Tuning loads for the FA .357 mag and .41 mag

Working for hunting loads for my CVA Scout 357 mag and loads for my 30 30 contender.

Getting into Milsurps. So, load development and shooting:

6.5x55 Swede
.303 British
8mm Mauser

Building a 12'x12' out building to be my reloading room.

Working up loads for two CVA Scout V2's. One in .243 and one in 6.5 Creedmoor. Got one scope ordered and need another as well as a muzzle brake. Any suggestions appreciated.

Working up a new load for my HSP 7 saum using the new ADG 7 saum brass and "Hopefully" the new Nosler 150 grain 7mm Accubund.

* Loads for .357 barrel I have coming from MGM.
* Tinker with a new load for .44 Encore.
* Some Hog and Yote eradication.

Practice and loading for the 454 SRH I picked up last fall. Have a nice hunting load I need to chrono when the weather improves. Also working up a full house 45-70 load for an Alaska moose hunt this fall with my encore. RL7 gives me a good load around 1900fps with the 300gn TAC-TX bullet, but I looking to recreate the 2050+ fps I get with the Buffalo Barnes factory TSX load with some AA1680. I'm also awaiting the production and delivery of a Henry long ranger in 6.5 cm.

Since I missed twice this year, both times I rushed and jerked the trigger - I plan to shoot alot. I have a good 300 grain load for 44 mag SBHH but I plan to try 240 grain loads to see how they perform. I have replaced the reddot with a scope on the TC 35-30/30 so I plan to send many down range and I want to really wring out the 4inch 686 with Matchdot II and see if I can get a deer next year. Those 3 will get all my attention. I have been piecing together a range and have finally completed it - but I will add a conveniently placed equipment shed so I can put a bench under it and have dry/clean place to shoot. Poured concrete bench in the near future.

I will be determining loads for my 460 S&W magnum and 500 S&W magnum and adjusting the rear sights. Both are Bowen Classic Arms Target rear sights I procured from them. I will also continue with my 329 PD project gun. Getting it Mag-Na-Ported and the trigger and hammer polished by same. Send it in to Cylinder and Slide for carry bevel and an action job. Make sure the stainless steel cylinder from a 629 is working correctly and I have bought to replace the titanium one it came with. Adds a little weight and is more durable with all loads than the titanium that has a protective coating that wears off. That is my summer projects on tap.

Getting reacquainted with my SBH in 480 Ruger: load workup etc. I have been burning out the barrels on my 454 and 500JRH and she just sat there looking longingly at me each time I passed her over for a range day. Also, working up a new load for my 300 Win Mag but that's a rifle load and that doesn't belong on this forum. LOL

Learn to shoot accurately shoot a SBH Hunter l recently acquired

I love mine dearly ... my favorite gun ... but it?s the hardest for me to shoot accurately by far.

P

I'm planning on working up some loads and testing some Barnes XPB's for various pistols now that all hunting here in California is lead free mandated. I have some loaded up in 357 and 10mm, but I'm interested in working up some modern pressure loads in my 38/40 cylinder Ruger Buckeye Blackhawk.


Eric.

Same as Eric. Working up lead free loads for my .308 Striker and my 25/06 and 30/06 Encores. Also finding lead free factory loads for my hunting guns in case we encounter any kinks in the new ammunition laws.

Just acquired a like new Contender, Stainless, 257JDJ 14" with TSOB base & rings, Stainless Easy Open frame, Pachmyer grip and forend, Burris 3x12 Plex scope with around 150 loaded rounds, dies, holster and sling. I'm going to shoot some of the loaded ammo and then start my own loading process with a couple of powders to see if I likes any other powder besides AA2520. I have a pile of Nosler 85grn BT's and some 87 grn in another brand.
Can't wait

Mike

Work on improving both accuracy and speed-on-target with my .460 Rowland. I love shooting this gun, love the accuracy, love the slam in my fist of a 1911 pumping out a 255 grn lead slug at 1300 fps. Just want to get more proficient.

