do you use factory loads or reload your own ammo for hunting dangerous game? Please list cartridge, load and game hunted. thanks

I use reloads in my 375, 416, 404, 10.75x68 and .470...IN fact I only use reloads in all my rifles.I hunt about everything..

reloads, or I should say "handloads" as in all new components, brass, etc. jrge

I use reloads because I would not trust my life to another person's loading skill (i.e. factory ammo).

I use my own loads or loads from someone like Superior Ammunition.

I use my loads for everything except for barrel break in, unless I need to fire form cases. Always seemed to be a good way to get some brass and I really don't care about the groups. I use the cheapest thing I can get. Also, I can usually get to the range faster this way to try out my new gun. Once the break in is done it's my handloads only.

Except for rimfire ammo, self-defense ammo (lawyers will kill YOU if you use handloads) and steel shotshells, I haven't fired factory ammo in over 22 years. Haven't had any problems, but I'm anal when I'm reloading.
Jorge has it right. For a big hunt, use all new components.

Only use reloads...Because I cannot get what I want in factory ammo.
9,3x62 with woodleigh solids or Stuart softs
.404 with woodleigh solids or stuart softs (I know RWS is now loading decent .404 ammo with Woodleighs at 2325fps but only seen one box)
.450 NE
.450 No2

Oh and nobody here makes decent anti animal handgun loads (although Ken Stuart does make the bullets) so add
.44 mag
.41 mag

All handloads with new components on DG.

Woodleigh solids and softs in 465H&H, 458 Lott

Hornady solids and nosler partitions in 375 H&H

465H&H

For hunting all the game, not only dangerous game, since 1982 I'm use only handloads, and reload (more or less) 50 calibers from .22 Savage to .458 WM between rifles and handguns.
Hector

quote:

Originally posted by bill439:
do you use factory loads or reload your own ammo for hunting dangerous game? Please list cartridge, load and game hunted. thanks

I don't know about Dangerous game but with the exception of rimfire rounds I have bought one box of factory rifle ammunition in 20 years.

(Someone gave me a 30/30 lever gun that I wasn't planning on keeping so I bought a box at Walmart to try it out.)

I trust my handloads.

I use handloads for everything I shoot including and especially for DG.


My DG rifles that i hand load for are.

.470NE
.458Lott
.375H&H

And soon to be a

.404 Jefferies.

With the exception of one dead primer I've never had one of my handloads fail.

That is more than I can say for factory ammo including premium ammo.

Bill,
On our trip to Tz all of our ammo for my 9.3x62 and my 375HH was handloaded. This was the only way I could obtain loads that "harmonized" in my rifes. I will not provide loads; however, the technique is one that has been outlined by several "experts" for ammo that absolutely must perform.

Use once fired cases, fully resized and trimmed.

Prime each case and inspect.

Charge each case and inspect. (Not an extreme loading.)

Seat the bullet and inspect.

Crimp each bullet and inspect.

Run each round through the rifle it will be used in, checking both seating in the magazine and chambering.

Weigh each round to make sure that it is charged, and box.

Load 5-10 extra rounds, and select at random that many for chronograph and accuracy testing. If they are consistent with your previous data adjusted for temperature variations, you are good to go. Kudude

The ONLY factory loads I have used in 9 trips to Zimbabwe have been in my 470NE. I load for it but only use them for practice. I have used handloads exclusively in 375H&H, 7x57,30-06,9.3x74r,and 270win, all with Nosler Partition bullets and most with IMR4350. In all cases slightly below Max handbook loads. The 9.3 used IMR4064. Have shot most everything in Zimbabwe big and small except Lion.

I hunted only once with factory ammo. That was in 1982.

Ever since, I have use a number of calibers.

375 H&H magnum
416 Weatherby
416 Rigby Improved
375/404

All with handloads.

In fact, I am taking reloads this year as well, some of my cases are on their 12th safari! As we do not have the luxury of finding new brass here.

Last year one of my friends lost a couple of my cases as he shot a buffalo. We made him go back and look for them, but, of course, in that grass and thick under growth we could not find them.

He got the message, as he collected every single one he fired after that.

I basically did the same as Kudude for the ammo I used on elephant this past July:

quote:

Use once fired cases, fully resized and trimmed. (plus, I cleaned out the primer pocket)

Prime each case and inspect.

Charge each case and inspect. (Not an extreme loading.)

