets slide on their rests and this is an interesting and expedient idea.
I'm no bench-rester, but try to eliminate the easy-to-eliminate (potential) issues.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
"Partizan reloading" likely refers to the Partizan Resistance fighters of WW2 in Russia, the Balkans, etc. Pretty much guerrilla fighters scraping what they could together to fight the Axis.