I would like to get caught up on all my reloading projects.

Lets Think a Minute.

I need to work with a new 30-30AI barrel for my brother's Contender. Load work and bullet testing. I have it put together and 50 rounds fire formed. Now I need to start loading and shooting.

I plan to revisit my brothers 7-30 Waters Super 14 barrel. Try out some new bullets that are still made. About all of the original bullets we worked up loads with 20 some years ago are no longer made. I may also try out some newer powders.

I have new Weaver Classic Extreme 2.5-10 X 50mm Rifle Scopes on my 260 Rem, and 7.62x53R Encore Barrels. I need to give both a workout and get Drop Charts made for them both. I have a third scope still in the box for the 356 Winchester barrel that I have on order from MGM.

I will need to work up loads for the 356 Winchester barrel when I get it. I currently have 60 rounds of 356 and 50 rounds of 307 brass to work with.

I plan to do some bullet testing to determine exactly how they compare in expansion and penetration. I have some of the Fury .358 bullets in both 158 and 180 to test, as well as the 200 FTX, and 180 Speer FP in 35. I also want to work with .308 bullets like the 125 BT,150 BT, 135 FTX, 125 FP, and possibly others. Then I will look at the 6.5's in both my 6.5X30 JDJ and 260 Rem.

I just started shooting Steel Challenge. I am planning on shooting Rimfire Handgun Iron Sight with my S&W 617, and Revolver Iron Sight with my GP100. I am getting my gear all sorted out for that game.

I just completed swapping scopes and UltraDots around on all of my single shot handgun barrels. Adding a couple rifle scopes freed up a couple newer 2-7 Burris handgun scopes. I ended up moving my optics around to better cover everything.

I also just completed sorting all of my brass cases. Between what I have fired and range pick up, that was a couple 5 gallon buckets of brass that I have now sorted out. Tractor Supply has me about 6 more Gamma Seal Lids on order to store sorted brass in 5 gallon buckets. I load for 38 Special, 357 Max, 40/10, 44, 45 GAP, 45acp, 480, not counting specialty handgun and rifle calibers. I also have sorted shotgun hulls. I need to locate some trash cans 27" tall to put hulls and wads in under the bench.

I desperately need to clean the shop out also.

Catching up on reloading was mentioned above. I am not sure if this is possible. I am busier retired than when working full time.

I have a couple of Ladder Stands that need rebuilt with tubing added to support the plywood top. I am putting bigger tops on the newer stands as I rebuild them. I also have the tubing added to a newly bought stand that I need to revisit and add a second contact point to anchor it to the tree. I do not plan on using the single contact point stand as is, I do not trust one strap.

I also have all the parts fabricated to put a roof on the wife's tower stand. That will make it a lot nicer and allow blocking the sun off the back of the scope in the evening.

I did not realize that I had so many ongoing projects.

Bob R

Bob, you have so much to do, I am not sure if you have time to hunt any more (LOL)

In no particular order:

- Learn how to cast better bullets.
- Practice my short-gun shooting.
- Re-barrel my specialty pistol (or just build a new one).
- Get work out of the shop that no longer fits my mission.
- Teach my son how to shoot.
- Re-build my chicken coop after moving.

Should be a good Summer!

Ryan

Some of you guys have actually inspired me to try something different this year. Last summer and fall, there was a fair amount of discussion on here about the 327 Magnum, and some members used revolvers chambered in the cartridge to take a handful of medium game animals. Having given it a bit of thought, I'm really looking at having MGM build me an Encore barrel chambered for the cartridge. I'm still not 100% set on the specifics yet, but it's definitely something I'd like to undertake.

