Thanks, Max503 and Paul B.
These gas-checked bullets of which you speak, do you buy them or make them yourself?

Lastly, why does my monitor flicker in multiple colors until I slap it silly on its top?

[ 07-07-2003, 03:17: Message edited by: rootbeer ]

I make my own. It would defeat the purpose to buy them.
If you go with Lee moulds and sizers, it won't cost much. It just takes a little of your time, which I don't mind at all. I rarely shoot jacketed bullets anymore.

Myself I never download any of my magnum rifles, thats why they make non-magnum calibers. I have alway's thought if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. This the main reason that I don't like muzzlebreaks. This is just one mans opinion.

[ 07-07-2003, 18:54: Message edited by: Handloader ]

.375H&H
210gn Barnes X
73grn H4895 or VV N140

This is a light load, maybe not quite down-loaded.

Strshooter. If you're shooting the bullet I think you are, it's a copy of the Lyman #311041. FWIW, I've never been able to get that bullet to shoot for squat, although it has the reputation of being a very accurate bullet. Not for me anyway. Two bullets that I have found to be accurate in my 30-30 rifles are Lyman's #311291 and the RCBS #30-180-FN. I've used #311291 for years at full power in the 30-30. I have found the the nose of the bullet should just barely engage the rifling for best accuracy for one thing. The #311041 cannot do this. Second, the bullet should be at least .001" over groove diameter, and preferably .002" over groove diameter.
As to using Dacron as a filler? It depends. If I'm loading a full power charge in any rifle, no, there's no need. However, in my 30-30s, if I'm loading gallery/small game loads, I use a quarter square of toilet paper. For midrange loads, a 1.0 gr. tuft of Dacron. My target loads for .308 and 30-06 also get 1.0 gr. tuft of Dacron. I used to use kapok, but I ran out and couldn't find any more.
What I will not use as a filler is cereal products like corn meal or Cream of Wheat in bottlenecked cases. I used to use then in my 45-70 until I had to break some down because the load was inaccurate. That Cream of Wheat had solidified into an almost rock like consistancy that had to be scraped out. Imaginge that stuff in a bottlenecked case.
Paul B.

same thing with big bore pistols: 454,480,475,500s/w you cant practice correctly at full power for very long and if your not practicing correctly what is the point in practicing.I shoot 1000-1300 fps regularly,works great does not kill the arm/wrist and is good for trigger control practice.

Englander,

Sometimes, we don't load for maximum velocity for other reasons.

I will give you an example.

I have tried several loads with our own wildcat, the 375/404 while hunting in Africa. They ranged in velocity from around 2600 fps to 2900 fps, with a 300 grain Barnes X bullet.

I found the ones that have a velocity of around 2650 seem to penetrate much better than the ones with the higher velocity.

This was further proven by using a Lazzeroni 9.53 with the same Barnes X 300 grain bullet at 3140 fps.

So as you can see, although the rifles are capable of higher velocities, we prefer to load them slightly down for our hunting.

I have two pet "downloads", one is 200gr Nosler BT in my 338 win mag over 60gr of AA2520. 2850fps with excellent accuracy and tiny deviation.
The second is a 350gr cast bullet setting atop 12gr of green dot in my 45/70. around 1100fps, with 1.5 to 2" groups at 50 yards sitting with iron sights.

Depends on how you define "loading down." If I'm happy with 2,600 fps from a 30-06/180 load, I'm loading to 308 levels. To hunt deer, I use a 150 gr. bullet at 2,500 in the same rifle, so I guess I also load down to 300 Savage levels. In the 9.3x62, 2,300 fps from a 286 is plenty. I see no need to push for 150 fps if it means shorter case life, more recoil and flatter trajectory out so far that I won't use it. Hope this helps, Okie John.

Wow, with the exception of a few, it looks like there are a lot of folks who practice what they preach regarding, "You can always load a magnum down, but you can't load the littler ones "up" (enough).

Personally, I like magnums NOT because "it's a ruddy great bang! a walloping kick and a sheet of flame are what floats my boat!"

However; I DO LIKE MAGNUMS because of the way they lay the "slap down/knock out" on the game I hunt -- that does float my boat! Personally, when I take a shot at a live animal whether using a 270 or a 375HH, I feel NO recoil and hear NO report -- I'm aware something has happened alright but it's not recoil or report in the normal sense -- I guess I'm just focusing too hard on the animal.

I got to admit that the magnums generally make poor "gallery guns" so if plinking for fun is on the menu, then best to load down or move to the light weight calibers. I hate to say it, but the level of highly honed marksmanship required to kill big game with the luxury of a scoped high powered rifle (standard or magnum) just isn't all that great (say, compared to bowhunting).

For a lot of our "hunting target practice" (NOT bench shooting) we use scoped 223 and 308 rifles and then just throw a handful of practice rounds in from the 338, 375, or 416, whichever applies to the upcoming season, at the end of the session just to re-affirm the requirements of using the magnum package. If you are sharp with a scoped small bore AND comfortable with the scoped magnum, then it transfers right over -- to perfection? No. Plenty good enough? Yes.

Never Go Undergunned,
EKM

[ 07-11-2003, 04:15: Message edited by: ELKampMaster ]

Funny,I thought I had replied to this thread...

Well,I download many calibers for my wife to have fun and no recoil fear. Sometimes I practise with them but mostly not really.I do dry fire a lot instead. And then,I overload many calibers for myself,most of my accurate cast loads are a little or more over the books,338 Lapua (Edit: obviously not cast lol),45-70,357 mag,44 mag,for example.Slow powder,compressed.

And I prefer to practise with the full loads,too. It all comes down to the bullet performance,though, especially when talking hunting rounds.

And finally,nothing beats a good .22 practise day.

[ 07-11-2003, 23:16: Message edited by: Petander ]