What's your favorite round to reload?
- Thread starter 5whiskey
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madmo44mag
New member
Plus 1 on that.
Of all the pistol calibers I load 44 mag is my favorite and 9mm my least favorite but any straight walled pistol cartridge if fun to load.
Gravedigger56
New member
Pistol - 9mm
Rifle - .223
Rifle - .223
stubbicatt
New member
I'll be the odd duck--32-40, breech seated
Here lately I've been bitten by the schuetzen bug. It bit hard. It is challenging, beyond anything I've done before, and an amazingly accurate firearm/ammo combination when you get it right. In fact, that a cast bullet, 19th century firearm, with iron sights, designed for "shooting from your hind legs" can outshoot pretty much anything else I've shot, is a surprise. The tiny 1.5" 25 ring on the 200 yard target is challenging in and of itself.
For those unacquainted with the drill, with fixed ammunition, you load a complete cartridge at home, priming the case, adding the proper charge of powder, and seating a bullet. For breech seating, using relatively soft cast tapered bullets, you bring 1 (one) case, your cast bullets, primers, and powder measure with you to the range.
First you breech seat a bullet in the barrel using a breech seating tool. This device has a dummy cartridge of sorts within which a plunger reciprocates, and a lever at the rear to force the bullet into the throat of the barrel. The depth at which you seat the bullet makes a difference. Then one decaps his cartridge case, seats a new primer, charges the case from his powder measure, and then chambers the cartridge. In all it is about a 2 minute drill.
The benefits on accuracy, at least as compared to fixed ammunition in a properly throated schuetzen rifle, are demonstrable. I'm so taken by this experience that I'm contemplating selling my conventional firearms, and buying another schuetzen.
So in answer to the OP question, of all the shooting and reloading I have done through the years, I like loading for 32-40 best.
Here lately I've been bitten by the schuetzen bug. It bit hard. It is challenging, beyond anything I've done before, and an amazingly accurate firearm/ammo combination when you get it right. In fact, that a cast bullet, 19th century firearm, with iron sights, designed for "shooting from your hind legs" can outshoot pretty much anything else I've shot, is a surprise. The tiny 1.5" 25 ring on the 200 yard target is challenging in and of itself.
For those unacquainted with the drill, with fixed ammunition, you load a complete cartridge at home, priming the case, adding the proper charge of powder, and seating a bullet. For breech seating, using relatively soft cast tapered bullets, you bring 1 (one) case, your cast bullets, primers, and powder measure with you to the range.
First you breech seat a bullet in the barrel using a breech seating tool. This device has a dummy cartridge of sorts within which a plunger reciprocates, and a lever at the rear to force the bullet into the throat of the barrel. The depth at which you seat the bullet makes a difference. Then one decaps his cartridge case, seats a new primer, charges the case from his powder measure, and then chambers the cartridge. In all it is about a 2 minute drill.
The benefits on accuracy, at least as compared to fixed ammunition in a properly throated schuetzen rifle, are demonstrable. I'm so taken by this experience that I'm contemplating selling my conventional firearms, and buying another schuetzen.
So in answer to the OP question, of all the shooting and reloading I have done through the years, I like loading for 32-40 best.
waveslayer
New member
6.5 SAUM since it's so much work to make , then it shoots so good!
FITASC said:
You're not the only shotgun reloader on this forum. I reload more 12 gauge ammo than all other calibers combined, mostly because that's what I shoot most. I know I have gone through over 100 pounds of shot and 4 pounds of HiSkor 700X this year alone.
Registered trap will do this to you.
I think .38 Special may be my all-time favorite cartridge to reload. It's so forgiving it's almost difficult to put together a bad shooting combination.
Second favorite would probably be .223 Remington. There's such a wide range of uses it can be put to, I do everything from loading 55gr FMJ blasting ammo on a progressive to carefully measured 80-grain long-range loads that have to be single-loaded into match chambers. (My all-time favorite bullets in .224" are the 69-grain match hollow points, from either Nosler or Sierra. As long as you're shooting them in a decent barrel with the proper rifling twist, they can be made to shoot great without much experimenting.)
Second favorite would probably be .223 Remington. There's such a wide range of uses it can be put to, I do everything from loading 55gr FMJ blasting ammo on a progressive to carefully measured 80-grain long-range loads that have to be single-loaded into match chambers. (My all-time favorite bullets in .224" are the 69-grain match hollow points, from either Nosler or Sierra. As long as you're shooting them in a decent barrel with the proper rifling twist, they can be made to shoot great without much experimenting.)
. .45 Colt though is hands down favorite cartridge ... so by extension, favorite to reload! Don't care for reloading rifle cartridges and glad I don't shoot them much.I enjoy loading with a purpose. Target 222 is my most enjoyed to tweak the load and rifle.
The 22 K Hornet isn't quite as mush fun but it's second best.
Using them and knowing what to expect from them is the fun for me.
Loading the 12 gage or 20 to perform on clays or game are also on my list.
I don't want to forget pistols.
All for Hunting and target.
The 22 K Hornet isn't quite as mush fun but it's second best.
Using them and knowing what to expect from them is the fun for me.
Loading the 12 gage or 20 to perform on clays or game are also on my list.
I don't want to forget pistols.
All for Hunting and target.
Hate loading rifle ammunition. I tumble all rifle cases to clean them out. Then I have to lube the things. To ensure that I am not oversizing, I have the case gages on the bench, checking the things, and surprisingly, often adjusting the die up or down. Then I have to trim. I hate trimming! A Giraurd cuts down on the 30 cal trimming, but for the stuff I use an RCBS trimmer, it takes forever. Then I prime by hand and verify that each primer is below the case head. By the time I have a loaded round it must take 60 minutes for 60 rounds.
But pistol ammo, like the wonderful 38 Special, just set up the Dillion 550B and crank away. The 38 Special is so forgiving, so easy to size, prime, and the end results are always great.
So, I guess, the 38 Special is my favorite to reload.
But pistol ammo, like the wonderful 38 Special, just set up the Dillion 550B and crank away. The 38 Special is so forgiving, so easy to size, prime, and the end results are always great.
So, I guess, the 38 Special is my favorite to reload.
brasscollector
New member
Put another notch on the 38 spcl belt. Easy to load, cast bullets are not that expensive and results are great. Like nick said, there is something about a final crimp that seals the deal for me.
As far as rifle goes, I like them all. I load for 204, 243, 25-06, 30-06 (bolt + garand) and 45-70. Sure they take a bit more time but so do I when I shoot them. Something about a hand-rolled rifle round that almost brings a tear to your eye
As far as rifle goes, I like them all. I load for 204, 243, 25-06, 30-06 (bolt + garand) and 45-70. Sure they take a bit more time but so do I when I shoot them. Something about a hand-rolled rifle round that almost brings a tear to your eye