I AM GOING TO ALASKA ON A BEAR HUNT IN LATE MAY, SO I AM GOING TO DELAY SOME WORK ON 25-20 AND 38-40 REVOLVER LOADS, S&W 45 COLT LOADS, PLAYING AROUND WITH A NEWLY ACQUIRED 12 INCH OCTAGON 22 JET BARREL, PLUS ..... I WILL BE CONCENTRATING ON PRACTICING WITH A FA 353 REVOLVER, MY PRACTICE 8 3/8ths INCH 454 FA MNP STALKER, AND MY 5 1/2 INCH LINEBAUGH 45 COLT REDHAWK CONVERSION. AM STILL PLAYING WITH/UNDECIDED ON WHAT LOAD/BULLET TO USE IN THE REDHAWK (MY BACKUP GUN). WILL BE USING 325gr BARNES BUSTERS IN ANOTHER 8 3/8ths INCH 454 STALKER FOR THE HUNT. ALSO, ON AROUND 3 TRIPS UP TO MY RANCH BEFORE I GO ALASKA, INSTEAD OF A BELT HOLSTER WITH A BISLEY IN IT, I WILL BE CARRYING THE REDHAWK IN A DIAMOND D CHEST RIG, AND WILL BE HUNTING WITH THE STALKER. ALSO, WHEN I GO IN TO HUNT PREP MODE, I DO NOT LIKE TO SHOOT RIFLES, SHOTGUNS, SINGLE SHOTS, SEMI-AUTOS, PREFERRING TO STICK WITH THE TYPE OF GUNS I WILL BE STAKING MY HUNT (AND MAYBE LIFE) ON.

Well I got started. I did round one of load development for the 30-30AI using the newer Hornady 135 FTX bullets. I got them into the 2500 fps range with H4198 with Kyode's help.

On the Steel Challenge Project. While not working on my personal equipment yesterday we did make progress on the match. I have heavy equipment on site building a Fourth Handgun Bay. They got in 6 hours yesterday, and it is looking good. No shelf rock so far on the Right side of the bay.
I have one of our welder fabricators coming to the Range this afternoon to start adding angle iron shields to the steel challenge target bases. This will let us leave the bases out Staked Down in position without worrying about bullet strikes to the base locking the 2x4 vertical posts to the base.

Not mentioned on my list was Sporting Clays. Last Fall I had our same Contractor out to open up the Stations which are in the woods. We pulled all the target throwers so they were out of the road for the dozer work. We put them back out and had our first Sporting Clays shoot of 2019 last Sunday afternoon. Yesterday I was on the Course doing a little more fine tuning to equipment. I still need to reseed the work areas. Per one of out shooters we are supposed to have more electric throwers donated to the range this year. We have a pretty good 4-H program that gets support from other organizations.

My 260 Encore "Zero the new scope project" should happen in a couple days. I have 14 rounds loaded with H4895 and 107 SMK bullets. My first round of testing with the 107 SMK I was using RL15 powder. I am pretty much just playing with these bullets using them up on the Range. I will more than likely go to 120's when I get serious with it.

Bob R

You actually shoot "rifles". Horrors!

MARVIN: NOT EVERY CALENDAR YEAR, BUT ON RARE OCCASIONS I SHOOT RIFLES, USUALLY SIGHTING IN/CHECKING "LOANER" RIFLES FOR THE RANCH. I BOUGHT A COMPASS 6.5 CREEDMOOR RIFLE LAST YEAR (AT AN INCREDIBLE PRICE) FOR USE AS A "LOANER" RIFLE FOR THE RANCH, HAVEN'T SHOT IT YET.

I recently got a sp101 4.2" in 327 federal mag as a centerfire kit gun / vehicle protection gun/ range fun gun. I had got my wife a 327 LCRx for her defense gun and really enjoyed shooting it, so I just had to get a longer barrel one to play with myself. So one on-going project for the summer is developing some loads for it. Also I am a bit low on 44 mag and mid-range 454 loads, so will work on loading some of those up as well.

Rey, Good luck on your bear hunt.