Just found this forum and found it to be full of useful knowledge, hints, tips, etc...and decided to join.

I am new to the reloading world but have a friend that has a pretty good knowledge of the trait and am looking forward to learning as much as I can.

I am primarily interested in reloading b/c it fits my personality...I'm a little bit of a perfectionist and a lot self-proclaimed OCD. Can’t wait to start tinkering with some loads for my rifles.

I was just what your thoughts were if any on Berger Bullets for both paper punching and hunting. I will primarily be loading for now in 300 RUM and 204 ruger calibers

Welcome Bulldawg!!

I can help with the 300RUM as I've got one in Sendero SFII. I'm still fine tuning my load for it with 180 grain Accubonds. As for the 204 old faucsttb can help you with that.

RJ

Welcome Bulldawg!

A Bulldawg from Athens, GA ........Ah yes conjures up sights of crisp fall Saturday afternoons on a football field with a bulldog sitting on the sidelines licking his











chops :D :D

Good to have you here!

Welcome to the forum Bulldawg. Rules are simple, be nice and join in.

a friend of mine shoots the 300 RUM. He and I just loaded a hundred rounds for it. He's leaving for Alaska day after tomorrow for a caraboo and moose hunt. He's shooting 180 grain Nosler accu-bonds at 3309 over my chrono. Accuracy is exceptional.

He and I both shoot the 204 Ruger, but both us shoot both the 32 and 39 grain Hornedy's. I shoot a CZ 527 Varmint and he shoots a Ruger #1V. I've never shot any of the Bergers mostly because I can buy the Hornedy bullets bulk and they give dime sized groups from anything I've shot them out of.

The guys over at predator Masters forum really like the 35 Berger for coyotes.

welcome to the Forum sir!

I have used Berger bullets in the past, in my 38-55 Marlin. They were devastating to the animals that they have hit:
a 100pound spike
and a feral dog
The Spike was shot to supply the landowner who's land I hunt with a bit of a venison "thank you", and dropped like a lightning hit at about 85 yards.
The dog was a bit closer, and ended with similar results.

as far as shooting paper with them, well I know they make a Match boolit, and that may be fine, but their hunting boolits are just too pricey to punch holes in paper, short of sighting in your hunting rounds.

As far as match ammo is concerned, I feed my M1a and Garands in ,308/30-06 Nosler's 168 match. In my eyes thes boolits are superior to Sierra match, and with the loads I have developed, are very accurate.

Thanks for the VERY warm welcome.

I've been reading this forum only for a short time but to see how you treat a new comer like one of your own definitely boasts well for the forum and the people in it.

I currently shoot factory loaded ammo out of all of my firearms...Federal 150 gr scirocco for 300 RUM and the Hornady 40 gr VMax for the 204. I don't have any complaints from either load except of coarse the cost of the cartridges and the fact that I know the firearms can perform better with hand loaded ammo tailored to it. I've got the 300 RUM dies on the way now (not from Ebay) and can't wait to start loading and twicking the loads for my gun.

Any advice for a first time loader (as I mentioned before I do have buddy thats been doing it for a while and handloads all of his ammo)?


PS:

The holy day (First Georgia football game) is the first week in September. Although, Fullchoke, it won't be a crisp afternoon yet, its been 100+ here in Georgia for a while now.

Certainly meant no offense Bulldawg. I lived in the Southeast long enough to know how rabid the college football fans are in that part of the country. Can you say Roll Tide? :D

Been hot here also. I don't think we've been as dry for as long as you folks though.

Anyway I'll be tagging along learning about reloading. There is a Reloading Forum that I've read through.

Non taken Fullchoke...I appreciate someone noticing

Your right the football in the South is great and the fans are rabid. I was just commenting that I can't wait for the first game...I'll be at the Tailgate @ 7:00 in the morning for the 6:30 pm Kickoff

Thanks for the VERY warm welcome.

I've been reading this forum only for a short time but to see how you treat a new comer like one of your own definitely boasts well for the forum and the people in it.

I currently shoot factory loaded ammo out of all of my firearms...Federal 150 gr scirocco for 300 RUM and the Hornady 40 gr VMax for the 204. I don't have any complaints from either load except of coarse the cost of the cartridges and the fact that I know the firearms can perform better with hand loaded ammo tailored to it. I've got the 300 RUM dies on the way now (not from Ebay) and can't wait to start loading and twicking the loads for my gun.

Any advice for a first time loader (as I mentioned before I do have buddy thats been doing it for a while and handloads all of his ammo)?


PS:

The holy day (First Georgia football game) is the first week in September. Although, Fullchoke, it won't be a crisp afternoon yet, its been 100+ here in Georgia for a while now.


I just loaded a hundred rounds of 300 Ultra-mag. My buddy bought 50 new cases and a two pounds of RL25 and a hundred Federal magnum primers and a hundred Nosler 180 grain bonded core bullets.

This bullet loaded in factory ammo would have cost him 53 bucks a box of 20 from Cabale's.

The first fifty cost him $1.60 each which included the cost of new brass or $32 per box of 20. The next 50 on his once fired cases cost him $1.00 per round or 20 bucks a box of 20. That 's a considerable saving over the $2.60 per round for the factory fodder.

As for advice for a new loader, just do one step at a time.

I like to use a Lee universal decapper to take out the primers, then clean the primer pockets and chamfer the brass. Doing this means I don't have to lube the cases and it's so much easier on my sizing dies to lube and size after the cases have spent some time in the tumbler and are sparkling clean.

I use Hornedy spray lube and hit the cases from two sides at a 45 degree angle so I get the lube on the inside of the case necks.

Once the cases are all sized they go back in the tumbler for an hour. Hornedy says this isn't necessary, but I like the ultra clean cases before I prime and finish loading.

I prime them all in one step with a Lee hand held auto-prime then put in the powder in a seperate step.

Once all cases have powder in them I check under the bright double florescent light over my bench to see that all have a uniform powder depth.

Now I put the bullets in and their ready to go into the box.

Notice how I do everything in steps. I've been reloading since 1963 and have had good results doing so and I simply can't tell you how much money I've saved and how much shooting I've been able to do for every dollar spent.

I don't think anyone saves any money reloading, but not only do you shoot more for your dollar often you can make ammunition that outperforms factory by a good margin.

Bulldawg, just so you are saving all that Federal brass after you shoot it. :D

RJ

Welcome Bulldawg,
Glad your here!

Chris what recipe do you use in loading your 38-55. Please share it with me.

Thanks,
Greg

Well rhino,
i first have to say that I miss-posted, theay are in fact Barnes bullets, 220 grain...Not Berger.:o
I'll get my load book out later, as the stuff is now buried due to a paint the laundry/reloading room project, and post it up or PM it to you.

Best,
Chris~

Thanks for taking the time to help. It makes the task of handloading seem a lot more achievable when it is explained step by step.

Welcome Bulldawg, You can't beat faucettb's method, but you also need to get at least one or two loading manuls, and spend some time reading all the additional information that there isn't enough space to post here. Then if possible get someone who loads for them selves to look over your sholder and check that you are not making any mistakes or omissions. One thing I would add as a CAUTION, is to NEVER have more than one powder out at a time, and NEVER leave any powder in the powder measure. It's too easy to forget what powder is in the measure, and return it to the wrong canister. That route lies disaster.