Seat the bullet and inspect.

Crimp each bullet and inspect.

Run each round through the rifle it will be used in, checking both seating in the magazine and chambering.

Weigh each round to make sure that it is charged, and box.

Load 5-10 extra rounds, and select at random that many for chronograph and accuracy testing.

In addition, I tried each round with the magazine full, with only 2 rounds in the mag and so on. A bit over the top maybe, but better safe then sorry!

I reload for all of my big game cartridges: 9.3x74R (286 gr Woodleighs); .375 H&H (300 gr Woodleighs); and .450 No. 2 NE (480 gr Woodleighs). All weldcore and FMJs.

Have been used and to be used on cape buffalo, water buffalo, scrub bull, pigs and possibly elephant next year.

I reload for all my guns as well. Including .375, .425 WR, .470, and .500. It gives me a chance to spend alot more time with my rifles, I am more confident with them, and its a hell of alot cheaper.

All these guns I use to hunt dangerous game and am confident in them.

Cost and 100% confidence may be the reason why all of us reload. I am not pushed for money by any means but who wants to spend 200 plus bucks for .470 ammo from Federal, when you can roll it yourself, save 60%, and have fun in the process. Charlie

Until the last few years, no premium ammo was available off the shelf. Every animal but one that I've shot in Africa was shot with a handload. I would prefer to trust my handloads than factory ammo anyway.

Thanks guys for all the comments and tips. It sure looks like most of us here will go with the handloads for dg. not just for performance or for shooting prem. bullets but also being reliable. I had a misfire once ( 1 time in 40+ years of handloading) rifle was lined up on a nice 8 pt. buck @ 6ft. man when that firing pin fell he was gone and I mean gone now! Out of the 40 rds of 7x57 ammo this was the only rd. that didn't go off. I now use the primers in that lot to only fire-form cases, too cheap to throw them away. For my hunting ammo, I now use primer sealer --no misfires so far--

My drill is about the same as KUDUDE'S! Like some others here I will use factory for a short trip to the woods when a spur of the moment hunt is in the offing, and I don't have time to load. However, I usually work up the best load I can for a new rifle, and when I' satisfied with the load, I will then load 100 rounds of ammo with that load,in all new componants, and stash for future hunts. I then keep about 40 pieces of brass for stump shooting trips, or Boar hunting, leaving my 100 rnds for serious hunting!

I guess what I'm saying with this long winded post is, I use Handloads for all my shooting. I load better that the gang presses at most factories. The exception to that is SUPERIOR, their loads are custom HANDLOADS!

Since my DG rifle is a .404 jeffery, I use handloads exclusively. I handload for all of my rifles & have never had a FTF, never. Even if there were a decent manuf. of ammo for this grand old cartridge, it probably wouldn't be loaded w/ the exc. NorthFork softs or Barnes monosolids.
So, all of us handload, what's so important about the availability of factory ammo?

I use a regimen very similar to Kudude's ... it is a good, thorough way to do things. I do use a stand alone RCBS priming station that mounts on top of the press rather than a hand primer.

For rifle I throw charges and then trickle to exact weight for every round. Results in very consistent ammunition.

I really don't buy factory rifle ammo, but the larger calibers I load are:

9,3x62
9,3x74R
.375 H&H
.416 Rigby, and
.470 NE

As well as the smaller stuff like .223, .308 Win, 30-06, and .338 Win plus a bunch of hangun calibers.

I only worry about ammo availability after a plane trip. Always try to spit ammo into several pieces of luggage on the theory that they have to lose it all to foul up my hunt.

So far ... so good.

reload for everything:
30-06
300wsm
375H&H
416 rigby
500NE

I reload 30-06 180 nosslers and 180 Barnes x
300 win mag 200 grain Barnes X
375 H&H 300 grain Barnes X and solids
45 70 300 grain partitions and X
458 500 grain barnes x and solids

38 special and 357 (target bullets)
44 mag 240 grain hornady
45 colt 300 grain speer sledgehamers

Everything else I shoot is either cheap enough to buy and the need for premium ammo is not there 22lr 9mm 223 12 gauge and 410

Heck- I trust my own loads over anything factory made. When my life is on the line I want to "pack my own chute"-Rob

I had such poor luck with several batches of 70s era factory ammo that I haven't felt comfortable with it since. I now have a skin condition that precludes much handloading but I manage.